"Revolution lead to imprisonment, but was it worth it, Celestia?" The Magus calls out, accusing her gaoler. A story of a lost human and her time in Equestria.
"Revolution lead to imprisonment, but was it worth it, Celestia?"
Three hundred years ago, I led a revolution against Celestia, in an attempt to right the wrongs of the society I saw as an outsider. A For'ner.
As repayment for my good intentions, I was imprisoned in stone like the spirit of Chaos, and left to suffer. I watched the heroes of the new generation rise as a statuesque observer, until my own escape.
Now released, I plan to see the effects of my past actions, and hopefully prevent worse from happening. Although I'm pretty sure the princesses hate me.
Featured: Saturday, January 16th, 2021. Thank you.
Regarding Crossovers: I am willing to do them, but I would prefer to have some time to read your story first so I can see if it can reasonably work. If you are interested, Please PM me.
A menagerie of color and giggles always accented the afternoons, while whispers and confessions were traded in the night. No matter the time, this hedge maze almost always has someone wandering its leafy halls. Many times, it’s a set of lovers looking to hide away for a private place to talk and explore one another. Others, it’s a set of Academy students learning of the history of their society.
However, today is special. Today marks 300 years of imprisonment for my crimes against the crown. Today is the anniversary of what I recognize as my rebellion attacking Canterlot. However, the Ponies have a different name for it and myself. It also marks the day I fell into this world, one that was once mere fantasy to me.
Allow me to spin a tale of my descent into this world.
“Oh do tell. I’d love to know.”
God damn it Discord.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Earth~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zipping from booth to booth, I could not contain my excitement. I was finally at OmniCon, The biggest convention in south Texas. I had spent the last few months piecing together my cosplay. A lovely pale blue lace up shirt from wish. A black tank top with some Lace ribbon sewn to the edge. A wonderfully comfy set of purple pants, laced tight around my calves and tucked into a custom ordered set of boots from Etsy. I even dyed and cut my hair that icy blue color of Illua, the War Magus. An obscure character to be sure, but definitely one that I couldn’t help to dress as.
However, in my burst of energy, I left behind my fellow cosplayer and twin brother. “Sei. Hold up. You’re gonna exhaust yourself, and then we’re gonna have to go home. Cool it.” Jayson was dressed as Frost Prime of Warframe, a vastly more popular character. He definitely had the build for it.
“But.. but.. It’s OmniCon!” I had to wait for him before I signed out my response. He just looked at me with that same ‘I’m your guardian’ look he always gave me when I was too excitable. “Alright…” I could understand why he protected me so fiercely. I can’t call for help being a mute, and with my Anemia issues, I had to be careful for my health.
“Good. What do we need to find to help you complete your look? I know mine’s done but…” He gestured to my outfit. It was a sore subject, but I had unfortunately run out of funds to order the last few props and time to have them delivered. I lacked a sword, a grimoire, and a necklace to finish the appearance proper. “Let’s see what we can find then.” I stuck close to him, but my mind would not stop buzzing. Everything caught my attention, even though I knew what I was looking for.
He took pictures with various people and groups, many of which recognized his outfit with ease, while I took only a few, due to the circumstances of who was asking. It wasn’t long before I had to sit down and rest. “You good, Naru?” my brother asked, slipping his backpack off as we sat at one of the small food court’s tables. I shook my head slightly. In a few quick motions, my meds and a drink were put into my hands, and were downed. “I told you to settle.” Jayson really wanted to scold me, but he took it in stride. “I brought enough money to pick up a few props for you, a couple souvenirs for myself, and a couple birthday gifts if you’re not going for super expensive. How soon do you want to buy things?”
“I would like to look around some more, before I make any decisions.” I had to set my drink down to reply, a few of the signs needing both hands. Looking over the few sellers of swords from our corner of the con, I frowned a bit. The items were nice, but never quite what I was looking for.
However, off in the far corner was a rather undisturbed shop. It was well organized, and people were just.. passing it by. Unusual for a con, Even if it’s one of the smaller ones in the nations. “Hey, can we check out that one over there?” I pointed out the booth in question. He put his helmet back on and held his hand out to help me up. “Let’s go then.” I squeed internally, exhibiting the self-control of a child with twenty dollars in a candy store, leaving my brother exasperated as he had to jog lightly to catch up.
I couldn’t hold back my gasps as I looked over the wares this booth displayed. It was all locked behind glass, but you could clearly tell this was quality items. Zelda’s royal regalia, Squall’s necklace, a Monster Hunter light bow gun, and more. All of them perfect to the smallest details. On one side was your traditional necklaces, rings, and accessories, the Front held some weapons, while the others were hung upon standing racks behind the merchant. On the other side were plushies, bags, and miscellaneous items, such as books decorated in silver runes.
“Ah… Welcome.. Welcome..” The voice of the merchant finally reached my ears. I looked up at him as he stood, my eyes making no sense of his features. Sinister and Kind. Lanky but bloated. Beady eyes that disappeared beneath a furrowed brow, with just enough wrinkles around his eyes to seem older than he appeared, but he still had what should have been a youthful air about him. If he had been wearing a pure white mask, I may have run from the sudden fear I felt looking into those dark eyes.
“Cat have your tongue, little one?” He asked, leaning forward. I flinched back, hiding behind Jayson as he stepped forward. “You could say that. She’s mute.” Jayson responded in my place, shielding me from the Merchant.
“Ah… For shame. Well, she is my 100th customer today, so I would like to present to her a pair of gifts, free of charge.” The merchant smiled. I swore I saw those eyes glint with a mixture of malice and mischief, however, I couldn’t resist the offer. I signed to my brother my request, and he quickly translated. “Hm... I do have the Grimoire of the Rift. It’s been sitting in my stock for some time, waiting for the right buyer. I’m glad I brought it with me.” He dug into the rubber maid containers he had behind him, and pulled out the book in question, coated in a thin veneer of dust.
“Meanwhile, I do have a few swords that match the basic description… Would something like this work?” The merchant picked up what looked to be a katana of some form, and drew it from its sheath, revealing an intricate etching into the blade. “So? How is this?” It was a perfect replica of Illua’s blade of choice. I nodded.
The Merchant set the blade and book into my hands, and rested a third item. A small, platinum ring, with what looked to be a massive sapphire with thousands of glittering stars inside it. I couldn’t hold back the sound of my reaction. “Take them. Wear them.” The merchant spoke. He leaned in close, and barely whispered loud enough for me to hear over the din of the event. “They will be the keys to your survival, Illua.” His chuckle unsettled me more, but I decided to withdraw myself from his booth, tugging Jayson along this time.
The moment we were out of sight, I began to giggle like a mad woman. I couldn’t resist the urge to don my new props, and quickly did so. The katana’s harness slipped into place perfectly, with barely any adjustment required, whilst the belt attached to the grimoire was fastened around my waist with just as much ease. It made me smile that much more, but I looked at the ring carefully, before slipping it on. No other ring felt as comfortable to wear as that one, as if it had been created just for me. “Jayson, these fit all so well, and comfortably… How do I look?” I asked.
“You really look the part. Let’s go walk some more.” He responded. He picked up a necklace from the creepy merchant, one that seemed to fit his character well. He tucked his wallet within the thick coat, and we took off once more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While I definitely got some more pictures now that I was fully equipped, We picked up a few other items during our wandering. A deck of tarot cards, featuring the Persona 3 Arcana art style, a pair of Resin stones from Dark Souls, and even a new pouch for me labelled as a Bag of Holding from the Wizards of the Coast stall.
Jayson and I stopped for lunch at the food court once again, each digging into a way too expensive burger and drink combo, before he finally raised the question. “So.. What’s in the book?”
“I’m… not actually sure.” I shrugged as I signed, making my confusion clear.
“I bet it’s like ‘dear diary’ or ‘do you know the name of the one who will save Ivalice?’ like the books from FFT 1 and 2 do.”
“That would be cute, but a bit depressing.” I hefted the grimoire up and ran my fingers over the cover. It thankfully had a small padlock with a key attached by ribbon, and it was easily unlocked with a few quick turns. However, as I opened it, I noticed it was all in a runic format. “Hm.. It’s like.. Nordic runes mixed with that Oblivion daedra script…” I tried to explain before the migraine hit. Information about Magic, skills I didn’t even know before, Spell upon spell upon spell was forced into my memory, forcing me to slip off my seat, curling in agony. I signed for Help, repeatedly, as I was forced to close my eyes from the sheer pain of it all.
The moment it faded, I barely had a chance to look around. People had begun to disappear into nothingness, from light explosions and simply flickering out, to much more painful looking ones like personal black holes and evaporating. I turned to the direction of the Merchant. He waved, his face split in two from the smile that now dominated his features. He waved as gravity suddenly pulled me down into a rift of inky blackness, my conscious leaving as I left my world behind forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Amongst the Black~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I awoke, I found myself in a strangely familiar darkness, one that had visited my dreams off and on for years. I sat within the spot light that had no origin, looking around vaguely. Outside the circle, a serpentine form circled my little sanctuary of light, eyeing me with a pair of glowing, orange eyes. Internally, I began to panic, my breathing becoming haggard as I watching this thing continue to stalk me, as I attempted to keep it within my sight. A singular claw reached into the Light, its scales glistening. “S-stay back. D-Don’t hurt me..” I softly say, shuffling back away from it. Another claw appears in the light as the Head begins to invade the circle. I flinch, throwing my hands up to protect myself.
Seconds pass silently. I freeze, waiting for something to strike me as I wait, blind to this dim world. A bright chime rings out, eliciting me to peek from behind my arms. Instead of the creature that was stalking me, a menu of some sorts sat in the air. It’s text was intelligible at first, but it continued to cycle between many written languages. Each letter kept shifting between something I recognized faintly as some Asiatic symbols, Nordic runes, Egyptian hieroglyphics, and even what I assumed were alien languages. Eventually, as letters began to click into English, they locked into place, finally displaying a message.
[Welcome to Displacement 1.24-EQ]
Displacement? Did… I get thrown into some sort of game?
[To open any menus, raise your hand wearing the [Menu Ring], and slide it down vertically before you. The [Menu Ring] cannot be lost, stolen, discarded, or destroyed.]
A tutorial? I’ll bite.. Doing as instructed, a series of vertical screens detailing my status as well as options for inventory, skills, and magic were present, typical fare for an RPG game. Notable, the traditional settings, save, and load menu options were absent.
[Your menu holds your information on your current physical status, equipment, skills, and magic known. These options will expand as necessary. This is also an inventory management area, allowing you to store your items and excess equipment in a special dimensional space due to your possession of a [Bag of Holding.]]
Huh. Worth the twenty bucks now. Strange that I’m here, but simple enough.
[Assigned Class: Magus. [A Spell blade in the truest sense, a Magus can combine numerous magical studies with top notch sword play for a truly unique style of fighting. No spell besides only the hardest of rituals are out of your reach, and no weapon style is too difficult for you to grasp, although you will never truly master it as a focused class would. ]
I mean, Illua was a War Magus so.. Fitting.. I guess.
[Have Fun]
Wait what? I mentally cry out before the void once again takes me, depositing deep within the forests of Equestria, 310 years before the Return of Nightmare Moon.
“Woooow. Absolutely fascinating. I never knew you were technically a demon.”
If I could sigh and turn away, I would, you Kindergartener’s fridge drawing. I reply to the telepathic draconnequs. What do you need today of all days? Why are you reading my thoughts?
“Oh, I just came by to visit with a fellow villain of history, trapped in stone to be admired for centuries. You know me, ever the courteous one.”
You broke free, got re-imprisoned, what, twice? And then had your ass kicked to literal Hell and back before you finally decided friends were more important than your own self entertainment.
“You’re right, but you’re being such a spoilsport. I enjoyed watching your little brand of chaos, and I wanted to let you know of a deal I can give you, although the Butt sisters might not like it.” The draconnequs purred out, stretching over statuesque body.
Speak.
“I can free you… For a small favor in the future. Nothing villainous I assure you, but you know, Magic always has a price, even if we don’t really experience it. “
You know Discord, if I could have smiled right now, I would have. Done.
“Faaaaantastico! There’s a field trip with the same fillies who freed me here today. In a little while, my spell will get supercharged by the chaos they always bring around them, and free you proper. I’m just going to get things started.. A one and a two and a shibbidy dibbidy doo~!”
Discord, the ever chaotic, snapped his fingers, sending a spiral of cracks down my statue, glowing with chromatic light, before fading back down into what looked like typical damage from age. “It will be sunset soon. If they come by around that time, it should give you a bit of time to escape. Take the chance, get out of here. Find Ponyville. The cities have changed, but the landscape really hasn’t. This will probably be the only time I’ll be this serious with you. Good luck, Illua.” And with that, Discord vanished from my bubble of awareness.
Cheerilee sighed inwardly. The last time they had a field trip to the Canterlot Gardens, Discord had escaped, the school was upside down for weeks, and clouds that rained chocolate milk destroyed her lily garden. Thankfully, this was the last stop of the field trip, Sunset was around the corner, and the garden had a great view of the horizon. “Alright then, colts and fillies, since we have been working on history, who can tell me what this statue is?” Pointing her hoof at an old statue, depicting a tall, slender creature, garbed in a mixture of form-fitting and loose cloth, a curved blade on her hip and a thick magical tome in her hand.
“Is that one of those mythical humans Ms. Lyra keeps going on about?” a dark orange filly spoke up, her purple mane sharply contrasting her coat.
“Naw, it can’t be. Miss Lyra said they were s’posed ta be bigger and harrier!” A cream-colored filly countered; her crimson mane tied back with a bow.
“I like her Mane.” A filly whose mane couldn’t decide between pale purples and pinks spoke up.
The terrible trio, The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Cheerilee facehooved, groaning internally. Why today. “Anyways children.. This is indeed a human, the only known one in Equestria. While there are some fossils that have been found in some especially distant corners of the world, This is the only one we have any written history on. This is Illua, the Blood-Stained.” She lifted her hooves in a manner to scare the little ones, eliciting giggles. “She was the leader of the Revolution of the Courts, also referred to as the Commoner’s Rebellion. This gave all ponies equal rights in the eyes of the law, and relegated the nobility to a less involved role in the creation and enforcement of laws.” A colt, chocolate brown and definitely smaller than his classmates, raise a hoof curiously. “Yes Button?”
“Is Illua a villain? Discord was a statue here as well, and he was evil for a while. Starswirl is here too, and he’s a hero… What gives?”
Cheerilee put a hoof to her chin taking a moment to think. “Well… History says she made it for Ponies like us to have education, become merchants, and even protected the weak against cruel governors of the various territories that Equestria was once divided into. Meanwhile, she used powerful, unknown magics and masterful swordplay to hurt and kill many ponies, and stories even say she nearly crippled Celestia…”
The foals collectively gasped, their imaginations running wild with the implication. “Easy, my students. The Princess, even if she was injured, would have been healed many times over by this time. Anyways… Illua disappeared shortly after the Treaty of Blooming Life was signed, but-“ The teacher continued to explain once more, only to be interrupted.
“So she was a villain!” Button piped up, earning a stern look from Cheerilee.
An equally small, but lanky foal joined in. “Yeah! I bet Twilight and them would protect the princesses from someone like her!”
The class’ laughter was infectious, eliciting chuckles from bystanders watching the field trip. “Come along everypony, we’re going to watch the sunset before we return. We will be able to see the sisters do their magic if we’re lucky...”
A sudden crunch resounded in the garden, directly from behind Cheerilee.
Oh my stars. Not again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, good to know my reputation is thoroughly tainted.
And? What does that matter. We are killers after all.
Oh fuck off. I’ll talk to you once we’re home.
Oh, I’m sorry, it’s not like I was sealed with you, but forced dormant all these years because of ‘the magic of friendship.’ The first time I’m awake and you curse at me.
We. Will. Talk. Later.
Refocusing on the real world than my spirit companion, I began to push against my basalt coating, Discord’s magic acting as a wedge in each crack, widening the gaps until the shell shatters.
“Hnng…. Hello there, children.” I stretched my stiff bones, groaning as the pops and creaks begin to subside as I hop down from the pedestal I had been mounted on. The stunned silence was deafening for only a moment, before the screaming started. “And I thought history lessons were important.”
The teacher had fainted, the foals had scattered, and guards were being called upon to contain myself and the chaos. I began to jog towards the edge of the maze, looking for one of the stone walls as I passively flicked through my grimoire for my teleport sigils. I need to hop to my old base in the forest.. hopefully it’s not too damaged from the years. Maybe Celestia is a bit too preoccupied- My concentration was broken by the beam of gold light grazing past my cheek.
“Halt, Illua. I will not miss the next time.” The Solar Diarch landed with a heavy thump, her horn ablaze with her potent aura. “Who freed you? Who did you deal with your escape?” Her eyes dripped with malice, and her traditionally regal persona was dropped for the warrior she kept hidden away for the safety of her citizens.
“Oh Celestia, I can’t reveal that. That would be too generous. However, I’m finally free, and I’m not deal with this right now. See ya!” A quick cast of Shell, a defensive magic, I zipped into the hedge maze, as the Princess took flight to chase me down. Firing from on high, she scorched the earth behind me, my spell deflecting the beams of raw energy away from me. I bounced back and forth, evading her spells.
Quickly reaching the stone wall, I began to cast one of my sigils, just as she landed behind me once more. A focused beam broke my protection, grazing my upper arm. I cried out in pain, holding the fresh burn as I glared at the Sun Tamer. “I’m not warning you again, Human. Cease and Desist.” She practically growled, her horn beginning to match the sun the sky.
“Celestia, I think you fail to see the problem. You’re not being given the option of capturing me once more today.” Spears of stone lunged out of the wall, entrapping the alicorn as I slipped out of range. “Sigil Magic: Warp Circle. Goodbye for now, Celestia.” I called out as I jumped into my portal, collapsing it to prevent any pursuit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Illua, no!” Celestia shouted, as the stone lunged at her. She was pinned in place, but none of them pierced her side. A flare of her magic broke the trap, only to see the escaping human evade capture as if it were nothing more than a game. “BUCKING HELL!”
“Sister, Thou shan’t use that kind of language amongst the presence of foals. Pray tell, what has thine mane in a flurry?” The lunar diarch, Luna glided down to stand beside her sister, a cup of coffee swathed in the midnight blue aura belonging to her.
“We… need to talk.”
“Indeed, we do.”
“One of the statues- “
Luna groaned, putting her face in her hooves. “Sister, I love you dearly. I really do. But you cannot simply ‘seal away’ your problems. You and I sealed Discord as a statue with the Elements, but that was the only way we knew how to deal with him. You sealed me in the moon, and I’m betting that this being you’re going to enlighten me to was sealed as a statue in a similar manner to Discord. Please, tell me I’m wrong.” Luna sipped her elixir of wakefulness, eyeing her sister.
Celestia shied away from Luna, unusual for the unflappable millennial leader. Luna sighed. “Contact the Elements, Let them know the next apocalypse is upon us and we shall discuss how to respond appropriately this time. I’m off to wander the dream realms. I’ll see if I can find a new mindscape tonight…. No more secrets. I mean it this time, Celly.” Luna took off to the night sky, blending almost effortlessly amongst the stars as she retreated to her tower.
The alicorn of the sun began a solemn trek back to her own bedroom, the letter to Twilight already forming inside her mind.
Days passed for Celestia, a mere blink of an eye for the immortal, but they crawled by for her. Her worry about the Blood-stained Grimoire. The human was a cause of deep concern for her. She didn’t have qualms killing, counter to the society of peace she has strove to develop.
However, today, she waited in the throne room, awaiting the arrival of her champions, The Elements of Harmony. It wasn’t long into the morning before they walked in.
“Princess Celestia! What is it this time? Discord causing chaos once again? Cerberus leaving Tartarus once more?” Twilight Sparkle, her student of many years and a dear friend in her own right, Bearer of the Element of Magic.
“Twi, sugar cube… Y’all gotta slow down sometimes… Being a ah princess musta given you some boost of sorts…” Applejack panted out. The Bearer of Honesty. A hardworking cowpony, and owner of the Sweet Apple Acres.
“Girls, someone Else has escaped.” Celestia sighed, ashamed of her inability to control the situations she caused for decisions centuries prior. Luna’s words especially stung from days prior, and it’s caused her facade of confidence to falter.
“Alright, shoot, who is it this time? We can beat just about anyone if we can beat a magic eater!” Rainbow Dash, the technicolor Pegasus, known for enacting the Sonic Boom and Bearing the Element of Loyalty.
“Darling, maybe we should let the Princess speak first?” Rarity, the Element of Generosity. Fashionista, owner of her own boutique and a common voice of reason for their friend group.
Celestia’s horn lit up and began to display images from her memory, of Murals and art long since destroyed and forgotten through the years. “300 years ago or so, a Human entered our world. Her name was Illua. She would be considered a hero by historical standards, but unfortunately at the time, I used my magic to seal her in a stone prison, similarly to Discord.” Images showed her leading discussions, pleading with nobility, and leading armies of poorly equipped ponies.
“She proved that Pegasi and Earth Ponies could perform magic of their own, created her own casting style for those without a natural focus, and developed medicine where we had not.” The illustrations shifted, showing Illua as an alchemist of sorts, garbed in strange clothes that protected her face and arms from what she worked on, with dozens of notebooks and spell tomes surrounding her.
Twilight looked on in wonder, as these images were from Celestia’s own mind, fragments of memory embellished by the nostalgia of times long past. “Princess, Isn’t Illua considered one of the Masters of Magic? She created Sigil magic, something that even Unicorns have great difficulty using, but inversely, it’s a type of magic almost any species can use now… why would she be sealed away?”
It was at this moment, Luna stepped out from the side passage leading to the Sister’s individual towers. Her mane lacked the traditional array of stars, as if darkened by storm clouds. “Sister, you were the sole keeper of the tomes for many years. Tell them everything. None of thine cryptic verbosity.” Luna took her seat next to her Sister, and gave her a sidelong glare. “If Twilight is going to be considered our equal… No. More. Secrets.”
The solar diarch sighed once more, and summoned one of the guards to her side. “No visitors or hearings. Please summon the housekeepers to bring food and drink for our guests. It’s going to be a long day.” The guardspony saluted her, and marched off, leaving them in a moment of privacy. Celestia sighed, letting her coat lose the immortal lustre it typically had, lowering centuries of mental walls for her closest friends and family.
“Three hundred years ago, Illua entered our world by means unbeknownst to all but herself. She saw the flaws in the society I had built, and sought to fix them. She saw the suffering the farmers and the craftsponies suffered at the hands of those I had appointed as governors, lords, and dames. While I could feel her presence as a incredible magical force, I suppressed that because I was too self-absorbed in the life of luxury I was living at the time. I ignored the plights of the people, and believed the Nobility who reported to me. I was content to sit on my throne, and let the Cruel and incompetent reign in my stead. I wasn’t the Princess that people revered me as.” Celestia had descended from her throne and laid next to her champions, leaving her crown upon her seat above. Her mane had stopped its eternal flow, and submitted to gravity.
“However. Illua saw the injustices from a level of an outsider, who was treated with disdain for her species. She began to rally the people, teaching literacy and magic to those willing to learn, and it resulted in what was a bloody civil war that took me nearly losing my life to realize my failures.” The listeners collectively gasped, including her sister.
“You… nearly died… whilst I was imprisoned in the moon?! Why dost thou hide such important information from history?!” Luna’s voice shook the stained glass of the room, but did not break it.
“… Please.. let me finish Luna. I’ll explain my reasons later.” Celestia deflected the question, but her shoulders slumped more, the shame returning in full force from memories long past. “The point is, I put her into the stone prison as my last gambit, and lost my rights to the Elements of Harmony then and there. I was not worthy. To make things worse, unlike Discord, who could shut down his conscious mind… Illua can't. She was completely conscious of every single second of her imprisonment. I tried to converse with her for the first few years almost daily, telepathically, but as time went on, I left her be. I am afraid of what she will do.”
“Now hold on a minute. What do you want us to do? Find her? Then what? Didn’t you just say she was technically a hero?” Rainbow queried, tilting her head. “You just want us to go.. find her? Not capture her or anything?”
Celestia summoned one of the embedded crystals from her throne, and summoned it to the center of their discussion, right as the housekeepers had brought in cushions, tables, and refreshments. Celestia remained silent other than some simple instructions, only to dismiss them rather quickly. “Now that they are gone, allow me to show you why I only want her found, and I would request that you report to me when you find her.”
With a pinch of magic, the Crystal began to glow, and emit a directed light. “This is day was known for many years as ‘Illua’s Revenge.’ It is not a pleasant watch, but it’s necessary for you to understand. Will you be alright watching, Fluttershy?”
“I don’t think so, but I really need to know so I don’t treat her like one of my animals.” Fluttershy, soft hearted Element of Kindness, was clearly determined despite the fear in her eyes.
“Very well…” With another pulse, the memory began to play.
Illua stood at the head of her army. Foals clustered close to the human’s legs. Illua’s hair, long, and white, was half stained pink with blood of the guards from the tunnel to the cliff. She and her comrades all held faces of grim determination. However, compared to her stained appearance, the blade was sheathed, and the book remained closed at her hip.
In her hands, were two very distinct Flags. In her left, a Deep crimson flag that was turning brown from age and soot, emblazoned with the gold scales and a sword. In her right, a clean, green flag, untarnished by the hardships of war. Centralized on its plane, was the sign of peace, the White dove.
“I come to speak to Princess Celestia. I request passage to the city of Canterlot as an ambassador, or I shall take it as a conqueror. Allow us passage peacefully, and your lives will be spared by all present in my ranks.” Illua held the flag of peace forward.
The Pegasi guards raised their spears and their crossbows. A Unicorn leader of some rank called out from the parapet above. “You and your ponies are not allowed to pass beyond these gates, unless you submit in unconditional surrender, and atone for your crimes against the Crown.” He smirked for only a moment.
“So be it.” Illua kneeled down and hugged the foals. “I need you to go back to the camp. Have Zephyr Step and Wold take you back. Be good, okay?” The foals nodded, knowing what was to come next. She didn’t hide it from them, it would be worse to do so. They filtered back, getting out of the way of the soldiers she had trained. Illua downed a potion, and grimaced.
The unicorns levitated shields above the army, whilst Earth Ponies drew swords with their teeth. Pegasi mages collected mana in their wings, charging them with lighting. Illua raised the crimson flag. “Show the capital who truly represents you!” With her other hand, she snatched her tome up and opened it to a marked page. “Flarega!” A bead of light shot across the short distance to the gate, and tore it open with an explosion of white flame. There were no remains of the guards from the blast.
Illua let her ponies lead the charge, having them disperse into their units, capturing guard points and major passage ways, whilst Illua walked up the cobbled path directly to the castle. Each guard that approached her was immediately slain. Impaled by a stone spire. Decapitated. Incinerated. Shredded.
It wasn’t long before she was coated in the blood of an entire unit, her eyes burning with magic and fury. She approached the first of the castle gates. “Let me through, or you will add to my count.” A raised weapon. Another burst of arcane magic, and yet more bodies laying broken as Illua continued her warpath.
The ponies in the room watched in horror, as each scene passed, seeing only the hatred and malice given off by the lone human. Rarity had fainted shortly after it had started. Pinkie Pie had deflated entirely. Fluttershy couldn’t stop crying. Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack all looked on in wide eyed horror. Even Luna was taken aback. “Sister.. you survived this menace?”
“Luna, this isn’t done. This isn’t even the worst of it.”
The smell of ash. The dripping of blood. The clicking of her boots on stone. Celestia watched as the avatar of war approached her, her blade glistening in the firelight of the buildings she struck. Families screamed as they tried to file into the gates behind their Princess.
“Celestia. I came to discuss a peaceful option. Your guards lay dead or captured. Nobles directly causing the deaths of many families under my banner are being raided and ruined. This must make me a villain, does It not?” The mistress of war spoke, her tone dripping with the venom of righteousness.
“Why are you killing innocents? Why must you-“ The sun goddess began, only to be cut off.
“Innocent my ass! The ponies you deemed of ‘noble lineage’ extorted, raped, and manipulated the common pony to do what? Line their pockets and plates, whilst mothers buried their children just before their own deaths? I’m fucking surprised it hasn’t happened sooner!”
“You could have sent a letter—”
“You ignored them, and had ‘Starswirl the kiss-ass’ reply to them in your stead!”
“You could have come—”
“Alone, and walk into a trap? Or did you mean for me to represent a species I don’t belong to by myself? Celestia, do you honestly think of me as the fool?” Illua spat out a mixture of her victims and her own blood. “I’m seeking Justice. I’m seeking an Equal opportunity for any being, regardless of what ‘tribe’ they belong to. For anyone to have the Right to pursue Happiness…. And all you’ve done is enable the privileged few.
“Then what do you suggest I do? I’m not the tyrant you think I am! I am not an absolute ruler, who’s word is Law!”
“If you cant fix it, then die.”
Illua lunged at Celestia, emancipating her wing from her shoulder, staining the once pristine coat with a constant flow of blood. “You allowed me to see and be stained by the darkness of a world once renowned for love and light… just like your sister.” Illua flicked her blade at the wounded warrior, coating her face in her own blood.
“How.. how are we supposed to protect ourselves against that?” the purple princess looked horrified, turning to her mentor. “Is that why you don’t fly often?” Rainbow Dash’s concentration was broken by that comment, her own horrible realization choking her up, as she looked over at Celestia.
“While I was healed… I could have died that night, and not just from the Injuries. I could have died from blood loss. Illua not only knew how to fight me, but she knew how to make the fight a session of torment.” The sun goddess trembled, only to be comforted by her contrasting family.
“Celestia…” Luna nuzzled into her Sister, her own anger building in the back of her mind.
Celestia hobbled into the burning hedge maze, her ears and head turning at every sound. Her wing was gone, the other was pierced, and hung at her side, inoperable. Her front left hoof was blackened from being struck by Illua’s magic. She had other small cuts, but they were nothing to the constant pain in her wings and hoof. She felt.. mortal.
“Celestia. Why do you run? Do you wish to escape your fate? Do you want your death to be private?” Illua spoke, the voice of a nightmare seemingly overlaid, giggling at her attempts to evade her.
The injured diarch limped towards the statue of Discord, the only unharmed thing in the garden. “D-Discord. I need your help. Please help me share your curse over to this nightmare, and I shall see to it you will be given a fair chance of justice as soon as my sister returns.” No response besides maniacal laughter echoing in her mind.
“Seems like even Discord is joyous at your defeat, and gets to see it in the front row.” Illua rose her blade, ready to strike. “Any final words?”
The wind whistled amongst the flame, as Illua provided her final mercy. However, it was her downfall. The flames turned an Icy blue around the combatants, and closed in, with Discord’s laughter echoing. “Very Well, Celestia. I shall grant you this boon. However, This is the last bit of my magic until I am freed. I do truly hope you keep your word to me better than you did to your ponies to protect them…” Discord Laughed again. While his statue never moved, the petrifying spell scattered across the ground, and ensnared the human’s feet, while stone, flame and wood surrounded her, binding her in place as the Element’s curse took root.
“Clever Celestia… However, I know this won’t keep me trapped for a thousand years. I bet I will be freed by the very monster you just dealt with. And you will only blame yourself. Maybe he might even help me just to END YOUR HYPOCRITICAL EXISTENCE!” Illua screamed, just as she was turned into one of the statues that decorate the garden.
Celestia called for the rain with the last vestiges of her mana, crying out in pain as the consequences of her actions broke her persona.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“She is a threat to life. I regret not peacefully working with her then, and I was not ready for her release from stone… It took this entire battle for me to change my stances in court, and to put the nobility in their place.” Celestia’s eyes were wet with the same tears she shed in the memory, wiping them away with a wing.
“The Elements look distraught. They have dealt with the Nightmare, a changeling queen inflitratiing their society, Discord and his shenanigans, A tyrannical mage-king, and even a permanent resident of Tartarus. All who could be clearly defined as evil, in some manner. However, this human not only has shown mercy and kindness, but also tried to be peaceful… Is she even truly evil?” Luna spoke up finally as the crystal’s vision ended, looking at the group. “I would suggest you spend the night here. I will see if I can track her down this evening, whilst I ward your dreams from re-enacting what you saw today.”
Luna stood and replaced the crystal for her sister. “I’m off to raise the moon. Would you like me to set the sun as well?” Celestia nodded, allowing the maids to enter.
“I’m going to retire for now girls. The maids will escort you to rooms. Please take this evening and plan for your encounter with her.” With that statement, Celestia left, her thoughts manifesting as mutterings under her breath.
Twilight waited outside of the throne room. She knew Celestia better than most, and knew this emotional state was not normal for her. She needed to talk to someone. The heavy side doors closed, giving Twilight her cue to intercept Celestia.
She teleported around the corner, in front of the distraught princess. “Celestia… Can we talk a bit more? I have questions, and I’m not sure if I can sleep without answers.”
Celestia’s gaze looked over the growing princess, before sighing. “Very well, Twilight. At least let us return to our chambers first.” A quiet nod from the violet alicorn would be the only marking of her agreement, as the two fell into step alongside the other.
It wasn’t long before the door to Celestia’s room was closed, an enchantment then cast upon it for secrecy. “So, you had questions?” Celestia asked, removing her regalia.
“The first one I want to ask is probably the most.. Erm.. problematic.” Twilight kicked the floor lightly, looking away. Celestia rolled her eyes. “It’s been three hundred years, I’m sure it’s not–”
“Celesita, why did you hold back? In fact, why have you been holding back?”
Celestia’s eyes widened, meeting the concerned yet determined look of her student. “I have–”
“Celestia, I believe that you were caught off guard in most situations, like Chrysalis or Nightmare Moon, but..” Twilight followed Celestia into her bed, nestling in like she was a young student once more. “When you and Luna risked everything on me against Tirek, I felt the power you both held. I could feel the Domains to such a degree that I’d never imagined. How do you two have so much power, and yet– How do you even get hurt? How did any of our villains even hurt you?”
The solar diarch sighed, and settled in next to Twilight, draping a white, scarred wing over her. “Ever since my encounter with Illua, I have not been able to properly shield myself from physical harm. While I can regenerate from most of it with relative ease, and a few disguising spells to mask my scars, I can continue to keep up the appearance of the goddess that so many ponies have faith in.” Twilight’s pout punctuated her thoughts openly. “Not the answer you wanted, I know.”
Celestia rested her head atop her pillows, before continuing, “Since you felt them, you know that I hold Balance, Nature, and Energy, much like how you girls hold the Elements of Harmony. But ultimately, you know that the Elements of Harmony do not fit into the current understanding of Magic, and act as entirely separate entities…”
“You’re trying to tangent away from the topic again, just like you used to when you really didn’t want me researching some topics.”
“Ah, sorry Twilight. Old habits.. Ahem.” Celestia cleared her throat. “The Domains are so innately powerful, the effects of their use can be felt even years later in some cases, and leave scars upon the world and history as a whole. Remember when Discord warped reality, making chocolate rain and long legged rabbits and the like?”
Twilight nodded. “That was chaotic to deal with, let alone with the seeds later on and everything afterwards..”
“Now imagine that, but permanently affecting our world. The last time I used The Nature and Energy Domains, I created the Everfree forest. When I last used Balance, I stopped its rampant spread. What would happen if I weaponized such power of creation, control, and destruction against a single individual? How much collateral damage would it cause?” Celestia sighed, tilting her neck with a satisfying pop.
Twilight shivered. “I can kind of understand, having used it against Tirek, and destroying most of Ponyville and the surrounding areas in that battle. But that doesn’t explain how Illua was able to cripple you so, let alone information about it being so stifled, when it was such a major historical battle.”
“I hid the truth. I was ashamed of my inability to defend myself, and I was too afraid to use my domains for fear of how many others I would affect. As such, I mandated that anything that mentioned my injuries would be scrubbed from records, and left Illua as a villain and magical master, in an attempt to appease the then-revolutionaries.” Celestia’s eyes drooped, as her breathing slowed, but sleep would not come for her. “Anything else, little one?”
“Can you honestly say Illua is irredeemably evil?” Twilight’s hooves fidgeted with each other. “From that crystal, she’s violent, crude, and shows no restraint, but she seemed to have a moral code that she tried to start with.”
Celestia lifted her head and regarded the nervous alicorn under her wing. “I don’t think she’s irredeemable, but I think she’s still too dangerous to leave roaming free.. Especially since I’m sure she holds a grudge against me.” The sun princess nuzzled Twilight. “I’ll trust you with this, since I know Illua won’t harm innocents, and your unique experiences may help her. But I would keep a contingency plan in your saddlebags, just in case. You should head back with the girls–”
“Last question, I promise..”
“Very well, Twilight.”
“If your domains could protect you from everything before Illua attacked you, What about her allows that to happen? You lost a wing and it had to be reattached..”
A deep sigh from the ancient being escaped her once more. “Much like how the Elements of Harmony are separate from the Domains, Principles, and Elements, There’s another magical source that acts as an opposing and amplifying force against most magic, known as ‘Void.’ Illua’s sword contains that essence within it.” Celestia rolled her wing a bit, as the phantom pain flared. “As such, If her sword is drawn, avoid it at all costs. Now Twilight, please let me get some rest. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”
Twilight slipped from under her mentor’s wing, and smiled. “Alright, I’m going to see what I can research, and maybe I’ll have something prepared in the morning.”
“Please get some sleep.”
“I can’t promise anything.” A light giggle escaped Twilight.
“Shoo, you night owl.” A small grin graced Celestia’s lips, the familiar scene playing out as it had for years.
I slammed into the wall of the musty room, groaning from the impact. I could feel the quick, heavy beats of my pulse, curling in on myself as I tried to calm my breathing. Curse this affliction….
“Mmh~ Suffering.”
“You’re welcome, Nyx.”
I slowly sat up, and sighed. The dim room was barely lit by the moonlight filtering down from overhead, illuminating the sanctuary I had created centuries ago. A simple bed was tucked in the corner, a variety of shelves and desks decorated the other walls, covered in alchemical devices and long decayed ingredients. Books lined one of the walls, some in written English, and others in what would be now archaic equestrian. A recreation of a hobbit’s hole of sorts.
“So, what did you get to see in the years gone by?” A faint tapping came from the mirror.
Walking over to the chair before the mirror, I wiped the dust off the mirror to reveal an astral double of myself, with stars in her black hair, and icy, slit eyes that glowed with a purple light. Nyx joined me early in my days in this world, latching onto my vulnerable form and bolstering me when I should have died. While she was definitely a fragment of the Nightmare, she was a lot more friendly than she let on. “Not as much as I thought I would. I got to hear mostly how language had changed from field trips through the years, how we were remembered in history in broad strokes. Most of the exciting stuff was from recently.”
I pulled on one of my still functioning medical masks, and began casting some gentle wind magic, collecting the dust in the air and idly compressing it as I informed my other half about the events of just the last few years. “So.. Luna came back and was purified, Dizzy is still around and is somewhat reformed, I’m the last sentient remnant of the Nightmare, some crazy bitch named Chrysalis thought she could be a home wrecker, and Tirek escaped and supercharged the Element Bearers with magic friendship hair. Ew.”
“Pretty much. Meanwhile, Celestia, from what I could gather was a functionally useless princess. Again.”
“So what do you want to do? I mean, She failed her sister, was kidnapped and or disabled, and the only good she did was play a generations long chess game to ensure there would be heroes?”
“In summary, yes.” I opened another portal sigil, tossing the compressed dust ball in, and closed it, snickering. "I do think we should try peace again, although I'm pretty sure we're gonna meet a hostile response again."
“Where’d you send that?”
“Celestia’s bedroom.”
“Ooh. Spicy.”
Nyx drifted around the reflection of the room, getting comfortable in her own right. “Hm.. How are you feeling?” I felt the rush of a spell cast on me, reinvigorating me and allowing me to catch the breath I hadn’t even noticed I lost. “We still need to find a way to fix that disease of yours.” Nyx chuckled softly. “Medicine should have advanced enough by now.”
I rolled my eyes, pulling off my mask now that my sanctuary was as clean as it would be for now. I reached up and opened the skylight, allowing fresh air to fill the room, as the sounds of crickets and wind filtered down. “Well… I do need to get some rest.. I’ve effectively been awake for 300 years.”
“You want me to take control if something threatening comes?” The nightmare fragment queried, eliciting a nod from the now exhausted magus. “Get some sleep then. I’ll keep watch.” I curled up into my bed, sighing softly at the simple comfort almost immediately ripped me from reality in to the Dreamlands.
While Illua fell asleep, Nyx hovered around the room. The mirrors allowed her to be seen by Illua, but it was reality she always affected. She started up the fire, tossing the few fire bricks that Illua had made for emergencies. They burned for a long time, and provided warmth when firewood was not an option. Nyx smiled. She had grown fond of the young lady that was her host, despite their hostile beginnings.You’re so cute when you slee- hm? Flickering out of existence, she Immediately took possession of Illua’s body, drawing the sword on the uninvited guest, nestling the blade to his neck.
“Hey hey hey hey! It’s just me, your friendly, neighborhood Chaosman!”
“Oh. It’s just you Dizzy.” Nyx returned the body to bed, and reformed into her spirit form. “What makes you come visit us so late at night? You know Illua would have liked to talk to you too.”
The chaos spirit scratched the back of his head. “Look, I’m here to ask for that favor sooner than I expected.”
“Excuse me? You’re actually asking for help instead of demanding?” Nyx couldn’t help but giggle, doubling over as the laughter took root. Discord was not amused, his gaze deadpan.
“Yes, I’m asking for your assistance. I have some good friends that I don’t want you harming.” Discord summoned a cup of tea, leaning back into a chair that spontaneously manifested underneath him. This information caused Nyx to laugh even more.
“Oh Goddesses! You have Friends?! Is this a joke, Mr. Solo?!” Nyx looked over, her laughter dying down as she took in Discord’s unpleasant gaze. “You’re quite serious about this. What changed since I was the Nightmare and you the Embodiment of Chaos?”
“While I can ask you the same, I’m trying to be serious and not joking. I also don't have a lot of time. I have friends, and I’m repairing the trust I destroyed with Celestia and Luna, and that’s my request. There are six ponies who are blind followers of Celestia, who don’t really know the true histories of the world and how terrible we both were.” Discord summoned up a patchwork table, with a model of Ponyville, with six distinct ponies hovering above it. “This is Ponyville, a town that has developed in our stone ages. It’s near a vast orchard of apple trees, known as Sweet Apple Acres. These ponies are my friends, and the Elements of Harmony.”
Nyx looked over the model, raising an eyebrow at the crystal tree in the middle of the town. “So who lives in the gaudy tree house? Another corrupt governor?”
“Twlight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. She’s one of my friends. The others of the Elements live in their own homes, in different portions of the town.” Discord directed each figure of his favorites to their homes in the town, before banishing the model. “Live has improved as a result of your actions, including Electricity, appliances, and even what the ponies call the ever wonderful INTER-“ Discord’s volume almost went to announcer levels, only for Nyx to snatch his snout, and hold it shut, pointing to the sleeping woman. “Apologies… The internet.” Discord coughed.
"Volume. Please."
“Either way, if you two become hostile, you can face two goddesses, a set of six ponies that are a living super weapon that can permanently alter your very being, such as enforcing absolute order by turning you to stone once again, and…” Discord put his face in Nyx’s, the pupils in his eyes replaced with the letters for death. “If you harm a single pink lock on my precious butter yellow Pegasus, I swear by all things I will make you two suffer for all eternity, in a manner that you shall never become desensitized to. Don’t test me.” Discord’s much more playful demeanor returned. “Beeeesides, I don’t think Illua would go back on our agreement. She’s a good sort, anyways, TTFN! Ta ta for now!” And with a snap, Discord was gone, but his voice wasn’t. “Oh and this isn’t a threat. It’s a promise.”
Nyx pinched her brow, groaning. “Oh she’s not going to be happy when she wakes up.”
The fields were alight in a crimson glow, flames dancing along the blackened grass where the spilt blood wasn't. Bodies of ponies, griffins, and minotaur dotted the landscape, and vultures circled high in the sky. I stood painted in the gore of war, my eyes to the sky as thunder rolled in the dark clouds above me. The stench of rotting flesh and the sounds of futile cries of suffering echoed in this meadow. I simply stood upon this scar in the landscape, unbreathing. Unmoving.
Eventually, I realized I was lucid, and took my first breath in the nightmare of my memory’s creation. Why am I conscious?.. Nyx? Did you wake me?
“Ah… So you are the monster that my Sister fears.” I turned suddenly, drawing my blade defensively, to see the Princess of the Night casually strolling in my nightmare. I remained tense before the dream walker sat down beside me, studying the field of the dead.
“Why do you invade the first dream I finally had in years?” I was not ready for a confrontation. I could already tell I had been severely weakened from my time in stone
“We-- I came to talk to you actually. I’m upset that you harmed my sister, but I would like to see things from your perspective as well. Celestia and I never had that chance with most of the villains we had dealt with originally.” Luna’s thoughts manifested in this world, dousing flames and obscuring the world’s horror.
I blinked incredulously, surprised at the response. “You actually want to hear me out?”
“Yes. My sister told me and the Elements of Harmony the story of you being both a grand hero and a horrible villain. You brought magic and medicine to our ponies, and sought to destroy the corruption of the government my sister allowed to flourished.” Luna explained, the rain upon the landscape twisting to show her good deeds as per Illua’s memories. “Yet… You also brought war to the capital, and reveled in the violence, murder, and suffering of your victims. Are you truly the monster my sister should fear? Or are you the Hero that historians exalt you as?” The images of the battle replaced the visages of her good deeds.
“You’ve obviously been pulling from my memories for these Images, why don’t you find out?” I had glared at her, sheathing the blade once again.
The nocturnal mistress quirked an eyebrow upward. "I'd rather you be honest with me, than invade your privacy. Is that suitable for an answer?"
“That's fine. I’ll tell you myself.” I took a seat upon the boulder that we shared. "Are you positive? I don't want to taint your view of your sister."
“It would be remiss of me to ignore the testimony of a defendant, if I am to be an arbiter of justice. Take your time. We have more than enough.” Luna offered a wing, but I refused it, earning a shrug from the navy princess.
“It’s a long story, and starts from when I first arrived in Equestria, roughly 300 years ago…”
I groaned, sore from the successive falls into the abyss. The sounds of birds and bugs filled the air, and the wind in the trees accentuated the ambiance. Wait… I’m in a forest?... Opening my eyes, I finally began to take in the surroundings. Dilapidated stone, and ruined architecture faintly echoed the sounds of the outside. Shards of glass long shattered reflected the sunlight filtering in. I was in a ruined castle or chapel, with a fountain upholding orbs of some form. This is vaguely familiar…
Standing up, I dusted my self off, and began to explore more in depth. The windows had once been stain-glass murals, displaying mythical creatures such as dragons, serpents, minotaur, standing against what looked to be horse, pegasi, and unicorn soldiers, but their colors had faded and some of the shards had simply fallen out. I tilted my head in thought, my brow furrowing. This is definitely familiar, but where have I seen it?
I reached for my bag, only to panic as I couldn’t find it on my person, nor in my immediate vicinity. Where is it?
A window, much like the one in the void appeared before me.
[Reminder: To access your inventory, use your menu ring.]
~[OK]~
The rush of the last few minute of my memories came flooding back to me. I had been taken from my world, and dropped... somewhere, most likely another world judging from the overall look of just this ruin. My eyes started to water, but I focused on breathing, suppressing the emotions for now, just like for therapy. I dragged the ringed finger down through the air as I had been instructed prior, and found that my inventory in fact held most of my possessions.
I tapped the okay button cautiously, watching it blink out of existence at the confirmation. Game mechanics, check. I pulled my phone out of my inventory, checking its functionality. It couldn’t make calls for a damn, and most of the apps didn’t work, since they relied on the presence of internet. However, 6 missed alerts for medication caused me to worry. Have I been out cold for days or did those black portals change time? I then pulled out my medication, and counted. It seems I have 3 months worth of meds.. I could ration it if I can find something to assist in the meantime. I took my necessary dose, swallowing it with the last of the sports drink I had.
I waited quietly, slowly breathing. My medication was a both a supplement and a treatment. While I didn’t quite understand what the doctor was explaining in the fullest of terms, His simplified explanation was that my body destroyed red blood cells faster than they were made. It explained why It was hard for me to do physical activity without getting dizzy or feeling like my heart was going to burst. I continued to breathe, focusing myself as if I was meditating. Just a bit longer, and then I can begin to move beyond these walls…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I grimaced at the memory, scratching the back of my head. “So, thou entered at the old castle, and especially near the Fountain of the Elements..” Luna mused, chuckling. “However, That is interesting. Celestia made you out to be a juggernaut. You were sick—” Luna tried to comment, before being interrupted.
“Luna, It’s not a disease one can cure with a wave of a wand and a couple herbs. I’ve tried. It’s a disorder. I’ve created spells to help me in place of the medication, but I still suffer from it. The only reason I didn’t suffer for the last few centuries was because I was made entirely of fine marble.” Illua grumbled. She idly scratched the inside of her elbow, the reminder of her old tests still causing that spot to itch.
“I apologize. I didn’t realize it was a sore topic.”
“You’re the only pony who knows this.”
“Oh. Well I appreciate this first pony perspective of your thoughts and emotions at the time.”
“This was only the first day. I spent a few days in the Everfree.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grumbling, I found my way to a clearing, with a single large and bulbous tree. It had been days since I left that ruined church. I had unfortunately did more damage as I began to practice the magic I had been given, learning to cast a simple few spells from my book. Things were written in a language I definitely did not know before I came here, but I could understand all the same. They were clear, concise, and direct. However, it had attracted the attention of a creature dubbed ‘Chaotic Chimera’; a boss level creature for me, the ‘game’ ever so helpfully informed. I was given an avenue of escape, but I knew that thing was hunting me still.
Carefully scanning the sky, I could see its shadow in the distance, frowning more. If I use magic, It’s going to come barreling for me. Could I maybe make a hidey hole? I crept slowly to the tree in the middle, hiding underneath its wide branches as I began to flip through the book. God if I only had a pokemon with Secret Power at this point, that’d be fantastic… Aha! Curiously, the page I had found was labelled “Sanctum.” It described exactly what I needed, but It took either a lot of magic for instant results, or time if I didn’t have the required mana inherently.
My status said I was still level one, so while some of my stats where decently high, I definitely did not have the raw mana to do it quickly.
I kept peeking around the trunk as I began to carve the required sigil into the tree’s trunk, grumbling. ‘Don’t you want a knife Seinaru? Attach it to your leg as protection?’ Nah, Jayson. I’ll be fine. I don’t think I’ll need that if you’re around! Should of taken the damn knife. The sword was not conducive of a clean marking, but it did what I needed it to.
Peeking one last time, I began to channel the magic into the tree’s new marking. It’s faint glow was the fruit of my work, as it began to modify the tree and surrounding earth, albeit it slowly due to my small reserves.
Minutes passed quietly before I watched as the edge of the clearing became covered in a prismatic aura, erecting an arena, as the health bar appeared on my sight. ‘Boss: Chaotic Chimera.’ To punctuate its arrival, the three fold creature screamed in it’s descent. I heard it slam on the opposite side of the tree, digging a new dip in the earth as I peeked at it in the daylight.
It’s wings and tail were that of the dragon. The front half of the body was the lions, muscular and equipped with razor claws. The back half was the goat’s, providing stability and speed, whilst all three heads turned back and forth, The dragon’s mounted upon it’s serpentine neck, scanning for me. However, it’s colors screamed of clown vomit, and it dripped a sickly purple fluid that blackened the grass around it. Making things worse, it was 3 times my size easily. Definitely a boss.
