//------------------------------// // Chapter XLVI: Animum Despondeo // Story: Memoir of Misery // by Silvak //------------------------------// Flying down to land by Luna's side, Sapphire asked, "Sir Gunther, are you alright?" as she watched the other two griffons help him get back onto his paws. "Yes, your highness. I'm just a bit winded from your counterattack, as I didn't expect there to be that much force for an alicorn of your size," Gunther replied as he rolled his left shoulder. "Thankfully, griffons are no strangers to crashing, and my armor's padding also softened up the landing." "Then I take it that you're ready to continue the duel?" Luna asked, causing Sapphire to gape at her. As Gilfred had cocked an eyebrow at Sapphire's reaction, Gunther answered with a bow, "I am capable of fighting still, your majesty." "Luna, there is something we need to talk ab—" Sapphire started to say until Luna unfurled her wing in front of Sapphire's face. "No, you can't end the match Sapphire. You still need this training, and you have already displayed some of your physical prowess. Perhaps Sir Gunther will help you display more, hence this duel will continue," Luna stated before walking back to the gazebo with Gilfred and Gernevie in tow. Frowning at being silenced, Sapphire turned to Gunther as she asked, "So, how do we st—" "Fight!" Luna ordered with her right foreleg outstretched, which caused Gunther to dart forward as he swung his mace at Sapphire's side. Letting out a cry of surprise, Sapphire dropped to the ground as the mace swung over her prone body. Pressing her hooves against the ground as she pushed herself off it, Sapphire propelled herself into Gunther, slamming her shoulder into him. The impact forced Gunther back a couple feet, his rear legs digging into the grass as Sapphire took a few steps back as she lit her horn up again. Spotting Sapphire's horn alight with magic once more, Gunther tried to dart forward to interrupt her spell work, only to be hit in the side by a sphere of water. Taking a few steps back, Sapphire stated, "I think that you should surrender now, Gunther. Now that I have some water, I don't think you'll be getting close enough to land another hit on me," as she finally pulled the second mass of water that she was drawing upon earlier to cover herself in a shield bubble of water while sending the sphere of water at Gunther once more. "Don't be so certain, your highness. Have you forgotten what happened when I do this?" Gunther countered as he swung his mace into the sphere as it was going for him. Upon contact, it froze into ice like the barrier before, causing Gunther to turn his attention back to Sapphire. He then darted forward, only to be sent to the side when an ice sphere suddenly impacted his side. "What in Tartarus was that?" Gunther cried out before noticing the frozen sphere floating in the air. "Last time I was caught off guard by your mace's enchantment, but this time I'm ready," Sapphire said as she focused on bringing in more water while sending the sphere at Gunther once more. Grunting in response, Gunther blocked the sphere with his shield, only for it to shatter against it before melting back into water as it slipped around the shield. Shaking his arm in an attempt to get rid of the water, Sapphire wrapped his arm around it before freezing it solid. "Augh! Grrr...don't think I can't fight with one arm!" Gunther declared as he jumped up into the air, ready to swing his mace down at Sapphire's barrier when another surge of water slammed into him, forcing him to the ground. As the mass of water was wrapping itself around Gunther, Sapphire poured her barrier into the mass before freezing it, leaving Gunther trapped on the ground. "Sir Gunther, I believe that this duel has reached its end. So, will you finally surrender, or do I need to find a way to beat you even further," Sapphire declared as she watched a struggling Gunther tried to get out of his frozen bindings. "Bear in mind that I'm using my magic to keep the ice together, so you're not going to break it apart like normal ice." After a moment of struggling, Gunther let out a groan before replying, "Fine, I yield to your magical prowess." Nodding in acceptance of Gunther's conceding defeat, Sapphire melted the water off him as the rest of the griffon delegation and Luna walked over to her. "I see that while the beginning of your duel was shaky, the end truly showcased the power you wield Princess Sapphire," Gilfred stated with a bow, with Gernevie giving a short curt nod of acknowledgment. "Indeed, though that was just a small fragment of Sapphire's potential. Now, shall we return back to the town hall to celebrate Sapphire's victory and Gunther's valiant stand against her?" Luna asked, to which Gernevia gave her a nonchalant shrug before taking into the air as she headed to the city. Glaring after Gernevia for a moment, Gilfred turned his attention back to Luna as he said, "It'll be an honor to attend such a celebration. shall we proceed on our way?" as Gunther came to his side. "Umm.. sure, but give me a moment, I have to return the water I used back to the bay first, and Luna and I have to say some things to the trainees," Sapphire stated as she glanced at Luna, who looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "You two can head over there instead of waiting for us." Giving Sapphire a skeptical look, Gilfred replied, "Very well then, your highness. I hope to see you soon in the town hall," before he and Gunther took to the air to follow after Gernevia, with Gilfred glancing back at them after a moment before returning his attention to his destination. Looking cheerful for a moment until the griffons were out of sight, to which Luna then scowled as she looked down at Sapphire, saying, "Look, you needed to have this fight. You can't exp—" "I heard another phrase, Luna," Sapphire interjected, causing Luna's scowl to fall off her face as a look of surprise took its place. "Are you certain? Did you actually gain that phrase during the fight?" Luna asked, doubt appearing on her face as Sapphire frowned in return. "Yes, I'm certain. It was said in the same voice that said the first phrase, so I doubt that I just imagined this," Sapphire answered, looking