//------------------------------// // Interlude~Rebirth // Story: Hellfire Dash // by Centurion Pike-Wall //------------------------------// When Rainbow awoke, all she saw around her was darkness, laced with streaks of pale mist. She stood up from her previous laying down position, looking around in all directions. She stepped forward, only to bump into an invisible wall. She pressed her hands up against the wall, before turning around and walking in the other direction. The same thing happened, and when she flew up. Finally, after nearly breaking her neck flying into the invisible ceiling, she settled down on the floor, sitting with her arms wrapped around her legs. Was she dead? She had to be dead; her last memory was seeing a massive gaping hole in her chest. So, would that make this the afterlife? It didn't seem like anything that had been described to her or anything she had read. Still, she couldn't rule out the possibility. And if that was the case... She stood up and looked further up as her little prison was suddenly bathed in red light. From seemingly everywhere at once, a voice said, "Here you are, Sir." The bubble was yanked up, knocking her back to the ground. The red light faded to the background as it was replaced with a blazing inferno in the shape of an orb. A black slit was all that marred it, which blinked a few times and then narrowed. Even as she tried to rise again, the prison was shoved down, the red light fading from below her. Looking up, she made out a few blurs of two shapes. One was a simple black outline, and the other was a similar one, save two orbs of fiery light. A different voice, an even deeper one, said, "You bloody fool, Abaddon!" The second figure backed up, seemingly alarmed. Rainbow tried to yell, only to find no noise emitting from her mouth. The first voice, likely the one who backed up, said, "W-what do you mean, my lord? I brought you another soul, just like you said!" "You got one of my niece's Element Bearers!" The silhouette seemed to recline back, an arm reaching up to grab its head. The second voice said, "Great. Now, thanks to you, I will have to face the wrath of my sister and the paperwork beyond that. Paperwork I'll be making YOU do." She still couldn't get a good look at the second shape, but he seemed to gulp. "Y-yes sir. And, what of her?" The second figure seemed to grumble to himself, musing to himself. "Well, I suppose that there is no use in wasting a good soul. A contract is a contract", he said. "I'll take her to the forge. You. You will start with my current papers." "Yes sir." A massive darkness flared over her prison, and said darkness surrounded her. ++++ When light finally returned to her little cell, it was a much brighter red, bordering on orange. However, it only filled her cell for a brief second, before a massive pulling force yanked her free of it. She found herself in a large, dark room, bathed in flickering red and orange light. In front of her was a large pool of what appeared to be molten metal, bubbling and rolling like a stormy sea. Looking up, she saw a high vaulted ceiling above her, carved with images of bones, skulls, and ponies and other creatures dying horrible deaths. She said, barely above a hoarse whisper, "W-where am I?" "In the Hell Forge", a voice from behind her said. She turned around and froze, her eyes turning to pinpricks. Before her was stood a massive alicorn with ashen grey fur, a large pair of skeletal wings, and a horn that resembled a massive sword. His eyes were balls of fire, and she found herself unable to focus on anything else. The swirling vortexes were seemingly unable to let her go, and she just stared, mouth agape. The figure continued, "I am Lucifer Morningstar, Lord of Sin and Regent of Hell. Your name is Rainbow Blitz Dash, correct?" When she nodded dumbly, he continued, "Now, do you know why you are here?" She didn't really want to, but she had a sneaking suspicion of why. "Am, am I dead?" "Correct, my dear", he said. She didn't properly reply; she just fell onto her knees, tears falling from her eyes. She was dead. She had just begun a relationship with the pony she loved and was now dead. Never to see her again. Then, a thought came to her. "W-wait. W-why am I in Hell!? What did I do!?" Lucifer said, "Technically, nothing. However, you did make a contract with one of my subordinates. We value our contracts, and that is why you are in this place." "W-what is this place?" "This is where I forge my new daemons." Rainbow balked in surprise. When one heard of Daemons, one generally associated the name with evil creatures. Hay, when she first heard of Tirek, she kinda thought of him as one. But, now, she was in a place that made them, and if she was right... "Does that mean... you plan to turn me into one?", she asked, dreading the response. He smiled; one that would normally be associated with someone who got a nice gift. "Well, yes", he said. "Like I said, I value my contracts. And, you said you would give up your blood to me if you failed to return your debt. I know Abaddon failed to give you adequate time, but a contract is a contract." "And, what if I say no?", Rainbow asked, not really wanted to do that. Lucifer smile slightly goes down, lowering his hands into the pockets of his khakis. "Well, I can't just let you go. You are technically mine. If you refuse to become one of my servants, I shall have little choice but to send you to one of the Rings of Hell. So, do you accept my deal?" Rainbows tears had faded, and she looked around. From Lucifer, to the ceiling, to the pit of fire. Well, call her a coward, but she really didn't want to languish in Hell for all eternity. And, well, if it was the only way out, then it was the only way out. "O-ok. I, I guess I'll do it." "Good", he said, his grin returning. "Now I need you to sign this. Like I said, contracts." A glowing red piece of paper formed in front of her from a whisp of fire, a black quill falling into her hand from the same puff. Like with the other one, she didn't really look at it too much. She just grabbed the quill and signed her name at the bottom of the contract. When she finished, it disappeared, and Lucifer said, "Good. Now, in you go." And he kicked her in. She cried out in alarm, flapping her wings for a split second before she landed in the pool. Despite its bubbling and steam, it was almost ice cold. The liquid seemed to swirl like a whirlpool, sending her around in a circle. While it did, she felt pins and needles all over her. Then, a more intense pain forming in her head and wings. The liquid swirled her around faster and faster, and the pain grew and grew. Finally, after what felt like several minutes, it stopped and left her floating in the liquid. A little bit later, it spat her out like a piece of gum. She lifted herself up onto her hands and knees, panting like she had just flown a marathon. Immediately, she noticed something was wrong with her. Her hand, while it was still a bluish shade, now ended in pitch black claws. Her arms were even more muscular than they had been, pulsing orange veins visible beneath the fur and skin. She couldn't see much else past her tattered clothes, save her now bat-like wings. "So", Lucifer said, causing her to look up. His eyes were no longer quite as hypnotic, the swirling flames looking less intense. "Rise, Umbra Venandi." Rainbow looked down, shaking like a leaf. That wasn't her name; she knew that wasn't her name. But, she did just skim over the contract, and she was certain she remembered something about that in there. She stood up shakily, cracking her back as she did so. She hissed in the pain, stumbling forward in pain. Lucifer caught her, preventing her from falling flat on her face. "Easy, Umbra. Your true form is not one you can maintain for long", he said. She asked, "T-true form?" "Yes, true form", he said. "The form that is most natural to you. Despite this, it is hard to maintain, both in a weakened state or in the mortal realm. Focus; on your old form. Just, think of it." She did so, stiffening in alarm as blazing flames whipped around her. As it faded, she found herself feeling much better, and also stronger. As she did, Lucifer said, "How do you feel?" "Good", she said, taking in her now normal looking limbs and her still bat-like wings. "I feel good... Boss."