Blade drawn, I knew I couldn’t use magic, as I was focused on the Sanctum spell. This was going to be a rough fight. It had to be quick, or else my blood would betray me. I stepped out from behind the tree, making a beeline for the arena’s edge. The screech from behind me told me to duck and roll. Following that instinct, The chimera lunged into the indestructible barrier the game erected, taking a pinch of it’s health off. I brought the blade down on its tail, letting the instincts guide me, as it cleaved the tail off.
It roared as it reclaimed its footing, the Draconic face splitting as a gout of flame erupted towards me, singing me, but only taking a fraction of my health off from the now revealed health bar. Oh, so I have one as well. As it turned, I cut at it again, the blade eating into its hind leg, claiming the tendon before I leapt back. My movements felt strange to me, as if I had practiced them for years.
The chimera brought down a claw onto me, and I blocked it with the blade, the edge carving into its paw, the blood running down onto me. I could tell the dragon was prepared with another breath of flame. Was I to die before I even had a chance to see this world?
“Buckin’ pull you daf’ curs!” I heard a rough voice declare, as the sound of something being launched brought my focus back once again. An absolutely massive wooden shaft impaled itself into the maw of the serpent, killing that head immediately. Taking my opportunity, I sidestepped from under the claw, getting under the beast as I heard the second weapon fire, another bolt claiming the face of the goat. I stabbed my blade into where I thought the heart would be, only to bring it outward, tearing through any flesh I could before the third bolt launched the beast backward, finishing it off.
I looked towards the direction of the bolt launchers, seeing a set of ballistae, and armored ponies. I fell to my knees, panting as the adrenaline caught up, holding my chest. Those movements were not mine… Those were a trained warrior’s… D-did the game give me the skills I needed?... I shook, curling inward as the words ‘Boss Vanquished’ appeared on my sight for a few seconds, only for them to be replaced by an imposing armored pony looked at me.
“"Oi! What you doin' In 'ere? An' what are ye? Equestrian, 'illy thing, Does ya' Speak it?" I began signing to her, only for her to put her hoof up. “I don’ unders’and Claw-Sign. You dun’ look like ye a dragon. Butter Cream! Get ye flank over ‘ere, and help with this For’ner.” In response to the officers barks, the only non-white pony stepped forward, saluting with hoof and wing. “You deal with it. Find it a home or somethin’, I ain’t got time ta learn it’s gibberish.”
“Yes Commander Gust.” She replied. She began looking over me, tilting her head back and forth. Butter Cream was a bright yellow Pegasus, but I couldn’t tell the color of her mane due to her helmet. “I’m Lieutenant Butter Cream. I’m the survival specialist for our expedition. Can you understand me?” She asked. I simply nodded. “Good, good. I can understand Claw-sign, since I have a few scaly friends.”
“All units, continuing march to the village. We want to get there by sun down!” Commander Gust ordered, getting the other soldiers moving. “Butter Cream, get the For’ner moving or leave it!”
“Come on, let’s get going.” I nodded in affirmation, getting up. As I left the clearing, I could feel the spell finally finish, meaning I would have a place to return to later. That can wait…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While I kept up with surprising ease, I chose to stay in the back having earned glares from the other soldiers. I began signing to Butter Cream. “I’m not from here. Is this Equestria? What is ‘For’ner?’ Are there other humans?” I had to finger spell a few words, but she was quite the helpful Pegasus.
“I mean, I could tell. Yes, this is Equestria, the year 705 of Princess Celestia’s reign. For’ner is a term to identify sentient non-ponies. That’s the nice way of saying it, but… Anyways, I’ve never heard of humans, so I’m not sure if there are.” Butter Cream’s mood definitely was soured by the talk of that obvious slur. “So, what is your name?” she asked, trying to clear the air.
I was internally giddy. My sign language wasn’t useless here, but it definitely meant that I would need to either have help, or try talking again. It helps that they speak English, but I’m almost positive that it’s just more acclimation assistance. Would that mean I can speak again? I shook my head, clearing the overly hopeful thoughts. “I’m Illua.” I signed in response, choosing to use my cosplay’s name.
“Hm… That’s different. Do Humans usually have names like that?” Butter Cream wondered, only to jump slightly at the bark from Gust.
“Cut the chatter, Butter Cream. Ya can stop talking to ye self, if ya ain’t talking to the for’ner. Forest’s edge is up ahead.”
“S-sorry sir.” Butter Cream went quiet, leaving me to only think. As the forest parted, I could see a small village down the hill, with colored ponies dotting the surrounding land scape, pulling farm equipment and collecting fruit. Even at this distance, I could tell things were hard in this little village.
As the rest began down the hill, I looked over at Butter Cream. “So what can you tell me about the village?”
“Well, besides the occasional monster from the Everfree, the forest we just left, It’s quiet. We have a little blacksmith, a carpenter, and a lot of farmlands. Although, you’re going to have to work for your meals. That’s why I joined the guard.” The yellow pony landed to walk along side me, resting her rustled feathers. “The local governor is a bit of a jerk, but he’s trying his best with limited resources. Taxes have to be paid, and if there aren’t enough bits, services and food work just as well for payment.”
I raised an eyebrow. “So he’s taxing you guys to death?” I had to teach her the sign for taxes, as it was unfamiliar to her.
“Well, he doesn’t set them. The Parliament does. He’s more a collector than anything.”
“Butter Cream! Stop jackin ya jaw and keep marching!” Gust ordered. “Drop the for’ner off and leave it to itself before you come back.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll take you to the inn before I go to the barracks. Hopefully I’ll see you later.” Butter Cream went decidedly silent for the rest of our walk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luna’s feathers were rustled verily. “My sister’s lax attitude towards the noble’s cruelty is… hard to witness. This is only the beginning of your story?”
“Oh, I know, and I was there.” I chuckled. "This is only the beginning. Humble, isn't it? Not some grandiose beginning where a prophecy predicts my rise to power and villainy."
“That vaguely looks like it should be Ponyville… It’s close to the Everfree, and with sprawling farmlands, I’d stake lands over it.”
“Well, you’d win that bet. That is Ponyville. I spent my first winter in the area, travelling between my sanctum and the village. I learned a bit of smithing and carpentry while I was there, and used that knowledge to improve my Sanctum. I traded magic services for knowledge, and hunted monsters in the Everfree for my food.” I grinned. “Have you ever eaten Basilisk? Tastes like chicken.” The grimace I received from the Princess of Night fueled my laughter.
“But honestly, I also saw my first deaths there. I buried children and parent’s alike for them.” The dark tone shift brought the rolling storm clouds closer in the dreamscape, the flashes of thunder showing the haunting images of atrophied children and adults who had withered away. “I couldn’t help them.” The tears still came unbidden, streaking my face.
Luna put her wing around me. I shrugged it off. “While winter was terrible, Summer was torment.”
The lunar diarch raised her eyebrow. "Nyx? Someone named after the night like myself?" Luna had laid beside me, as I began to relax a bit more. I leaned back against the boulder, my eyes drifting over the storm, nodding at her question. "That is quite flattering to hear. Did you name Nyx or--?"
"Nah, she chose that name for herself." I chuckled, stretching out my legs to hang off the edge of our shared platform, quietly thinking. "She should be joining us soon." I took a look to the dreamscape once more, frowning lightly. The rain had turned to snow, as the ripples of the past began to play once more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’ve grown to hate winter. I learned that the local ponies push the seasons into place normally, but the castle decides the day that winter should officially arrive. The little farming village I live near begged for delays, crying out for just a few more days of sunlight to finish a harvest, but the governor, Velvet Mark as he was called, denied them.
Those extra few days would have made a harvest possible. It would have provided enough for Velvet Mark’s winter ‘tax.’ He didn’t work those fields. All he ever did was call upon the guards to get his way. He infuriated me, but I did nothing. I was not willing to make the village an enemy more than my figure did.
I brought firewood daily to town. I set it into their fireplaces, cast a simple fire spell, and warmed their homes. All for a single bit a week. Even when they couldn’t pay, I still did it, telling them to ‘worry about it later.’
Butter Cream and I had started teaching the children Claw-Sign at the start of fall. That made my communication problem easier, especially with how raspy my voice sounded once I tried testing it, but it earned me a few glares from concerned parents. I didn’t care. Even if it was little ones, I could socialize more, and learn from them as they learned from me. Some of them had some really simple names which I couldn’t take seriously at first, like Potato, the spotted beige foal an unruly mane. Others had names I came to expect, like Jack Knife, son of the local blacksmith, or Orange Blossom, daughter of one of the orchard workers. All of them little earth ponies.
Jack got me an apprenticeship with Anvil Breaker, his father. I spent 4 days of the week learning how to make nails, shoes, and even the occasional piece of jewelry.
I helped Orange Blossom pick fruit from the trees, and took a few home myself. Tiger Lily, her mother tried to get me to kick the trunk a few times, but it was met with a few laughs and a sore foot for a day.
Potato always goofed off, causing others to giggle, but he could incite things to grow faster if it had roots. A gift for magic. He brought me a orchid he grew one time, because he had a crush on me. It was sweet.
Jack Knife died two weeks into winter. Starved to death. The governor paid in gold for Anvil Breakers work. Gold doesn’t feed families. Anvil took his own life 3 days later. I never met his wife.
Orange Blossom was found dead in the snow, having gotten lost in the trees. Frostbite. Hypothermia. Her little bucket full of frozen oranges she found.
Potato almost made it. It was two weeks to the end of winter. He died having eaten a poisonous mushroom in desperation. I found him personally in his last moments. “Was I a good Potato, teacher?” I carried him into town. He was lighter than my sword.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The snow slowly turned grey and warm, becoming the ash as unbidden tears sprung to my eyes, the wounds fresh and infuriating. The echos became shadows amongst the falling soot, it's clarity lost once more.
“Illua… I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t want to show you that."
"We did not chose that avenue to explore. I believe the Dream did." Luna frowned a bit, her gaze tracing my line of sight, watching as the shadows congregated around square holes, headed by stone tablets. “The Dreamscape is a reflection of ourselves in many ways. One could call it the place where we heal the most." Luna extended a wing towards my shoulder, offering the invitation of comfort once more. “I may be its guardian, but it still can make decisions we might not agree with. The Dream chose for us to see it, so it must be important to you.” The nocturnal princess nudged me, her eyes no longer holding the gaze of a judge, but the look of a concerned friend. “We have yet a few more hours of night. Do you want to continue?”
I glared off into the distance, only to sigh, releasing the anger. "I'd like to trust you, if only because you are genuinely trying." I took up the offer this time, leaning against the soft side of the princess. "I would have to guess we might only have enough time to see my first encounter with her..." I mused quietly.
Thunder rolled at my mutterings, as if the Dream was chuckling at my defenses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The governor, who I finally learned was named Velvet Mark, passed gold coins and the lead to a cart laden with sealed clay pots to the weather enforcers, and they took winter with them when they left. I only scowled at them. My anger was directed at him and the enforcers, but I held back. Butter Cream tried to explain some of the physiology of Pegasi, but I ignored her.
I had began looking over Velvet Mark. He was somewhat portly for a unicorn, His white coat managing to barely hide that fact from most eyes. However, the violet mane he kept long reminded me of the elves of high fantasy. I couldn't help thinking how pretentiously he carried himself. He had a slight limp, probably from a hind leg injury from youth. These thoughts distracted me until Butter cream elbowed me. "Hey. We need to move." I snapped out of my stupor. The guards for his manor never seemed to like me, as most of the guards viewed me as a threat, especially after Potato's death. I nodded, pulling my cloak tight around me once more.
"I'm sorry, Cream puff." A silly nickname I had given her. She rolled her eyes under her helmet, marching right along side me.
"I know you've been out of it. It's my job to keep you out of trouble, I'd rather not have to find out you ended up in a cell in the guardhouse, Lulu." Her own nickname for me. It made me smile. "With spring finally here, the planting can start once more, and the town can start foraging safely once again. Especially after all the work you did over winter." Butter Cream grimaced. "I still can't believe you got me to eat that manticore stew."
Despite my addled mind, I still managed to grin. "Hey, you liked it. Don't complain. I took hours disenvenoming it." I sighed, releasing the smile from my face. "Hey, I've been thinking. I need some time away from town. I really need to study magic more. Do you think you could keep coming by the sanctum while I train?"
"Of course."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reassured that I wouldn't be alone, I threw my self into study. I unbound the grimoire, sorting the pages according to what kind of effect each spell had. I recognized all the spells almost immediately, containing the entire library of the Final Fantasy spell list, with additional spells appearing from Persona. While I might not ever need Titanomachia, it nice to know I can eventually perform it. The page was clear about the cost of the spells in regards to the game's meta-structure, many of the stronger ones costing most of my current pool of Mana, if not impossible to cast currently.
In the weeks that passed, I threw the book a few times. I had broken down crying as I found spells that could of saved lives only months prior. Thankfully, Butter Cream came by almost every day, and she comforted me during those nights I couldn't sleep from the guilt. I had Esuna this whole time. Potato didn't have to die.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had curled up on the rock, pulling my knees to my chest as I stifled the tears. I had shed many for those foals and filly. I didn't need to more, even after three hundred years. The memories flashed between many practice sessions, peaceful moments with Butter Cream, and meals shared with the visitors who passed through my glen. Luna held up a hoof suddenly, pausing it as my past self looked over a spell labeled 'Cosmic Flare'
"What is this? It's incredibly complex and, if we are reading it correctly, has a horrifying amount of destructive power." Luna queried, her concerned expression looking over me.
“That’s a Nuclear spell, at least, the most powerful of them. I can't cast it, nor do I want to. Frei, the weakest of them, leaves a radioactive patch in the area that will probably take a while to deteriorate. Cosmic Flare, based on my understanding, could level Canterlot and the mountain it's on, while scattering its fallout over most of Equestria. I couldn't do that in good conscious. Titanomachia has some of the same destructive power, but it wouldn't leave such lasting damage."
"Oh... Oh dear. Please don't."
"Didn't plan on it."
“For fuck’s sake, it took me long enough to get in here. God Illua, it’s like you had shields up or— Oh, hey Moonbutt. Been a while. Have you been chatting with her the entire time, Lulu?” Nyx’s face welled up out of one of the many puddles upon the ground, rising like a wraith from the mud. Luna’s immediate reaction was of shock, then anger, and then calm. Nyx sat next to me, shrugging. “By all means, continue. I bet you’re showing her how we met, huh? ‘oh, I'm dying’ ‘I’ll help you!’ ‘Oh, thank you, kind lady.’ And then we murdered the governor!” Nyx summoned a pair of puppets representing herself and I, equipped with tiny swords. Luna was not amused.
“Illua. I’m assuming this Nightmare Fragment is the Nyx you spoke of.”
“Yes.”
“Hm.”
“Hm, indeed.”
“How attached to it are you?”
I glared at the dark alicorn. “Don’t touch her. Let’s finally get to the memory. I can sleep in late if I need to."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summer had struck, and I opened the pill bottle. Barely half a pill remained. I grimaced. I had made it this far into my first year by weaning my self down to a half a pill a week, and finding ways to fight my disease with magic, but not even Esuna could cleanse this ailment. It could only push back the ticking clock.
I popped that half pill into my mouth, and began my daily routine. Hunt today’s food as combat practice, attempt another sigil and rune combination to fight my disease, and reinforce my sanctum more with more mana and stone. My little meadow now had paths where Butter Cream and I had worn the plants away, with the most worn being the one to town. I can’t go to town today. Butter Cream’s off duty today. Perhaps I can do some menu work.
I got comfortable, propping myself up on pillows I had made from fur and feathers, and swiped my ringed finger before me. My status showed a constant ticking ailment, but my overall stats had gone up since I had checked them last. A few new skills had popped up, with some minor benefits that explained my new proficiency with certain magic types and projects. So those epiphanies actually are reflected as rank increases. Nice. I had only spent a few moments exploring my menu before an alert overlaid it all.
[There is an update available to Displacement. Update to 1.32-EQ?]
Did I miss eight entire updates? I mean, it has been a while since I opened the menu. I pressed the confirmation, curious as to what those updates brought.
[Update Starting; Please Note, you will be made unconscious to adapt your form for the updated features. Time remaining: 72 hours.]
“What! No, nonononon-“ I cried out in my raspy voice as the darkness took me, leaving me slumped in bed.
In that darkness, I was conscious of the time passing. It was a lucid dream, but it was devoid of everything but the timer above me, with a progress bar. "I'm going to die aren't I?" The thought of dying because of a stupid update frustrated me, but at least it would be in a peaceful sleep. "Probably." A voice spoke out from the darkness, it's form missing from my sight. "Who are you?" "I've had many names, but you can call me Nyx. I'd like to make you an offer." "What does it entail?" I was cautious. my physical body was vulnerable, and if I knew anything from fantasy, I knew that where magic was, demons existed. "It's simple. I'll help keep you alive, you just allow me use of your body every so often." "That's it? No 'unlimited power' offers for my eternal loyalty, no 'in exchange for my mortal soul, i'll give you everything you desire'?" "What do you take me for? I've been shattered into a million bits and pieces. I need somepony to help me put myself back together. You're powerful enough if your practice sessions are anything to go by." The voice took a deadpan tone, with the edge of annoyance. "Alright. I'll help you. You can use my body on occasion, you keep me alive. I'll see about helping you piece yourself back together if I can." I extended a hand. Honestly, Better a demon than dying. Does this make me a multiclass warlock now? A hand similar to mine reached from the darkness, grey and cold as I shook it. I was vaguely aware of something entering my mind and chest, but I didn’t have the ability to respond more than a soft gasp in this dream state. "So.. You're stuck in this.. 'update' If I'm understand your words correctly." The figure stepped into full view, having become desaturated clone of myself with only a few differences. "I'm going to use you while you're stuck like this. Have fun waiting."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next time I had control, I woke up to Butter Cream shaking me, her eyes watery. “Why are you so hurt? Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you…” my blanket had wet dots from her tears, and I groaned in pain. “Why didn’t you leave me a note or tell me anything?!”
“Ow… Hey Creampuff, what’s wrong? Why do I hurt all over?” I sat up, groaning from the soreness from bruises I hadn’t remembered. “Butter Cream, how long have I been gone?”
“I found you here just a few minutes ago, because I decided to see if you had come home. It’s been almost 5 days.” She sniffled a couple times, before pulling out a square of cloth, blowing into it. “I have to get back to HQ to report your appearance… Don’t leave. I’m bringing back a medic.” Butter Cream took off, flying back to town.
"You're much more powerful than I thought. Durable too." I looked around, before facepalming. Right, deal with a demon. I can read your thoughts too you know, Illua. Great, I don't have to vocalize. What the hell did you do? Fought a dragon, broke a few ribs, used a few of your healing spells to get you back here alive. Your bag of holding has the corpse in it. The sensations from your pain are wonderful. Sadist. You better fucking believe it. Meanwhile, I did already find one of my fragments in the dragon, so our deal is already off to a great start.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nyx was giggling, eating popcorn produced from somewhere. Luna couldn't believe it. "Yep. Great start to our relationship." I giggled as well. "You were an abusive little shit when we first bonded." I nudged Nyx. "Either way, I was in pain for all of summer because of her first spin with my body, so Butter Cream ended up moving in with me to make sure I didn't hurt myself."
"Me, Abusive? Never." her tone sarcasting, but her mirth was becoming infectious. "It was fucking hilarious she brought a vet to come look at you."
Luna was confused. "Wha-- H-How canst thou even be mirthful with this... evil?!" Luna had slipped back into her archaic speech, flustered from our banter. "It caused the rift between Celestia and myself, and proceeded to dominate my mind. How?"
"Blame your sister. When she blasted you and I with the Elements, she shattered me and sealed you in the moon. Your omnipotent mcguffin of rehabilitation actually changed me to be less 'take over the minds of my host and control the world' and more willing to be cooperative. Honestly, best mistake I made was bonding with you." Nyx said to Luna, grinning as the night princess became more agitated.
"How dare you! you do not know the pain of--" "Being sealed in the moon for a thousand years? Uh, yeah I do.The fragment of me that was sealed with you was returned to me when the new Elements blasted you again. I have those memories as well. Also, I really need to ask.. why the fuck did you name a rock Skippy?" the starry haired nightmare interrupted her previous host, smirking at the end of her interruption.
The sun began to rise in the dream, bringing light to the dark plains. "It seems dawn is around the corner." Luna commented. "While it was a pleasure to meet you, and learn that you're much more compassionate than my sister insinuated, I'm surprised the Nightmare survived."
I only shrugged. "Well, considering she's helping and being good compared to what she did to you, I'd say it's probably the best result."
"Keep her in check, otherwise I will find a way to purge it." Luna began walking away, her form slowly fading.
"Bite me, don't forget to write, Exxy~" Nyx called out, earning a scowl from the departing guest.
"Well, that went pretty alright." "Is she gonna become your nightly therapist or something?" "Don't know, but at least I can say one of the princesses isn't a complete bitch. Plus, I could honestly use the mental health assistance, and I know I can't afford it." "So what now?" "Well, since you know of them.. Tell me about the new Elements, since you have the memories."
Time: My second Spring. - 4 Years before Imprisonment.
With my lasting injuries from Nyx's stint with my body, notably the 3 fractured ribs, I had taken to properly studying the grimoire, in the attempt to learn it's structure as a whole. I had organized it, learned what spells I had access to, and really only had used the ones the World System would allow me to unpracticed. I knew I had to learn more about how my magic worked, or else I wouldn't be able to truly call myself a mage at this point.
I had laid up outside, laying on a makeshift pillow with Butter Cream quietly observing, as she always did. It's nice having her here more. So It's been 2 weeks. That little pony you call Cream Puff... What are you gonna do with her, hm? She's moved in, she's affectionate and caring.. maybe you and I can get a bit of- No, I really would rather not, despite my wide preferences You're already a freak to me, so It's not like it would matt- Will you quit your shit for 5 minutes? I'm trying to study. I could always just take you over when you're sleeping, seduce and fuck her on my time.. Oh my god, stop Nyx.
Nyx was abrasive, and that was putting it lightly. Thankfully, whenever she did use my body at night, It didn't exhaust us, as long as she ate during her 'turn'. She was very intent on experiencing the world from the point of a mortal, focusing on her own gratification first, and my consequences second. I pushed her away mentally so I could focus.
I had a notebook that I had made from a few sheaths of leather, a bit of thread, and a few layers of papyrus scrolls that I flattened out, that was already half full of notes from my deep analysis. A circular frame encapsulates each spell, creating a 'lens' to channel the spell through. The lens is then inscribed with a combination of runes and art, implying intent and providing a targeting focus. when the mana is properly attuned, the spell is reproduced.
I opened the grimoire to a bookmarked spell, and grimaced. My efforts on this spell, Earth Heal, have been either been miniscule, or explosive, which has resulted in bruises I'm still nursing. I stood up, and began summoning up my mana, using the grimoire as my focus. Fill the ring, make the lens, inscribe and attune.. I mentally chanted, summoning the elemental ring before me. So what if she was in the mood? the yearly heat is around the corner~
The forming sigil exploded in my face again, however, I had braced this time, knowing this would happen. Nyx. Fuck off. I felt the shrug, and her presence retreated from the forefront of my mental acuity.
“Hey, Illua…”
I looked up at my yellow observer, my face speckled with fading mana. "Yes, Butter Cream?"
“I’m not sure exactly how your magic works… but can I suggest something?” Butter Cream fluttered down next to me, pointing to the grimoire's sigil. “Can you draw your own markings? From the few times you actually read it aloud, which you’re getting better at by the way, it seems symbolism can change your spells…”
I blinked a few times. Why didn’t I think of that? I pulled out a piece of charcoal, and papyrus from my bag next to the tree, and looked at it. I want to cast a spell that would promote plant growth, and heal those who eat those plants… Using that as my guide, I began sketching out a simple circle, and filled it with a tilled farmland in the background, with a single flower as the focal point. Runes are the primary language of my magic, so if I…
On each of the petals I inscribed a rune with my charcoal. Inguz for fertility, Nauthiz for need. Jera for the Earth, Laguz for Renewal…. Hrm.. I stalled, my train of thought leaving me as I stared at the last blank petal. Gebo for Gift. You're trying to help them, in the express intent of good will. In essence, giving a gift. Happy I'm 'helpful'? I gave her a mental appraisal, and inscribed the suggested rune.
A sense of accomplishment filled me as I gazed upon my newly scrawled sigil. "Looks good, Lulu. I like how you did the flower." Bracing myself once more, I closed my eyes, focusing on the new image in my mind and began channeling my magical energy. Fill the ring, make the lens. Inscribe intent, attune the mana...
The first sign of my success was the soft gasp of my feathered friend. I barely peeked from behind my own eyelids, and saw my field now glowed with the same faint light as my spell, motes of energy hovering just above the edge of the grass. I gazed in wonder as my spell caused flowers to begin growing where there had been none. Bright blue cornflowers, delicate yellow primroses, faint white clover and other wild flowers dotted my little clearing. I smiled, lifting up Butter Cream in an excited hug, eliciting a squeak from surprise.
A short distance away, in the center of my little clearing, was a single purple orchid.
The solar diarch arose with a sense of dread. The moon hovered at the edge of the horizon, signaling her need to raise her celestial body. It had been less than twenty-four hours since Illua’s escape, and the anxiety kept her awake. Her mane remained dull from last night’s viewing, and even her magic was lack-luster. The sun peaked over the mountains at her beckoning, but the sky was bathed in an unusual vermilion hue. An omen of things to come.
Luna materialized from the ether into Celestia’s bedroom, frustration and concern fighting for its presence to be known on the dark muzzle. “Did you not sleep once more, Sister?” Celestia’s magic flickered, activating a stout machine in the corner. It hummed to life, bringing the smells of warmth and wakefulness in to the room. “Oh, it’s one of those mornings. I see…”
“Did you find her?”
“We did. It wasn’t hard, as her dream stood out from the rest. It was not like our Ponies, let alone the other dreaming denizens of our world. It was protected, but unstable. Much like yours are.” Luna took a seat on one of the plentiful cushions scattered around the bed chamber. “She’s tormented by her past failures, and was subject to much of the same treatment as some of the other races were historically. Especially in the use of the word ‘For’ner.’ Combine that with her circumstances, it’s a wonder she hasn’t died.”
The older sister was taken aback. “What?” Celestia couldn’t believe it. “What do you mean, Luna?”
Luna chuckled. “I was digging in her memories tonight, both the ones she was willing to share, and further back. I don’t get to surprise you like that very often.” Luna’s tone turned melancholy, looking at her own satellite lower beyond the horizon behind her sister. “Illua is in a constant state of dying. A sickness that has never relented for her. She had a family that she was taken from against her will. Compared to her world, this world should have been a paradise… But it wasn’t Celestia.” Luna sighed, floating over a pair of cups at the coffee maker had finished its sputtering. “It was a recreation of one of the ‘dark ages’ of her world’s timeline. Nobility sitting comfortably at the top, and the peasants being exploited till they died.”
Celestia slumped, resting her chin on the table. “So, she’s a monster because of—”
“Celestia, she’s not a monster. If anything, she’s closer to… Sun… light.. Glimmer?..”
“Sunset Shimmer.”
“Yes, Her, or that one student of Twilight’s...”
“Starlight Glimmer.”
“Thank you. She’s much more like they were. Hurt, betrayed, one may even say broken. But the difference is that she has significant power, and decided to use it for genuine good, or at least, that was the results of her actions.” Luna took a tentative sip of the elixir of alertness, before mixing in a few cubes of sugar. “Right this instant, she has the assistance of the last Nightmare Fragment, who now goes by Nyx, but is definitively a much more subdued personality from when the Nightmare had possessed me. Oh, and considering the time in the Element’s seal, she has been significantly weakened, so she cannot cast some of her most powerful spells. Did you know she could have obliterated all of Canterlot?”
Celestia straightened up immediately, a look of fear in her eyes. “She could have what?! Why are you speaking of this in such a- such a casual tone?!”
Luna quirked an eyebrow up at her sister, before chuckling once again. “Sister dearest, Illua, despite her sarcastic and defensive mannerisms, is a genuine sweetheart at her core. Her memories she showed me with a Pegasus named Butter Cream displayed that in full force.”
“So… what do you think she’ll do?”
“I’m not sure, Celly. My best guess would be that she starts exploring the forest she lived in, and finding Ponyville as it is now. She will probably have uh… Temporal…”
“Temporal and cultural dissonance, like you had when you returned?”
“Yes. That.” Luna sighed as she took another sip. “The words ponies use nowadays are rough to acclimate to.”
“You’ve gotten better at speaking with a modern sentence structure.” Celestia smiled as she took her own first sip, relishing in the bitterness. Her mane began to drift in the solar wind ever so slightly.
“Thank the video games. The online communities that I interact with have done wonders. But this is drifting away from our topic. I think the Elements of Harmony will be able to communicate just fine with her, and possibly,” Luna held up her hooves, motioning for quotation, “’rehabilitate’ her. Honestly, I am pretty sure Applejack, Fluttershy and Twilight will almost do that by themselves.”
“Oh, Do tell--” A portal opening up above the coffee table interrupted her, only for a ball to drop through, and exploding on contact with the table in a puff of wind. Once the two of them could see again, the entire bedroom was covered in a thin layer of freshly deposited dust, including their drinks. Luna coughed a few times as she began to laugh, while Celestia groaned. “—And that was a perfectly good cup of coffee wasted.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The visions of the past had haunted the Elements. A bipedal creature who relished in killing other ponies and could harm the princesses was not a villain to be trifled with. Fluttershy was the one of the first to awaken, her pink locks in a tangled mess from her restless turning.
“Morning, Fluttershy.” A devilish tone purred. “Ready to greet the day with a smile?”
“Good morning Discord, how was your night? You hadn’t come back to the castle, so I was worried.” Fluttershy nuzzled the bird-shaped draconequs.
He chirped softly, pressing right back into her cheek before transforming back to his normal self, albeit a bit smaller than his traditional height. “Well I visited a few old friends back in Tartarus, tried to see if I could convince them to genuinely try to be friendly and peaceful, and found someone veeeeeeery interesting.”
“Ugh… Discord… Can ya quiet down? Most of us didn’t get great sleep tonight.” A muffled complaint came through the wall.
“Sugacube, you really need to get to sleep earlier instead of playing that Dragon Crossing game you’re so invested in.” The scolding tones of a country mare came through from a slightly different direction, but nonetheless was heard clearly.
“Hey, Applejack, let her be. I could understand why she was up all night. I couldn’t sleep much either.” The lavender princess defensively replied.
“’Cause you were studying that sigil magic we were told Illua can do, you need to get better sleeping schedules too.”
Fluttershy giggled softly. It was comforting to hear the typical banter of her friends. She stepped out into the common room of their private section; breakfast had already been set upon the table for them. Twilight nibbled at her pancakes as scrolls and books hovered around her like a wall of shields, whilst Applejack was enjoying some fresh fruit and yogurt. “No one else awake yet?”
“No Fluttershy, just really the three of us. Did you come up with anything last night for our assignment?” The lavender princess asked, a cheek full of fluffy deliciousness. “I was thinking of maybe trying a binding spell, something like Glimmer’s crystal containment spell.”
“Hon, didn’t you get that used on you a bunch?” Applejack looked over at their personal princess, a confused look on her face.
“The best wizards never refuse a chance to learn a useful spell.”
Fluttershy started serving herself, taking a small bowl of yogurt with berries and granola, and a few of the hard-boiled eggs. “What about you Applejack? I had an idea, but I’d like you to go first, if you don’t mind.”
The cowpony swallowed, running her hoof over her chin. “Well, it’s not anything fancy, but I was thinking we could just talk to her? I mean, the idea we would need to fight her feels… strange. Celestia’s memory crystal made it real clear ta me. This Illua doesn’t seem like some wanton villain.”
“I couldn’t agree more Applejack. That’s why I was preparing the spell, as a precaution.” Twilight quipped, her magic setting exhausted material behind her in neat stacks.
“Oh okay. I was hoping we weren’t planning on fighting her like the others we’ve encountered in the past…” Fluttershy trailed off, her feathers puffing up slightly.
“Eh. I wouldn’t worry about that. I spent 300 years with her in stone. She’s not like that.” Discord took one of the apples from the spread and chomped on it, its skin changing colors with each bite. A few seconds of silence alerted him to their stares. “What? You saw how she became stone. Part of my imprisonment was extended to her, so I had the ability to communicate with her occasionally.”
“Uh, Discord… do you think you can tell us about her some? I’d really appreciate it.” The soft-spoken pony asked, giving him the irresistible eyes.
“On one condition: Do you think you can make those checkerboard cookies again? Those were absolutely delightful with the tea you brew.”
“Of course. You only had to ask.” A soft giggle started, only to infect the others with their own laughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the sun peaked in the sky, I could feel the warmth permeating from the surface into my little hollow. I barely opened my eyes, watching as little motes of dust danced in the bright rays of noon. I can’t sleep more. I need to review the situation. I sat up, and opened my menu for the first time in centuries.
[Due to the ‘Harmony Prison’ effect, You have lost levels. Levels lost: 45. New Level: 23]
[You have lost skill levels from disuse. Skills affected: Black Magic, White Magic, Green Magic….]
I sighed and rubbed my eyes. All that hard work gone I suppose. That would explain why Shell broke so easily against Celestia. Opening the inventory, I began munching on a few pieces of jerky, a small block of cheese, and some hard bread as my breakfast, as I started to plan. Hunt, learn the changes to the forest, Train again, and expect the Elements of Harmony to find me sooner rather than later.
Seems like a plan for the day. What will you do if they find you relatively quickly?
Honestly? Probably talk to them, see what I can learn about the ‘new reign of Celestia’ and see how much its actually changed.
Alright, I’ll keep a look out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While it did take more time than it had used to, I had once more set my traps up, and walked my grounds. Some paths had been long overgrown, while others still were kept tramped down, possibly by another denizen of the forest. “Ha… if only Butter Cream were here. I’ll have to find out where she was buried. Bring her some Orchids.” I said aloud, a sad smile upon my lips. I had already accepted she would have died by the time I would be released. It was inevitable.
The sound of a sapling whipping through leaves alerted me to a sprung trap. The next was the shouting. “Accursed trap, I must proclaim, I do not wish to be maimed!” I pinched my brow. Oh god it was the rhyming one Jayson liked. Groaning, I walked over, revealing the squirming zebra hanging by one of her rear hooves. “Oh, good day to you. I am stuck.” I raised an eyebrow. “Please let me down, and not into muck?” I cut the rope and freed her with ease, only to reset the trap.
“What were you doing coming through here? Do you live in the area?” I inquired of my new trespasser, curious about her role in the forest.
“I live here, that is true, but tell me, what about you?” she responded, with that irritating rhyming pattern.
“I used to live here, a few centuries ago, and I’ve finally returned. My name is Illua, and you might be?” I tried to not let it show. I really did, but I’m positive she picked up on it, because she changed her vocal pattern.
“I am Zecora, and I am a shaman from a land far from here. Ponyville would be considered my town of residence though, and it’s rather close by. I have friends there that would be able to assist you if necessary.” She replied, a small smile on her face.
“I’m pretty sure I’m expecting them.”
“Ah, as am I. Pinkie is to stop by to pick up some herbs for the bakery from me. She is a bright pink—”
“—Pony with a darker pink mane, 3 balloons as a cutie mark, and is hyper as all hell, yes?”
“Correct, although I’m not sure how you know. However, it is time for me to go. Have a nice day, and enjoy the sun’s rays.”
I could feel the eye twitch. “Trust me, I have ways. The traps are over there and there, there’s a pathway between them.” Pointing out the mostly hidden traps, I escorted her out of my clearing safely, as I began humming in concern.
Oh, if Pinkie finds out…
Oh, there is no defense I can put up to that mare. That’s going to be terrifying.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A quick flash back in the Castle of Friendship, and the Mane six reappeared, the pegasi suffering some mild nausea upon reentry to reality.
“Twi- Hrm.. Twilight, why do you insist on teleporting everyone?...” the meek voiced one spoke, swallowing down the bile that rose to her throat.
“Time is of the essence Fluttershy! Why not teleport when I have the ability to bring everyone with me, especially after a great breakfast like that?” Twilight asked in response, her horn igniting to bring a few components down from high shelves, only to pack them into her bags.
“She has a point darling. Another escapee always needs immediate attention…” Rarity mused.
“O-okay, I’ll get over it…” Fluttershy agreed, trying to shake off the nausea.
“Besides, I betcha I know where they are! I had the same wiggles and flops as when Luna first arrived way back on the Celebration all those years ago!” Pinkie cried out; her motion ever constant.
“Pinkie, darling, when did you discover this combo for ‘entity we are seeking is in the Everfree’? Rarity asked curiously.
Pinkie looked at Rarity with a deadpan look, a strange expression for the party pony. “Really? With the number of villains that have not only gone into the Everfree to hide or plan, but then have emerged from the forest with the intent of taking over Ponyville as a base for their political machinations, I figured it would’ve cropped up between Nightmare Moon and Tirek.” She remarked before giggling. “But then again, we never have the hoof up to have this kind of combo to actually show up, so who knows~!” she cartwheeled ahead of the group, leaving the other five perplexed.
“Was it jus’ me, or did Pinkie use sarcasm?...” Applejack asked, perplexed at the sudden revelation.
“I don’t want to think about it.” Fluttershy finally quipped.
“It’s okay Fluttershy dear, neither do we.” Rarity mused
Rainbow just snickered. “So we gonna go chase this Illua down now or what?”
“Yeah… I’m pretty much ready to go.” Twilight shouldered her bag, and began the trek to the Everfree.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sat up in the branches of my Tree, watching the sun set for the day, as my rabbit stew cooked with some berries and tubers, boiling over a small campfire. I smiled as I took in the scents of the upper winds, the breeze blowing through my white hair as the only draconnequus sat beside me on a similar branch. “So, whatcha doing, Illua?”
“Making some dinner, waiting for the Elements. What’s up?” I carved a piece of the apple in my hand with my knife, and chomped on it.
“So, remember that favor I was going to ask you about?”
“Mhm.”
“Do you have a Token?”
“A what now?”
“A Token. Effectively a multidimensional calling card.”
“Dark Souls much?”
“Hm. Probably, but that’s not the point. I’d like you to be able to help other Me’s or people like yourself if they summon you. That fair?”
I hummed softly. “So what happens to here when I get summoned?”
“Time here slows to about a quarter comparatively, so one day progresses for every four you spend in another realm.” He summoned his own fruit, cutting it open for his own snacking.
“Ah. Alright. I’ll make you a token in a moment.” I opened my inventory before the avatar of chaos, and pulled out what appeared to be a worn charm. A cotton fabric lanyard, with a strangely shaped piece of crystal hanging from the end. “This came from my old home Discord. It was one of my last birthday presents. ” Handing it over to Discord, I leaned back against the trunk.
Discord took it gingerly, and held it up to the light, the crystal refracting tiny rainbows over his face. “Is this what you wish to use? It’s absolutely beautiful.”
Nodding in response, I eat another portion of my apple. “It’s been with me the entire time, so It’d be pretty attuned to me. Go ahead.” Discord looked down at it and looked back up. I looked over towards the horizon as I heard the chatter of girls and the sounds of brushes being pushed back. “Alright, looks like I got stuff to do. See ya Discord.”
I jumped down, a soft casting of a light wind spell to cushion the fall, I sat back down and stirred my stew, as I hear the telltale noise of someone disappearing, right as the voices died down.
A colloquial term for those aware of it's presence. A 'game' within the existence known as 'life.' A recorder of all life within a world. A measurement of one's abilities in comparison to another. This system is designed to provide a numerical value to one's physical, mental, and spiritual capabilities, and to rank them accordingly.
All of these are categorized into Five major categories: Statistics, Skills, Abilities, Feats, and Rank.
~ Statistics ~
The numerical value determining one's raw talent and prowess, or the ability to do something without additional training or supernatural assistance. These are averaged across all areas of study, meaning any two individuals can have an identical statistic, but the information producing that result can be vastly different. These are:
Strength: The capability to lift, carry, throw, and strike using only the physical musculature of the body.
Dexterity: The capability to maneuver, proficiency with delicate procedure, and measurement of physical preparedness. It also affects accuracy regarding small targets.
Constitution: The measurement of how hardy the body is as a whole. This commonly affects health, stamina, and poison/disease resistance.
Intelligence: The measurement of an individuals collected knowledge. In conjunction with certain classes, this unlocks unique abilities, hidden feats, and secret spells.
Wisdom: the measurement of an individual's understanding of the world and life around them. It also enhances the perception of said world, allowing one to perceive, interact with and react to features beyond the traditional five senses.
Luck: Vastly different from other statistics, this statistic is determined at birth, and is set with a positive and negative maximum. The luck stat will increase and decrease between these two points, according to actions taken and karmic result. This statistic is hidden to all players except Admins.
~ Skills and Abilities ~
Skills are an individual's training. These can be simple ones such as a craft; Sewing, blacksmithing, alchemy; yet also can be complex and situation specific; Apple Farming, High Fashion, Animal Handling (Magical).
Abilities are skills made manifest. These are spells, stances, strikes, natural and supernatural effects that one can produce based on their training, and can manifest in a variety of ways. 'Flame Blade', a common one amongst warriors, comes from skills involving bladed weapons and skills utilizing the use of Fire, commonly Pyromancy and Torch-bearer. Even spells can manifest based on skills. 'Frozen Lightining' comes from Cryomancy and Fulgurmancy.
Due to the aforementioned possibilities of skills and abilities, No list can truly contain every possible option or combination, and even then, an Admin can provide these to a new player as a 'Kit' with unique terms to cover a wide array of options simultaneously.
~ Feats ~
Commonly referred to as passives by players, Feats are unique to each individual to some degree. These act as a record of great achievements, personal or otherwise. All provide certain bonuses according what they are related to. Again, no list could contain every possible option, and Admin's have been known to create a few for new players specifically.
~ Rank ~
Rank is the most important status a player can have, as it represents the ability to engage with another being, most commonly in combat. This also determines Statistic maximums for most stats and Skill limits. Each Rank is vastly stronger than the rank below, due to the time and effort to reach these ranks. This does not mean an individual is unable to be beaten by a lower rank.
The Ranks go from lowest to highest as follows: Zayin - Daleth - Lamed - Tsade - Resh - Aleph.
Zayin, or 'Pawns' are the average individual in most cases, often times having few to no feats in their life times. Typically the unnamed in general history. Maximum Statistic 25, Maximum Skill level 10.
Daleth: Those of this rank are usually a specialist of repute, be it due to their single minded passions or some coincidental encounter leading them to adventure. Most feats they posses assist them in some way in their profession/passion. Maximum Statistic 50, Maximum Skill level 15.
Lamed: Often times, these are Heroes, villains, and leaders, who's names are recorded and taught to the masses for generations. These individuals are often involved in crises that can impact the world. numerous skills and abilities would be at the disposal of an individual, and usually have one to two major feats in their repertoire. Maximum Statistic 100, Maximum skill Level 20.
Tsade: These are beings who are worshiped, typically because they are gods and goddesses with a domain of their own. Others include demons and certain spirits with abilities beyond the capabilities of an especially skilled magician or warrior. These beings can influence the world they live with relative ease. Maximum Statistic 200, Maximum skill level 25.
Resh: Beings beyond most mortal comprehension. Very few are able to be spoken with, let alone seen by anyone of Daleth or lower. Many Admins are this rank. Apocalyptic beings fall under this category at a minimum, and require miracles or entire armies to combat. Maximum statistic 400, Maximum skill 40. Minimum Statistic required 200 for all stats. Minimum Skill required 10 for all skills possessed.
Perhaps the least fickle of the World System, this is a representative of an individual's skill set, broken down into three separate descriptors. A player can have more than one class, should they acquire a relevant feat that rewards that class' bonuses.
The first descriptor is usually a single word, but occasionally a phrase. This describes the inclination of the player's growths, increasing or decreasing the rate of skill related EXP.
The second descriptor is the players true class. This has a fixed list to be selected. This determines what a player can and cannot learn or achieve in that class without receiving another class or Admin interference. Classes come in three variations: Basic, Advanced, and Master. However, this is only to refer to the difficulty of achieving them for those looking to Multi-Class. Note: This does not include civilian 'jobs' such as farmer or merchant, since those are skills one learns.
The last descriptor is a title or specialization, which is determined by the most used skills. These skills are typically the first to hit a cap before a rank up. These titles and specializations do not increase received skill experience, but rather give wholly individualized additions to the relevant skills and Abilities involved.
Not all classes are listed here, but this is a wide example of them. Basic examples: Soldier - Cleric - Rogue - Wizard - Sorcerer - Archer - Knight - Ranger - Fusilier - Cavalier - Summoner - Monk - Barbarian
Blademaster 05/20 Blacksmith 04/20 Armorer 04/20 Alchemist 03/20 Knowledge (Arcana) 09/20 Trapper 04/20 First Aid 04/20
Feats Revolution Leader - Fleet - Parkour! - Sun Slicer - Spell and Blade - Speed Caster - Adept Learner - No Element Untouched - Displaced Initiate
Abilities From Final Fantasy - All Black, Green, Red, Arcanist, Sage, Elementalist, Spellblade spells. White Magic: Cure, Cura, Regen, Protect, Shell Scathe Aphonia Flare Hastega
From Persona: Titanomachia - Ice Age - Thunder Reign - Phanta Rei - Psio - Frei
Unique Sigils - Teleport, Black Tentacles, Burst Trap, Sanctum
I quietly stirred my slowly simmering stew, looking their direction the entire time. I knew they were there, as they were not exactly quiet. It was honestly kind of funny, hearing the occasional whisper of their plans, a soft smile on my face. They’re unsure of how to approach. Cute.
You are a monster of sorts, at least to them, especially if Celestia spoke to them first. You’re also being relatable right now, so it’s throwing them off. With how they treated Zecora, I wouldn’t be surprised they are trying to figure out the right way to approach.
I nodded, scooping out a bowl from the pot, beginning to eat as I continue to wait for their appearance.
“Hi there! Whatcha eatin’?” A soft sigh escaped me. I was expecting one of the lower-energy ones to approach first, but this will have to do.
“Potato and Manticore stew, with onions and corn.” I took my first bite, before turning to the bright pink party pony. “I’m Illua, nice to meet you. I can hear your friends out in the bushes. They’re welcome to join me around my little cooking fire.” With a wave of my hand, I cast a small spell, summoning up a few rocks to sit around on.
Pinkie gasped and dashed back over to her group, leaving me to quietly eat. Barely a few moments passed before they started to come out of the woods. My eyes looked over each of them, only to lock on the yellow one. Just to remind you, from left to right, Rarity the White, Applejack the Orange, Rainbow the Blue, Twilight the Purple, Pinkie the Pink, and Fluttershy the Yellow. They all quietly took positions on the rocks, except for Rainbow, who remained aloft.
“So, what brings you to my little glade?” Curiously, they all looked to each other, before the alicorn spoke.
“Ahem… You are Illua, correct?”
“Yes. What can I help you with?”
Twilight put her hoof to her muzzle, furrowing her brow. Most of the other ponies seemed genuinely confused, with Pinkie remaining a giggly mess. I just continued to eat my meal while it was warm.
“Uhm.. ah… Are you uh… going to hurt ponies again?” the meek yellow Pegasus spoke, hiding behind her mane. A grin grew on my face as I watched the uncanny clone of Butter Cream.
“I don’t plan to, because I’m hoping you can answer a few of my own questions, after having been trapped for a few centuries.” My eyes flicked to each of them, only to take a sip from the worn water skin. “First question, and we can trade them, How’s Celestia? Is she a distraught mess?”
The ponies stiffened almost in unison. “Yeah, She is, and it’s your fault. My turn, what gives you the right to attack the princess?!” Rainbow flew into my face, her own expression of anger. I put a finger on her nose and gently pushed her backwards.
“I’ll answer that question in a bit, if you will have patience. Any other volunteers?” I looked to the others, only to sigh when no one spoke up. “I just had this discussion with Luna last night...” Muttering under my breath, I pushed my hair back from my face, to allow the elements to see my face entirely. “Fine. Celestia created a system where cruel, uncaring ponies had power, and used the rules of the land at the time to create disparity between them and those they governed at the time. She then allowed for those same ponies to continue this destructive behavior until it reached a point where ponies were dying, either because they had their property or their supplies for survival taken.” I looked into the fire as the memories started coming back to me.
“I watched children die of starvation, hypothermia, and other easily preventable causes. Tell me, am I supposed to allow her to continuing to enable the cruelties that I fought against?” I quickly stood, turning away from the group. “I will be right back. Come up with questions while I go retrieve something.” I stepped into my sanctum, my teeth grinding from the sudden interrogation.
“Rainbow! You didn’t have to do that!” Twilight scolded, running her hoof over her eyes.
“So? It got to the point. We’re here to get her and go right?” Rainbow shot back, taking a perch in the tree that marked Illua’s home.
“That’s not the point, sugar cube.” Applejack called out, her own frustration spilling into her voice. “She was being hospitable, especially since I’m pretty sure we’re on her property.”
Rarity looked between the two, and sighed. “Always the same, isn’t it, dear Fluttershy, Pinkie?”
“Yeah, but I don’t think they’ll change that easily. Applejack isn’t wrong though.” Fluttershy shook her head. “I’m pretty sure Illua is a bit touchy about that subject. She also kept looking at me with a sad look. I’m not sure why…” Fluttershy’s soft tones barely rose above the sounds of the two tomboys arguing.
“I bet she’d like something sweet, like an ice cream cake. Ooh, I feel she’s probably a double chocolate mocha with hazelnut frost- Yeah, those two are always gonna but heads, but it’s probably for the best. They balance each other out like we all do.” Pinkie’s vocalized thoughts were interrupted by Rarity’s question, before Rainbow hopped down.
“She’s a villain, right? We take them down!”
“Dash, You missing a few marbles from your bag? She’s not a villain as we know them!”
“And? She’s still a villain, and she needs to be dealt with.”
The cowpony groaned, thrusting her face into Rainbow’s personal space. “Discord has his own fair share of problems, but he’s not a villain anymore, especially after being given a chance to prove himself. Why can’t we do the same for Illua?”
“I agree with Applejack.” Twilight finally spoke up, having rose to her own hooves. “Honestly, I wasn’t fond of doing that with Discord, but Fluttershy proved us wrong. Illua, despite her much more, uh, ‘violent’ past, she seems much more amicable. Let’s try and be a bit more friendly with her, okay Dash?” Twilight queried, nudging the blue Pegasus.
“Fiiiiiiine. I’ll refrain from asking accusatory questions.” She replied, earning a look of surprise from Rarity. “What? You know how much I read, I learn interesting words too. I can speak fancy.” A few giggles escaped the group, releasing the tension many of them held.
Illua sighed as she stepped down her stairs, collecting the mirror.
You seem agitated about that question.
Wasn't expecting such an accusatory and aggressive introduction, but.. I took a deep breath, holding it for a moment, and released it, along with the embers of my anger. They don't know better, so I can't really hold it against them. Lifting the mirror, I began stepping up the stairs, carefully setting it on each step to protect the glass pane.
So you’re gonna introduce me?
It’s best if they know now. No point in lying to them.
Oh really? I thought you enjoyed hiding your secrets.
They don’t need to know everything right now, but they do need to know of your presence. More than likely, there are wards in different places intended to find and harm things like you. If Twilight is the mage you make her out to be, she’ll have a solution.
Fair point, One you, zero me.
Did you wipe the board?
Three hundred years of separation, and a new start, why not? I saw Nyx shrug as I picked up the mirror, my dark mimic’s appearance ever in the reflections of the world around me. “Besides, it’s going to be nice to have some people to talk to that isn’t always the two of us.” She spoke up from the mirror, testing her vocalization. “Oh, they’re talking outside.”
“… Let’s try and be a bit more friendly with her, okay Dash?” Twilight’s educated voice was close to the outer layer of her little home’s entrance, only for the sounds of giggles to punctuate the now lighter atmosphere. I pushed open the door to the sight, watching as they took their seats once again.
