//------------------------------// // Chapter 040: The Showdown (Part 3) // Story: Ultimate Equestria // by Leo Pachino //------------------------------// Twilight swiped her hooves under Rarity and knocked her to the ground. She grabbed a cutlass lying next to her and held it to Rarity. “Stay put.” Twilight warned her. A shock suddenly struck Twilight. In the corner of her eye, she sensed the toothed tip of a large cutlass aimed right at the vitals of her throat. “Quite.” The blade’s owner strongly stated. “Stay put.” “Korsan Maden,” Twilight hissed. “Twilight Sparkle, after only coming across each other for the second time in weeks, and you’re already trying to spill her guts out.” Korsan slyly berated her. “I’m not, I’m keeping her safe from you.” “I have kept her safe over the past weeks for much longer than you have, and under more perilous conditions, may I add.” “Because you kidnapped her. This isn’t about Rarity though. It’s between you and me. I’m here to put an end your nefarious schemes Korsan and put you to justice.” “I prefer to call my goals, ‘revolutionary’.” “You can call them whatever you want, I’ll still stop them before you hurt anypony else from this point on.” “Very well then, let us see you try, ma’am.” With a flicker of light, Twilight teleported away from Korsan. She faced him, her sword aimed at his sword. Rarity backed away from the two sword-wielders. Twilight and Korsan continued to stare at each other and waited for the perfect moment to strike. The air turned silent, with only the gentle breezes of kicked-up sand making a sound. Korsan made the first step. Before continuing, he heard his crew roaring from behind him. He looked to his back, seeing remaining able-bodied pirates chasing Fluttershy around the grotto. He had a trick. “Sea artists,” He yelled out to them. The stampede promptly halted and turned to their captain. “Firing squad on Twilight!” Korsan commanded. Upon given the command, the thirty unicorns lined up side by side. They took aim at Twilight and charged. Thirty unique colours illuminated the room. Twilight and Korsan shifted their attention between the lineup of pirates and each other. “This is completely unfair.” Twilight hissed. “Said the alicorn.” Korsan teased before declaring, “Fire!” Korsan sprinted forward at Twilight. His blade was poised to strike. Twilight lunged at Korsan. Her sword was also at the ready. The grotto was immediately filled by sparks and bolts of magic fired from the pirates. The cutlasses crashed together with a great clang. The two immediately backed away and avoided a volley of magic fired at them. Twilight and Korsan rejoined and entered a fierce battle with their blades. They maneuvered their physical bodies to dodge shining blades and bolts of magic. The battlefield turned into a technicolour lightshow. Streaks of deadly light danced across the air. Silver shards from the swords bulleted the walls. Korsan sped around Twilight. He attempted to slash her legs. Twilight leapt over the swipes and kicked sand at the pirate. Korsan blew the sand away with his cape. He then deflected several bolts of magic towards Twilight. She released an array of tiny magic shields and blocked the bolts. However, this opened herself up to Korsan. Korsan snapped his cape at Twilight’s chest. Like a whip, Twilight’s flesh immediately burned on impact. She slowly turned overwhelmed by the powerful pirate and his distant crew. The shower of magic spells and Korsan’s cutting speed didn’t Twilight a moment to breathe. Not even a moan of pain could escape her as her lungs and muscles stiffened to their tightest. The swords and bodies of Twilight and Korsan continued to slam into each other repeatedly. This battle required of their might and they were certain to use it. From behind an iron boulder, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie, watched in absolute dumbfound as the two fighters darted across the arena. Korsan and Twilight fought each other with the finest of precision and grace. If Twilight couldn’t beat him, surely, it would be impossible for those three to stand a chance. “Impossible!” Korsan choked from his collapsing lungs. “How are you able to keep up with me?!” Twilight croaked in response, “Because I fight for what is right!” “Fate is right, fate is always right. And fate is on my side!” Korsan declared. The