In the most secluded room of the castle of friendship, far from the eyes and ears of others, Derran Grandel sat in his armor. Before him was a table, upon which lay the tools he had gathered, a large needle, a mirror, a pot of ink, and, most importantly. . . a picture of Flurry Heart. In silence, he stared at the photo, committing to memory every detail of the foremost victim of his failure, as he removed one of his gauntlets.
He had in truth, only heard about the two ancient rituals of the Night Sentinels order he was about to preform in books and stories. Never before had he actually enacted them. The rituals in question possessed no magic, or other practical benefit, but rather were one of the few definitively known traditions of the mysterious Night Sentinel warriors. Performing them now, was the only thing Derran could think of to help restrain himself from acting violently rash. His outward calm, was in truth, a well hidden lie, as he struggled with every ounce of his will to hold back the ocean of rage churning within him. Only the thought of what might happen to Flurry if he acted out of turn, allowed him to keep control. That, and a will stronger even than the armor he was clad in, was all that prevented him from tearing the Everfree up by its roots till he found Flurry, and broke Chrysalis in two. . . .
The first ritual, was the 'Ritual of Penance', said to be performed by Night Sentinels who had failed in their duties or otherwise sinned. The ritual provided the condemned an opportunity to absolve themselves of their crimes, by vowing to perform a deed aimed at righting the wrong they had done. Upon success, the warrior would be granted absolution. However, should they fail, the warrior would be required, in accordance with the ritual's tenets, to take their own lives. Considering Derran had failed in his most fundamental duty to the seraphs, he couldn't imagine a more appropriate gesture.
The second, was the 'Ritual of Retribution'. In which the warrior in question, inscribed upon their armor the sins of an enemy to be punished, or wrongs to be righted. The inscriptions, once placed upon the warrior's armor, could not be removed until either the wrongdoer was destroyed, the crime undone, or, in exceedingly rare cases, a pardon for the crime issued. Once the ritual had been performed, the warrior was honor bound to never cease pursuing the sinners he had vowed to punish, until either the last inscription was removed from their armor, or they fell in pursuit of justice. Chrysalis's crimes were innumerable, and those were just the ones Derran knew of. Yet come the morrow he swore, that they would all be avenged. He would record them all at a stroke, and would punish them at a stroke. . . it was the only outcome he would allow. . . .
Picking up the needle from the table, Derran stared at it dispassionately for a moment. With an unflinching expression he used it to prick the tip of his index finger, before squeezing out several drops of his blood into the ink pot. As soon as he felt he had added enough blood to the ink, Derran used the blood still flowing from his finger to carefully paint the sigil of the Doom Slayer, his sigil, on his forehead with the needle, as well as writing the word for 'repentance' on each cheek in one of the long dead languages of D'nur. Under his breath, Derran intoned the ancient chant of the first sentinel ritual.
"For by his mark shall the sinner be named. For by his blood shall the sinner be known. For by his deeds shall the sinner be cleansed, amen."
The ritual of penance done, Derran set the needle aside, he then stood, and began removing the outer plates of his powered down armor and placing them on the table, finishing with his helmet. Sitting down again, Derran took up the needle once more, using the fingers of his free hand, he made a simple sign over the pot of ink. Instantly, the ink began glowing with an unsettling red light, as Derran dipped the needle into the pot, and spoke the vow of the ritual of retribution.
"With my blood I write my vow, and with my soul I swear its truth. By my sword shall the victims of evil see justice done. As the sin is written, so shall it be avenged, with the Light as my witness, amen."
As he finished the simple chant, Derran touched the tip of the glowing needle to the first of the armor plates before him, and in the runes of ancient D'nur, began to write. . . .
Celestia took a deep breath as she left Shining Armor and Cadence's room. She, Luna, and Twilight, having managed to convince the pair to get some rest. Walking down the stairs and corridors that would take her to the room Derran had sequestered himself in, Celestia thought back to the incident that had occurred barely an hour before. After Derran and Rainbow Dash had returned from the hospital. . . .
"Why?! Why won't you wake them?!!" Shining Armor Demanded, glaring at Derran, as Celestia and Luna stood at the armored warrior's side. Derran shook his head sadly, his tone sympathetic as he replied.
"Lord Shining, please understand, the Legion was sealed away to guard against threats of a genuinely world ending nature. As bad as things are, they are not yet-"
"Not yet what?!! Important enough?!!" Shining snarled, Cadence moving to his side and trying her best to calm him.
"Shining, I'm sure that's not what Derran meant." She stated, wrapping her hoof around her husband. However, despite her words, the expression she gave Derran was one of uncertainty. Derran nodded, in understanding as much as gratitude.
"I assure you my Lord, I would never classify the kidnapping of a child, least of all a seraphim child, as anything other than a dire emergency. However, neither I, nor Ladies Celestia and Luna, can in good conscience, sanction so drastic a step as awakening my brothers." Continuing to glare at Derran, Shining Armor shook himself free from his wife's embrace.
"Why though?!!" He demanded. "With the Legion behind you, the battle would be over before it even began!!" Shining declared, his voice frantic. Derran shook his head.
"Aside from the gravity of awakening a weapon capable of killing entire worlds, there is the inevitable reality of how my brothers would react. When the Legion was sealed away, many of my brothers were forced to leave behind not just their new lives, but also their new families. Many had developed romantic and familial bonds every bit as strong as those I share with Ladies Luna, Celestia, and Twilight. However, unlike myself, my brothers families and lovers were not seraphim. When they said goodbye, they knew it was to be forever. If we were to awaken them now, even for a situation as terrible as this, it would be to spit in the face of that unimaginable sacrifice." Shining sneered at Derran, his expression approaching hateful.
"So I was right! You care about your pride more than you care about Flurry Heart's safety!!" At that Luna stepped forward.
"That is enough former captain! I understand your displeasure, and I share your worry, but Derran would never place pride before the life of even a single Equestrian!" Shining turned his increasingly enraged gaze toward Luna, but before he could reply, Derran spoke again.
"My Lord, I give you my word, I am more than up to this task. To me Flurry Heart is as close as if she was-" Shining's head snapped back to fix Derran with a look of unbridled rage. His sense of desperation and helplessness finally reaching a crescendo, as he shouted in a voice filled with poisonous wrath.
"SHE ISN'T YOUR DAUGHTER!! YOUR DAUGHTER IS DEAD!!"
For several moments, in the castle of friendship foyer, the absolute silence of the grave drowned out all other sound. Shining Armor's hoof flew to his mouth, his eyes wide in shock. Celestia, Luna, Rainbow Dash, and even Cadence, stared at him in mute horror, scarcely able to believe what they had just heard. Shining himself struggled to form words, shaken to his core, more by the fact that he could say something so heartless, than that he had said it to Derran.
"Derran-I. . . I'm so sorry. . . I didn't mean. . . ." Shining expected an outburst of rage, maybe even for Derran to strike him. It would have been a more than fair reaction, given what he had just said. What he got instead, was somehow even worse.
Derran's expression displayed not even a hint of anger, rather, his gaze was one of unimaginable pain and sorrow, that made Shining instantly feel like just as much of a monster as Chrysalis. Before he could say anything however, Luna and Rainbow Dash snapped out of their mutual disbelief, wearing twin expressions of nigh inexpressible outrage as they opened their mouths. . . only for Derran to stop them with an upraised hand.
"You are correct my Lord. . ." Derran began, his voice hesitant and filled with a heavily suppressed agony, that broke the hearts of the ponies surrounding him. "my daughter is dead. . . . She has been for over twelve hundred years. And the blame for that, rests entirely upon me." Shining opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but unable to find the words. "It is a parent's job, more than any other, to protect their children from harm. . . and I failed in that task." Here Derran placed his hand on Shining Armor's shoulder, his expression suddenly as stern and immutable as if cast from iron. "I have known first hand, the pain of a child's loss. I have felt the agony of standing and watching helplessly, as the thing every parent cherishes most in the world is ripped away from them."
Suddenly, Shining Armor felt every hair of his coat and mane stand on end, as an aura of power, more ancient and monstrous than any he could ever recall feeling, washed over him. Derran's words became slow and deliberate, every one like the peal of a great and terrible bell, as the shadows around his body seemed to flicker. "And that is why, I will not, now or ever, allow you or any other parent, to feel that pain." Instantly, Shining felt his anger and fear evaporate, unable to deny the immense power of Derran's words, as his tone became like the rumble of a volcano on the verge of eruption. "I will bring your daughter home, alive and unhurt. . . and I will allow nothing to stop me." With that, Derran had stood, turning and walking toward the stairs with slow and measured steps. "I must gather a few items, then I will go to the north tower, and prepare for the coming battle. . . ."
At the time, Celestia had let Derran go without comment, not wishing to add to his burden, nor to Shining Armor and Cadence's stress. Unfortunately, she could afford to wait only so long. She knew the news she bore would be. . . unwelcome. And in truth, despite her extreme distaste for killing, a not insignificant part of Celestia wanted very much to keep silent. Unfortunately, the curse and blessing of prophecy left her little choice in the matter. So she consoled herself by recalling all the times in recent memory that forgiveness and mercy had ultimately ended up saving Equestria. Unfortunately, this was scant comfort when she recalled the event's of just a few hours prior.
"Princess Celestia?" Celestia winced slightly at the sound of a voice that normally filled her with nothing but joy and pride, she had hoped to run this errand alone.
"Ah, Twilight, something I can assist you with?" Celestia asked with a weary smile, erasing the stress from her voice with the ease of centuries of practice. Twilight's expression fell, as she began walking alongside her former instructor.
"I wanted to check in on Derran. I. . . I heard about what happened with Shining Armor." Celestia nodded.
"Shining Armor's words were uncalled for, but understandable. However I am certain Derran knows he did not mean them." Twilight nodded.
"I know. . . out of everypony here, Derran knows better than any of us how Shining and Cadence feel right now." Celestia nodded her agreement.
"How is Cadence? My niece puts on a strong front, but I can tell she is close to her limit." Twilight stayed quiet for a moment before giving a weak smile.
"Honestly, I think she's feeling better. She said Derran's words to Shining were actually really reassuring." Twilight's face fell. "But I can tell she's still scared." Again, Celestia nodded.
"As any parent would be. However I am glad to hear Derran's words were a comfort." Twilight managed a small laugh.
"Well, Derran does make a pretty convincing case for not worrying in these kind of situations." Celestia couldn't help but smile at that.
"That he does. . . ." After walking together in silence for a bit, Celestia cleared her throat. "How are the Crusaders and little Dinky?" Twilight sighed.
"I received a letter from Spike saying Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo are all doing fine, they went to sleep as soon as they were tucked in. Starlight is on her way back, but Spike and Rarity decided to stay with the Crusaders at Sweet Apple Acres. Spike figured I'd want an update once they woke up, and Rarity didn't want to leave Sweetie Belle's side. I checked in on Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, and they told me Dinky was also resting. Apparently, she was really scared at first, but when they told her Derran Grandel was taking care of her mother, she calmed down. Apparently she's a big fan of his. Oh, and Applejack headed home to check on Apple Bloom." Celestia nodded quietly.
"And. . . Derpy Hooves?" Twilight sighed, her expression falling.
"Still unconscious, the doctors said that thankfully her injuries looked a lot worse than they were. Given time she'll make a full recovery, but she was exhausted to the point of near death, and the pain and mental trauma. . . ." Twilight trailed off, her expression becoming angry. "Is it wrong that I'm almost looking forward to tomorrow?" Celestia kept silent, giving Twilight a sympathetic look as she vented. "I know I shouldn't want Chrysalis to die, but she's really crossed a line this time!!" Celestia winced at the sheer hatred in her former student's voice. "I. . . I don't think I can forgive this." Twilight declared, letting out a shaky breath. "There was a time when I thought maybe, just maybe I could get Chrysalis to change, but now. . ." Twilight took a deep breath, an expression of anger and shame on her face. "now I just want her gone. . . for good!" Celestia nodded.
"There is no shame in being angry Twilight. Nopony can argue Chrysalis's crimes are anything less than abominable, and I confess there is a part of me too that wishes she would disappear." Here Celestia took a deep breath, before letting it out slowly. "However. . . despite all that she has done, I still believe she can be saved." Twilight gave her former mentor a look of disbelief.
"How can you after all the terrible things she's done?!" Celestia smiled, her expression tired.
"Part of the reason is why I'm going to speak with Derran right now. But mostly. . ." Here Celestia stopped to look Twilight in the eye, her expression faraway, yet kind and loving."because once upon a time, despite all logic and sense, I fell in love with the stallion who tried to murder me. . . ."
As the sun was coaxed above the horizon by its sovereign, a massive gathering took place at the base of the castle of friendship. Young and old, mare and stallion, pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony, all gathered before the castle gates. Each and every one had heard what had happened, and all had come to lend their support. However, many faces showed the strain of uncertainty. Derran, for all his power, was going into battle with one of the strongest, and arguably the most cunning and dangerous, foes of Equestria. Of all the evils of the land, only Chrysalis had come close to victory more than once in recent memory, and had escaped every time. She was ruthless, cunning, and fiendishly clever. Every battle she had ever engaged in had been fought on her terms, and was only thwarted by the barest of margins. On her most recent attempt for example, she had managed to capture all the princesses and the council of friendship, without anypony even noticing. Only her own arrogance, and some very quick thinking by a number of unlikely heroes, had averted catastrophe. So for as many faces at the gathering that showed hope, there were just as many who showed doubt.
"Do you think he can do it?"
"Shouldn't the princesses get involved?"
"Why is he doing this alone?"
Near the castle gate, three fillies grit their teeth in frustration at the snippets of conversation. The cutie mark crusaders, along with Rarity, Applejack, and Spike, had forced themselves awake despite their exhaustion. Determined to be there for Derran, and it grated on them that so many residents of Ponyville were questioning him. Rarity had a sour expression, as she did her best to ignore the whispered commentary. As Spike very distinctly counted backward from ten, and Applejack simply glared at the crowd. Deep in their hearts, they understood why ponies were concerned, but their exhaustion, combined with what they now knew of Derran's hidden past, made every comment seem like a personal slight.
"He's just one pony."
"Is the friendship council really not gonna help him?"
