//------------------------------// // 7 – Escape from the Deep // Story: The Magister of the Deep // by The Voice in the Water //------------------------------// Twilight galloped through the rubble as quickly as she could, using her wings and magic to muffle the sound of her passing. All around her, a thick mist hung in the air, making it nearly impossible to see her route. Yet, she continued. Because if she stopped, they would catch her. As she burst into a familiar plaza, she ducked into a ruined building, hid behind a crumbling wall and tried to catch her breath. Earth pony magic was only getting her so far, and even with her enhanced stamina, she had to stop and pay back the oxygen dept she’d been building. Even as she slowly got her breathing under control, she kept her ears perked, listening for her pursuers. The sound of asymmetric footfalls outside caught her attention, and she froze. Daring to peak out from her hiding place, she could see their shapes through the mist. They moved on long, spindly legs, each one shambling around spasmodically, like horrific marionettes. There were nearly a dozen of them, each one burning with the same hateful monochromatic glow as Sunset. Unlike Sunset, what passed for their faces were dominated by a swirling, spotlight-like fountain of harsh, baleful radiance. They were taken. These monstrous creatures, these abominations, were all that was left of the once proud civilization, nay, world, that had been annihilated by the Deep. Twilight watched in fearful silence as the taken slowly fanned out and began to search for her. So far, she’d managed to evade them, but she didn’t want to count on her luck keeping her safe. She needed to get back to Discord’s portal before they caught her. As it stood, she was nearly defenseless against them. She had never faced a foe like this, and without The Aegis, she didn’t have any means to fight them. Ducking back behind the wall, Twilight held as still as possible when one of the taken hunting her strode past. With such close proximity, she could literally feel the Deep’s power radiating off the thing. It was caustic, sickening, and painful, its presence filling her heart with overwhelming dread. The presence passed as she heard the taken move off. Chancing another peek around her cover, she saw the one that had come near her hiding spot examining a nearby building, the others some distance away searching around the plaza. Watching them, she began to formulate a plan. She needed to distract them to create an opportunity for her to teleport away. Flicking her eyes down to the ruble, she ignited her magic and snagged a small rock in her telekinesis. Choosing her target, she flung the stone upward and into one of the adjacent buildings. The rock sailed true, passing through a third story window and clattered to the ground. At the sound, all of the taken turned their attention to the building. With a series of groans and wails, three of them rushed towards the source of the sound. Now or never. Twilight thought as she summoned her magic and teleported away. Exiting the blink, she quickly took stock of her surroundings before hastily making a break for cover, her magic muffling her hoof falls. She recognized the spot where she’d landed as just over three blocks from her previous one. She was closer to the edge of the city, but still deep enough in it that it would take at least four or five more blinks before she could reach its edge. Then it was a hard sprint through open ground to the portal. “Krreeeeeeee-eeeeeee-aaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuunnnnnnnngh…thoomb!” Twilight barely made it to cover before the taken materialized around her former position. After her first teleport, she’d learned that the taken would somehow, unerringly home in on wherever she exited her blinks, making her teleportation a risky proposition. It got her further, but it always meant she had to reach cover before she was seen. The creatures’ heads swiveled around on their crab-like bodies, searching for any sign of the young alicorn. From her hiding place, Twilight watched as the taken began to fan out once more, searching for her. Chancing a glance down at the brassy metal grafted to her leg, she wanted to snort with frustration, but her need for silence, and her breathing mask, made it pointless. Since warning her, The Aegis had done nothing to aid her, or even advise her on how to evade the taken. She still had no idea what The Aegis meant by not being pure of purpose. Wasn’t the salvation of her friends and an entire world pure enough? What was she missing? Pushing the riddle aside, Twilight slowly peeked out of her hiding spot. The taken were spread thin, leaving a gap in their line she could exploit to get to the next plaza. She just needed to be patient. “Skreeee!” Twilight’s head snapped around, eyes locking onto the top of an adjacent building. Standing at the edge, she spotted a single taken screeching and pointing to her hiding spot. Charging her horn, she grabbed the ledge below the creature with her t.k. and yanked as hard as she could. The effect was nearly instantaneous, the deteriorating architecture collapsing, the taken falling to the ground only to be buried under the rubble. Still, the damage had been done. All around her, she could hear more taken beginning to converge on her position. Cover was blown. Now was the time to run. Rushing from cover, Twilight broke into a full gallop. Ahead, there were three taken blocking her path. For the first time, Twilight noticed that each was carrying some sort of elongated, sinuous