At The End Of All Things, Blades Cross and Souls Are Tested
Luna strode confidently through the dark wood, a long spear in her right hand, and a circular shield large enough to cover her torso in the other. Each step caused a soft clatter to ring out through the silence, her expertly crafted plate mail barely making a sound as she walked. Though the slit she gazed through in her helm was narrow she could see her surroundings perfectly.
Before her, the path stretched on, winding left and right through the forest of bone-white trees stripped bare of foliage. A harsh wind struck her suddenly, buffeting the woman to the point that she had to stop and brace herself. The moment the gale slowed, she continued trudging in relative silence toward some distant, unseen goal.
Around her, no creature stirred, and nothing save the occasional patch of withered grass or branch moved, animated by the breeze. There was no sign of civilization here, with even the path she walked upon being simple dirt and notable only because it was bereft of foliage. Though her boots stomped through the occasional mud puddle, soaking her feet, Luna made no attempt to take wing.
For above her head churned a great mass of pitch-black clouds that swirled endlessly around her. Rings upon rings of the dense, dark cloud covered nearly every inch of the night sky, leaving only a few feet between them through which Luna could glimpse the stars. Stars which grew less and less numerous for every moment she tarried here, her goal uncompleted and her foe unbested.
Glancing forward, she saw that below the centermost point of the swirling clouds was a stone-ringed hill whose top was covered in a polished, dark wood. In better times, and in better settings, it would serve as a dance floor, though Luna supposed that it still would. For there would indeed be a dance, though one of blade and spell, rather than of rhythm and passion.
That would come in time however, now she needed only to trudge up the bleak, rocky incline and reach her goal. A grimace split the woman’s hidden face, her boots digging deep into the muddy earth with each step. She wanted to use her magic, to open her wings but she dared not expend so much as a single ounce of power before the fight had begun.
Though it took much struggle, eventually Luna crested the top of the hill and stood upon the dark wooden platform. There, within the eye of the storm and the center of seemingly everything, the wind dulled, and the endless howl finally quieted completely. In that lone moment of silence, Luna glanced up to the stars, noting grimly that they numbered only a handful. She had tarried too long, the dread of her duty weighing her down to the point that she was nearly late.
Thankfully there had been a few moments to spare before their fated meeting, moments that Luna spent girding her will. What came next would take every single ounce of her strength or her magic, and of her body. The test would push her to her very limits, but she had passed those barriers before, and she would pass them again.
Or at least this is what she told herself, though the princess of the moon could taste just how hollow those words were even within the dark confines of her own mind.
She shook her head, brushing aside all thoughts of doubt, fear, or guilt. With her will now iron, she set shield, raised her spear, and readied herself for what was to come. Her foe did not leave her waiting for long, for the very air before Luna undulated as if it were some dark liquid.
Then, a bony armored hand emerged from the dark and the cold, followed by an arm and then the rest of the creature’s body. The form before Luna was immediately familiar to her for it was the twisted reflection she saw in every nightmare she had ever had. Staring at it brought to Luna’s mind the same sensation one may have when one glimpsed themself through a mirror broken by violence or warped by the flame. For although it was indeed like her, the entity was more a twisted mockery of the princess, rather than that of a true reflection.
Where the princess’s armor shone like a star in the night sky, the beast before her was night black, its armor deep obsidian. Though rusted, and giving way in certain sections to reveal the bleached bone beneath, Luna knew the protective plates of her enemy were still strong. For the armor itself was forged from the very storm that sat atop the entity’s head like a cyclone crown.
Her weapons were suitably macabre, that being a staff made from the thigh bones of several unfortunate creatures long since passed. Its shield was a strange sphere or globe the same shade of pale white as the bony hand that gripped it tight. Her helmet mirrored Luna’s own, only it bore grim spikes, and a wider opening, allowing the princess to gaze upon the red-black eyes beneath. Those uncanny orbs seemed to drink deep of what little light bathed the would-be battlefield, darkening the already shadowed land that much more.
Standing fully before Luna, the creature raised its staff as if it were a spear, and readied its globe in the way one may ready a shield. The pair sized one another up, both taking stock of what the other had brought to bear this fateful night. While Luna’s gaze was analytical, detached almost, the creature across from her stared with a hungry, thirsting intent that bore great malice and hatred.
Soon they would meet, and soon their dance would begin.
