//------------------------------// // Inferno // Story: Sunset the Seventh // by SmilesPerHour //------------------------------// “What was that?” Sunset gasped and ran to the entrance of the hall to investigate. Celestia and Sunset galloped up to the massive doors and looked outside, only to see a massive black dragon marching up to the gates of the castle with a devious glare in its yellow eyes. The guards who had admitted Sunset into the castle only minutes earlier blasted the dragon with powerful spells, but the dragon merely flinched as it continued to approach the gates, its eyes set unblinking on Princess Celestia and Sunset. “No. This cannot be.” Princess Celestia breathed. “He has returned.” “Who, or what is that?” Sunset asked, but after seeing the look of sheer panic on her mentor’s face, Sunset wondered if she really wanted to know the identity of this leviathan. Celestia spoke quickly and clearly, and without taking her eyes off the approaching terror. “That is Inferno, the most evil and powerful of all dragon kind. He led an army of dragons on a conquest of Equestria thousands of years ago, and slaughtered thousands in his wake. He was feared by all, even his own soldiers for his bloodlust and unbridled power, and there were few beings willing or able to defy him. I fought Inferno for several days on the peak of Canterlot Mountain, testing every spell at my disposal and hoping that one of them would be strong enough to pierce his unbreakable hide, but he was just too powerful. In desperation, I used Starswirl The Bearded’s Incantation of Imprisonment to lock Inferno within the heart of Canterlot Mountain itself, where the dragon lay dormant for five thousand years. I knew that the spell would not hold him forever, but I hoped and dreamed that in five thousand years, somepony would find some means of destroying that monster once and for all. Sadly, in all my years, I have not found such a spell, in spite of combing through every book my private library, and even creating a few new spells. I have failed Equestria, and there is nothing that I can do to stop Inferno.” Celestia hung her head in shame and shed a tear, but Sunset looked at the approaching beast with determination brewing in her heart and mind. “You may not be able to stop him, but maybe I can.” Sunset said. “Sunset, you can’t!” cried Princess Celestia. “This isn’t a parasprite infestation or crop shortage, this is evil incarnate! I’m sorry, but if you try fighting Inferno, you will lose in the worst way.” “I don’t care what happens to me,” Sunset replied. “But I do care what happens to Equestria. It’s my home, these ponies are my friends and family, and I’ll be pressed into cider before I let some subterranean slug take them away from me! Besides, your subjects need you now more than ever: you need to get everypony in Canterlot to a safe location while I distract Inferno. Maybe, just maybe I can distract him long enough for everypony to get to safety.” “But Sunset-!” Celestia began. “JUST GO!!” Sunset cried before charging headlong at the dragon, praying with all her might that she would be strong enough to stop him. As Princess Celestia teleported into downtown Canterlot, Sunset Shimmer stood her ground before Inferno, the massive dragon. In spite of the imminent danger, Sunset Shimmer was not afraid, because she knew that with Princess Celestia protecting the citizens, nopony in Canterlot would get hurt. Sunset only needed to distract the dragon long enough for Celestia to get everypony to safety. The dragon lumbered toward Sunset, shaking the ground with every step, and eventually found that his passage to the castle was blocked. Inferno looked down at Sunset Shimmer, surprised and confused that any creature would stand between him and his conquest.          “Get out of my way.” Inferno growled in a low, menacing voice, but Sunset refused to move.          “No, I won’t move. I won’t let you hurt my friends.” Sunset pawed at the ground and lowered her horn in preparation to cast a spell in her defense. Inferno merely snorted in annoyance, and attempted to swat the mare aside, but Sunset cast a spell from her horn that badly bruised the dragon’s approaching paw. Inferno yelped and withdrew his paw in pain and surprise: he had seldom come across a mage powerful enough to wound him.          “How dare you strike me, you insolent mule! I’ll teach you some respect!” growled Inferno, and tried to crush Sunset with his other paw, but Sunset dodged the attack and blasted the dragon with another spell. Again, Inferno roared in pain, and grabbed Sunset in his massive claws before lifting her up to his gaping maw. Once again, Sunset was too fast for him, and cast a spell that effectively knocked out one of the dragon’s teeth. Inferno howled in pain and dropped Sunset onto the ground, and upon finding out that he had lost one of his teeth, Inferno glared at Sunset Shimmer with a renewed hatred.          “You’ll pay for that!” roared the dragon, and once again swiped at Sunset, but his claws hit nothing but empty air because Sunset had retreated into the city. Inferno followed her into Downtown Canterlot, but due to his massive stature he was unable to squeeze through the narrow streets and alleys of the city. Inferno decided to try knocking down a few buildings, to give him more room to move around in and perhaps kill a few hidden ponies, but before he could make his move, Sunset made hers. Sunset Shimmer appeared on the roof of a nearby building, and blasted the dragon in the eye. Inferno roared and tried to crush Sunset, but she dodged his attack once again and ran down the dragon’s back, blasting him left and right as she went. Inferno roared and reached his arms around, trying to swat the bothersome unicorn clambering down his back, but before he could stop her, Sunset had landed on the ground again, leaving a dozen or so cuts and bruises running down the dragon’s back.          “ENOUGH!!” roared Inferno, and opened his mouth widely, where a glowing orange light could be seen in his throat. A split second later, Inferno blasted Sunset Shimmer with a column of white-hot flame, but when the smoke cleared, he saw that Sunset had erected a magical dome that protected her from being burned alive. In desperation, Inferno slashed and bit at the shield with all his might, but not even he was able to break through the shield. However, in spite of her magical prowess, it was clear that this battle was taking its toll on Sunset Shimmer: beads of sweat ran down her brow, she had bags under her eyes, and her triumphant posture had become a slouch. Inferno grinned upon learning that this mage was not quite as unstoppable as she seemed to be.          “D-do you give up, monster?” asked Sunset, panting heavily.          “I commend you for your determination,” Inferno said to Sunset, “I have slain Elder Dragons and claimed their thrones, devoured entire armies and claimed their lands, but I have seldom witnessed a mage with such power and skill as yours.” Sunset was barely listening, as she was still struggling to keep her shield active: this could turn out to be a trick. “But I regret to announce,” continued the leviathan, “that I have other matters to attend to. This battle has been most invigorating, but I think I will focus my sights on a more… timid prey.” “What are you talking about?” Sunset asked, but Inferno merely chuckled, and turned his gaze to Ponyville. “I’m sorry to find that the equines of this city are not worth the trouble of hunting them down, but I’m sure that the farmers of that rural community will not put up quite so much of a fight. Good day to you.” And with that, Scorch spread his wings and took off for Ponyville, leaving Sunset Shimmer aghast and hopeless in the deserted city.