//------------------------------// // Wrath of the Destroyer // Story: Father // by Craine //------------------------------// “He did what?” Celestia exclaimed. Surely, she’d misheard. “He destroyed our instruments. Like they were nothing,” Sunset Shimmer reaffirmed, rubbing her elbow. The armored princess gave the ground a sidelong glance. “I don’t suppose you’ve any other means of using your magic in this world?” Sunset closed her eyes wistfully. “There’s still so much about this world’s magic that we don’t understand. So far, music is the only way we’ve found.” “I see…” Celestia muttered, her eyes still cast to the ground. The situation put a knot in Celestia’s chest. If Sky Eater removed the Rainbooms’ only means of fighting back so easily, she shuddered to think what would happen if the Elements of Harmony still relied on trinkets. But that was the least of her worries at present. She regarded the unusually silent Twilight Sparkle standing beside her. Truthfully, Celestia was still quite upset with the younger princess for completely ignoring the plan they’d discussed back on Equestria: Stay put, stay safe and stay the hell away from Sky Eater while Celestia handled it. Simple. She couldn’t help but think that Twilight’s swollen eye had something to do with it. She decided it best not to pry for now. “Twilight.” The lavender girl jerked from whatever trance she was in and looked up at the elder princess. “Sunset.” The former unicorn did the same. “I need you two and your friends to help evacuate the others.” Both seemed ready to protest. Celestia raised a palm for silence. “We have little time left. I will stall Sky Eater until everyone is safe.” “Wait. By yourself?” Came Sunset’s much anticipated rebuke. “That’s insane!” Celestia turned to Twilight, awaiting her retort as well. To her surprise, Twilight merely nibbled on her bottom lip. “It has become our only option. But you must be quick. I may not be able stall him for very long” Sunset stepped forward, looking like she’d burst into tears of rage at any moment. An expression Celestia had tried and failed many times to forget. “We… we can help y— “ “When I came here, the first thing I saw was him tearing you apart. You’re no match for him without your magic.” “Then why did you insist one confronting him alone?!” Celestia looked Sunset Shimmer right in the eye. “I never intended to fight the Destroyer, merely to bargain with him. But now that I’ve directly intervened, I am no longer protected by the Creator’s spell. I’m in the same boat as you, now.” Celestia kept her voice stern to hide her slowly rising trepidation. Sunset took another step forward. “Exactly! All the more reason we should help you!” Just as Celestia felt a headache coming on, a strange sensation enveloped her. She and the others turned toward the source and saw a large glowing stone float high into the sky, high enough to touch the clouds. Celestia’s nose wrinkled, every instinct sending off nothing but danger signals. Time was running out and she knew it. She turned back to her comrades. “Go. Assist the evacuation however you can.” Sunset Shimmer’s eyes were locked on the floating stone’s direction. “Then what?” Celestia fell silent. Sunset turned back to her old mentor, tears now gathering in her eyes. “When everyone else is safe, then what?” Any other time, Celestia would be quite peeved with that tone. But not this time. “The portal… it must be—” Thunder and lightning destroyed the conversation. All eyes whipped toward the floating stone’s direction again. But noticed something a little more dangerous striding toward them. It was him, the Destroyer himself, staring them all down with numbing determination. Fists tightened, shoulders stiff, eyes narrowed and focused. The clouds began to swirl. Winds began to whistle. The air began to thin. “It truly is confounding,” Sky Eater began, his voice somehow powering through the whistling winds, “how you’ve infatuated my children so, how you’ve reprogrammed them to love their enemy. Out of respect, I should commend you.” Lightning flashed behind him. Celestia threw an arm protectively before the group. “Back down, old one,” she warned with slight hiss. “The path is still clear for you to leave. No one has to get hurt today.” Sky Eater remained as he was. “Fascinating logic… from the mare who broke my jaw.” “And you’re still talking…” Celestia