“Well, it's nice to hear we’re feeling a bit more relaxed. Any new questions?” I probed, as I set down the mirror, Nyx no longer visible in it for the time being.
“Why ever did you bring a mirror outside, dear?” Rarity was the first to speak, a slight smirk on her muzzle. “It’s a lovely mirror, although it could have a higher clarity.” The fashionista’s horn glowed with her pale blue aura, the mirror now outlined in that same glow. The minor imperfections were ironed out, resulting in a much more accurate reflection of the world. “Hopefully that helps, darling.”
I raised an eyebrow as I watched her cast her spell, appraising her work. “That’s actually much nicer. Thank you. Anyways, while this is not a special mirror, I need you to understand something about me.” Most of the ponies leaned forward in anticipation, watching for anything. A grin spread on my face. “I have a passenger, and her name is Nyx.”
Nyx floated onto the surface of the mirror, her arms resting around my reflection’s neck almost affectionately. “Hello, once again Elements.” She giggled at the varied reactions. Twilight looked flabbergasted, Fluttershy fainted, Rainbow and Applejack both immediately stood, ready to fight. Only the pink and white ponies had almost no reaction, mostly due to shock. “Lulu, I think we’ve scared them.” I shrugged at the response. “I am a fragment of the entity you know as ‘The Nightmare’, but I am bound to Illua here. Most likely, I am the largest, or even the only remaining portion of it.” Nyx looked over their tense stances, only to release annoyed growl. "Alright, guess they don't want to talk to me. I'm heading back inside." She immediately faded from the mirror with an aggravated snort.
“Now with that answered—” I started, before the shouts came.
“How did it survive the Elements?” Twilight’s question hung in the air.
“Oh dear, I’m not sure how I feel about that.” Rarity’s musings followed suit.
“Why do you have that creature inside you?” Rainbow, once again on the offensive, shouted at me.
“What in tarnation did you do to have that thing bond with you?” Applejack sounded almost afraid.
“Huh. Not what I anticipated. But it means she’s a double friend!” Pinkie’s gleeful declaration earned a look from all those conscious, only to giggle more.
I couldn’t contain my chuckling. “In order, you destroyed the fragment with Luna, not the others that still remained from when Sunny Bitch used the elements before. I wasn’t happy with her at first, but despite her antagonistic ways, she’s my best friend. I made a deal with her. Pinks, interesting thought.” I turned to each of them with my answers.
I looked to the sky, frowning as I heard the creatures of the night beginning to stir in the surrounding forest. “The moon will be rising shortly, so I suggest you all stay here with me tonight. You don't have to, but I'm not too sure how safe it will be heading back.” A flick of my wrist and water doused my flame, whilst I put a lid on the warm pot, setting it inside my sanctum once again, alongside the mirror. “What will you all do?”
I found myself pushing the few pieces of furniture to the edges of the main room, and setting up areas for the girls to sleep around the floor of my humble abode. Many of them asked questions about the various items that I had set on shelves and tables, each one being answered in turn.
“What’s this?”
“Mortar and pestle, used to grind herbs, seeds and the like into powders.”
“What’s that?”
“Grindstone, used for sharpening my sword, and good for shaping gems and the like.”
“Ooh, what is this?” I only sighed, pinching my brow, as I turned to look at Pinkie once more. “That… Is a very special item that I would ask you to put down.” I kept my composure as she picked up my tablet, one of the few technological remnants of my old life. “It is fragile, and can break very, very easily.”
The bright pink pony seemed to catch my drift, and gingerly set it back on the shelf. “Sorry.”
“No need for apology, I just want you all to realize there are many sentimental things in here that are now effectively bits of history from my time as a revolutionary. I’d ask you to refrain from poking around while we continue to chat.” Pushing back the last bit of furniture to the corner, I finally had made the space to start laying out the massive pelt I used for camping.
“Uh.. where.. erm.. did this fur come from?” Fluttershy asked, her hoof idly running over the white fur as I rolled it out.
“A very large and experienced manticore. It was in the mountains, so it's fur is much thicker than one of the forest or jungle breeds. I skinned the pelt without the head, so it’s very comfy as bedding.” I noted, pulling pillows out from the same closet. “Why, is it bad?”
“Oh no, it’s very soft and warm.. I just..” Fluttershy hid behind her hair once again, breaking eye contact with Illua. “I’m just not good with uhm… hunting..”
"Well, unfortunately, most ponies don't support carnivorous needs, so I only hunt when I need the meat. I've never been a big fan of hunting for sport." Sitting on the edge of my bed, I took another swig of water. "I also try to avoid hunting females, mostly to avoid harming the ecosystem more than I really need to."
Rarity, despite the conversation, spread out on the plush pelt, her soft giggles earning her a few looks from the room. “What? You don’t find anything this quality very often, and it’s being used for bedding. Its absolutely luxurious. Don't you judge moi for this little indulgence...” Rarity pouted a bit, before the rest giggled in return.
I simply snickered as I laid back into my own bedding. “Get some sleep girls, I’m going to be waking up early.”
“I’ll be awake most of the night, so if you do have questions for me, I’ll answer. Just call my name. Hopefully one of you will deign to actually interact with me.” Nyx waved from the mirror, flipping through an ethereal book in the reflection. The room’s light began to dim, leaving it barely lit by the moon overhead. “Sweet dreams.”
It wasn’t long till most of the ponies were asleep, as the trek through the woods had taken its toll, combined with the prior teleportation. However, one prismatic Pegasus was not asleep, and had waited for this moment. Rainbow lifted her head, and swept the room, and quietly got to her hooves. Nyx wasn’t to be seen in the mirror.
“Now what could she be hiding…” Rainbow mused, quietly lifting herself into the air to snatch a book from the top shelf. “This could be full of pretty juicy information.” The book was worn around the edges, and definitely old. The pages had yellowed from time, and even the binding had frayed. She opened it somewhere in the middle, and began to read the ancient text.
November, 17th, Year 697 of Celestia’s Reign.
The Siege is affecting morale. I’m trying to push for a much more peaceful resolution, but Duke Hoofchester refuses to budge on his conditions. What don’t you understand that you cannot keep your power over the people? Aggravating, that fucker is.
“What.. this is a diary?” Rainbow muttered, before continuing.
Butter Cream has been focused on training where she can, but many still haven’t seen battle, and I’m afraid I will have to make them soon to resolve this. I shouldn’t have to, but for the good of them all…
I’m grateful for Cadenza helping me. She’s been actively teaching me the strengths of each type of pony that I hadn’t considered, and healing many of my wounds from my own magic practice. I’m surprised she puts up with me and my aspirations for the ponies here. She even likes Nyx as much as myself…
… Is it possible I love her? Maybe, Lulu, but If so, I wouldn’t complain, she’s probably the most genuinely good ponies we know.
“She knows Cadence?”
“Yep.”
Rainbow’s wings locked open, as she muffled her own yelp. “Why did you have to scare me like that?!” Rainbow hissed at Nyx, who’s smirk was a mile wide.
“Why did you have to go snooping, hm?” Rainbow opened her mouth to respond, but only closed it and shook her head. Nyx snickered, but continued. “Yes, we knew Cadenza Mi Amore at one time. She was one of the few ponies who found us attractive, both in physical appearance, and as people. However, I could wake up Illua, but I’ll make you a cute little deal. You say nothing to the others about this until Illua or Cadenza, if she’s still around, decides to bring it up. In exchange, I tell Illua nothing in the morning. Fair?” Nyx held her hand out as if to shake it, pressing it to the mirror.
“Deal.” Rainbow pushed her hoof to the mirror, a faint glowing circle on Nyx’s hand forming when she pulled it back. “What’s that?”
“It’s a promissory mark. I like making it a point to keep my word, even if I’m supposed to be some bogeyman to you all. Now put the journal back, and get to sleep.” Nyx watched the cyan pony put the book back, and hover back down.
“Hey Nyx?”
“Yes, rainbow one?”
“Last question before I go to sleep; Why are you so different from the other’s we have seen possessed?”
Nyx chuckled at the question. “I’ve had a good influence for a long time. Being blasted by the Elements a couple times also helps to reinforce the idea of ‘being nice’. Now, good night.”
The dawn came once again, and the first sound I could hear was the faint clip-clop of hooves. One of them’s an early riser… My pondering was interrupted by the stretching of another, a soft squeak escaping the pony as she reached her peak. “Good Morning, whoever you are.” Illua whispered, earning another squeak. Must be Fluttershy.
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you I--” she stammered out before I held up a hand.
“I was already waking up, you don’t need to apologize. Why are you awake so early?” Beginning to stretch myself, I groaned pleasurably at the few pops my joints made.
“I usually go and feed my animal friends at this time, so I was going to start heading back. You don’t mind, do you?...” Fluttershy’s teal eyes looked up at me after her quiet request.
“I don’t mind if you need to leave, but I’d rather you wait until everyone’s awake.” I looked up at the skylight, attempting to stifle old emotions. “I.. uh.. Do you guys have a graveyard in Ponyville?”
“Yes, Ponyville has a graveyard, it’s a little ways out from the main town, near Whitetail woods.” The mumbling came from the messy-maned alicorn, who had ended up curled around one of my spare pillows. “Why would you need to go to the graveyard anyways?”
I looked to Twilight, and raised an eyebrow. “Twilight, I’m a little over three hundred because of the time in stone. I need to visit some old friends.” I watched as the two conscious ponies put their ears down, Fluttershy retreating behind her bangs once more.
“Alright everypony, time ta’ wake up. I got chores to do back on the farm, and I’m sure y’all need to do the same.” The pumpkin colored bumpkin came down the stairs, looking ever ready for the day, as I had expected. The groans of the other sleepers put a smile on my face. “No groaning, and ‘sides, Illua can’t prepare breakfast for everyone if her stock’s low.” She nudged the fashionista and athlete, pushing them to their hooves despite their resistance.
I looked over at the pink pony. “What would be the easiest way to wake her up?”
“Tell her what kind of cake you like.” Rainbow said, snickering.
“Oh Celestia, don’t Illua-” Twilight started, but was too late.
I knelt down, and whispered to her before Twilight could stop me. “I want a mocha cake with a layer of vanilla ice cream in the middle. Hazelnut frosting.” I looked back at Twilight. “Why not?”
Pinkie sprung to her feet with eyes full of wonder. “Oh. My. Stars. I knew it! I’ll get on it right away! What do you want for your party, would you prefer--” I put my hand over her muzzle, sighing.
“I see what you were trying to prevent now.” I turned back to Pinkie. “If you want to throw a party for me, can you wait untill tomarrow? I need to do some errands.” I got a nod and salute in response. “Thank you. You ladies head back to town, I’ll head that way soon.”
"Errands?" Twilight queried, ears perking up. "What kind of errands?" There was an obvious underlying tone of suspicion in her voice.
I sighed as she looked back to the Princess of Friendship. “I have to check my traps for today’s meat, and any ponies caught by accident. Then I need to collect some flowers before I go visit the graveyard. Is that a problem?” Crossing my arms over my chest, I looked at her expectantly. “What did you think I was going to do?”
Twilight smiled sheepishly, her ears folding back once again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“No offense taken. Now get going, you all need breakfast and I need some time to myself.”
I’m gonna follow them.
Excuse me?
I’m going to follow them. This way you can have me guide you around later, and I get to watch them from their shadows.
It hadn’t even been moments since the Elements had left, and Nyx was ready to roam. Whose shadow would you even latch onto?
Twilight the Suspicious seems like she’d be fun to shadow.I knew those giggles. She wanted to cause mischief.
Just don’t get yourself blasted, alright? I mentally nudged her, her presence slowly growing faint as the magical pull began.
Of course, I’ll come home if I get in trouble, ‘Mom.’ And then she was gone, off to spy on a pony princess.
“Finally, I can start getting to work…” I pushed up off the edge of my bed, rolled up the makeshift bedding, and started on my own day.
The steady rhythm of the ponies quietly punctuated their chatter, as they wound their way back through the Everfree’s trees, along pathways beaten into the woods by the hermetic Zecora.
“I’m deeply conflicted about Illua right now.” Twilight began, receiving glances from the others.
“You ain’t the only one, Twi. Celestia made her out to be this vicious monster, and we come out and see she’s…. I don’t know, kinda normal?” Applejack replied, scratching the back of her head with one hoof.
“She seems awfully nice actually, even for a predatory species.” Fluttershy noted, ducking under branches as she hovered along the group.
“She’s a predator? I thought she just seemed like a wonderful lady with a definitely interesting style. I might have to see if she’ll show me more.” Rarity’s thoughts drifted to the possibilities, almost ignorant of the conversation, before bringing herself back. “Ahem, either way, what makes you think she's a predator?”
“Well, I don’t know exactly what she is, but considering she’s a meat eater, and her eyes are forward facing, she’s definitely a predator, if I compare her to some of the animals at my cottage. She also has canine teeth, and talked about hunting while with us. Combined with having no discernable patterns or defensive features on her almost implies she may have been an apex predator in her ecosystem..” Fluttershy’s soft explanation received her new looks now.
Nyx watched as Rainbow went to reply, only to rethink her words a few times, quietly observing the struggle. “I think Illua probably has things to hide that she doesn’t want to talk about, at least until she can trust us more. I know I’m not exactly a good pony to trust, especially with how I acted towards her.” The prismatic pony rubbed her eyes. “My point is that I think we should find out her side of the story more.”
“Exactly, especially with the limited details about the Civil Revolution, it’s hard to dismiss her personal experiences, since she was a central figure to it. But then again, she seems friendly, if a bit soft spoken. But then you have Nyx…” Twilight’s thoughts trailed off as they reached the edge of the forest.
“Yup, the friend in a friend! I wonder if she likes the same foods as Illua.” Pinkie Pie positively bounced on the path, almost constantly humming. “It might be hard to understand how a Nightmare can be good, but even rain brings good things.”
“Yeah.” Twilight smiled, spreading her wings as they broke the treeline. “I’m gonna go send a letter to the Princess, and inform her on Illua’s status. I’ll see you later girls!” Twilight waved as she took to the air towards her crystal castle. Nyx was just a passenger at this rate, but she looked over Ponyville from Twilight’s vantage point, and would have been grinning were she corporeal.
It’s definitely grown quite a bit since last time, and that god awful mansion is gone. It’s also far more colorful. Lulu’s going to enjoy seeing how it’s changed.
I really shouldn’t have tagged onto Twilight.
Oh really? You say that now? What brought you to this conclusion?
It had been hours since Nyx had left, and the sun had reached its peak in the blue sky, cloudless sky. I had reset my traps with fresh bait, and turned my attention to my grove.All she’s been doing is research! All trying to find more information about the two of us and our presence back when we were fighting, including anything about ‘what’ you are. I smiled a bit, as I had begun channeling one of my favorite spells, Earth Heal. The field faintly glowed in the noonday sun, but I watched as flowers bloomed once again on this once-forgotten field. Illua, are you even paying attention?
I groaned internally, letting her know my dissatisfaction with her complaints. What do you want me to do about it, hm? I’m just a bit busy with my own little project. Besides, I’m pretty sure Twilight is one of those ponies who get tunnel vision on a subject and won’t let go. I knelt down and cradled together a trio of orchids, gently uprooting them and tying together with a ribbon.
You have no idea. She has a shield wall made of books, and she’s reading each one simultaneously like some learning monster. Her mental shiver pulled a soft laugh from me as I moved to the outcropping of tiger lilies across the field.
It’s likely she has photographic memory, and an incredibly advanced ability to read, learn, and retain knowledge. Are you scared of her? A few gentle tugs, and the delicate orange flowers came up, ready to be delivered to new ground.
Realistically, if you saw a single person being able to flip through nearly thirty books at once like some Avatar of a Library, wouldn’t you be scared?
If they were spell books? Yes. Storybooks? Not so much. Looking across my field, I spied the dainty silver irises I had planted centuries ago, and carefully collected a few of them for yet another tribute. Let me know if something happens, okay?
Fiiiine, I’ll be gooooooood. The whine I heard as she continued to focus on Twilight got me giggling again. Heading inside once more, I withdrew from my inventory a small bundle of waxy blooms, primarily yellow with bright pink edges. A plumeria, from the southern coasts of Equestria, just before the ocean that separates the pony and zebra nations. I carefully wrap them in yet another ribbon, only to gather the four fragrant bouquets in my arms.
I couldn’t hold back the tears forming at the edge of my vision. Despite the wound being hundreds of years old, it still hurt. I wonder what kind of things they would have accomplished, had they been able to thrive. I slung a little pouch onto my belt, a pair of tools clinking inside. Wiping the slowly forming tears, I pushed myself to leave my humble abode, memories of a time long past filling my mind.
As I followed the path the girls had taken, my eyes caught the worn path between the grass and roots. So there’s regular travel through here now. Gazing upon the path, I smiled through tears that still came up unbidden.
Illua, look what I found in the forest! It looks like a mushroom of some kind. Illua, is living in the Everfree dangerous? It seems like it would be compared to mommy’s farm.. Teacher, Dad wants to know if you can braid the handles again, one of his clients really liked that.
I swallowed the lump developing in my throat, as I saw classical wrought iron stakes peek through the thinning tree-line, whilst the voices of the past lingered in my head. Shaking my head, I ventured onwards, as the echoes of the past replaced the hallowed silence.
Hey, Teacher! What are you? You don’t look like the minotaurs who come deliver iron for Jack’s dad.. I like her mane, it holds the flowers really nicely. What color do you like, Illua?
I pushed open the gate, trying to ignore my ghosts, their high pitched squeals of delight and curious questions dancing in my skull. I knew the hill this graveyard was on, despite the changes. Amongst the stone monoliths marking the passing of loved ones, I strode with my bundle of flowers, now glistening with the tears that escaped me.
Was I a good potato, Teacher? I set the orchids down on the first of my destinations, a faded stone marking its stone, with only a name and nary a symbol. I wiped the moss off Potato’s marker, smiling despite my tears. “You were a good potato.” I pulled the little hammer and chisel from my hip pouch, and slowly etched in fresh text on the stone. “I bet you’d have a few plots around here, growing potatoes and tubers for the village, probably with a painting above your hutch of me. You’d have liked to hear me talk, with how hard you tried learning my signs.” I scooped out a small handful of dirt, and placed the roots of the orchid into the ground, before replacing the dirt.
Sniffling, I shifted to the next plot over, continuing my little ritual, planting the tiger lilies. Teacher, do you think there are any more oranges out in the orchard? Orange Blossom’s last words to me broke the damn in my eyes, blinding me temporarily as I wiped tears between strikes of the chisel. Her grave was mostly unmarked as well, having never earned her cutie mark with her friends. “No dear, the season’s past, and it’s time to keep warm, but you’d still go out and pick those last few oranges. You and that Applejack might be distant relatives. You have the same coat color.”
Once again, repeating my motions, I knelt down and planted the silver irises upon the third of the markless graves. Teacher, can I try that meat of yours? It smells good… my lips turned up as I opened my inventory, pulling a bit of my manticore jerky out and burying it alongside the Irises. “O-of course you can… Or you would have been able to if not for the ponies of the time..” I quivered, pushing myself up to go further into the back of the graveyard. I knew the path, having walked it for weeks at a time.
Lulu, you can’t torment yourself like this.
I shook my head, pushing the voice back for just a bit longer. I need to finish this, I don’t want to forget. My heart pounded in my ears as I fought the sobs gathering in my chest.
Alright then, Lulu. Just don't let Cadenza catch you bawling your eyes out. You know she'd join you.
Her grave was more elaborate than the typical ponies, fenced off and topped with a preserved spear and helmet in a glass covering. The glass was nicked from the abuse of time, and I smiled, as it seemed someone took care of this grave. I planted the last of my tributes to the lost at the foot of the plot. “H-Hey.. B-Butter Cream… I br-brought them back like I promised…”
Thank you Lulu, they’re wonderful. Maybe if we can get the weather a bit warmer here, they might spread around for everyone to see.
I finally let the sobs out, slowly curling in on myself as I laid down next to the grave of my best friend, breaking the persona I had kept up for so long. “I fucking hate you, Celestia. You took not only the lives of the first ponies to accept me, but you took the years I could have spent with Butter Cream and Cadenza from me.” I curled up in the soft grass, as I finally let the grief of centuries flow from me until consciousness left me to my devices.
That's okay Lulu, I'll be here, waiting for you to get back.
Sadness, grief… Catharsis.. Hate. She’s getting it out of her system.. I’ll leave her be for now. Nyx retreated from the connection, her own emotions stirred up in curiosity. Twilight had written to Celestia, and had not received her response yet.
“Hey, Twilight, why are you in such a rush today?” the purple dragon sipped on a box with a straw coming from it, with some sweet smelling fluid inside it. He was tiny considering the average dragon’s size, but that was to be expected of one who’d barely been around a decade.
“Well, considering I spoke with The Bloody Grimoire herself, I thought I’d do the research of her campaign across Equestria, and see what more I could Iearn of her, and see if there’s any connection between her and some of the bloodlines around here.” Twilight flipped through another set of books, frowning. “Honestly, I wish I had gathered more knowledge on the wars of the past..” Her down-turned ears reversed when a puff of gold smoke deposited a roll of parchment and a pair of thick books before her. “Oh, she sent a book with the letter.. Ahem..”
Nyx rolled her eyes, as the lavender librarian began to read aloud for the dracling’s benefit.
“Dearest Twilight, I am glad you have found Illua, and she has deigned not to harm you all. However, I am pleasantly surprised that she has even agreed to meet with you and your fellow Elements, as she may have considered you as my emissaries.
I do not know the full extent of her knowledge of Equestria or the lands beyond, but considering there are few books detailing either side of her revolution, let alone in a fair light, I have included two books that would assist in your research of her. The one bound in blue is listed to have been written by a scholar who acted as an advisor and leader in her armies, and is apparently a first-hoof account of the war on her side. The one bound in red was written by the Royal scribe at the time, near the end of his tenure and his own life.
While I am concerned with certain factual differences between both accounts, outside sources have corroborated these two books as the most complete image we have of that time in history.
Please use these at your discretion and leisure for your research, and return them when you can, preferably after you have transcribed a copy for yourself.
From, Princess Celestia. Spike, this is absolutely exciting!”
“So we have two entirely different viewpoints on the same events? Why would anyone do that for a history book? It seems almost, I don’t know, against the norm for these kinds of books?” Spike let his thoughts be known as he continued to flip through a comic.
“This is important Spike, because of how history is typically written. While many of them hold prophecies and tell of grand battles, it’s often times only from the view of the results afterwards.” Twilight danced in place as she bade the other books back to their shelves, flipping open the scribe’s book first. “Besides, this also gives us a chance to learn of how Illua thinks and acts, both from a friendly and antagonistic view!” Twilight let out a short squeal of delight, her wings fluttering with her excitement.
“Okay Twilight, I’ll leave you to it. I’m gonna head to Rarity’s for a little while, help her with whatever she needs.” Spike put his comic back on a low shelf, filled with similar thin books, and walked out of the room, the pitter patter of his feet fading into the castle.
So, old Bristled Quill actually wrote about us, like he said he would. I wonder what he put out about us. However, Duke Legaius also wrote an opposing book.. I wonder how this little filly will deal with the conflicting-- Hm?
The rapid pounding of feet was only punctuated by the young drake screaming. “Twilight! Trouble!”
Twilight sighed, rubbing her hooves on her face. “Alright, just another fine day in Ponyville, what’s the worst that it can be…” The violaceous equine muttered, before responding proper, “What’s going on Spike? I thought you were going to Rarity’s?”
“I was, but then this big drake-like thing came running into town, and it’s destroying whatever it can get its claws on!” Spike’s arms spread out to try and explain, but Twilight closed her book quietly, and disappeared in a flash of magic.
When she reappeared outside in the town square, the massive creature in question was nearly double Big Mac’s size, resembling a mixture of a dragon, wolf, and boar. “What is that thing?” she spoke aloud to her misfortune.
The creature's gaze whipped to her, it’s eyes dark, with little glowing orange dots to mark pupils. Little black motes floated about its claws and dripping maw. The fur and scale on this creature rose, giving it the appearance of being covered in jagged spikes, as muscle rippled and tensed under a thin hide. Twilight froze, watching as this monstrosity approached her, snarling.
“Twilight, fucking move!” Nyx yelled from one of the castle’s reflective surfaces, breaking the trance the princess found herself in to teleport, a claw cutting through the air where she once was.
“Nyx, What are you doing here, I thought you were with Illua?” Now aloft, the alicorn looked to her castle, seeing the starry enigma in the crystal. “Aren’t you soul bound to her?”
“I am but this isn’t the time for your damned inquisition, you need to fight and distract it. Lead it to the graveyard, I’ll get Illua. Don’t let that thing hit you, dragon-kin claws and teeth are typically disease ridden.” Nyx flickered out of sight in the reflection, leaving Twilight alone with the mad creature.
It snarled once again, spitting a gout of flame up at the flying princess, who dodged with an instinctual teleport. “This way big guy!” She fired a beam of her magenta magic, striking it across the nose. It whimpered for a moment, only to jump to a nearby rooftop, using it to lunge at her from a higher vantage point. Another flash of light, and another beam of magic, and she had begun to lure it from the village proper. “I hope Nyx will get her soon…”
Illua, get your unhappy ass up, we got trouble.
Wha- what’s going on Nyx? I blinked, my eyes puffy and my throat sore from my crying, pushing myself up from the tear laden grass, and brushing the stray blades from my clothing.
Oh, it’s nothing but a Dragonkin in town, and that Two-toned student of Celestia’s is leading it here! I wiped my eyes, pounding the grass behind me as I ran to the entrance of the resting place, as I watched the flashes of light and magic strike the hulking beast.
Nyx, cast Protect, prepare to double cast Esuna and Cure, wide area targeting. My eyes glowed with Nyx’s presence while the hexagons surrounded me, the feeling of mana being drawn from me. “[HUD activate.]” I croaked out the command, bringing forth the health bars I had kept hidden, marking the hostile creature in bright red text.
It was labeled as a Sildanian. Twilight had done a good number on it, bringing it down to 75%, but it wasn’t enough. She’s definitely not an attacker. As I got closer, I threw a lightning bolt at the creature. It staggered from the crackling spell, turning it's gaze my direction. “That’s it, over here!” I called out, my blade shimmering in the light as I raised it to my cheek.
It lunged for me, its chipped claws out stretched for my tender flesh. I brought my blade up, pushing myself away in a spinning motion, only to draw my steel back and step in once more. My sword drew a near perfect crescent upwards, separating the creature's head from its stout neck with a violent spray of blood. The body tumbled away into the woods, leaving a streak of crimson fluid across the wooded path.
I flicked my blade clean, but I was stained by my action, a clear stripe of blood cut across my form. The gasp I heard from above made me sigh once more. That's right, this is supposed to be an era of peace…
"Illua, are you alright?" Twilight landed beside me, her head horn alight with magic. I chuckled as she tried to find any mark upon me, before I set a hand on her withers, as my fingers began the familiar symbols as before.
Fine - need - clean. Blood - Dragon - beast.
Her eyes lit up with renewed curiosity. "You know Claw-sign as well? Why aren't you talking?"
Claw Sign - easier - now. Voice - hurt. Graveyard - Cry. Clean - Spell? I hastily signed, pointing over at the Sildanian. Body - materials - collect - fast. Fluttershy - see - no. Twilight’s look of realization was a relief.
"Yes, I have a cleaning spell, and I understand completely. I'll let you uhm… take care of the… body." Twilight's words were broken as she scrunched up her nose, as the acrid smell of sulfurous blood reached her.
Thank you. Castle - Visit - After - Body - Me. I finished signing to Twilight as I began walking towards the decapitated trophy. It’s head was triangular mostly, with two curled tusks jutting from the lower jaw. It’s eyes however, stood out. The sclera was black, and oozing oily tears, with what appeared to be tiny veins invading on the slit pupil.
My curiosity piqued, I moved over to the body, using one of the tusk’s as a handle to carry the evidence with me. Similar veins appeared on scars from previous battles on the body, but those strange markings flaked off and disintegrated as the body began to cool.
What in the world is that? Probably some draconic spell or ability that’s wearing off since the bearer is dead. It really shouldn’t be anything to worry about. Let’s just get this thing chopped up and tucked in the inventory, so we can use it later.
The deep rumbling escaped the enormous dragon as he gazed upon his scrying pool. Eyes scanned the dim room, as blue arcane flames highlighted the podium before him, a singular bipedal dragon kneeling before him.
“It failed. Why do you suppose that is, Byrviss?” the timbre of his voice rolled like distant thunder in his lair, peering down on the suitably tiny minion.
“I apologize, your imperial majesty, I did not anticipate that creature with the sword, nor the Incarnation of Friendship living in that rural village.” Byrviss groveled, keeping his own head facing down at the pool.
“This can work to our favor. An attempt on the fledgling’s life and his protector would definitely induce… a delightful tension.” A pleasant chuckle rippled the flames, as the onyx elder stirred the pool once more, watching the human carve up one of their own. “This thing will be a problem if we cannot convince it to our side. Have Ylbe continue to scry upon it.”
Byrviss looked up at his lord, his grimace shifting to show surprise. “Yes my lord. And of the metal chrysalis?”
“Bring it here. I will awaken Frustaz myself.”
“Yes Emperor Zarkesh, Master of Zipangu.”
“Your repeated use of my titles is not endearing. You can make just as fine a thrall as that beast was or what Frustaz will be. Leave me, Herald.”
“Yes sir. Your orders shall be echoed as they were said.” Byrviss, bowing once more, scurried from the imperial lair, leaving his master to deliver his instructions.
I groaned as I emptied the fresh carcass from my inventory down in my store room. Thankfully I had emptied it before I left for Canterlot all those years ago, but that wasn't the point. My blizzard sigils had given out.
One again with hammer and chisel, I re-etched the sigils much to Nyx's mirth. So you're going to chill the body?
"Yes Nyx, I am. So what did Twilight find out?" the clinking of the chisel faintly echoed in the room, my voice having slowly come back after a drink and some time being quiet.
Bristled Quill wrote about us, and so did Duke Legaius. She hadn't gotten far in either 'history book' before our 10-Piece combo came knocking.
"I didn't think Quill actually would of done that. Nice." as I finished the array, the cooling spell reignited, as the temperature began to drop in the basement. Setting the various limbs and portions carefully up on the hooks littering the ceiling, I made sure the points didn't pierce the scaled hide more than necessary.
Hm... Well, we have a promise to keep, so I'd suggest we clean up and head on out.
Despite the age of the spell, my Sanctum spell kept most of my rooms intact, and still yielded to my magic touch, allowing me to restore my washroom. It wasn't long before I had cleaned the blood from my hair and refreshed my clothing, drying myself with a warm Aero spell.
Climbing the stairs back up to my main room, I looked around at the sudden greyscale of the walls and decorations. A window popped up in front of me.
[Connecting to a new block.... Connection Established.]
[Another player has requested Assistance with the use of your Token.] [Transport now? Y/N]
Quickly grabbing my essential book and blade, I pressed the confirmation button, only for a portal to open.. smack dab under my feet.
"Why is it always UNDERNEATH!?"
P.O.V. CHANGE
Suddenly, a portal opened up above the beast, and out dropped a woman...face first into his chest. He didn't feel it, but he still looked down in surprise nonetheless.
She was surprised at first. She didn't expect the stench of blood to be the first thing to fill her senses when she arrived, nor the strange warmth from her landing. It was furry, similarly to a wolf, but with dull, hard protrusions and silvery plates that met like armor. “Oh. Um. Hi. Let me get off of you.” She sprung off of him quickly.
Which caused the cot to collapse.
The beast simply stared blankly up at the tarp above, laying on the ruins of his work. “...That cot took hours to make.” His voice was like the crumbling of ruins as he sighed, sitting up. “Well, not like I wasn’t used to sleeping in the dirt.” He looked to the woman, taking in her appearance.
She was wholly human, except for her stark white hair and pale skin. Traditional signs of albinism, but that really didn't suit her. Her shirt clung to her torso loosely, despite the thickness of the fabric, and her leggings were baggy up to her boots, mostly made of a thick, dark leather. The only notable accessories to her was the long Katana sheath slung along her back, and a locked grimoire, chained to the belt around her waist. Her form was notably hourglass in nature, with a full bosom and wide hips one might seek for children, but would be just as fitting on a stage or in a brothel.
“...You have white hair,” he noted suddenly, still staring at her. A sniff. “And a lesser Demon bonded to you. A fragmented one, at that. Interesting.”
"The fact you picked up on that is actually quite impressive. I'm Illua." The new arrival held out her hand, as if to shake it, her azure eyes unwavering from his face. “I’m Nyx.” Her voice took on an echoing tone as her eyes faintly lit up with a violet light.
The beast grunted, standing up and taking the hand carefully so he wouldn’t cut her with his long claws before shaking the offered appendage. “Horus Blackbriar. A pleasure to meet you both.”
"I'm sorry about your bed… uhm.. why does everything smell like blood and carnage?" Illua’s nose scrunched up from the acrid smell, her brow furrowing as her gaze began to explore her shabby surroundings.
A tent made from rough, turquoise cloth surrounded them, the ceiling arching up higher on the right and supported with small and thin wooden poles. A flap lay behind Illua, leading to whatever was outside, whilst directly in front of her and behind Horus the tent was entirely open to what seemed to be a massive oak tree with a door carved into it.
“Because I recently liberated this town. It has only been four days since,” Horus glared off to the side. “With the second day being filled with me sleeping, naturally.”
Illua tilted her head at the use of the word liberation, only to scowl slightly. "Alright, who's the oppressor this time? Is it fucking Celestia again?"
"Wouldn't be surprised honestly. She lacks basic leader qualities and doesn't know how to run shit…" Nyx’s own voice echoed the sentiment, a thinly veiled growl to her tone.
Horus snarled. “From what I’ve been told, she has been the one getting fucked herself. Repeatedly. Every day. Every hour. Willingly. By her oppressors and conquerors.”
"Oh really? That’s great news she's getting royally screwed, but that then implies we have worse enemies that we've been summoned to help with." Nyx positively purred at the news, although the expression didn't match on the human's face.
“The Gods of Night, Love, Civilizations, Fire, and the Sea have also been turned into naught but slaves of pleasure. Apparently even a new Goddess has been as well, one of...Friendship, I believe,” Horus shook his head, scowling. “Thankfully only one of them is willingly obeying every perverse demand. The Goddess of Love.”
"Hm.. so who exactly is the enemy again? I haven't heard of anyone being able to topple the Alicorns, the gods as you said, besides myself and maybe Discord?" She definitely came from a more peaceful Equestria, so her confusion was evident. "I guess Tirek might be able to as well, but… sex slaves? What has happened here?"
Horus let out a heaving breath as he looked to her, crossing his arms over his muscled chest. “Caribou. How they managed to overthrow so many Gods and Goddesses I still do not know, but I suspect foul play by some of the more evil or neutral deities.” He shook his head, then sat down cross-legged. “Come, sit. There’s much I must explain to you, if you are to be here for any length of time.” He gestured to the ground across from him.
Shrugging off the blade, she took a seat before him, tucking her legs underneath herself as she leaned on one hand, making herself as comfortable as the ground could be.
"So, to sum up.. The Caribou rushed the societies with advanced warfare and then enslaved fifty to sixty percent of all life to stroke their over inflated egos? What are they, crusaders of the lost dick?" Illua’s tone dripped with venom, her fists clenched as she felt the indignation rise within her. "And I thought the nobility was bad enough when we did our revolution. Although the murder was fun, especially when it was especially karmic.” Illua released a heated breath, releasing the building agitation. “I apologize for Nyx. She is not usually this active or disruptive.”
Horus shrugged. “It’s fine. Regardless, I can only imagine my Displacer made a deal with your own, or someone in your own universe. Which means you are here for a reason, and thus we must find out what that reason is.” He got to his feet, offering her a claw up.
Illua nodded in agreement, taking the offered claw, pulling lightly to get to her feet. "I'm betting it was Discord. I gave him the token, so it makes sense." She dusted herself off momentarily. "So, let's see how bad this is, shall we?"
Horus nodded, before glancing out the tent. “‘Tis still night. Midnight, by the looks. Unlikely any will be awake for us to look for lodging for you.” He sighed, shaking his head. “Especially since all of them are likely exhausted from their work.”
Illua smirked as she slipped out the back of the tent, approaching the great tree. “No one awake means no one to see what’s about to happen.” She swiped the air in a practiced gesture, summoning up what appeared to be panes of frosted glass, each etched with a variety of numbers and indicators, each reacting to her touch as she quickly navigated them. “Knife, knife, knife, where is my carving knife… Ah.” Reaching into the pane of glass, she withdrew a stout knife, with a well worn bone handle, only to dismiss the panels into the air.
Horus watched with rapt attention, stroking his chin. ’I haven’t seen an actual game menu like that in some time…’ He gained a small, wistful smile. ’Though I suppose it being real life makes it different. If only…’ He shook his head slowly. ’...No, now’s not the time to think of that.’
Illua began the carving of the intricate symbol into the bark of the oak tree, starting with the outer circle, and filling it with a simplified tower, surrounded by runes of varying shape and size.
“Most intriguing… It reminds me of the Caribou’s Runic Magic…” Horus mused, walking up to her side and inspecting the arcane symbols for himself.
Illua’s smile widened. "There are some runes used as part of this, but this is called sigilgraphy, or Sigil magic for easier terms. It’s my primary skill set, as I am a War Magus." The inscribed sigil flared to life for only a moment, but the magic was being infused into the fiber of the wood. "This one is called Sanctum, and it gives a safe place to stay, akin to a fortified tower." Her eyes drifted over the short door, frowning. “This was someone’s home at one point. Do you have any idea whose it might have been?”
Horus nodded slowly. “Supposedly it was the Goddess of Friendship’s home before the crystalline tree showed up.” He frowned, placing a claw on its surface. “I decided that I would at least honor the memories this home had of hosting others by sleeping near it, if only to give it a fleeting feeling of old memories.”
Illua smiled at the sentiment, before pushing the door inward. The inside, while scuffed and dirty, seemed empty. Empty shelves formed the wall, while broken ladders denied access to raised reading nooks. It was all lined with a thin veneer of dust. "Abandoned, huh. We could rest inside for the night."
Horus blinked, ducking under the far too short door frame before walking in. “I would have expected this home to be filled with far too much rot to be livable, but it is surprisingly intact…” He looked to the stairs nearby. “Hopefully there is more than one bedroom in this home.” He mused as he made his way up them.
The doorway slowly expanded to accommodate her companions unusual height, as bookshelves along one wall collapsed and retreated, forming a new room. "I'm already ensuring that is not a problem. It seems well set up for a living quarters already.” She directed the shifted fibers to reinforce the outer walls and bark, weaving in a hardy defensive layer of mana into it.
As Horus arrived on the upper floor, he noticed the observatory on the balcony to the right, and the relatively Queen-size bed on the left, with a small basket near it that read ‘Spike’ on the side. The sheets on both were burned to a crisp, though the mattress of the bed seemed relatively untouched, if covered in soot.
“Hm,” he looked out the window next to the bed, then slowly walked back down to Illua. “You may take the more scenic room. From what I observed, it had an observatory near it.”
She looked up as he spoke, and nodded. "Alright, let me do this then." A slight shift in her fingers, and the new room grew taller, and a bed shelf formed within, sufficiently large enough for two of her canine summoner before she released her control of the spell. "Tell me how that is." She pointed to the freshly made room.
He looked to it, then walked over and began to inspect it. Unfurnished, one could consider it similar to a dormitory. A set of shelves, a desk, and the base for a bed, with room for chairs and a table. All of it seamless, as if it had been carved from the wood itself. “Hm. It will do nicely. Thank you.” He nodded to her, then closed the door behind him gently.
Illua beamed with a bit of pride, and began her own ascent up to the singed room. “Hrm. Definitely going to need new sheets when I get the chance.” She undressed with a few careful motions, setting her clothing off to the side before she climbed in bed for the night, pulling only a fur from her inventory for cover.
”AAAAAAAASSSSSSGGGEEEEEEERRRRR!!!”
Illua shot awake at the reverberating roar from below, jumping for her blade and ready for battle. It took her a few seconds to realize she was in the library, but her adrenaline was still high. Throwing her shirt on, she leapt down the stairs to check on Horus.
She opened the door just in time to find a set of claws stopped inches from her throat. The magus held her ground, carefully watching her acquaintance with the gaze of a hardened warrior. Horus paused, eyes losing their glow as his nose twitched. “You...are not...him…” That was when she noticed something dripping from his eyes. A black fluid. And it was dripping copiously. He lowered his claw, stepping back as he relaxed ever so slowly. “...I...suggest you wait outside.” He said, his voice losing the power and confidence it once held, before slamming the door closed with his tail.
Illua relaxed as he did, releasing her grip on her blade. “Take your time. I’ll be here.” Her head swam as the adrenaline faded, leaving specks of shadow on her vision. She leaned heavily on the wall while she took her time to breathe, slowly steadying her pounding heart. A ripple of light engulfed her temporarily, easing the sensations enough for her to ascend the stairs to dress.
A few minutes later, roughly fifteen by her account, she heard clawed feet pad up the steps to her bedroom. When she looked behind her, she found Horus there. He rubbed his mangy, white furry neck as he looked anywhere but at her.
“I apologize for earlier, it was...it was wrong of me. Sinful. I did not mean to-” He stopped himself and cleared his throat. “-could we...put it behind us?”
“Sinful? I’m not so sure of that, but yes, we can.” Illua, now fully dressed and ready for the day, attached her grimoire to her belt, and slung the katana over her shoulders. “So, all of the Caribou in the area are pretty much dead, and I’m guessing some escaped to report to other outposts. What do you have in mind for preparations?”
Horus let out a breath, seeming relieved for the change in conversation. “We don’t know if anyone escaped. I’m certain I butchered them all, but what has the remaining residents concerned is the fact that we received a letter the day I awoke from my exhaustion, asking Ingvar for clarification on the date of ‘the deal’.” He shook his head. “It was signed with the signature of the Council of Dainn. Based on the calendar I was shown previously, whoever it is will be coming tomorrow, early in the morning.”
Illua chuckled. “So, do we have any sympathizers? Anyone who might rally under us as it stands? I led a revolution against the monarch at the time, so I’m used to starting fights like this. If not… might I suggest traps?” She looked out over the town from her window, her eyes flicking across different angles. “This tree is in the middle of a plaza, and depending on where the broker or middle man is going, we might be able to intercept him for information…” Her mind began to wander, her mouth speaking of her plans as they came to the forefront.
Horus smiled at this. “A revolution leader indeed.” Horus followed her gaze, walking up behind her. “It’s almost a novel idea to me. I only ever fought against armies, instead of leading them. But, considering where I was before this, I did have to learn how to make traps.” He pointed with a claw - which easily went past her shoulder - to a building with a slightly collapsed thatched roof. “I had the residents set up traps starting from there, and then there’s…” He started to ramble on himself, explaining the various traps himself and the residents had made and designed. As he did, his fairly thick tail gently swished behind him.
Illua hummed and flipped through her grimoire as he spoke. “So we do have some allies here, good. The Sanctum spell will make this place pretty hard to take down, so if they need refuge, we can move them down the basement. I could feel it being relatively expansive down there, so it’d be a fine place to bring allies, or to hide for possible ambushes... Do you have any ‘barrel behind the door’ traps set?” She pondered, Nyx interrupting only to provide an additional thought.
Horus nodded. “Something like that. We also have a number of picket fences set up there-” He pointed to a corner that led to their current location. “-and there,” he pointed to another corner beyond the last one. “Do you see the odd patch of grass over there, by the town square’s fountain?” He asked, pointing to said patch, which stretched in a line between the cobbles of the main street and that of the square. “There’s a covering of green adhesive there, which should keep them grounded long enough for us to pick them off if a few manage to step in it.” His strong chin was just a bit above her head.
She nodded, a grin on her face. “So traps are set, we do have allies, and we have a home base effectively… How soon can we arrange a meet up with some of the local- Hold on, they’re humanoid?” Illua’s face pressed to the glass at the sight of a few of them, with physiology similar to her own. “Holy fuck. I thought these were actual ponies and dragons and such.”
Horus chuckled. “I almost wish they were. But, only dragons have that honor, and only when fully grown. There are very few exceptions.”
“God, I have supplies, I can make some clothing for them, and not have to worry about stitching for 4 legs.” rolls of leather and bolts of cloth came out of her inventory, along with a small tool bag. “Old supplies from my revolution I just never got rid of. If we’re doing this, I’m armoring them up.”
Horus smiled down at her. “That would be greatly appreciated, but most here are not prepared nor trained for a fight with battle-hardened warriors. Only light armor would be of any use to us with their level of training. Any member of the Council, even a representative, is always accompanied by a platoon of veterans from the front lines.” He looked back out the window. “We are not planning to win this fight. Or, at least, they aren’t.”
“So they have a walking graveyard with them, and we have the two of us and a whole load of traps. I wonder if that Starlight Glimmer is anywhere, The Princess of Friendship from our world said she had an amazing spell she used for binding.” Nyx chuckled darkly. “You really need reel back the bloodlust for now Nyx. We are not in combat.” Illua chided her other half, rolling her eyes.
Horus growled. “Unfortunately, we will not have magic to help us in this fight. Caribou file the horns of Unicorns down to a point they cannot be used, and on some occasions even place jackets on Pegasi to bind their wings. They are nothing if not ruthless.”
“So what you’re telling me is that they just need a new focus? That… Okay, honestly, that would probably be difficult for them to learn in a short manner. So… Based on what you told me, it may be a better situation to attempt a pincer attack, and lure the guards into the traps, and eliminate any that pass through, unless you might have another option?” She began pushing the supplies back into her floating panes of glass, cleaning up the mess she had made already.
“The Unicorn’s horns can regrow, but it takes years. My plan, however…” He glanced towards the plains beyond the hamlet. “...I will be engaging the main force. Unlike most here, who have been in slavery and service for years, I know the tactics these scum use. They’ll try and make it seem like the platoon with the representative is all they’re sending, but there will be at least two other platoons waiting somewhere in case the Council member or representative is in trouble.”
Illua rested her chin in her hand, her gaze breaking away from the town in thought. “With how different things are, it’d be best to walk the town. This way I can develop a mental map for the coming battle.” Carefully stepping around her looming partner, she took to the stairs. “By the way, do you have any questions for me before we get too busy?”
Horus shook his head as he followed after her. “None at the moment. Whilst I did before, after observing you, they vanished.” He strode past her. “Your strength and cunning should serve you well.”
Her face flushed slightly at the verbose compliment. “I appreciate that. Shall we?” The magus queried, the clicks of her boot heels faintly echoing in the empty home to be.
Horus nodded as he stopped by the front door, opening it for her. “You first.” He urged, gesturing to the now open door.
Stepping through the now enlarged door with a spring in her step, she seemed almost giddy to explore. The October-like chill caressed her, bringing the scents of fall into the newly renovated library as she departed. “This is wonderful weather. It’s still springtime back in my world. I’m frankly surprised the smell of blood has almost dissipated completely.” She spun around, waiting for Horus to follow.
Horus smiled as he followed after her. “I quite enjoy it myself.” He agreed as they strode through his old tent and into the town proper. “Now, let’s see what plans we can devise.”
The walk through Ponyville served a grim reminder for Horus. Broken doors and a few remaining blood splatters, along with the rare remainders of gore, served as a testament to his handiwork.
There were a multitude of ponies around the town, with even a good few dragons and zebras and even griffons, all of them busying themselves with preparing more traps or feeding themselves with what food remained. Most of it was fruits and vegetables, but some were in containers of aluminum foil, something Horus tried to not look at for some reason. With most of the remaining population of the town being females now, it was hard not to notice the effects the Caribou had had.
Some of the traps appeared to be pitfalls, judging by the pieces of road that many were digging up. Some were just strategically placed barricades. Many were, as far as Illua could tell, traps geared towards home invasions, judging by the sounds of hammering and sawing and more coming from within most of the abodes in town.
The duo could also easily see a few remaining mares and other females chasing after the remaining stallions, only to be grabbed by other mares and dragged away, kicking and shrieking for sex and pleasure.
None of them ever approached Horus, or Illua.
The shorter of the two observed the wreckage, her mind wandering. “I really hate to ask, but do you know how the Caribou respond to fear tactics? We could easily create an impalement field in the direction the dealer is coming from. The bodies left behind would be good for that, but I’m not sure how the women would respond to that. It’d get the remains out of town, though.” She mused, her eyes tracing the map in her mind as they passed intersections and newly planted defenses.
Horus gained an almost feral looking grin as he looked to her. “I can see we will get along swimmingly, if that is your line of thinking.” He turned his view back to the path ahead as he continued. “Caribou are cowards as a general rule. Fear tactics and terrorism have always worked well against their kind. I’ve used such tactics against them many a time, in fact.”
“You did a good job describing the damage they’ve done to this world..” Illua frowned as she watched the hysterical displays from select individuals. “...And the proof is right there.” Illua ran her hand through her hair. “It means I need to reflect that cruelty. Last time, I was poisoning water supplies as part of a siege. I’m…honestly not proud of that battle.” Her voice was lined with deep regrets, but she shook it off. “At least the enemy is mostly irredeemable in this case.”
Horus raised his hand a moment, then lowered it. “Yes...at least.” He looked to his palm. ’At least…’
Breathing out her discourse, Nyx continued Illua’s line of thought. “Combining an impalement field with a fog spell would be great for instilling terror. Most of the species of this world are quite reactive to environmental conditions. Fog, bloody bodies, perhaps a bit of necromancy might be in the wings…” The now controlling spirit ran her hands over the upper arms, giggling. “Especially since many of them still have their death masks intact, full of fear and suffering.”
Horus nodded. “It certainly would be.” He gained an almost wistful smile as he looked skyward. “The scent and taste of blood in the air and in my mouth, the screams as they were torn apart in the cold, uncaring mists…” He let out a sigh. “...there’s nothing else like it.” Several residents nearby shied away from the duo at those words. He shook his head lightly. “Regardless, that would indeed be a fine plan. However, we will have to run it by my...allies, first.”
Illua seized control once more, grumbling. “God dammit Nyx… Okay, we have a plan. It’d be best to talk to them now, since we have a clear idea of what we want to do. If there’s any leftover remains after that, we can literally grind it down and turn it into mulch for planting.” Her thoughtful, less-terrifying tone had returned.
“Agreed.” As they walked through the streets, Illua noticed just how far gone things were. There was a building that looked like an actual gingerbread house, with a sign near it’s front reading, ‘Creampie Corner’. More than a few pits for bodies had been dug around it.
There was another building high above, though it was hard to miss thanks to the bright, neon signs at it’s entrance which gave it a Las Pegasus feel. A few signs were silhouettes of Pegasi mares in provocative positions, and one in particular depicted wings wrapped around a large phallus with a mouth above both, tongue out. The entrance’s sign was just below the symbolic one, the words, ‘Rainblow Club’ in bright, rainbow lettering.
What drew the eyes most was the hellish red sparks still rumbling and crackling around countless holes in the structure. Portions of the building were also drifting ever so slowly away from one another, the airship dock in particular being the farthest from the rest.
“I’m going to take a guess and say that it was you,” said Nyx.
Horus nodded. “It was. I had and still have no way to fly. So, my other abilities were what I had to rely on.” He shook his head. “I’m still surprised the Dracophage Bugs are still up there. I never knew they could like clouds so much.”
Illua raised an eyebrow. “Dracophage? As in… Monster Hunter?” Her interest was piqued. She hadn’t recognized it at first, but she could see the resemblance to the Hellwolf Wyvern. “Mmh…that makes a lot more sense now.”
The Hellwolf simply smiled at her, then turned on his heel and started to walk again, off towards what looked like Town Hall.
He has a cute smile, don’t you think?