contraption. Which were all pointed directly at her. Summoning her magic and throwing up a shield, she continued to rush forward, intending to use her magic to ram her way through. Unfortunately, that plan was ground to a harsh halt as the devices each spat out a long, thin lance of blue-tinted pearl. With a shattering crash, the javelins impacted her shield, fracturing it and knocking Twilight to the ground from the feedback. Twilight shook her head as she tried to get back to her hooves, the feedback from the impact to her shield still ringing in her ears. She didn’t have time to wonder what happened before she heard the weapons discharge again. Pushing more of her magic into the shield, she barely reinforced it in time before the javelins impacted. The feedback wasn’t as bad this time, but it still hurt all the same. Gritting her teeth, Twilight got to her hooves. More javelins impacted her shield, this time from behind, nearly driving her back to her knees. Soon, a steady barrage of pearly projectiles was slamming into her shield. Through the pain of the feedback, Twilight could see the magenta dome was starting to fracture. She knew that she had to do something, but her options were limited. If she wanted to teleport away, she needed to drop the shield. But with the steady hail of javelins hitting it, she couldn’t lower it for a second without the risk of being skewered. Think Twilight…think! She chided herself as more cracks began to form in her shield. She had to get the taken off of her long enough to teleport away, but how could she… Twilight’s eyes locked onto the decaying building looming above them. This is a bad idea, on so many levels. She thought. Pulling more power into her already stinging horn, she lashed out with a telekinetic blast at the base of the building. With a horrifying crunch, the raw kinetic energy impacted the weakened structure. A fraction of a second later, the structure began to fall… directly towards Twilight and the taken assaulting her. The hail of javelins came to halt as the taken all turned their attention away from their prey and to the rapidly descending mass of mother-of-pearl and metal. That instant was all Twilight needed. Dropping her shield, she changed the focus of her magic, and teleported away seconds before the wave of rubble slammed into the ground. ***** Twilight exited her blink to the titanic crashing of the building she just brought down. Not wasting any time, she broke into a gallop, heading in the direction of the portal. She’d need a minute to recover enough magic to teleport again. “Krreeeeeeee-eeeeeee-aaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuunnnnnnnngh…thoomb!” Twilight didn’t even bother looking behind her. She just kept galloping, even as more javelins began to strike the ground all around her. Magic flowed into her horn again as she cast an illusion, creating over a dozen duplicates of herself. It was a simple spell, but one that didn’t consume much magic, and it would hopefully buy her enough time to gather enough power to make the next jump. “Krreeeeeeee-eeeeeee-aaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuunnnnnnnngh…thoomb!” More taken materialized in her path, each one already aiming their weapons at her. Twilight skidded hard as she used her wings to redirect her momentum and change directions at the last second. Moments later, the air was filled with more javelins. Three of her duplicates were impaled, vanishing in a flash of magenta light. Drawing on her magic, Twilight sent a burst of kinetic energy towards the taken, knocking them back and onto the ground. It was a rough, crude attack, but it worked well enough. She didn’t have time to savor her success, as the taken pursuing her launched another volley of javelins, evaporating five more duplicates. She almost had enough power to pull off another teleport, but she needed just a little more time. Magic pooled into her horn as she sent out a kinetic shockwave into the ground, blowing up a cloud of dust. The moment she was obscured from sight, she directed her duplicates to run in opposite directions. Twilight couldn’t see through the cloud, but she heard the taken begin firing on her decoys as soon as they exited the cloud. Four left. She was getting closer. Three left. Almost there. Two. And… One. She blinked away in a flash of magenta light. *Equestria, throne room of the Two Sisters* Discord flicked his lion’s paw languidly in the air. As he did, a wave of improbability washed over the three guard ponies currently watching him, causing their armor to suddenly transform into a mass of live slugs. They didn’t flinch. Flicking his wrist, their armor changed again, becoming a coat of sudsy bubbles. Still no response. “Gah!” Dischord groaned, before snapping his fingers and returning their armor to normal. “You three are just no fun at all! What does Tia put you poor souls through when she trains you? You really need to relax. It’s not good for your health to be so uptight.” Still nothing. A shrill ringing filled the air. Reaching into his ear, Discord pulled out a small, circular device, which was producing the sound and vibrating violently. “Oh goody, she’s almost back!” Discord said with a merry smile “…and she’s bringing friends? Hmmm… that’s probably not good.” Casually tossing the device over his shoulder towards the guards, it exploded, covering them in cactus flavored whipped cream. His smirk never fading, Discord flicked his wrist. As he did, the portal below him widened. Moments later, a blur of purple burst through and tumbled across the floor. Immediately afterward, a volley of long javelins rained through the open gate. Discord snapped his fingers, and in an instant, the portal snapped shut and the javelins froze in mid-air, stopping inches away from the guards and the panting form of Twilight Sparkle. The guards still didn’t move. “You know. I’m starting to think you’re all just statues that Tia temporarily animates or something.” He said as he flicked his wrist, and the javelins to dissolved into a cloud of butterflies, which fluttered around the room. Hovering down to Twilight, he saw her violently rip off her helmet and take several long, deep breaths of fresh air, her face a contorted mask of fear and relief. “Well, you look like you had a good time. Did you bring back any souvenirs?” Discord asked, an insufferable smirk plastered across his face. “Shut…(pant)…up!