at the sky for a moment, seeing the clouds in the sky before shivering as she looked back at Luna. "If it is anything like the last memory... we need to make some plans." "Are you certain that you're ready for this, Sapphire?" Luna asked as she and Luna were looking at the infernos once again. After having a celebratory feast with the griffons, Luna went on to have some kind of discussion that Sapphire believed to be about something political or simply expressing their self-importance. Sapphire however, was allowed to be alone to think over about what she was going to do, as well as to prepare herself mentally for whatever this phrase could unlock. "Personally, no, but this is something that I do want to take care of, so let's just get this over with. Are you ready Luna?" Sapphire asked as she looked at Luna, who gave her a flat stare. "I'm the guardian of the dream realm, I'm far more prepared than you can ever be in this realm," Luna stated with a snort, causing Sapphire to sigh as she looked at the red and blue inferno as she took a deep breath. "Animum Despondeo," Sapphire said before steeling herself as she stared at the infernos, only for nothing to happen. "Hmm... perhaps you said the phrase wrong, Sapphire?" Luna asked as she looked around, expecting something to be happening behind the infernos, only to see nothing happening still. "No.. I think I said that phrase corr—" Sapphire started to say until an explosion from overhead interrupted her, causing both her and Luna to look up to see a wave of blue flame coming onto them as it engulfed them, causing Sapphire to cry out in alarm till the flames passed by her. "What... how..." Sapphire croaked out until she saw that the scenery had changed as what looked to be a young teenage version of herself was sitting next to Runic, as it appeared that they were looking at something. "...Do you think I'm finally ready, Runic?" Sapphire's teenage self asked, causing Runic to look down at her. "Honestly, I don't think you are, but nopony is ever ready for something like this. In the end, we'll see what happens when the fight starts," Runic answered before looking back at whatever they were looking at, for Sapphire could only see a black void before them. However, she did notice that Luna was at her side, examining everything underneath a critical eye. Sighing, teenage Sapphire said, "Do... do you think we can win?" "That's a question that I don't know the answer to, but I do think that we have a chance at surviving, and that's all that matters," Runic replied. "I would love to give you more time to train, but... that is a luxury we don't have much of anymore." "Sapphire, do you have any inkling of what this memory is trying to show us?" Luna asked in a hushed voice, not wanting to speak over any words the memory constructs would have. "I... have no idea what is going on... so I think it's best that we keep watching," Sapphire numbly answered, as she thought about that fight Runic was talking about. "...Do you think Mayhem may be nearby?" teenage Sapphire asked as she glanced at Runic with an expression that Sapphire felt was filled with both worry and anticipation. "Unlikely, since there have been no signs of Mayhem's presence. Neither has there been any signs of Despair, though, with a clear sky, we're less likely to encounter Despair than Mayhem," Runic responded before glancing up at something. "Ah, Rift is here, and he appears to be calm. That means things are going according to plan, so start gathering water Sapphire. We're going to need as much as you can bear. This is going to be a ha—" Runic continued before freezing in place, alongside with Sapphire's teenage counterpart. "...What... this is it? Nothing more?" Sapphire croaked out in alarm, her teeth gritting together as she was disappointed about the lack of information gathered from this memory. "Relax, Sapphire. For we still received some insight from this memory... particularly that there are some creatures named Mayhem and Despair..." Luna said as she placed a hoof on Sapphire's shoulder, only for both of them to look alarmed as they heard somepony speaking. "The weak scattered from Mayhem, Despair makes the skies crimson with rain, Nightmare haunts the young, Chaos distorts reality, Agony breaks their wills, Arrogance renders the proud blind, and Paranoia prowls the depths. Destruction comes to the weak, and only the strong can survive," said teenage Sapphire, whose head was slowly turning around to stare at Sapphire with cold empty eyes. "You know so little of your past, and Arulas suffers for it," Sapphire's counterpart stated before stomping on the ground, causing the memory to crack around them. "But... it's not my fault! I have amnesia, and I'm trying to remember as fast as I can!" Sapphire cried out as Luna took note of how the two Sapphire's are acting with each other. "Then grow a backbone already, for you need to be strong, not weak!" the teenage Sapphire declared as she stomped her hoof once more, cracking the memory again. "Break past the scars you have, and regain the control you once had!" the counterpart stated before stomping her hoof once more, shattering the memory with her alongside it, leaving both Luna and Sapphire in the memory hall once more. Blinking at what just occurred, Sapphire looked up at Luna with an expression full of doubt as she asked, "Am... I really that weak?" Frowning at what had transpired, Luna replied, "No, you have shown cases where you will stand up for yourself. There are things about your past that we still need to determine what strength means to your former self, so it is unwise to make assumptions so soon. However... the first thing she said to us... that is something we must look into. Though, there is one thing that worries me," as she rubbed her chin in thought. "What is it, Luna?" Sapphire asked, as her doubt shifted into curiosity. "She mentioned that Chaos distorts reality, but if Discord was telling you the truth and he truly has never met you before, then just what is this thing that she is referring to as Chaos?" Luna asked, causing Sapphire's eyes to widen as she looked at the mirror shards, wondering, yet somewhat dreading if the answer to that question was held within them.