//------------------------------// // Void // Story: The Marvelous Six // by Chemtest //------------------------------// The spiders cry as the changeling Queen cuts through them like a mower through grass. Their sharp fangs cannot pierce her chitin exoskeleton, and their poison is evaporated by the heat of her rage. Their soft skin is like air compared to the sharp blade of magma of Natura, and of the skilled mind of Messorem behind it. Red beams of magic and fire fill the air, stealing the life and soul of every spider that tries to flee, and the fragments of Natura take out any archers. If any spider is dumb enough to charge her, they are met with a swift stabbing from the Void dagger. She is stopped in her tracks as a orange portal appears next to her. She only manages to see a red suited hoof impact her own face. Fluttershy jumps into the spider caves, her suit ready to go. She stares Messorem in the eyes, glowing red eyes, and sees beyond. Fluttershy stands, rising out of her battle stance. She slowly takes off her mask, allowing her pink hair to unfurl, and a calm smile to show itself, “Please, don’t do this. Look inside yourself, Messorem, beyond your rage. Talk to me. Please, I don’t want to harm you.” Messorem looks into her eyes, and something inside of her breaks for a second. But that second was too short. A fragment of Natura goes through Fluttershy’s body. She looks at the wound, and flops down on the ground. She whispers to Messorem, “I forgive you.” But one pony is not as forgiving. Messorem is caught in the side by a blast of magic, one that would kill her if not for the power of her rage. Twilight stands there, growling at her, “You shall not take another life!” Messorem turns to her, and fires a beam of magic. Twilight looks at the beam, and smiles, allowing it to hit her dead on. As she does so, the final two Infinity Stones appear in the cavern. Reality and Soul, over Fluttershy and Twilight, respectably. Twilight smiles as she absorbs the Stone before even falling over. Her cape flies onto her, and her Amulet now glows a bright orange light just like her eyes. She lights up her horn, “Did you not think we were paying attention to the pattern? All you have done is give us enough power to defeat you.” Messorem shakes her head, “Impossible! No pony could gain power beyond that of an alicorn, with the sole exception of Ordirus!” She shrugs, “Well, make that about seven examples now. We are now around your level in power, if my math is correct, and my math is correct. So, with a single blast, we can defeat you and be home in time for tea. Right, let’s turn Messorem into a mess.” Messorem smiles, “Who do you think you are?” She looks at herself, “A combination of a brain surgian given magic, and a scholar who studied mana. Doctor Twiven Starkle. If you don’t like pronouncing words that are beyond that of a third grader, then you can call us Doctor Twange. We are the Sorceress of Friendship, something you know very little about, I’m sure. Now, any other inane comments before we make your legs not feel lonely in being swiss cheese?” She is stopped in charging up her magic by a usually weak voice now speaking strong, “Don’t.” Twange looks over at her, “You don’t want me to kill her? Why not?” Her eyes glow red, and they stare into Messorem’s similar eyes, “We will not kill her. There is something in her that is good. We must let it grow.” Twange shakes her head, “Grow? She just killed almost an entire race of beings! Why should we care about her good!?” A new voice joins the bunch, “Pony-blood stop questioning her! She is Maiden of Forest, her word is law here!” Twange looks back at the Spirit of the Everfree as it walks in, “Why are you here? What is this, a party?!” The Spirit looks over at her, “Sister-blood calls us. Calls upon Everfree as whole!” She nods as all sorts of different animals start to move into the cave, “Everfree listen to call, and answer! If pony-blood gets in way, then we shall spill blood!” She smiles, “Don’t worry, Spirit, Twange. We aren’t ‘her’, we are Pettershy. Or you could call us Flutterman, if you really want to.” She looks at Messorem, “But her mind is tough, and she is filled with rage. This may take a while.” A blue light fills the cavern as a changeling teleports in. He looks around, “Oh, looks like you got this covered.” He looks over at Pettershy, and smiles, “Here, let me help.” Nullam’s horn lights up, giving Pettershy a light blue glow, causing Messorem to take in a deep gasp, “Brother?” Nullam smiles, “Messorem, please, we are here for you.” She tries to lean back, but can’t break eye contact with Pettershy, “We?” The shadows collect themselves, and aid their own green magic to Pettershy, “Messorem, what have you done? I leave you alone for a millennia, and here you are destroying everything.” Messorem pulls back, but is brought right back, “I am saving the race of Changelings, Sombra! Ordirus will help us!” Nullam shakes his head, “The race is dead, Messorem, we are all that is left. Your Hive is the only one left, sister.” Sombra steps up to her, “Tonta! ¡Aprende por una vez! The Crystal Empire was destroyed because I trusted Vogrim saying he would save us! Maredrid trusted Discord to save them, and they are ruins! Ordirus is just another in a long line of bastards trying to trick a race into death!” Messorem breaks out of the stare, and falls to the ground. Her eyes flick their red glow off, and she cries, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! It’s too late!” Nullam smiles, “It’s never too late.” Messorem shakes her head, “The Void Blade!” They all look at said blade, now radiating it’s darkness against the room. It rises into the air, it’s sickening power causing it to fly to it’s master. ——— The blade crashes through the Red Hive, knocking every changeling unconscious just from the radiating feeling of darkness. Ordirus’s eyes slam open, and he reaches a hoof up quick as lightening to catch his blade in the air. His body is overcome with it’s dark power, granting him full strength. He gets up, roughly grabbing his decapitated horn, and forcing it to wrap around his leg as a ring. His featherless wings stay on his back, still useless. But it doesn’t matter. He uses the darkness of the world, and gathers it the blade, summoning power unimaginable. ——— Twange quickly starts making portals, “We need to go, now!” ——— Portals appear all around Ordirus, summoning warriors to fight him. Loom charges at him, ready to deliver a blow to his face. But, without letting the blade drop, he manages to kick her away. Angel fires a web at him, only to have the string be reflected back. Apple Bloom throws her own shield at him, but he simply catches it in his teeth, throwing it back into her face. Gummy falls out of the air, a dagger in his jaws. He crashes down two feet from Ordirus, and licks his eye, defeated. Scootaloo fires a bolt of lightning at him, only to have it be destroyed by the darkness. Spike makes a portal next to his head, and breathes fire into it. The green flame is nothing next to the dark. Thanos stabs forward, only to trip right past Ordirus. Sombra charges from the opposite side, and ends up colliding with Thanos. The final bout of portals bring the last wave. The six Elements, the six Infinity Stones. Luna with her glaive, the Spirit of the Everfree in Hydra form, and Discord. They all raise their weapons to fight, but by the time they are up, there is nothing left to fight. Ordirus has disappeared, escaping through a new hole in reality that closes after him. Everyone looks around, seeing nothing but their fellows. Thanos speaks first, “What just happened?” Capplejack looks over at him, shaking her head, “We lost.” They all sit, not knowing what to do next. Then, a voice speaks. An ethereal tone that echoes in the large room, “You are not done yet.” The spirit of King Ordirus appears next to the figure who spoke. He smiles at the gathered heroes, “You have just put us a step closer to victory.”