"Aren't the princesses at least going to call out the royal guard?"
Suddenly, an unpleasant and extremely obnoxious voice raised itself above the others. Dripping with arrogance and condescension, it spoke in an almost bored tone.
"Are we really going to allow this to happen?" The voice drawled loudly, as the crowd parted around the speaker, to reveal a middle aged mare with a violet mane, pink coat, oddly upturned nose, and a diamond ring for a cutie mark. Ignoring the angry expressions of Rarity, Applejack, Spike and the Crusaders, Spoiled Rich continued. "I know this. . . human, has something of a reputation for heroism around Ponyville." She declared, gesturing with her hoof dismissively, as she continued in a tone that easily communicated how little that mattered to her. "But are we really prepared to hand over the fate of a child, to an alien who only arrived here a few weeks ago?" Several ponies shuffled uncomfortably, as though privately agreeing, but unwilling to say it. "All four of the current reigning princesses and the elements of harmony are here. Yet they are standing aside and allowing this alien to solve the problem? I can't be the only one who thinks that's a bad idea?" A few hesitant nods followed that pronouncement, as Spoiled Rich gave the crowd a superior look. "At times like this we need to look after our own, with proven Equstrian hero's, not. . . foreign influences." The crusaders, Spike, Applejack and Rarity, felt their bodies tremble in anger, but before they could speak, a small voice rang out.
"Your wrong!!" As one, the crowd turned to stare at the speaker. A small unicorn filly, slightly younger than even the crusaders, stood in the path leading up to the castle. With a bright blond mane and lavender coat, her brilliant golden eyes were narrowed in determination. Standing flanked by both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, she continued. "My mamma always said that mister Grandel was a hero!! He's kind and strong, and he loves Equestria more than anypony else in the whole wide world!!" Dinky Hooves declared, with all the determination her small body could muster. "He will get Flurry back to her mommy and daddy!!" Spoiled glared in annoyance at the little filly who had dared to interrupt her. Opening her mouth, she was cut off before she could speak by another voice.
"The filly's right!!" Declared a loud, slightly gruff female voice, that sounded used to barking orders. "Have you all forgotten the work he put in to fix this town?! After clearing debris for days on end, he fought a hundred timber wolves, worked through the night, and got the lumber so we could rebuild!! All without pay too, cause the only thing he wanted was for you ponies to sleep with a proper roof over your heads!!" Muscling through the crowd, Sawdust moved to stand next to Dinky, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, along with what appeared to be the entire workforce of the Ponyville sawmill. Spoiled again opened her mouth, only to again be interrupted.
"My wife, daughter and I, would have been burned to a crisp in the dragon attack if not for Derran!!" Declared a stallion with grey mane and tan coat, a hammer and nail on his flank. "Derran Grandel saved your lives, rebuilt your homes, and didn't ask for a dang thing in return!! Then this happens and suddenly he isn't good enough?!" Joining with Sawdust and her crew, Brown Stone was joined by his daughter, wife, and his construction crew. Spoiled scowled as cheers and declarations of 'Their right!' were emitted by the crowd, once again attempting to speak, only to once more be cut off.
"If it hadn't been for Mr. Grandel, my shop and the half dozen next to it might still be in ruins!" Declared Chipotle Pepper, his mustache bristling as he pointed an accusing hoof at Spoiled Rich. "And I know for a fact Spoiled, that your husband Filthy, would have lost half his revenue here in Ponyville if Derran hadn't been here!! Derran Grandel may be only one stallion, but he says he can handle this, and after all he's done, he's earned a little faith!!" Spoiled looked genuinely taken aback by that, as she realized that the crowd had now fully turned on her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed even her own husband and daughter looking at her with mild disapproval. She was however, saved from having to respond, as the doors to the castle, opened. . . .
As if a switch had been flipped, the crowd instantly became silent, as a wave of something like electricity seemed to flow out of the open door. Instantly, all eyes in the crowd snapped to the castle entrance, the strange feeling coming from the air making it impossible to look away. First to emerge were Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Twilight. Slowly, and with grim expressions, the princesses assembled before the silent crowd. Like statues they stood, each with fires of dark determination dancing in their eyes. In all of Ponyville, none could ever recall seeing a single one of their sovereigns with such an expression, and it seemed as if the very air chilled in their presence. Yet, this was as nothing, compared to what followed them. . . .
Soundtrack: Pacific Rim by Ramin Djawadi
The electric feeling in the air suddenly spiked, as the hairs of every mane and coat stood on end. A feeling of ruinous terror dancing on the end of every pony's synapses, as within the darkness of the castle entryway, something stirred. Walking forward, its presence alone seemed to set the very air to trembling, as it emerged fully into the daylight. Gasps of shock, and whimpers of fear, escaped innumerable lips, as they beheld a figure who seemed as a colossus from ancient myth.
Across nearly every inch of his armor were inscribed countless runes and symbols. Glowing an angry ephemeral red, the strange script could not be understood by anypony in this world, yet all who looked upon it, felt an unaccountable dread gnawing at their souls. He came with his rune covered helmet locked to his hip. His terrifyingly grim expression seeming as though carved from living rock at the dawn of time, and radiating a cold fury, that made every creature before him feel an uncontrollable shiver run through them. On his forehead painted in blood, was his personal insignia, while upon each cheek, was written a single word, that chilled the marrow of all who read its flowing gothic script lettering: Repentia. Most terrible of all however, were his eyes, their beautiful icy blue, seeming almost to glow with an unsettling ghostly radiance, that made ponies feel as if he could see into their very hearts, to judge every wrong they had ever done.
Ponies instinctively moved back, as he descended the steps from the castle entrance, the princesses parting to let him pass. This. . . this was not the Derran Grandel they knew. This was not the kindly smiling soul who lifted the spirits of ponies with a gentle word, hard work, and good humor. Nor was he the heroic champion, who stood for all that was good and right in the world. This was someone the citizens of Ponyville had never met, had never heard speak, and had never known existed.
This stallion was a leader of armies, a judger of souls, and a punisher of sins. Under his gaze, kingdoms fell, continents were laid to waste, and entire worlds burned. This was not a hero, this being did not save the day, nor rescue the fair damsel. He was the one who came when the day was long past salvation, when all hope was lost, and only vengeance remained. . . . He was punishment. . . he was destruction. . . and he was wrath.
This, though nopony save the princesses and his closest friends knew it, this was the Derran from the ancient past, come back from the lost history of a long dead world. And in his presence, all doubt. . . evaporated. That Chrysalis would lose was no longer a question of if, merely of when. Even Spoiled Rich, despite all her arrogance, could find no room to question this truth. After all. . . what sane mortal, was fool enough to question death?
As Derran stood upon the lower landing of the stair to the castle, Starlight Glimmer, Shining Armor and Rainbow Dash moved past him, to stand behind the princesses, but scarcely anypony noticed, their eyes glued to Derran, as they waited with baited breath for him to speak or act. However it seemed almost as if he did not even notice them, as he trained his gaze upon the distant Everfree, where dark storm clouds had begun to gather. As if summoned by the forest itself, to herald Derran's arrival.
For a time, there was no movement, no sound, and no thought, as all the world stood frozen, waiting for what would happen next. Then, all at once, the spell was broken. As far off in the distance of the Everfree Forest, a towering pillar of sickly green light, pierced the sky with it's unholy radiance.
As one, the princesses unfurled their wings, taking to the sky in flawless synchronicity, before hurtling toward the pillar of vile light with a single snap of their feathered appendages. Beneath them, the crowd parted, as with a slow deliberate motion, Derran donned his helmet. Then, for an instant, he paused. . . before turning to look directly at Dinky Hooves and the Crusaders, whom had moved to stand at her side. In that second the fillies felt a jolt of terror, until the rune covered helm gave an almost imperceptible nod. Instantly, the fillies fear vanished, as they each gave a small smile, and returned the gesture. Dinky and the Crusaders, didn't need words to know what the Doom Slayer was telling them, as he exploded into motion. It was an acknowledgment of their bravery, and a promise, that he would make things right.
In a blur of movement, Derran followed the departing alicorns with long loping strides, that seemed to shake the very ground beneath him. As he passed, Shining Armor, Starlight Glimmer, the council of friendship, and Spike atop Rarity's back, were each pulled into Derran's wake as surely as if compelled by magic. With Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Starlight, Shining Armor, and Applejack galloping forward on hoof, while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash took to the air.
With the princesses leading the way, the procession moved toward the edge of the Everfree at breakneck speed, silent, save for the flap of their wings and the pounding of their hooves and feet. In scarcely a minute or two, the forest loomed before them, its thick tangled mass of elder trees blocking them like a verdigris wall. However their stride did not even slow, as with unshiftingly dark expressions, Celestia and Luna lit their horns to blast the trees from Derran's path. With the combined heat of the sun and the gravity of a singularity, even the largest and most ancient of trees, was instantly reduced to dust, leaving only smoking ground, and cracked pebbles, behind.
Several miles from the base of the crackling green pillar, Stormfang watched Chrysalis uneasily, as she cackled and giggled to herself, her jagged horn glowing as she maintained the spell. His former bluster and confidence replaced by a distinct unease. Chrysalis had become increasingly unstable in the weeks since getting her hooves on the Alicorn Amulet. She often could be heard having conversations with herself, rarely slept, and the other night, when the Changeling Eye had been destroyed, she had simply started laughing as if it was the funniest joke ever told, despite the scorch mark on her horn. Additionally, she seemed far less cautious, seeming utterly convinced of their coming victory, and while at one time Stormfang might have found that in turns either refreshing or irritating, now he found it deeply disturbing.
Still, it was impossible to argue with the results. Chrysalis's newfound arcane might, was on an entirely different level from what it had been, and she had used it to excellent effect. Enchanting her small army of several hundred changelings to be faster, stronger, and completely immune to fear. Additionally, with the help of Stormfang's compatriots, she had augmented their forces with a multitude of enthralled beasts from the Everfree and beyond, and of course, said compatriots of Stormfang were also waiting in the wings if needed. So why did he feel worried?
Letting out a deep breath, Stormfang forced himself to remember who he was. He was a dragon, a member of the most powerful race on the planet. Once he was done here, and the treasure of Equestria was in his claws, he could challenge Ember for the title of Dragon Lord. Then he could get things back to the way they should be. As Dragon Lord, he would see to it that all of this ridiculous 'Friendship' nonsense was stamped out for good. Chrysalis had promised a steady stream of ponies and gems as food once she had taken control, and in the meantime he would make a proper example of Ember. He still couldn't decide if he should kill her, or force her to be his queen, she was quite good looking after all. . . .
Suddenly, Stormfang was broken from his thoughts, as a shiver of abject terror tore through him like an electric charge. Whipping his head around, Stormfang looked out over the forest toward Ponyville, a distant speck beyond the near endless Everfree. With one claw, he clutched at his throat, his pupil's dilating, as his heart began to pound in his chest. He hadn't felt this feeling in a very long time, not since he had tried to challenge an Ursa Major in his younger days. That ill advised attempt to prove his power had nearly gotten him killed, and though he would never admit it, he still occasionally woke in a cold sweat, remembering the great beast looming over him. He could never forget that terror, the feeling of utter helplessness as he stared into eyes filled with primal wrath.
Struggling to get his shaking claws under control, Stormfang's gaze shifted from the Everfree, to the still dementedly grinning Chrysalis. How had she not felt what he just had?! That overpowering sense that death itself had just fixed him with its gaze. . . and smiled. Chrysalis began laughing to herself, oblivious to Stormfang's discomfort, as the dragon shook his head. Sighting a sudden flash of actinic light at the point where the Everfree bordered Ponyville, Stormfang felt his mouth go dry. Under his breath, he, almost involuntarily, muttered the same thing one of his now deceased cronies had said, as they had entered the lair of the ursa all those centuries ago.
"I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant. . . ."
Moving forward with silent purpose, Derran went over lady Celestia's most recent command in his head. Even now, he felt his bile rise as he thought of it. He understood the necessity, but that did little to reassure him. Almost without thinking, Derran retrieved the photo of Flurry Heart from his extradimensional armory. It was a fairly recent photo, Flurry being held by lady Cadence and lord Shining, both of whom looked exhausted and dirty, but positively glowing with happiness. Swaddled in a pink blanket, Flurry Heart's front hooves were stretched toward the camera, an expression of laughter on her face. An almost insurmountable rage coursed through Derran, as he thought of how scared she must be now, but he forced himself to remain calm.
+They all deserve to die.+ The Slayer declared, an unholy fury filling every word as they echoed in Derran's mind. +Chrysalis, the changelings, and every other living thing that had so much as a fucking INKLING of this!! Deserves to die choking on its own fucking blood!+ Outwardly, Derran gave no sign that he had heard anything, as he sent the photo back to the armory with a faint snap of displaced air. Inwardly however, he nodded.
"You will find no argument from me, yet still. . . our orders stand." The Slayer scoffed, the closest he would ever come to an agreement.
+So that's it then?! Orders are orders and we can go fuck ourselves?!+ Derran gave an inward sigh.
"You know it is not that simple." The Slayer simply growled in response. "However. . . ."
+Yeah?+ Derran struggled not to let his emotions show on his face, as he spoke inside his head.
"In our absence, it seems the evils within the holy land have grown bold. Our ladies have, through heroism beyond measure, staved off the darkness. By herself, Lady Celestia has kept the peace for over a thousand years, with love, grace, and understanding. While more recently, Lady Twilight and her friends have preserved that peace with the power of their bonds of friendship."
+Your point?!+ Within his head, Derran's tone darkened.
"I believe it is time we reminded the evils of this land, of the alternative to accepting miladies salvation. . . ." Inside his mind, Derran felt the Slayer smile.
+So. . . you want to send a message.+ Inwardly, Derran shook his head.
"No. . . I want you to send a message, as only you can. Remind this world that those who squander the Seraphim's mercy. . . shall reap their malediction."
+You sure you trust me enough to give me that much leeway?+ The Slayer asked, the sensation of a grin growing. Derran nodded within his mind.
"Consider this an opportunity to earn a bit of grace yourself. Just never forget that Flurry Heart comes first, nor that the hand upon your leash has merely been loosened, not removed." The Slayer nodded.
