//------------------------------// // Chapter 13: Lunatic Clash // Story: Demonoid Overlord // by Reizthefakebrony //------------------------------// Alex wasn't prepared for what was waiting under the altar of the now extinguished cult. That familiar laughter made his spine chill for the awe. What he heard from Aidan confirmed his fear, that Brutalight may be near. It would be too reckless of him to even think to confront Brutalight in his early stage of his plan. And yet, he wanted to see in order to confirm his suspects regarding her presence. That laughter ceased, a moment before being replaced by clashing noises, like two swords clashing with each other. It was clear that a battle was happening far away from him. "I wonder who is battling against Brutalight," Alex said reluctantly. "I have no intention to face her. Is too soon... I should observe the clash from behind the scenes." "Wait a minute. And Bluefold?" Aidan reminded. Alex to the now freakfied 'Blueblood'. "Don't even think you can use your powers against me." "Face what?" Bluefold said nervously. "What are you talking about. Eheh... I-I, of course i will serve you. I mean-" Alex pointed his hand toward Bluefold, causing black chains to appear beneath him. They wrapped around his body, chaining him down to the stone floor. Bluefold glared back at Alex and unleashed a flash of light on him, but nothing happened. "What the heck!?" Bluefold said in confusion. "Your stand is able to infiltrate inside lucid surfaces," Alex stated. "I am sorry. But it can never penetrate my eyes. And I am sure as hell that there's no mirror around." "You had read the JoJo manga?" "Sometimes. But I have no time to waste with this detail." Alex said. "I have to discover what is going on." "The risk is yours." Wanting to know what was happening, Alex pushed the altar forward, revealing a secret passage; quickly went downstairs and proceeded to explore the depths of the underground tunnel, which was infested with the echoes of fight that was consuming. He walked slowly to not emit any sound. There was a light a the very end. "Judging by the duration of the sounds," Alex murmured. "I bet that Brutalight is fighting someone who had the balls to oppose to her. I wonder who could he be." "Eheh. Let's not forget that you have to fight with her, someday." "I know, I know," Alex replied. "But It would be wonderful if that someone will make my job easier. Aidan grinned. "Let's see who is our unwitting helper." Not wanting to waste any time, Alex proceed forward as the rumors were continuing. And by the time he reached the end of the tunnel, the clashing noises ceased, allowing the silence to replace it. There was a moment of tranquility in that moment. Alex arrived nearby a staircase and went up a few stairs: he then stopped and saw the situation from behind a wall. There was some kind of arena, probably used by the cult as a form of entertainment. And in the middle of the arena, there are two pony freaks. Alex recognized one of them being Brutalight Sparcakes, who looked tired and yet more invigorated than the usual. He then looked at the other pony freak, who had a rather bizarre appearance. That pony looked like Twilight Sparkle when she was still a unicorn, except that she was a red maned pale yellow mare wearing a bizarre metal mask, standing two legged with a orb that was orbiting around her. Alex didn't know who she was at first, until a sense of deja vu made through his mind, reminding of him of a pony who was similar to her. "Wait... A pony who looked like Twilight?" Alex thought. "Is that Moondancer?" "Tsk. Nightmare Medic had possessed her... I see." "What.... You mean that Nightmare Medic!?" Alex asked in awe. "That badass bastard. He seems like he found a new host. No wonder if Brutalight was having a difficulty with this one." Unaware of Alex observing the fight from behind the scenes, Brutalight glared back at her opponent. "You have plenty of courage to defy me," Brutalight said. "Otherwise you won't had go this far. Just who are you?" "Scheweinhunds," The masked mare said and then grinned. "But seriously, Twilight. Don't you remember me? After all, you didn't had showed up at my party... Oh, well. Not that I do really care about that anymore, hihihihi." Brutalight's eyes widened. "No way... Moondancer?" "The name is Nightmare Dancer." 