threw a wide-eyed, withering glare at Rainbow Dash, who flinched with a bitten lip She turned back to their adversary. “I apologize for nothing. Your actions warranted the blow.” Sky Eater’s eyes glinted. “So, you were just… protecting you own?” “Without question,” Celestia retorted. “And you would condemn me for doing the same?” “By killing the innocent?!” “Killers, Daybringer,” he corrected. “By killing killers.” Celestia stepped forward, and Sunset felt herself jerk forward after her. “Your children are still alive! Moreover, they were happily living their lives in peace before you came!” Celestia shouted. Sky Eater looked as though the alicorn spat on his robe. “Life? Walking on soil that is as much alive as it is dead? Pandering to the deceitful whores who muted them? Dying from the inside out, starved of magic?” His face shook and twisted with inconsolable rage. “That… is what you call life?!” Celestia’s outstretched arm sparked with energy and twitched. “Bite your forked tongue, serpent.” Her voice was low, the warning painfully clear. “No matter what you believe―no matter what you think you know of these girls―they are the only reason you’ve held your daughters today.” Sky Eater began marching forward again. “And the only reason these oppressors still live… is you: an obstacle that must be removed.” “I said back down. I won’t say it again.” He didn’t stop. “It seems we need to reestablish your place, alicorn. Or have you really forgotten who you’re talking to?” Celestia frowned. “I haven’t forgotten…” Sky Eater’s eyes glowed yellow. “Then you will stand aside, so that I may do what is necessary.” “Don’t do this, Sky Eater,” Celestia said, standing as tall as ever before the giant. “There’s always a better way.” “No,” Sky Eater growled. “I can’t let something great enough to threaten my children exist. Now stand aside.” “Listen to yourself, dammit! If they wanted to hurt them, they—“ A sharp echo clapped into the sky. Jaw’s dropped in perfect sync, silence poisoning the very air. Celestia’s head and torso were turned aside, eyes wide with shock, blood seeping from her lips. Her eyes slowly closed, and, through clenched teeth, she took a single shuddering breath. “That was your last warning, Daybringer.” Sky Eater lowered his outstretched hand. “Stand. Aside.” Slowly―oh so slowly―Celestia righted herself, eyes boring furiously up at Sky Eater’s. “No…” she whispered. Sunset Shimmer took another very brave step forward. “Princess, please wai―” “Why are you still here?!” Celestia shouted. The fiery-haired girl jumped back with a sharp gasp, arms raised in alarm. “I told you to leave! NOW GO!” Sunset stumbled back, but didn’t argue, frown creasing on her forehead. She started shaking A hand fell on her shoulder. She turned back to Twilight, who shook her head firmly. “But how can you―” “Sunset. We have to trust that she knows what to do.” A biting-cold breeze whipped through the air, and all eyes riveted back to the two ancients. Winds twisted around them, and lightning pierced the sky again. Sunset couldn’t watch anymore. She turned on her heel and power-walked passed her friends. They quickly followed suit. Chest quibbling. Muscles solid and tense. Vision blurring from the rage threatening to consume her. Princess Celestia had completely forgotten what that felt like. Yes, she’d felt something close to this when Sunset Shimmer abandoned her studies, or when Discord betrayed ponykind to join Tirek. But this… It wasn’t quite for the fact that Sky Eater wasn’t intimidated by her, that her plan had completely backfired, that he threatened two ponies most precious to her, or even that she’d been slapped in the face right in front of them. No. That wasn’t true. Every one of those things lit a spark in her chest. Combined, they turned that spark into an inferno. “You’re as foolish as your Creator, alicorn,” Sky Eater growled. “Surely you know what it means to stand against me.” “Be quiet, snake,” Celestia hissed, still tasting the blood on her lips. Sky Eater’s eyes narrowed, power now swirling around an armored fist. “The better question is, do you really think I’ll allow them to leave?” He raised his glowing palm, and aimed directly for the retreating girls. It finally snapped. The last thread of patience Celestia had mustered for this encounter finally snapped. The insults, the arrogance, the