Rarity grimaced as she tied cloth around Applejack’s forehead. The girl hissed as the cloth was pulled tight. “Sorry, darling, I’m trying to be as gentle as I can.”
“Can’t really complain, seein as I’m only still livin causa you.” Applejack muttered. She managed to pull herself into a sitting position.
The demon roared as it reared back, before swiping a clawed hand across the ground. Several more guards ran up from behind, attempting to flank it.
Rarity frowned as they too fell back. “Not a single demonspawn the whole way here, and once we arrive, a demon attacks?”
“I was just thinkin the same.” Applejack grunted, reaching for the closest thing to her that could be used as a weapon.
Rarity grabbed her hand, holding her back. “I think it best we get out of here, for now.” She glanced at the cloth around her friend’s head. “We need to get that cut on your head taken care of.”
“Leave that to me.” Fluttershy said quietly.
Both girls flinched, holding back shrieks. Applejack clutched her head. Rarity blinked at her, holding a hand over her heart. “I know you’re here to help now, darling, but might I suggest not scaring to death those you’re trying to heal?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t let it know I’m here yet.” The priestess placed one hand on her friends forehead, a golden glow covering it. After a few seconds, Fluttershy removed her hand. “That’s all I can do right now. I need the two of you to help me evacuate anyone still in the area.”
Applejack exchanged a look with Rarity before nodding. “Alright, but it’d be bad if it sees us.
The girls ducked behind the remaining stalls. Rarity made a quick glance around the corner. “Couldn’t you...banish it, or something, Fluttershy? You are a priestess.”
The girl looked back at her, before checking the demon herself. “I could, but it would take time. Neither of you would distract it long enough before it killed you. If you had your armor and weapons, probably. But not as you are now.”
Rarity clicked her tongue. “Where are Rainbow Dash and Twilight when you need them?”
“Probably on their way, soon as they hear a demon is on the loose.” Applejack muttered.
“I sincerely hope not!” Fluttershy huffed. “I just about exhausted myself keeping them all away our entire trip to get here!”
————————
Th-Thump Th-Thump
Th-Thump Th-Thump
Panting breaths. Pounding feet. Clank of metal. Wrongness of the air.
Something stirred within her. A feeling unlike any she knew.
That...wrongness, like a foul scent in the air, an ashen taste in her mouth.
So familiar and alien at the same time.
She glanced at Twilight. The magus was there right alongside her. Their fatigue from the session with Velvet had been washed away by the anticipation of battle.
That was right. She was trained for this. She was more than capable. So why did her heart pound within her breast?
————————
The great blade crashed down once more, Rarity barely dodging out of harm’s way. On the far side, Applejack cautiously led a small group towards safety.
Rarity huffed, risking a glance towards Fluttershy. Her eyes were closed, deep in concentration. Soft, golden light spiraled slowly around the tip of her staff. Her spell was forming, but could she hold it off long enough?
Rarity clenched her jaw. She’d just have to make time for Fluttershy. She grabbed a metal pipe, dodged another swing, and swung it down into the back of the demon’s knee.
With a roar, the creature swung its free arm at the girl. A magenta field appeared between them; the demon’s arm bounced harmlessly off the solid wall of magic. Rarity quickly turned and got away.
Twilight stepped into the ruins of the market, her magic crackling along her arms and staff. As Rarity hurried to aid Applejack, Twilight began slinging spell after spell at the fell creature.
The demon raised its arm high, ready to bring its greatsword down, and...it stopped. It sniffed. And sniffed again. The glowing blue orbs within its empty eye sockets zeroed in on one particular girl.
Rainbow Dash panted, clutching at her chest. Images flashed through her mind. Her fingers tightened around her sword hilt. Rage blossomed within her. A bitter anger she didn’t fully understand. Her eyes narrowed as she looked the creature over.
The demon snarled as it moved towards her... BOOM It stumbled back from the spell Twilight thrown at its face.
Rainbow rushed forward, driving her blade deep into the demon’s left knee.
Its head went back in an enraged roar of pain.
Rainbow barely ducked beneath a swing from its unarmed claw, yanking her blade with her. She leapt back out of the way as Twilight pelted it with more magic.
The orbs had changed from a blue to an angry yellow. The demon hissed and snarled, the shadows of its body lashed out erratically.
A small voice in her head wished she’d had her armor, but Rainbow brushed it aside in her fury.
Why was she so angry?
She gasped, falling to her knees in agony as the rune on her hand began to burn. Her hand glowed with an angry, pulsing, light.
CRACK
Pain. Screaming. So much screams. Why? Why were they all screaming? And that smell....sulfur. Iron. Ash. Blood and ash. Where...? What...?
The demon towered over her.
The demon cowered away.
The demon raised its sword.
The demon crumbled to ash.
The demon roared as it brought its greatsword down.
CLANG
Blade met blade. The demon’s in the iron grip it had with one claw; Rainbow had both hands on the hilt of her own. The demon pushed down. She pushed up. She braced her legs, willing them to lift her up beneath the crushing pressure.
Her fury, her rage, grew within her. It welled up, coursing through her arms, into the blade in her hands. The starmetal began to glow. It drew all her anger, the rage that festered, feeding on it, its glow brightening to near blinding.
Her blade rose up. The blade of the greatsword fell to the ground behind her with a clatter.
Rainbow used the momentum to rise up, keep going, pulling her blade back for one final strike at the demon’s head, just as a piercing light from her left struck true. The spell mixed with the fury within her blade.
The demon writhed and shrieked in agony. The light consumed it before it exploded into ash, the smell of sulfur filling the area.
The blast sent Rainbow flying back. Blackness crept along the edges of her vision, and as she slipped away, she saw two figures: brown and dark blue.