'Moondancer' said. "You see, I am not the same mare you had known before, in the past." "How did you had got Nightmare Medic's powers?" Brutalight demanded. "Let's just say that a benefactor lured me into this world," Nightmare Dancer said. "I was then possessed by him, as you can see. And through the fusion of our souls, I got the illumination. What really triumphed more than friendship or justice is absolute evil. I became her chosen one who was worthy of his teaching." "Really? You had become this silly at this point?" Brutalight asked sardonically. "Nothing personal, but I have to suppress you." Nightmare Dancer replied. Brutalight laughed loudly. "You think you can suppress me?" She then summoned two volcanic swords above her head, controlled through her telekinesis. "Get down of your horses already." "Very well," Dancer said as she lifted a stone scythe from the ground above her head in the same way as Brutalights. "You asked for it." The battle had resumed, with Brutalight launching her volcanic swords toward Nightmare Dancer. The masked mare, in response, spun her scythe in front of her, blocking the swords and propelling them away from them. Dancer then tossed her still spinning scythe against Brutalight, who had teleported away from it's trajectory and reappeared behind her for a surprise attack with her swords. That attempt was then blocked by Dancer shifting her orb into the colossal Tenebris sword and shielding herself with her. "You are in my range," Nightmare Dancer said as she swung her colossal sword toward Brutalight. In that instant, Brutalight created a barrier around her and blocked the Tenebris. The clash resulted the barrier being shattered during the impact. Brutalight shielded herself from the fragments of the barrier with her hooves. Nightmare Dancer, smirked for that and pointed her hoof toward her while glowing her horn in a flaming infernal aura. In that point, a pyroclasm erupted from beneath the freak alicorn, engulfing her figure into the hellfire. "Whoa." Alex said surprised. "That mare must be a really hard hitter." "Just wait the end before saying that." Aidan suggested. Nightmare Dancer lifted her colossal sword and quickly reverted it into the orb. She approached the pyroclasm that was still erupting in that point. As it was slowly dissipating, Dancer noticed that Brutalight wasn't there anymore. She was behind Dancer, armed with machete. "Now that's annoying," Brutalight said as she swung her weapon, only to be parried by Dancer's orb, now being turned into a hellish scythe wielded by her. "You are welcome," Dancer said, a second before she channeled the infernal energy inside her body and emitted a shockwave of fire that sent Brutalight flying toward the walls of the arena. Brutalight used her telekinesis to block herself before the impact and adjusted her equilibrium, landing on the ground unscathed. Brutalight glared back at Dance and growled ferociously as her horn glowed in a blue light. she materialized a myriad of nails and shot them at her at rapid fire. Nightmare Dancer jumped away from their trajectory and landed nearby the grandstands of the arena. Her body was exuding a hellish aura and the masked mare materialized a multitude of clones of herself around Brutalight. Before the freak alicorn could react, Dancer and her clones already created multiple meteors of fire above them and launched them against Brutalight. In the impact, there are multiple large, loud explosions that were destroying grand part of the arena. Alex shielded himself from the debrises that were flying in that moment with his energy shield. He was surprised as hell to see that display of power, although it looked nothing compared to his own. Aidan, however, wasn't enthusiast or sad for the course that the fight was taking. He was just waiting for the result, the only thing that mattered. Silence fell upon the scene as the great curtain of dust was covering the whole arena. It was almost impossible for Alex to see what was going on. Then, a laughter echoed in the air and the curtain began to dissipate, revealing Nightmare Dancer's figure being the only one standing in the middle of the fight. "You really deserve it, you demon," Nightmare Dancer said triumphantly. "You often forget to defend yourself, sometimes." "Oh, really?" Brutalight reappeared in behind her with an angelic mace above her head and heavily hits Nightmare Dancer, sending her flying upward a little bit before on the falling stone floor. Dancer looked very battered, with her body being engulfed by the angelic fire that was covering her body. "W-what the-" Nightmare Dancer stuttered weakly, looking shocked. "I know your weaknesses," Brutalight said gleefully. "You see, I am very informed about the powers and weaknesses that Nightmare Medic had bestowed on you. Angelic and magical weapons are you only weakness, and this mace that I had retrieved from the treasury of this cult makes no exception." "... You patronizing demon." Dancer retorted. "You were the real fool if you were thinking that I would had unprepared for you," Brutalight said as she summoned a volcanic axe. "So while this fight was fun, you were surely a very annoying menace. I have to get rid of you." Having her prey at her mercy, Brutalight swung her axe with her telekinesis. The coup de grace was about to being delivered, but then her axe suddenly stopped in front of opponent's face. Brutalight felt a horrible headache and began to feel weak and unstable once again. "No!... NOT NOW! UAAAARGH!" Brutalight screamed, a moment before her neck snapped and Twilight took control of her body once more. She looked suddenly sad and apologetic, much to Nightmare Dancer confusion. "... Moondancer... I am sorry." "............ Moondancer is me." Dancer declared coldly. "An apostle of absolute evil doesn't need your pity." Twilight was about to said something when her snapped and Brutalight took over again. "Dammit! I need to do something about this." And with that, Brutalight teleported away in front of Dancer's eyes. She tried to rose up, but felt too weakened and utterly damaged to do so and stumbled on the ground. Alex witnessed the scene dumbfounded. He knows what happened to Brutalight and also knows why, but that scene leaved him with a question that made his way toward his mouth. "Did I just... Felt sympathy for her?" Alex asked to himself. "Don't trip around! Hurry up and purify that demented fool!" Aidan suggested, snapping Alex out of his dilemma. "Alright." Alex said, one second before teleported and reappeared in front of Nightmare Dancer, who flinched, looking taken aback. "Who the-" Nightmare Dancer didn't have the time to retort that Alex grasped her head and lifted her body above his head as she wriggled. "HOLY INFERNO!" Alex said as a fiery explosion of white flames blasted Nightmare Dancer, who screamed a second before falling unconscious. Her form and colors returned to be her normal once, reverting her into the old Moondancer. He released her from her grasp and let her body fall on the ground. "And even this is done." Three minutes passed by, Alex pondering about his next move and Aidan waiting his decision. Purifying Nightmare Medic out of Moondancer was a shame since she would have been a good ally, if she was on her side. But on the other side of the coin, that would be an additional menace that Alex would had to face and he couldn't had allowed it. "So... What are you going to do?" "That's easy." Alex said as he observed Moondancer waking up from her slumber. "... W-where am I... My glasses... Where are my glasses?" Moondancer said in confusion. "Did you remember why you are here?" Alex asked. "... That ghost... I remember now," Moondancer said. "He was controlling me..." She flinched as she acknowledged Alex's existence. "W-Who are you?" "My name is simply Zaidel Goelnix," Alex stated. "I am the benefactor who had purified you from that scourge." "... You saved me." Moondancer said incredulous. "Look, I know you are angry with Twilight or anything," Alex said. "But she is in your damn same situation, and I am not ready enough for a confrontation with her. So what about this: I will let you go if you join my cause." "What?" Moondancer looked perplexed. "What cause?" Her eyes widened. "Are you asking me to fight Twilight again?" "Not like this." Alex said and grinned, one second before using his corruptive lightnings on him. Moondancer screeched in agony, a moment before the pain became instantly replaced with an arcane shot of energy and her body glowed in a black light. Her coat became slightly darkened and her mane became colored in two colors; the ones being black and white. Her eyes became heterocromatic; her right eye became red and her left eye became grey. She slowly rose up and smirked in glee, which was unexpected reaction, even for a tough guy like Alex. "So... What do think, Moondancer?" Alex asked calmly. "Moondancer? Me?" 'Moondancer' laughed. "I think my correct name is Moon Paradox!" "Moon Paradox?" Alex looked perplexed. "Congratulations. You have imbued her with the soul of Hilda Paradox, a very rare example of dreadful witch." "I see." Alex said. "So, what do you really want?" "What I really want?" Moon Paradox said. "Ah. I want to see Brutalight at my mercy. But keep in mind. That's not because she wasn't present in my own party in the past. No no..." She paused. "I want take her down because I want to shatter her arrogance to find always a solution to everything. Even when she was preaching about friendship, I could see her stuck up ego and that of her own friends. I want shatter her newfound dreams of conquest and find a way to become a Re-Birth-" "Whoa, get a hold of yourself, lady," Alex halted her. "That's Hilda Paradox's motivation, not your own. Where did that Re-Birth part came from?" "Don't ask me," Moon Paradox retorted. "You put that spirit inside me. I can feel not only her powers but her desires too." "Remember that I had saved you," Alex reminded. "You should be at least grateful for that." "....... And so I am," Moon bowed. "I will fight at your side when you need most. I can feel a tremendous power surging in your being so... That would be a mistake opposing you." "Now we are talking," Alex said. The conversation, however, was suddenly interrupted by Bluefold's voice echoing from the entrance of the arena. "Can somepony release me from this trap, please!" Bluefold shouted. "You won! I will do everything. Alex facepalmed. "I had completely forgot about Bluefold." "Even as a pony freak