+No need to crack the whip on this, ain't no kids gonna die on my watch. And when I'm through. . . all the world will have the fear of the Light in 'em." Derran nodded, his expression becoming infinitely cold beneath his helmet, as the cage of his will, strained against his ever growing rage.
"Amen. . . ."
The Everfree forest was one of the most dangerous locations in Equestria, perhaps the world. While the edges could be traversed with at least some modicum of safety, the interior was, by and large, a deathtrap. The deeper one went, the darker and more tangled it grew, and the more ferocious and deadly the wildlife became. Manticors, timberwolves, hydras, maulwurfs, bugbears, forest tatzlwurms, chimeras, and other far darker creatures, could all be found in abundance within the deepest parts of the Everfree.
Ponies didn't dare traverse these harsh depths, where the oldest trees of the forest grew. Those few who had tried and lived, told stories of whispering trees, and monsters too terrible to name, too they spoke of voices in the night, ancient and evil, screaming in rage and pain. To some it was as if a great phantom battle was being waged all around them, and some would swear that when the ethereal echoes were at their loudest, a faint smell of blood could be detected in the air.
The creatures of the Everfree however, had long ago grown used to the sounds and smells of their dark and haunted home. Used to the perpetual gloom caused by the thick interwoven branches of the ancient trees blotting out the sun, and used to the muted ghostly whispers, just on the edge of hearing. The creatures of the Everfree did not scare easily, the nature of their home, combined with their own considerable power, having made them nigh immune to the emotion of fear. . . or so they thought.
For on a day that would live in infamy among the beasts of the Everfree, all that changed. As above the branches of their home, the clouds of a storm grew darker, a feeling like none the creatures of the Everfree had ever felt, reverberated through the air. As one, all living things in the forest, directed their gazes toward the same singular point. Fur stood on end, scales itched, eyes widened, and ears and antennae flattened against the tops of heads. None of them knew what it was that lay in the direction of their gaze, nor how it was they could track it as it moved. The distance was too great for them to see or hear what had so captured their attention, but all knew it was there. . . and all could feel its hate.
Waves of murderous fury pulsed from its location like an unholy beacon, washing over the creatures of the Everfree like a tidal wave of malice. Instantly, the whispers in the depths of the forest went silent, as for the first time in twelve hundred years, the ghosts of the Everfree felt the presence of their killer. Though the living beasts and ponies of Equestria may have forgotten, the forest never had. As the creatures of the Everfree stood frozen in fear, the trees trembled, and the whispers of the forest began, for the first time, to speak coherent words. In ghostly wails filled with horror and despair, the Everfree spoke a name, chanting it over and over, just barely above the threshold of inaudibility. . . .
Doom Slayer. . . Doom Slayer. . . Doom Slayer. . . .
The creatures of the forest either did not know, or did not understand the name, but as they listened, they felt an all consuming terror bleed into their very souls. Amid screeches, roars, and whimpers of indescribable fear, the beasts of the Everfree turned and ran. Some fled to burrows, collapsing the entrances behind them, the risk of suffocation becoming a minor concern in the face of possible discovery. Some ran or flew to nests, curling up in the center to cover their eyes with paws and wings, as they begged the universe not to be found. Some, having no fixed home, simply ran, not stopping until they collapsed, almost dead with exhaustion. Those beasts that could speak, in moments of brief coherence between bouts of panic induced madness, gibbered out a single sentence. Ignorant of its meaning, yet unable to stop repeating it, as fear tore their remaining sanity to shreds.
"He is coming. . . ."
Oblivious to the events surrounding her, Queen Chrysalis giggled endlessly to herself. She felt light as a feather, and giddy as a school filly. Soon she would have the perfect revenge of which she'd always dreamed! She could see it now, the despairing faces of Celestia and Luna, the horrified tear filled eyes of Twilight and Cadence, the broken expression of Shining Armor!! At times Chrysalis could almost hear the sweet sound of them begging her for mercy, as her loyal puppets tore that. . . whatever it was, to pieces!
Humming joyously to herself, Chrysalis dreamed of the future. She'd have Celestia and Luna caged of course. Maybe suspended in her throne room for decoration? Their horns cut off, their wings plucked, and their tails and manes shaved! Twilight and her friends could be hobbled with magic, and set up in the barracks to. . . entertain her soldiers, although only after she was done torturing them personally. Chrysalis wondered if she should kill Twilight's little dragon pet right away, or if she should hold him over Twilight's head for awhile, forcing her to degrade and humiliate herself to save him, before ultimately killing him anyway.
Starlight Glimmer would be stripped of her magic, and kept alive as Chrysalis's punching bag. Chrysalis was certain she could find a way to make her durable enough to be used as such, perhaps she'd look into a way to make her immortal, so she could suffer till the end of time? Oh and finally, most deliciously, was Cadence and Shining Armor, Chrysalis had the perfect torment all planned out for them. Chrysalis would use magic to trap Cadence in crystal in her royal bedchamber, alive, and fully aware of her surroundings. There she would be forced to watch as her husband, his magic sealed, and his body restrained, was used as Chrysalis's personal toy. How much despair would she feel as Chrysalis not only turned her daughter into a weapon, but her husband into a tool for stress relief and breeding?!
Cackling madly, Chrysalis turned to glance at the force bubble holding her hostage. Within the floating translucent green sphere, Flurry Heart lay curled up under the effects of a sleep spell. Chrysalis considered leaving her awake, but had come to understand the little alicorn foal had an immense amount of magical power, just barely held in check by the other princesses use of a 'Fledgling's Forbearance' enchantment. Thus, better she sleep for now, until proper precautions could be taken. Chrysalis wasn't about to risk her victory being lost due to some alicorn brat's mystically enhanced temper tantrum. As she turned back to look at the point at which her beacon was guiding her enemies to arrive, she happened to catch sight of Stormfang. His back pressed flat against the sheer rock cliff behind their chosen vantage. With his pupils dilated, and his chest heaving, Stormfang looked like he was about one good scare away from a stroke.
"What in the wastes is the matter with you?" Chrysalis demanded. At the sound of her voice, Stormfang jumped as if hit with an electric shock. Glancing around wildly for a moment, he seemed on the verge of crying out, before shaking his head.
"N-nothing, just. . . did you. . . did you feel anything just now?" Chrysalis glared at her supposed partner with a look of contempt, before turning away.
"No. Now quit cringing like a whipped dog and make yourself presentable. Our guests have arrived. . . ."
Gazing out across the five mile wide forested canyon they had chosen as the battlefield, Stormfang saw it was true. As the princesses lit upon the edge of a large rocky outcropping at the top of a hill, that abruptly dropped off into a cliff descending into the canyon. Though they were little more than distant specs, Stormfang could swear he saw their icy expressions, as they were joined by eight other ponies and one young dragon. Feeling his blood burn at the sight of the traitor who had handed Ember the throne, Stormfang opened his mouth to say something disparaging, only for the words to die in his throat, as the crowd of ponies parted.
Slowly, and with measured determined steps, a figure crested the hill. On two legs he stood, his arms ending in five fingers clenched into fists. Dressed in armor born from a nightmare, thunder from the storm clouds gathering above the forest seemed almost to announce his coming, as lightning just barely illuminated the shadowed features behind his helmet. In that moment, Stormfang felt his heart stop. As, even separated by a distance of over five miles, two terrible eyes of blazing red, somehow pinned his back to the cliff once again. A whimper of fear so low even he barely heard it, escaped from Stormfang's lips, as images of fangs the size of redwoods, and claws that could rend mountains asunder, danced in his mind. Only barely holding on to his increasingly ephemeral courage, Stormfang conceded that there was no going back.
The Doom Slayer. . . had arrived.
Twilight stared across the forested canyon separating her from both her niece and Chrysalis with a cold, but controlled, expression. Briefly entertaining the idea of teleporting across and taking on Chrysalis herself, and only resisting due to the implicit understanding, that the Queen of the changelings, would never leave herself open to so obvious an attack. As the massive pillar of gangrenous green light that had guided them all here faded, Twilight saw it replaced by a flat plane of energy the size and shape of a billboard, and bordered by sparks of green lightning. For a moment the massive screen of energy was simply a blank translucent green canvas, then with a single flash of emerald light, Chrysalis's face appeared in it. Smiling obscenely, Chrysalis gestured to the frame her magnified image appeared in.
"Like it?" She asked with a smirk. "Just a simple image projection spell I learned with a little help from this." Here Chrysalis held up the triangular pendent around her neck. Instantly, Twilight's eyes widened in horror.
"The Alicorn Amulet!" She gasped, the vile artifact all too easy to recognize. Chrysalis laughed, enjoying the expression on Twilight's face.
"Indeed." She bragged. "I figured, if this little trinket could turn a disgraced two bit stage magician into an unstoppable sorceress, then just imagine what it could do for me?" Chrysalis chuckled. "Turns out my guess was right on the money. I am now more powerful than I have ever been! Strong enough that I imagine I could even face all four of you princesses at once!" Here the changeling's smile became truly twisted. "But. . . why just kill you? When I can break you?!" Chrysalis hissed, her expression becoming utterly deranged, as insanity danced in her eyes. An instant later however, she took a deep breath, as her expression softened into a look of idle smugness. "Originally I intended to have Shining Armor play this little game with me." Chrysalis chuckled. "But when I learned that you Celestia and Luna had a lover in common. . . how could I not give him the right of first refusal? Well. . . except for the 'Refusal' part." Letting out a hysterical laugh that even other lunatics would have called insane, it took Chrysalis a moment to compose herself. "At any rate, allow me to explain the rules of the game. Derran here has. . . let's say an hour, to cross my little arena and rescue Flurry Heart." Zooming out the projection, Chrysalis gestured to the bubble of force containing the sleeping foal, swathed in a blanket, before continuing. "If he runs out of time, or if he dies, I leave with Flurry and turn her into my successor. However, if your precious colttoy over there manages to reach me before the time runs out, I will leave Equestria for good and never return." Twilight bristled.
"And we're supposed to believe that?! Why should we think you would ever keep your word?!" She demanded. Chrysalis smirked.
"Because you don't have a choice. If your beloved Derran doesn't play, then I walk away with Flurry regardless. Really, you should be grateful I'm giving you this chance at all." She replied, before devolving temporarily into another unsettling fit of laughter. "Incidentally, I should mention that should you, or anypony else, try to help Derran, or interfere in any way, he will lose automatically."
"Monster!!" Cadence snarled, unable to hide her anger any longer, even as her worried gaze kept flicking to the orb containing her daughter. Chrysalis frowned.
"Watch your tongue princess! The eyes of all of Equestria are on you right now." Suddenly, hundreds of screens identical to the one showing Chrysalis appeared, each displaying the staring and worried faces of ponies from what seemed to be every town, city, and hamlet in Equestria. "I've placed these little projections throughout every corner of your kingdom, and even beyond!" Here several dozen more screens appeared, showing parts of the Dragonlands, Yakyakistan, the New Changeling Kingdom, and even Griffonstone. Here the changeling queen adopted a look of mocking concern. "I'd hate for you to say something that would hurt your stellar reputation, as a simpering weakling who can't even protect her own daughter." Blue arcane fire blazed in Cadence's eyes and enveloped her horn, crystals harder than diamonds and with edges as sharp as razors, sprouting up unbidden around her hooves. As she snarled through gritted teeth, in a tone cold enough to give Derran a run for his money.
"Why don't you come over here and say that you overgrown bug!" Chrysalis simply smirked in the face of Cadence's rage.
"Not today I'm afraid. Maybe once I've had a chance to teach your daughter the finer points of matricide." She chuckled, before turning to Derran.
"So. . . Doom Slayer, anything to say before we begin?" Derran, simply turned to Celestia, his voice like the crashing of rocks down the side of a mountain.
"Orders my Lady?" Celestia glared into the eyes of Chrysalis's projection, her gaze emotionless, save for a flicker of what, for just an instant, Chrysalis could have sworn looked like, pity.
"Retrieve Flurry Heart, and place Chrysalis under arrest. . . by whatever means you deem necessary." Walking to the edge of the cliff that dropped down into the canyon, Derran turned to glare at the projection hovering overhead. In a voice that was suddenly deeper and more rasping than before, and filled with a hate that seemed to shake the very air around him, the armored figure replied.
"As you command."
Stepping off the cliff and into open air, the Doom Slayer plummeted to the ground nearly a hundred feet below. Barely noticing the neon green energy dome that sprung up to seal off the entire canyon, snapping shut just as his feet touched the ground. Falling to one knee to absorb the impact of his landing, the Doom Slayer slowly rose to his feet. Beneath his helmet, his eyes shifted to a bloody red, as the mind of Derran Grandel faded into his subconscious, only a faint tugging at the Doom Slayer's thoughts indicating he was still there at all. Cracking his knuckles and neck, the Doom Slayer gave an unholy smile beneath his helmet, as he felt white hot rage burn through his body. "Finally. . . no more holding back." He thought, as the battle began. . . .
Soundtrack: True Believer by Beast in Black
Chrysalis watched the shimmering scrying screen she had conjured with a bemused expression. It seemed that the game was going to end far sooner than she thought. As out of the underbrush charged two of her soldiers in the guise of a pair of manticores. At over two tons each, a single manticore was strong enough to snap full grown trees in half, had claws that could carve through solid stone like paper, possessed a bite that could pierce dragon scales, and, as if just to add insult to grievous injury, a stinger loaded with poison that could fell a hydra with a single prick.
Charging at the Doom Slayer's armored figure, the pair of changelings eyes glowed green, as the enchantments Chrysalis had laid upon them, boosted the already immense strength of their transformations even further. "How boring, I was hoping to drag this out a little more than-" Chrysalis's thoughts came to a screeching halt, as within the plane of green hued energy before her, a scene of impossibility played out.
Running forward in a blur of motion, the Doom Slayer positioned himself between and in front of the two charging beasts. Unable to halt their momentum or change direction, the pair of faux manticores continued barreling forward. As the Doom Slayer raised both his hands, before slamming his palms down onto the foreheads of the creatures, just before they would have trampled him. Fingers gifted with strength enough to crush diamond into powder, punched deep into the skulls and grey matter of the transformed changelings. The Doom Slayer leaned forward, his legs braced against the impact, as he forced the heads of his foes down. Pushed back by the inertia of over five tons of monstrous muscle, bone, and chitin, the Doom Slayer's feet dug deep furrows in the mossy earth, but like an indestructible wall, he refused to yield.