When it ended but one would stand, while the other would fall. Only then would the nightmare end, and night give way to day. Or night remain, forever controlling the sky no matter how many might die.
For a moment it seemed as though the pair would stare at one another forever, neither daring to strike first. Then a flash, of magic erupted from the creature’s staff, creating a lash of lightning that slammed down at Luna. The princess of the night was ready and using her own magic, she countered with a dome of stone conjured from the earth beneath her hooves.
The creature followed up its attack with a thrust of force that shattered the protective dome, but Luna was not beneath it. The alicorn had evaded to the right, allowing her to thrust her spear up into her foe’s side. The blow was deflected by an ethereal circle of force that seemed to spring forth from the globe the creature held.
Undeterred, Luna continued to press her advantage, flanking around the monster and using lightning-fast attacks to keep the initiative. The creature seemed unbothered, keeping the attacks at bay with its shield before slamming the butt of her staff against the ground. The moment the bone weapon struck wood, a wave of green, glowing insects radiated outward from her in all directions in a great cloud.
Knowing the power such a spell held, Luna avoided it by leaping into the air and flapping her wings. This was a mistake, as the wind immediately howled, buffeting the princess with enough force to send her sprawling back to the ground. Though she avoided the wave of blight, the powerful blast of air had left her briefly defenseless, forcing the woman onto her back foot.
Before she had a chance to rise, the creature was upon her, staff extended, a torrent of flames pouring forth. The fan of fire was deflected by Luna using an icy blast to neutralize the spell, though it left the ground slick with water. Onto this slippery footing, Luna rose, batting aside her foe’s staff and stabbing her spear up into its midsection.
Once more the sphere was brought to bear, blocking the attack and allowing the monster to recoil. The pair, now on even ground once more, attacked one another almost immediately, neither willing to let the other have a second to think. Luna’s small shield, infused with a quickly cast ward, drank deep of the flood of lightning launched at her. The monster’s own blocking weapon was able to turn aside the thrust of Luna’s spear but not the blast of energy fired at its head.
The creature’s helmet was sent flying off its skull, the strange metal taking the full brunt of the blow in the process. Though the beast was uninjured, with the helm now removed, its full, grim countenance was visible to Luna. What she saw was her own ghostly features overlaid atop the bleached skull of the undead abomination.
It smirked, and struck back, conjuring a whole host of spectral limbs that all reached out at Luna. The princess, now certain that she could safely take wing, did just that, using her magic to blast a hand that had gotten ahead of the others. The ethereal limb crumbled, quickly vanishing and just as quickly being replaced by several more identical copies.
Up Luna went, using spear and magic to keep the grabbing arms at bay. Though mostly successful, two of the arms had flanked her and grabbed onto her left leg and right arm. They were banished with a stroke of her spear, and a blast of her magic but by then the damage was done.
Their icy grip chilled Luna to the bone, their digits leaving behind ice crystals on her armored form. Beneath the steel and padding, Luna felt her skin freeze, and her muscles tense up unconsciously. She knew it would only get worse, so she hastily cast a low-level healing spell on herself, banishing the creeping chill that threatened her. By then, unfortunately, the creature had gathered enough power for a truly chilling spell that seemed to drain the very light from the world.
Looking down, Luna gasped in shock, for coming at her was an orb of darkness twice as large as she herself was. She could feel the destructive power radiating off the ball, and in a panic, she attempted to flee out of its path. However, the gale force winds returned, only not nearly as powerful as they had been a moment earlier.
Without the helm, they were on even footing, and so Luna pushed hard, breaking through the headwind. Just in time for the orb to sail past her, the crackling ball erupting into a shower of pitch-black sparks a dozen feet behind her. With her wings still pumping hard, Luna banked around and leveled her spear at the creature’s midsection.
Rather than block, the entity created a cloud of greenish-blue mist that billowed outward. Within the spectral mass predatory shapes, and snapping jaws could be seen, seeking out any fleshy target to sink their teeth into. Luna shifted, using her momentum to create a single powerful flap, banishing the cloud and leaving her standing stock still.
The creature, still reeling from the sudden use of so much magical power, was unable to block the blast of moonlight leveled its way. Though it raised the sphere, the barrier wasn't large enough to protect more than just its face. Luna continued to pour on the power, watching with grim confidence as her foe’s body began to smoke due to exposure to the magically conjured energy.