…(pant)… I… (pant)… breath… (pant, pant)… hate… (pant)… you!” Twilight wheezed, her face slowly beginning to return to normal. “Just… (pant)… give me a… minute.” Looking Twilight over, Discord saw dozens of scuffs on her protective suit. Snapping his fingers, the suit vanished, revealing a small, brassy band of metal grafted to her foreleg. “Oh, looks like you found her! Congratulations!” Discord said as a dozen banners unfurled themselves from the ceiling, each one proclaiming ‘Twilight Sparkle: totally not a failure!’ as the sounds of dozens of party horns filled the air. “I take it that you ran into some trouble on the way out?” Twilight’s breathing began to slow as she turned to face Discord. “You could have… (pant)…warned me that there would be… (pant, gulp)… taken… waiting for me…” A small halo appeared above Discord’s head as he rolled his eyes, an innocent smile playing on his face. “Well, I wasn’t sure if he’d left any of them behind. So, I decided to err on the side of making the trip more interesting for you.” “You are… terrible.” Twilight said, finally having enough energy to stand. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Anyhow, I take it from that bangle in your leg you’re all ready to go smack your little friend around?” “Don’t… make light of that. Ever! And no… not… quite.” Twilight wheezed. “I can’t use her power. She said… something about my… purpose… not being pure. That until it was… I couldn’t call on her.” “Well, color me not surprised.” Discord said languidly. “She is an agent of the Sky after all. They’re usually pretty uptight. Oh, you don’t like being called uptight, do you?” Twilight looked at Discord for a moment, before shifting her attention down to her foreleg. Sure enough, the Aeigis’s gem was glowing angrily, an almost palpable aura of hostility coming off of it. What is that wretch doing here? Twilight heard in her mind, The Aegis’s once angelic voices twisted with raw loathing. “Relax your brassy little mind sweetheart. I’m not here to give you any trouble. I’m just here to lend my friends a hand.” Discord said as his right hand popped off and skittered along the floor like a spider before climbing up Twilight’s leg and patting her on the head. Twilight narrowed her eyes at Discord, but stayed silent. Child of Harmony, what is the meaning of this?! “Exactly what he said. He’s the one who helped me reach you. Heck, I wouldn’t have even known about you without him.” A child of Harmony befriending a chaos-spawn? Impossible. What is your angle, wretch. The Aegis hissed. “My angle is that I like this place.” Discord growled as he glared at the band on Twilight’s leg. “I may love spreading chaos as dear old grandmummy insists, but I don’t want that psycho with the omnicidal tendencies showing up here. And if helping the princess here keep him from deciding that this place is on his ‘kill everything’ list means sending her to get your uptight little slab of metal, I’ll happily put up with your sanctimonious attitude to make sure that one of the few beings I actually care about doesn’t have taken, hive, vex or worse threatening to murder her. Is that a good enough reason for you?” Child of Harmony, do you actually believe this creature? The Aegis growled in Twilight’s mind. “Yes. You don’t know him like I do. I don’t trust him, but I do believe what he’s saying.” Twilight said. The Aegis was silent for a long moment, before speaking into Twilight’s mind. Very well. But know this: if he tries anything, I will end him. And I’ll use your body to do it. “Lovely sentiment there Sky-spawn. And you wonder why so many welcome the Deep into their hearts.” Discord sneered back, “In any case, princess, you might want to get moving. Who knows what your little friend’s been up to in the other world.” *Big Marinara’s Chicago Style Deep Dish, the other world* Five girls sat around the table, each staring morosely at their thick, steaming slices of pizza. None of them really had much appetite. Not after what had happened. Most of the civilian population had through the thing a hoax, until the news outlets had begun to report on the body count. Everyone in the stadium was dead. Thousands of people, gone in an instant, with only their bleached, desiccated bones to mark their passing. Civilians. Athletes. Politicians and leaders. All dead, in an utterly horrific way. The entire world was shocked by the attack. No nation or known radical group had claimed responsibility. There were threats of war beginning to brew as many of the less stable leaders began to point fingers at each other. The U.S.E.’s own president had declared that the attack was an outrage, and he would personally sign the order to nuke whichever nation had initiated the attack. But these five knew different. No nation