Oh fuck off, Nyx.
A light but constant swishing of Horus’ tail, thick and lined with fur and scales drew her eyes. Next to do so was the hakama. The holes, the tears, dried bloodstains, dirt, haphazard stitches and muck gave a stark contrast to the ory sheen to his fur and scales. It had certainly earned its war-worn appearance.
Illua chuckled softly, catching up to his long strides. I wonder if I can steal those long enough to get his measurements…
So you want his pants off, ooooooh.
Horus continued to lead them through town, passing more locals and walking around a pitfall trap.
So help me GOD Nyx. Stop projecting your crushing power fantasy onto me, for like, 5 minutes. You did this with the Kirin dude way back in Hameltsburg.
Hey, that isn’t exactly fair, I did use protection.
They passed a building that must have once been a two-story boutique of sorts, but had been retrofitted into a makeshift sentry tower, complete with wooden parapets lining the balcony around the third floor suite. All the windows had been sealed with wooden planks, save for a set of embrasures, as well.
No, but you forget that the last time, you didn’t ask! I was sore. FOR 3 DAYS. You didn’t even use any spells to prevent that! And your protection was a flimsy force spell that you let sputter for your pleasure. Besides, I highly doubt he’s going to be even remotely receptive of that considering… All of this.
You’re looking both ways too. It’s not my fault you have all the pent up needs.
Just.. Just stop. I don’t need this right now. Go.. wander the mindscape or something. Illua mentally shoved Nyx into her subconscious, giving her the freedom to think alone for a while. A light sigh escaped her as the growing headache had receded with her lovable parasite.
Horus’s ears perked up, swiveling towards her direction, then the West, before he grunted and they faced forward again, continuing to march ahead. Horus then stopped. “We’re here.”
Illua’s situational awareness returned in a rush, breaking her line of thought as she bumped into the back of Horus. “I’m sorry, I was dealing with Nyx… Is this Town Hall?” Her eyes began to scan her surroundings, piecing together how far they had walked in her internal discussion.
The Town Hall now looked more fit to be called a ‘Towering Hall’, what with the still ongoing construction of more levels and the numerous oaken barricades and wooden walls surrounding it and closing it off from the rest of the town.
Countless locals littered the area, most of them with the signature white and gold armor of the Caribou donned, even if almost every piece was dented or had massive holes or claw-shaped gashes still. Many of them also bore sabers, longswords, warhammers, a number of crossbows, and more.
None of them looked actually ready for a fight. They were constantly checking their surroundings like frightened children, constantly inspecting their equipment, or, in many cases, trying to offer prayer to whatever deities remained.
Horus began to walk forward again, towards the front doors of the Town Hall. “It is.”
Many around them seemed to give the duo a wide berth, or outright glare at them. Hushed murmurs greeted them as they drew closer to the Hall’s doors.
Illua recognized the stares and behaviors intimately.
These truly were civilians trying to play soldier.
The doctor came in, as he did daily, my mother and father trailing behind him. I could see them, but they never knew I was watching them. The doctor said I would never regain consciousness after my last surgery. I was awake the entire time, unable to scream in the pain they so thought I was numb to.
The doctor flipped a paper on a clipboard, and began to speak, but I could see something dripping in the corner, just over his shoulder. A constant, steady drip of some bright blue substance. "I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Fujimori. Your daughter is beginning to succumb to total organ failure."
The cries of my mother accelerated the dripping that I was entranced by. The high pitched beeps of my monitor increased in frequency ever so slightly, as my chest tightened. I could feel what the doctor said in excruciating detail. "She has less than twenty-four hours to live. Please... Make your goodbyes while you can."
I'm not ready to go yet. Mom... Dad...
My mother and father each took my hands, their wrinkled faces trying to smile through the pain and tears that dripped on my gown. "We love you, Akina." Dad's gravelly voice was always soothed me, even through it was cracking with the emotions he tried to hold back.
The drip-drop sound grew louder, and deeper, as some amorphous shape gathered in the corner. "Y-you don't have to hold on for us any longer d-dear." My mothers voice quivered as she fought her sobs.
The doctor lied, I can still fight...
My fingers twitched, but they were not because of me. My heart rate was dropping, sending off alerts to the nurses station.
The shadows wrapped around this amorphous thing that formed in the corner of my room. My legs jerked under the thin sheet, as breathing became harder, despite the mask over my face.
Slowly it stood, just as slowly as people began to filter into my room, as if the world had come to a crawl. The entity staring at me from the corner was ignored amongst the screech of the monitor and hum of the oxygen compressor. No one saw it's face form from particles floating in its glowing body, calcifying into a skeletal mask. No one saw as rebar lengths twisted and curled into fingers in the shadow-made cloak. No one saw the staff it held fade into existence, decorated in snakes and feathers twisted around it's wooden core.
But I did.
It slowly stalked up to me amongst the frozen people, its face peering down at me as my eyes locked with the dim glow that made the eyes. "Poor thing. You never had the chance to experience the world, now did you?" Its face chipped and cracked as the jaw separated, the teeth moving around it's amorphous base. I reached for it, and it took my tiny fingers in its surprisingly warm hand. "My dear, this world is no longer your home. Your cancer has claimed your life." It had my father's voice.
I'm not ready to die.
"I know."
Can't I stay? Make sure Mom and Dad are okay?
"That is not within my power, dear Akina." It knelt beside me as the room grew dim, the cold droplets from my parent's losing their chill. He released the staff, and slipped his arms underneath me, picking my frail soul up. "I am here to take you to a better place."
Where are we going?
"We are going to another world, full of fantastic creatures, light, and love. A world that would only be a fantasy to your kind."
Would I be able to cast magic?
"Of course, child. The world hidden from humans has always been able to, with just enough belief."
Please then.. take me away.. I don't want to suffer anymore...
"Sleep now, dear Akina. I'll wake you when we get there. You'll soon see a world where the creatures of bedtime stories roam." He curled the robe around me, and I curled up into the swaddling cloth. My thoughts drifted to the fairy tales of King Arthur, Charlemagne, and more as my eyes finally closed, slipping into the sweetest embrace of Death.
Chapter 10-1 - Wolf of Rage: Beginning of Vengeance
Their entrance into Town Hall was silent as the grave, even with all the locals-turned-guardswomen lining the hallways and more. When they reached a set of heartwood doors, however, the silence was broken in exchange for heated debate.
Horus opened the doors with one claw, revealing five mares all arguing at a circular yet hollow table.
“I already told you that if we try to add more guards around the Hall we’ll only leave ourselves open elsewhere!” Bon Bon shouted.
“And leave all the foals, injured and unstable unprotected? How heartless can you be?!” Redheart shot back, slamming her hands down on the table.
“Girls, calm down, please!” Lyra urged, placing a hand on her marefriend’s shoulder.
Horus walked in, brazenly ignoring the argument in front of him. “I have found us someone to help with our cause.” He announced.
All eyes turned to him and Illua at that. The disagreement had halted in its tracks.
Illua stepped around Horus, and bowed slightly. "Hello. My name is Illua. I am a warrior of spell and blade. It's wonderful to meet you all, in spite of the current predicament." She rose back to her normal height, only to approach the table as if she belonged to the discussion. "I hear the argument is unit placement currently, yes?" Her probing question lingered in the air, allowing the mares time to read the newest of the two.
They all shared looks, before Bon Bon and Redheart settled back into their seats. “We are, yeah,” Bon Bon affirmed with a snort. “What does it matter to you? We don’t need your help.”
Horus placed a claw on Illua’s shoulder, ignoring the comment. “Illua has led armies before, whereas none of us have. I deduced that she would be able to give all of us better insight on warfare and it’s tactics.”
The magus smiled, taking a moment to get comfortable in one of the remaining seats. "If you don't mind, I'd like to know a few basic things. Namely numbers, and locations that need protection, in order of priority.. without arguing." Illua seemed almost different, as if she suddenly held a higher authority.
Silence reigned for a time, all of the mares seeming to have silent conversations with their eyes alone. Horus and Illua remained silent, letting them do so.
Starlight was the one to finally speak up as she looked back to Illua. “...We have roughly 4,000 still living citizens, almost all of them mares or female in general. Of those, about…” She looked to Bon Bon. “...1,000 volunteered to fight, and 2,000 volunteered to help with the traps, right?”
Bon Bon nodded slowly. “Roughly. A good portion of the other citizens up and fled the town entirely. For all we know they’ve been recaptured, or killed.”
Redheart soon chimed in. “We also have about 800 who are indisposed in one way or another, underneath us in the bunker.”
“The locations we decided as a group were the most important were the local barracks, the Castle, and Sweet Apple Acres, with Town Hall coming last-” Lyra began, before Redheart snarled.
“You mean you and Bon Bon decided that,” She snapped. “The rest of us have still been debating.”
“We should follow the stranger’s advice, instead of returning to anger cold as ice,” Zecora intoned, shooting her colleagues warning looks.
Illua's gaze turned to each as they spoke, nodding. "Good information, bad priority. First of all," she turned to the nurse, "where exactly are these indisposed individuals?" She leaned onto her hands, keeping her now steely watch upon her.
“In the bunker beneath this building. Mayor Mare had it made as a precaution back when the Elements were still together,” Redheart said as she shook her head, as if banishing some dark thought. “Regardless, we decided to keep them there and bring the hospital’s equipment there as well, at his directive,” she nodded to Horus.
“Keeping them in the hospital would have been too obvious a target if the Caribou managed to overrun the town,” Horus said with his own nod.
Illua grimaced at the thought. "Good decision. So, based on the order you said the location, the castle and barracks have more value than this town hall and Sweet Apple Acres. If that is the case… why are we stationed here and not in said castle?" Poison laced her words as she attempted to explain the folly of their priority.
“Because they denied my own request for such,” Horus explained, crossing his arms over his chest. “She argued that we should station ourselves here to better protect the indisposed.” He nodded to Redheart. He then nodded to Bon Bon. “And she argued that the barracks should be protected to keep a firm hold of our supply of weapons.”
Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Just because we ourselves have never used guns doesn’t mean we can’t learn to.” She retorted.
Illua pinched her brow. "Someone send an order to transport all supplies from the barracks here. Secondly, since we have already fortified this location, there's no point in moving to the- Horus, how long do we have till our visitors arrive?" She stopped to ask the Hellwolf, turning to face him. "That is our biggest limiter right now."
Horus’s furry brow furrowed, and he glanced out one of the windows on the ceiling. “...Roughly 18 hours.”
"That's tight but doable. Send the order to bring all supplies from the barracks here, burn anything remaining if it is not finished in 15 hours. Abandon the castle; if we aren't using it, it's just wasted resources." Illua’s commands were spoken as if they were to be followed, not to be taken as advice.
"Lastly, we want sixty percent of our combat forces in Sweet Apple Acres. Not only will it protect a viable food supply, it will provide a viable secondary gambit we can attempt later. Any volunteer from trap setting will be taught how to fire a gun and act as a firing squad from the balcony here. Any questions so far?" She looked to the other mares expectantly.
“Quite a few, actually,” Starlight began, steepling her fingers. “Where did you come from? Why are you here? What gives you the right to order us around? What is your reason for helping us?”
The other mares silently and expectantly looked to Illua at these words whilst Horus scowled.
"Allow me to pose a question in return." Illua stood up, Nyx's venomous tone slipping into her voice. "How much do you value your lives? Your newfound freedom? If that answer is less than your desire to return to bondage, I suggest you surrender, and cut all ties with someone who sought to protect you." The warrior-mage waited, her glowering gaze scanning each of them.
All of the equines present flinched back, as if struck...all, save Starlight, who met the gaze with her own. “I value the life of all those present here as well as my own. That is why I’m not going to immediately rush into an alliance such as this. I will NOT allow myself to make that same mistake.” Starlight stood up from her own seat. “I don’t care how powerful you two are, or how much you know. We deserve to at least know your intentions for us, to have some modicum of respect for our situation.”
"Good. You're going to need that defiance." Illua sat back down. "In order, I'm not sure where I came from in relation to here. I was summoned by Horus. Nothing gives me the right, however, my experience gives me the wisdom behind the plan I provided. My reason for helping is simple; I was summoned explicitly to help Horus. If he is assisting you, so am I." She smirked a bit, her finger tracing a circle into the table.
“...” Starlight sighed deeply, slowly sitting back in her chair and holding her face with a hand. “Just why in the world do either of you want to help us? It makes no sense…”
“I’m still wondering what you mean by ‘summoned’,” Lyra said, looking to Illua, then Horus.
“As much as I would like to explain that, we’ve no time for such a lengthy discussion,” Horus said with a shake of his head.
“Would you please stop avoiding the Faust-damned question?!” Bon Bon roared, slamming her fists on the table.
Horus’s eyes narrowed, before he let out a tense breath, Dracophage Bugs briefly making his form crackle with their power. “For vengeance. That is all you need know.” He looked to Starlight, eyes boring into hers. “Make your decision. Either send out the orders, or send me to fight the Caribou head on.”
“Head on? You’d seriously just throw your life away like that?” Redheart asked, eyes wide.
“It would not be a life wasted, in my eyes,” Horus said firmly.
“And yet I sense more to your words, at least enough to suggest accords,” Zecora noted, giving the Hellwolf a scrutinizing gaze.
Horus’ tail slammed down on the floor, cracking the floorboards. “Enough.” He said coldly, before looking to Starlight. “Make your decision.”
"There is one more plan I would like to suggest." Illua leaned forward. "We need spears, and any caribou bodies that still have heads. I'm suggesting we instill as much fear as possible into them… as if basting a turkey. I will be actively engaging them within the village, acting as an independent ambusher. Is this agreeable?"
The others gave Illua looks of disgust, whilst Zecora, surprisingly, slowly nodded. “I can agree to this plan. It has served me well in the Everfree during many of Fate’s hard-dealt hands.”
Horus smirked. “Good to see you agree.”
“What?! Buck no! There’s no way we’re stooping to...to that level!” Redheart shouted, springing from her seat. “Do you know the kind of message that will give any other resistance cells? It could label us as a more radical group! We could even be targeted!”
“I’d have to agree,” Bon Bon said, nodding. “For monster traps it’s typical, but when used on something sentient? It’s just...not right,” she shook her head.
“I don’t think any of us wants to tell anyone to do anything so gruesome-” Lyra started, but Starlight interrupted her.
“Fine,” the pink unicorn said, still with her head in her hand. “I’m willing to go with both ideas.” She looked up, meeting Horus’ gaze. “If there’s one thing I can understand and agree with you on, Horus, it’s that the Caribou have to die. And I think we can both agree making them suffer is just a good bonus.”
“WHAT?!?” Redheart, Lyra, and Bon Bon screeched.
Horus smiled and nodded. “Good.”
“Starlight, what the buck are you saying?! You can’t really mean that we should just stoop even lower than the Caribou, can you?!” Redheart asked.
"She's saying we should fight to live another day. Not to win one fight on a moral high ground." Illua retorted. "Give the orders, we are strapped for time and the sooner we get things started, the more effective this will be."
They all shared uneasy looks, but Starlight’s remained hardened like steel.
“We’ll get on that. In the meantime, I would like you two to help out, and take your own time to prepare,” Starlight replied.
Horus nodded. “We already planned on it.” He turned on his heel, making his way out of the conference room.
Illua followed suit, closing the door behind her. As soon as they had made it back to the silent hall, she let out a tense breath, holding her chest. "God dammit.." a quick flash on the back of her hand and she was wreathed in a pale green mist, her breathing settling as it absorbed into her skin.
“Are you alright?” Horus asked, looking her way.
"I'll be fine… just an old issue that acts up once I start coming down from tense situations.." she only half-lied, but returned to her typical self all the same. "Hopefully they have a decent communication chain to get them moving."
Horus frowned at this, but nodded slowly as he led them both back outside. “It is as reliable as it can be in these situations. With the main postal service of the town so backed up with mail, the Caribou had apparently decided to set it’s only employees to other…’tasks’.” His tail flicked to the side. “Regardless, the mare in charge of it, while clumsy, is the best there is in town. It will be done.”
"Fascinating information, but I was referring to getting the orders out to the troops." Illua giggled softly.
Horus blinked, then turned his head away, but not quick enough for her to not see his cheeks redden ever so slightly. “A-Ah, of course. Well, I’m certain it will be fine. They’ve coordinated well so far, after all.”
Illua’s brows raised a bit, his embarrassment eliciting a tender smirk from her. "Then how about you and I return to the Library and we can talk some more? Play 20 questions?" She lightly nudged him. "Fix your pants?"
Horus’ cheeks only turned a darker shade of red at that as he refused to look at her. “I-I believe I shall pass on that offer, but thank you nonetheless.” He cleared his throat as they walked through the streets of Ponyville once more. “And besides, I...do not exactly have anything else to wear. I’d rather not be without my hakama for any stretch of time.”
"Fair enough. I would like to get your measurements though. It would give me something to work on while we wait for their orders." She kept looking around, watching the various preparations go up. "Hey… give me a sec.." stepping to a wall, she inscribed yet another circle onto the wall using a piece of charcoal, filling it with clouds around the root of a tree. "Just a bit of extra fun for the enemy."
Horus quirked a brow at this, blush receding quickly. “What exactly does it do?”
"Fog. Dense fog. It will be useful for sowing chaos." Illua's pride was clear in her voice. "Besides, it's not gonna be much use outside of when they first approach. Do you like foggy weather?" Her thoughts moved back to querying Horus more.
Horus blinked at this, before slowly nodding. “I do… Why do you ask?”
"It's calming. Watching as sentient beings walk through, as if shadows to one another. It was always fun to see in the larger cities, acting like a privacy wall between travelers." Her tone became wistful, full of nostalgic memories. Her feet began to move once more, catching up to her long strided compatriot.
Horus gave her a sidelong look, before returning his gaze back to the street ahead. He remained silent for a time as he walked side by side with her, before he slowly began closing his eyes, ever so softly.
’I can’t read her at all. Still...the memories she brings to mind…’
He slowly smiled, eyes still closed. “...Never knowing where you’re going, but always finding something new, something exciting as you wander through the mists. The feeling of walking through a cloud itself, yet still being grounded on the Earth…” He gained a small smile, one with an unknown context. “...Yes. Fog has always been a favorite for me.”
"Then we should hope for a cloudy day tomorrow." She slowed as he did, permitting him his memories as he did for her.
He hummed, the sound not unlike that of a soft thunderstorm. “Yes...we should.” His eyes remained closed.
The sun had not yet risen before the snow haired woman was awake. Her eyes opened to a starless dusk. Time to start. A quick flick of her wrist and a few taps led to a small, metallic stand with a tall handle and a deep bowl fitted with a stained cheesecloth sitting before her.
It wasn't long before the scent of coffee filled the main room, and the magus sipped a quiet cup whilst she watched the sky brighten.
Barely ten minutes later Horus came into the room, pure red eyes closed as he sniffed around, following the scent of coffee. When he drew close to where she was, he stopped and slowly opened his eyes, looking down at her.
"Not sure how you take yours. I still have a cup ready for you." She gestured to a significantly larger cup than her own, closer to a ceramic stein, half full with the elixir known for wakefulness.
He looked from her, to the cup, then back to her. “...I’m almost surprised you are carefree enough to do this before a major battle.” He strode past her, but not before smiling at her. “Thank you, it is appreciated.” He said as he picked up his cup, holding it up to his lips. After taking a long, drawn-out sip, he lowered it from his lips and took a deep breath. “...How long it has been…” he breathed. His smile turned melancholy, but he spoke no words.
Illua sipped her own, the color difference between revealing her love of cream and sugar. "It took a long time to find them, but I save them for events such as this. A little reminder of home, I guess." Her own mood was uplifted by his reaction. "With all that’s to happen today, it's gonna be busy. The ladies should be setting fire to the barracks any moment now, too."
Horus nodded, taking another sip. “They should.” He looked towards her, then down at his drink. “Did you...sleep well?”
Illua looked down as well, swirling her coffee. "Not particularly. This will be my first battle against mostly humanoid combatants. Even though they are a completely separate species, I can't help to see the similarities." An anxious sigh escaped her. "This is something I will have to accept, but for today, they are the monsters of this world."
Horus slowly nodded. “They are.” He continued to stare at the liquid in his cup. “Illua?” He asked after a few moments of silence.
"Yes?" Illua looked up at him, her expression a mask, caught in quiet contemplation, unmarred by the stains of war.
He paused for a time, seeming unsure, before he finally spoke. “...If you see any Caribou with gems in the shape of phallus’...destroy those gems first. I was told after I awoke that the Caribou managed to make portable versions of the Crystal...ugh, Cock.” He shook his head and looked her way. There was something different about his eyes. Something old, and worn. “I may not know you, but I’d rather not see a comrade in arms become another slave to the filth that is the Caribou.”
"I'll remember that. Thank you, Horus." Finishing her drink, she set the cup down as she began to walk back upstairs. "I'm going to sharpen my blade before I head out. I'll see you later."
He nodded slowly. “Alright.” He looked to the cup in his claws for a moment. ’I certainly hope so…’ After staring for a while longer, he chugged the rest of the drink down before heading for the front door, cracking his neck as he did. “I suppose it’s high time I get back to work.” He mused as he walked out the door and into the town beyond.
POV Change: Illua
Illua sighed as she sat upon the edge of the bed with an open menu.
I gave you time. What’s the plan, Lulu?
Well… Cast a few spells, incite as much terror as possible, and then proceed to kill any enemies. Take special care to destroy any blue dick accessories..
You’re joking right?
Not really.
So…
So, what?
How big can we go?
Nyx, I want to limit the collateral damage, we have people who still live here. Nothing in the -Aga category. Honestly, I’d prefer if we stick to Blizzard or Thunder for spells outside of survival.
Poo. I thought some smoked caribou would be fantastic.
Illua pinched the bridge of her nose, but a small snort escaped her. “God, you’re terrible.”
Glad you can still laugh about a situation like this.
Opening the door to leave herself, Illua looked to the sky to see the plume of smoke rising from the direction of the barracks, eliciting a satisfied grin. So they are actually burning it. Good. Her eyes traced the rooftops further, the outlines of bows and muskets protruding ever so slightly above the peaks. Time to take my starting position.
From atop the Boutique, she could see the lowlands around Ponyville, clear of all but sparse trees and a solitary figure, lying in wait. Upon the northern horizon, she watched as one company approached Horus’ position, but her eyes drifted to the west. The approaching platoon was obvious in its intention, with its heavily armored steam engine encroaching. They were here to secure the town. So be it.
Illua’s fingers lit up as she traced the sigil she had scored into her rooftop perch, linking to the others she had left amongst the alleyways between homes. A dense fog poured out from these magic circles, filling the streets in with low lying clouds, with a second spell pushing it out to the plains beyond the limits. In a matter of moments, the town was swaddled in a blanket of mist.
“Hey, Sapphi. Let your allies know that if they see lightning or hear thunder, that’s me.” Illua leapt down from the roof to address the woman in question. “Also, don’t shoot me. I have no horn or wing to identify myself otherwise.”
The fittingly sapphire colored unicorn mare nodded crisply as she kept her golden eyes on the approaching train as best she could. “Understood,” she said firmly, cyan tail flicking to the side before she picked up a lantern from a nearby crate and started to flash signals with it to those in other key points of the town’s defense.
Along with most of the makeshift militia in Ponyville, she wore the white and gold splint mail the old Caribou guard bore. Despite the obvious breaches in it’s structure - four long gashes across the chest - all of the volunteers agreed some protection was still better than none at all.
Illua nodded at the mare, before throwing herself off the balcony. “Keep your eyes to the north west, and be prepared to engage at any moment.” She called out, tossing a quick air spell to catch her as she landed. Now to intercept them before they get too far into Ponyville.
Horus sat with his legs crossed in the plains outside the hamlet, eyes closed as he waited. His ears perked up as he heard the train whistle as it roared down the tracks only but a mile from him.
He remained still nonetheless. ’Not yet.’ He told himself. An ear twitched at the distant sound of heavy boots and metal encroaching on his position. ’Not yet…’ Another twitch of an ear as he heard idle, if hushed, chatter. ’Almost…’ The sounds were more crisp now; closer.
His eyes opened. “Now,” he almost purred, before getting on all fours. As he did, he let out a roar that would make the heavens shudder. Soon after this, his body started to grow exponentially. Larger, larger, and yet larger, until he was a hulking wolf of Hell in all his quadrupedal, titanic glory.
Sadly, even when the approaching company saw him, it was all out of their hands...and into his. Already he had leapt into the air, slamming his weighty tail between their ranks with a somersault, the immense force behind the strike cracking the earth below and leaving only a crater filled with the pasty remains of Caribou soldiers.
The cries of fear from the Caribou were followed by the booming retorts of muskets and flintlocks that opened fire soon after. Each bullet seemed to dent the Hellwolf’s hide, but this only furthered the intensity of his rage, his hatred. With a roar that almost ruptured their eardrums, his symbiotes fanned out in clusters, soon after calling down bolts of hellish lightning, flash frying many of them.
The Caribou either scattered to the winds in fear, died on the spot from the lightning, or tried to retaliate with blades, since bullets had failed them.
None of it was enough, as Horus simply spun and tail whipped them with a sickening crack as their armor bent inward, piercing their stomachs from just the one blow.
Horus snarled, but there was a distinct joy in his red eyes. His ears briefly perked as he heard the train nearby whistle it’s arrival at the station. He spared a glance back to see flashes of white light and the rolling timbre of thunder. He smirked, then turned back to the Caribou fleeing before him and licked his chops menacingly.
’This is proving to be just as fun as I’d hoped.’
The engine pulled into the station, the fog barely thinning at its approach. The whistle sounded off as thick metal doors opened, revealing the glittering platoon. They advanced onto the cobblestone platform, weapons in hand as they scanned the fog. They’re nervous. Good.
Lightning flashed from the fog at Illua’s command, running holes through the chests of the vanguard. Illua quietly stepped just close enough to give the platoon her silhouette. Her eyes glowed with the violet energy of her spiritual parasite. “I’m so glad you could make it. Now you can all die for me.” Ice launched from her now outstretched hand, slamming into the side of the train, locking the gears. “Escape is not an option.”
Her blade left it’s sheath as she lunged forward, carving her way through steel, flesh, and bone. Step. Strike. Step. Strike. Turn. Each movement was punctuated by another flash of her blade, and another victim was slaughtered. A step forward brought her blade from hip to shoulder. Spinning to face the horde brought the deaths of those who approached her. It was mere seconds to her, but the first departees lay slain upon the flagstones. “Bring me your leader.” Her fingers were tipped with individual spells, each ready to fire at a moment’s notice.
Many of them stepped back at this, but a few remained defiant. “Hah! Nice try, but I think we all know that little display of yours was just luck!” One Caribou said, hefting a long-mace over his shoulder. He seemed larger than the others, and instead of the splint mail the others wore, he had full-plate armor.
The retort of several muskets from the rooftops showed him this had nothing to do with luck, many of his comrades falling into heaps around him.
Illua could only grin. “Luck wouldn’t have turned you into an easy-bake oven.” A plume of red leapt from her fingers and caressed his armor, liquefying the heavy plate onto his soft flesh. “And it definitely would have saved you from me.” Another crack of lightning, and his head splattered like a watermelon on concrete. “Bring. Me. Your. Leader. Or I will murder every last one of you until I find him.”
“[Hagalaz.]” A new voice spoke, just as a storm of sharp icicles sped through the crowd, burying several of those very icicles into Illua’s right arm and side. “[Elhaz.]” The voice said again, as a cyan glow emanated from the fog before shooting towards the rooftops, followed by many muskets dropping from the rooftops with muffled curses from those above.
A Caribou in gold, armored robes stepped past those around him, his face covered with a mask hewn from the skull of a fellow Caribou, or mayhaps an elk. The skull bore runes all over its surface, and in his clawed, silver gauntlet was a small stone with a glowing blue rune on it. Several more stones were attached to his hip, as was a crossbow of some sort.
“Where is Ingvar, wench,” he asked in a voice as cold as the grave from which his mask was dug.
A purr of excitement escaped the magus as she pulled one of the shards from her arm, the hole glittering green as it resealed. “You have no idea what's about to happen, do you?” The magus’ almost feral grin was highlighted by a series of sigils glowing along the edge of her blade. The blade itself warped into pure flame, keeping only the silhouette of a weapon. “I’d like to know if you’re truly a leader, or just another minion Shitlord.”
A snarl emanated from the skull-capped Caribou, as well as those remaining behind him, whom were picking themselves up. “I am the Chief Representative of the Council, whore. Do not think you will escape punishment for these transgressions, no, these heresies.” The Caribou pulled another rune out, this one glowing orange as he raised it up. “Do not kill her, men!” He ordered as the rune pulsed with energy, which soon enveloped those around him. “Capture her at all costs! We must learn what happened to the Prince! Show her why men are the best warriors!”
All the remaining men of the platoon cheered and whistled, before rushing Illua with greater speed than before. Five rushed her with sabers in hand, whilst others readied ropes to toss her way and bind her. Six more moved to fire their muskets at her after loading them with green capsules.
All the while the Council Representative stood his ground, holding the same rune high as it continued to pulse with magic.
“[Double Cast: Hastega - Protect].” Illua blurred suddenly as a reflective layer coated her form, stepping back and retaliating with a lash of flame, amputating the oncoming warriors’ hands with a cauterizing blade. She dove into the firing squad next, the fiery weapon eating through their primitive muskets, her eyes constantly glowing with that intense purple glow, leaving a streak of light behind her. "You really don't understand the situation, do you? Your plan is fucked and you still think yourself above us? What a waste." A flick of her hilt sent a wave of flame towards the skull-masked man-beast.
A brief wall of blue covered him, shielding him from the flames yet also concealing his form thanks to them billowing over that very shield. Just as the flames died, a crossbow bolt shot out and grazed Illua’s shoulder, leaving a burning sensation in it’s wake. This was followed by at least four more, before Illua could finally see the repeating hand crossbow in the Caribou’s other gauntleted hand.
Illua smirked, pulling her blade back. “[Fire Whip.]” She grinned as the flames curled back around, slamming into the back of the horned mage, a fragment of his mask crumbling away. Stepping in once more, her fist shot out, slamming him in the throat. “[Aphonia.] Your magic is fun, but It’s annoying.”
The Caribou grunted in pain, stumbling back and clutching his face. “You bitch!” He swore, before flicking his wrist, in turn causing the repeating crossbow in his hand to fold and reveal a blade within it, which he slammed into her elbow. “How dare you strike me! I am you superio-!”
She looked to the impaling instrument, only to respond by slamming the pommel of her blade into his mask again. “ [Sleep.] You’re gonna want that.” She turned to the rest of them. “I’ll give you a choice. Retreat, or he dies, and you get to wallow in the regret you couldn’t protect him before I kill you.” She spat at them, as she removed the bladed gauntlet from her body, the glitter of Regen closing the wound once more.
The remaining ten looked to each other, then finally noticed their surroundings. The heads of their own on pikes, the eerie fog, the distant cries of slaughter…
They couldn’t help the tremors. “We-We surrender-” A mace slammed into the head of the one who uttered that phrase, crushing their skull in an instant.
Similarly, a long arm slammed into the gut of one other, knocking them prone.
Two Caribou stepped up. One was yet another long-mace wielder, but with much heavier plate armor of what looked to be steel, covered in numerous runes and tassels with yet more runes inscribed on them. His long-mace seemed to be made of cast-iron, and looked like a set of double-edged talons gripping a gem at the top.
The other was wearing nothing but a set of red fur leggings and wielded two battle-axes of iron laced with rusted, old copper. But his build was nothing to sneeze at. He was easily equal to Horus in height, and all over his chest and arms were runes, carved straight into his flesh.
“I won’t let my brother’s death go unanswered, whore. I’m gonna use you ‘till you drop dead and full of my seed,” the mace wielder snarled, twirling said mace like it was nothing.
“Mind if I join in afterwards, brother?” the axe wielder asked, licking his lips. “I’m quite curious how different her breed is from the other bitches we usually get.”
“As long as you help teach her her lesson, I don’t see why not,” the mace wielder replied, shrugging but glaring at Illua all the same from under his barbute.
“God, it’s as if your entire species has been blue-balled and jealous of fair treatment or something. [Scathe.]” Illua shot out a beam of light from her fingertips, taking the red adorned caribou out at the knees.
“Gah! Fucking bitch!” the axe bearer swore as he fell to what remained of his knees.
“One, if this cum stain is your brother, he’s not dead. I’m willing to barter for him. Secondly, if Ingvar is your brother... I’ve never met him. And lastly,” Illua hefted the council representative up on her shoulder. “Don’t die in vain. You’ll only sully his ‘honor’ further. Fuck his bitch or something, I don’t care.” She raised her hand with a sigil, letting it hover behind her as she began to walk away.
“Where do you think you’re going, girly?!” the mace bearer roared as he charged after her, only to suddenly feel the ground underneath him give way. “Wha-?!” Before he knew it, he was at least ten feet below ground in a ditch. “You whores! I’ll kill you all for this! My brother will be avenged, I swear it!” He screamed.
Horus walked through the remaining fog of Ponyville, covered in Caribou blood and gore and occasionally licking some from his claws. He was making his way to the train station first, so as to see just how effective the defenses had been.
Horus could see the numerous traps that had yet to be sprung, and judging by the lack of bodies or blood in the streets themselves, they had taken few, if any, casualties.
He didn’t have to walk much longer to hear the cursing of an unknown male voice. Ears perked to the sound, he followed to it to find a number of bodies arrayed all around a pitfall trap as well as the train station itself.
He smirked as he noted that one Caribou had died trying to crawl towards the pitfall trap; likely to save whomever had been caught in it. After walking over himself, he saw the one making all the noise.
“You! Diamond Dog! You’re our reinforcements, right? Get me out of here, and we can both take turns with that hairless bitch!” the heavily armored Caribou offered, looking to Horus with eyes full of vengeance...and hope.
’Hope is a luxury you scum shall not have.’ He reasoned as he snarled. “I have no reason to free filth such as you.” His maw opened wide, and out shot an orb of Dragon Lightning, obliterating the Caribou’s head by breaking it’s runic wards and crushing the helmet, effectively crushing the skull with it.
Horus started to walk away again, towards Golden Oak. “Stay there and rot.” He spat as the corpse in the pit spewed blood.
As he continued his walk through town, he noticed how many residents were peeking out from their windows, and how many whom once held weapons now had them shouldered and were burying Caribou bodies.
’Good. Seems we lost barely any lives.’ He looked to the oak tree in the distance. “With any luck, Lady Illua has the captive and is interrogating him.”
Starlight came rushing up to him. “Did you-” She began, before her nose scrunched up and she gagged. “N-Nevermind, I can see that you kept your end just fine.”
Horus nodded, not breaking his stride. “It was a delectable slaughter.” He looked to her as she matched his pace. “Any casualties?”
She shook her head, pinching her nose as she followed him. “None. Barely any of our traps were sprung, too. Illua managed to stop pretty much all of the first platoon from going too far or doing too much damage. We may as well have prepared for nothing.”
Horus grunted. “‘To be prepared for war is the most effective means of preserving peace.’” His tail flicked to the side, a bit of gore flying off with the motion.
Starlight blinked at him. “That sounded...surprisingly well-thought.”
“I am not just a mindless beast. You’d do well to remember that,” Horus replied evenly as they reached Golden Oaks. He pushed through the tent at the front, before opening the door behind it, Starlight following him and walking inside.
The Caribou whom had been captured was bound and gagged in a chair, his mask, gauntlets and most of his clothing off to one side, whilst on the other, Illua was vomiting into a makeshift bucket, covered in the blood, gore, and the soot of her own battle. Horus and Starlight immediately rushed over to her.
“Illua, what happened? Are you okay?” Starlight asked hurriedly.
“My stomach is tied up in knots, and my old disease is working against me. Do we have any ginseng, mint, Mana leaf…?” She said weakly, looking up from her bucket with puffy eyes and a face dripping with saliva and snot.
Horus noticed one of her wounds and lifted her arm before sniffing experimentally. “Kame. Dammit,” he swore, before looking to Starlight. “Procure some white sage tea, and mix it with echinacea, swiftly!”
Starlight swiftly nodded. “I think Twilight left some in here before she abandoned the place. I’ll go look.”
“Hurry,” Horus urged as Starlight ran off and into the kitchen. Horus looked back to Illua and picked her up bridal style as he began carrying her to the bedroom. “Close your eyes, the more your brain is overloaded with sensory data the faster the poison acts to make you nauseous.” He ordered gently.
Illua nodded, grimacing as she closed her eyes, taking slow breaths. “I spent way too much mana. I could have just Esuna’d this away, but no, Lord Cuntabus down there decided he needed to experience excessive force,” she idly complained, before another wave hit her, forcing her to shut her mouth reflexively.
Horus soon reached the bedroom, gently and carefully laying her down on it. He looked her over. “Where else were you hit?” He asked.
“He shot me a couple times. Protect deflected a couple of them, but I got struck here, here and here.” She pointed to her arm, shoulder, and the graze mark from her rib, most having been sealed by her healing spell, but faint marks still lingered.
Horus winced. “Then I’ll have to remove your upper armor. Apologies for this, but your health comes before any reservations either of us have.” He told her solemnly.
“That’s fine, It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been injured.” She remarked, a slight smirk on her lips as she kept herself up.
Horus gently grabbed the hem of her tunic, lifting it up and over her head as she raised her arms so that he could pull it off her. He tried his best to not look at her now exposed mammaries with a brief blush on his face as he placed the article of clothing aside before taking a deep breath.
“I’m going to have to reopen your wounds. I apologize in advance for the pain,” he told her as he lowered a claw to the wound on her ribs and gently but swiftly cut it back open.
The sickly magus nodded as he warned her, taking a deep breath as the claw expertly cut open her rib once more. “That’s gonna scar, I can almost be sure.”
As he applied pressure to the newly reopened wound, he moved one hand to a patch of his fur, memories coming unbidden to his mind as he ripped a clump off with a grunt of minor discomfort.
“Daddy, are you sure-”
“I am, Goldie. Just bear with me, okay? Daddy will have you fixed up in no time,” Horus said hurriedly, applying pressure to the girl’s wound with his clump of fur, watching as it soaked up with sickly green and purple liquid, as well as blood. Horus looked back to the small, red-skinned creature behind him. “If this doesn’t work, your head will be on a platter with my next meal.”
The creature smiled. “I’d consider it an honor, ser. Either way, you’ve no need to worry. Many experiments with your species has shown this to be a tried and true practice for such operations.”
“You better hope it is,” Horus shot back.
“Daddy, it hurts…” The girl cried, tears stinging her eyes.
Horus raised a hand to gently cup her cheek. “Don’t worry Goldie, it’ll all be over soon…”
Horus shook his head as he applied the clump of ashen-white fur to Illua’s first wound, holding it tight against the injury. “Pony! Speed it up, if you would! And gather some wrappings as well!” He called over his shoulder.
“I’m working on it! Don’t exactly have magic to carry more than two arm-fulls of stuff anymore!” Starlight shot back.
Illua grunted. Nyx’s voice this time came from the mirror nearby, her ethereal form waving from the reflection. “Mmh. Harder.”
“Go fuck yourself.” Illua growled back at her other half. She put her head back down on the bed, remaining as still as possible for her careful attendant, her nausea still fighting to escape.
Starlight soon entered the room, bundles of wrappings held under one arm as the other held a steaming cup of tea.
“Here, this is all I could find,” Starlight said, placing the items on a nearby nightstand. “Most of the other items were rotted or just not usable. Thank the stars Twilight had the sense to use preservation spells, even if only on a few things.”
Horus nodded swiftly. “Thank you,” he said, before reaching over with one claw and grabbing the wrappings, starting to wrap Illua’s ribs and making sure the clump of fur remained tight against her wound.
Starlight blinked a bit at his words, before nodding slowly. “..Of course. Is there anything else I can do to help?”
“Rip off two more clumps of my fur, carefully open her other wounds, and start wrapping them,” Horus told her, moving so the mare had access to his back.
“Don’t be gentle, we can take it,” purred Nyx from the mirror, waving at the frazzled unicorn. Illua only growled again, looking up at her with a single, reddened eye. “Don’t mind Nyx too much. She likes to instigate things.”
Starlight looked between Nyx and Illua for a moment, before sighing and setting to work. “I’m not sure I even want to question why you have Nightmare Moon inside you. Too much bullshit going already.”
Horus grunted as Starlight pulled a clump off. “You likely don’t want to know.”
Ah… I wonder how that old reaper is doing. He hasn’t come by in a decade or so to check on me…
Byrviss rapped on the heavy, metal door of Ylbe’s room, quietly awaiting in the dim light given off by the paper lanterns. The padding of soft skin on metal alerted him to stand back, before the door was wrenched open by a human woman of short stature, with long flowing hair held in place behind her by the strip of fabric attached to the back of her short robe. Her piercing violet eyes showed intense disdain for the azure dragonkin. “What do you need, before I turn you into a fresh set of leathers? I’m currently feeding.” Venom dripped in her voice, contrasting sharply to her soft features.
“You’re feeding on the chrysalis again? The Emperor requires it, and you’re gonna kill him at this rate, parasite.” The dragon’s gnarled wings flared as he loomed over her, pushing her aside with a heavy claw.
“Oh, poor baby, it’s not like he’s immortal and safe in his pod.” Ylbe snorted, her eyes narrowing as her sanctum was invaded by the creature. “If you’d stop sucking the Emperor’s dick for once in your pathetic life, you’d actually be able to enjoy yourself once in a while. I’ve offered.” Picking up her staff, she went and retrieved her dark tights from the bed, pulling them up over her slender legs that lead up to shapely hips hugged by black lace. Byrviss looked away, focusing on the metallic tube with the strange knight inside, protected by a durable, stain-glass mural on the front, showing a simplified rendition of him.
“If not for the fact we’ve had to remove the smiling corpses from your bedchambers, I may have taken you up upon your rather… intimate offerings.” Byrviss scratched the back of his head, the tips of his claws digging between the rumpled ridges. “Along with the fact I cannot simply go request one of the geisha from the lower hills, as I bear our Master’s infectious gift..” The herald sighed as he went to lift the ornate coffin, only to feel the witch’s soft skin wrap around his waistline.
“All you have to do is ask, and I can be yours for a night… I’d love to have a taste…” Ylbe purred, only for her hands to be knocked away. “Fine. Continue to suffer. I still have to play the role I was requested in Frustaz’s awakening.”
“I know. You will need to continue scrying upon the other creature of your kin, who slayed the thrall we sent to Equestria. Do not touch me again, whore. Find something else to get your fill, as I will not be your toy.” the Herald snarled as he spun around to face Ylbe, a quiet smirk on her face.
“Oh I’ll get my fill today. Send a messenger to retrieve me one of the horned kirin from below, preferably male this time and I’ll leave you alone.” Ylbe, chuckling, waved her staff and lifted the stasis pod, guiding it out the door. “Now lead, fang-speaker, so we can finish this sooner than later. I’m still hungry, and your soul is looking tastier by the moment.”
Ylbe’s heels clicked on iron floors, her ethereally beautiful magic swaddling the stasis pod with a faint blue aura, while pastel cherry petals danced in an untold wind. To Byrviss, the smell of lavender and chamomile always wafted off her tender flesh, regardless of how long it may have been since her last bath. The other Kinfolk dubbed her the Witch of Flowers, and regarded her magecraft as something to be marvelled at, and her unique appearance amongst them as a prize to claim. They knew not of her dark desires, or her cursed diet of souls.
She politely waved at her fellow retainers, a cute smile plastered on her face as she inquired about the weather outside, how the hatchlings were doing, and if she should go for sashimi tonight with the fresh haul from the waters having come in. All it did was hide the monster only two knew her to be.
As they approached the doors to the Emperor’s den, Byrviss whispered to one of the guards. “Bring a male Kirin up to the guest house. Horned preferably. Madame Ylbe’s request.” The drake saluted, his ornamental armor jingling lightly as he quickly hurried.
“My, you’ve actually gotten your Frenzy under control enough to not need my help anymore.” A mischievous giggle escaped the Witch, earning another glare from the Fang-Speaker. She rapped lightly on the door with her crystalline staff, clearing her throat. “Great Master of Sky and Sea, Byrviss and I have brought the requested chrysalis, and I am ready to assist at your leisure.” Ylbe’s voice called out, echoing faintly in the expansive hall before the door.
“Enter, my most loyal of retainers.” Despite the thick doors, the booming bass still reverberated off the pillars and walls. The other guard stepped back from the door nearly forty feet, and pulled on an ornate rope and ring, allowing a smaller set of doors to open from the main ones. His distance was warranted, as black miasma crept out of the renewed opening, emanating nearly twenty feet before the edges of it sputtered out and evaporated in the light of the setting sun.
The dragonoid let the human proceed first, leading the pod in after her. He followed closely, his tail pulling shut, sealing the room once more. Ylbe shifted on her feet, her trailing hair swishing behind her as her excitement escaped from her. Byrviss knelt once more, having entered the for the second time today. “We have brought the pod as requested, Sir.”
“Ylbe, my dear, tell me what you have gleaned from this dreaming knight.” Zarkesh’s tone was much softer than before, as he rested his head close to the mage. Byrviss dared not look up, lest he reveal the thinly-veiled disdain for the adopted imperial.
She giggled in delight, as the hot breeze that made up the Emperor’s breath ruffled her hair and robes. “He’s actually one of my kin, surprisingly. Well.. Former kin.” Stepping back, she trailed her fingers over the container. “Frustaz here once was human like myself, but he sought out a precious sister of his. From what I gleaned, I look very similar to that sister, and I’ve used his dreams and a few teachers here for Claw-Sign. Until he becomes enthralled, I will be mimicking her, so I won’t speak.”
The Fang-Speaker’s head snapped up, a mixture of shock and disgust on his face. “My Lord, I mean no disrespect, but should we really interfere with the bonds of the heart in this manner?” He stood, his claws splayed. “I have no doubt that his sister may well not even be in this realm, but should we really twist him so?”
“So what do you suggest, herald?” the ruling imperial’s glittering amber eye locked upon Byrviss, the shadowy miasma growing thicker around the raised dais.
Byrviss scratched the whiskers under his jaw. “Preferably, I would deign to be honest with him. What is a partnership if it is not based on a level of trust? If the ancient stories are true, he is the master of wendigos and the Equestrian’s Incarnation of Winter. A powerful ally such as-”
“‘--Should be respected with all of the honor that comes with their titles,’ yes, we know that, Byrviss. But I highly doubt we can just allow him to leave.” Ylbe interjected, crossing her arms under her chest. “I figure you of all kinfolk, with the effort it took to smuggle him from the crystal caverns under Canterlot, would be more willing to go with this.” Ylbe raised her eyebrow, her violet eyes piercing the gloom with a look of smug satisfaction.
“Refrain from squabbling in my presence. If you really must fight, go to the feuding grounds. I will not tolerate any further hawkish jousts at each other.” Zarkesh intersected between the two retainers, One eye trained on each of them with a fiery glow. “We will be enthralling Frustaz, and Ylbe will assist in awakening, and act to gain the modicum of trust we need. Byrviss, Either you will remain and act to defend her in the event he does become hostile, or you shall await your discipline outside.”
Reluctantly, he stepped down into the black fog, and claimed his prized nagamaki and tedate from beside the door. Returning with his armaments, Byrviss nodded to his leader. “I await further guidance, your majesty.”
Zarkesh pushed up into a sitting position, resting on his fore and hind legs, whilst his wings curled around himself. “Begin, Ylbe.” She nodded as she waved her staff once more, turning the Stasis chamber vertical. Her eyes faintly glowed as she began to draw on the powers of the succubus granted to her, invading the dreams of the slumbering warrior.
I smiled like a damned fool, as I followed my little sister through the crowd, watching as she bounced from booth to booth. Her flowing white hair stood out amongst the cosplayers, at least to me. PIkachu? Eevee? Shark? She questioned, raising up three plushies in succession, her fingers fluttering.
“Which one do you feel would fit you best? Honestly, I think the Eevee would fit you best.” I replied, my soft tenor always grabbing her attention. I turned to look around at one of the other booths, only for an intense loud pop to ring out.
The world dulled and became grey, and everything slowed to a halt, before disintegrating into a featureless black void with a single spotlight. Out in the distance, I could see a pale figure, who was actively walking up to me, practically bouncing with each step. That is when I became lucid in my dream-prison.
“Naru?” I called out, my voice echoing as the groan of my thick armor returned, the mask projecting my voice once more. The at-first unfamiliar girl jumped and tackled me, hugging me tightly in the dreamscape.
“Naru, is that really you?”
Yes it’s me, although there’s a lot I need to tell you. The finger movements were a perfect match, despite the slight difference in her appearance. Her eyes were no longer the icy blue I knew them, and her skin was a few shades lighter, but It was her. It’s time to wake up.
“How did you even find me? I.. How?” I couldn’t stop the confusion from invading my voice, running my hand over the almost featureless helmet. “You’re not in the same clothes I remember you disappearing in. Where’s the grimoire you bought from that Merchant?”
I had lots of help from the dragons I’m outside of your stasis pod with. Do you know how to wake yourself up, or do I need to do something on the outside? Her query got my attention.
“Dragons? Am I not with Celestia and Luna?” I pulled the mask off my face, taking a moment to breath as my own snowy hair glistened in the spotlight.
You’ve lost a lot of weight and toned up, haven't you? No, you’re not with Celestia and Luna. They left your capsule in an abandoned ruin in the hopes that you wouldn’t wake up. We are definitely not in Equestria in the slightest, Jay.
I frowned a bit at that revelation, but I brushed it away from my thoughts. “Okay, so how long have I been sleeping? If you say a very specific number I’m gonna scream.”
1000 years, give or take.
“GOD FUCKING DAMMIT. Of course- of course.” I shouted, before bringing myself back down to a more civil level. “Celestia has a goddamn fetish with that number. I’m gonna throttle her the next time I see her. Especially if she knew you were walking around.”
So… How do we open your pod so you can meet the Dragon Emperor? He’s pretty much adopted me and has kept me safe since I had to grow up again.
“Oh, That’s great to hear you’ve been safe then. This is what you need to do in order to open my Cryostasis pod…”
Ylbe opened her eyes, giggling. “God, it’s surprisingly easy.” She reached over and tapped on the panel in the front, where as a familiar tri-pronged controller shot out. “L and R + Up, C-Right, R + Left, R + Up, Up, R + Right, Up, L and R + C-Down, L and R + Down, L and R + C-Left…” Her fingers deftly put in the code as told, confusing the two dragons in the room at her strange familiarity with the device.
“That looks vaguely like one of those entertainment devices Shirvata makes over in the western lowlands.” Zarkesh mused, a slight chuckle escaping the dragon lord.
“For all intents and purposes, it’s a replica of one, and he put a code from an ancient game as his ‘unlock code’.” Ylbe sighed with a tinge of nostalgia, a smile on her face as the pod vented cold gasses, hissing audibly in the royal cavern. She stepped back as the segmented door parted, exposing him to the air of the cavern.
“Ugh.. Naru?” The armored man called from beneath his visor, as he slowly pushed himself out of his once sealed bedchamber. Byrviss steadied himself, leveling the blade towards Frustaz. “Huh…” He looked up at the Emperor, and then Byrviss, the golden arches on the top of his helmet being the only orienting feature.
“Jayson, I’m over here.” Ylbe waved over at him, whipping his head quickly towards her. “I’m sorry, do you prefer Frustaz now?”
“I’m sorry, what?” His eyes looked over her, before chuckling. “God, you look like Merlin. When did you start speaking?”
“Ylbe, or Naru as you know her, has been in my service for many years, after she proved herself amongst the dragonkin. I restored her ability to speak with my gift.” Zarkesh moved his head forward into the light, his eyes piercing the darkness.