flagrant disregard for her authority, background and love for her people and world. Celestia was quite finished. With a raspy shout and glowing white eyes, Celestia expelled her magic and pushed Sky Eater away. He merely slid back a few feet. “You shall not harm them!” Celestia roared. Quiet laughter answered her declaration. “There are things in this universe even you should fear, Daybringer,” Sky Eater said. “You, a mere child with only a few millennia of training and experience… I will make you suffer.” Celestia took a deep, hissing breath through her nose. Long-buried memories clamored to the surface of her mind, and she became aware of every joint, curve, muscle, and bone of her human body. She rolled her shoulders, face twitching at the crackle and pop. She swept one leg back and found her footing. Arms raised and fists clenched, Celestia held a solid stance. She couldn’t help but smile. “You must believe that this is my first time here, that I know nothing of this body. What of you, Sky Eater? How much do you really know about yours?” Sky Eater smiled back and stood tall, chest out, feet squared and fists only slightly raised. “It’s time to find out.” With that, Sky Eater vanished in a blink. Celestia could only gasp before her entire world flipped and cartwheeled about, chunks of dirt and concrete sprinkling her vision. She grinded to a limb-straining halt, armored fingers leaving four seven-meter grooves in the ground. She rose to her feet… then buckled a bit at the pain ripping in and out of her now-bruised cheek. Of course, he used Archaic teleportation magic. Forbidden magic reserved only for royalty and its elite on Equestria. A cancerous problem in the right hands… hooves… claws… “Okay,” she muttered breathlessly, fist clenching with powerful magic, “not a good start.” She realized she’d been knocked off campus and right into the street, and thanked her lucky stars there was no one else outside. This was going to get messy. “Winded already?” Celestia’s shoulder jerked and she whirled about-face, stance held solid. Sky Eater was sitting on a car, elbow resting on his craned leg. “There is no shame in yielding, especially since your death does not interest me. Not yet, anyway.” Celestia scoffed, and noticed the VERY pronounced frown appear on her assailant’s face for doing so. “I won’t let you have your way,” she declared. With creaking and groaning metal, Sky Eater rose from the car, frown held strong. “No matter how many times I hear that, it doesn’t sound any less pathetic,” he said, clenching a fist. “No matter. I shall accommodate you all the same.” Sky Eater vanished again, and Celestia felt yet another crunching force envelop her face, and re-experienced a flipping and cartwheeling world. When she regained herself, she was back on campus on her hands and knees, staring hazily at a well-sized puddle of… Was that her blood? Because if it was, this absolutely could not continue. She staggered to her feet, fist still pulsing with magic. Her haggard breaths sounded horribly strained, even to her. In my heart of hearts, Celestia thought, I never thought I’d battle the Destroyer so soon. Her vision doubled as Sky Eater strode towards her, gravity once again weighing down on her. She inhaled sharply and focused more magic in her fist. But I… I must buy them time. I will not fail them. Celestia saw Sky Eater’s fist clench from a distance. She inhaled sharply again, eyes now wide and alert. She braced for the impact that most certainly came. This time, she stood her ground, head and torso turned aside with a sharp, gauntleted arm stretched passed her. Her cheek slid up and scraped against that same arm. With an indignant roar and magical release, Celestia returned the punch in kind. To her surprise, Sky Eater stumbled back, hand over his own bleeding cheek. He looked even more surprised the she did. His palm slid off his face and he stared at it blankly. “That’s the second time you’ve lain your filthy appendages upon a god,” Sky Eater growled. Then he smiled. “But I can’t say I’m disappointed. At least you can put up a fight.” Celestia wiped her bloody lips with a wrist, glaring up at him defiantly. “There’s a human saying I suggest you heed, old one; ‘there’s no greater mistake than underestimating your opponent.’” Again, Celestia couldn’t help but smile. Sky Eater regarded the armored princess a