As their necks snapped under the strain of their sudden deceleration, and what was left of their brains synapses short circuited, the changelings somehow managed to flick their scorpion-like tails forward. Intent on taking their killer with them. Only for stingers as hard as steel, to shatter like glass against the Doom Slayer's armored chest. However, just as the pair of manticore's corpses finally slid to a halt, an enraged bellow was heard. A third changeling burst out from the forest, this one wearing the appearance of a seven foot tall gorilla-like creature, covered in shaggy blue and white fur. An eastern yeti, a species considered even more savage than their crystal mountain counterparts. Closing on the figure of the Doom Slayer in mere seconds and shoving aside the corpses of its comrades to stand before him. It was soon followed by a second copy of the same beast, this one roaring in a blind rage as it barreled along behind its predecessor. Had Chrysalis blinked, she'd have never seen what happened next.
As the first yeti reared back on its hind legs, raising its fists in the air, determined to avenge its fallen kin, the Doom Slayer struck. In an explosion of blood and gore, the armored warrior punched his fist straight through the rearing yeti's exposed belly, his clenched hand emerging out its back in a spray of ropy intestines, pulverized vertebra, and black changeling blood. Before the second yeti could so much as register the death of its clone, there was a flash of red light in the hand sticking out its duplicate's back, along with a faint snap. The poor creature had a brief chance to stare directly down two massive black barrels, before it was blown off its feet and back into the bushes. Its face, skull, and brain, reduced to ebon vapor, by a point blank blast from a super shotgun.
Not pausing for even a moment, the Doom Slayer sent his weapon back where it came from in a flash of red light, as the transformed changeling on his arm returned to its true form. Gurgling blood, the drone pawed pathetically at the limb impaling it, as if trying to beg for mercy. Without so much as a pause, the Doom Slayer snapped his arm out to the side, the force of the movement sending the pitiful creature flying into the trunk of a tree, with a sickening wet crunch. The Slayer running off before the light could even fade from his dying enemy's glowing compound eyes.
Chrysalis, stared at the carnage left by the armored warrior with an unblinking stare. The haze of insanity created by the alicorn amulet, blocking out the true implications of the scene, and replacing it with the reassuring idea, that at least things wouldn't be as boring as she had feared. However, buried deep in Chrysalis's mind, far beyond the reach of the amulet's madness, a spark of worry reverberated through her subconscious, illuminating a terrible reality her conscious mind was not currently able to process. That she had made a grave miscalculation. . . .
The Doom Slayer moved through the trees using every bit of his inhuman speed. From within his helmet he saw a waypoint on his visor display, counting down the meters as he moved toward his goal, the inbuilt magetech computer system providing the only directions his fury would allow. Charging in a straight line, the Doom Slayer tried to cover as much ground as possible before the enemy could attempt to block his path. He managed to cover nearly a quarter of a mile, before he was waylaid by nearly a dozen silhouettes of various sizes, emerging from the forest shadows. Not even attempting to slow down, the Doom Slayer summoned a pair of heavy assault rifles. Activating the micro missiles, he sent twin screaming streams of miniaturized explosive warheads into the ranks of his enemies. Most were instantly reduced to chunks of bloody meat, however, two or three managed to evade the unguided barrage, by dint of immeasurable good luck.
One, a creature that looked like a giant snake topped by the upper body of a bull, an ophiotaurus if memory served, reared up before the Slayer, bearing its fangs, and determined to block his path. As to its side, a pair of what were best described as large dogs, the bigger one, with shaggy fur and possessing two mismatched heads with razor sharp teeth, while the smaller appeared somewhat humanoid and bulky with muscle, scrambled to get in position to flank him. The Doom Slayer, now too close for bullets or missiles, called out his chainsaw. Ducking low, he continued to run forward with apparent abandon. However, the instant he got close enough, the Slayer set his stance, allowing himself to slide along the loose earth into the midst of his would-be ambushers, his weapon held low and at arm's length.
In a move that was almost elegant, the Doom Slayer spun in place while leaping high into the air, using his jump boots to send himself over the ophiotaurus's head with ease. His feet striking the ground at almost the exact moment that the trio of beasts collapsed, in a bloody pile of dismembered limbs, and horizontally bisected torsos.
Unfortunately, despite the Doom Slayer's insane speed, his foes had delayed him enough that some of his faster assailants had managed to get into position to attack. One just barely missing catching him in its claws, before falling in behind his sprinting form in an effort to chase him down. Jumping up, the Doom Slayer allowed his momentum to carry him feet first into a large tree. Dismissing his chainsaw, the Slayer used the tree as a springboard to send himself hurtling back into the goat and tiger faces, of what turned out to be a chimera. Using his boots to adjust his trajectory, the Slayer flew over the creature's heads and body at breakneck speed. Grabbing the large snake that served as the creature's tail, Derran twisted his body, using his new handhold to halt his momentum, before landing firmly on his feet with his back to his foe.
The chimera roared in pain, the bones of its tail and third head, now pulverized from use as an improvised arresting wire. Stumbling to the ground with a bellow of agony, the beast was pulled off balance by its opponent's landing. Not even bothering to look back at the creature, the Doom Slayer simply fired a shot from his super shotgun in the general direction of its remaining heads. The spray of jagged tungsten pellets turning the back of the creature's two mismatched skulls into a bloody mulch, as he confronted his next group of opponents. Thirty feet away, a large grey skinned humanoid, likely some breed of ogre or troll, emerged from the bushes with surprising speed for its size and bulk. Beside it, and towering over it, was a large creature resembling a massive twenty foot tall winged lion, crossed with a purple furred pony, and wearing an odd golden headdress that reminded the Slayer of those worn in Pharos back on D'nur. . . a sphinx.
Rushing forward without so much as a pause, the Doom Slayer used a low hanging branch to flip himself into the air, before using a second branch to propel himself straight at the head of the sphinx with an almighty heave. Using a burst of momentum from his jump boots, the Slayer came level with its forehead, his lightning fast approach too quick to dodge. Pulling back his fist, the Slayer threw a mid air haymaker, straight between the wide glowing eyes of the unfortunate beast. A crack like a giant tree being snapped in two was heard, as an unstoppable armored fist, broke through a skull the thickness and strength of a sheet of tank armor. The head of the sphinx snapped backward, as the Slayer collided with it hard enough to dislocate its neck. Yanking his blood covered limb free of the elbow deep hole he had put in the great beast's head, the Doom Slayer tucked his feet up against his chest and kicked off of the sedately falling corpse. Directly toward his next opponent.
Below him, the ogre, an eight foot tall mass of muscle and bone, stared dumbly at the descending armored human with beady, glowing green eyes. With a savage grin, the monster raised a grey skinned arm covered in coarse black hair resembling steel wire. Cocking back its fist in preparation to strike the Doom Slayer as he fell. Yet before the ogre could finish his attack, and just as the back of his target's waist came to eye level, the Slayer bent his right leg as if in preparation for a side kick. Activating only the jump boot on his right foot, the Doom Slayer was spun around in midair at blinding speed. Using the immense momentum generated by his angled boot, the Slayer's right leg snapped out into a flawless aerial roundhouse kick, straight into the side of the ogre's misshapen face. The creature, barely aware of its pulverized jaw, had a brief instant to wonder why it was suddenly able to see its own back, before it fell unceremoniously to the ground. The Slayer landing lightly on his feet, before once more running toward his goal, in a blur of green and blood soaked red.
From the top of the rocky outcropping directly opposite of the Doom Slayer's goal, a group of ponies and one dragon, stared in a mixture of awe and horror, as he engaged in his brutal work. Their reactions were varied. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Spike, though they did not look away, appeared in turns both sad, and slightly ill. While Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and even Rarity, all wore expressions of grim satisfaction, no doubt thinking of what had happened to Derpy Hooves, and how easily it could have happened to their own sisters. Cadence and Shining Armor appeared both relieved and unsettled, even as they threw worried glances in the direction of the opposite end of the canyon. Starlight watched Derran with an expression of forced calm, that did very little to hide how tense she was. As for Twilight, she kept her eyes glued to the screen hovering overhead, with a look of worry and frustration. Only Celestia and Luna seemed unaffected, their expressions dark and inscrutable, as they watched.
"I knew Derran was strong, but this is. . . ." Shining couldn't even finish the thought as he shook his head. Logically, he knew Derran's martial power was incredible, viewing his memories had been more than proof of that. However, seeing it with his own eyes, void of the disconnect created by time and spellcraft, was an altogether different experience.
As the small group watched, Derran Dodged the claws of a swooping roc, spinning down into a crouch before summoning his gauss cannon. The giant bird having a single moment to register its attack had missed, before a steel flechette moving at hypersonic speeds, tore its right wing from its body in a puff of vaporized black blood, that spoke to its true nature. Rolling backward, Derran jumped to one side, sliding across the ground on his back, as a duo of bugbears attempted to impale him with their stingers. Summoning a pair of plasma rifles, Derran proceeded to turn most of their chests, and several of their arms, into vapor, amid a veritable storm of pulsing orbs of deadly blue-white energy. Dismissing his weapons and snapping his body into a handstand that transitioned into a backward flip, Derran landed on his feet. Throwing a grenade over his shoulder as he once again took off towards Flurry Heart and Chrysalis. A trio of pursuing changelings flitting through the trees in their true forms, firing bolts of green energy from their horns, and blind to the innocuous metallic object on the ground. Were torn to ribbons by an explosion of burning hot shrapnel, as their bolts sparked, unnoticed, off the Slayer's armored back.
"There is no mightier warrior in all the multiverse." Luna declared, responding to Shining Armor's comment, her tone neutral, as if simply stating a fact. Shining nodded, not taking his eyes from the fight. "If this is all Chrysalis brought to oppose him, then she has no hope of victory." Twilight, taking her eyes from the screen, glared through the green shield separating them from the arena, her gaze focused on Chrysalis's barely visible form in the distance.
"Chrysalis is a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them." Twilight declared grimly. "No way this is all she has." Luna nodded, her eyes never straying from the screen above them.
"It will not be enough." She declared calmly, watching as Derran snapped the neck of a cockatrice that he had grabbed out of the air, before using its corpse as a club to cave in a changeling's skull mid-transformation. Twilight shot one more look at Chrysalis's distant figure, and the orb containing Flurry Heart. Despite everything, she still couldn't help but give voice to a degree of worry.
"I hope you're right."
Stormfang stared at the screen before him with an ever increasing feeling of panic. This. . . this was impossible! Derran Grandel, by any sane measure, was a weakling. Every report Chrysalis had shared with him confirmed this. Derran cooked and waited on that purple princess like a mere servant. He sang songs and played with foals, he attended meaningless parties, and even spoke in the overly flowery way of cowards too concerned with feelings to be blunt! He didn't take what he wanted by force, he didn't assert his dominance and demand submission from creatures lesser than him, and he went out of his way to prop up other weaklings instead of leaving them to sort out their own problems! In short, Derran Grandel acted like a pony, and clearly any evidence implying he was some kind of warrior, was either fake or exaggerated. Yet now. . . now this creature, this supposed weakling, was burning through the army Stormfang had helped build, like lava through dry grass!
Now almost a fourth of the way across the arena, the armored beast's path was littered with broken and burning vegetation, cratered earth, and mutilated corpses. As Stormfang watched, Derran was blocked by the hulking body of one of the hydras Chrysalis had ensorcelled to obey her, the beast crashing out of a grove of massive oak trees, turning the immense plants to kindling with its passage. Any other creature might have paused at the sight of a multi-headed beast twenty times its own size, and two hundred times its bulk, but the Doom Slayer didn't even slow down. Before the hydra could even attempt an attack, Derran, or the Doom Slayer, or whatever it called itself, summoned a large pipe-like weapon and pointed it at the hydra's chest as he ran straight toward it. Several elongated projectiles, each trailing fire, shot out from the end of the weapon in quick succession.
The first punched straight through the hydra's chest, blowing it open in a cloud of fire and pulverized meat. Remnants of what was once its rib cage bent outward like a venus flytrap, as its ruined lungs, heart, and digestive tract, slid out onto the ground. The second projectile blasted the creature's two center-most heads sky high, an expression of horrified surprise permanently frozen on their scaly features. While the last shot rent the poor monster's back asunder, sending out a spray of bloody mist, that painted the trees directly behind the corpse a sickening shade of crimson.
As if to make a mockery of the creature he had just slain, the Doom Slayer ran through its now halved body like it was a path through a garden, organs turning to mush beneath his boots. However, it seemed a moment later as if fate had not yet abandoned Stormfang, as a four clawed hand shot out from the trees to grab Derran around his chest and hoist him into the air, one arm pinned to his side by a single massive digit. Bringing the Doom Slayer helm to face, with one of the rarer creatures Stormfang and his dragons had managed to corral for this little venture. . . a cyclops. Thirty five feet tall, it was covered in shaggy dark gray fur, its body topped by a goat-like head and curling gold and black banded horns, set above a single massive eye with a pupil like an hourglass turned on its side. the monstrous beast had briefly bragged about being an original descendant of Arimaspi: the terror of Griffonstone, before Chrysalis got her mind controlling hooks into it. Now, as it held the Doom Slayer in its massive fist, Stormfang dared to hope the fight was at an end. . . until Derran simply raised the explosive spewing weapon in his free hand, and blew the cyclops's single, giant eye, out the back of its skull.
Still, to Stormfang's desperate mind, it seemed there might still be some hope, as the Doom Slayer was now trapped from the chest down, in the giant creature's death grip. Yet as the pair fell, he sent his weapon away in a flash of red, and summoned a small metallic object, just barely managing to wedge it between two of the cyclops's massive claws as they fell. The subsequent detonation, blew off one of the appendages wrapped around the Doom Slayer, allowing him to get free just before he struck the ground. However, unable to control his landing, the armored form of the Slayer, that now seemed the living incarnation of every nightmare Stormfang had ever had, fell heavily on his back.