Immediately, Frustaz knelt before the Emperor. “I must apologize. I should have been respectful of your presence.” putting an armored fist over his heart, he turned his gaze downward.
Ylbe chuckled, but Zarkesh smirked, revealing a toothy grin. “Rise, Knight of Winter.” Frustaz rose to his feet, the heavy boots clunking on the metallic platform. “In respect to your sister here, I would like to offer you a position as one of my retainers.”
The knight hummed, running his hand over where his chin should be. “Might I have some to think? I’d like to get reacquainted with my sister first, if that is too steep a request.” Byrviss narrowed his glare, but lowered his blade. Ylbe giggled softly, hiding her smile behind a sleeved arm.
“Very well. Ylbe, please take him to see our city while you two reconnect. I would like to have an answer no later than sunset tomorrow.” Zarkesh nodded down to the trio, before retreating once more into the dark reaches of the den.
“Byrviss, do you think you can arrange a guest room for Frustaz here?” Ylbe looked up pleadingly to the herald of Zarkesh, leaning close to him.
“I can do that, Madame Ylbe. Please, go enjoy a dinner or something.”
“So… Frost Prime, huh?” Ylbe giggled, as they took seats in a tiny restaurant, who’s bar was protected by a thick canvas flap, painted with the script of the eastern dragons. The smell of meat and soy was thick in the air inside, and the constant bubbling of broth could be heard interspersed with chops of blade on wood.
“Yeah. Surprised?” The helmet lay on the bar, exposing the man’s face, a stark contrast to the dragonkin surrounding him. “I chose this armor back when I was hunting conventions for that merchant prick. I even made a few weapons myself to fight him. It originally was a canvas and kevlar affair, but it’s not anymore.” The clink of a pair of bowls before the two humans wafted the smell of an old favorite; Ramen. “Hey, Na- I mean, Ylbe. You go by that now, don’t you?”
Ylbe pulled out a pair of chopsticks from a pocket inside her robe, and had just picked up a piece of browned meat. “Yeah, that was the name I was given by my mother here. I was reborn, so I’m no longer sick and mute like I used to be. It's… really nice to talk.”
“So, that explains why you look like Proto-Merlin now.” Taking his own bite of food, with the forks provided, he quietly slurped a few noodles coated in egg yolk. “So… What’s happened in Equestria if you know?”
Fuck, that’s right. He’s a fan of the show from Earth. “Well… I’ve only heard rumors, since I haven’t been there. I didn’t even realize I was on Equus originally. Only things I’ve had confirmed are Luna’s return, Discord’s escape, and Twilight’s ascension.”
“Hm. So we aren’t there yet in the timeline.. Well, that’s fine. I’ll probably make myself known again eventually to the sisters, but that’s not important right now. Also, what exactly is in this? It’s fantastic, but I definitely know it’s not beef.” He isolated the meat in question, the faintly iridescent blue in the meat being muddled by broth.
“Bingrath. They were woolen beastkin in the northern mountain faces of Korohi, and were domesticated here. They look almost like a furry drake with a large hump back and long horns that turn blue with age.” she plucked her egg from its noodly nest, and chomped down on it.
“Okay, I don’t recognize that name. Where in Equus are we exactly?” Frustaz looked over at Ylbe, his brow arched, cheek bulging from the food.
“Far east, past the lands of Griffonstone, and definitely beyond the sea, which they call the Featherwake Ocean, we here in Zipangu call it Amatsu-kaiyo.” Another plate was set before the human duo, stacked with steaming white rounds of bread.
“Here’s those meat buns you wanted, Madame Ylbe. On the house.” The shopkeep smiled at her, before turning back to his other guests.
Frustaz looked over at the buns, blinking. “Those are huge.” He picked just one up, comparing it to the size of his head. “I could eat probably only one of these with this small bowl of ramen. Do we eat pretty light compared to the dragonkin here?”
“Yeah, even when you were being a fat ass way back when, you couldn’t match their appetite.” Ylbe giggled again, taking her own bun. He’s easy to work with. He’s also surprisingly honest. Ylbe’s eyes trailed down his form, the tenno-style armor both highlighting and concealing his bodies’ natural form. God, Seinaru, your brother’s hot.
“Hey, N- Ylbe? Ylbe?” He tapped her nose, breaking the mage’s focus. “Oi, stop staring girly, you’ll make the others jealous.” He put on his fakest scottish accent, before snickering himself. And he’s an absolute dork. I fucking love it.
The night swallowed the sky, as the full moon illuminated the roof tops, while lanterns were being lit by a small wyvern, bouncing from one post to another.
“So, Tell me about your emperor. He looks like a black Shagaru Magala… and that other retainer, Byrviss, looks like he’s a textbook example of a Dragonborn or Lizardfolk.” Frustaz and Ylbe had found themselves in a remote corner of the imperial gardens, near the guest house
“Well, compared to the western dragons of El Nera, which is the volcanic archipelago a little south of Griffonstone, that’s very common here. Why? Don’t know. But they call themselves Kinfolk. Everykin, somekin, similar to the ponies.” The mage of flowers shrugged, as the lanterns in these far corners were lit by the tiny workers.
“Emperor Zarkesh, and the prior emperors, all have been Elder Dragons. So yeah, he’s a Shagaru, but the ‘Frenzy’ he gives off is much more magic than just a mere virus. He also uses it to give power to his retainers or soldiers he favors. He probably will give you shard, depending on your decision tomorrow. Ylbe pulled her legs up, hiding her face. I’m gonna have to soundproof the room.. Or gag tonight's meal. Decisions, decisions….
“So, my cryopod. Where was it moved to?” the knight looked over at the curled up witch, before chuckling. “Getting tired?”
“Oh, uh, yeah.” How does he know? “Your pod is in the room we’ve set up for you. There’s going to be a guard outside if you do need anything during the night.”
“Good, I’m going to be cleaning my weapons.” Frustaz chuckled and picked Ylbe up like a princess, and began walking to the building.
“What ar- Why- I can walk just fine, asshole!” Ylbe smacked at the Tenno, only earning more laughter in response.
“Humor me, and let me carry you a bit, like I used to from the car rides.” He smiled, his eyes softening with the distant memory.
…Even with all the memories I viewed, it doesn’t explain how you didn’t see her as a burden to you. How are you so nice and caring? Why are you so easy to manipulate? Ylbe quieted down to think, His rhythmic steps providing a background of white noise before his next question.
“So, I can tell Zipangu’s architecture is similar to Japan’s, but why is there so much iron and ceramic, compared to the wood and lacquer used historically?”
“Claws are sharp and scales are rough. I mean, honestly, what did you expect?”
“Fair point.” As they reached the door, he set her down on her feet, sliding it open for her to go in first. It was quiet, as to be expected of the rarely used quarters, save for the two house maids that remained on site at all times. They were chatting amongst themselves, their belts jingling with the tools of their trade as they shifted their weight.
“Good evening, ladies.” Ylbe called out, eliciting a squeak from one of them, while the other simply chuckled and bowed at the arrival of the witch and her carrier. “No, you know better Amirna, I don’t like being bowed to when we’re private like this.” Ylbe sighed, an exasperated smile on her face.
“Even for my seniority here, you allow me to keep a roof above my head in exchange for some light cleaning. I simply must treat you with the same respect as I would a noble or dignitary.” Amirna was definitely the older of the two kinfolk, her scales having faded from their once lustrous emerald tones, and little, grey whiskers poked through tiny gaps between the hardened outer later. “Komos, you really need to get used to being approached, especially if you wish for a mate in the future…” the elder chided, chuckling.
The significantly younger of the two’s face flushed, nodding. “I apologize Madam Ylbe. I’m still getting used to working here with Grandma here.” Komos’ scales were definitely a spritely green color, just like her grandmother’s were in her youth, but she lacked the numerous ridges one acquired with age. “Is this your brother, perhaps? He’s a uh.. What was the word you used for your species?”
“It’s quite alright Komos, you don’t need to apologize for our sudden arrival.” Ylbe led Frustaz in, his eyes bouncing from each of them as they spoke. “Yes, He is my brother. Did anyone come by with his container?”
Amirna nodded. “Yes, they did, I set it in the room over here. Hopefully the accommodations are suitable to your liking, Master Frustaz.” Amirna nodded over to the man in question, earning his own nod back. “If you’ll come this way. Madame, your typical room is ready, and we will have breakfast prepared in the morning as usual. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“No, thank you Amirna. Please make sure you rest. I know you’re getting close to the final molt, so let me know if you need me to help with some of the hard to reach scales.” Ylbe smiled, giving the older kinfolk a gentle grasp of the hand. “I’m going to retire, so I’ll see you tomorrow, Komos, Amirna, Jay- Frustaz.” Skipping off, she giggled to herself. Thankfully I’m on the opposite side of the house.
Opening her personal quarters, a slender Kirin sat in the room, looking at the moonlight, the spiral horn long, sharp and curved. “Good Evening Ma’am. I was requested to be here?”
“You were. Now, I hope your quartermaster was paid appropriately for your time.” Ylbe’s violet eyes caught the moonlight, glowing in the dim gloom of her feasting quarters. “You will be silent while I take my sweet time with you.”
“Yes, Madame.”
Being led to the isolated room, the elderly maid opened the door with a bow. “You room, Master Frustaz.”
“Please, don’t call me Master. It’s a little awkward for me.” he replied, before passing through the entryway to a wide room, decorated with what appeared to be twisted metal sculptures, as well as a wide, square frame holding up a ornate house robe. His cryopod rested in one corner of the room, vertical as it was when he woke. “This is fantastic, thank you.. Amirna, yes?”
“That is correct.” She nodded as she moved to close the door, only for him to catch the door with his boot. “Anything else I can do for you, sir?”
“Just a last question before you head out for the night. What is this ‘final molt’ Na- I mean, Ylbe spoke of?” his confusion evident, the senior draconid chuckled.
“The final molt is just a transition to our final stage of life. Our scales fall off entirely, leaving us covered only in a fur akin to a manticore’s or chimera’s. It’s simultaneously a mark of our age and wisdom, having survived as long as we have, as well as a sign for others to help us.” She smiled as she took his hand, putting it on her head, where many hairs had sprouted. “These little whiskers poking through my scales is the sign that it’s coming.”
Frustaz ran his fingers over the soft hairs, his eyes wide in fascination. “That's… Wow. I’ve never heard of that happening before. I apologize if this is personal.”
A wave of a claw and a scoff came from the grandmother. “It’s not anything private, it just means this old egg layer can finally get some of the fledglings to finally help me when I’m out picking up supplies for the dignitaries. Anything else?”
Frustaz shook his head, chuckling. “No, thank you for telling me. I have a decision in the morning, and I really must sleep on it. Good night, ma’am.” He slowly closed the door himself, listening to the clicking steps of the maid withdraw.
Note to self: Dragons grow fur when they get older. Second note to self: Dragon maids do not wear frilly outfits, they wear cargo shorts and tank tops with apron-like fronts. Third: Don’t isolate yourself with Komos, she’s cute as hell. Frustaz shook his head as he began to unfasten the thick armor’s gauntlets, slipping them off and setting them in the Cryo Pod, The overcoat following shortly afterwards. He stretched, extracting once unknown tension from his spine with soft pops.
So she goes by Ylbe now. She looks alot like Proto-Merlin, although if she is close to that character like I am with Frost, It means she’s subject to the rules of the World-System. His thoughts began to wander as he finished putting up his armor, only to press a button to present his armory.
Corinth Prime, check. Attica, still in good condition. Vulkar Wraith, still surprisingly scarlet after these years. I pulled each weapon out, taking a few moments to open them up and wipe them down, noting which weapons needed oiling. I can definitely still use you Vasto. I wonder if I can still upgrade you eventually… I spun the chamber of the revolver, smiling as I glided around its central shaft. Setting the side arm back down, Frustaz pressed another button, presenting a circular shield with spikes jutting out the edge, and a broadsword, with a flat tip. Octanis and Gram Prime. Too bad I lost Sigma. Lifting the sword, the Tenno struggled to lift his blade frowning. “God, I’m gonna have to practice again. I spent too long sleeping.”
After a few hours of maintenance on his weapons, Frustaz finally laid down upon the thick mattress, sighing. “I’m really going to go back to sleep again, aren’t I?” He mused, his mirth contained by pursed lips. I’ll have to answer Emperor Shagaru the Black tomorrow.
Illua’s eyes fluttered open and blearily looked around. Horus was sitting in a chair beside her, his eyes closed, arms crossed and tail curled around the chair’s legs.
The magus groaned from the dull pain of yesterday's battle, the bruises making themselves known amongst the bandaged wounds. Nyx waved from the mirror once more.
Good morning, Snow White. Feeling better? Nyx asked, using their telepathic connection so as not to wake Horus. Her tone was surprisingly soft, despite her sarcastic words.
I'll be fine, are you alright?
Now that I know you're fine, yes. You got reckless yesterday, what got into you?
I really don't know. Normally I'm holding you back but..
But you instead went with my bloodlust. Angry much?
Maybe.
Illua attempted to stretch, groaning again as her bandages held fast, reminding her of the reopened wounds her ally had treated.
“You shouldn’t move,” Horus’ voice rang out. His eyes remained closed.
"Shouldn't, but Lord Faarquad should be waking up from the sleep spell, and I'm going to let him think I'm immune to his silly poison." Illua retorted, scooting closer to Horus. She retrieved a different shirt from her inventory, this one made of a lighter cloth, dyed a deep blue, resembling a form fitting tunic.
“Your health is more important,” Horus pressed, cracking a crimson eye open to look at her. “Besides, once he outlives his usefulness, he will be butchered like all Caribou.”
"Then get me a front row seat at least." She locked her determined gaze with his, crossing her own arms. "Besides, are we going to have any of the other leaders be witness or not? You need people to verify information."
“They’ve been downstairs waiting for us. I told them I would stay here until you woke,” Horus explained, standing up from his chair.
Illua pushed up from the bed, taking to her feet and taking a few uneasy steps. "I have one last thing I want to do to him. How much meat do the Ponies eat here? They're completely vegetarian back on my Equestria."
Horus quickly moved to her side, supporting her as she walked with a frown on his face. “They eat kibble. Even the dragons and carnivores.”
"Oh." Illua gritted her teeth. "I don’t know about you, but I'm going to be eating some food while we interrogate him, and start getting my strength back. I have enough manticore jerky to share with you and the leaders, at least until we can get people cooking again." Composing herself once more, she leaned on Horus as she moved to the stairs.
“Even with what they’ve been forced to eat, I imagine only Zecora would eat it,” Horus mused as they slowly descended the stairs. “Though I admit I do not know them well enough to be sure.”
Already they could hear the heated debate going on downstairs, shouts and yelling prevalent and ringing throughout the abode.
"They never truly stop arguing, do they?" Illua stifled a giggle.
“They have that luxury thanks to your efforts,” Horus replied back with a small smile.
"Very true. Hopefully they'll stay wise to my method." Illua smiled in return.
They soon reached the bottom floor, and could more clearly make out the voices as they were raised.
“You better fucking speak up, shithead, or I’m just gonna keep shoveling these ashes down your fucking throat!” Starlight roared, having ahold of the Caribou’s antlers with a pile of ashes in her off-hand. Said Caribou was still coughing up the ashes he'd already been fed.
“Starlight, don’t kill him! We need his information and shoveling ash down his throat will just give us a damn timer!” Redheart argued, trying to hold the pink unicorn back.
“Shut up, Redheart! I don’t need your fucking pacifism right now!” Starlight shot back.
“Bon Bon, why are you not doing anything?!” Lyra cried, before gesturing to the scene before them. “They’ve both gone nuts!”
“Because whether you two like it or not, this is a valid form of gathering information,” Bon Bon replied, arms crossed as she watched the scene passively. “Besides, the bucker deserves to have some suffering of his own.”
“Ladies, please, do not-” Zecora noticed the duo. “Oh thank the stars, there our heroes are!”
Illua's eye twitched, but then simply let out a quiet breath. "Starlight, Redheart is correct in this manner. We do need him alive, at least for now. The more valid information he gives us, the longer he lives." Illua’s commanding tone returned, staring down the eager woman.
“After everything he’s done? After everything they’ve done?! Fuck no!” Starlight raged, throwing Redheart off of her and making to shove her fistful of ashes down the Caribou’s throat.
A thunderous slam shook the house, throwing Starlight off balance and onto her rear. All eyes looked to Horus, whose tail had embedded itself in the floor.
“Calm yourselves. This is no time for bickering. We all hold hatred for the Caribou, but letting that rage control us in critical moments like these serves us none,” He looked to Illua, then gently guided her to a free chair that had been prepared, and carefully helped her take her seat.
“But I-!” Starlight began, making to stand.
"Starlight, a book burned provides no information." Illua interrupted her, a sigil hovering above her palm. "I'm prepared to do what I need to, when I need to. But for now, take a seat. Horus can handle this. Watch and learn."
Starlight grit her teeth, looking to Horus, before grunting and standing up, dusting herself off and sitting forcefully in her own chair, Redheart following suit with a modicum of grace.
“Fine,” Starlight conceded.
The Caribou smirked. “As-” A raucous cough came from, along with a wad of blood from his throat. “Full of...impulse and emotion as...any female.” He sneered breathlessly. A calculated swipe saw one branching portion of the Caribou’s right antler cut clean off. “Gah!” He glared at Horus, whose claw was outstretched.
“Do not test your luck, you gutless child. I am not afraid to relieve you of your pride,” the Hellwolf flexed his claws. “And I do not just mean your antlers.”
The Caribou turned his head away at that. “Hah. Do as you wish, beast. I am not so foolish as to reveal state secrets just because of a little pain.”
Horus smiled wickedly. “Oh? And if I said I knew where your son is?”
The Caribou rolled his eyes. “Like you actually-”
“His name is Harold, correct? Harold Brimsgold?”
The Caribou suddenly froze.
Horus’ smile grew. “I know your House well. Even more so it’s insignia. Your son would be Harold XVI at this point, yes?”
“H-How could you possibly-”
“Because I was the one who ended the life of Harold II. I endeavor to remember the names of all those I slay, and have failed to wipe out,” Horus began, walking towards the Caribou’s back.
“Y-Y-You still wouldn’t know where he-”
“If I had to guess, your pride and joy is taking care of things for you with the Council while you came here. Which means he must be in Canterlot,” Horus deduced.
The Caribou visibly paled. “H-How...How could you know-?”
“A hunter is nothing but a beast if they stalk their prey without researching them first, without studying their moves, their way of life,” Horus said in a chilling tone, trailing a singular claw along the Caribou’s neck. The Caribou shivered. “Now...why don’t you tell me a few things, hm? All the more to keep your son alive, yes?”
“I-I-I-I-” The Caribou stuttered, his teeth even chattering.
Horus only chuckled. “Come now, I won’t bite…” He bared his teeth right against the male’s neck. “...Much~.”
The Magus smiled as she began taking notes, listening to the interrogation. She scooted closer to Starlight, if only to show what she was writing. Don’t speak for now. Just read. He's revealing relevant information to him to prove a point. Blackmail, or perhaps a bargain chip is being proposed indirectly.
“Now...what is the situation with those that fled Ponyville recently?” Horus began, standing up straight again.
The Caribou looked up at Horus, eyes wide, before sweeping his gaze across those present. None were ones of sympathy. He gulped, then looked back to Horus. “Y-You won’t-" Another errant cough, followed by blood. "H-harm my boy, r-r-right?”
Horus nodded. “Not even a scratch.”
The Caribou took a breath. “...They’ve been sent to rehabilitation centers.”
The mares all frowned visibly, Starlight and Bon Bon even scowling. Horus hummed, but a slight downward twitch to the side of his mouth was unmistakable. “And what is the Council doing currently? What are they planning in terms of the war? Of this new resistance cell?”
“Th-They’re…” A pause, the Caribou swallowing down another cough.
“Yes?” Horus pressed, placing a full hand on the Caribou’s throat, albeit gently.
“...Th-they’re pouring funds into some...weapons project. T-Tirek has been....pushing hard, and they have little to counter his...brute strength. The Minotaurs have gained...k-knowledge of firearms, so we’ve b-b-been...sending some of their captured females in...to mess with their production lines.”
“And what about the reactions to our resistance?”
“I...don’t know that much. H-His Majesty seemed...suspicious, but otherwise all they’ve done to my knowledge is...send me and my men.”
Horus stroked his chin, then looked to the others.
"So you're telling us that, other than anything directly relevant to us, you're practically useless? God what a waste of time." Nyx was bored, but she knew the actual value of his info.
Horus raised a hand to Illua. “He’s hiding something still.” Horus laid a hand on another antler.
“W-Wait! I swear, I’m not-!” A sickening snap, and one antler was ripped off near the base. “GAAAAH!”
Horus moved a claw to the other antler. “I suggest you tell us, or your son may well be next after you.”
“O-Okay! Okay okay okay okay!” The Caribou thrashed in his bindings. “J-Just let go! Don’t hurt my baby boy!”
Horus let go of the antler. “Good. Now speak.”
The Caribou panted for a short span of time, trying to recover from the pain of having one whole antler torn off. “Th-Th-They did mention...something about marshalling forces f-f-from the strongholds...set up around Canterlot to converge here,” the Caribou explained hurriedly after catching his breath.
“WHAT?!?” the mares in the room shouted.
“They were a-a-arguing about it...saying that the troops there were untrained a-a-and that it’d take...too much time to get them trained up...or to even bring veterans in to q-quash the...resistance instead,” the stag continued.
"Continue. Be as clear and precise as you can. Your son's life depends on you." Illua leaned forward, her fingers idly spinning the crystallized magic circle in her hand. "How long before they send another unit here?" Her gaze lingered on him, fingers at the ready to write.
“A-At least two days by train...five on f-foot, but m-most of them would be inexperienced. All our g-g-good men...are on the frontlines,” the stag informed, coughing once again.
“Two days? TWO DAYS?! That’s barely any time at all!” Starlight shrieked, clutching her head.
“Unless we sabotage the tracks,” Horus proposed.
"Or… we can use the tracks." Illua countered. Horus frowned and grunted, but made no other comment. "We are close to too many hubs for travel, meaning deploying another unit is justifiable. Which means leaving Ponyville may be the best option." Illua ran a hand through her milky hair. "Starlight, do the trains go anywhere besides Canterlot?"
Starlight ran her hands down her eyes and muzzle before groaning deeply. “Literally all over Equestria, even before the Caribou. They even go up to Yakyakistan nowadays, and a bit towards Abyssinia and Griffonstone. Other than that, they connect to basically every major city in Equestria.”
“I vaguely recall hearing some of the Caribou that...used, to be here, talking about taking the train to your old village. Maybe they’ve expanded the trains to smaller towns now too?” Lyra proposed.
“We’ve been living under their bootheels for six years,” Redheart began, crossing her arms. “It’s not unlikely. Quite the opposite, in fact.”
"Hm. Well," Illua opened up her panels once more, pulling a piece of jerky out and gnawing on it, "It's possible we could find a nook of the world to hide in, or we can possibly join up with a larger force, possibly getting training in the process." She swallowed, only to pull some more out. "You think in twenty four hours we could pack that armored train and bail?"
“It’s possible,” Bon Bon said with a nod, seeming to completely ignore what Illua was eating.
“But what do we do with it’s cargo? I would not wish to meddle with those ‘stones’ that glow,” Zecora chimed in, shivering at the thought of the cargo they’d found. She glanced to Ilua’s apparent snack, but otherwise said nothing about it.
“The Gems, you mean?” Horus said, turning his head to the Zebra mare. Zecora nodded. “Hmph. Destroy them, I say. As for the females, do the same for them as you’ve done for all of the others. Help them.”
"I can take the gems." Illua declared. "Not only do I have the ability to transport them, I can probably recycle them."
“Ha! Good luck, whor-” Horus swiftly slammed an open-clawed hand to the stag’s face, knocking the head off with pure force and a spray of blood as a portion of the spinal cord came with it, the head tumbling and rolling across the room.
"Thank you." Illua nodded, only to continue her thought. "The gems themselves aren't the problem, but the enchantment upon them. Given time and magic, I can purify and repurpose them. A little bit of grinding and I could make temporary replacement horns."
The mares' eyes widened collectively, and they all shot their gazes to Illua. “You could?!”
"If you still have any grindstones in town, bring me one and a few of those jewels, and I'll see if I can make a couple before it’s time to leave." Illua stood up and walked to the now deceased indignitary's old gear. "Now, what to do with these? They are enchanted gear…"
“We could actually have magic again!” Lyra squealed, bouncing in her seat.
Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Easy, girl.” She looked to Starlight, seeing how her eyes had glazed over with thoughts and ideas. “Same goes for you, Star.”
Starlight blinked. “Huh?” She looked around, then noticed the looks she was receiving. “O-Oh! Sorry!” She shook her head, then looked to Illua, clearing her throat. “If you can really make us temporary horns, we should be able to improve that gear with more versatile enchantments,” Starlight began, before her eyes lit up again. “Oh, the things I could do if I had magic again!” She squealed in delight.
Horus walked over to the set of armored robes. “I have a better idea.” He picked the wargear up, holding it out to Illua. “Take it with you. Having equipment with built-in wards like this will come in handy, I’m sure. All you will have to do is refit it to your size and shape.”
Illua took the armored robe, and smirked. "This is almost like cheating." She donned the robe, closing the clasps that held it in place. It was a little big on her at first, but a faint white glow conformed it to her. A small window opened in front of her, but she dismissed it quickly. "Its surprisingly breathable for its appearance. I’ll probably dye it later…" she mused idly.
Horus blinked. “Odd. Most magic gear in this world does not immediately conform without a specific enchantment.
"Game mechanics. That's all I gotta say."
“...What?” Bon Bon asked, giving Illua a curious look.
“Is it related to those screens or whatever we keep seeing in front of you?” Redheart asked.
Horus looked to Illua.
".... They don't have video games here… do they?" She replied sheepishly, looking back at Horus.
Horus sighed. “Not to my knowledge, no. Though to be fair, I was in stone for many years, and I haven’t bothered to ask.”
“Wait...video games?” Lyra piped up, looking to the magus. “You mean those things that Button Mash used to play before he…” Lyra paused, then shook her head. “...before everything happened?”
"I’m going to say yes, only because I'm pretty sure it's a close comparison. In a nutshell, I have certain capabilities that accelerate my understanding of combat, and assist in certain manners, such as what you have been seeing with the armor and my ability to pull items from 'thin air.'" Illua explained. "As to why I have these abilities? It's just as much a mystery as why some people are good at different things."
The mares all shared a look, before sighing collectively.
“I feel like our best bet is to just chalk that up as another thing we shouldn’t even ask about,” Starlight said, shaking her head.
Zecora stood up slowly. “Much like she whom was taken so soon.” She said solemnly.
They all gained somber looks at that. “Yeah...just like her.” Bon Bon shook her head, standing up herself. “We’re gonna go get things prepared. You two should try and recuperate.” With that, the mares all got up from their chairs and left, leaving Horus and Illua alone in the tree house.
"I'm surprised they took that at face value." Nyx chuckled. "Last time we had this discussion, someone didn't stop asking questions."
“They are still recovering from managing a defense, when previously they had no experience in leading. Not to mention they are all recovering from enslavement,” Horus pointed out, walking towards the corpse of the Caribou which remained in it’s chair.
Illua sighed as she sat back down, unclasping the war robe and removing it, setting it on the back of her chair. "Unfortunately, they're gonna have to learn to lead more, and find solutions without fighting soon."
Horus nodded, before hefting the corpse over his shoulder. “True.” He agreed as he carried it to the front door.
"I’ll be here when you get back. I'll be waiting for those supplies from the ladies." She waved.
“I’m afraid that will not be happening, my dear,” came a voice like Christopher Ayres from behind her.
"Excuse me?" She looked up and behind her, her brow quirked.
Horus snarled as he turned to the voice as well, tail lashing to the side as both of them took in the new arrival’s appearance. It looked to be a man with a suit literally made of playing cards and held together by clasps of gold and platinum, with aviator glasses made from jade with skin as black as night. He idly juggled a deck of cards in his hands, and he also wore a green bowler hat with a set of playing cards in a crown formation around it.
“Dealer,” Horus snarled.
“Hello, my dear boy,” Dealer smiled, before he looked towards Illua. “I’m afraid the time for this particular portion of my deal has ended. So, my darling, you will be heading back home.” Dealer continued to juggle the deck of cards, albeit with more flair now, even doing so behind his back. “Not to worry, though. I managed to get your own Displacer to agree to me transporting those Gems and that robe with you.”
“And we should believe that’s all there is to this?” Horus hissed.
"That would explain that new timer this morning. Huh." Illua muttered to herself. Shrugging the robes on, she stepped to the stairs to acquire her katana and sling it over her shoulder. "I guess I'll see you another time Horus?" Illua was slightly deflated, but it made sense. Summons were always temporary, no matter the game.
Horus frowned, but slowly nodded. “We will.” He shot a glare to Dealer. “Even if it means I must throttle him.”
Dealer shrugged, grabbing one card from his deck and tossing it behind Illua and himself, where it grew to about 10 feet tall, with a portal in it’s center. “You can certainly keep trying, dear boy.” He looked to Illua. His smile was all teeth. “Now, go on, girl. The longer you’re here, the less time you’ll have to help in your own Equestria.”
Illua sighed and stepped into the portal, vanishing into the kaleidoscopic expanse that traversed worlds. The Dealer bowed formally and followed her, an ever mischievous smile plastered on his dark face.
As they left, Horus simply stared after their exit as it disappeared.
Continuing down the corridor, I frowned as the encircled image of Ponyville approached, marking the end of my short adventure. “Hey, Dealer. I know I was summoned there temporarily, but is it possible I could summon Horus sometime?” probing the enigmatic displacer, my curiosity had gotten the better of me.
A wide smile, a flick of the wrist, and a card spun upon his fingertip. “That was part of the deal, so yes.” The card changed between suits with each rotating, as he chuckled. “I’m honestly tickled pink you two have already grown so attached that you’re asking for a second date~.”
My face flushed suddenly, turning away from the teasing planeswalker. “Honestly, I’d like that, and he is definitely cute. She would too, but she’s a bit more... how you say... prudish?” Nyx, somehow separate from me in this between-space, giggled as she laced her arms over my shoulders from behind.
Dealer chuckled more. “The next summoning there will not be a set time limit, so you two can have as much fun as you desire.” He stepped to the side as they arrived at the conjured exit. “Ah, there we are, Equestria No. 165-VG. Always fun to see what your side of the multiverse cooks up, my dear. I’ll be watching with my dear friend; you can count on that~.” With that, Dealer disappeared into the corridor itself, his light chuckles still faintly echoing.
I couldn’t help but smile at the infectious laughter, and stepped back into my own Equestria.
The portal opened in the middle of the crystalline study, depositing the weak magus back into the world proper. Candles had been lit, And the quadrupedal pony Princess of Magic sat at a wide desk, flipping through a set of books, scribbling. "Oh... So, this is your place... Huh." I mused, running my hand over my chin. Nyx was nowhere to be seen, but I could feel her presence within my mind, just where she belonged.
"Illua?... How did you get in here without me knowing?" The pony princess tilted her head, eliciting a quite giggle, and then a groan. "Are you alright? Did the drake get you earlier?... Where did this new armor come from?" She looked out the window at the mid-sky moon. "What took so long too? It's well past midnight."
"I'll tell you later, but for now, I'd really like to go get some rest. Do you happen to have a bed that I can sleep in?" Twilight nodded, spouting off quick directions to a guest room nearby. Waving her a quick good night, I quickly departed before she could prod at me. I could tell she was concerned, but it would be better to tell her in the morning.
Once safely in the room, I disrobed, and laid down once more. The Dealer, Displacers, and Horus.... She pulled out the new item in her box, a pendant made of bone, beads and string, with a pair of long talons framing a small knife. Smiling, I lightly traced the claws. ...A new friend with similar tastes, separated only by a thin veil between worlds? This isn't goodbye, it's just a temporary parting.
The dawn arrived, as commanded by that foreign goddess, stirring the flowery witch from her slumber. Last night’s feast was nowhere to be seen, meaning he definitely survived the encounter. Good. Now to see if Frustaz is awake. Wiping herself down with faintly scented salts and oils, she cleansed herself of the prior nights activities, before dressing once more. “Amirna, How is Frustaz doing?”
“He is currently awake. Komos is currently making breakfast, and he is questioning her about our lands.” The older draconid replied from beyond the doors. “Breakfast will consist of rice, creamed urchin, and mackerel.”
“Any vegetables? He needs more than our typical fare after his long slumber.” Ylbe stepped out of her private room, greeting the kindly elder with a polite nod.
“Hm… I could prepare some shredded radishes and mushrooms, and toss them in a little bit of kuraki butter?” Amirna proposed as they set off down the hallway, towards the sound of sizzling fish and friendly chatter.
Ylbe nodded as they turned the corner, being surprised by the muscular male outside of his armor, sporting a tank top and wide legged pants laden with pockets along the side. His arms were marked with a spiraling crystal pattern, with intertwining blues, blacks, and flecks of gold. His snow white hair was still damp, with how it clung to the back of his neck. Frustaz rested his chin upon his hands as he continued to question the spritely maid. “So, even with how wonderfully crafted everything is, many kinfolk still hunt large game in the lands between towns?”
“That’s exactly it, and it’s very difficult, considering how, even with many of us kinfolk being incredibly powerful, we still must fend off even stronger monsters. Things like Bladetails and Fellwyverns still are major problems, but their meat is great, and their scales and bones are useful in building.” Komos flipped one of the fatty filets in the pan, turning back to continue beating an orange mixture in a bowl. Her ears rose as she turned to Ylbe and her grandmother. “Oh, Good morning, Madame Ylbe.”
Ylbe nodded back, before turning to Frustaz. “Can I speak to you for a moment, out on the porch?” Frustaz nodded, stepping off his stool as he opened the side door. “We’ll be back, just give us a few minutes girls.” Ylbe took the open door as Amirna waved them off.
The flower witch took a seat on the porch as the icy knight leaned up against the wall, watching the sun rise upon the capital city of the Kinfolk nation. “Have you made your decision?”
“I’ll be honest, Sei- I’m gonna need to get used to saying your new name. Ylbe. Ylbe. Either way, I think I will like it here. I don’t have to do much other than take the occasional mission from the Emperor, and I get to enjoy food that I’ve missed for ages, even if it’s just a little bit different.” Frustaz chuckled, patting the slender woman’s head. “Besides, I get to stay around with you, and see how much you’ve changed in the thousand-ish years since we last saw each other, and I don’t have to deal with Celestia and Luna’s eternal drama.”
“Mmh. Hey, where’d the tattoos come from by the way?” Ylbe questioned, earning a raised eyebrow from him. “You didn’t have them last I knew.”
“I didn’t. When I was displaced by that Las Vegas reject, these appeared.” He rolled his arms around, showing how the golden wire embedded into them glittered in the light. “And they aren’t just decoration. They’re how I channel my energy into attacks.”
“Hey, can you do this?” Ylbe ran her hand in the air before her, opening a frosty panel that showed her numerical status and options akin to games. Frustaz did the same, flipping his status to face her. “Huh. Gunslinger/Ninja. That’s very fitting for a warframe.”
“No kidding. It does mean I don’t have traditional Mana like most of the ponies, considering I have the energy bar, but It means I practically could fight near-infinitely should I need to. Besides that... How advanced is the tech here? When I first arrived, tech was non-existent.”
“Oh, we definitely have technology. Monster Hunter level tech, but some nice tech regardless.”
“Hey, you two. Breakfast is done, so please come in while it’s warm.” Amirna called out, peeking through the door’s opening.
“We’ll be there in a moment. Ready for breakfast?”
The quiet morning came and went, and the sun was high in the sky as the human duo walked up the steps to the castle embedded into the central mountain, reaching high to the sky. This is it. This is when Frustaz becomes our tool. Ylbe thought to herself. Byrviss, her fellow retainer, awaited her at the top of the stairs. “Are you ready to meet our master?” He asked, earning a nod from the two approaching humans. “Good. He has been eagerly awaiting your answer, Knight of Winter.”
“I’m sure. Shall we?” His voice was muffled and amplified simultaneously by the helmet, the minimalist mask hiding his face.
This needs to be done. We can’t risk him interfering in the future. Ylbe kept the friendly smile up, but internally, she knew what she was doing. A small sacrifice for the greater good.
The heavy doors already had parted, the miasmic fog spilling out, allowing the white eyes of Zarkesh to gaze upon the retainer to be. “You must go in alone, Frustaz. I cannot be there until he is finished.” The fragrant mage said, motioning him forward. Frustaz nodded once more, and stepped into the private chamber, the doors closing behind him. Ylbe fell to her knees and sighed, rubbing her eyes. “Everything alright, Ylbe?” The older retainer spoke, a smug grin on his face.
“Yes. Everything is fine. He truly believes I’m his lost sister.”
“Sounds like you have everything under control then. What’s with the exhaustion then?”
“Restraint. If not for having to keep up the appearance of being related by blood, I probably would have eaten him last night.”
“Then all the better that you did not.” a chuckle escaped the kinfolk, as he turned away. “Is there anything we may need to do to test his abilities, once he’s sworn in?”
“Get a firing range set up, reinforce the back wall with 3 layers of Wyvsteel. See if we can make a striking pole of the same material. I’m not risking our tests causing accidental casualties.” Ylbe said, planting her staff and pulling herself back up. “He has weapons that far surpass our own. We can learn from them, use the improvements, and begin preparations.”
“Do you intend for war to happen?”
“The Emperor wishes to become as powerful, if not moreso, than those Celestial Sisters. If he is to be successful in that manner, war with the ponies and their allies is inevitable. Get the testing ground set up.”
“It is good to see you once more, Knight of Winter.” The deep tones of Zarkesh called the torches to life, bringing the deep gloom of his lair up to a fair glow, highlighting the dais before him and an inky yet reflective pool before him. “Have you made your decision?”
Frustaz nodded. “I have. I will enter service as one of your retainers. What do I need to do?”
Zarkesh smiled, his teeth white against the black scales of his face. “I ask you to do two things to seal this agreement. The first is to remove your armor. I wish to see you as you truly are. The second is for you to submerge yourself into the pool before you. That pool contains a fraction of my power, concentrated, to be bestowed upon you.” With a singular claw, he stirred the pool, a white glowing substance bleeding from the tip of his claw into it. Slowly the glowing white consumed the darkness in the pool, bathing the room in a brighter glow.
Frustaz carefully pulled off his armor, revealing the skin tight layer beneath the armor, setting it carefully on the dais. “So... I just jump in?”
“That is correct.”
Frustaz looked down at the pool, taking a deep breath, only to release it slowly. He stepped into the thick liquid, feeling the steps out deeper with his feet. “I half expected it to be thinner.” The knight of winter commented as it reached his shoulders, his feet firmly planted on the base of the pond. A few hesitant deep breaths, and Frustaz plunged under the surface.
Immediately, his sight was obscured as the burning began. Red creeped into the edges of his vision, as the primordial tar invaded his skin, its acidic creeping scorching the nerves and forcing the screams of pain from Frustaz. He tried to push from the bottom of the basin, but he could find nothing below him. Thrashing, Frustaz threw rails of ice up towards the elder dragon, as the oil slowly filled his mouth, and nose.
In a matter of moments, Frustaz’s screams ceased to be heard through the thick darkness. Each motion became slower and slower till he could no longer move, held fastby the anchoring ichor. What a horrible decision I’ve made. Frustaz thought, his mind retreating into unconsciousness, his health bar nearly drained. At least let me dream of my sister once more…
His thrashing having finally ceased, Zarkesh grined. The incarnate knight sank to the bottom, unmoving, unbreathing. Zarkesh grinned. “Ylbe, Enter.” His summons answered by his chosen princess, her face hidden by her bangs, eyes fixated on the bubbling pool. “The ritual was a success. The Incarnation of Winter now belongs to us.”
“Good to hear of your success once more, my liege.” Ylbe bowed to Zarkesh, before looking back up at him. “He’s too soft for what will be asked of him.” She looked back down at the now still pool, frowning. “How will he be controlled, your majesty?”
By you, using this.” Upon one of his claws rest a small bauble, of twisted silver around a large opal, bound to a chain that dangled from the tip. “Sumberge his armor as well, so thus it will match his new strength.”
Doing as she commanded, she dragged each part of his armor to the pool, and pushed it in, panting by the time it was done. “Damn, Frustaz, your armor is fucking heavy.”
“Really? It seemed to move much like the cloth you wear.” Zarkesh chuckled, stirring the pool with his claw once more, turning the fluid clear to view their newest thrall. His armor was slowly mutating and changing, growing chain-like scales that draped from the helmet like a syandana. The gauntlets grew larger, ending in sharpened claws. Everything had turned a solid black, mixing in violet highlights, and the once-gold adornments had faded into a corroded silver, pocked with specks of even more black.
Frustaz himself had changed very little, but the once blue and gold spirals around his arms had turned into the same purple and silver as his armor. Even the tips of his snowy hair had been dyed black. Zarkesh dipped the amulet into the fluid alongside Frustaz, before depositing it before the flowery witch. “Smear your blood upon the opal, and he will obey your commands, and allow you to communicate over long distances.”
“... Will he remember any of this?”
“Considering how little I do know about you species, I could not tell you. Nor could I compare to other thralls, as most have died before any semblance of recovery could happen. Now, seal the pact.”
Ylbe nodded, pulling out a thin knife from her robe and cutting across her wrist. Closing her fist tightly, she forced out thick droplets of her blood upon the gemstone, watching it permate it and reform into a strange and jagged marking, the same one appearing on the center of his featureless mask. “I hope I don’t have to wait long for him to rise.” She mused. Zarkesh nodded and withdrew into the farther reaches of his lair, curling up upon his royal pedestal. “How long does this normally take?”
A sudden grasp of the staff elicited a squeak from the surprised mage, as the reformed man began to climb out. His glassy eyes gazed up at Ylbe, his jaw set in a grim frown. “Jesus fucking Christ!” She jumped back, holding her staff with both hands before taking a deep breath.
“Your orders, Mistress?” His silvery tones were gone, replaced by a husky, yet dead, voice. The bright colors of his blue eyes had dulled, tainted by a stormy grey. She steadied herself, taking and releasing a deep breath as if to reset herself.
“First, do not scare me like that again. Announce your presence to me from now on.” A firm nod from him was his only response. “Equip your armor.” Ylbe’s commands were followed quickly, before his intense gaze returned to her. His armor looks like it’s been fused with Gore Magala and Lancelot’s… Ylbe thought idly, before it was broken by the heavy steps of her observed.
“Ylbe, he will be helping hunt later today, so prepare him. After that, he will be going to Equestria.”
“What for?”
“To eliminate the one known as Illua, before she can become a thorn in our side.”
Crunch. Thunk. Clink. Chime.
Celestia released a held breath as her spears connected once more. She was covered in thick, metal plates, overlaid atop chainmail. Greaves covered her long legs, ending in enchanted shoes. An armor she only wore once before. Once more, she sent her spears out and struck the dummy once again, its straw exterior crumbling under the force of her attacks.
Thunk. Thunk.
The solar princess growled at the dummy, one of her weapons deeply imbedded into its wooden body. Decorated upon its face was a painted canvas of Illua’s smug grin, replicated from one of the books lent to Twilight. Celestia’s horn lit up, impaling the head with the other spear before stepping back.
“My my, working out some anger issues, Sunny?” The ever mocking tones of Discord echoed in the room, as he stepped out from behind the damaged dummy, running a clawed finger over one of the ivory edges. The helmet she once wore flew over his head, clattering onto the floor. “Hm… not the response I was expecting.”
“What do you want, Discord?” Celestia’s typical aura of calm was gone, replaced with an ambient mixture of anxiety and annoyance. “As you can see, I’m quite busy preparing.”
“Ooh, preparing for what, might I ask? I dare not say… Murder?” Effortlessly dislodging the spears, he tossed them aside, repairing the dummy with a wave of his bear-like paw. He chuckled as he pulled out a paint brush, swiping it over the dummy’s canvas exterior, replicating Illua’s likeness upon it. “Revenge?”
Celestia snorted, glaring at the chaos spirit. “I’m preparing to fight her.”
“That much is clear, however, that last strike was a bit excessive for a simple ‘fight’,” Discord air-quoted, raising his eyebrow in question. “Perhaps it might be better for you to have a sparring partner. Someone to let a little frustration out with?”
“I plan to challenge her to a duel. And you, sparring? I highly doubt that you of all beings would even remotely know how to fight.” Celetia rolled her eyes, her golden magic once more encasing her spears.
“Oh Celestia, you wound me with your sarcasm. Of course I know how to fight. I just prefer not to.” A playful chuckle escaped Discord, his smirk apparent even from across the room. “I tend to get a little… Intense.”
“Very well then, I’d like you to then prove it. No chaos magic, no jokes.” Celestia took a wide stance, her armored wings flared, spears hovering at her sides.
“I’ll do you one better. I will keep a corporeal form, and limit myself to the traditional physical laws. Cross my heart, hope to fly.” Discord made the motions, leaving glowing white lines upon his chest. “I’ll pull out a good old favorite of mine.” A strange ripple around his eagle claw created a crystalline saber of green and red, with a single striking edge. On the back side were large, geometric shapes, refracting light in a smattering of unnatural angles, leading down to a wide handguard. Dangling from the pommel was a bright green chain, with a scarlet gem attached.
“What in Faust’s name is that?”
“It’s a sword. It’s name doesn’t matter. Are you ready?” Discord held out the strange weapon, tip raised upwards, in a gesture of honor. Celestia raised her eyebrow, looking at the odd blade. Shaking her head, she tapped her spear to his blade.
Each withdrew their weapons and took their stances. Discord soon lunged in, his heavy blade nearly crumpling Celestia’s defense. She struck out at him with her wing, which he spun away from, cracking her on the side of her head with a fist. “What was that?!”
Discord glared at her as he lunged again, this time sweeping her front legs from under her and touching the edge of the blade to her neck. “Dead. Celestia, you’re preparing to fight a swordswoman, not one of your precious ponies. Get up. We’re doing this again.” His tone had turned hard, and his playful air was now gone. “I want you to be serious about this. Illua won’t pull any punches, and neither will I, physically or mentally.”
“Mentally?” She asked, but received no response. He raised his weapon once more, his ever present grin having run from his face, replaced by an unfamiliar scowl. Celestia shook her head, and tapped her spear once more to his blade.
This time, when he lunged, she sidestepped, bringing her wing in to attack once more, spear rising from below and cracking against his side. Discord took the wing to the face, and rolled away. He looked up at her and threw a shard of ice, chasing it, bringing his sword down upon Celestia’s neck once more. This time, he did not hold back. It’s blunt face crushed her defenses and slammed into shoulder, forcing her down once again. “Dead.” Celestia grimaced at the blow, watching as the chaos spirit once again took his form.
“What in Tartarus is wrong with you Discord? This definitely isn’t like you.”
“Neither is locking your friend in a statue, nor your sister on the moon, but I guess we can’t all keep a facade up forever, now can we?” The smile showed on his face once more, but it was twisted, cruel, and sharp.
Celestia winced at the sudden and harsh truth. Celestia climbed back to her hooves, flaring her magic to retrieve her luminous weapons. “Discord…”
Looking over the chimera, his hackles had raised, and his appearance had already begun to warp into that torturous form, just as it had a thousand years ago. “That’s…”
“Low? Unfair? Oh I get it. But this is a reality.” Discord didn’t wait before he brought the maul-blade across Celestia’s face, sending her into the wall of the training hall. “If you’re gonna hold back against me, I may as well teach you a lesson.” The solar princess looked up at the slowly approaching chimera, and shuddered, retrieving her spears and bringing them up to defend herself.
His blows came fast and heavy, denting her precious weapons as she attempted to deflect each strike, being forced to dodge. “How lonely must it be to be the weakest fighter of the immortal trio. Forced to rely on convenient tools that we promised not to use upon each other.” His tail reached out and curled around her throat, picking her up and throwing her into the wall. “I fought off primordials who wished nothing but corruption upon our world, and Luna fought the Nightmares away. What did you do? Bask in the sun and glory of the peace we achieved.”
Celestia growled, gritting her teeth as she summoned up orbs of sunlight, hurling them at Discord, who’s blade consumed them on contact. “The both of you became a danger to yourselves and the world around you. I couldn’t just let you just continue--”
“I’m going to stop you there. The only one who earned that was me, but Luna? How dare you blame her for your negligence?” His voice had taken on a venomous edge, as he swung the blade, sending a ripple of plasma at the Princess, who barely could shield herself. Discord brought the blade down upon the magical barrier, shattering it. “You of all people should know that her transformation was due to you ignoring her pleas for help, and begging for even a simple gesture of appreciation.”
Another strike, and the crack of bone could be heard. Her wing was broken once more, laying limply beside her. “But such is the way of the limelight, am I right?” Another swing. Another broken wing. “But let’s not talk of that. Let’s talk about more recent events, like Twilight.” Celestia’s spears darted at Discord, managing to push him back, only to pull back and swipe at him. He caught the blows across his arms, chromatic blood oozing from his wounds.
Celestia’s gaze met his as she cast her own healing spell, the bones crunching once more as they realigned and fused back to their previous state. “You will not speak ill of her.” Her eyes held the embers of fury, licks of flame beginning at the ends of her mane.
“Good. You’re finally taking this seriously. Let’s delve deeper shall we?” Beams of light attempted to scorch the dextrous serpent, his dancing motions letting him weave through the magical assault, using the geometric blade to deflect her spears once more, sweeping her legs with his tail. He raised his blade to bring it down on her head, only to catch hooves across his jaw. “How did you know what was to happen with The Elements? With your Sister?” Discord’s form had shifted further into that feral appearance, his scales lifting into bladed surfaces, once-soft fur hardening into a metallic chitin.
Celestia remained silent, as her orbs pelted the slowly transforming chimera. “That’s right. You had to dip into Starswirl’s spells.” Discord grabbed one of the orbs and crushed it, the magic backlash eliciting a flinch from the diarch. “You went looking to the future before it was to happen. You orchestrated their very lineages. You created the perfect bearers out of a need for control.” From his maw, acid dripped onto the floor with each of his words. “What would happen if the Elements had found themselves in the hands of a Gryphon? A dragon? Perhaps one of those eastern Kirin?” He discarded his sword as his claws engorged themselves and became jagged, his eyes shimmering with color and fire. Celestia slowly stepped back, her wings quivering as she looked upon Discord’s new appearance.
“You would be alone. Luna would be dead by your hooves. I would be free to ravage the world in the form you see now. Cadence would watch the world burn from her frozen palace and watch as you suffer, all the while you would be eternally alone. You made Twilight to not only be your replacement... But your life partner. How cruel would it be for her to know that you perfectly tailored her appearance to your preferences?” With each sentence, he inched closer, the floor warping underneath his chaotic steps, until his breath caressed her chin.
“ENOUGH DISCORD, I WILL NOT TOLERATE YOUR LIES AND ACCUSATIONS ANY LONGER!” In a burst of light and flame, Her spears impaled Discord through his chest, glowing with the sun’s primal energy, eliciting a chuckle from him.
“Fate will not bend to your will, and neither will I. Until even the very stones of Equestria forgive your abuse of the Elements, you will be truly alone on the throne you so betrayed us for.”
A snap of his fingers, and everything was as it was moments ago. The training hall was unchanged, and the chaos spirit was dusting himself off, back to his stretchy, cartoony self. “Haa… That’s more than enough for one day. I feel better. How about you?”
Celestia looked at the Chaos spirit, and collapsed, her entire body quivering as she looked at her hooves. “I… I almost..” Her shoulders heaved as the adrenaline high receded, her stomach in sudden knots.
“Well, I’m sure you have a lot to sort out. I, however, have an obligation with Fluttershy this afternoon. I hope you’ll be ready for that duel you plan. Make an event of it, I’m sure the crowds would love to see it. Toodles.” Another snap, and he was gone.