Landing on the ground, Luna strode forward, putting all the strength she could muster into the beam. Her confidence waned when her enemy used a blast of cold not at her directly, but at the ground before her. For the water created moments earlier froze in an instant, leaving Luna slipping on the icy ground. With her concentration shattered, Luna’s spell flickered, and died, allowing the monster to shake off the moonlight’s effects.
While Luna struggled to stand straight, the creature took a step forward and struck the ground with its staff once more. From the point of impact, a rippling wave of cataclysmic energy could be felt coming from beneath the earth. Growing with strength with the ground it covered, the pulsing swell of maleficent green energy promised death or dismemberment should Luna be unable to dodge it.
Thinking quickly, Luna tossed her shield down and hopped atop it, using it to slide to the edge of the icy section. Before she could hit the ground, the princess launched herself into the air with a furious pump of her wings. Once airborne, she gained in altitude before spinning back around just in time to see her equipment destroyed.
The wave had struck it, and then ceased, only to erupt directly under it, creating a geyser of necromantic energy. The pillar rose high, high into the air, though it dissipated quickly, leaving behind a piece of wood so rotted there was barely anything left. Luna didn't bemoan its loss for long, however, as she had larger concerns, namely the crackling line of energy that had struck her in the chest.
A mere guiding path, Luna knew that the true spell would fire in a mere moment, and she dodged it by tucking her wings in while tipping her head back. As she fell, a burst of strange magic burst over her head, disintegrating not the princess but only a distant cloud. Twisting into a backward loop, Luna opened her wings and flew toward the dark reflection before her, arm cocked and ready to throw her spear.
As she neared, she saw the creature raise its sphere, but before it was able to conjure the magic, Luna loosed her weapon. The pointed head of the spear smashed through the thin barrier, and into the sphere, causing it to explode into a thousand pieces. Luna wasn't satisfied with just evening the odds, however, and she flew in close, using her magic to pull her spear back into her hand as she did so.
In the blink of an eye, she was upon the reeling monster, stabbing repeatedly with powerful two-handed attacks. Her foe was quick, dodging out of the way of the first few jabs, only for Luna to outpace her, ramming her spear through a rusted gap in her foe’s midsection. Driving the spear as deep as it could go, Luna hefted the creature off its feet in hopes of impaling it fully upon the weapon.
Her confidence was dashed when the monster shoved her backward with a focused blast of dark magic. Now disarmed, Luna stumbled about, her body tingling as the dark magic attacked her only to be beaten back by her enchanted armor. By then the monster had ripped the spear free of its body and tossed it aside, a grimace twisting its monstrous face.
Luna drew her final weapon, a short sword she had kept hidden until now, and immediately pressed her attack once more, aiming her attacks at the creature’s center of mass. She attempted no fancy strikes, nor did she make any effort to make her attacks anything but brutal, and to the point. Though a dance of death their struggle held all the sophistication of two fighters scrambling in the mud, trying to kill one another with little more than their hands and their own cruel intent.
The monster favored one side, keeping its stronger leg forward, and narrowing its profile in order to ensure it was able to dodge easier. Luna saw this and switched her tactics, stepping into its reach and launching a sweeping strike aimed at its neck. Unfortunately, Luna wasn't the only one who saw an opening, as the monster’s free hand grabbed the princess’s wrist.
With her blade still, and her arm grappled, Luna could do little but tug at the limb in hopes of freeing it. While she did so, the monster raised its scepter toward the swirling clouds above. As if called by the monster, a black bolt of lightning struck the tip of the staff, transforming the topmost section into a strange obsidian point.
The gleaming unlight was aimed at Luna’s head, the crackling aura of dark electricity promising oblivion to the princess. Two could play the monster’s game, however, and before she could be struck down, Luna grabbed the staff just above where the creature had. For a moment the pair were still, both silently struggling against the other, their magic sparking, ready to be unleashed upon their foe.
Luna was first to break the stalemate however, with the princess pulling her foe forward into a brutal steel headbutt. Without its helmet to protect it, the creature’s face crumpled under the force of the strike, bone shattering and falling away. As it cried out in agony, Luna withdrew her blade and used the moment of pain to remove the creature’s arm at the elbow.
Before the staff could hit the ground, Luna caught the bone weapon and threw it as far behind her as she could. She was about to press her attack but the creature was suddenly upon her, an otherworldly shriek ripping forth from its throat. Its dislocated jaw and shattered teeth did not stop its cry, the sound putting Luna off balance due to the sheer force behind it.