Seemingly vulnerable and unable to react, the Slayer was promptly dog piled by dozens of brainwashed beasts and changelings that had converged on the area. For several seconds, the figure of the Doom Slayer was lost, amid a seething mass of rending claws, biting fangs, and stomping hooves. Until a pair of explosions sent the myriad attackers hurtling away, most in more pieces than they started with. Rising up with blood and viscera covering his now scorched and scratched armor, Derran dismissed the giant pipe gun once more, and summoned a massive weapon that appeared to be comprised of a cylindrical mass of rotating steel tubes. Then, as the hoard around the Doom Slayer recovered, bolstered by further reinforcements charging from the trees, Stormfang felt his mouth go dry, and his eyes widen in horror. As the new weapon held firmly in both the Slayer's hands, unfolded into three rotating parts at the touch of a button. With a sound like a bolt of cloth the size of a city being torn in two, three streams of white hot metal lanced into the ranks of the oncoming beasts. . . .
Stormfang felt himself become violently ill, as Derran sent a storm of lead scything through the rallying mass of monsters that had somehow survived accosting him. The smaller of them were simply cut in half, immense gouts of blood, mulched organs, and sundered flesh, spraying across the ground. While those of larger size were rapidly torn apart piece by piece. Chunks blown out of them till it looked vaguely like they had been chewed on a few times by an unimaginably large and vicious dog. Using the fallen cyclops as cover to guard his rear, the Doom Slayer systematically reduced the enemy ground forces, and much of the surrounding vegetation, to little more than shredded cabbage. As Stormfang watched, dozens of beasts and changelings, compelled by Chrysalis's mind control, were systematically mowed down without hesitation or mercy. Finally however, the suicidal charge ended, and the Slayer dismissed his weapon, before resuming his seemingly unstoppable advance. Shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, Stormfang turned to a frowning Chrysalis, with an expression that was nothing short of hysterical. Before he could make a sound however, the changeling queen spoke.
"Signal your dragons." She stated, her tone curt and unfeeling. Stormfang opened and shut his mouth a few times in shock, as he stared goggle-eyed at Chrysalis.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" He finally roared, rage momentarily eclipsing his fear. "That. . . that. . . that, THING has slaughtered every creature that's gotten near it! There's no way in Tartarus I'm sending-" Stormfang was cut off as his body was surrounded by a glowing green aura, and slammed into the cliff beneath him hard enough to crack his scales. Despite a significant size difference between them, Stormfang cowered as Chrysalis loomed over him. Speaking slowly and precisely, the changeling queen's eyes burned with equal parts rage and madness.
"You are as much a part of this as I am. If the Doom Slayer reaches us, it is all over, and last I heard, Celestia only specified she wanted me alive." Stormfang felt his guts turn to water, as he realized the truth of Chrysalis's words. Still, he was unwilling to give up without a fight.
"You could teleport us!" He practically begged, his pride evaporating before the overwhelming needs of survival. "We have the brat! Who cares about the rest?!" Chrysalis glared down at him.
"No. . . I still have some cards to play, and even if I didn't, I refuse to run away with my tail between my legs again! Twice, those weakling princesses and their friends have humiliated and defeated me! And that, IS THREE TIMES TOO MANY!!" She roared, practically spitting acid in her rage. "I spent every waking moment since the loss of my hive preparing for this day, manipulating events, scraping for the resources and soldiers I would need, and kowtowing to POSTURING IMBECILES LIKE YOU!!" Taking a deep shuddering breath, Chrysalis's voice regained its composure, though her eyes still burned with mania. "This day. . . this is my day! Today I will destroy the princesses, and make them watch as I rip away everything they love! So even if it takes sacrificing every one of you pathetic mewling weaklings! Even if I have to burn my entire hive to the ground! EVEN IF THE ENTIRE WORLD IS MADE INTO A WASTELAND!! THIS DAY IS GOING TO BE MY DAY! THIS DAY IS GOING TO BE PERFECT!!" Again Chrysalis steadied herself with a deep breath, her tone becoming almost sweet. "So my dear Stormfang. . . you will signal your dragons, or I will kill you right here and now." As the green glow surrounding his body faded, Stormfang rose shakily to his feet, and did the only thing he could, he reared back, and spit the biggest fireball he was capable of, straight into the air. Sending the rough sphere of flame arching high above the rumbling clouds. In his heart, he knew he had just signed the death warrants of his fellow dragons. But as he turned back to watch the Doom Slayer continue to rip what remained of their forces to bits, as he hurtled toward them like a bat out of Tartarus. Stormfang realized, that in the choice of them or him, he'd choose them every time. . . .
Across Equestria and beyond, they watched. Ponies, dragons, griffons, yaks, changelings, and other less well know residents of the land, stood in awe and horror, as a battle like none seen in twelve hundred years, played out before their eyes. The Doom Slayer. . . that is what Chrysalis had called him, and it fit him to a terrifying tee, for he was as war incarnate. Yet, for some reason, despite all they were seeing, the ponies and their allies could not truly feel afraid of the strange creature.
By all rights they should have, such terrible capacity for violence was utterly beyond their ability to comprehend, let alone condone. This 'Doom Slayer' showed no interest in preserving life, showed no hesitation or capacity for mercy, and destroyed his enemies with the brutal skill of a trained killer. He was, by all appearances, anathema to all the ponies of Equestria and their allies cherished. Yet, somehow, they felt no fear, no anger, no sense of disgust for his actions.
Perhaps it was because their princesses clearly trusted, and even apparently commanded the loyalty of, this creature. Perhaps it was because the creature was fighting to save an innocent foal. Maybe it was because of his opponents well deserved reputation as a villain. Yet despite the brutality and rage on display, the ponies of Equestria saw no true evil in his actions. Nopony could claim to care for the violence or loss of life they beheld, nor did any see it as good or just, they simply saw necessity. Chrysalis had stepped over the fine line that divided mere criminals, from true monsters. To fight a monster required a different breed of hero, one who shied from the light of sun and moon alike, even as he bowed to them. A hero who could tread the path no Equestrian ever could, a champion who could be the darkness to the princesses light. And In that moment, that is what the ponies saw. Not the hero they deserved, or even the one they wanted. . . but the hero they needed . . . and they were not the only ones. . . .
In the Dragonlands, Ember saw the incarnation of all that dragons respected. Power, ferocity, and the indomitable will to take fate into one's own claws. Too did she see the source of this power, it was born of rage yes, but that rage, was drawn from friendship. There did she see the might only love and kindness could inspire, the pure righteous wrath of one who fought not for themselves, but for their friends and comrades. In that moment, Ember saw the true path to strength, and she wept, for she would never again see such beauty. . . .
In Yakyakistan, Prince Rutherford, for the first time in an age, bowed his head. Always had the yaks been a proud civilization. A race of warriors, who had earned the right to survival by prying it from the merciless jaws of the frozen north. The yaks had always believed in honor, in pride, and in striving for perfection in all they did. The yaks saw, in this strange biped, the apex of a true warrior. Of one who stood in defense of the honor of all he called friend or kin, and who fought unceasingly against the odds, conquering adversity with sheer will. What was a yak. . . what was a warrior to do? Except bow, in respect to his senior.
In Griffonstone, Gilda stared at the projection hovering overhead with unblinking eyes, as did all her fellow griffons. For decades, ever since the loss of the Idol of Boreas, the griffon kingdoms had been without their pride, and their once great civilization, was now little more than a ruin. Gilda had done her best to restore it through teaching friendship, but it had been slow going. Many times she had to contend with the question of 'How could friendship, possibly restore what they had lost?', a question that until now, she had struggled to answer. This warrior changed everything, he was filled with pride, the savagery of his actions did nothing to diminish that. Pride radiated from his body as if he was a second sun. Pride in his home, in his service, and most of all, in his family and friends. That pride in his friends and loved ones, drove him on, bringing with it a strength that could shatter civilizations, or perhaps, in others, allow them to be rebuilt. This is what every griffon who looked upon him saw, and it resonated with something long forgotten within their souls. In that moment, all of griffon kind saw the path to regaining their long lost glory. . . . And Gilda, despite all that was happening, felt her beak quirk into a small smile.
In the new Kingdom of the Changelings, King Thorax and his subjects watched in awe. Deep in his heart, Thorax had always feared that one day Chrysalis would return. Feared that she would eventually find a way to overpower Equestria, and then come for him and his fellow defectors. Many times he had woken from nightmares featuring Chrysalis destroying all he held dear, despite Princess Luna's valiant efforts to keep them in check. Now however, he saw the truth. Chrysalis might be able to inspire fear, but this creature? He was fear. Chrysalis could posture and threaten all she wanted, could weave spells that turned seas to desert, and mountains to rubble, and she would never be half as scary as this strange armored beast. More than that, it was clear that however brutal his methods, this being sought to preserve the ideals the ponies, and friends, of Equestria stood for at all costs. As he watched the battle, Thorax had a feeling that after today, he'd never have nightmares about Chrysalis again. . . .
The Doom Slayer nimbly dodged out of the way of a charging manticore, grabbing onto its mane as it passed with one hand, and blowing off its stinger with a well aimed explosive projectile from his shotgun with the other. Pulling himself atop the now frantically thrashing creature, the Slayer dismissed his shotgun to summon his pistol, dispatching his unwilling mount with three shots to the base of its skull. Rolling off the creature's twitching corpse and onto his feet as it fell to the ground, the Doom Slayer was immediately assailed from his left side by a creature that looked for all the world, like a crocodile made of rock and stone. Its mouth opened wide enough for the Slayer to easily see its rows of jagged teeth, and the back of its pale pink throat. Reacting with an instinct born of fury, and honed by endless battle, the Slayer slammed his booted left foot down on the creature's lower jaw, shattering teeth and cracking bone, while at the same time catching its upper jaw in his left hand. In a welter of blood, fragments of rocky hide, and broken teeth. the Slayer tore the beasts upper jaw free. Before spinning on his heel and bringing it down on the skull of a charging changeling, that had taken the form of a red furred wild boar the size of a tiger. The force of the blow driving the razor sharp teeth studding the improvised club, deep into the changeling's brain.
Moving on from the now spastically twitching body of the once more pony shaped insect, the Slayer wove between the trees in an attempt to delay his pursuers, as he moved toward his goal at a dead run. Unfortunately, just as he thought himself free of the bulk of the enemy, the ground beneath his feet exploded upward, as a new monster tried its luck. The force of the below ground strike sent the Doom Slayer flying a good forty feet into the air in a fountain of displaced rock and soil. At the apex of his flight, the Slayer felt a sensation similar to if he was floating, time seeming to slow, as he turned gently in midair, surrounded by fist sized clods of earth and bits of broken trees. In that momentary pause, free of gravity's grip, and granted a near flawless aerial view, the Slayer's superbly honed senses took in the state of the battlefield in an instant.
He was almost halfway to his goal, less than twenty or so minutes having passed since the battle's start. Enemy force numbers seemed to have been reduced by a solid third, if not more, with most of the remainder too far away to effectively reach him in time. Below him was the creature that had put him here, a purple furred mole-like beast the size of a two story house, and with massive claws and teeth that looked well suited to carving through rock and earth. Some distance off to the left, but still too close for comfort, was a long moving line of bent and broken trees, indicating some other large monster was heading toward the skirmish. Most likely to help the giant mole, which the Slayer suddenly recalled from his other half's reading, was called a Maulwurf. The slightly winding line of bent trees he had noted, seemed to imply the coming enemy backup was some kind of large serpent or worm-like beast, in excess of eighty to one hundred feet long. As if that weren't enough, out of the corner of his eye, the Doom Slayer saw a large ball of flame blast out from the cliff beyond the force field. Where Chrysalis and Flurry Heart waited. If the opening of the top of the toxic green barrier overhead was any indication, it was likely a signal of some kind, for further reinforcements from the air.
All this information passed through the Slayer's mind, less as a detailed tactical assessment, than as a series of emotional pulses, that triggered an almost instinctive response. As a result, his reaction appeared for all the world like the steps of a dance he had practiced and rehearsed for his entire life. As if he was merely following a memorized routine, so familiar it no longer even required conscious thought. First, he summoned his gauss cannon, charging the siege mode attachment as he angled his jump boots to send him toward the emerging head of his second oncoming assailant, a forest Tatzlwurm, a slightly smaller and faster, but no less vicious, version of its wasteland cousin. Before the awed faces of all of Equestria, a beam of blue white energy the width of a tree trunk punched a smouldering hole the size of a grown stallion, into the top of the Maulwurf's head. Coring out its entire body in a beam of focused plasma. However those expressions of awe, swiftly turned to horror, as the recoil of the shot, along with a burst from his boots, sent the Slayer flying straight into the gaping three part mouth of the Tatzlwurm, as it roared it's arrival.
The world seemed to stand still, as the massive worm's maw snapped shut. As it swallowed its prey, the green tinged eyes surrounding its head, almost seemed to register confusion at its unanticipated meal. Seconds ticked by, as ponies, yaks, changelings, dragons, and griffons, held their breath in desperate anticipation. Hoping to the heavens that things were not what they appeared. That hope was answered, as the Tatzlwurm suddenly began writhing in agony, its roars of pain echoing across the land. As in a gout of purple blood, and with the sound of a revving chainsaw, the Doom Slayer burst out of a bloody hole he had carved in the worm's leathery moss colored hide. Big as it was however, the worm managed to cling to life, twisting its body around, intent on biting its killer in half, only to suddenly scream in rage and pain. As a pair of detonating grenades blasted two more gaping holes in its throat, ending forever its bid for revenge, in twin blasts of shredded flesh and violet mist.
Covered in purple blood, and ignoring the final twisting death throes of the beast behind him, the Doom Slayer scanned the now revealed sky overhead. Without the top of Chrysalis's shield, rain began to pour down onto the battlefield, the clouds overhead finally unleashing their pent-up fury. Dirt turned to mud and fire to steam, as flashes of lightning illuminated the new threat bearing down on the dispassionately watching Slayer.