Minutes passed, as Celestia fought her urges to cry, to vomit, to scream. A gentle knock at the door signaled the end of her training session for the day, but she did not reply. “Celestia, is everything alright in there?” The voice of her precious little sister called out, but again, she did not reply. Luna pushed her way into the training hall, and looked at the distraught elder. “Sister dearest?”
Celestia couldn’t hold back any longer, and released all three emotions.
“Please, clean the hall thoroughly, I will escort her to her room for the evening.” A curtsey from the maid as all Luna needed as confirmation. Putting her sister’s wing over her, she quietly helped the unsteady sun goddess through the castle halls, up to her bedroom door.
“Luna, I’m sorry.”
Luna blinked, eyes going slightly wide. “For what?”
“For being so weak willed and cowardly.”
Luna arched her eyebrow, at Celestia, confused. “What ever brought this distress upon you?”
Celestia pulled her wing back and walked to her bed, discarding armor in her wake. “Discord and I had a..." she paused. "...conversation today, and it brought back many a memory I wished not to remember.” Her prismatic mane once more fell loosely about her as she slithered into bed. “We had a sparring match, and I’m once again reminded how little I actually practiced the art of war.” Celestia's sighs punctuated her distress, only to continue with a trace of determination. “I wish to fight Illua.”
Luna looked up at her sister, furrowing her brow. “You.. wish to fight her?”
“Yes.”
“Tia--" Luna paused, humming slightly. "Doesn't Canterlot have an arena that goes unused except for the largest of spectacles? Didn't you implement laws regarding dueling, requiring spells to ensure the duels are non-lethal?" Luna smirked a bit at her sister's now surprised look, barely containing her giggling.
“Well, I feel like a right fool now.” Celestia snickered at Luna's infectious giggling.
"Then perhaps make an official challenge to her? Propose a wager?" Luna summoned over the quill and parchment, setting it before the solar sister. "I can act as overseer for the duel, if you wouldn't mind?"
Celestia nodded and nuzzled into her sister, before beginning her letter. "Dear Illua..." She paused, tapping the feather to her chin. "I wish to formally challenge you to a duel, in the Canterlot arena in one week's time. I implore you to meet myself and our observer at the Castle with the Elements of Harmony, Where you will be treated as a free citizen." The quill danced with Celestia's cadence, inscribing her word and intent.
"What will you be wagering?" Luna queried, peering over the fresh ink.
“Nothing as of yet. However, Luna, you must go raise the moon, It’s getting late.” A soft smile and a nudge from Celestia got her Luna moving. However, she stopped at the door.
“Will you be alright? I do not want you to become lost in a quest for vengeance…” Luna trailed off, pregnant with unspoken history.
“I’ll be fine. This will be therapeutic for me, if nothing else. I’ll see you in the morning.” Celestia waved off her sister, earning her a smile in return. “Goodnight Luna.”
“Goodnight, Celestia.” The moon princess closed her door with a soft click, her hoofsteps slowly fading down the halls.
Rolling the dry scroll up, She sent it off in a puff of green flame. There. Illua was last with Twilight, so it's likely it will reach her in due time.The sleepy diarch turned back over, her thoughts forming plans of how to approach the now oncoming duel. Illua, you will not be allowed to torment me any longer. I will drag you out of the shadows, and I will bring your actions into the light of my day.
The dawn broke once more, a faint trickle of light filtering into the guest room at the crystalline castle that sat in the midst of Ponyville. I opened my eyes as I felt the light warm the room, peering through bleary eyes. Good morning, Samurai.
Pulling a brush from my pocket dimension, I begin to tackle my messy locks. Morning Nyx. Anything especially interesting going on around us? I watched as my ethereal companion swam around in the reflective walls, whilst admiring her strange new freedom. Also, ‘samurai’?
I thought it’d be appropriate this morning, after the fighting of the last couple days. A light chuckle twinkled from behind the glassy barrier. Not much is going on. Ponies going about their day and Twilight’s outside the door. The sound of a hoof rapping on the door followed Nyx’s comment perfectly.
“Illua? Are you awake?” Her bright tones faintly echoing in the hall outside.
“No, I’m dead. Bleh.” The sigh of the purple princess could be heard beyond the door. “No, I’m awake, give me a few.” I stood up and stretched slowly, groaning as I felt the bandages around my ribs resist my motions. The bandages needed to be changed for sure. Reaching around to the back to unfasten the bandage, I winced at the stretching wound. “Hey uh.. Twilight. Can you go get some more bandages, and perhaps a clean cloth and water?”
“Is everything alright?” Twilight asked, her voice muffled by the wooden door.
“Well, during my field trip, I ended up getting into a scuffle that required some first aid. I’d hope you’d be willing to help.” I said, slowly unravelling the gauzy cloth, wincing as the compression released my skin with faint welts and imprints.
“Should I get Nurse Redheart or--?”
“Just the bandages or gauze will work, I don’t need a house call Twilight.”
Silence came from the other side of the door, before another slight sigh was heard. “Okay, I’ll be back then.” The faint clip-clop of her hooves in the hall signaled her departure.
“Mmh.. looks like that hurts.” Nyx observed, her reflected face laced with a fragment of concern.
“Nah, you think?” I hissed at her, as I bundled up the long strip. Reaching to my side, I pulled off the clump of matted fur from Horus, and ran my hand carefully over the newly exposed flesh. A trickle of blood and a few stray strands of fur lingered in the wound, but it had mostly closed already due to her magic. “Well this is going to be a beautiful explanation when Twilight gets back.”
I grimaced as the cool tweezers in the tingly magic belonging to the alicorn pulled another tiny fragment of fur from my wound, only to wipe it down once again with the cool rag. “So you just used wolf fur to make an improvised gauze pad?”
“Not just any wolf, more like a dragon-wolf hybrid with some curative and defensive abilities. It pulled the poison out of me.” I grunted, one hand covering my chest as the other rested over my eyes. Another hair had to be slowly pulled out, dislodging another piece of my scab. “I half expected a spell to just easily remove this.”
“Illua, this needs to be done correctly and meticulously, because unfortunately, the wolf in question doesn’t have the best idea of how to employ their own remedies.” Twilight placed the last few strands into her little bowl, wiping me down once more. “This might burn a bit.”
“Peroxide?” I asked, peeking up at the focused princess.
“Peroxide.” A dark bottle, sealed with even darker cork hovered in her magic. A quiet pop and the smell confirmed it for me. I groaned, feeling the disinfecting bubbling begin as the faint smelling liquid was daubbed on.
“Ooh, suffering.” A quiet giggle escaped the ethereal spirit, her eyes tracing my form.
“Really Nyx, gonna get your rocks off now?” I raised an eyebrow at her, mildly annoyed as I peered from under my hand.
“I don’t get to see you topless much, so, I don’t see the problem.” Nyx smirked, resting her chin on her hands in the reflective wall. “Am I not allowed to enjoy the view?”
“I’d really appreciate you two not flirting while I do this.” Twilight muttered, the cloth wiping the now clean gash, as she applied a proper poultice and gauze, holding it with a hoof. “Illua, you can get up now, but keep your arms up, I still need to wrap you.” Following her Instructions, I lifted my chest enough to give her an easier time. “Why do you cover up, let alone wear clothing as often as you do?”
“Humans as a whole are raised with a level of shame about our nakedness. Combined with a lack of protection and good ways to retain warmth or to cool efficiently, everyday clothing became our solution.” The clean bandage was wound around my ribs once more, laid just a little flatter and looser. I immediately turned away from Twilight, calling a loose fitting dress from my inventory, and slipped it over my head.
“Oh, so similar to the Abyssinians and how many of them are incredibly short haired, and do not fare well in cooler climates?” Twilight queried, her eyes locked onto my face.
I stood up and smoothed out the dress, before turning to face her proper. “I guess? I’m not sure what an Abyssinian is, so I couldn’t really tell you.” A few quick motions down the front of my dress, and I felt it settle around my torso properly. I looked up to see Twilight staring, confusion evident on her face. “Hm? Do I look funny?”
Twilight shook her head. “No, I just didn’t expect it to look so nice.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Are you suggesting I looked bad before--”
“No, I wasn’t saying you looked bad before, I just was caught off guard, that’s all!” I snickered at Twilight's sudden panic and embarrassed blush. “A-Anyways, how about a tour around Ponyville? We can visit most of the girls and get the other ponies exposed to you.”
“Sound’s good. Nyx?”
“Fine by me.” Nyx responded, her wispy visage appearing in the floor beneath Twilight.
“Gah!” Her wings shot straight out as she teleported suddenly, reappearing a few feet away. I couldn’t stifle my giggles.
“Nyx, don’t mess with her too much…” I squeaked out between chuckles.
“Oh alright…” The night spirit groaned sarcastically, her own laughter echoing mine.
Immediately, Twilight and I were given a wide berth as we walked about the town, my eyes glancing to familiar looking buildings. Considering the last look at this place I had, this is much nicer.
Agreed, it’s not a misogynistic playpen disguised as a town anymore. Nyx’s quiet response echoed my sentiments.
“So, are you hungry? What do humans eat primarily? Fluttershy mentioned you might have been a predator of some form.” Twilight’s rambling caught my attention, earning a smirk from me.
“I am hungry, yeah. To some degree, she’s correct, Humans are a sort of predator, but most are omnivorous for our own good. Too many different types of nutrients needed and all that.” I replied, my eyes flicking over each of the nervous ponies who would suddenly redirect their path a whole ninety degrees away from us. Oftentimes into a wall. I still make ponies nervous. Right. I frowned a bit, before Twilight continued again.
“We could go to Sugarcube Corner. It’s a pastry shop that Pinkie works at.” A point of the hoof to the gingerbread house-like structure gleaned a smile from me. “Will that work for now?”
“Oh, definitely. I’ve grown to miss sweet stuff.”
“You have a sweet tooth?”
“Hey there Twilight! Oh and Illua, are you here for the party? I wasn’t sure if we were going to do that today or not, but I have a fresh chocolate cake ready. Ooh, did you want a slice of that right now, I could--” Twilight chuckled at the flood of words that came from her enthusiastic friend, shaking her head.
“No Pinkie, we’re actually coming by for a bit of breakfast. Do you happen to have any of those puff pastries with jelly and frosting still?” A quick nod from Pinkie and a tap on the case highlighted the spread. “Oh good, can we get a few for me and Illua?”
I kept looking around the establishment, furnished with light woods. Tables decorated the walls where ponies sat and enjoyed their sweets of choice, but many of them looked uneasy at my presence. Some left shortly after I arrived, while others glared at me with some form of annoyance. At least they’re polite enough to be quiet about it in this era.
The sudden pink obscuring my vision broke my concentration, blinking as I returned to the reality away from my thoughts. “Hey, hello, Illua, what kind of pastry are you interested in?”
“Uh.. A bagel.”
Really?
“Make that two bagels, with cream cheese and some jam if that's possible.”
“Coming up! You girls go take a seat, I’ll bring them over to you.” The party pony quickly bounced to the back with the order, snagging a platter along her path.
Twilight took a seat near the door, but I kept glancing about. “Is something wrong?”
“Can we sit a bit further in the back?” I couldn't help rubbing one arm as the unpleasant sensation of disdainful eyes glaring on me started to sink in. The familiar outcast feeling had come surging back.
Twilight nodded. “Sure.” We took the furthest corner, a fair distance from the door. I idly stared out at the floor once we got settled, my eyes bouncing from brightly colored pony to brightly colored pony. “So, what’s up Illua?”
I flashed a weak smile at her. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been here in Ponyville. No one I once knew is here anymore, and the staring brings back some uncomfortable memories.” I looked over the cozy looking dining room, in an attempt to suppress the memories of hiding the marks in my arms from schoolmates.
The clink of dishes before us broke the train of thought. I looked up to see the typically noisy party pony quietly setting dishes from her back to the table before taking her own seat beside me. “So, about your party, how can we do this for you? How do humans party?” She was oblivious, but that was a good thing this time.
I smeared the condiments onto my bread of choice, before beginning my nibbling. “Well, that’s a hard question. There were so many cultures and traditions, you really couldn’t point to just one way humans partied.”
“Is it like how the Yaks and the Dragons party differently from us?” Pinkie’s eyes widened, a slight quiver in her entire form. “Or is it like how Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis have parties different from the ponies here in Ponyville?”
I chuckled softly. “Probably a little bit of both actually. Some people preferred to have large parties with all of their friends, with music, drinking, food, and illegal activities.” Another bite, another few chews. “Some of them preferred to have events tied to their parties, like tournaments and charity fundraisers. As for me… I’m pretty simple. Cake, friends, some card games. Little bit of music.” I smiled a bit, forcing lonely memories of my birthdays being celebrated in a hospital room down. “Do you think you can keep it a bit more mellow?”
Twilight chuckled. Pinkie hummed as she ran a hoof over her chin. “I got things to plan. How soon do you want to party? I don’t know your birthday, and I’m not--”
“August 23rd.” I interjected, looking at Pinkie.
“Oh my Gosh it’s in a few weeks so I have plenty of time to prepare! I gotta go put orders in!” The pink blur zipped off, leaving myself and Twilight sighing in relief.
“Draining for you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at Twilight.
“As much as I love my friends, Pinkie can be very exhausting at times. However, I wouldn’t change her for anything.” Twilight giggled slightly as she finished her danishes. “So, now that we’ve eaten, is there anything you wanted to do?” The princess leaned forward, resting her chin on her hooves.
You need non-armor.
You mean normal clothing.
That’s what I said.
“Hm.. Do you think Rarity would mind making an outfit or two for me? Maybe on the simple side?” I asked, earning myself a chuckle from the cute pony. Just thinking about what might be involved made me slightly anxious, but I knew I needed more than just armors and robes.
Ooh, you’re thinking she’s cute now. What would Cadenza think?
Oh shut up. I bet she’d think Twilight was cute.
“I’m pretty sure she would be thrilled to make an outfit for you. You’d pose a unique challenge for her, and I think she’d be able to do something to your tastes. I’m personally not a fan of dresses, and I always love the outfits she makes me.”
I swallowed the last of my bagel, internally grimacing at the idea of getting more dresses. “Hey, Pinkie, what do I owe you?” I call out, the pony in question popping her head out of the kitchen.
“Don’t worry about it today, I’ll cover it. You can always treat me later once you have your hooves under you.” She waved her hoof at me, before eliciting a giggle.
I blinked in surprise, but smiled. “Thanks. I’ll see what I can do then.”
“Ready to go to Rarity’s then?” Twilight asked, while I quickly stacked our now empty plates before the two of us got up.
“About as ready as I’m going to be, honestly.” I replied, Nyx’s chuckling echoing in my head.
“Have a nice day Twilight, Illua!” Pinkie waved to us as we made our way out of the bakery, Twilight leading me to the next destination of our little tour, The Boutique.
I stood before the door of the lavender frilled building, hesitating before the simple wooden portal.
“Is everything okay Illua? You’ve been acting a little different today.” Twilight’s hoof rested on the door, ready to advance, but her eyes were on me.
“I’m good, just.., Nervous I guess.” I shrugged, taking slow breaths to ease the butterflies in my stomach. “I’ve never personally been to a tailor or dressmaker.”
“Is it not a common profession for humans?” Her head tilted, brows arcing in opposition.
“Not particularly, because of how the culture of shopping was. Clothing was mass produced, and standardized mostly, so professionals became incredibly expensive to even consult, let alone get a customized piece of clothing.” I explained, sighing as more memories were dredged up.
Lot’s of memories being triggered today… More than our entire campaign against Celestia. What gives? The concern in the night spirit’s thoughts pushed a frown on to my face.
I was too busy focusing on everyone else and leading the revolution. Nothing brought all of this to mind.
[i]You have too much time to think now, compared to before. The normalcy is unusual for you now, isn’t it?
A bit.
“Well, let this be a first then.” Twilight’s words ripped me from my thoughts as she pushed the door inwards, ringing the little bell.
“I’ll be down in a moment,” the voice of the society climber rang out from the upper levels, the sounds of drawers and tools being shuffled around and tucked away punctuating her statement.
However, my eyes looked between the horse shaped mannequins, grimacing at the excessively frilly and over-decorated dresses. “Uh… Twilight...are those her normal outfits?” Most of them looked extremely tight around the mannequins’ barrels, with barely any clearance for walking. I felt my unease intensify.
“Those are a few of the outfits she has on sale, but she prefers to make custom outfits for her clients, and they are admittedly very nice.” Twilight’s optimism did not ease my concerns. Rather, it made them harden into the pit of my stomach.
So remember how I told you that she’s the fashionista?
You did not tell me she ran a Victorian Lolita parlor.
I have no idea what that means, Illua.
Frilly, over complicated, stuffy, and by all accounts, suffocating.
Oh, so you’re not into fashion? I figured most ladies would be.
Nyx, you know as well as I that I either wear armor, or comfortable stuff.
Let’s see what she drafts up then, shall we?
Nyx’s mischievous giggles punctuated my feelings as Rarity descended the stairs, her blue magic gathering plush couches and a coffee table from the corners of the room. “I apologize dears, I was working on one of the commissions for Sapphire Star. How has your day been, ladies?” Twilight hopped up on one as if this was normal. I slowly lowered myself, until I nearly had my knees to my chest to sit on the pony sized couch.
“It’s been rather nice, Illua and I visited Pinkie, enjoyed some pastries as a late breakfast, and chatted for a little bit.” Twilight detailed with glee.
“Sounds like a pleasant morning so far. So then, what brings you to my lovely little boutique, darlings?”
I swallowed hard, before starting. “I would like to get an outfit made...if that’s possible.”
Rarity’s sudden gasp of excitement caused me to flinch slightly. “Oh darling, Is that all? Of course I will make you an outfit! I could do any number of dresses and styles for you. Ooh, I could possibly do a dress like the industrial era petticoats and ball gowns, perhaps--” Rarity began sprouting ideas before stopping herself. “Let’s go upstairs so that we can start measuring you! We can talk about design and materials! It will be delightful” The sudden rise to her hooves and trot up the stairs immediately surprised me. “Spiiiiiike, do you mind getting some tea made?” I could hear her practically sing her request to this ‘Spike’.
“Ah, so that’s where he’s been today. Should have known.” A soft chuckle came from the purple pony, as she got to her own hooves.
“Who’s Spike?”
“Ah, Spike is a young dragon, who I hatched during a pretty disastrous test at Celestia’s Academy for Gifted Unicorns.” Twilight’s hooves echoed in the empty lobby, as I got to my own feet, confused.
“So you just casually hatched a dragon? Wouldn’t that be dangerous?” I asked, carefully ascending the staircase up. The door at the top opened to reveal the purple and green drake in question, his claws clicking on the tile floor.
“Hey there Twilight, just helping Rarity today.” His eyes looked over me, his eyes going wide with… admiration? “Duuuuude. You look like one of those Abyssinian comic book heroes in casual clothes. I’m Spike, nice to meet you.” He held out a little claw to me.
I chuckled softly at the hero comment. He’s definitely a nerd like me. “I’m Illua, pleasure to meet you. Off to make tea?”
“Yep. When she asks for tea, it’s probably going to be a few hours of a proj-- Oh. I’m sorry. I’ll be back.” His unfinished sentence confirmed my worries.
“Come on in, darling, and we can get started!”
This was going to take a while.
While the tea was pleasant and sweet, the rest of the three hours were uncomfortable. The stray poke of a pin, this bundle of ribbon or that bolt of fabric, and a few modified corsets all ended up wrapped around my body, with nearly a dozen different designs drawn by the fashion minded unicorn. Spike stood at a constant ready to assist, with a slightly dreamy look. So he’s definitely crushing on Rarity. I shrugged mentally at the comment for the umpteenth time.
“So, darling, Illua, dear. You’ve posed to be quite a challenge, since I will need to make a mannequin to test things, but I think I have a few designs that I could make rather easily for you. Would you let me know what you think?”
A trio of parchment papers fluttered towards me, with a simple outline of my form and an intricately detailed outfit drawn on. The first of the three outfits was definitely Victorian in design, with a dense petticoat overlaid with a long, bright blue dress matching my current attire. The torso was cinched around the waist, and tight across the chest, with long sleeves that expanded from the elbow and flowed. Almost all of the extra details seemed to be lace, with examples set to the side debating between black and white. The neckline was square and showed off a bit of the cleavage, and was further accented with even more lace. Definitely beautiful, but I couldn’t help but nitpick at it’s lack of practicality.
The second was something I expected more from a stage performer. A one piece outfit it appeared to be, it was a jumper styled affair, with bell bottom pants for the base. A cape-like half-dress draped over one leg from the waist, while my shoulders would have been exposed, despite the long sleeves that fit over my hands like fingerless gloves. A pair of heels were illustrated next to the design, with a few variations displaying stiletto and wedge styles. A few patterns were highlighted beside it. The biggest thing that irked me about it was the one repeated word with it: glitter.
It’s not bad persay…
No. Glitter gets everywhere.
Very well.
The third was the most simplistic of the three she presented. A form fitting black dress, backless with a very high slit. A fairly high neckline, with a set of jewels both highlighting my chest and forming a fairly high class pattern. The lower portion of the dress had a set of burnished gold pinstripes to contrast against the black, with a thicker outline along the hem. I ran my hand along my leg to envision where the slit would end, before blushing a bit. My ass would literally be hanging out…
I looked up to the eager fashionista, her eyes practically sparkling in anticipation. “So?”
I swallow again, before sighing. “Rarity, I’ll be honest. While these are all definitely well thought out designs, I can’t really see myself in them.” I explained, before setting them down beside each other. “This first dress, while very beautiful, I would feel stifled in it most of the time. And considering you are looking at using crushed velvet for it, I’d definitely end up damaging it because I moved slightly the wrong way.” I flipped it face down, earning myself a bit of a frown from the white unicorn. However, I could hear the occasional cough from Twilight. Oh, she’s trying to stifle laughter.
I picked up the third outfit, pointing to the slit. “It’s a nice, black tie affair outfit, but I’m not one for those events. Also… Rarity, as you could see, I don’t have a cutie mark.”
“So you wouldn’t want to show that off?” Rarity asked with confusion, her eyebrow raising at my minor complaint.
Twilight’s snicker happened again. I turned to look at her, catching her looking anywhere but me. “Not particularly, no. Especially because, unlike ponies, I don’t like showing off. You’ve seen the scars I have today.” I explained, my eyes glancing to the amused princess.
“They are a bit unsightly, yes, but they are a part of you that you shouldn’t shy away from. They show a strength most of us can’t show.” The words, while said in defense, caused me to grin a bit. Rarity shrugged. “But I do understand, some ponies are not comfortable showing off when they dress up.”
I gestured to the last of them, as I flipped the prior down. “This is actually really nice looking, but glitter is…”
“Messy?” Rarity asked.
“Yeah.”
“Very well…” A slightly defeated tone came from her as she scooped up the designs, and set them aside on her table. “How about this one?” She floated over another picture as she began sorting her desk.
It was simple, and easily modified. A top that exposed my shoulders, but had wide straps. The top was cropped slightly, and had half sleeves that hung from the sides of the main bodice. A high waisted skirt was matched to a set of simple stockings, and a pair of what looked like some classic high-top sneakers. “Rarity, Is there anyway we could change this for shorts? Maybe made of denim?” I pointed to the skirt in question, causing her to pull the illustration back to her.
“You mean like what the Minotaurs wear while they work, in order to have things to hang belts and tools from--” Rarity stopped. “That’s exactly what you need. You need something that will help carry the few things you need. Spike, Twilight, Illua, I must bid you adieu, I must get to work!” Her horn lit up and picked the three of us up, and nearly tossed us into the hallway. The door slammed behind our forced exit, and the sound of a sewing machine whirring to life was the only sound left in that room.
“Well that was only slightly unexpected.” Spike mused, as he got up, dusting himself off. “So, mind if I join you?”
“I don’t mind Spike. Twilight?” I picked myself up and patted down my skirt, picking up my sword from the hallway.
“Not at all. Just wish Rarity would be a little more gentle when she gets inspired like that.” Twilight groaned, rolling over and taking a few cursory flaps of her wings. “I was thinking we could visit Fluttershy next, but I think she’s currently feeding her animal friends. Rainbow is always off flying, so it’s hard to pin her down, and Applejack’s working at the farm, so I guess we can just head back to the castle for a little while. Want to catch up on some History since you became stone?” Twilight asked, shaking her head a bit.
“Sure.” I replied, the tolls of today being taken already from me. I looked over at Spike to see him looking almost visibly nauseous before a gout of green flame erupted from him. I raised my arms to protect myself, only to hear the crunch of a scroll hitting the floor. “... I wasn’t aware that dragons ate paper.”
“It’s a letter from Princess Celestia! ...Wait, this one has a seal on it. Let’s get going, I have the supplies to release her seals in my workshop.” Twilight’s excitement was tempered almost immediately by what looked to be a simple wax seal. She had immediately begun moving down the stairs, leaving me confused.
“Uh, Twilight, it’s just wax. You should be able to just open it.” I said, scratching the back of my head. She was walking quicker than I expected, leaving me and Spike to catch up.
“No, this one is special. In fact it won’t break unless they are opened by the intended recipient or one of the tools she gave me to find said recipient.” Twilight corrected, tucking the rolled letter under her wing. “Besides, I have to do my due diligence in this matter, since it’s one of her gold seals, meaning it’s quite important.”
“So that’s why it felt a bit gross. She doesn’t normally send magic ones like that.” Spike groaned.
I just sighed. Ten bits it’s for me. Deal. I get to choose dinner If you’re wrong.
Twilight’s workshop-lab hybrid was far more extensive than I thought it would be. Valves, calipers, compasses both mathematical and geographical littered tables, while wires, helmets, and strange machines of pseudoscience lined the walls. I carefully stepped around the low tables, unwilling to threaten the perfected chaos of the meticulously kept domain. And I thought Jayson was a nerd with all his light strips and soldering tools...
“Now, let’s see who this is for..” Twilight held a flat tool made of some pink crystal in her hand, and slipped it under the waxen seal with a faint humming noise before it released from the ribbon and parchment. A quick unrolling and a scan from the purple pony’s eyes confirmed my suspicions. “Illua, it’s for you, from Princess Celestia.”
Dammit.
Called it.
“Let me read it.” I groaned, taking the letter. “I’m pretty sure she’s setting up a way for us to ‘reconcile our differences’. Honestly, what does she think I’m going to do, murder the populace and assasinate her?”
“A-Are you actually--”
“No, I only fought her previously because she was being a thick-headed ostrich with her head so far up her own ass that she couldn’t see ponies dying as something other than ‘just the natural course of things.’ Obviously she’s learned but I digress... Ahem..”
I lifted up my nose as I peered down at the letter, doing my best imitation of the solar ruler. “Dear Illua, I wish to formally challenge you to a duel in the Canterlot Arena in one week’s time. I implore you to meet myself and our observer at the Castle with the Elements of Harmony, where you will be treated as a free citizen. From, Her Royal Highness, Princess Celestia.”
“What a fancy way of saying ‘I want release, please hit me.’ You up for being able to legally hit the princess?” Nyx’s excitement was almost infectious. Twilight’s jaw laid slack as she looked at me in a state of shock.
“I mean, I won’t say no? Especially after her ambush on us when we escaped petrification. Kinda a few cheap shots when we’ve been trapped and losing stats, when she's had another three hundred years of gains.” I mused in response, still looking at the letter, albeit more seriously. “Hey, Spike, how long have you been nauseous before you belched this letter out of curiosity?” I flipped the letter over, still trying to see if there was any other marking or inscription that might be hidden.
“It started a day or two ago, but it got bad suddenly just before we left Rarity’s. Why?” Spike tilted his head, scratching his scaled frill. I put my hand to my chin as I thought, frowning slightly. “Is this bad?”
“That means we have five days to make it to the castle, get comfortable, walk the arena, and be ready for the combat encounter, as well as be fully healed and ready to go. Great.” It was my turn to sigh and lean lightly on one of the tables. “Twilight… How soon can we gather the girls?” I rambled, my gaze turning to the still stunned Twilight.
“You’re going to do what to the princess?!” Twilight’s mind had finally caught up to the conversation, leaving her exasperated. “I can gather the girls quickly of course, but why? Why would you two fight of all things? Why does it have to be a fight?! Violence is never the answer!”
Nyx and I looked at each other and snickered. “You’re right. Violence is never the answer.”
“Violence is the question.”
“And the Answer is YES.”
Twilight rested her hooves on her eyes and groaned. “Oh my sweet princesses, please save me from this trial to be…”
Having packed my grinding wheel, the crystals from Horus, and a few pieces of my jewlery work to trade for bits, I sat at the station quietly humming as my mind whirled in the dawning light of morning. Celestia and I fighting again is going to be very interesting. Why do you say that? Is it because we’re rusty? The dulcet tone of my companion, and the sensation of her arms over my shoulders gave me a smidge of comfort.
That, and our stats are lower than when we first fought her. Unless for some reason she didn’t train at all in these centuries past, or even let herself laze about, I’m concerned this will be a one sided duel. Ruminating on the possibilities, I couldn’t shake this thought. Our ability to dodge her was lackluster, even though she telegraphed her attacks quite a bit. She wasn’t even aiming to harm us really.
Well, we’ve been out of the rock for a little over a week now, not considering the time dilation from being summoned, and we’ve gotten two great warm ups to get us back in shape. I think we’ll be fine. The metaphysical squeeze around my shoulders stole a smile from me. Heads up, Ponies inbound.
I looked up to see the Elements approaching, most of them laden with a pair of saddle bags, while a specific white one courted a few extra cases behind her with magic. “Hello again, everyone.”
The mixed greetings made me chuckle. Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy all seemed well rested and ready to go, while Rainbow Dash and Rarity looked dead on their hooves. Twilight was the only one who seemed like she hadn’t slept, and was seemingly fine. “So, the train should be arriving any moment now. Do we need to buy tickets now, or is there something already arranged?”
“Ah, Princess Twilight, are you and the girls boarding with us today?” A deep yet cheery voice called out from behind me, coming from a chocolate brown pony with a neatly trimmed white beard.
“Yes, Mr. Rider, we will be, with our new friend Illua here. Do you happen to have any large species chairs available to load on?” Twilight asked the curious conductor of the Ponyville station. I stood and stepped out from between them, looking upwards along the tracks.
“Hey.” Rainbow Dash hovered above me, glancing up at her. “Do you like to play games?”
“What kind of games? I was decent at a lot of them back home.” I shrugged, watching her lower herself down to my eye level.
“Card games.” The competitive look in Rainbow’s eyes made me curious.
“So, are we talking like... Poker? Old Maid? Go Fish?”
“I don’t know if you know about Friendship: The Gathering, but I have a few decks I brought since Pinkie and Applejack like to play too.” Rainbow rummaged in one of her bags and pulled out a simple looking wooden box, with a red flame symbol on the front of it.
“Mind if I see it?”
“Sure.”
I took the box gently and slid it open, only to start maniacally giggling. It was a pony version of Krenko, Mob Boss, as a commander deck from Magic. “Oh my god. You play Magic the Gathering. I wish I had my old decks from home."
“So you might know how to play? I mean, this one’s a Fire Goblins deck, but I have others, including a Lifeless Voideater deck and--” Rainbow started, before being suddenly interrupted by Pinkie’s excited announcement
“I play a Steam Controlled Chaos deck! It features things to make things all mixed up!” She giggled. “Rainbow doesn’t like it when I cast Moon Prison on her big nasty EzraCool.”
“And the last time we played, y’all blew up my breezies with your pyroclasm and gremlin bombs! I’m still frustrated at that. I made this deck into a Marsh deck just to play against that!” Applejack chimed in, earning a few friendly chuckles from Rainbow and Pinkie.
“Got a spare deck for me to borrow?” I asked, before the whistle of the train interrupted our conversation. “Guess it’s time to get on board.” Following the girls to the station, I could only hear muffled laughter from Nyx. What?
You seem surprised that card games exist in this world.
I’m more surprised that something so similar to something of my world even existed.
Perhaps our worlds may have touched at one point.
Honestly, considering how I got her, It probably has.
The train ride up the mountain seemed to blur by with the conversation between the girls and I, and the back and forth rounds of ‘Friendship: The Gathering.’ Rainbow had lent me a deck similar to an old Orzhov deck I used to run, and while I won and lost a few rounds, It was overall a great ride.
However, The arrival at the station was disappointing. Guards, in rank and file, with a determined-looking officer of some rank, all armed with spears, shackles, and shields. Mmh. ‘Free Citizen.’ Right.
“Uh... Illua. Didn’t the letter say you would be--” Twilight started, before I stood and picked up my blade. “Oh no, you’re not gonna fight them in the middle of the city are you?”
“No, I’m not gonna fight them in the middle of the city, Twilight. I will, however, defend myself if they attempt to impede us.” I replied, latching the hilt to the sheath and testing the lock. “Oh, and before you ask, no, I won’t harm them.”
“Darling, is violence really the-”
“No Rarity, violence isn’t the answer, violence is the question.” Twilight sighed out, rubbing her eyes once more. I could only smile as I stepped out of the train car, much to the surprise of the awaiting guard. Scanning the Canterlot station, I saw guards blocking the passengers from exiting the other train cars.
The leading officer stiffened. “Illua I assume?” He tried holding his air of authority, but I peered down on him. He had little shivers attempting to break his bravado. I grinned.
“That would be me. How can I help you as a free citizen of Equestria?” my grin grew. He paled.
“Y-You are to be es-escorted to the castle under penalty of law by the commandment of the Cr-Crown.” His voice quivered as I leaned over him, examining the shiny new helmet.
“Hm. What If I refuse?” I could hear the anxious shifting of the guards and the girls, except for Rainbow, who seemed eager to watch me fight. I leaned over him, peering down darkly as he cowered. “Anyone?” I looked up over the surrounding guards, only to see a few spears lower.
“Okay, make you a deal. Draw blood from me, and I’ll gladly go willingly. If you can’t, you can tell Celestia to wait while I have some time with my friends.” I brought the sheathed blade up to bear. “Ready when you are.”
Celestia added a pair of sugar cubes to her tea, and stirred quietly, as Luna read a scroll. “Sister, the dueling contract looks to be in order, and the vendors have already been contacted about the event in five days times. Are you sure you’re going to be ready for the duel? Have you arranged for some form of wager or agreement with Illua yet?” Luna’s questions broke the silence between the two, garnering a smile on Celestia’s face.
“I was considering exile, with the requisite branding. Make her another country’s problem.” Luna blinked slowly, shaking her head as her older sister took a quiet sip. “The other option was to perhaps petrify her once again, and let the ages once more consume her.”
Luna set her cup down, closed her eyes and sighed. “Sister dearest, the last time we did either of those options, the past repeated itself. Discord escaped and resumed causing chaos, and Tirek returned more powerful than ever and nearly defeated us entirely. Illua, based on the archives, is technically a war hero. Is this really the right answer?”
Celestia poured a pair of new cups for the both of them, doctoring hers once again to her liking. “It is perhaps not the correct answer, but I am at a loss of how to resolve this in a fair and just way otherwise. With that in mind--”
The sudden arrival of a guard through the window smashed the table, tea set, and the shelves on the opposing wall. Celestia simply sighed, her eyes flicking to the guard with a piece of parchment wrapped in the poor colt’s tail. “--I do dearly hope our guest minds her manners until the time of battle.”
Luna’s horn encapsulated the scroll, and brought it before herself, whilst simultaneously righting the poor officer onto his feet. “It’s from Illua.” The groan from Celestia was evident as she undid the damage done by their spontaneous drop-in. “I guess I’ll read it aloud. Ahem:
“Your Royal Wideness, as a free citizen of Equestria, I will be taking some time in the city with the Elements. No harm was done to your guards outside of a few bumps on their heads, and the one presenting you this letter being spell-delivered direct to you.
If you continue to send guards, I will continue to dispatch them, inciting fear into your ponies as if basting a turkey, which I will proceed to consume with great delight much to the horror of your vegetarian populace.
Yes, I will eat the Fear Turkey.
Call off your guards, I’ll see you this evening~<3
Love, Illua”
Luna snickered towards the end of her reading, as Celestia silently gazed into her tea. “Sister? Y-you okay?” The night princess could barely contain her building laughter, while the solar princess looked up, wide-eyed with a pained smile.
“It’s like another, smaller, sassier Discord. Why?” She whimpered out, her gaze going back to her now empty tea cup.
Luna’s laughter could be heard throughout the castle.
Rainbow whistled as the guard sailed directly for the castle, landing in one of the high towers with a delightful puff of dust. “Man, you think he’ll be okay?”
“He’ll be fine. The spells combination I used should at least stop the physical damage he’d experience otherwise.” I snickered, my hand resting on my brow to see clearly. “So, how about we head out and you can show me modern Canterlot?”
The remaining Elements carefully navigated the bodies of the guards, Twilight whispering slight apologies to the few who still held any consciousness. The train stewards parted away from me as I strode out of the station to the main street proper, my mental map slowly being remade with new streets and landmarks. It’s so different from the last time I came through.
We came with an army last time, and we were a bit busy slaughtering the guards of the era. Not a whole lot of chances to actually learn the city. True.
I slowly breathed in, sighing softly. The smell of a city had been a long lost scent for me, and it brought a smile to my face, even though it seemed reminiscent of the early 1900s for me. “So, girls, lead the way, show me some of your favorite places here.”
“Oh, the Magical and Natural History Museum would be a good place to get you informed of what has happened recently!” I smirked at Twilight’s suggestion, her excitement evident.
“Darling, we should go to some of the tailors here and order some fabrics for you. I have a few friends that might be willing to cut a delightful deal for us.” Rarity did have a point. If the fabric she had didn’t work, it might be good to buy some here.
“We could go on a bakery tour, and try out the different treats they have here, ooh maybe we can find a--” Applejack put her hoof over Pinkie’s muzzle. I giggled softly.
“Uh... Girls? "Maybe before we go off and have fun, you should look at this." Rainbow’s tone concerned me deeply. I pinched the bridge of my nose as I cursed silently.
"I'm going to take a wild guess and say it's a wanted poster of me." I turned to see a poster between her hooves.
"They’re making an event of the duel. They have DJ-P0n3 for music, and even the Wonderbolts for an opening act.” Rainbow turned over the piece of paper, showing a head to head rendition of the two of us, in the horrible contrasting red, blue and white of political memes. "This is exciting isn't it?"
I raised my hands to my face, folding them in front of my mouth as I took three deep, slow, methodical breaths. “Celestia barely gives me any notice about arranging for a duel, but she has already made arrangements to make this a sporting event." I closed my eyes for another deep breath. "Girls, do any of you know of a decent place to eat for carnivores?” I queried stoicly, bottling up the irritation for now. Celestia, I thought we were going to be done with making spectacles.
“I used to eat at this fish and fowl place with Gilda, back when we’d take field trips here with the flight academy.” The surprised looks over the others had Nyx chuckling in the background. “Hey, It’s pretty good, don’t knock it until you try it.” Rainbow crossed her hooves before her, looking away as if she had been scolded. "Sorry, I get exci--"
"Before you apologize: don't. It's already clear you're into sports, so such an event would be something you'd want to see, despite it being a surprise." Nyx interjected, sending a violet look to the embarrassed pegasus.
"Besides, I’m hungry, and I think I'm going to follow through on my promise to Celestia.” I continued to breathe deeply despite my rising pulse. “I’m also going to need to borrow a work table of some form, once we get situated at the castle, if she'll even house me. For now, lead on, Dash.”
“Follow me then!” She turned and lazily flew up the main road, leaving the six of us to follow on hoof and foot.
Celestia always had a flair for the dramatic.Nyx mused in the back of my skull. It never could be anything less than ‘a battle for the ages’ for her.
I grumbled quietly, glaring ahead. Ponies parted around our group, guards actively avoiding looking at us for longer than necessary. I’m not even angry she wants a big event around this. It’s the first time in centuries she’s fighting in the public eye. I’m fucking livid she arranged an entire WWE-level event before we even had a chance to discuss anything. I scowled as my heart rate began to spike, my knuckles tightening, until the green aura flickered to life on me once again.
Then let’s go to the castle after we eat. We still have a few days, so we can look around for any extra tricks and tools that could help.
Fine.
“Princesses Celestia and Luna, I hate to disturb you during your private time, but I bring news regarding Illua.”
Luna’s starry magic cracked the door, revealing the kneeling guardspony. “Report, if you would.”
“Illua is currently making her way to the castle. She’s actively and willfully violating the Carnivorous Decency Laws.” The guardspony seemed visibly unnerved.
Celestia released an exasperated sigh as she set her cup down.. “Is she with Twilight Sparkle?”
“Yes.”
Luna raised an eyebrow. “Sister, wouldn’t Twilight have informed her of such--”
“There’s more, Princess.” The poor guard interrupted. “When Twilight was heard trying to explain said laws, her words in question were ‘Fuck Celestia’s discriminatory bullshit, I’m going to eat my god damn food.’ How should we respond?”
Celestia rose to her hooves and began walking to the door. “Please have the Chef prepare a dish consisting of mercifully harvested meat alongside the regular group meal for the Elements. Show Illua and the Elements to the throne room, and clear the nobility away. She’s already shown hostility towards them in the past. Dismissed.” Celestia closed the door, before sinking down and rubbing her temples with her hooves.
The smaller blue princess chuckled softly, covering her muzzle with a hoof. “You did say she was an agent of chaos.”
“And a fine agent she is!” A plume of smoke erupted from the spout of the teapot, slowly forming into the cross legged form of Discord as he planted himself on a chair. “I just adore how freely she expresses herself, and surprisingly with no harm done to her environment!” A sip from the globe of tea he held, and it slowly shrunk between his claws. “But I’m not here for a delightful chat today.”
Discord’s finger snapped, and pulled out a little envelope decorated in white, gold and pink, with Celestia’s signature in dark, dried blood on the front. “What is that, Discord?” Celestia returned to the table with a careful eye on the anarchic spirit.
“Remember that little favor you asked of me, when Illua was burning Canterlot a few centuries ago? See, I’ve taken a shine to the revolutionary, and I would prefer her alive after your duel.” Discord’s claws detached from his wrists to present the frilly and stained envelope. “Take this, and you agree that you will not kill her as a result of your duel, be it during or after. I won’t hold you to it if she tries to kill you after your cute little event. Deal?”
Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Celestia, you made a deal with Discord? How long have you held this arrangement?” Her horn lit up with her azure magic once again, glaring at the two other immortals.
Discord chuckled. “She made the deal with me when she nearly died by Illua’s hand, a little over three hundred years ago. As such, this favor has been up my metaphorical sleeve for all this time.” Discord’s detached hand twirled the envelope upon the tip of his claw, while he poured himself a proper cup of tea from the floating globe. “However, I don’t make this call for my own agenda. Rather, I am calling this favor in much the same manner as Celestia. To protect a life.”
Celestia glared at the draconnequs. “And should I not accept these terms and conditions? What then?”
Discord’s grin split wider, becoming rows of jagged knives. “Then I will personally ensure that you would have died that day, all those years ago, releasing your domains into the wild to find new successors who may find themselves upon thrones of their own.” The spirit of chaos licked his teeth, sending sparks as the blades began to whirl around his mouth like a chainsaw for a brief moment. “You’d make a lovely plushie for my cosmic bedroom.”
Luna slammed her hooves on the table, cracking the marble slab. “Discord, thine jokes remain intolerable as they had the millenia prior!” Her wings spread as her azure magic turned black and smoky, snatching the chaos spirit. He smiled as he glimmered green, warping two feet to the left.
“My dearest Luna, I haven’t felt the touch of Death in ages. I’m glad to see you kept that. But you know as well as I that it holds no hold on me, just as my domains hold none to you or your sister.” Discord sipped the cup he poured, before turning his gaze back to the solar diarch. “Your call, Celestia. Either you do not kill our human friend and her allies, or I go back and change history. Perhaps for better, perhaps for worse. Now, choose.”
Celestia’s glare hardened, as her eyes turned golden with sunlight. “Fine. Leave us Discord.”
Discord giggled with glee. “Oh joy! I just knew you’d accept! Now Celestia, keep the contract in the arena when you fight. Perhaps have Luna here hold on to it. When you are no longer bound by its effects, the contract will burn up on its own, leaving that point in time fixed. Ta ta.” Like a smear on a windshield, he was seemingly wiped away from view.
Luna turned and looked at Celestia with that same glare. “How many times have you done this, Celestia? How much do you owe Discord?” Luna’s wings retracted. “How could Illua have even threatened you? The only things that could overcome any of the three of us are Harmonious Elements or--”
“A weapon containing the essence of the Void.” Celestia interjected, shuddering as she rolled her wing a bit. “That’s why Illua scares me, Lulu. She has a weapon that could truly kill you, me, Discord, Cadence… Even Twilight, should she want to. Lulu, I--”
“So you asked Discord to use what little control of his domains he had while imprisoned to imprison her, thus inadvertently allowing his escape before.”
“Luna, you know as well as I that Discord and I have never truly agreed on much. You know how much it hurts my pride to have asked him to help me.” Celestia’s gold magic hovered the bloodstained envelope before her, her lips turned into a pensive frown. “Outside of that, I have never asked him for anything, nor has he asked of me. I’m frankly surprised he didn’t use my debt to allow him to freely go.
Luna set her now empty cup down, setting the silver spoon alongside it, closing her eyes as her breathing slowed down. “Do you remember Mother’s wisdom about ‘Only Once, Never Again’?”
“Of course. ‘Just the once, you get what you want, but you reap what you hath wrought. Never Again is the cost of your greed, only then will you know what you need.’ Of course I remember it, my dear sister.”
Luna’s eyes barely opened, but she wasn’t focused on Celestia. “Just the once, I met with the Nightmare, in the hopes of receiving the love, attention, and validation I needed from you and our people. You know where that led, Celestia.” She stood and turned to the balcony, opening the door to the afternoon air. “Now, having spent a millenia away from everything but that fragment that clung to me, I saw all that I lost from a horrifically magnificent view from my moon.”
“Luna…” The Night princess held up a hoof to stop her sister, her stony gaze upon her sibling.
“Just the once, you allowed the nobility to blind you to the plight of the populace. Just the once, you refused offerings of treatise from the one you fear. Just the once, you made a deal with the bearer of Conflict, Time, and Dimensions.” Luna turned away. “Why didn’t you use your domains to fight Illua those years ago?”
“I did not want to repeat my mistakes. The Everfree is dangerous enough as is.”
“And yet, you somehow keep it contained, Bearer of Nature, Energy and Balance. Did you really need Discord’s help?” Luna looked back at her sister, a mixture of disappointment and pity in her gaze. “I’ve seen the turmoil in her dreams. I’ve seen how she’s suffered in our world.” A slight smile graced her muzzle. “If I wasn’t the keeper of Death, Mind, and States, I would say she’d be a great bearer of Death.”
The dark princess' smile faded. “I pray your arrangement will be worth it, Celestia. I will see you in the throne room.” Luna took to the air to greet their soon to arrive guests.
The Witch of Flowers lifted her gaze to the setting sun, grimacing amongst the wrecked testing facility. Well, I know we need to research more durable material now. A soft sigh escaped her.
“Is there a problem with my performance, Mistress?” The corrupted Frustaz asked, his voice hollow and filtered by the sealed mask. Shells clattered on the floor as he reloaded his revolver, being replaced with fresh rounds, the gun returning to its holster. “I can do more-”
“No, No, No. You’ve very well demonstrated your ability to absolutely devastate even our strongest materials. Karth, can you reforge or reuse any of the damaged metals today?” Ylbe pinched her brow, before calling out to the scribbling vermillion kinfolk, who sat high above the humanoid pair. A solid thumbs up from the dragonoid gave a slight bit of relief. “Frustaz, can you reduce the power of your weapons in any capacity? I don’t want you shooting through multiple creatures if I can help it.”
He nodded. “I can remove a few of the damage and penetration mods, depending on the assignment.”
“Good, I need you to limit the penetration while maximizing damage. You’ve shown you can single handedly take on some of our most troublesome beasts, actively damage Shinpi-tekitetsu, and have nearly killed Karth with the goddamn pirate cannon, all in a matter of two days.”
“To be fair, that was my fault for trying to fire the.. What did you call it, Frustaz?” Karth, having climbed down from his perch, joined the conversation properly.
“Rad-Kuva Zarr.”
“Yes, that, and considering the arcane shadow it’s left behind, that may be the most devastating of your weapons.” Karth giggled, as his mind began to turn.. “If we can replicate the energy signature from what I’m assuming is an enchantment chamber, perhaps we could do some population control–”
Ylbe slammed her staff on the table. “Not only no but hell no. That energy signature is off limits.”
“Why not? It’s not like we would use it on our own people–Mhmmrhm!” Karth began, before Ylbe held a closed fist in front of herself, sealing the dragon’s mouth.
“If I so much as find out that you replicated that energy signature, I’m bringing you and the entire research team before the Emperor for treason.” Ylbe leaned close, her vibrant eyes glowing with a mixture of fear and malice. “Even one failure can kill not just a single individual, but an entire province in a matter of moments. Weapons using that energy have been used to erase entire cities nearly 5 times the size of Canterlot off the map in less than a minute, not counting the lasting damage to the environment.” Ylbe released him, pushing him back from the table of guns. “Do. not. Replicate. That. Energy. Type.”
Karth glared for a moment, before the click of a gun pressed to the back of his skull, causing him to wither. “Shall I, Mistress?”
Ylbe looked long and hard at the now quivering lizard. “No. Stand down.” Frustaz pulled back, allowing Karth to crumple in fear. “Pack up and come along. You have a mission to start.”
“Yes Ma’am.”
I am a prisoner once more. Frustaz thought as he experienced the meal as a passenger in his own body. I can experience everything, but I’m stuck unable to act. Something else is in control, and I can’t stop it. How much time has been lost? First I get scorched by that tar, and the next thing I know my body is holding the Kuva Zarr and I’m no longer in control. His mental grumbling would be interrupted by the annoyed witch.
“Frustaz.” Naru. You got some explaining to do…
“Yes, Mistress?” The puppet responded. Why Mistress of all things? The only time I ever called you that was during that one bet over Sword Art’s secret chapter.
“Can’t you be more expressive?” I would be if you’d help me be free of whatever nonsense is happening..
“Mistress, I do not understand the question.” Obviously you don’t, you’re an idiot who’s somehow taking me for a ride.
“Frustaz, can you relax?” I’d love to. Really would.
“I am relaxed. I am not in a situation where I need to be alert.” Oh of course you are, Mr. Perfect machine. Frustaz grumbled more, watching Ylbe doing the same. …No pout? Hm…No, no nonono FUCK YOU NOT AG- The darkness of unconciousness consumed him again, leaving the puppet without those random thoughts once more.
…. He’s so boring now. Ylbe idly nibbled at her bun, as the white haired thrall ate before her, his every motion stiff, but fluid. Nothing in excess, a well oiled machine. He is still very protective, although it’s misplaced. Another well measured sip from him, an exceedingly quiet breath, before he resumed. “Frustaz.”
“Yes, Mistress?”
“Can’t you be more expressive?”
“Mistress, I do not understand the question.”
Fuck. “Frustaz, can you relax?”
“I am relaxed. I am not in a situation where I need to be alert.”
“Fine. Continue on.” This is annoying. I can’t even passively feed with how little anything he gives. Ylbe grumbled quietly, only getting a look from Frustaz before he resumed. This is fine. It will prevent me from getting attached.. Ylbe set her bun down, waving down the waitress. A box was set down before her while her thoughts continued to circle. I still need to get a few reagents from the alchemist, pack some rations for the two of us, and prepare the airship…
Days passed before they finally neared El Nera, the volcanic island that was the primary nesting grounds and seat of power for the mainland dragons. Despite the distance between the two draconic nations, they had remained stalwart allies through the generations, and the airship was greeted with a swath of defenders.