While still reeling, blade ready to block, Luna was assaulted by the scrabbling, desperate hand of the monster. Though missing half of one arm, it came at her like a wounded animal, screaming and thrashing with little grace or thought. The manic attacks were deflected, or driven away by Luna’s blade before being ended when the princess removed the monster’s other arm.
A kick sent the armless creature back with enough force to almost knock it onto its back. Before it could attack once more, Luna extended a hand, and sent an orb of yellow the size of a marble flying at her foe. The moment it struck the beast’s chest, Luna snapped her fingers, and the ball erupted with cataclysmic force. A storm of fire billowed outward, instantly swallowing the area and her foe in a sphere of flame and death.
The explosions ended quickly, leaving behind a cloud of smoke that hung heavy in the air. For once the wind was utterly silent, lying still as if waiting for its master’s call. It didn't remain quiet for long though, as it soon picked up once more, distant at first, but rushing towards the hill like a loyal animal returning home.
As the gale picked up, a flurry of cracking sounds could be heard from within the lingering cloud of smoke. To Luna, it sounded almost like an arm or leg being broken repeatedly in rapid succession. It also set off alarm bells in the woman’s mind, prompting her to raise her free hand and conjure a mass of electricity. As the churning mass of chaotic energy smoothed and lengthened, forming into a javelin, the wind neared and the smoke began to part.
In its wake, a horrifying abomination formed of a dozen strange limbs, some clawed, others hooved, emerged. Its face lengthened like that of a horse, only its maw sported the teeth of a shark or some other deep-dwelling predator. Its eyes remained bright red, the maleficent glare within glowing brighter than ever, radiating like twin portals to the very depths of hell.
It surged forward, using its many arms, and legs to propel itself across the ground with terrifying speed. As it attacked, so too did the wind, the magically charged air buffeting Luna from all sides and trying to throw her off. The warrior princess was unbothered by the monster charging her, or the wind all around her, her focus utterly on the crackling javelin in her grasp.
The beast covered ground quickly, crossing almost the entirety of the hilltop in the blink of an eye. Though fast, Luna was quicker still, striking out with her bolt of moonlight-infused lightning with tremendous force. The throw carried an almost impossible speed, the electricity-forged projectile crossing the distance before the monster could even react.
A small but incredibly powerful explosion knocked back the creature, as well as the very wind, stifling the gale and allowing the quiet to return. In the silence, Luna gazed at her downed foe, noting that its form was shattered, its limbs scattered across the ground in all directions. Though broken, its eyes continued to stare at her, unblinking, the fiery orbs flickering and threatening to go out completely.
Luna raised her weapon and took a step forward, but was stopped when the clouds above her head parted. In their absence, all the stars of the night sky could be seen gathered so close that their light was almost blinding. Though undeniably beautiful, Luna could only scowl in disgust, annoyed but unsurprised by the choice the night had made.
Their sparkling rays of light shone down on the hilltop, bathing the dying creature in a soft, silvery glow. The shattered bones and broken skull rose into the air, the two burning orbs staring down at Luna. The glare it shot her promised ruin and a bloody, visceral end to the princess that had bested the beast.
But Luna did not return the monster’s rage, the woman merely cast aside her weapon and stood in silence. Bathed in the light of the stars, she breathed slowly in then out, once then twice, then finally three times. Upon the third exhalation the ruined forest and the blasted hilltop were gone, replaced by a familiar room.
Rising from her bed, Luna winced and grabbed at her arm, the woman idly noting that her flesh was unnaturally cold. She would deal with such struggles later, pushing through the pain and limping toward the open door that led to her balcony. Standing outside, with her back to her quarters, Luna gazed up at the night expectantly.
Above her the last fading rays of night were giving way to the coming of the day, signalling the end of the year’s longest period of darkness. With the arrival of the sun, Luna felt her night’s struggles return to her, sapping her strength and nearly dropping her to her knees. With hands clenched tight about the railing, Luna pushed through the pain and discomfort that assaulted her.
Through will alone she ignored the clawing exhaustion at the back of her mind, and the injuries she had sustained. Her magical reserves were also spent, though the headache that such an expenditure gave her paled in comparison to the rest of what ailed her. Though agonizing, Luna continued to gaze out over the capital, her chest swelling with pride as she saw all those saved from the nightmare’s wrath.
“Good morning Equestria,” she whispered.