pirates tired from their continuous barrage of magic and slowed down. Twilight and Korsan saw this as an opportunity and took it. The two charged into each other. They locked their blades together and pressing their bodies against each other. They held their lifted weapons up to each other’s neck. White sparks poured out from the grinding metal tools like a waterfall. The sharp edges of the swords slowly drew closer and closer to the flesh. “You know, you could easily teleport away and kill me from afar. I can see that strap around your horn is all empty of anti-magic. I can’t do anything if you were to cast some magic spell on yourself. I have to stay her and keep my weapon at your throat and keep myself alive. You want this to end, don’t you?” Korsan asked. “Why are you telling me this?” Twilight asked back. “Prove my point, Twilight. Prove that you magic-users are superior to us inferiors. Try me! Do it! Prove it!” Korsan taunted her. At that moment, Twilight’s fighting spirit was enraged with spite. She remained to hold herself close to Korsan and the blade lock. “Unicorns, pegasi, and Earth ponies are equal!” Twilight declared. “You think you’ve caught onto some sort of trick of mine? I’m handing victory to you on a golden platter! Finish me!” Korsan hissed. “I will not teleport!” “Then you will die!” “Never!” “Twilight!” Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity exclaimed. The three galloped towards Korsan’s back, with Pinkie and Fluttershy taking the lead. “No! Don’t! Stay back!” Twilight yelled out to them, immediately losing focus. Korsan sprang into action at that moment. He leapt up into the air. He reached his hind claws out at the Pinkie’s and Fluttershy’s throats. His free hoof wrapped around Twilight’s neck as Korsan rises. Within an instant, the three heroes were lifted into the air by their throats and slammed onto the hard golden sand. Upon landing, Korsan kicked the two rear ponies square in the chest. The sheer force launched them several metres back. Korsan then pulled his rival to his chest. He held the front of the neck to the edge of his prepared sword. His claws slithered up the side of Twilight’s sweat covered face and constricted themselves around her horn. With a wide, panting grin on his face, Korsan leaned his head towards Twilight’s flopping ear. He whispered, “Touché… Well, close enough to a hit.” Twilight, exhausted, only panted heavily in response. Her eyelids grew heavy as every inch of her body burned. Her vision of Korsan’s sword blurred and began to fade into a dark blob. The presence of Korsan slowly faded from Twilight’s senses. “...You…” Twilight breathed out, her lungs folding in on themselves. “You what?” Korsan asked. “…Y-you are g-going to k-k-kill so many innocent l-li-lives-s. You-you know t-th-t-that…” Twilight succumbed to the exhaustion of her body. She slumped over towards Korsan’s sword. The stallion pulled away the blade though and let the mare drop. She fell onto the sandy ground with a graceful thud. “I do.” Korsan solemnly told the lifeless body. “K-Korsan,” Rarity whimpered, slowly approaching from behind. “Don’t worry, she isn’t dead, just in a short-lived state of unconsciousness.” Korsan calmly replied. “Pity, really, for such a beautiful creature to be just as equally vile.” “Were you really instigating her to kill you?” Rarity asked, concered. “…I was.” “Why? How would that type of a bluff help you?” “It... It wasn’t exactly a bluff. Though, I appreciate still being alive.” “Then why? Why were you so willing to throw your life away? It scares me,” Korsan paused for a minute. The look on Korsan’s face was confusing, like he wasn’t sure how to word it. Should he lie? Should he say the absurd truth? Korsan was stumped by himself. “…It should, Ms. Rarity. There are still so many things you don’t know about me, things that you should not know about.” Korsan finally said. “…” Rarity stayed silent, almost as if not accepting that answer. “Don’t worry.” Korsan assured her. “I hope that that side of me never shows itself again. For now, let’s return to our quest. Somepony, give me a status report on the crew?” “A few of them are incapacity, and fifteen are missing.” One of the firing squad pirates panted. “Where are they?” A bunch of hooves then burst from the sand, soon followed by their bodies. The fifteen mares and stallions