Ylbe sighed and stood up as the airship stalled. Time to get up. Ylbe’s ears twitched as she heard the distinct cocking of a rifle. “No! No! They’re allies doing their job, Put that damn weapon down!” Ylbe scrambled from the lower bedrooms to the above helm, gasping as she received a blank stare from Frustaz.
“Mistress, I suggest you put clothing on.” He gestured to her casual t-shirt and shorts. “Dragon scales and claws will tear through soft clothing.”
Ylbe’s eyes narrowed as grabbed the rifle from Frustaz, and placed it back on the rack for his weapons. “My clothing is fine, but you need to stop resorting immediately to drawing your weapons.”
The carriage rocked as a large green dragon landed on the deck, bound in dark armor, and bearing a pair of sweeping orange horns. “Greetings, and welcome back to El Nera, Princess Ylbe.” He huffed at the surrounding dragons. “Scatter, the lot of ye.” The nest defenders nodded and flew back down to the caldera’s rim. “M’pologies for the high alert, the sky twins let another of their convicts out of the garden o’ secrets. What’s bringing ye to El Nera?”
Chuckling, the mage stepped out and greeted the dragon lord. “Greetings to you too, Dragon Lord Torch. I’m actually here regarding some errands, and I brought help for that.” She gestured over to the dark metal humanoid, who seemed tense. “Frustaz, dock the ship at the sapphire dock.” Ylbe waved him away, before leaning against one of the guard rails. “It’s unusual for you to meet us mid-air.”
“It’s just a might unusual for ye to show up without announcement either. So, tell me, what are you really here for?” the Dragon Lord peered closely at the humanoid, who simply giggled.
“Precisely what I said before, errands.”
“Errands that require you to have no contact with your ally, and a heavily armored guard who smells of ice and trouble?”
“Yes, as well as our airship to be hidden in the sapphire dock. We’re heading to Equestria after all.”
Torch snorted. “Yer real ballsy, ya know? Do you even have a point of contact or maps in Equestria? Lodgings, food, anything?”
“I would think our dear allies would have those resources easily at hand, being ever so much closer to Equestria than we are. Are you telling me you don’t?” Ylbe tilted her head, resting her cheek in hand. “I would never ask of such favors without some form of reparations between our respective countries.”
The Dragon Lord scratched at his neck, humming softly. “Building goods, like that teck stew stuff you use. We nearly lost a clutch of bronzes due to a cave in. More dragons, more weight, you know the problems.”
“Did the clutch survive?”
“The whole nest was saved by a young visiting dragon. Never seen a dragon that shade of purple before, but you never know when an oddball will hatch. Do we have an agreement though?” Torch held out a claw, palm up.
Ylbe rested her hand in the claw, and shook it. “I’ll let the trademasters know to add two dozen support beams in the next shipment, as well as an architect to help install them where they’re needed.” She smiled at the now grinning Torch, whose wings spread.
“Good dealings, little one. I’ll go get the communication chains rattling. Expect you in an hour at the feasting hall?”
“Thirty minutes. Polymorph has gotten significantly easier to cast.”
A nod and a beat of wings, and the dragon lord drifted back to the nesting grounds, whilst Ylbe returned to the cabin. “Frustaz.”
“Yes?”
“Do not interrupt me during the spell, and do not enter the room.”
“Very well.”
True to her word, the transformed mage wandered into the feasting hall as a slender, silvery-white dragon, with her staff tucked under a leathery wing. A few heads glanced at her, but resumed their consumption of the meats and gems set before them. Like a shadow, Frustaz followed closely, his helmet barely moving as he eyed the room’s inhabitants.
Torch turned and gave a brief nuzzle to the mage. “Welcome back, Little Princess.”
“Why do you always become so affectionate the moment I walk in? It’s not like you didn’t have the opportunity earlier.” Ylbe chuckled, taking a place beside the dragon lord. A plate of meat was set before her near immediately by another draconid bearing a massive spit of some beast. “Griffin?”
“Eeyup.”
“We sent kitchen supplies, and you’re still.. Spit roasting.” Ylbe glanced over at Torch, a mixture of confusion and frustration.
Torch chuckled, pulling apart a massive leg of yet another beast. “Ol’ Toasty used the ovens, fire pits, and various other tools that you provided to make his cooking better. However, Spit roasting is still ‘is specialty, and I ain’t gonna complain.”
Ylbe frowned, before rising to her unfamiliar claws. “I’ll speak with Toasty then, see what he’s learned since. Frustaz, stay here, and enjoy the meat.” Ylbe rose to her unfamiliar claws and began to slink towards the kitchen of the nest.
Frustaz watched as she left, before glancing to the meat plate.
“So, Frustaz, correct?” Torch spoke around a mouthful of meat.
“Yes. That is Correct.”
“Speak up, I can’t hear you.”
The masked man tilted his head, only to reach up and twist a hidden nob. “Yes. Can you hear me now?”
Torch snorted. “Yer hopeless, golem. Not what I meant.” The Dragon Lord turned and stared down the man who was unsealing the helmet, revealing his tained features. “Oh, so you ain’t just a lump of metal and magic. Int’restin.”
“Never have been.” A quiet bite of the meat from Frustaz caused Torch to narrow his view.
“So what were you before you started your service to Zarkesh?” A sly grin formed on Torch’s face, as Frustaz’s fingers froze mid motion. “Silent are we? You can’t have come from nothing… Got any family?”
Frustaz shook his head, before taking a bite of the proffered meat. “You’ve met her, and seem to know her quite well, since she has changed since we separated.”
“How did you seperate?”
“From what I understand of magic, I would guess it would have been an interdimensional teleportation accident.” Frustaz cocked an eyebrow at Torch. “Is there a purpose to this?”
“Oh there is. Last question: Illua is another human whose story says she ‘fell’ into this world 300 years ago or so. Is she your enemy?”
Frustaz frowned. “Illua has shown great skill as a warrior, enough to concern the Emperor. I believe she could be an asset to the Emperor, if given the offer, but it is not my place to raise such concern.”
“Fine. Eat, your ‘sister’ is almost back.”
The armored man shrugged as he continued to pull meat from bone, eliciting a pitying chuckle from Torch. “Your ‘brother’ is quite easy to tease it seems. He’d better serve with everything intact, if y’know what I’m saying.” The dragonlord snickered at the sudden glare from Ylbe.
“I would greatly appreciate it if you'd kept your claws out of this matter.” The dragon shaped mage slid a plate off her wing laden with fruits, vegetables, and a fair sheaf of meat. “I will say, Toasty has done surprisingly well with his new tools, and is training a new generation for whoever replaces you.” A giggle escaped her. “So, who are we being entrusted to?”
Torch swallowed, before motioning with his horns towards a thestral pony with a violet mane. “Star Strider is our pony contact, and acts as ambassador to Equestria for us. They already know they will be escorting you back to Canterlot.”
“Very good. How soon would we arrive?”
“You’d arrive just in time for the big duel.”
“Duel? Between who?”
“Illua the Rebellious and Celestia the Sun Princess.”
Ylbe blinked. “Celestia, dueling? Surely you must–”
“It’s no joke, little one. ‘Parently, there’s been bad blood between them that’s lingered for centuries, and they’re being fairly civil about it instead of going right back to war.” Torch grinned. “It’d be good to gauge your opponent.”
Ylbe smiled. “Yes, I quite agree.” the mage dug into her delightful meal as the machinations of her mind turned. Illua will have been weakened, and we will have a fair gauge of what she can and cannot do. All for the better.
I tossed the last of my afternoon snack of turkey legs into the moat alongside the unconscious guards. Despite my hunger being slaked, my anger was stoked with each new guard trying to stop me.
“Illua, darling, don’t you think you're being a bit, I don’t know, too rash?” The concerns Rarity raised fell on deaf ears. “I mean, I know you’re upset, but is it really so wrong to want a bit of spectacle for a clash of such historical titans?”
“Rares, wrong time, wrong place. Just let her get it out, she might not have a chance later.” Applejack frowned under her traditional stetson. “I don’t agree, but she isn’t hurting them really.”
Twilight could only sigh as I kicked open the front door with another blast of Aero magic. “Celestia! You summoned me to talk, get your fat ass out here!” I shouted into the lobby, my sheathed blade in hand. The guard in the middle of the hall quivered in his armor. “You. Take me to the throne room.”
The guard in question nodded furiously. “Y-Yes, the Princess sent me to lead you there specifically.”
“Good. Get moving.” I could feel the stares of the Elements on my back. I looked back at them, still scowling. “What?”
Most of them seemed uncomfortable. “Illua, is this how humans are normally?” Twilight asked carefully, my eyes flicking to her horn starting to glow. “Are humans typically violent?”
One step forward, two steps back, but not like I mind. We are the villains in Celestia’s story... I growled at Nyx. Ooh, you’re mad mad. I love it when you’re being snarly. I rolled my eyes as I marched after the terrified guard. “Twilight, unlike you ponies who have a damn near immortal leader who seemingly have nothing but the best intentions for you all..” My rage from the revelation earlier had begun to boil over, combining with my centuries old grudge. “..Humans were divided for so many stupid reasons that I cant even believe we survived as a collection of societies for thousands of years. Yet your ‘goddess of infinite wisdom’ failed to even protect her people from themselves!”
One of the on watch guards lowered his spear at me, and I blasted him with an Aeroga, knocking him out and sending cracks into the marble wall. “Yes, Girls, humanity is a violent species, not unlike the dragons and their innate greed. But there are some of us who try and rise above that, like some of our greatest leaders.”
I picked up the guard as I caught up to him, and threw him through the door he seemingly struggled to open. A dark chuckle escaped me as the screams of nobility could be heard. “But then there are those like me, who choose violence for the betterment of people… and should have died before I even had this opportunity.”
“Single file everypony, I will keep you all safe.” I could hear the voice of the Night Princess, commanding and calm at the sudden arrival of a dazed guard.
“It’s knowing the difference between justified vengeance, and destructive evil.” I sighed, my fury deflating suddenly as I leaned against the wall, my hands beginning to shake from the sudden rush of adrenaline.
The Elements looked between themselves, me, and the open door, where the throne room awaited. “Go. I need a moment.”
Almost in a silent agreement, they disappeared into the throne room. I slunk down and sat on the cold floor, my breathing having become ragged. Surprisingly, the screams of the lingering nobility had abruptly subsided.
So how are you feeling now?
Still angry. Just… Calmer now. I don’t know why I just… practically exploded in front of the Elements. I closed my eyes as I rested my head back against the wall, the muffled chatter between ponies and princess faintly echoing in the now empty halls.
Since the night Luna visited us, you haven’t had someone who isn’t mired in our anger to talk to.Nyx giggled softly, before the ephemeral sensation of her arms around my shoulders began. How much do you know of the Nine Domains?
Nine Domains? Are you talking like elements or kingdoms?
No, Illua dear, The Nine Domains are effectively the basis of all life, magic, and the universe as we know it… Well, from this world’s point of view. You could consider them the ‘forces’ of the universe. The Domains represent the most powerful sources of magic. Below them are the Principles, followed by the Elements.The mental image of a complicated series of interlocked circles began to form on a mental blackboard. Blank slots filled with first unfamiliar and unknowable symbols, followed by far more known emblems on the outermost rings.
So Elements are the most common forms of magic? I mentally found the symbols for Fire, Air, Water, and other magics I used so commonly. But of all these symbols, I notice a similar one to Frei’s close to the central most ring.
Each ring going outward is a reduction and combination of the inner rings affinities. Frei, as a Principle type of spell, derives from Death and Energy.As Nyx spoke, those illegible symbols lit up, drawing their glowing lines to the Frei marking. From the Principle Frei and the Domain Nature, we beget the Element, Fire. Once again, those symbols lit up, leading to their conclusion.
So then, what are the Elements of Harmony? And why would the easiest spells be combinations and reductions of more primordial forces?
I’ll explain more later, perhaps with help. You have company.
“Illua, uhm.. Are you feeling better?” The timid yellow pegasus hid half behind her mane and half behind the door to the throne room. I sighed as our conversation was interrupted, running my fingers through my bangs, pushing back.
“I’ll be fine, Fluttershy. Are you alright? Are the Princesses ready to meet with me?”
“Y-yes, I’ll be okay. Princess Luna is ready to meet you, but Princess Celestia hasn’t arrived yet.” The butter yellow pony shied away as I pushed to my feet, her teal eyes fearful.
“I’m not going to hurt you or the girls, and my actions haven’t been a good indicator of that today. I’m sorry.” Slipping past the pegasus, I walked into the throne room with my jaw set. The only one who deserves my anger is Celestia.
My eyes scanned the massive throne room. Stained glass windows let in beams of colored sunlight, highlighting acts of heroism both ancient and recent. The Mane Six stood off to one side, while Luna sat upon a throne emblazoned with her cutie mark, a soft smile on her muzzle.
“It’s good to meet you in the waking world finally, Illua.” Luna’s words were cordial, formal… and held a strangely calming weight to them.
“Hey Luna. Where’s the stubborn one?” I smirked, watching the faint crinkle of her lips as she stifled her reaction. “I’m going to guess you’re going to act as the mediator for our terms of this duel, am I correct?” I immediately frowned, my eyes flicking to my HUD, looking for any status effects. I’m too calm. What is going on?
“Precisely. Outside of the populace who will be watching, official witnesses will include myself, the Elements of Harmony, Discord, and the Empress and Emperor of the Crystal Empire.” Luna withdrew a scroll from a binder beside her, floating it over to me.
I raised an eyebrow. “Crystal Empire? Didn’t know that was a government you recognized, let alone existed. Either way, plenty of immortal and mortal witnesses to confirm and enforce the terms, correct?” My eyes locked onto the unusual status effect. There it is. Who’s responsible for it though?
“I’m glad you understand, Illua. Now, while we wait for Celestia,” Luna’s horn lit up, lifting the dazed guard to his hooves, “While I’m glad the guards you have incapacitated are mostly unharmed, I do wonder what was the purpose of throwing a guard into the throne room while the nobility were here.”
“I did tell you two to call off the guards. I simply was basting the fear turkey.” I shrugged, crossing my arms as I shifted my weight to one leg.
“That’s fair I suppose. Please elaborate on this ‘fear turkey’ later, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. What about tonight?”
The door opening with a heavy thud snapped our attention to the alabaster alicorn striding in. “Hello, everyone. I’m glad you all arrived in such a timely manner.” I watched as she put that apathetic mask of motherly affection on. “It is wonderful to see you all here and in good health.”
I snorted. “Took you long enough. Want to explain why we have an entire arena, that’s going to be full of civilians, who may end up being casualties as a result of the spells we use?” The status effect disappeared with Celestia’s entrance, signaled by my anger surging back. So it’s not her doing.
Celestia’s mask cracked a bit, her smile wavering ever so slightly. “Very well, Illua. The Canterlot Royal Arena has Aegis-class shielding spells and a non-lethality field to protect civilian patrons, and allow competitors to push their very limits with no restraint on their greatest abilities.” Celestia took her spot on the sun marked throne, alongside her sister. I could feel her leering at me from behind that cultivated veil of benevolence. I simply smiled, trying to maintain my own composure after my earlier outburst. “So no risk to patrons.”
I grinned like the cheshire cat. “Great. Wonderful even. So who maintains the arena? Just so I know who to properly thank after I put you in the ground.” The gasps from the pony onlookers made Nyx chuckle internally.
“The primary beneficiaries of the arena, The Nobility. They are responsible by law to maintain it, as per the Treaty of the Scorned- Ah, you were not a part of those meetings. Silly me.” A light, mocking chuckle came from her.
Not exactly fair, considering the circumstances. Nyx mused.
“So, the nobility is offering a fancy arena, making it a spectacle, while we get to fight without harming the populace. Besides these unpleasantries, what happens if you win?” I crossed one arm over my chest, resting my cheek on fist.
Luna reached into the binder once more, pulling out a black scroll of paper, and a white inkwell, and unfurled it. “As the mediator, both sets of terms must be agreed upon by competitors to be enforced, by witnesses that will be informed of said terms and present on the day of the duel. Is this understood?” The two of us nod grimly. “Good. Celestia, as the challenger, you must present your terms first.”
“Illua, should I win, you are to be branded as a criminal exile of Equestria’s, and are to never walk the lands controlled by Equestria or it’s allies.” The mask fell finally, watching as she peered down from her throne. There’s the bitch I recognize.
I glared in return. “If I win, you forfeit your crown to your sister, and anything of value you’ve gained since you imprisoned me will be given to me. Oh, and disable the ‘non-lethality field.’ I will not agree to any terms until you agree to disable that.” I smirked as everyone in the room gasped.
Twilight was the first to speak. “Illua, what are you saying?! You can’t just-”
“Twilight, my former student, please be silent for this.” Celestia sighed, renewing her heavy gaze upon me. “Very well, Illua. I will accept your terms with one stipulation of my own. I remain within my home of a thousand years, this castle, and will be able to perform my duties regarding the sun, should the duel be deemed in your favor without my death.” Celestia counter-offered, lifting her nose lightly. “Is this acceptable?”
I scowled. “So you plan to have people intervene on your behalf to save you from the duel, if I don’t end you fast enough. Fine. Who are you presenting to judge then?”
“There will be General Aster of the Minotaurs, and Master Flametalon of the Gryphons, as well as myself acting as judges.” Luna inserted, unrolling the scroll. “Aster has been a part of 4 different war campaigns, and Master Flametalon is the leader of a sect of warrior-mages. Both have the experience and wisdom to oversee such an event. Celestia, Illua?”
“Agreed.” We said in unison.
Luna presented the scroll and quill to Celestia, who signed her name with a flourish. The quill was offered to me. I looked between the two rulers, and grinned. “Sign right here?” I asked Luna, pointing to the other empty line. Luna nodded.
I turned the quill over and jabbed it’s sharp tip into my pinky, pinging my hp for a single point. Everyone’s eyes in the room went wide as I scribbled my name in the scarlet ink of my life.
Celestia coughed, clearing her throat. “Ahem.. Now Illua, since that is settled, why don’t we have you and the girls get settled in and we will prepare a fine dinner for our guests?”
“Luna, does the castle have a workshop or a forge or anything of the sort?” I could feel insult being taken, as I completely ignored Celestia.
“Well, yes. Would you mind talking as you worked?” Luna tucked the now dry scroll away, stepping down from her throne to speak with me eye to eye.
Celestia cleared her throat. “Illua, I have already made arrangements-”
“Not at all. Can you show me the way?” I waved Luna ahead, while I smirked at the solar bitch. “Go ahead, lead the girls to dinner. I don’t want your hospitality, Celestia. You’ve already made it clear you don’t want an actual fight.” I followed after Luna, closing the throne room doors with a middle finger up high.
“Was that necessary Illua?” The Nightwalker asked, as I simply chuckled.
“Oh, absolutely.”
“How? I don’t see how killing my sister will resolve anything.” Luna gave me a sidelong glance as we turned the corner.
“Oh that. Basically, either she will wear her sins as a badge of honor and die, or you and your fellow judges will save her from my wrath and she will be publicly humiliated to such a degree that even a gag order could not contain her failure in a structured duel that she arranged with the arrogant idea that she literally cannot lose because ‘I’m a sun god, lol.’ Understand now?” I grumbled.
“Very well. I see you have put a lot of thought into this.”
“Three hundred years worth of scenarios and mental gymnastics will do that to you. What about you, what did you do in your thousand years on the moon?” I asked, gently nudging the Princess’ wing.
“.... I made friends. One was an asshole named Skippy.”
I hummed as I inspected the collection of blue crystals, running my fingers over the crude recreation of unicorn horns. I could feel the confused look of Luna bearing down on me and my project. “Luna, feel free to speak your mind. I’m not going to be offended.”
“Well, I’m quite confused as to why you have shattered fragments of the Crystal Heart, despite the artifact in question resides safely in the Crystal Empire. How would you have acquired such similar gems?” Luna hovered the gems up to the light, frowning. “They also seem to have been recently purified of some quite foul magic.”
Pulling up my mask, I began to stomp on the pedal for the grinder, getting it up to speed. “Multiverse problems. A world I was summoned to had it’s Crystal Heart weaponized and used for slavery, brain washing, and some incredibly fucked behaviors to be enabled. A low that I can fairly say Celestia would never allow in her gilded cage of a government.” I carefully ground the crude shape down, sharpening and rounding out the crystal till I was happy, and checking the scrap bag underneath for the glittering blue dust. “Many ponies in that world have been literally de-horned, and so I’m turning these into temporary replacements till they regrow.”
“You have less than 5 days to prepare for my sister, and yet you work for the sake of another? How noble.” Luna mused, allowing me to continue to work in silence for a time. I hummed and grunted as I worked, raising each ground out horn to inspect for any accidental flaws. An alert to the right let me know I had earned some crafting skill points, eliciting a slight smile under my protective mask. I scooped up my pet project, and tossed it into my inventory, alongside the bag full of gem dust.
“Luna, you’re here because you want to talk about something, and it’s important. Just spit it out already.” I turned to face her, pulling the mask down and leaning against the workbench, Nyx speaking through me as usual.
Luna’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Well, it is true, but I’m not quite sure how to approach the topics I wish to speak of.”
“Then how about I start; Luna, what do you intend to do to hinder us from harming your sister? Last time, you prevented me from killing her out right repeatedly, but then again, I was more a concept of evil rather than a truly thinking entity at that time.” Nyx’s voice shifted from my mouth to a small mirror on the table, her slit eyes filling it’s frames.
“You’ve gotten comfortable speaking, Nightmare.” Luna tilted her head as she stepped closer, now that the wheel had stopped spinning. “I chose to be the mediator because I cannot justly interfere, yet I am filled with deep concern that you’re trying to justify my sister’s death with flimsy excuses.”
“First of all, it’s Nyx. She’s not just ‘The Nightmare’ anymore. Second, you can just invade my mind and find the truth quickly if you wanted.” I narrowed my own eyes in return, drawing my blade and setting it on the desk. “Third, your sister has created a gilded echo chamber where racism is rampant, ponies are protected from anything that might challenge their world view, and treated history as so much of a joke that you, Discord, Tirek, Grogar, Sombra, and myself were nothing more than fucking fairy tales.”
Silence filled the forge as I turned to the workbench and set my armor upon it, preparing my tools and materials. Luna cleared her throat. “Luna, how many ponies do you think died during the Peasant's Revolution?” I asked, calling a weathered whetstone from my inventory.
Luna furrowed her brow, thinking. “I do not know. I have been trying to research everything that has happened in my absence as chronologically as possible."
“A mere 10,000 recorded noble deaths happened during my time gathering my forces and fighting for change. However, my handy codex says it was estimated that upwards of 460,000 across all of Equestria died of famine, plague, and riots that were inspired by my movement.” I started sharpening my sword as the facts spilled from my lips. My eyes became unfocused as I ran the whetstone along my katana.
“Illua?” Luna stepped closer as tears began to run down my cheeks, my eyes growing ever more distant and dull as I became lost in my horrific thoughts.
“So many rotting bodies. So many children, held by their mothers who were nothing but skin and bones. Entire villages turned into nothing but ghosts.” My fingers slipped off the whetstone. I looked blankly at my now bleeding fingers, watching the physical form of hit points drip out.
“ILLUA!” Luna shouted at me, shaking the forge in its entirety with the force of her voice, snapping me back to reality.
“Oh, shit. [Cure.]” The green light enveloped my fingers and closed my wound immediately, my mind refocusing. “I’m sorry, I can’t believe I did that.”
“Illua, have you had anyone you could honestly speak to about this?” Luna reached her wing out to comfort me, but I waved her off.
“I had two ponies I could speak to, but they’re long dead.” I wiped at my eyes, drying my cheeks of the tears that fell. “You’re the only other pony I’ve even opened up about this to.”
“I know only because I was there with her for the entirety of it.” Nyx frowned in her frame, her eyes softening.
Luna stroked my hair a bit, and I sniffled, fighting to keep my composure. I didn’t want her pity, but she knew a similar fate. “Luna, if.. if you’re serious about trying to help me, you can't just see my dreams. You need to go deeper."
Luna chuckled softly as she withdrew to her spot at the corner of the room. “I can visit your memories, if you'd prefer. However, as a slight tangent to explain how, do you know how magic works beyond the mundane cutie marks and the act of casting?”
“I have some idea, thanks to Nyx earlier, but how does that relate to being able to dive into memories?” I was visibly confused, but I picked up my whetstone and resumed sharpening my blade.
The night princess encapsulated a piece of chalk with her magic, and began drawing on the design board mounted in the room. “Each symbol in what is referred to as ‘The Universal Diagram’ is referred to as a Domain, a Principle, or an Element. The Most powerful, the Domains, each have a Keeper, an individual who should strive to keep its effects upon the world balanced but still enforced.”
I frowned, setting my sword down to look at the recreation of Nyx’s image from earlier. “So let me guess, you have the power to dig into peoples minds and brainwash them into subservient monsters?”
“A dark example admittedly, but as the Bearer of the Mind Domain, yes.”
My eyes snapped to Luna, who looked a bit deflated at that admission. “So, did you visit only my dreams last time?”
“Yes. Not only would it have been invasive, your ever-shifting mind is akin to a stormy sea. One wrong decision, and I would have found myself deep within your mind with no discernable way out.” I stared blankly at her, surprised at the suddenly grim tone. “I could dive into your memories to see that era, and begin to understand your perspective, but I won’t do that without your permission.”
I groaned. “Nyx, will you help Luna with this? I’d rather not have a third voice stuck in my head.” I sighed as I lifted my blade, and frowned. “Dammit, I'm going to have to straighten you out again.” I tossed a few more coals on the fire.
“Of course.” The Night spirit purred from the mirror, drifting in the background of the reflection. “Just know she may end up seeing things you might not have been comfortable sharing.”
I set the blade into the flames, and started on the bellows. “Well, there you go, Luna. You can dick around in my brain tonight. Anything else you want to talk about before I ask a few questions of my own?”
Luna put her hoof to her chin, quietly mulling her thoughts. a high pitched rumble resounded over the sound of the bellows. I snickered.
“Do you want anything to eat?” Luna's cheeks flushed a bright pink.
“Fish."
"Yeah, Fish would be nice.”
"I will be back then."
I set my now pristine blade down as Luna returned to the workshop, a bag of food held in her magic. “Welcome back.”
“I have returned with dinner for you two. One of the night diners is owned by a former guard of mine, and specializes in making food for our nocturnal, and carnivorous, citizens.” Luna hovered the boxed up dinner over to me.
“Thanks.” The scent of oil, salt, and fish hit me like a nostalgic freight train. "Fish and chips? Fuck yeah!" Luna quietly watched as Nyx and I devoured the meal, trading control and making happy noises. The night princess chuckled as her horn lit up and added more to the design board. “So, what are the Nine Domains exactly? Outside of being the basis of life, magic and the universe as a whole?” My eyes traced the layers on the design board as I chewed a tartar sauce coated piece.
“To start, the Nine Domains consist of Death, Mind, States, Nature, Energy, Balance, Conflict, Time, and Dimensions. With enough time, study, and power, one could access any one domain in a briefest of senses, but only the Keepers have true mastery in that field.” Luna wrote the names next to their individual icons. I could see the codex icon flipping pages in the upper left. Oh joy, this is going to be detailed and important.
I swallowed my bite, frowning. “So if each keeper enforces their Domain, does the Keeper of Death go around killing people and the Keeper of Conflict go around starting wars? That’s just a wee bit fucked up, wouldn't you agree?”
“My dear sweet Illua, don’t insult me so. I’m honestly hurt by that!” Discord chimed in, as he dripped in from the ceiling, wielding an umbrella. “You can’t assume I want merciless death and destruction just because I keep Conflict! What would the children think of me!?” Discord bent over backward, with his bear paw flung over his face dramatically.
Nyx simply chuckled as I set my food down to rub my temples. “Of course you, of all people, are Conflict Incarnate.” Luna covered her muzzle with a hoof, attempting to stifle her snickering.
Discord snorted. “Wow, I am positively hurt, mon amigo, that you think moi would just be some violent ragamuffin. I’ll have you know that I keep Time and Dimensions as well, and the only conflicts I try to incite are nothing more than prank wars.” He huffed and turned away, refusing to look at me. “Oh, who am I kidding, I can’t stay mad at my favorite little chaos causer!” Discord gave me a hug suddenly before gasping. “Oh we’re having one of those discussions! Celestia’s gonna be so mad!” He started giggling.
I sighed, finishing off the fries. “Alright, I’m gonna take a shot in the dark. Let me know if I’m right. If Discord has three of them, being one of the oldest known beings in the world, the remaining 6 are divided between Celestia and you, right Luna?”
“That is entirely correct.” Luna smiled.
I covered my eyes, groaning. “This is going to be a long night.”
“Tea Party!”
I scribbled into my grimoire on a blank page, deep lines of concern etched into my face. “So allow me to summarize if I can. Luna, you keep Mind, Death, and States. Discord keeps Conflict, Time and Dimensions. Celestia keeps Nature, Energy, and Balance.” A pair of affirmative nods from the two immortals forced me to finish my 3rd cup of coffee. “Because of this, in an attempt to prevent any one of you three from going power mad, you made The Elements of Harmony as the great equalizer between you three, requiring two operators against the third in their original forms.”
Discord floated upon a garish rainbow plaid chair upside down, drinking something from his twisted pot. “That is a completely valid summary, yes. Mmh. Fine job, Watson.” Discord replied in the thickest, poshest accent he could muster, before quietly snickering.
“Because of this amount of power, You three could, with contracts with each other, warp reality to such a degree that literally anything could become possible, and you all just so happen to originate and live in what appears to be the most advanced society in the world?” I grimaced, tapping my charcoal pen to the page. Nyx quietly sipped her tea in the reflection, only her eyes showing her mirth with the discomfort I felt. “Despite this, Luna, you and your sister petrified Discord because he was enforcing his domains against Celestia’s, which then in turn allowed The Nightmare to possess you because the Keeper of Dimensions could not do his job.”
Discord’s quiet chuckling advanced to full blown laughter as gravity ripped him floorward. Luna blushed and shrunk sheepishly. “In our defense, during that period in time, we three were all vastly inexperienced with being the Keepers and lacked the judgement we needed.”
“Nah, ya Think?” I gently snapped at her, releasing a pent up breath before continuing. “Celestia then brute forced the Elements against you, revoking her rights to them. She then orchestrated a thousand years of history to ensure Twilight and her friends would acquire the elements."
"Which then ensured the recent threats to Equestria could be defeated, including my purification, Discord's subsequent rehabilitation, and Tirek's downfall." Luna took a long draught of her tea. "Your summary seems sound, but there's more, correct?"
I nodded. "All of this means that, while she has remained in power and in control of her Domains, she now has an enforcement squad that is completely loyal to her that could turn on you two in a heartbeat at her command." Luna nearly spit her drink out as Discord's laughter intensified. I cast a sidelong look of concern as he began to cough out confetti. "Now, in just a few days, I’m walking into an arena with a threefold walking force of the universe, who for some reason is terrified of me, yet didn’t use any of her god-like power to delete me off the face of the earth. The question; Why?”
Nyx rolled her eyes at Discord. “She’s always been hesitant to kill if she doesn't have to. She’s surprisingly soft at heart, but her powers are devastating.” Nyx turned over in the mirror, facing the conversation from her upside-down position.“The Everfree Forest for example, is a direct result of her clash with Discord. A masterful creation between Conflict and Nature, prevented from spiraling out of control by Celestia’s enforcement of the Balance domain.”
Discord finally clawed his way back up to the top of the table, wiping his eyes. “Illua, just using the Domains for admittedly minor tasks can affect the world around us beyond the obvious. The only reason I can so freely use mine is because I know my limits, and practiced.” Discord pulled his chair down to the floor before sinking into it once more. "I just tend to guide the affects back towards myself, resulting in my ever so colorful manner of transportation."
Luna poured herself a fresh cup of tea, idly stirring before her eyes locked with mine. “Illua-... Hrm.” Luna started, before silencing herself to think. “My sister is very protective of our ponies, far more than I. She seems to have the best intentions regarding foreign policy, and actively seeks to push for peaceful resolutions. Do you think Celestia is acting in accordance to her domains, or even in good faith?” Luna seemed conflicted with her own question, perhaps seeking some consul to her thoughts.
I sighed, staring into my dry cup. “Based on my brand new frame of reference? I can’t say. I’m not a keeper, and I’m not some goddess who can step back and see the great big chess board in the sky. I’m just a mortal with a sword. All I know is that Celestia’s behavior ever since I’ve known her is that of a OCD Dictator under the guise of 'Big Mommy'.” I carefully set my cup down. I could feel my anger boiling just below the surface, They're not the ones I'm angry at, they don't need me yelling at them.
“Good answer.” Discord purred. Luna and Nyx both looked at the relaxed chaos spirit with a look of surprise. “Oh don’t give me that surprised look. She was the only one of the three of us for nearly a thousand years able to properly enforce her domains, and created an idyllic kingdom with no ability to truly protect itself without the six beings she orchestrated into existence.” The chaos lord snarled, taking a long swig of his drink. “And despite all of that, in the matter of a few short years, we’ve had the three of us, Tirek, Chrysalis, and Sombra all return from exile, imprisonment, or entrapment? I think the Domains are trying to break her, and you may be the tool they’re using, Illua.”
“Are you suggesting this isn’t my choice?” I glared at Discord. "Or are you suggesting that I'm simply a pawn for the psuedo-sentient forces of the world?"
Luna spit her tea back into her cup, looking surprised at Discord, who only calmly smiled. “Oh heavens niether, my dearest chaos bringer! I merely suggest that, perhaps, this day was to come regardless, and you may be the final nail in that coffin.” Discord stretched, his spine popping musically before he snapped away his chair and pot. "However, it is quite late, and I have many errands to run tomorrow. Perhaps we can actually teach you something next time!"
Glancing at the time, I cringed internally. Jeeze, 2 am. “Yeah, I need to sleep too, if Luna's going to fiddle in my head tonight. Hopefully I can finish preparations for tomorrow, and then rest until the duel." I stood up and began drawing a chalk sigil on the wall. "Perhaps I can finish a few spells in that time too. Night Discord, Luna."
“A wise decision. ” Luna collected our cups, saucers and plates from the small table we shared. "I shall go make preparations for our mental rendezvous. Please, try to be asleep soon. Good evening, Discord." Luna quietly excused herself, while I completed my teleport sigil, and stepped out. leaving Discord to watch the both of us.
"Oh me, oh my, oh stars. The battle ahead is going to be very, very, interesting."
I arrived in my sanctuary, my rage instantly welling up as I kicked over my stool, sending it down the stairs to the cellar.
“Alright, I was quiet most of the time you and those two talked. What’s going on behind the scenes?” Nyx made her presence known by draping her ephemeral arms over my shoulders, giving me that comforting pressure. “You’re upset, and you wanted to explode at those two.”
“They’re so.. So… They seem so ready to fucking forgive her for imprisoning them for a thousand years, and act as if nothing is truly wrong with what happened!” I kicked at the wall, hot, bitter tears beginning to stain my cheeks and shirt. “It’s almost like they want me to see her as someone necessary!” The edges of my vision became fuzzy as my heart rate began to rise, yet I wanted to vent my emotions physically.
“Illua, you need to breathe.”
“Why does everyone want mercy for that bitch?! She doesn’t fucking deserve it!” My mind kept jumping from one conclusion to another in a series of discordant sentences. I could feel my heart pounding harder, my breathing becoming shallow, but I didn’t want to stop shouting. “She can’t just be excused from her god damn crimes! She needs to pay!”
“Illua, you need to sit down and calm yourself.”
“‘Oh, I’m such a pretty immortal, where a thousand years is less than a drop in my eternal bucket, oh look how wise and mature I am! I can forgive my sister for abusing me to the point of allowing a demon to possess me for world domination, and then let her abuse me further by isolating me on a barren wasteland to go insane until fatebound sailor scouts magically save me from psychosis!’ No fuck that! I won’t just accept it like a complacent DOG!” My vision blurred as my tears blinded me, and combined with the encroaching darkness and dizziness, Nyx ripped control from me, saving me from passing out on the floor.
“Illua, I know you are upset, but you need to calm down. Luna is going to be in your mind tonight, and we want to avoid it being any more turbulent than it already will be.” I wanted to stand, to kick, and scream more, but Nyx forced me to undress, and to get comfy in my bed. I couldn’t hold back the infuriated sobs that had been building.
Nyx, I thought things would have changed by now. That she would have learned her lesson by now…
I know, I know. Things have changed, but unfortunately, she really hasn't.
She’s so much worse than some of the officials back on Earth. She’s made her people so blatantly ignorant and compliant that she could do almost anything and no one would see her doing wrong. It’s so infuriating..
The current generation of ponies grew up literally worshipping her. No matter what we do, she will always be seen as a good ruler.I curled up tighter as Nyx relinquished control, stifling sniffles and sobs to take hold of my emotions. Illua, I’m not telling you to roll over and do as the ponies do. You and I both know we don’t fit well with them, and it’s hard enough trying to justify ourselves to them. How about after the duel, we go beyond Equestria? Perhaps visit the Gryphons and Minotaurs and study with them?
That sounds actually nice… Maybe we can leave the ponies behind.. They're gonna hate us anyways..I slowly yawned as my tears began to dry on my cheeks. I just wish I knew where Cadenza was buried, maybe unload a bit more…
Let’s ask Luna tomorrow then.
Okay. Have fun tonight, Nyx...
I turned onto my side as sleep suddenly pulled me under amidst my emotional low. Nyx's musings was the last thing I could remember before that dreamless night past by.
“I love you Illua. Cadenza loved you. There are beings in this world who care about you, Like Discord, and ones who want to understand your pain, like Luna. There are others who share your suffering in some way, like Horus. You’re not alone. You’re not a burden. You’re not weak. And you deserve the happiness you fight for, be it for yourself or others.” The thunder and rolling waves that made the surface of this mindscape slowly withdrew as Illua's mind submitted to slumber.
“Speaking to Illua, are we?” Luna spoke, her wings folding as her hooves dipped into the wet pitch black floor.
“Sometimes, she needs a little bit of subconscious comfort, Luna. She's not like the ponies, where a hug and a few wise words can be comfort enough. However, that's not what we're here to do today." Nyx ran her fingers over the water that they stood upon, summoning forth an unusual archway made of pulsating black flesh and colorful stained glass, white porcelain and grey concrete.
“Oh, Mother dearest, help me.” Luna’s horrified exclamation made Nyx smile a bit. The thunder that once echoed around them now escaped from its source, as a mixture of terrified screams, mechanical beeps, and clashing swords. "What is this abomination?"
“My, Luna, as the Mind Keeper, I thought you’d be familiar with what this is?” The humanoid one smugly nudged the pony shaped one.
“Nyx, I know What it is. It’s the entrance to her subconscious. I’m just… I’m absolutely horrified to see how twisted and damaged it is. Did you do this?” Luna cast an accusatory glare, while Nyx just laughed.
“Oh, definitely not.” Nyx snorted as she took a few steps towards the gaping maw, turning to face the Dreamwalker. "This is just what a human mind is like."
"A beautiful horror, a horrific beauty. Come, shall we fall down the rabbit hole, Alice?"
Nyx turned and fell backwards into the hole, a wide grin plastered on her duplicitous face. Luna hesitated, carefully stepping through the gateway, only to feel the sudden shift in gravity pinning her hoof to the wall leading down. “This is…”
“Very different from a pony’s mind? Well, Humans are aligned more with chaos than order, and when you combine that with a few centuries of semi-consciousness while trapped in stone, well… Things were never going to be entirely whole. So, where shall we start?” Nyx danced upon the concrete wall, chuckling at each of Luna’s hesitant steps.
Luna’s gaze glanced around at the pulsating corridor, her eyes adjusting to the encroaching gloom. “I’d prefer to start with something important to her.” Luna ignited her horn for light, concern setting her lips into a frown. “It’s growing dark.” The Night Princess began to hasten her steps. “Is this normal for her?”
Nyx hummed as they reached one of the branching halls, glancing between them, before veering left. “When she’s going to have a dreamless night, yes. It also means we need to be careful.” The spirit moved close to her former partner. “Her worst memories and inner demons manifest when this happens.”
Luna’s brow rose. “That’s deeply concerning. I knew her mindscape was volatile, but-”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Immortal Goddess, It’s like you're in my home or something.” Nyx’s growl echoed against the quieting din of Illua’s mind. “But I’m not joking. Illua’s mind is like a minefield.” Nyx’s hand ran over one of the black masses, her hand glowing. “It’s full of mental barriers, psychological scars and defense mechanisms. Things that, if manifested in a pony, would be things like a monster or a recurring actor in their dreams.” The mass shrunk under the doppelganger's hand, revealing a doorway once hidden. “The problems aren’t that we can see them, but that they can see us.”
Luna cocked her head as she followed Nyx into the newly revealed room, whose walls were lined with peeling paper, and it’s floors coated with a synthetic carpet. Furniture loomed large over them, as if walking into the giant’s den. “Explain plainly, Nyx. You remember from our time together that you need to be clear in the realm of dreams.”
The spirit froze momentarily, only to snatch Luna towards the immense leg of the couch, one hand around her neck, the other on her mouth. Luna struggled only for a moment before the thunderous thudding of footsteps were heard. Quiet sobs were heard on the other side of the furniture.
“Get out here, you little bitch. You can’t speak to me that way.” “Leave her alone Dad!” “Get out of the way!”
A body could be seen crumpled across the room, comparatively tiny to the sheer enormity of the foot near the two visitors. The sobbing intensified. The sound of a knife being sharpened screeched. Luna’s squirming stilled as her eyes locked on the child. Nyx gently lifted the alicorn and began walking to the other end of the couch, where a little girl was covering her mouth, trying to muffle herself. Her intense shaking would not stop, nor would the swivel of her head as she watched for her terrorizer.
“Found you… Time for punishment…” The slurred voice said, reaching down and snatching the little girl out from view, her screams and kicking bouncing off the walls as the dark chuckling of her assailant highlighted her fear.
“This is one of Illua’s worst memories.” Nyx grimaced as Illua’s childhood scream was suddenly cut short, and her body dropped to the floor, her hands pressed up to her mouth as an ocean of blood oozed out. Everything around them blurred like water on a windshield, the room scaling down to a regular size for the two of them, with statues marking the memory’s end.
Luna broke free of Nyx’s grasp, gasping for air as her stomach churned. “What in Mother’s name was that?!” her shoulders heaved as she staunched the nausea, wings firmly closed against her sides.
“I told you. One of Illua’s worst memories. Obviously she didn’t die--”
“You know well that is not what I’m getting at, Nightmare!”
“Oh, you mean what exactly happened? Illua’s tongue was cut out by her own father in a drunken rage. She survived, obviously, but she lost her ability to speak as a result. She suffered repeated abuse from her father, and her brother tried to protect her every time, much to his own suffering.” Nyx crossed her arms across her chest, leaning on one leg. "This could have been worse if we had been seen by ‘Father.’ The fact that he’s not still walking around is a blessing.”
Luna’s gaze set into a glare, looking at the statue of the man with the knife. “This ‘Father’ is one of her monsters?”
Nyx took a long look at Luna, before sighing. “Yes, and each of them can directly attack you, Luna. They aren’t stuck to a script, if we find them outside of a memory.” Nyx began walking to the end of the room, and opened the opposing door.
Luna followed suit as she paled. “... This will be a long night.”
The door opened into a sterile hallway, the two wandering souls drenched in cold water falling in. Luna gasped for air, vomiting the water in her lungs, shaking and fighting her own urge to cry. “How is her mind so violently twisted?!”
Nyx shook the chill off her bones with a quick wave of the hand, helping Luna with the same. The screams of Illua’s memories were silenced as the door behind them closed, being replaced by the consistent beeps of machines, and the dull buzz of overhead lights. “I did warn you about her memories manifesting... Oh.. we’re here of all places.” Nyx took a few cursory steps towards one of the glass windows, peering in on a slightly older Illua, and a lady in a pinstripe suit. “Come, look.”
Luna followed suit, her ears swiveling towards the various noises of the ward. “This is a hospital, is it not?” Nyx nodded, before pointing at Illua. “What is Illua doing here?”
The lady stood and kissed Illua on the forehead, before leaving the room to speak with the nearby doctor. “What’s going on with my baby?”
“Well, to be frank, it’s not good. Your daughter, Seinaru has aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.”
“What does that mean? She needs to take iron pills?”
“Her body not only does not make enough red blood cells on its own, but actively destroys them and the stem cells in her blood marrow. With careful treatment and study, we can perhaps stymie the symptoms and--”
“Doctor… Is it fatal?” The older lady sniffled, crossing her arms across her body.
“Without treatment, she will die in a month’s time. The fact she’s not dead right now is a miracle with the scars, abuse, and the stress she’s been under. Her hair color will never recover, and while we have the facilities to take care of her here, she will have to be monitored for the rest of her life.”
“Will… Will she ever be able to c-come home?”
“I can’t say.”
The lady took a solemn seat by the door to her daughter’s room, and began to silently cry, as Illua’s own tears began to fall, right as they became statues.
“Illua’s…. dying?" Luna sat heavily as she rested her hoof against her forehead. "Wh-Why didn’t either of you speak about such a disease? Dost thou not-”
“Luna, it’s wonderful you empathize for her, but Illua- Rather, Seinaru, has only told this to one other being in Equestria. As far as the two of us are aware, she’s been long dead, as there are only three Equestrian immortals.” Nyx sighed and pushed at the swinging hospital doors, revealing a hidden library. “For now, it’s none of your concern. Welcome to the Memory Library, where we can safely continue our conversation.” Nyx waved Luna into the warped library, decorated with stairs, doorways and hallways on every surface and gravitational orientation.
"There are a few others, but that's not important right now." Luna stood and followed Nyx into the library, her head swiveling to follow the myriad paths. "This place definitely feels Discordian in nature.” Luna’s eyes glanced from shelf to shelf, her eyes trying to map the area. “Why is it all books though?”
“This area is controlled by your perception of reality. As such, perhaps a theater may be more to your preference.” The walls ground as they twisted and stairs slid into new positions, transforming the confusing labyrinth into a simplified movie theater. Reels replaced books, as a projector manifested in the middle of the room, pointed towards a rippling silver wall. “Take your pick of what you’d like to see. I’ll make some popcorn.”
Nyx floated away towards a makeshift concession stand covered in gaudy advertisements and clashing colors, leaving Luna to flip through the now accessible shelf of reels. The Siege of Trottingham, Burials circa 798, Playtime with the Foals… They’re sorted based on what they relate to… Her hoof stopped on a reel with a pastel striped ribbon, gently pulling out to see her sister’s name on it. “Nyx, I think I found one I need to watch.”
“Put it on then.”
Luna nodded and set the reels to the projector, and set them spinning. Nyx returned with some popcorn and a pair of candy bars, helping the two of them settle as the memory began to play. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Illua slammed the doors of the throne room open, much to the surprise of the ancient nobility. Whispers spread like wildfire through the crowd as Illua approached the monarch. “Celestia, do you have a moment to talk? It's incredibly important and I’d rather not say it here.”
Celestia merely chuckled. “I don’t mind, is it not something that can be said here?”
The memory skipped to the hallway outside the party, with Illua holding up a scroll full of notes and scribbles, pulling other scrolls out of her backpack. “Celestia, did you forget our deal? I spent the time investigating each of the nobles you asked about, and I have all these scrolls full of incriminating information on them and how they’re abusing your citizens.”
Celestia serenely nodded, looking over each scroll. “And how can I trust that these aren’t fabrications? Surely you must understand that I have to ensure that these are–”
Illua threw the bag down. “Celestia, I just spent the better part of a year out wandering your fucking kingdom and learning spells to mask my presence at your behest to get this information. How can you just immediately dismiss these?!”
“I’m not dismissing them, I just can’t–”
“You can’t just trust me for once? Because I’m a For’ner? Or is it because you have the nobility in your ear again?” The Memory began to accelerate as the fight began, smearing out to Illua curled up in a guest room of the castle.
Celestia barely cracked the door. “Illua?” The reel skipped again, to the two of them yelling at each other. “Fine! Leave Illua! Prove me wrong then!”
“I will and I will burn your precious nobility down with it!” Illua forced her way past Celestia, leaving the room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luna tilted her head. “Is...her memory of Celestia this corrupted?” Luna halted the reel, carefully extracting the film to see bits stitched together and blacked out.
“The Human mind was not meant to live for more than a century, Luna. The fact we have this much clarity right now is still surprising. I’d skip ahead a bit.” Nyx popped a piece into her mouth, watching as Luna replaced the film and pushed it forward a few cycles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buildings were burnt from the clash between Illua and Celestia, in a city far removed from Canterlot. “Illua, what are you doing here? Why are you and so many ponies attacking others? I thought these were just riots.”
“Celestia, I told you I’d burn your nobility to the ground. I’m just starting with the worst offenders.” Illua picked up a crawling pony wearing a suede coat by the mane. “Now, are you willing to confess your crimes before your Princess?”
“I-I- I’ve done nothing wrong or Illegal! Why are you doing this, you savage?!” he cried out, his hooves pushing futilely against Illua’s grip. “I-I swear on my b-bloodline!”
Illua looked up at Celestia. “Has he? Because this scroll I gave you a copy of says otherwise. Oh, and the 40 or so ponies he had caged up in his basement with price tags pierced through their ears, with dragons looking over them like pieces of meat.”
Celestia’s wings drooped as she looked at the noble, and then back at the numb human. “Let him go Illua.. We can talk about this..” Celestia’s horn began to glow, only to be shot by a crossbow bolt from a rooftop. The pony waved at Illua, his price tag drooping his ear.
“No, we can’t Celestia. We tried before. Now I have to do it my way.” Illua drew her blade and pressed it to the noble's throat. “Any last words for your precious princess?” The Noble shook his head. “Good.”
Celestia lunged for Illua, only to be slammed by a large piece of rubble, courtesy of Unicorns with more price tags in their ears. Illua drove her blade into the noble's skull, and twisted, severing his upper skull from the rest of his body, letting the corpse drop before her. Celestia struggled to push the rubble off of her as Illua walked away, waving at her ponies to retreat. “Illua, you’ll pay for this, you can’t just do this!”
“I will keep doing this for as long as you think they’re worth protecting. I’ll pay for my crimes in due time, but the time for persecution is nigh.”
Luna quivered, her wings raising as she stifled her need to purge. “That sounded like you were in control..”
“Yes and no. At that time, I could not manifest separately from Illua at all, and so we oftentimes shared the voice when we were in full agreement, like what you just saw.” Nyx shrugged.
“How many times did this happen?” Luna got up, walking around to sooth her queasiness.
“Numerous, actually. Each time Celestia became less complacent and more ready to fight us as a villain, rather than turning her gaze to the problems that we were literally solving before her eyes. Well, you see how this has turned out.” Nyx stretched out, before pulling the reel off. “You know current events with this one, so perhaps find another,” Nyx began, until the tweeting of birds could be heard. “At least, for next time. We have a few more days before the big fight, but hopefully you can be enlightened to our side by that point.”
Luna sighed, pulling out a pink reel with a teal heart imprinted on it. “Very well, although I’d like to know before I’m pushed out; Why do you have a reel with Cadence’s cutie mark?”
“You mean Cadenza’s? She was our only lover in this world. Why do you ask?”
I shot straight up out of bed at the sound of Nyx yelling in my head, groaning as I rubbed my eyes from the sudden shot of adrenaline. “Good god Nyx, why are you so loud this morning?”
“Cadenza’s alive, she’s married, and Luna’s gonna be in your brain next few nights, Let's go fucking stab Celestia for hiding this from us!” Nyx was practically bouncing in the mirror, an unusually wide and infectious smile spread across her cheeks.