Scores of dragons flew down from their hiding place above the clouds, blasting massive streams of flame from their mouths in a bellicose declaration of their arrival. Even through the rain, it did not take the newly arrived drakes long to sight their target, standing as he was next to the corpse of one of the only natural predators their kind had. Flying in tight formation, the draconic reinforcements zeroed in on their target, with whoops of joy and excitement at finally seeing action. After spending so long above the clouds, and blind to the fight below, this was the moment they had been waiting for. However, despite appearances, these were no juvenile drakes operating on little more than rage and base savagery, like Garble and his group. Stormfang had only recruited the cream of the crop, elder dragons, the smallest of which was the size of some of the largest houses in Ponyville. These dragons had lived for centuries, had gathered massive hoards, and like Stormfang, they too, had no intention of giving up the old ways on the say so of some weakling hatchling with big ideas.
As they hurtled toward their target, the flocks of dragons saw him summon a pair of odd tube shaped objects to each hand in a flash of red light, likely weapons. It hardly mattered, whatever they were, it would not be enough to overcome the fury of a full army of elder dragons. As the pitifully small figure began to fire the strange devices, this prophecy seemed to confirm itself. The so called 'Doom Slayer' appeared to be firing wildly into the air, filling the sky with strange projectiles propelled by small tongues of flame. Numerous as they were, and fast compared to most ground based creatures, the projectiles were nevertheless easily dodged. To the dragons, this was nothing more than the panicked resistance of cornered prey, as they lazily rolled and swerved out of the path of his attack. Then, the Doom Slayer pressed a small red button just above the handles of his weapons, and all Tartarus broke loose. . . .
As the Doom Slayer watched in dark satisfaction, his fusillade of rockets detonated all at once, within the tightly packed formations of his foes. Clouds of expanding shrapnel tore through wings and scales with ease, while powerful blast waves shattered bones and turned organs into a bloody slurry. Some dragons died instantly, brains or spines pierced by white hot metal, or hearts and lungs burst by the pressure wave. Others fell from the sky with agonized screams on their scaled lips, feebly trying to flap the shredded remains of wings, as they fell to their deaths. Some could not even scream, as they were knocked unconscious by the blasts, plummeting to earth and dying in eerie silence. An unfortunate few, stunned by the detonation of the ablative explosive charge, were unable to dodge the primary rockets bearing down on them, and could only stare in disbelief at the oncoming projectiles, an instant before being blown into blood soaked chunks.
Confusion reigned among the now frantic fire breathers still maintaining formation. As a second, smaller wave of rockets reached them. Slamming into and clawing at one another in panic, a fair number of dragons either died together instantly, or were pulled to the earth locked in the embrace of their deceased comrades. As a second wave of explosions swiftly erased all remaining hope and semblance of coherent flight maneuvers. Now spread out more widely, the remaining dragons, many of them injured, took horrified stock of their numbers. With wide eyes and terrified stares, they realized that in the space of less than a minute, the seemingly helpless creature below them, had reduced a flight of over one hundred dragons, to a mere handful. The few survivors still able to think through the shock and terror, wondering just what sort of unholy, primal monstrosity, Stormfang had picked a fight with. . . .
Chrysalis was fuming. This day. . . this was not how it was supposed to go. Already she had used up her first contingency, and now was about to activate the second. Off to the side, her now utterly useless ally, was currently curled up on the ground whimpering, as his fellows on the battlefield either clawed uselessly at her now restored mystical barrier, or hovered in place too frightened to move. It seemed that if Chrysalis wanted this done right, she would need to do it herself.
Closing her eyes, Chrysalis called upon every ounce of the amulet's power available to her, as she reached out with her mind. Ignoring the pitiful sounds of the terrified dragon at her side, Chrysalis felt the probing tendrils of her thoughts, finally make contact with the true reason she had chosen this particular part of the Everfree for her arena. This would be no easy task, that much was instantly clear. The mind of the slumbering titan laying beneath the canyon, might have been primitive, but it was also ancient, vast, and awash with mystical power. Seizing and controlling this entity properly, would require all of Chrysalis's focus. She would be unable to maintain the shield over the arena, and would have to temporarily relinquish control of the various brainwashed beasts currently fighting in her name. Nevertheless, it would all be worth it, to control the mightiest monster Equestria had to offer.
Drawing in all the power and focus currently devoted to the shield, mind control, and every other nonessential spell, Chrysalis refocused her efforts. Only sparing a modicum of power for the notable exception of her little projection enchantment. After all, if this demonstration of power didn't prove how futile resistance against her was, then nothing would. With a deep breath, Chrysalis prepared to act. Forging her mind into a blade with her magic, Chrysalis stabbed it deep into the consciousness of the sleeping leviathan, that had lain undisturbed for centuries beneath the trees of the Everfree. The very creature who's tossing and turning had created the canyon that now served as Chrysalis's arena. The beast's mind tried to fight back, but in its slumber, its mind was sluggish, unprepared to contend with the full might of a master changeling mage. Still, the struggle was fierce, as a mind of primal ferocity struggled against Chrysalis's focused psychic onslaught.
However, in the end, the numbness of hundreds of years of slumber, combined with Chrysalis's flawless technique, and boosted mystical power, made the winner clear. Chrysalis's mind reeled, as she assumed direct control of the elder beast. Feeling its godlike physical might as if it were her own, as she fully possessed it. The sluggishness of its long slumber receded, as limbs the size of multiple city blocks flexed in response to Chrysalis's will. She smiled, as beneath the earth, two glowing green eyes the size of lakes, snapped open. . . .
Protected from the heavy rain of the storm overhead, by a simple water repelling shield. Twilight and her friends first inkling of trouble came as the glowing green barrier around the arena suddenly flickered, before winking out of existence entirely. At first thinking Chrysalis might be calling more dragons, Twilight tore her gaze from the screen showing Derran's running form. Scanning the clouds, and trying to catch a glimpse of anything that might be coming.
"What the hay?" Applejack remarked from behind her. "I thought them critters were on Chrysalis's side?" Looking back to the projection spell, Twilight saw what Applejack was referring to, as across the battlefield, the various monsters enchanted by Chrysalis stopped moving, the green light fading from their eyes. Some shook their heads in confusion, before bolting back into the forest, while others looked around as if trying to understand where they were, and how they had got there.
"Do you think Chrysalis gave up?" Pinkie Pie asked. Twilight shook her head.
"No, Chrysalis has put way to much effort into this to just give up. She's got something planned." She declared, her eyes glancing around suspiciously.
"What do you think she's up too Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, glad that the enslaved animals were free, but worried about what might come next. Twilight shook her head.
"I'm not sure, but it will probably-" Twilight was violently interrupted as the ground beneath her hooves quaked, as if the planet had been struck by an unimaginably large hammer. Stumbling like a newborn giraffe, Twilight struggled not to fall, just barely managing it, before reaching out with a wing, to steady Fluttershy as she too nearly fell.
"What in tarnation was that?!" Applejack demanded, straightening up and adjusting her now skewed hat. Twilight opened her mouth to reply, only to be cut off, by a sound like the sky itself being torn in two. All other sound was completely erased, as Twilight and her friends covered their ears with their hooves. The sound reverberating painfully through their bodies like a physical blow, as even their cries of pain were drowned out. The sound seemed to go on forever, till an orb of glowing golden energy enveloped Twilight, her friends, and the hill they stood upon.
"Thank Celestia!" Twilight declared gratefully, as the sound was suddenly muffled to a far more tolerable level.
"You are quite welcome Twilight." Celestia responded grimly, the glow from her horn vanishing as the spell became self sustaining. "However I fear that the worst is yet to come." She declared, pointing a hoof down at the center of the canyon. Turning, Twilight's eyes widened in horror, as the floor of the canyon began to split open, the earth beneath her hooves shaking, even through Celestia's barrier, as if the planet itself was afraid.
Fissures as wide as rivers, spread out from the center of the canyon, as it began to bulge upward. The ground shaking with the force of an earthquake, as another blast of sound cracked the stones of the canyon walls. As the fissures spread, the ground started to fall away into the depths of the earth, as the great cavern hidden beneath the canyon, began to collapse. However it wasn't until a massive furred paw the size of half of Ponyville, and with claws as long as her castle was tall, burst from beneath the ground, that Twilight understood. Visibly paling, Twilight watched in mute horror, as a head nearly the size of all of Canterlot, exploded from the collapsing ground. Jaws with fangs the size of three redwood trees stacked on top of each other, opening. . . as the ursa major, let out another roar like a volcanic eruption. . . .
It took every ounce of speed and agility the Doom Slayer possessed, to keep ahead of the ground collapsing beneath his feet. Dodging around trees, boulders, and the occasional changeling zealot trying to push him back. Several times he almost wasn't fast enough, and had to rely on his jump boots, and more luck than he usually cared to, to avoid being swallowed up by the abyss. So focused was he on avoiding falling, that he barely had time to dodge, when a massive hunk of rock thrown from seemingly out of nowhere, nearly crushed him beneath it. The roar that sounded behind him, was like a massive bomb going off, and caused several nearby trees to splinter from the shock wave alone. Finally managing to move past the lip of the collapsing cavern and get to solid ground, the Slayer turned in an attempt to ascertain just what in the blue hell was going on?
The creature that had pulled itself about a quarter of the way out of the massive hidden cave that was its lair, was big. No, not just big, it was colossal, its full size making it easily as tall as some mountains. Covered in shaggy translucent purple fur, that gave it the appearance of a ghost. From what the Doom Slayer could see through the rain and falling debris, it apparently had roughly the same dimensions as a bear. Clearly magical in nature, the entity had what looked to be massive glowing motes of energy reminiscent of stars, suspended in its phantasmal body. As a paw big enough to wipe a small town off the map with a single swipe rose into the air, the Slayer had to dodge as falling trees, and clumps of earth and stone the size of houses, hurtled down around him.
Summoning his rocket launcher once more, the Slayer went about blasting some of the smaller meteoric objects out of the air, as he continued to move out of the way of the raining chunks of canyon floor. His fury built within him, as he realized that the delay this creature was causing could potentially cost him Flurry Heart! This thing was standing between him and a foal in danger! This thing was daring to defy the seraphs! THIS THING MUST DIE!! Glancing around as the creature hauled more of its immeasurable bulk above ground, the Doom Slayer sought a plan to accomplish his mission. He needed an advantage, something to turn the tide before time ran out, and as he narrowly dodged out of the way of another boulder, he saw his answer, tangled in the boughs of a gigantic, and miraculously still standing, maple tree. . . .
The world watched in horror, as the god-beast rose from the shattered ground. Bigger than could be believed, and with power enough to level an entire mountain range, the ursa major was the stuff of legends and nightmares. Rising from its cavern, it threw all around it into insignificance, despite being only halfway out of the earth. To some, it seemed as if the wrath of nature itself, had risen to join the fight. Despair clutched at the hearts of everycreature watching the battle. Up to now the Doom Slayer had been winning easily, but this. . . this wasn't a fight anycreature could win.
"DERRAN!!" Twilight shouted, charging her horn as she prepared to leap to her beloved's defense, rules or not. Cadence seemed of a similar mind, as her own horn blazed with mystical power. However, the voice of Princess Luna, froze them in their tracks.
"Stay thy hooves!" She declared, her voice firm and commanding. "Derran does not require your assistance." Twilight, Cadence, and the others, turned to stare at the princess of the night in horrified disbelief.
"With all due respect Princess Luna. . ." Twilight began through gritted teeth, just before she exploded. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR BUCKING MIND?!! THAT IS AN URSA MAJOR!! THE LITERAL MOST POWERFUL MAGICAL BEAST EVER DOCUMENTED!! DERRAN CAN'T FIGHT THAT THING ON HIS OWN!!" Luna simply gave Twilight an impassive look.
"I assure you he can." The words were delivered with such absolute conviction, that Twilight felt all her impetus to act vanish. In her mind, Twilight's logical side rebelled against Luna's words. Nopony, not even the princesses themselves, had ever even tried to fight an ursa major, as far as she was aware. Mostly because the enigmatic beasts were largely peaceful, surviving primarily on ambient magic gathered from starlight, with a single meal able to sustain them for decades, if not centuries. Despite that however, in efforts to construct their lairs, they had been known to rip open mountains, or even create massive trenches and canyons with ease. Additionally, they were strong enough, and durable enough, to survive their mountain sized lairs collapsing on them without even waking up. Ignoring millions of tons of rock and earth falling on them, as if it was nothing more annoying than a blanket being placed over their slumbering bodies. The idea that Derran could fight, let alone defeat such a creature, was utter madness! Yet as she looked into Luna and Celestia's faces, she couldn't help but feel calmed. It was then, that Celestia spoke, her tone sounding strangely far away.
"Throughout his and his brother's long war, Derran gained many titles, though he rarely ever uses or mentions them." Celestia stated, her tone eerily serene. "Doom Slayer was merely the first, and one of the few he will actually answer to. In Bridledown he eventually came to be called 'The Guardian of Equestria'. However, after the battle of the Day of Wrath, he gained another title. One whispered by the few ponies who saw him fight on that day." Her own tension easing, Cadence glanced from the still emerging ursa to her aunt, wondering where she was going with this.
"What title was that?" She asked. Feeling a sudden chill, as Celestia answered.
"They called him. . . God Breaker."
The Doom Slayer didn't hesitate, moving toward his goal with the ferocious abandon that had ever been his signature. Already his target had pulled itself from the tree. Flapping its wings in desperation to take off, it was oblivious as the Slayer closed in. . . .
As he lifted off the ground, Obsidian the dragon felt the terror and adrenaline in his body spike, as he saw the ursa major rise almost fully from its cavern. Bellowing its earth shattering roar to the heavens, and with its colossal eyes glowing brilliant green, it moved as if seeking to claw down the sky itself. Consumed by fear, and blinded by the instinct to fly as far and as fast as he could away from here. The first inkling Obsidian got that something was wrong, was when he felt something roughly grab his horns, and the sensation of a metallic object being pressed to the side of his head. A voice more terrible even than the roaring of the ursa, suddenly growled in Obsidian's ear.
"Move!"