bit more gravely. “Hmm… That’s right. It’s you… Yes… I remember now.” Celestia’s eyebrow slightly raised. “When my daughters were defeated eons ago, they cursed your name many times. Yet they spoke highly of you. You, who had taken up your sword alongside your sister and that bearded wretch. You, who had fought valiantly, even against your own kind, to uphold a crumbling nation. You even resisted the Sirens’ intoxicating song, right until the end. Your world, marked for death, yet you fought on.” Even before that last sentence, Celestia knew she was trembling, her stern frown betraying the agony those memories caused her, even up to that very day. The screams, the cries, much of which came the little ponies she had to release from the Sirens’ song. Her fist clenched again. By now, Sky Eater’s eyes were closed. “Yes, I remember you. I recall an old vow: that when your disgusting, blasphemous world finally withers and dies, I would spare only one—that you alone, Princess Celestia Sol, may bare testament to our vengeance.” Magic began crackling around Celestia’s fist again. “Do not mock me, serpent,” the former alicorn warned. “Your victory is far from earned.” Sky Eater opened his eyes, smile resurfaced. “You misunderstand me. I couldn’t remember why until now, but I truly am fond of you, Daybringer. One as strong as you, able to battle my children with her determination alone… that deserves only respect.” By now, both of Celestia’s hands were surging with destructive magic she hadn’t conjured since she’d battled the Dragonlord himself. “And, still, you look down on me?” “Hah. I wouldn’t dream of it,” Sky Eater said, very much looking down on her. “In fact, I shall heed your pitiful human proverb, if only to see just how deeply you’ve buried those powers of yours. You’re going to need them if you ever want to save those little harlots.” Sky Eater turned his head and snorted. “And Twilight.” Now Celestia’s whole arms radiated with energy, the ground around them cracking and smoking. As if Sky Eater wasn’t irking her enough, he started chuckling. “I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to break you so soon. I haven’t smiled this much in literal ages.” Hate. Hatred, pure and simple. Princess Celestia absolutely hated this creature. “Though, I suppose it’s fitting we do this here in this ape-infested world. At least it’s fair.” Sky Eater chuckled again. “I suppose.” With a furious shout, Celestia darted at him. Of course, she knew full well the dangers of losing oneself in combat. Yet, with every magically charged punch, kick, elbow and knee thrown at her foe, she persisted all the same. Her strikes her blocked, matched and thrown aside. But what really angered her was the lack of reciprocation. With frustrated grunt and a roundhouse kick, armored shin and armored forearm clashed. The sheer force of collision wafted Celestia’s flowing hair and Sky Eater’s white robe. An open palm thrusted into her belly. She folded like a lawn chair. She was now back on her knees, one hand steadying her, the other holding her now-burning abdomen. “Get up,” she heard his grotesquely deep voice say. Her fingers dug and squeezed into crumbling dirt. With teeth bared, she shot a glare up at her smiling foe. Enough of this. She vanished without a trace. She barely heard Sky Eater utter the word ‘what?’ before the oh so satisfying union of metal and flesh rung into the air. Sky Eater stumbled back from that kick, dazed. Celestia landed swiftly and darted at him again. A strike to the shoulder-joint. An elbow to the sternum. A knee to the side. She heard his pained grunt, leaped back and held her position. She needed to catch her breath. Pace herself whenever she could. Stall him. Stall him… Sky Eater was still for a few moments, head lowered, hand squeezing his stricken shoulder. Then he started shaking. Then… was he laughing? Again? He straightened himself, resuming that presumptuous, superior posture yet again. “This body… it throbs… pulsates with weakness.” He glanced at his hand, flexing it constantly. “If there’s one thing I will credit Starswirl the Bearded, it is his magic. To reduce even I to this pitiful human frame. Detestable.”   Celestia allowed a smirk. “Oh? Second-guessing yourself, are you?”   