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// Canto IX: Throwing Open the Gates 
// Story: Twilight's Inferno: A Brony Comedy 
// by The Young and Free Dragon 
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TWILIGHT'S INFERNO
BY THE YOUNG AND FREE DRAGON

There is no greater wealth than family

Cried: “Fetch Medusa!”, glaring down on us,
“Turn him to stone! Why did we not requite -
Woe worth the day! - the assault of Theseus?”

“Turn thee about, and shut thine eyelids tight;
If Gorgon show her face and thou thereon
Lock once, there's no returning to the light.”

~Dante:The Divine Comedy 1: Hell, Canto 9, Lines 52-60


CANTO IX: THROWING OPEN OF THE GATES

Once Celestia's call had been sent
A new enemy came from the sky
Slowing in its decent

The Windigo began turning a massive torrent
Their winds drew up howls from the murk
And promised nothing less than a nature of abhorrent

Twilight was forced to pierce the ground with her blade
To keep from being sucked away by the mighty winds
In light of this power, she found herself very afraid

Of what was to come, and she was not disappointed
A creature with the body of a serpent, the wings of a dragon
White features, and a beak that was pointed

“Cast your eyes away!” Celestia said, before Twilight could meet the creature's eyes
Twilight did as she was told and looked towards the ground, but fear took her
As she heard the flapping of wings, and the roar of the monster's cries

The Cockatrice circled above them, preparing to attack
When from over the murk, came the roaring of thunder
Drowning out the monster and its Windigo pack

Twilight and Celestia raised their eyes to meet Luna descending
Leaving her Chariot and her eyes glowing with power
The Cockatrice shrunk away from the hoof she was extending

“Be gone!” She simply shouted in the Royal Canterlot voice
And with the force of millions of hooves driving them back
The monsters were left with little other choice

The Cockatrice was swallowed by the mud of the river
And the Windigo galloped over the walls and away in fear
This much obvious in how they're bodies were wracked with quivers

Luna landed beside her sister, and without saying a word
Their horns glowed and shot beams toward the mighty gate
Creating a racket louder than Twilight had ever heard

The gates creaked and groaned, the mighty hinges squealing
And many creatures rushed to the door, attempting to push back
But the power of the sisters, sent all of them reeling

A hush fell after the clanging of the gates, as they stood open
The minions of the city of Dis-Cord were stunned
But then Twilight was the one to leave the silence broken

She let out a cry, charging towards the masses
Her blade drawn within seconds
Unleashing on them, total, unbridled madness

They closed around her, but the whirlwind of her shank
Tore holes through them and their numbers
Producing the definition of kicking major flank

“Steel yourself, Twilight Sparkle!” Celestia called over the roars of pain
Twilight Sparkle stopped in her tracks as the creatures retreated and nodded solemnly
Celestia looked on her harshly; “Let us not make the same mistakes again.”