Obsidian, not having any desire to argue, did as he was told. Around them, the shadow of the ursa's paw was thrown into stark relief by a flash of lightning. Rock and bits of earth thundered down around Obsidian and his rider, sloughing off the massive body of the ursa as it rose to its full height. No longer shielded by Chrysalis's barrier, rain pored down in great torrents, all but blinding the dragon, as strikes of lightning arced across the body of the titanic monster overhead. Suddenly Obsidian felt his head jerked to the right by his horns, and he turned by reflex to avoid a falling rock that would have smashed him from the sky. Before he could even consider what was happening, his head was jerked left, then right, then down, each movement forcing him to dodge out of the path of falling debris. Deciding that obedience was preferable to death, Obsidian submitted to the will of his passenger. In his mind, he swore that if he lived through this, he was going to find the area on the planet exactly opposite from Equestria, and live there for the rest of his life.
Soundtrack: Bring on the Thunder by Cyberhound
Most creatures in Equestria and beyond, had long ceased to believe in the idea of miracles. After all, any miraculous happenings in a world so filled with magic, were typically easily explainable. Yet now, as they watched the Doom Slayer, only the word miracle, seemed sufficient to describe what they were seeing.
On the back of his commandeered dragon mount, the Doom Slayer wove expertly through the veritable landslide of shattered rocks, broken trees, and cascading earth falling from his mountain sized foe's body. Guiding the head of his steed with one hand, and blasting rocks out of the way with the other, he seemed to embody the great stories of the ancient knights of old, even while being infinitely more terrible. He seemed enshrouded in a dark and brutal majesty, as he flew through the air, lightning striking down around him, thunder and the roars of the ursa heralding his ascent.
Some of the few remaining dragons still in the air, perhaps driven mad by fear, or maybe realizing a foe this terrible would hunt them to the ends of the earth if he lived. Seemed to decide their only guarantee of survival, lay in the Slayer's death, and charged at him with a crazed zeal. Most were blasted from the air by streams of micro missiles and fifty caliber slugs from the Slayer's heavy machine gun. A few lucky ones however, got close enough to rake the back of their former compatriot and his rider with dragon fire. Flames that could turn most creatures to ash in seconds, scarcely seemed noticed by the Slayer as he flew in an ascending spiral around the ursa.
One dragon, in a near suicidal gambit, attempted to rip the Slayer from his perch with a head on flyby. However, the Doom Slayer, instead of trying to swerve out of the way, or shoot his oncoming opponent down, simply urged his mount faster. Seconds from when the oncoming Dragon's head would have struck him, the Slayer leapt into the air. His boots flaring as he twisted his body around, combining a flip with an aileron roll, to land, facing forward, directly atop the head of his erstwhile would-be killer. It was a move even Rainbow Dash would have struggled to perform, yet the Slayer executed it flawlessly.
Before countless eyes filled with equal parts fear and wonder, the Doom Slayer took hold of the horns of his new mount, pulling him into a turn. The dragon in question seemed to consider attempting to throw him off, until out of the corner of his eye, he saw the dragon the Slayer had just vacated, lose its head in a cloud of blood and shrapnel. As the grenades the fearsome warrior had wedged under its horns just before jumping, detonated. Cowed, and with the scales on its face turning a shade paler, it seemed to decide that its best hope for survival, was cooperation. As the possessed ursa major, finally made its move.
Turning its head, in a gesture that seemed almost sedate from a distance, the ursa's eyes narrowed, as it locked on to its opponent. Roaring with primal rage, it raised its right paw to the sky, the limb becoming partially obscured as it broke through the roiling clouds above. Lightning danced across the ursa's arm and body, as its raised limb was struck dozens of times, electricity sufficient to power all of Manehatten for a decade, causing it no more discomfort than static cling, as it swung its arm down. For a moment, the ending of the Slayer seemed a forgone conclusion, as an avalanche of translucent fur, muscle,and claws, hurtled down with the fury of a meteor strike. However, impossibly, the ursa seemed to have misjudged its swing, the attack missing its target by what seemed a hairsbreadth.
With a planet shattering crash, the ursa's paw struck the earth, pulverizing trees into sawdust, boulders into powder, and changelings into mist. The walls of the canyon cracked like eggshells, and in Ponyville, several houses, and even Twilight's castle, swayed ominously, as the ground shuddered in protest. For a moment, the Ursa stood frozen, as if stunned by its own power, while in the air, the Doom Slayer and his mount managed to regain control, after being nearly torn from the sky by the violent wake of the ursa's near miss. Both combatants soon rallied however, and the battle resumed. . . .
Chrysalis was euphoric, never in her life had she felt so mighty. Between the magic of the amulet, and possession of the ursa, she felt delirious with power. With little more than a wave of her hoof, she had all but obliterated the forest between her and the form of her true body. Granted that awakened her to the need to be more careful about her aim. Considering that if she hadn't taken the time to create a triple reinforced force field around the cliff where her real body now stood, she'd probably be dead. It was also true that, not being quite used to a form of such prodigious size, she had been a little clumsy, and allowed her target to escape her first attack. However that was of little concern, as she now had a full grasp on her movements, used as she was to controlling innumerable bodies besides her own. The Doom Slayer would not escape a second time, and once he was dead, Equestria would bow not just to its new queen, but to its new GOD!!
Pulling back her paw, Chrysalis looked around for her target, feeling a trifle annoyed when she couldn't spot him instantly. How hard could it possibly be to locate a biped, dressed in armor covered in glowing red runes, riding around on a dragon? Turning her head to the left, Chrysalis smirked inside her borrowed head, as she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. "Come out come out wherever you are. . . ." She thought as she suddenly jerked her head in the direction of the movement. There he was, holding that odd tube shaped weapon again, the one that fired explosives. The massive muzzle of the ursa pulled into a grin, as Chrysalis once more raised her paw. It was only then that she noticed the dozens of tiny specks trailing fire, hurtling toward her. "What in Equestria is that supposed to do?" Chrysalis wondered, just before her right eye exploded in pain. . . .
Blast the dragon, could honestly say that out of the fifteen hundred years worth of days that he had lived, this was easily both the worst, and the most terrifying. One minute he had been riding high on the idea of revolting against the upstart Dragonlord Ember, and the promise of plundering Equestria for every last gem and bit it held. The next, he was facing off against the second most horrific monster he had ever seen in his life, while the first most horrific monster he had ever seen in his life, rode him like a common draft animal through a raging thunder storm! If he tried to run, the Doom Slayer would kill him, and if he didn't run, the ursa major or the lightning would kill him. Blast had no way out, and his only real hope of survival was that the clearly suicidal biped on his back, was able to kill the biggest meanest monster ever heard of by dragon kind, and then felt charitable enough to forgive him his part in all this! Yes. . . this was definitely the worst day Blast had ever had.
Near tears, Blast prayed, promising the universe that if he lived, he would never hurt another living creature again. He'd swear off meat, and donate his hoard to the needy, he'd live the life of a hermit far away from any other living soul, he'd be an exemplar of pacifism, if only the universe would let him live through this! Atop his head, the Doom Slayer guided him into the ursa's blind spot, summoning the weapon that had slaughtered Blast's brother and sister drakes to his free hand. A twitch of a giant eye, told Blast they had been just a hair to slow. As the ursa's massive head began turning, and the Doom Slayer began firing off flaming projectiles as fast as he could, in rapid fire bursts of three. Blast knew it was hopeless, the attack was like a mosquito taking on a manticore, the ursa wouldn't even notice. At least, that's what he thought, until the ursa's turning head placed an immense glowing eye, directly in the path of the Slayer's attack. . . .
The beast's head jerked back in pain, as its paws reflexively went to its face, a roar of surprise and pain temporarily drowning out the sound of the storm overhead. As Blast's mouth fell open, in awe of the Slayer's strategy. Knowing even a single particle of sand can hurt you if you get it in your eye. The Doom Slayer had attacked the one point on his titanic foe that would be effective regardless of the size difference. Suddenly, Blast felt an urgent tugging on his horns, coaxing him into a near vertical climb. Moving swiftly to obey, Blast saw the ursa start to flail blindly around with one of its colossal paws, clearly enraged, as the other instinctively moved to cover its injured eye. Rocketing skyward as fast as his wings would take him, Blast began to wonder, if maybe he should be directing his prayers to the thing on his back. . . .
The Doom Slayer felt his rage burning within him. Like liquid fire it blazed in his veins, and seared his flesh. It focused him, sharpened his senses, made him faster, stronger, and utterly unafraid. So the thing beneath him was huge, so what?! All that meant is that it had huge guts, just waiting to be spilled out on the ground! Let the universe throw what it wanted at him, it never held back before, he'd slay it all, burn it to ash, and stomp that ash into the bloodied, uncaring, dirt! The universe could hurl all it had at him! Could take his life, his hope, his very soul if it wanted. . . but it wouldn't get Flurry Heart. Nor would it get Twilight, or Celestia, or Luna, or the Crusaders, or Derpy or any of them!! The universe wanted to fuck with him?! It could do that all it wanted! Could tear him down to his atoms, and burn his soul to cinder if it felt like it!!! But if it ever tried to hurt his home?! His family?! His friends?! Beneath his helm, the Doom Slayer's face became a twisted mask of pure hate, as a brief flare of black flame flickered across his armor. A whisper upon his lips, as his vision went completely red.
"Rip and tear. . . ."
As the dragon beneath him carried the Doom Slayer toward the churning thunder clouds above, the rain pelted down on him as if to keep him from his goal. Lightning forked down on either side of him, his expression becoming a manic grin. He knew what the beast beneath him was doing right now, could see it as clear as day, even without looking. Even as they pierced the clouds and all the world became a grey fog, the Slayer could see, as it forced itself to ignore its pain. See it as it whirled around in place trying to figure out where he'd gone. Could see the faint widening of its one good eye, as it figured it out, and looked skyward. He saw it all, and he was ready. . . .
"Rip and tear. . . until it is done." He whispered, as he traded his rocket launcher for his super shotgun, leveled it at the head of the dragon beneath him. . . and pulled the trigger. Regardless of anything else, the dragon beneath him had taken part in Flurry Heart's foalnapping, the attack on Derpy Hooves, and Chrysalis's assault on the holy land. For such heresy. . . there could never be forgiveness.
In a movement that was almost languid, the Doom Slayer dismissed his weapon. Leaning back as far as he could, his arms held out wide, the Slayer allowed the pull of gravity to separate him from the corpse of his enemy turned transportation. With a slight twirl, the Doom Slayer found himself diving back down the way he had come, as he dismissed his shotgun. A good two thousand plus feet separated him from his target, as he felt himself accelerating. Breaking through the clouds, the enemy loomed large before him, as time seemed to slow down. The Doom Slayer was suddenly able to see every drop of rain surrounding him, as a bolt of lightning crawled lazily down from the clouds to pass a few hundred feet in front of him, as he hurtled through the air.
The ursa turned, one glowing green eye shut tight, while the second stared upward, filled with wrath. It's paws slowly came up, swiping at the sky, as if cursing the heavens for its coming fate. The strikes were clumsy, the lack of depth perception making them inaccurate. Slowly, the Doom Slayer brought his arms forward, as his mind traveled briefly to the past. Deep in the UAC Mars base, that is where he found one of the most powerful non-magical projectile weapons ever developed by man. Designed by Samuel Hayden himself, in preparation for an invasion he foolishly thought only a possibility, most of the details about the prototype were hidden. Hayden, eternally arrogant, had never imagined anyone besides him would know about the limiter on his masterpiece of the death dealing arts. Or maybe he didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to disable it. After all, an unregulated BFG shot could easily turn several city blocks into little more than dust and beaded glass. More to the point, what operator of the weapon could possibly survive the kickback of the shot, its power easily enough to send an armored vehicle flying? Now that the Slayer thought about it, another thing Hayden likely didn't think anyone would ever figure out about the BFG. . . was the existence of the second prototype.
Two flashes of red light presaged the arrival of a pair of weapons half the size of a man's torso, into the Slayer's hands. At a mental command, and with a brief thought of thanks to VEGA, the praetor suit transmitted the limiter disabling code to the two weapons. Codes Hayden would have sworn on his artificial life, only he had, and all the while, the Doom Slayer fell. Jaws big enough to swallow Twilight's castle whole opened, in preparation for a roar that would send the Slayer flying. Claws and teeth like jagged sea stacks, shone bone white in the phosphor flash of the lightning. As single burning green eye the size of a small seaside bay, made contact with two burning red ones.
In that moment, despite being under Chrysalis's control, despite a difference in size that was like comparing a guppy to a blue whale, and despite the loss of one of its eyes, the ursa major, mightiest beast to ever walk the land. . . flinched. And then, with the simultaneous pull of twin triggers, all the world vanished, in a flash of green. . . .
For a few seconds, for miles in every direction, a second sun of neon emerald scoured all darkness from the land. For hundreds of miles beyond that, the viridian glow could be seen clearly, with even the Crystal empire noting a slight shift in the color of the clouds. At the epicenter, raindrops became steam, stone became slag, wood became ash, and flesh became vapor. Trees were uprooted, boulders hurled around like pebbles, and clouds blasted into nonexistence. The earth shook with force enough to collapse buildings, and the already abused walls of the canyon crumbled into scree. Any creature looking directly at the light was struck temporarily blind, the actinic green flare completely overloading their photoreceptors.
On one side of the canyon, Chrysalis abruptly struggled to rise from the spot where her true body had fallen. Her head feeling as though it had been split with an axe, her every nerve ending alive with searing pain. For a moment Chrysalis was unable to so much as blink, the agony making even breathing a struggle. Then, as the pain slowly ebbed, and she blinked away afterimages from her vision, Chrysalis looked out across the canyon. Not even the corruption of the amulet, could shield her mind from what she beheld. . . .
The ursa major was. . . gone. Not injured, not dead, gone, as if it had never been. In its place, was the remains of the massive hole it had crawled out of. The edges were molten, still glowing a bright reddish orange, drops of freshly made magma dripping into the depths. The area immediately around the hole, was now little more than cooling glass, devoid of moisture or life. The few trees remaining in the canyon, were bent away from the sight of the blast, trunks turned partially to charcoal, and with branches stripped of leaves. Overhead, a hole several miles wide had been punched through the clouds, showing a shining sun, and azure skies. Finally, drifting through the air like a white snow, was a cloud of ashes. The only visible remains of the titan, that had dared to stand against the Doom Slayer.