Sky Eater’s expression flattened. “Hardly. I’m just reminded that even the weakest among these apes can inflict pain.” His eyes roamed aside. “Like that smart Alek, rainbow-colored shrew that kicked me. Break it over my knee is what I’m going to d— “   Armored knuckles met his jaw, and he stumbled back again with a grunt. He glared back down at Celestia, who returned the glare in kind.   “I am your opponent, old one. Or shall I convince you further?” she goaded with tightening fists.   Sky Eater narrowed his glare. A deep, harrowing roar erupted from him. The force that followed smashed into Celestia like speeding a truck. Her hair flipped and flopped like she was caught in a wind tunnel. She was thrown off her feet. Thankfully, she’d grown used to her vision doing wild flips and spins.   Hands gouging into the ground stopped her again, but she couldn’t feel her arms or legs. Her teeth clattered and her body shook, like her very bones and muscles strained to keep themselves from splitting apart.   She fell to one knee, numbness starting to set in.   What… in Equestria was that? Celestia thought, her breaths even more ragged than before. That wasn’t magic… What did he—?   Rumbling footsteps brought her back to reality. She looked up just as a giant palm clapped around her face. Celestia felt her arms and legs flailing about, heavy footstep rumbling on as she was carried forward.   “Die, you scum!”   The voice was like gravel crunching in her ears. Or maybe that was the concrete she was suddenly slammed and plowed through. It hardly mattered when she was hoisted up, spun around and thrown like a hoof-ball. *** If Twilight was honest with herself, she’d have to commend the policemen and women for their organization skills. The students of Canterlot High were corralled together, single file lines strewn along the hallways that weren’t damaged by Sky Eater’s first assault. Static-y chatter and hurried footsteps echoed throughout the building. At first, Twilight was nervous when the leading officer―whom she recognized as Fleetfoot―refused any ‘civilian’ help. Especially after Twilight had insisted. But when several other students, including her friends, had united, agreed to help and cooperate, Fleetfoot muttered something about fornicating the rules and accepted. Twilight watched and admired the way Fleetfoot handled it all, waving signals, commanding the other officers with sharpness that rivaled Equestria’s Royal Guard, directing each line of scared teenagers toward the back exit. Turning chaos into order. The students that agreed to help receded in number as they too fell in line. Twilight approached the lead-gal in charge. “Fleetf… Officer, if there’s anything else we can―” A static-y screech and chatter shut her right up. “Hold that thought, shrimp,” Fleetfoot said with a raised finger. She lifted a black device to her lips. “Affirmative. Evac almost wrapped up. No casualties on my end. Over.” More static and chatter. “Still? Did you call the medics? Over.” Static and chatter. “Wait, if her vitals are good then what’s the problem?!” Static and chatter. “Oh, for fu―I’ll be there in a sec. Over.” Fleetfoot set the black device back on her chest. “Sergeant!” A similarly dressed young man hurried to Fleetfoot and saluted. “Lieutenant!” “Keep this train rollin’. I gotta handle this.” “Yes ma’am!” After a mutual salute, Fleetfoot marched down the hallway. On impulse Twilight followed Fleetfoot. Several other footsteps confirmed that her friends did the same. “O-officer, what’s happening?” Twilight asked, her legs already burning from trying to match Fleetfoot’s pace. “Civilian refusal. My favorite thing in the whole world.” “Um… Alright then? Is there anyth―” “I dunno. Maybe you can talk to sense into her. She’s your Vice Principal.” Twilight eyes lit up, her pace receding for only a moment. She looked back at her friends who weren’t far behind. She looked back up at Fleetfoot. “Is she―” “She’s a real pain, is what she is,” Fleetfoot interjected. “Hadn’t budged since we started evacuating. Somethin’ about her sister not wakin’ up.” Twilight’s eyes brightened again, and she gnawed on her thumb in deep thought. “Please, let us help. Maybe we can talk to her.” Fleetfoot scoffed. “Hell, it’s not like rules and regulations mean a damn today, so why not?” Twilight slowed her pace, cringing at the burning in her legs. Sunset Shimmer and the others caught up to her. “What’s happened to Vice Principal Luna?” Twilight asked. Sunset