he's such a wimp." "Alright," Alex turned toward Moon Paradox. "Ok, Moon Paradox. Follow me." "Whatever you said, big boy." Moon Paradox said gleefully. "..... Just don't take too much confidence with me for now, ok?" Alex said with a demanding tone. That being said, Alex and Moon traversed the tunnel and went out of the secret passage nearby the altar of the cult. Alex expected to find only Bluefold. What didn't expected was seeing Bedlam, Vartoa and Delth being also there. The three generals approached him with a worried aura. "There are a bunch of dead bodies and this... Insipid freak pony being chained on the floor," Vartoa said. "It seems like our lord showed them the meanings of power." Delth said. "Lord Zaidel, we need an explanation about what had transpired here," Bedlam said and noticed Moon. "Lord Zaidel, did you had just put that pony on you side?" "You are doubting about my judgement?" Alex asked. "Absolutely not," Bedlam sighed. "Also... Did you had saw Brutalight?" "He fought against another freak," Alex half lied. "And then she had escaped." "Damnation." Bedlam murmured. "Why did you had convoked us before? I was ready to fight her." "We are not ready yet," Alex stated. "We have to conquest part of the Freak World, so I lure their attention to us while expanding our power. The main goal is to prevent them to ever enter in Equestria. We have to block them and then launching an attack. However, until that moment, we have to wait. Did you understand the importance of my plans?" ".... I apologize, Lord Zaidel," Bedlam said with an apologetic tone. "I will follow your plans in it's depths, if I must." "Can you do me a favor?" Alex pointed his finger at Bluefold. "Can you please take this bastard with you. He will fight at our side... As a spy." "Yes, whatever," Bluefold said nervously. "Ehehe. I will do whatever you ask me to do." "You vermin." Vartoa said and then turned to Alex. "Alright, we-" "Wait a second." Delth said. "And what about that female pony." Alex narrowed his eyes. "What pony." "We have retrieved a mare named Sugar Bell, in this twisted world," Delth stated. "You want corrupt her too?" "Sugar Bell?" Alex looked confused. "Wasn't her dead?" "I think that Starcider only killed the homunculus that looked similar to her. I also think that the real one was just running away after you had defeated Painset Shimmercake." Alex pondered for a moment and then decided. "No, release her. Two ponies are enough for today... But seriously, why retrieve her?" "She was still believing in the myth of Painset Shimmercake," Delth said. "We cannot allow her to spread another cult. So why release this menace." "Sugar Bell is relatively powerless since her god was finally defeated by my hand," Alex explained. "Brutalight and her friends are the real menace. Got it?" "I will do as you suggest, Lord Zaidel," Delth said. "You are dismissed, all of you." Alex turned toward Moon. "You will follow them into my hideout." "Sure. Why not?" Moon said confidently. "OPEN GATE!" The dark portal opened in front of the generals. The three warriors entered inside the portal while dragging the still chained Bluefold, followed by Moon Paradox. Alex was about to enter inside when a voice called his name. "Lord Zaidel!" The voice shouted. "Wait!" Alex turned toward the source, being a very familiar stallion that approached him. He recognized with perplexity the stranger. "Feather Bangs?" Alex asked. "What hell are you doing here and how did you know about my name." "I saw your generals saving Sugar Bell from herself and her obsession over that cursed alicorn," Feather said. "I am very grateful for what having retrieved her." "I didn't do anything! I though she was killed by Starcider. Besides, it was Delth the one who had retrieved her." Alex thought. "To be fair, I had released her." "What?" Feather looked shocked. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Why you are here anyway?" Alex asked impatiently. "I know that would be hard for me but I made up my mind." Feather said confidently. "I want to join your cause." "Absolutely no. I don't want have any normal pony on my conscience." Alex said bluntly. "Oh, c'mon. You're the one who show me the truth. I'm sick and tired to be insecure and unable to save anypony. Try at least to consider my request." Feather insisted. "I think that Sugar Bell i coming just for you." Alex said while pointing his finger into a random direction. "Where?" Feather asked while looking in the direction before Alex quickly punched him in the face with his hoof, making him collapse unconscious. At that point, Alex entered inside the portal and reappeared in the throne room inside Enru Maz. In front of him there are the three generals, Starcider Glimsho, Autumn Cinder, Bluefold and Moon Paradox looking at him, waiting for his next order or move to do. Deep inside, Alex know that was only the first step. That was only the beginning of his conquest before the confrontation.