was to blame. It was the act of one… they weren’t even sure if they could call her a person anymore. “I don’t get it.” Pinkie said, her voice flat and tired. “Ah don’t either Pinkie.” Applejack said, her own voice tired. “Ah mean, it don’t make sense. Why attack that ceremony? We’re the ones she’s got ah beef with. Well, us and the rest of the school.” “Maybe… maybe it’s not about us anymore.” Rarity said. “What do yah mean Rares?” Applejack said. “Well, look at what’s happening. With that one attack, she’s put the entire world on edge.” Rarity said. “Think about it: the Olympics are a symbol for a united world. A brief moment of peace between all people. And she just effectively tainted that symbol.” Pulling out her phone, Rarity pulled up a news feed: stories about riots, religious uprisings and attacks, economies and nations destabilizing due to the death of some high-level members of their leadership. It was the precursor to a world spiraling out of control. “But that still doesn’t make sense.” Rainbow sighed. “What’s she got to gain from it?” “Um… maybe… maybe it’s about her learning to use her power.” Fluttershy said, as she turned her eyes towards the ceiling. “I mean… when she attacked you, something happened, and she ran away. So, maybe she needed some time to get used to whatever changed her into that… thing.” “I don’t know Shy.” Rainbow said as she scratched the back of her head. “She’s onto something there Dashie.” Pinkie said, her voice almost devoid of all of its usual cheer. “Wouldn’t she have used that scary song thingie she did at the stadium when she first showed up if she could. It’s like in those games she plays. She’s trying to level up before she comes after the final boss.” “You mean us?” Fluttershy squeaked. “Maybe. Even if it wasn’t for the Anon-a-Miss thing, we’re the only ones with the magic to stop her.” Applejack said. “But if she’s gettin’ stronger…” “…I think you may be right” Rarity said as she put her phone on the table, “And if I’m being honest, dears, I don’t think this is the end of it. Just the first play. Look…” As the four other girls looked at the news display, their hearts sank. Mysterious entity returns. Just hours ago, the same entity that attacked the Olympic Ceremony has struck again. This time, it appeared before a meeting of the United Nations Security Council. The Council had been called to address a response to the creature’s previous attack, when the entity manifested itself in the center of the Council Hall. Before the security cameras went out, the entity used the same strange power it used at the Olympic ceremony. Security attempted to intervene, but by the time they arrived, all members of the Council were dead, and the entity had vanished… None of them could keep reading. “This is bad. This is very, very bad.” Rainbow Dash said as her skin changed from cerulean to powder blue from the sheer horror of what she was seeing. “I don’t think that’s the end of it, darling.” Rarity said as she set her phone down and wove her fingers together, worry marring her features. “Not by a long shot.” “Kinda makes everything that’s happened feel… pointless.” Fluttershy said quietly from behind a veil of her hair. “Flutters?” Rainbow said as she looked at her friend, and how said friend was wringing her hands. “Everyone got so mad over Anon-a-Miss. But now… what does it matter now?” Fluttershy continued, her knuckles almost white from how hard she was clenching them. “Things are just… spiraling out of control…” Fluttershy raised her face, fear and pain painted across it like some sort of macabre work of art. “What’s the point!? Why is this all happening!?” Fluttershy all but wailed. “Ah… ah don’ know Shy.” Applejack mumbled as she took off her hat and wrung the edge between her hands. “Ah jus’ don’.” Applejack sighed and put her hat back on as she stared down at the journal. Still not word from the princess. Just as she was about to put the journal back into her pocket, she let out a startled yelp as the book began to glow and vibrate. Flipping the book open, Applejack’s eyes widened. “Applejack, what’s…” Pinkie began, only for Applejack to interrupt her. “Twilight’s comin’.” As one, the girls all stood and made their way to the door. *Canterlot High, the portal* Five figures stood around the gate between worlds as it flashed bright blue and spat a disheveled Twilight Sparkle out onto the grass. Rushing forward, the five reached down to give their friend a hand. Pushing herself up to her hands and knees, Twilight gasped for breath as she desperately fought back the vertigo that came with passing through the gate. “Twilight, here, let me help.” Twilight heard Rarity say as a pair hands helped her to her feet. “I’m fine Rarity. Just give me a moment.” Twilight said as she lifted her right hand to her temple and leaned on the plinth holding the gate. “Twilight! Your arm! What happened!?” Fluttershy shrieked. Chancing a look at her arm, Twilight winced at what she saw. Instead of warm lavender flesh, her right arm was now made of smooth, brassy metal, a single, blue gem embedded in the back of her hand. Flexing her fingers, she found that whatever substance her arm had been replaced with was like her flesh. “I don’t have time to explain right now. I need to know what’s been happening? Has Sunset come back and hurt anyone?” Twilight said as she finally regained her footing and addressed the girls. The five of them looked uncomfortable as they cast glances back and forth between each other. “I… I think we both have tales to tell.” Rarity finally said. “We should go someplace warm…”