gave a shuddering sigh. “It happened before you came. Principal Celestia stood between Sky Eater and I. He… did something to her and she fell to the floor.” Twilight frowned at that. “Is she alright…?” “I don’t know…” Sunset replied. Twilight looked to the others, each with their own determined expressions. With a firm nod, the seven friends picked up the pace. They looked and saw that Fleetfoot had already turned the corner. A male voice shouted several hallways down. “Oh, my God! EVERYBODY, DOWN!” Crashes, crumbling masonry and screams all followed. And before Twilight or her friends could react, something large and screaming burst from one wall and right through the other, barely missing them by a few feet. With a louder, ground-shaking boom, it was over. Hacking coughs rung in the dusty air. Twilight blinked several times before she realized she was on the floor. With a mute groan, and a throbbing headache, she rose to sit. She drew a sharp breath, senses now ringing and screaming. The dust settled and she scanned her surrounding, relieved to see her friends recovering beside her. “Is everypony okay?!” she called out. Affirmative chatter eased her mind. Then, a gasp from behind her. “NO!” Sunset Shimmer was already running toward the gaping hole up ahead. Twilight was just about to stop her when she saw who was splayed on the rubble. Her ears caved, silencing everything around her. She could only see her mentor’s once-flawless features defiled with blood, bruises and cuts. Hair disheveled, perfect fair lips now stained with red. It was… wrong. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. “Princess!” she shouted. She couldn’t remember ever moving so fast with only two legs, but Twilight was by Princess Celestia’s side in an instant. Sunset frantically shook Celestia’s shoulders, armor now considerably dented, smudged and cracked. “Celestia! Celestia, wake up!” Sunset shouted. A deep, shrill breath and a fit of coughs brought Celestia back. Relief swelled in Twilight’s chest as she caressed the elder princess’ hand. Celestia’s groggy eyes darted side to side, focusing, hazing, then focusing again. “Twilight… Sunset… You’re…” Her eyes snapped wide open. “No. No! You must leave at once!” Sunset recoiled a bit. “Princess—” Celestia strained to sit up. “I have failed! He’s too dangerous! You two must escape through the portal and destroy it befo—” “Daybringer!” The three former ponies whipped their attention to the gaping holes left in Celestia’s wake. He was coming for them. Monstrous feet tearing rubble from the ground with every step. Celestia’s lips pulled over her gums, straining to rise. She soon did, legs barely keeping steady beneath her. “I told you... to LEAVE!” Celestia shouted. Twilight felt the oh-so familiar tug of levitation as she and Sunset Shimmer were thrown aside. A quaking roar and a whistling punch later, Celestia was straining and grunting against her powerful enemy, both her hands pushing up against his single massive fist. Twilight righted herself just in time to see Celestia’s legs burrow into the crumbling ground. “Sky Eater! Stop this!” Another mighty roar followed, and with it, a crushing well of gravity. Celestia screamed in agony as her body sunk another few inches groundward. She fell to one knee. “Now fall!” Sky Eater reeled his head back, and drove it down onto Celestia’s. She was immediately chin first in the rubble, body lying flat. She blinked hazily at the armored grieves before her. Just when Twilight thought she couldn’t watch anymore, she saw a shrieking Sunset charging at the robed giant with a sharp piece of metal. “Sunset, don’t!” Too late. Sky Eater swooped down and slapped his crushing grip around Sunset’s neck, lifting and dangling her high. Sunset choked and gagged, her metal weapon futilely stabbing into that armored hand. The weapon bent like a useless spoon and fell to the ground. Twilight froze. Every cell in her body felt like they twisted wrung inside her. She felt as though someone injected her with pins and needles. Her legs shook. Her breath stilled. Her sweat grew cold. She looked in horror as Sky Eater’s massive foot weighed on Celestia’s head, and his grip tightened around a choking Sunset’s neck. He raised his palm to Twilight, a familiar glow reddening the room. “Now then,” Sky Eater said, his smile returned in full, “…where were we?”