that pursued Pinkie burst out of the ground. They weren’t greatly harmed, but significantly shaken from being buried. “Oh, there they are.” Korsan said. “That pink demon,” Maria gasped, spitting out a small stream of sand out of her dry mouth. “Is she-” “She’s been taken care of.” Korsan responded. “She dragged us… She dragged us deep under the floor, into some, admittedly-roomy chamber made of sand!” Alexander Grevious frantically spoke. “We had to dig ourselves out through a metre of thick sand above us.” Maria added. Korsan replied, “Well, it’s a good thing yous all got out. Go capture the resistors and tend to the injured. Same goes with the rest of you thirty, move out.” “Yes, Captain.” The pirates nodded. As the large group parted away into separate sections of the grotto, Korsan returned his attention to the Fountain of Balance. A warm wave of victory pulsed through his tired form. “Yes, there you are.” Slowly, Korsan walked into the stone pavilion and examined the golden fountain right in front of him. Without a single grain of sand spilled into the pure, blue water, Korsan saw his reflection in the liquid. He stared into it for a while as his mind trailed off. He thought about everything that has built up to this moment. “The battles, the struggles, the adventures, the depression, the bouts of insanity, the fear, the rage, the abuse, the neglect, the isolation the teasing, the pushing, the work, the pain, all of it put together for over twenty years. All of it has led me here.” Korsan declared to himself. Rarity slowly approached his side. Korsan noticed this and kneeled down to the rim of the golden shower. He noticed encryptions carved into the spring. “Interesting…” He commented. “What do they say?” Rarity asked. Korsan took a moment to translate most of the writing. He then answered, “’Behold this spring, the Fountain of Balance, to bless thee with thy magic of thy horn, thy flight of thy wings, and thy might of thy size. It waters remain pure for the vastness of eternity and furthermore. Yet, before thou shall bathe or even take beverage of these waters, let thou be known this. If thy sky is not faultless, thou shall not take. If thy self-temple is not aged well, thou shall not take. If thy acceptance is unwilled, thou shall not take. If thy fate be blackened with greed and sin, thou shall not take. This is the utmost of thy warnings. May only the pure of core, soul, figure, and mind take from this spring, and may thou use thy power for good will to all. The Law of Equivalence reigns above all, no matter what form or fate.’” “Are you sure you want to go through with this? There were a lot of warnings.” Rarity said. “…” Korsan thought for a moment. “Please, think about it. Think about what you have done and what you will do after this.” “…I know what I’m doing. This will change my fate for the better. Equivalence, my boot, I’ve spent enough of my sanity on getting here, I deserve payment.” “Okay.” Gently, Korsan reached under his cape and pulled out a small grail made of gold and lined with clear diamonds. He set the drinking cup into the blue waters of the fountain. As he did this, the top of the fountain lit up. A bright blue beam of light surged from the fountain and traveled through the hole in the ceiling. Everypony turned to see the magnificent magic glow bathe the entire grotto in illuminance. Korsan filled the goblet and pulled it out from the waters. The light beam remained, perhaps as a beacon to all that a new alicorn has arisen. Korsan tightly held onto the grail without letting a single drop hop out. Triumphantly, Korsan held the cup up into the air as if toasting to the fountain. “On this day forward, let the entire known world know of me, the terror of earth, sea, and air, the ultimate pirate captain, Captain Korsan Maden!” With his lips puckered and his throat set to drink, Korsan lifted the golden chalice to his mouth and slowly drunk the blue liquid. The pure water quickly flowed through Korsan’s body. He could feel a rush of energy and power pumping into every aspect of his body. He and the onlookers waited in patience and fear to see their leader transform into an alicorn. Everything turned silent for a solid minute. However, after waiting for a long while, the rejuvenating feeling came to an end. Korsan was thunderstruck. His body had not changed at all. “What?”