“Alright, are we eating in Canterlot then? Should we meet up with Luna?” I yawned, stretching and popping my stiff joints.
“Yes, and yes. Let’s fucking go!” Nyx excitedly ripped control from me as she cast the teleport, launching us back into our enemy’s turf once more.
I held back no restraint this time. I blasted the doors off their hinges, ripping bolts out of marble walls as I heaved with a volatile mixture of rage, hope, and those damn butterflies in my stomach. Twin orbs of Aeroga and Blizzaga hovered around my hand as I pushed strands of hair back into place, while the nobility, once more, ran in terror. “You have some explaining to do.”
Celestia straightened up with a shiver, swallowing hard. “Whatever are you talking about, Illu-” Her voice died in her throat as a shard of elemental ice buried itself into her throne beside her.
I took a few slow steps towards her, slowly reclaiming control of my breathing, that emerald light encapsulating my chest again. I licked my lips as I tempered my eagerness for answers. “Where is Cadenza Mi Amore? Quickly now, you and I have only a few days to the duel, and I don’t think you’ll survive to make it there if you don’t fucking tell me.”
The Solar Princess swallowed again. “You simply cannot come in here, making demands of me like this Illua, there are procedures!” Celestia rose to her hooves, glaring down at me. “This must stop, Illua.” Glowing spears appeared at her side, crackling with energy.
I leapt forward, pinning Celestia to her throne with one hand, my arm shaking in restraint as my sword shattered the ice with its own strike, the edge carving into Celestia’s ear. I felt the crackle of her magic spears against my sides. “You can take your procedures and ram them so far up your dusty, mateless heat hole that you might find some sense of real emotion, because your procedures are such a HUGE COCK to deal with that only one with the gravitational pull of the sun could even attract such fucked up methods!” I peered even closer to her. “The only thing holding me back from killing you right this instant in this moment is the fact I don’t want to be covered in your blood when I finally get to see her after 300 years. Where. Is. Cadenza?” I snarled into her face, before the icy grip of Luna’s magic pulled me off of the celestial bitch.
Luna yawned as she walked in, a cup of coffee floating beside her. She deposited me a few feet away, standing between the both of us, her tired gaze moving between the both of us. “Illua, you signed an agreement–”
“I signed an agreement to a Duel. I, in no uncertain words, signed anything that wouldn’t allow me to harm Celestia in the interim.”
“Not the point. It’s too early for this physically. Cadenza’s in Royal Ambassadors Suite, with her husband Shining Armor. Go down the left hall, take two right turns and then it should be the last door on the left.”
The moment I was released, I bolted for the doors, excitement running through my veins like a fire after a cold winter’s night.
Ooh, I was not expecting Luna’s intervention.
Neither was I, and frankly, I could not care less at this moment. The fact that, of all the ponies we knew, she’s not only alive, but thriving.
What are you gonna do about that ‘Shining Armor’ fellow though?
As long as he’s not going to impede me from reconnecting with Cadenza, then all’s well.
Ooh, just reconnecting?
Nyx, she’s married now, emotions are in turmoil about that, not a good time to talk about it, perhaps tonight if you can help me lucidly dream with Luna, besides the point. It’s literally just to reconnect and hopefully get caught up before execution day. No, we are not being horny for the hot pink love pony who took our V-card in the midst of a war. My thoughts were rolling in faster than I could process them.
Aw, party pooper.
Amidst my mental dialogue with my resident ghost, I slammed headlong into a brick wall of a pony, landing flat on my ass. “Are you alright?” He held out a shaggy hoof to me, causing me to refocus on the world around me. White fur and navy mane greeted my eyes.
“Yeah, sorry, lots on my mind, lots of things to take care of..” I took the hoof and stood back up, brushing my skirt back down. “I’m really sorry, but I don’t exactly have a lot of time to talk.”
“Oh, that’s fine, If you’re here in the castle, then we’ll see each other in better circumstances.” The unicorn simply walked off with a smile, while I resumed my warpath to the ambassador suite.
Celestia slumped in her throne, her hoof going up and touching the cut, bringing blood down with it. “This. This is what I meant, Luna.”
Luna stepped forward before her own eyes went wide. “She… She actu.. Oh dear mother.”
Celestia nodded before casting her own healing spell, leaving a faint pink scar on her ear. “This is part of why I’m terrified of her, Luna. Unlike every other threat, she can draw blood, and her blade completely ignores the protection granted by the domains.” Celestia brought a cup of tea to her lips, one of the only survivors of the most recent encounter.
Luna sniffed, and furrowed her brow. “Chamomile, mint and lavender? Isn’t that what Mother used to drink after Frustaz recommended it for relaxing?”
“Yes, and for as much as we can move the heavens, I cannot relax, not especially after what just happened.”
Luna sighed, and took the seat next to Celestia. “Well, I have some news, and it’s not entirely pleasant.” Luna poured herself a cup of tea, before the sound of a party popper went off, eliciting rolled eyes from the two pony sisters.
“Do tell, I’d love to know!” Discord had materialized on the other side of Celestia, deeply sunk into a bean bag chair. Luna cleared her throat whilst Celestia downed a freshly poured cup. “Oh come on, you can’t blame me for wanting to know more about the going-ons of your lives, since we aren’t at each other's throats and I’m usually off faffing around the world with a few playful tricks here and there, or spending time with my wonderful Fluttershy.”
“Very well… Illua has a lot of…” Luna hummed for a second, trying to find the right words. “Illua’s current actions and instability are a combination of her history as a victim of abuse, disease, and the frailty of a human mind.” Luna took a long sip of her coffee, before letting out a deep sigh. “She’s been removed from her family, treated as a monster, and then told she’s lying to her face when she brings documented evidence upon request, and then effectively exiled once more by someone she once trusted and tried to help.”
The Night Princess’ eyes flicked to Celestia. “Then she was ensnared in stone for a few centuries, and was conscious through the majority of it, with only The Nightmare, now known as Nyx, for company. As I was informed, human minds aren’t meant for centuries of awareness, especially when forced to remain in the same position and forced to watch their enemy not only survive, but thrive and rebuild.”
Celestia and Discord glanced at each other, while Luna downed the rest of her drink, before summoning another pot, looking between her cup and the carafe, before tossing the cup. Discord’s eyes glanced at the thrown cup, his brow furrowing in worry. "I really don't think you should be drinking that much, Lulu."
Luna completely ignored his comment as she continued. “So, Celly, I really need to ask: After all the anguish you put yourself over sending me to the moon, why would you perform similar actions against somepony who’s not only fighting tooth and claw against their own body to stay alive, who’s lost and alone in a world that actively does not want her? There is literally one other being like her we know of, and he chose to remain asleep until his sister was supposed to arrive nearly 800 years–” Luna’s scathing words dropped off with the weight of realization crushing her like a ton of bricks. "Oh dearest heavens."
Discord raised an eyebrow, while Celestia’s eyes widened as the revelation hit her. “Okay, you both know something I don’t, what am I missing?”
Luna simply walked out to the balcony behind the throne. Celestia cleared her throat. “There was one other being like her that came to Equestria over a thousand years ago, back when Luna and I were young, and you were one of the dominant forces of the world. He’s long forgotten except by only those scholars with access to the forbidden section of the Library..”
“Spit it out Celestia–”
“BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!” the reverberating Royal Voice from the balcony echoed through the castle, filled with fustration and exhaustion.
“Ahem. Celestia, speak plainly for once, I love drama, but this is kind of critical.” Discord stood up, banishing his squishy chair. His playful aura was gone, now cupping Celestia’s face. “Tell me.”
“His name is Frustaz, we mentioned him earlier, and He spoke of a sickly girl as his sister, and being brought here to find her by some individual he simply called a ‘merchant.’ As per this merchant’s instruction, supposedly his sister was to appear here centuries after he fell asleep.” Celestia said, her horn lighting up and bringing her tea to her lips in a futile attempt to calm herself. Luna returned, her once flowing mane having gone flat.
Discord stepped back and clasped his hands in front of his lips in a gesture of deep concern. “So… You mean to tell me that The Merchant in some twisted manner brought her brother here. He told you that she would appear. But yet, you did not tell Illua, or even attempt to wake Frustaz at any point?” Celestia nodded, wilting under the twin glares. Discord took a slow, deep breath. “The only one here that gets a pass is Luna, because she wasn’t even here. Celestia..." Discord sighed and ran his claw over his tuft of hair. "I’ll let Illua know, since it seems I’m the only one able to comprehend this madness, and might be able to mitigate some of this situation. Go wake him up.” Discord spun on a heel and began to walk out of the throne room.
Celestia cringed, and looked away as her mane slowly faded from its prismatic flowing colors to a flat, depressive pink. “Th-there’s an issue with that..”
Discord put his hands on his eyes and growled. “If you say you’re incompetent without saying you’re incompetent again, I’m leaving.”
“He’s missing.”
Discord turned, made a peace sign, and faded from existence, a deep frown marring his face. A note fluttered down from his previous position, with the words scrawled in rainbow text.
I’mdisappointedinyou.
I stood outside the suite, running my fingers through my hair, and futilely trying to flatten out my skirt. My heart was thumping. It’d been 300 years since I’d seen her. God I wonder how much she’s changed, she’s probably taller, she and I were fairly close in age when I was stoned, will-
Stop fidgeting and- fuck it, I’ll start this. Nyx forced me to knock.
“Hello? Who is it?” my heart jumped up into my throat as I heard the familiar voice. “You’re welcome to come in.” I grasped the handle, my grip wavering for a moment before I pushed slowly. “You’re not interrupting anything, Shining Armor’s currently getting breakfast for the two of us.”
I let go of the door as I couldn’t stop staring. She had grown. She was a few hands taller than she used to be, having grown from the fairly petite but average sized pony to a taller, slender shape, the years having been oh so kind to her. I swallowed hard.
“You don’t have to just stand there, please come in.” She glanced at me, turned her attention back to her bed making, and then whipped her head back around.
“Hi Cadenza.” I smiled as tears stung at my eyes.
“Illua? You’re here?” Cadence’s face flared up with so many mixed emotions, before the tears started and she flew at me, wrapping her hooves around my neck as the emotionally charged words spilled from her lips. “I told you we weren’t ready and needed more preparations, and you still w-went after her and– ” I couldn’t make out more as she began to sob, three centuries of pent up anger, anguish, and heartbreak flowing, all the while stroking her mane.
“I’m sorry, Cadenza. I should have listened, I know. We’re both here.” I squeezed her gently around her barrel, just letting her tears stain my shoulder, whilst my own tears had started to flow, as I fought the urge to sob with her. "Y-You know I needed to do something.. A-and I took the first opp-opportunity.."
I stopped fighting myself and cried along side her.
Eventually, the three of us had gotten control of ourselves enough to allow the very confused Shining Armor into the room, allowing him to set down the married couples breakfast. He quietly poured tea as we attempted to stifle our sniffles. I summoned a mirror, and placed it beside me, to allow my ephemeral duplicate to join us proper. I sat on one side of the low table, while Shining Armor and Cadence sat on the other.
“So.. obviously you know each other, even though I just bumped into you just a little bit ago. Would you… mind explaining? I’ve never seen Cadence like this…” the former guardspony spoke, bringing up some toast to his mouth.
Cadence and I smiled sheepishly. “H-honey, Illua, and by extension Nyx,” she gestured to Nyx in the mirror for her current partner’s context, “used to be my partner a long time ago, and we were separated in a very unfair way.”
“Yeah, we used to fuck!” Cadence and I turned bright red, while Nyx simply smirked behind her cup. Shining Armor slammed his hoof into his chest as he nearly choked on a piece of toast. “In all seriousness, the three of us were a herd, while Illua would prefer the term trio. We were intimate, and Cadence was our second-in-command during the revolution.”
Shining Armor furrowed his brow, glancing over at Cadence, only to return his attention to us. “I see. Uhm.. You do know that we are the married Emperor and Empress of the Crystal Empire, right?” He emphasized carefully, as if he was drawing a line in the sand. Cadence was still bright red, drawing circles on the couch.
I nodded. “I’m painfully aware, and I'm trying to not let it bother me more than it needs to.”
“I’m sorry, Illua.” Cadence apologized, catching looks from all of us.
I booped her snoot. “No.”
“But–”
“Nope. We were stoned for a few centuries. You had every right to consider us effectively dead and move on.” I took a long draught of my cup, trying to drown the emotion welling up beneath the surface. “Besides, it appears you're immortal, and that’s something we didn’t know, so we bawled our eyes out in Ponyville already.”
"Was it at the graveyard? That's something I pushed for after everything was said and done."
"Of course, I needed to give my last respects for the friends I once had. Also, thank you for that, the tombstones are being maintained wonderfully."
"I'd hope so."
"Yeah..."
Armor kept bouncing his gaze between each of us, waiting for the lull between Cadenza and I. “So you’re not here to try and take her back?”
I gave the white pony a depressed smile. “No... You two are happily married. It's not my place, at least not anymore." I opened my inventory, earning a gasp from the unicorn, retrieving a ceramic jar full of strong-smelling fluid, and pouring myself a cup. "I mean, I'm happy for you, but.. Aside from the emotional processing I have to do, I only just found out that you were alive…” I downed the cup, blanching at the burning taste of alcohol. “Hey Nyx, roughly how long ago?”
“I’d say about an hour ago, since our conversation with Luna ended not too long ago.”
“Yeah. About that long ago.”
"Wait, she didn't tell you anything?" the two royals asked in unison.
"Nope, she shot at me, attempted to put me back in stone, and It took Luna visiting me in my dreams a few times to get any information about how things have changed, as well as help from the Elements of Harmony. I have literally been in the dark about your life since I escaped." I smirked a bit as I recognized Cadenza’s body language. The head tilting downward, her jaw tensing, her eyes closed as she slowly took deep breaths. Her hooves twisted ever so slightly in place, grinding against whatever surface they were pressed against. She’s mad as hell.
“Shiny, my love. We need to speak with Auntie dearest, and reiterate the importance of communication regarding her oh so dangerous secret prisoners.” Cadenza stood and began walking to the door in that eeriely calm manner, before her gaze crossed over us. "Coming?"
All three of us visibly wilted, and traded a look of understanding.
A Man in white armor stomped his way to the top of an old cliff, standing proudly above the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters. Celestia and Luna had just taken the throne not even a month prior, becoming the guardians of Night and Day, just as their mother had told them. Told Him.
But he did not walk unburdened up this cliff. A heavy, polished stone was strapped to his back. Black as night, with white writing. He grunted, as the weight of memory, of loneliness, and the stone pressed down upon him.
Making it to top, he dug out a wide hole, and jammed the stone down into it. Packing the dirt back in, He sighed, before casting ice and snow upon this cliff, never to be unfrozen. He nodded at his work, before taking a seat, and pulling off his mask with a quiet hiss amongst the now falling snow.
“Hey, Naru. It’s Jayson.” He spoke, his voice shaky, as he forced a smile. “How are you doing? How’s the future looking?”
The memories of hunting down the son of a bitch merchant who took her away that day, the cruel twist of fate he thrust upon him, sending him further into the past than she was, and expecting to never see her again. The laughter from that interdimensional monster echoed as he shook his head.
“I bet it’s going to be wonderful to see, where these ponies won’t have to suffer like we have. No drunk fathers, no sicknesses, a society that cares for people of all walks of life… Maybe you’re fighting for that just like I am.” Tears began to roll down his cheeks, as his nose clogged suddenly. He swallowed hard.
“I brought something for us to share..” A flick of his finger, and his inventory popped open. Pulling out a pair of cups, he poured a pitcher of apple juice, and set out a small cake with two candles. He had to break a bit of fire stone to light them, but he chuckled quietly to himself as snowflakes would snuff the candles. “I wish I could share properly with you... It’s been so hard not seeing you for so long. I almost hoped you’d have arrived by now.” Taking half the cake onto a plate, he slowly ate his portion, as he told stories to the stone. Stories of how Luna would pull on Celestia’s mane. Of Celestia naming the stars and constellations with Luna. Of the twin pony sisters fighting for his attention to learn of math, of science, and any of the stories he used to read.
He sat with the stone until the sun began to set, and the stars began to twinkle in the sky. “Well, It’s about time I leave, Naru. I have to make sure the sisters aren’t fighting, and they’re eating like they’re supposed to…. I suppose I should tell you though… I won’t be back for a long time. I’ll be going to sleep, but don’t worry. You’ll be there when I wake up, and we can trade stories proper, and eat cake, and explore this grand world, unlike our home.”
The man replaced his mask, hiding his face once more to the world, and got up, leaving the frozen cup of apple juice and half eaten cake at the stone. “Happy Birthday, to the two of us.” With those final words, he turned to climb back down the mountain, to enjoy his final days awake with the two ponies he’d been guiding to their destined places.
When we returned to the throne room, the doors had been just reattached, before Cadenza had thrown them off the hinges again. Celestia looked up, her mane deflated. “Oh, hello there Cadence, How can I h-” My sword was once again flung at her, making another hole in the throne.
"Auntie dearest…” The icy tone of the Princess of Love caused me to nearly flinch, even after my sword was telekinetically taken.
Note to self: In our absence, Cadenza has unlocked a new level in fear. Higher than Fear Turkey? Absolutely. Name? Fearasauros Rex. Agreed.
“We agreed to be open and honest about our prisoners, and should they escape, yes?” Cadenza slowly walked up to Celestia’s throne, her pink magic having never let go of my blade. “Just as I informed you of Sombra’s and of Tirek’s return…” She popped her neck, her eyes never leaving the elder alicorn, “Why did you not inform me of Illua’s escape?” She smiled sweetly… too sweetly.
“Cadence, That’s why I invited you here originally. Morning again, Illua, Shining Armor..” Celestia’s hooves took hold of her cup, her magic beginning to sputter from the stress of the morning. “Has Discord gotten a hold of you yet? Is there more you wish to bluster about? The Elements will be here shortly.” Celestia’s eyes had glazed over, matching the dullness of her flattened mane.
I shook my head, quirking an eyebrow. “No. Why would you of all people want to know his whereabouts regarding me? Either way, Cadenza, sword please.”
Cadenza returned my sword with a flare of her horn, taking a seat amongst the renewed wreckage. “Illua, how about you and Shiny run along while I talk with Auntie.” Sounded like a question, but both of us knew what she meant.
“Alrighty love, I’ll see you later. Illua, come on, I think I know a place you’ll like.” Shining Armor chuckled nervously, shrugging his head in one direction. His eyes told the story. It’s gonna be bad.
“White Knight, Let us be away and leave the royalty to speak above us~” Nyx spoke, raising one of my hands in a dainty manner, mocking Celestia’s old mannerisms. The light snicker from Cadenza broke a smile on our shared face. Who the source was, Nyx or myself, I didn’t care.
With Illua and Shining out of the room, Cadence resecured the door, her eyes coldly boring into Celestia. “You knew years ago that I loved her, and made vows to her.”
“I know, and you knew I disagreed with your choice, especially due to her violent nature.” Celestia’s mane began to flow once more, her quivering slowly disappearing. “You also knew that I told you that she was on a path to death, destruction, and chaos. She could have released Disc-”
“That’s not the point Celestia!” Cadence voice rose, her wings flaring. “I continued my duties as the Principle of Love, continuing to help it flourish despite my own lover being encased in stone. I broke my vows to her for the sake of it and the good of the ponies out there, took the throne of an allied country, and I am pregnant with the daughter of my husband.” Cadence’s tone became quiet, as she took a seat at the table. “I just wanted you to tell me when Illua had escaped.”
“Cadence…I–” Celestia swallowed. “I couldn’t have known that she would have released so close to everything. I am not omnipotent, though I wish I was like my mother.” Celestia stepped down from her throne, bringing herself to her niece’s level. “I also have made many mistakes, and I have been trying to correct them. I have learned in the years since my sister’s return that I am not suitable to rule alone, and I need external voices, from all levels. To solve problems like Illua–”
“SHE WOULDN’T EVEN BE YOUR PROBLEM AT THIS POINT!” The pink princess’ voice cracked at the end of this sudden outburst. “I would have whisked her away to the frozen north, given her land and title to live her life as she wished, and even try to show her that the nation you fostered after her petrification had merit, even if it wasn’t perfect.”
Heavy, thick silence filled the room. “You… you never mention any of this–”
“I would have fought for both of you, so I wouldn’t have to choose again.”
That last remark shamed Celestia into silence, if only momentarily. “I’m sorry.”
“You’ve been saying that a lot lately. Do you even mean it?” Cadence’s fury left her as she sighed. “But that’s not for me to answer for you. Twilight’s down the hall, which means the Elements aren’t far behind.” A new teapot and a set of dishes appeared, wreathed in Cadence’s magic. “Might as well set up for the girls, and hear your thoughts out. It’s the least I can do as a fellow ruler.” Cadence’s animosity slowly retreated under the guise of civility, but the occasional glance from her let Celestia feel its veiled sting.
Celestia recomposed herself, her mane resuming it’s ethereal flow amongst the dissonance inside her. “Thank you. I wanted to talk to the girls about perhaps journeying out to the east. Our distant Kirin relatives haven’t been too talkative lately, and Emperor Zarkesh of Zipangu has been… Silent to say the least.” Celestia began laying out her plans, placing maps and diagrams upon the table. .
Cadence quirked her eyebrow at Celestia. “That’s mildly concerning, given their technological prowess.”
“Well, there’s more to today’s discussion… and I desperately need the help.”
Cadence snorted. “Now more than ever.”
Shining and I seemed to have a lot in common. Defensive of our loved ones to a fault, hobbies only those close to us would ever know about, a high level of integrity. Admiral traits in almost anyone. I could see why Cadenza fell for him.
“So, Twilight mentions you’re an adept combatant?” His question brought me out of my thoughts. “You managed to defeat a rampant dragon and take on the Royal Guard with no casualties or permanent injury.”
I shrugged. “A samurai in the garden is more valuable than a gardener in a war.” I couldn’t remember the exact quote, but it fit.
“I’m guessing a samurai is like a warrior?”
“Yup.”
“Good bit of wisdom.” He continued to lead me away from the castle, heading to the north side of the city. “So, In college, I had some friends who were dragon-kin exchange students, from a place called Zipangu. They got homesick often, be it for food or festivities, so we’d come to this side of town.” A set of crimson arches and a wall sectioned off what appeared to be a unique district to the areas around it. “Your sword reminded me of this area, so I thought maybe you might have some relation?”
Chinatown? I didn’t expect this to develop.. Chinatown? Is that what this is called? No, no,My world called it Chinatown, but it effectively was a district in my city that was occupied by descendants of immigrants from the Eastern Countries. Food, tools, artists, and merchants you can’t normally find would always be hidden away in these areas. Man, I wonder if they have something like dumplings or lumpia…
My internal excitement began to show on my face externally. “It’s been so long since I’d been around an area like this.”
Shining began walking in. “Then welcome to Sukoshi-Machi. Come on, I've got some friends I’ll introduce you to.”
Weaving through the crowd of a market strip, the calls for fresh fish, the smells of fresh street food, and the variety of people… It reminded me of Earth with my brother. However, what caught my eye wasn’t the variety of ponies… It was the species that was bipedal. “Shining Armor, what species are those?” I gestured to one of the bipedal dragons. “Ah, Kinfolk they call themselves. They and the Kirin, ponies with draconic features, are both species that immigrated from Zipangu. They have an emperor and a very different society than ours, but their work is impeccable, their art astounding, and a few are employed at the Crystal Empire for research and development.” He whispered, with a few of them giving me a strange look… as if they knew me and didn’t at the same time.
Shining Armor stepped into a building just off the street. “In here.” He walked in like it was nothing, but I stepped into a wall of incense, spices, and smoke. “Kokusho? You here?” the white knight called out.
“Crystal Emperor, how great it is to see you once again.” A bassy voice came from further in, as my ears picked up the clinking of armor. “I see you brought a guest.”
“Oh Celestia…” He facehoofed, but under it, he was smiling.
Kokusho, decorated in dark armor lined with golden trim, stepped between the shelves. He was tall, easily over six feet, with wicked claws and a deep bronzy hue to his scales. His tail was forked at the end, and where wings could have been, were a second set of rippling muscular arms, ending with more dextrous claws. “Welcome to my Shop, wanderers.” His voice held a familiar accent to me, but it was comforting rather than off-putting.
However, His amber eyes widened, before kneeling suddenly. “Oh, forgive my disrespect, Madame of the Flowers.” I looked between Shining Armor and Kokusho, confused.
“Uh… I’m sorry?” It was all I could vocalize.
“M-Madame Ylbe?” Kokusho looked up finally, tilting his head.
“Kokusho, this is Illua. She’s been imprisoned in stone in Celestia’s garden for a long time…” Shining Armor’s eyes narrowed a bit. “Kokusho, I came for another reason entirely, but I now have to ask… Is this… Yell-bee a similar creature to Illua?”
My heart shuddered. Another Human? Ooh, and it’s a woman too~ Shush you.
Kokusho nodded. “Yes, Madam Ylbe, the Witch, or Madame, of Flowers, and Emperor Zarkesh’s adopted daughter. She is similar in appearance to Illua here. She’s a known treasure of our empire, being so powerful for one with no scales, and just as beautiful.” He rose back to his pads, scratching the back of his ridged skull. “I apologize for my display. I mistook you for another.”
I waved my hand. “It explained the looks I was getting, so I appreciate that. But that raises other questions I have. Other humans, species like myself, exist in Zipangu?” Shining Armor wandered off, but his ear was always pointed towards us. He’s listening for intelligence. Maybe he is more clever than he appears.
Kokusho shook his head. “Until I had received a letter from my Uncle, we believed she was unique. A one of a kind. However, they had found another, one as tall as I am, and even more armored than I am. He seems kind, but was given the Emperor’s blessing and a Mission. As to what, I would not know.” His frilled ear flicked towards Shining Armor.
Oh, they’re not just friends, they’re contacts. “So uh….” I was at a loss for words. Not just one, but two other humans exist in this world. How many others were sent here?
“But enough of that, What can I do for you, Madam Illua? I have many items and friends here in Sukoshi-Machi, and I would be honored to introduce you to them.” He took my hand in one of his, leading me deeper into the shop.
I sighed and let him lead. It would have been rude not to.
Celestia’s lips quirked into a smile as the Elements walked in, their chatter bringing a bit of peace to her heart. “Welcome girls, how has the last two days been?”
“Outside of our concern for Illua, I’ve been quite fine, Princess.” Twilight’s eyes glittered as she saw Cadence, but she was containing herself. “Mighty fine, I reckon. Your beds here are always a treat.” Applejack’s honest response still made her grin.. Your Majesty, it’s been nothing but a delight since the, erm, rough start.” Rarity, generous as always. “The Bakers won’t let me help them taste test still.” PInkie’s pouting was short lived, before she sprung back to form. However, Fluttershy and Rainbow were both quiet, which was unusual for at least one of them. No matter. Celestia thought. “Well, I thank you all for coming once again.” Celestia swallowed, as Luna joined the room, her eyes bearing the dark circles of her nocturnal nature. “I wanted to discuss with you all today what will happen in the event that I am struck down during the duel with Illua.” The room went silent with gasps.
No time like the present. “So, I know you, Twilight, are familiar with the concepts of the Domains, Principles, and Elements, the foundation of magic in its highest forms. I also know you all are familiar with being the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Well, I am the bearer of three of the domains. As a result, it has gifted me with an understanding of how our world works at its core, and allows me to use some of the most powerful magic the world will ever know.” Celestia sighed. “These domains always need a bearer, and will find themselves a bearer if there is not one.”
The Elements looked between each other, gears beginning to turn. “So, you’re telling us you’re preparing to die? That ain’t going to happen Princess. Illua, despite her rough nature, isn’t so unforgiving.” Rainbow spoke with full confidence. Luna and Cadence grimaced slightly at the comment, sharing a look.
Fluttershy looked away. “Rainbow, I… I think you might be wrong in this case..” she quietly retorted. “Illua’s behavior is akin to elephants over in Zebrica. They don’t forget wrongs done to them or their herd… and they don’t forgive.”
The rest of the table began to share concerned glances, while the butter yellow pony rubbed her arm. Celestia’s smile widened, but it held sadness. “This is why I want to discuss this now. While I’m going to remain hopeful that Illua will not kill me, I cannot take that possibility out of the equation. As such, I have a few assignments for you in the meantime.” Celestia unfurled a scroll onto the table. “In the event of my death, Luna will receive the knowledge needed to move the sun and keep our world running. Girls, your job will be to find the bearers of Nature, Energy, and Balance.”
Twilight’s ears perked up. “So, we’ll be searching for ponies with powerful energies and hopefully preventing them from becoming villains?”
“Oh that will be so easy, all we need to do is find them, throw a party for them, and become their friends! It worked on Discord!” Pinkie excitedly bounced around the Table, whilst said Discord phased in.
“Well, I’ll say it should be easy for you all to find whoever may acquire these powers, but It won’t just be ponies, I can almost assure you. It could be a Kinfolk, a Breezy, A dragon, or even a Human could acquire said Domain. The Domains have ever been fickle about that.” The draconnequs chuckled. He began pouring tea for the ponies around the table, floating over them.
“Thank you, Discord. I made sure to pack some cookies for the two of us later.” Discord got an affectionate nuzzle from Fluttershy. Cadence simply hid her smile behind the fresh cup of tea.
“Discord, have you spoken to Illua yet?” Celestia cleared her throat.
He shook his head. “I’ve seen her from a distance, but it’s not appropriate to speak to her yet. She needs space at the moment, and she will encounter him soon enough.” He sipped his own tea.
Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Discord… What are you implying?”
“Frustaz has been spotted at the Equestrian Border. He smells like Zarkesh.” Discord’s nose crinkled at the name. “I’m also positive he’s escorting his Princess, who’s disguised, if the communications from Star Strider are to be believed.”
“I don’t rightly know what you are going off about, but I seem to have lost the plot.” Applejack rose her hoof. “Can Y’all explain this tangent of y’all’s?”
“Zarkesh, you say? Isn’t he the Zipangu Emperor? They have such a delightful style that I can never truly replicate, but I believe it’s simply because I have never met one of their artisans..” Rarity’s question was followed by her own ramblings.
Celestia groaned internally. “One thing at a time, please.” Celestia returned the scroll, using a quill to point to the different articles. “This scroll is meant to effectively be my final orders and will, in order to make sure Equestria will continue to run and function after my passing. It is my hope that It will not be necessary, but I wanted you all to know I’m prepared for this event.” The slight nods around the room bolstered her confidence.
“Now for the subject of Frustaz, also to be known as Illua’s brother–” Outside of Luna and Discord, more gasps filled the room. “--Ahem… He’s one of the reasons Hearth’s Warming exists, and he was Luna and I’s caretaker after our own mother’s passing. However, it wasn’t until recently we pieced together that He and Illua were siblings, displaced by time and space.”
“So we can host a family reunion for them! Applejack, can you help me do that, you have a large family, you’d know how to run one, right?!” Pinkie’s bouncing intensified, the squeaks of her hooves becoming ever more frequent.
“Pinkie, You gotta calm down, The Princess wasn’t finished..” Applejack tipped her hat to the Princess as Pinkie sat back down, her eyes only marking the motion in her mind.
Celestia summoned up a crystal, using it to display the armored human. “He looks roughly like this, his armor last I knew being damn near invulnerable, and his armaments being absolutely devastating.” She let the crystal play, showing him armed with sword and gun alike, defending a young Celestia and Luna from monsters that no longer exist. “His sleeping coffin has disappeared from its hidden location, and it seems as Emperor Zarkesh has found how to awaken him. As such… I’m concerned that may be the reason our diplomatic interactions have lessened. With this in mind, do you think you could intercept him and renew contact for us girls?”
“Of course, Princess! If he’s escorting their princess, we could even make contact with her, and host them at the castle?”
“That sounds like a fine Idea, Twilight. Auntie, don’t you agree? We could also facilitate that reunion, and hopefully derive some goodwill from Illua as well?”
Celestia’s smile widened. “Yes. That is a great idea. Discord, If you wouldn’t mind informing us which port they’d been seen at?”
Discord sipped his tea, as a second mouth spoke for him. “”They’d been seen coming from El Nera.”
Star Strider pulled the boat towards the Equestrian port, Ylbe and Frustaz sitting calmly in the small craft as it slid across the water. “Thank you, Star Strider. I say, you are delightful company. Not many who’ve carried me have been as talkative as you.”
“I appreciate it, Princess Ylbe. I try to make everyone comfortable, especially since the waters sometimes aren’t the friendliest.” The violet maned Thestral shrugged, pulling out a crystal.
Ylbe arched an eyebrow. “And what’s that for?”
“I must report your entrance to Equestria, so that you’re not accosted for any reason. I would hate for you to be arrested simply for being a dragon and an armored Kinfolk.”
“Has that happened before?”
“Ponies get fearful of those they don’t understand or outnumber. It’s partly why I act as ambassador between the El-Nerans and Equestria.”
“And what of the Kirin and Kinfolk that I know immigrated?”
“They have a district called Scaletown up in Canterlot, but they call it Sukoshi-Machi. Great people, great food.”
Ylbe hummed, her tail flicking back and forth in mild annoyance. “Star Strider, do you get vacation time?”
“I have some coming up in the next few weeks, I planned to go travelling for a few weeks.”
“Then I invite you to Zipangu. Show this at the border, and you’ll be given the best hospitality we can show you.” Ylbe pulled from her under-wing bag an emblem, placing it upon the thestral’s hoof. “I don’t have many of those, but your service to dragons must be recognized. Frustaz, come along.” She smiled once more at Star Strider, before the odd pair disembarked, allowing him to make his report.
A few dozen steps later, Frustaz spoek up. “Why invite him?”
“His ambient energy taste’s good, and he’s a good point of contact. I’d rather keep some good relations with Equestria, especially if my father wishes to eventually rule the world.” Ylbe giggled.
Frustaz stopped in his tracks, grunting. “Th-That’s a little f-fucked… Th-that you’re keeping M-me trapped like Th-this then..”
Ylbe’s head snapped to Frustaz, the dark coloring of his armor fading slightly as he spoke. “Frustaz.. Or Jayson?”
“Akina… I remember you now…Why did you lie…” The Darkness on the armor reasserted itself, the armored male standing back up. “N-NO IM NOT GOING BACK INTO THE DARK– I apologize for that, Madame Ylbe.”
Ylbe shuddered. How does– He remembers me from the hospital? Does that mean… Is he That Seinaru’s brother?... Memories of the kind older brother who was joined at that lucky girl’s hip filled her mind, always inviting others to join their games, and the goodbyes they shared when that girl left the hospital.
Burning tears of jealousy stung her eyes, despite the pitter patter in her chest blooming. “You’re fine Frustaz. We have another errand I forgot about.” Father is going to be pissed at me. She slipped close, and whispered into the Knight’s ear. “I’m sorry Jayson. I’ll fix this, now that we’re out of Zipangu allied lands.”
She began to walk, the husk following her into the lands of Equestria. I must find someone who is adept at resolving curses and geas.
In the darkness of the mind, Jayson fumed, staring at the Dark mask’s interior. “So it was Akina. She grew up beautifully. But, she’s similar to Naru..” He began to examine her behaviors since they met, humming as the blackened simulacrum followed the transformed dragon.
“She’s done nothing but take care of me, making sure I was shown kindness and hospitality. However, I need to know if she knew I would be consumed as I am right now.”
His own thoughts became a trip of his own down memory lane, remembering the sickly girl who would join Him and Naru on their adventures, be it Crystal Chronicles or Neverwinter Nights. “She was always a mage, in everything we played… She’s even a mage here.” He snickered. “But ambient energy tasting good?... Does she have some succubus mixed into her? If I could access my inventory of my own accord, I could call that favor from that void-bound chimera for questions…”
His thoughts stopped as she apologized to him, past the simulacra. “.... She’s been keeping up appearances. Old habits die hard, huh?”
It had been hours, but the amount of Kinfolk who mistook me as Ylbe was astonishing. They wanted to provide tributes, gifts, and lodging, as if I were genuinely that important. Kokusho and Shining Armor helped to explain the misinformation, which helped a lot.
Kokusho, as I learned, was an anomaly amongst kinfolk, having the extra arms, much like how wings were uncommon amongst them as well. However, it was celebrated and appreciated, rather than outcasted. A very inclusive species as I came to learn, as we sat down at a place known as Ramen Don’s.
“You see, Kinfolk love our various differences, as they allow us to explore and interact with our world in ways others would not, and experience the beauty of our lives.” A bowl stacked high with a unfamiliar meat with a blue tinge was set before Kokusho, who pulled out his own personal chopsticks. Another bowl was set before Shining Armor, filled with green noodles and various vegetables. “What would you like?” He asked, gesturing to the board above us.
I looked up, mildly panicked. “But we hadn’t ordered yet.. Uh.. Can I get the Omni-Ramen?” Don, the owner, nodded, and began frying up some more of that blue meat. “How did–”
“Kokusho and I used to come here weekly when I was in training. Don’s been around for a long time, and knows exactly what we order.” Shining, using the provided chopsticks with his magic, brought those green noodles to his lips and slurping. “Man, I have missed this up in the Empire.”
“Lady Illua, would you like to try the kuraki?” he offered a piece of the meat. I took it gratefully, nibbling it.
Oh god that tastes wonderful. It’s buttery, savory, and spicy all at once… And I think you ordered something with it. Oh I’m excited for this.
“So, how do you like?” Kokusho grinned, with me grinning back like a fool.
Don set the bowl before me, piled high with Kuraki meat, soft boiled eggs, onions and sprouts and all the good fixings. The four of us ate in satisfied silence, enjoying our meals.
As we left, Kokushu hummed. “Lady Illua–”
“Please, It’s just Illua. I’m no lady.”
“Very well, Illua. I must ask, How are you preparing for your Duel?”
I sighed, scratching my head. “I’m sharpening and fixing my gear, and stretching in the mornings and at night, and I’m practicing spells that I’m going to need for the battle.”
“But Mentally, what are you doing? You seem distracted, even when you’re focusing on what I have been showing you today.” His ridged brow raised, questioning me further. Shining Armor smirked.
“Oh you knew this–”
“Kokusho is one of my best friends, and has always been able to intuit when someone needs help. Let him.” The white pony nudged at me.
I frowned. “Well, I’m talking to some people about my past and emotions, and… It’s been rough.” The shopkeeper nodded as we began walking back to his shop. “I’m out here, having a great time in the world my enemy made, but I’m walking with the Pony who replaced me, who’s nothing but a great person, and It..” I felt the tears start. “It hurts. It hurts so much knowing what I’ve lost and what I have to destroy for the sake of others.”
Shining Armor and Kokusho halted in front of his door, watching me. “You seemed so accepting earlier… Is this how you’ve actually felt?” I nodded at Shining’s question, tears beginning to fall. “So that emotional processing… Illua, I would not have stuck around you like I have if that was–” Kokusho put one of his claws on Shining, shaking his head. Taking his other claw, he guided me inside, where I just broke down.
“Illua, do you hate Shining Armor, for something he could not have known?” Kokusho knelt down to my level, pulling me into a very warm embrace.
“N-No, I can’t hate him, he’s so god damn nice, and he’s friendly, and he’s–”
“Do you think he would have taken your love, knowing you were not a statue, but a person?”
“No–”
“Then shed these tears, like the scales that must be shed. Become stronger for it, and use your renewed strength for the good of yourself and those closest to you.”
“That’s partly why I’m around, Kokusho.” Nyx spoke up from the nearby mirror, having rest her head in my reflection’s lap. “I’m sorry we haven’t met before, but I’m Nyx. Her other half effectively.”
Kokusho simply nodded. “a gifted Twinsoul, I see... Illua, please return home. You’re welcome to come back after your duel.” He helped me to my feet, and wiped away my tears. “And when you come back, tell me of your victory over the one who ruined your happiness.”
I nodded. "Thank you, Kokusho. I'll need to bring you some of my craft to thank you then... Have a good evening." Still sniffling as I cast a sigil, taking me back to my treehome in the middle of the Everfree.
As the Sigil closed, Kokusho turned to Shining Armor. “Armor, you know you are one of many thorns to her, yes?”
“I’m well aware of it now.” the Pony rubbed the back of his mane, frowning deeply.
“Then you know you must be gentle with her. Her heart may be encased in a steel shell, but just as dragon’s have thick hides, there is a soft skin underneath, just between the scales.”
“Kokusho, you’re wise beyond your years, you know that?”
“I’d hope so, otherwise I would never sell anything. Haha.”
“I’m going to head back to the castle, let Cadence know of the situation today.”
“Tell the Empress I said hi, and she should at least send me a message more often, I’ve been holding a gift for you all since your wedding and you never picked it up!”
“Then give it to me!”
“No, I’m giving it to her!”
“Kokusho!” “ARMOR!”
I was so drained from the day, I simply dropped into my fur bed, letting darkness take me…. However, I opened my eyes a moment later to Luna and Nyx standing some distance away, in front of a portal in a grey realm. “What the…”
“It’s good of you to join us today, Illua.” Luna bowed, before looking over at Nyx.
“Hey, I didn’t bring her in this time.” Nyx raised her hands defensively.
“It’s fine, I’m just sure I’m lucidly dreaming this time, and… That’s the portal into my own brain, ain’t it? Does not look healthy at all.” I frowned, looking at the amalgamated frame.
“Will we be safer since she’s lucid with us tonight?” Luna asked Nyx, earning a shrug from the night spirit.
“More than likely, since she’ll have more control over the structure and entities inside. Lulu, can you get us to your memory theater easily?”
“I should be able to, just a little concentration and energy?”
Magic in this world is unique in its many properties, from it directly being affected by the contrast of Dynamis and Energeia, to it’s power to be influenced by the extreme fluctuations of one’s soul and emotional states.
Scientifically and mythologically, Magic in this world has been categorized into Domains, Principles, and Elements.
The Domain consist of 10 specific categories unto themselves, and are considered both the most powerful forms of magic, yet also the basis of all magic. Just as Atoms, Quarks, and the various subatomic particles make up the known universe and yet so little is known about them, much is the same for the understanding of the Domain’s and how to access them.
This world also assigns what the system refers to as “Custodians” for these primal forces, Which will be referred to by their in-world name of “Keeper.” These Keepers are given understanding of their Domain, unfolded over time to protect the sanity of the individual. They also slowly adapt to the unadulterated power, often times changing their physiology to resemble higher beings. (Ponies becoming Alicorni, Dragons becoming Wyrms, and Fae becoming Sidhe.)
Each Domain Directly counters another, and adjacently balances others, and will be spoken about in their conceptual pairings at a base level. At their base most energies, any clash between them result in complete neutralization, akin to Matter and Antimatter.
Death - Nature: Representing the Inevitability of a living world, This duo governs not just the creation and destruction of life, but the power over the environment around such life and the awareness of what comes after and those who linger.
Mind - States The very concepts of Mind over Matter and Matter over Mind, these represent the power of the mind in its various forms, from its ability to manipulate others and oneself, verus the forms of the physical world of Gas, Liquid, Solid, and any other form it may take.
Balance - Conflict While this may be considered the highest forms of Order and Chaos, this duality represents many aspects of how one interacts and fights against it’s world, enforcing it’s own ideals to control one’s environment for it’s own safety, benefit, and the like.
Time - Dimensions The very concepts of Time and Space in it’s truest sense, Dimensions represent all forms of space, be it interdimensional breaching, containment, expansion and contraction, and the like, reflected against the infinite spiral of time both present, future, and past. Due to the sheer enormity of the scale of these two dimensions, Keepers of these tend to be immortals with a respect and understanding of these concepts ahead of time.
Energy - Void The most fickle duality.
Energy is known by most Equestrian kind, representing everything in between the other domains, interconnecting every form of magic in some way,shape, or form. While this is inherently true, it’s counter-Domain, Void, exists in very small amounts in the world. However, The Void itself surrounds all worlds, containing the infinite potential of the many worlds. In many ways, This is Dynamis and Energeia.
One might be curious to wonder why scale and examples are being left from the tutorial here: These concepts are both infinitely deep, and yet the most basic of the world. To have any level of understanding of them is to have experienced using them on their own. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Principles and Elements:
Here, the nigh-infinite nature of magic begins to rear it’s head, as in Equestria, every Pony has some sense of “Custodianship” over some concept, represented by one’s ‘Cutie Mark.’ This in turn means listing every possible Principle, Element, and any variation or derivative becomes impossible to ever read in a complete state. Many Principles and Elements have no individual Keeper.
As a result, we will list a few of importance here.
Principle of Love: The bonds between individuals, represented in 7 forms, most of which are elements unto themselves, but governed by this Principle. Eros The Romantic Love, Philia the authentic Friendship, Ludus the Flirty Love, Storge the Familial Love, Philautia the Self-Love, and Pragma the Companionate Love all answer to the Keeper, recognized as Agape the Universal Love. Notably: The current Keeper, Cadenza Mi Amore, is still adapting to her role, even after centuries of bearing it, which is reflective of how extensive even a principle can be in it’s wealth of knowledge and duty.
This Principle is derived from the Union of Nature, Mind, and Balance.
The Principle of Conquest: The Desire to Take, control, and conquer in a pursuit of power or dominion. While it is rare for any pony to use or manifest this Principle, it is the basis of many combat spells, in conjunction with either War or Order, depending on its application.
Derived from Conflict, Balance, Mind, and Death.
The Principle of Protection: The primary basis for all shield spells, this is a well practiced study, but not deeply researched my most species, as most who engage in the combative arts simply wish to bypass these at a base level, or intentionally find ways to phase through them are more advanced levels (See: Changelings, Chrysalis)
Derived from Nature, States, Time, and Dimensions
The Element of Fire: Conceptually one of the easiest forms of magic to Manifest, in the form of the unicorn spell ‘Light’, this element is derived from many principles and domains, and yet is the easiest to understand and access. Fire is Hot. Fire Burns. Fire Consumes. It derives from Hunger, Energy, Death, Nature, Temperature, States, Conversion and many others.
The Element of Ice: While considered an easy to form element, it’s rigidity and environmental requirements are difficult to maintain for consistent use, limiting its applications by most Ponykind. However, this one of a few element’s who currently have a Keeper, in the form of Frustaz. Under his purview, he *somehow* created Wendigos, creatures of elemental ice, conflict, and hatred. Ice derives from Order, Temperature, States, Conversion, Energy, and many others.
While this is their recognized name, this is functionally a lie, and they are not ‘Elements.’
Acting as Principles, their power is limited by a number of factors, such as requiring all six bearers to have deep bonds, to be a similar age, be united in a goal, and other restrictions that would hinder or hamper its use in magic.
Individually, they are all manifestations of interpersonal connections, derived from Nature, Mind, Conflict, Death, Balance, and States. As a result, each bearer must unapologetically be themselves, but also must recognize they are flawed on their own and desire for the betterment of themselves and the world around them.
When used as a unified force, They are treated as the 11th Domain: Harmony the Judgement. In this unified form, they have the power to divide good and evil, justice and cruelty, and treat one accordingly.
However, when abused and forced, Punishment is meted out in equal measure, regardless of the time taken for said Punishment to be delivered. This is often recognized as ‘Karma’ or ‘one’s just desserts’ or other such phrases for suffering made by one’s own actions.
SYSADMIN CLEARANCE ONLY: Assesment of Equestrian Reflection Avernon 9: Comparitive Power, Displacement Report, and Digressions and by Admin Xaerha Korsiq
As a result of the power of the world recognized as Equestria, and its vast amount of reflections, some admins have considered breaching the world with users of Void Magic and Artifice, in an attempt to rebalance and contain the potentiality of this world.
In this endeavor, Admins including myself have done research on other worlds and their reflections, and have had to consider how well Equestria is contained compared to other realms.
In the event of the Earth Reflection M4RV-3L and D12-CX Series, Most attempts to breach our realm have been met with failure at many of our countermeasures at the very boundaries, including but not limited to ‘The Wall’ and ‘The Entity Below All’, if not stopped by individuals within it’s own reflection or adjacent ones, recognized as ‘Breaches’ or ‘Crossovers.’ These two series of Earth Reflections have been categorically treated as Contained. As such, concerns regarding the Infinity Stones and God Aspects are considered Null and Void until further notice. Equestria has no entities or items on this scale, so why are they concerned? I can only flick my ears in annoyance at them in that case.
If we further compare it to the Enix Reflection Series, many entities exist on par with or stronger than almost every Equestrian, and this including the void-lost reflection in which reduced the overall power of the series as a whole. Once again, countermeasures put in place were once effective. However, Conceptual Code Execution has occurred, creating a new reflection branching off what was considered a completed frame, involving the Life Stream countermeasure we installed to prevent such effects. This unique reflection is under Surveillance.
However, one of my fellow admins is currently in hiding as a result of his multi-layered crime in this one reflection. Recognized as ER-EQR-Displacement Series Avernon 9. He, against the will of the council and his victims, he displaced 4 individuals into what would have been a bog-standard reflection of the Equestia Series, introduced species that would have never existed in said world to incite further deviation, and gave Conceptual Code Execution to his victims, albeit in a limited capacity.
In the event there is a catastrophic event within the Reflection as a result of Conceptual Code Execution, I would recommend Destroying this reflection, and rescuing those Displaced in question. Perhaps recruiting them to our side may help us find Mercinus Hanthinder, our rogue admin in question.
Regarding my Assessment the Requested Comparative Power to Other Surveilled Worlds:
Celestia, Discord, and Luna are all considered Integral Forces, if uninhibited by location, personality, or moral code. As such, I affirm they are High Tsade Class at very minimum, comparable to some of the pet favorites of the Admins such as Son Goku, Darkseid, and The Beyonder. Any elimination of these three would be tantamount to a restructuring of the ecology and hierarchy of the world, and further surveillance would be required.
Twilight Sparkle and Emperor Zarkesh are two of note in the Lamed Class, However, one is significantly stronger than the other due to age and experience, and may be reaching Tsade himself shortly. Once again, Comparable to Gilgamesh of the specifically F4T3MCCC Reflection of the Earth Series, and Eren Jager of the recently completed T1TNM4CH Reflection.
The World’s OPL (Overall Power Level) can be comparatively Estimated between Reflection 16 of the Enix Series and the JU-K41 Reflection from the Earth Series. This estimation will be re-evaluated as closer comparison can be made or changes in each respective reflection can be examined in detail.
Regarding the 4 Displaced:
All 4 are residing comfortably in the Lahmed Class, at varying levels. However, due to Human Origin, potential for higher classification is readily apparent, and even likely to change. Please, for all of creation stop Displacing Humans as their native race or adjacent races, it's already enough of a damn arm's race...
Frustaz, formerly Jayson, is explicitly limited by the knowledge of others and the technological level of the world, which could easily be advanced with a set of studious minds. His moral code keeps him in check for the most part. His power may expand further. Frustaz however is aware of us, having intentionally hunted down some of us in his home world, and was able to successfully find us. He has acquired multiple custodianships, including Ice and Metal. Tsade classification Possible, observe growth.
Directly related to him, Illua, formerly Seinaru, is one of concern. Her magical potential is potent, and is being actively reinforced on the physical front by an entity that manifested due to the world’s unique interaction with Emotions and mental states. (Note, this effect has only been seen in the Enix series prior.) She is the current suspect of having Conceptual Code Execution, due to her illness persisting when it should have been cleansed in the displacement, and her possession of a Void weapon.
Ylbe, formerly Akina, has made her place far removed from the other two, under the service of the previously mentioned Zarkesh. With additional training and some cross-training with other schools of magic, she may possibly be a future Custodian in this reflection.
As of right now in the Reflection’s current timeline, the 4th Displaced has not appeared, and is somewhere lost in Limbo. We are actively scouring this Limbo Space for the last Displaced, hopefully to return them to their world.
Permission will once again be requested to enter the world as a direct observer, and to make contact with the Displaced–
……. You’ve been reading this as I’ve been writing haven’t you? Who are you?