Chrysalis felt her sanity return with a horrific suddenness, as she saw a figure moving through the rapidly settling ashen cloud. The front of his armor was scorched black, and several rents in the outer plates had not yet self repaired, but other than that, he appeared no worse for wear. Walking forward with a slow and steady gait, he held a double barreled weapon in both hands. The runes on his armor had been burned off, along with the blood and gore of his many kills, and the damp of the rain that had been pouring earlier. Halting, the figure fixed his gaze on Chrysalis's distant form, wisps of smoke and steam trailing off his armor, as he slowly raised one hand. . . to point directly at her. The message was simple, and terrifyingly clear.
You're next.
Chrysalis felt all the arrogance, confidence, and certainty of a hundred human lifetimes, scoured away in the space of an instant. This thing, this Doom Slayer, was no warrior, no mere champion or guardian. . . he was a god! It all suddenly made sense! What other kind of creature would Celestia and Luna deign to marry?! What other being could ensnare the hearts and minds of ponies so easily?! What other being could face an army such as she had created, and make them look like newly hatched grubs trying to take treasure from a dragon?! Chrysalis felt her body start to shake as her mind began to unravel. She hadn't challenged some long lost warrior from another dimension to an unwinnable duel! She had spat in the face of the Equestrian God of War! HAD SHE LOST HER MIND?!!
Chrysalis took a deep trembling breath as she forced herself to calm down. She was being irrational, the Doom Slayer was powerful, no question of that, but he wasn't a god. She couldn't beat him on her own, but. . . she still had one final gamble. Her penultimate fail safe, the last contingency in the event something like this happened. True, it meant she would likely lose any claim to Equestria for the time being, but she could fix that another century. What mattered now was staying alive, as she was now entirely certain that the Slayer had no intention of letting her live. She still had the amulet, and she had her wits, that was all she needed. . . .
Chrysalis closed her eyes and focused once more. The irony of the place the creature she needed to summon was located in, was that while it was extremely difficult to get out of under your own power. Escaping with the help of somepony on the outside, provided they had enough magic, was comparatively easy. Chrysalis needed to work quickly, the Doom Slayer was already more than halfway across the arena and moving fast. Additionally, thanks to both her attacks while possessing the ursa, and the Slayer's own subsequent counter attack, the area between them was relatively devoid of trees. No time to make this pretty, only to make it work.
On the floor of the canyon before her, a line of scintillating green energy formed in mid air. With an appearance like the lid of a single sinister eye opening, and with the application of enough magic to cut a mountain in half, Chrysalis turned the line into an ovoid portal of swirling black and green energy. Keeping it open was a struggle after the backlash of being forcibly returned to her own body, even with the amulet. After all, the place the portal led to, was made to prevent anycreature from escaping. Struggling against ancient wards and a weak null-magic field, Chrysalis just managed to devote enough of her mind to reaching through the portal, and pulling the individual she needed through.
The creature in question, was diminished to the point of looking sickly. He was incredibly thin, his bones easily visible beneath his coat, and his body all but devoid of muscle or fat. From the waist down he appeared as a pony, or perhaps a bull. An equine body, covered in black fur, with four legs ending in cloven hooves. However, above that, he looked closer to a minotaur. His humanoid chest covered in the same black fur as his lower body, transitioning sharply to dark red when it reached his skeletal arms. His long wizened face was an odd combination of bull and, now that the creatures of Equestria had one to make the comparison, human features, covered in red and black fur. A gray beard adorned his chin, while a very short crest of similar color sat atop his head between two small horns, surrounded by a drab black mane of shaggy hair. His cheeks were hollow, and his black and yellow eyes squinted out at the world as if not used to the light. Chrysalis wasted no time on introductions.
"LORD TIREK!! BEFORE YOU LIES THE CREATURE WHO IS THE ONE TRUE LOVE OF TWILIGHT SPARKLE, CELESTIA, AND LUNA!! I OFFER YOU BOTH AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE REVENGE AND TO CLAIM EQUESTRIA AS YOUR OWN!! KILL HIM AND YOUR ENEMIES WILL SUFFER AS EVEN YOU CANNOT IMAGINE!!" Tirek turned to reply, only for Chrysalis to fire a beam of pure magic at him. . . directly into his mouth.
Tirek's eyes widened in shock at the unexpected power now coursing through his body. Whatever this magic was that Chrysalis was feeding him, it was immeasurably powerful. Drinking deeply, he savored the taste, the magic was not just changeling magic, though there was a fare amount of that in there, adding a pleasant tangy aftertaste. However the rest of it he could honestly never recall sampling. It was thick and salty, tasting faintly like a mixture of ashes and blood. As its might flowed through his body, restoring his lost strength, Tirek suddenly felt the world disappear around him. As a vision played out before him. Around him the world shimmered oddly, as he saw Celestia, Luna, and more of the strange biped that Chrysalis wanted dead.
They were in the middle of a field, overrun with twisted looking plants and trees growing with unnatural speed, and clearly threatening a nearby town that looked suspiciously like Bridledown, from his arrival in Equestria just over one thousand years ago. In the center of a circle of chanting bipeds, sat the amulet chrysalis was wearing, placed atop a stone block, covered in glowing blue runes. As Tirek watched, wisps of bloody red mist were drawn out of the surrounding plants, the air, and even the ground, to be sucked up by the amulet as it pulsed with an evil scarlet light. As the ceremony continued, the plants sprouting in the field slowed in their growth.
"The artifact shall be cursed forevermore my ladies." Spoke one of the bipeds, a short bald one with a tattooed head, and a distinct Saddle Arabian sounding accent. "The energy within it is trapped, but its power is still immense. Hide it well, and do not allow any to wear it, for I shudder to think what might happen. I would destroy it now, but for the fact that it shall act as a sponge, absorbing the corrupting magic of Hell from the land. Though it may take millennia, it shall remove this stain upon the heavens, and then shall be destroyed. In time, this cursed forest, created by the blood of demons, shall be forever free of Hell's taint. . . ." Then, just as swiftly as it came, the vision vanished. Tirek smiled, as he felt his body changing, he might not know what in Tartarus 'Hell' or 'Demons' were, but one thing was for sure, if they had this much power, he wouldn't mind meeting them. . . .
The Doom Slayer halted, watching the creature before him transform. He knew this beast, or at least, he knew of him. Tirek, the monster that had attempted to steal the magic of Equestria, held Twilight's friends, his family hostage, and dared to lay his filthy hands upon Celestia and Luna! The Doom Slayer knew exactly who he was, and he felt his mind blaze with pure, searing, sanity shattering, hate.
Tirek's body expanded and enlarged as he glutted upon the magic Chrysalis was all but forcing down his throat. He grew taller and wider, his arms ballooning outward as his muscles grew. The tiny nubs of his horns lengthened, curving outward, then inward over his head. Time seemed to reverse, as the long lines on his face vanished, and his skeletal chest was replaced with the six pack abs and pecs of a bodybuilder beneath his fur. However, the transformation soon took a darker turn, as Tirek suddenly doubled over. Claws like chips of volcanic glass erupted from the ends of his fingers, as two humps appeared on his back, before a pair of gigantic black, bat wings, exploded out from them. His crest and tail changed to resemble blazing red flames, rings of similar fire encircling his wrists and ankles. Finally, his horns became ribbed and covered with sharp thorn-like growths, as a crown of black fire appeared above his head. Then, at last, the stream of magic from Chrysalis tapered off, and Tirek turned to stare at the Doom Slayer. The centaur's lips parted in a smile that revealed razor sharp triangular teeth, like those of a shark. Flexing one arm, and examining his new claws, he turned to look back at Chrysalis, his eyes glowing pools of red light.
"So. . . " He drawled, his voice echoing oddly. "that. . . creature, over there, is Celestia, Luna, and Twilight's lover?" Chrysalis nodded, struggling to stand after transferring the now useless amulet's magic, along with a sizable portion of her own. Tirek smiled. "And you want me to kill him?" He asked. Again, Chrysalis nodded, her eyes alight with a feverish mania. Tirek shrugged as he snapped his fingers. Instantly, a reddish glowing disc appeared about one hundred feet over the Doom Slayer's head, before a sizzling red beam of pure annihilating energy, thicker than a full grown tree, engulfed him. "Done." Tirek declared, as the beam continued to pour down from the sky, the ground beneath it turning slowly molten. "Now if you will excuse me. . . I have some princesses to exterminate." However, he didn't get more than a single step, before he was halted by a pulse of sheer hate, so intense it was like being struck by wrecking ball. His eyes widening in shock as he looked at the base of the beam. "Impossible. . . ." He whispered, as a barely perceptible note of worry entered his voice.
Back in Ponyville, Sweetie Belle buried her face in Apple Bloom's chest. While she and Scootaloo stared with tears in their eyes, at the pillar of energy that had erased their newest friend. It seemed impossible, he had fought through everything Chrysalis had thrown at him, even when she cheated, he came through, and then with just a snap of his fingers, Tirek had made all that meaningless! Ponies around the Crusaders gasped, and covered their mouths with their hooves. As the beam continued to pour energy down onto the spot Derran had been, even though he seemed to have already been vaporized.
"It can't be. . . ." Scootaloo said, her voice trembling. "He can't go down like this!" Apple Bloom stood numb, as she stared at the massive screen of magic displaying the fight to Ponyville. She wanted to agree, but the image before her wouldn't allow it. At their side, Dinky Hooves fought her tears, as she struggled to remember what her mother had said about Derran when she asked what he was like.
"Well. . . he's kinda scary looking. But whenever I talk to him, I get this feeling I can't explain. I think. . . I think he came here to help protect us. I think. . . even if he'd never say it, that he's a hero."
"Heroes never die. . . ." The words spilled from Dinky's mouth before she even realized what she was saying. The Crusaders looked at Dinky, expressions of confusion on their faces.
"What?" Applebloom asked, blinking through her tears. Dinky just kept staring at the screen.
" It's something I read once: Heroes never die." She declared firmly, as the Crusaders turned to look back at the screen, as Dinky raised her hoof to point at it. "And mister Derran. . . is a hero!" The Crusader's eyes opened wide, as they saw what Dinky was pointing at. Around them, ponies jaws fell open, as the bottom of the pillar began to lift from the ground.
Soundtrack: Heroooo by Jonathan Young
Little by little, the lethal energies of the spell were pushed up, off of the partially melted ground. Slowly, a crouching figure resolved itself beneath the blazing beam, and bit by bit, he began to rise. More and more of the figure's smoldering armor was revealed as he struggled against the beam. However, the taller he stood, the easier it seemed to become. As his well muscled legs straightened, his wide armored chest was revealed. Arms enhanced by ancient magic, and moved by an indomitable will of iron, pushed back against the dark power Tirek had unleashed, until the full figure was revealed. Ponies, dragons, griffons, changelings, and yaks the world over, stood in silent awe at the sight before them. There stood the Doom Slayer, his body whole, and his armor smoking. Staring ahead, he glared into the shocked face of Tirek. One hand stood empty at his side, but the other was held defiantly aloft, and gripped within it, was a sword unlike any the world had ever seen. Forged of black steel, it was bigger than a long sword, but smaller than a claymore, and along a raised part of the fuller leading to the hilt, seven runes blazed with a pure golden light, as the weapon drank deeply of Tirek's dark magic.
Across Equestria and beyond, a roaring cheer shook the land. As back in Ponyville, four little fillies whooped and shouted with tears of joy in their eyes.
"GO GET EM' DERRAN!!" As if in answer to the fillies demand's, the armored figure switched his sword stance to a two handed grip, set his shoulder, and charged.
The Doom Slayer ran out from under the beam of unholy magic at top speed. Only his finely honed instincts allowing him to intercept his foe's next attack. Dozens of sphere's of coruscating energy, fired from Tirek's palms, hurtled toward him almost too fast for the eye to follow. However, with his reflexes now at their maximum, and with his greatest weapon once more in hand, the Slayer looked at them almost as if they were in slow motion. With flawless strikes born of a lifetime mastering the art of death, the orbs were slashed from the air in a blur of black steel and gold energy. Unmaker greedily devoured the corrupted magic, glowing ever brighter as it did so.
Unmaker. . . Celestia had returned it after explaining Derran was to take Chrysalis alive. Apparently, she had stored it in a small pocket dimension, the entrance of which always followed her around, the closest thing to a keepsake of him she could allow herself. For nearly twelve hundred years the mighty sword had lain dormant, awaiting the return of its master. Now that the two were reunited, all the evil in the multiverse. . . had cause to despair.
The Doom Slayer dodged to the side, as a spike of rock exploded out of the ground at his feet, only just managing to evade it. Moving in a random zigzag pattern, Derran made good use of his jump boots and superior reflexes, as the ground beneath his feet became a minefield. Pushing off the side of one spike with a booted foot, Derran spun in midair, as he struck down a flurry of beams of blazing red energy. Hitting the ground running, the Slayer moved like a blur, as he struck the ground with his blade. Stabbing it deep, he pulled it through the earth as he ran, letting it absorbed the magic Tirek was attempting to impale him with. The blade cleaved stone and soil as easily as air, and the enraged Doom Slayer bore down on his foe at top speed.
Calling on the elements themselves, Tirek hurled blasts of lightning down from the clouds above, mixing dark magic with the very fury of nature. Bolt after crimson bolt struck the armored figure, scorching his armor, and threatening to burn him from the inside out, but he did not slow. Tanking each agonizing strike with the relentlessness of a berserk titan, the Slayer simply ignored the pain, as his sword devoured the energy arcing over his body. With his blade glowing like the fury of a star on the verge of going supernova, the Doom Slayer charged on, every step bringing him closer to his hated foe.
Tirek, ignoring the tiny terrified voice in the back of his head screaming at him to run, grunted in annoyance. He needed something to slow down this creature, so he could think of a spell to kill him. With a simple motion of energy, the earth about one hundred feet ahead of the Slayer, exploded upward into a wall of rock six feet thick, fifty feet tall and nearly three miles long. However, just as he thought of a spell that might help, an explosion of blazing green light, rendered a fifty foot chunk of the wall down to its component atoms, the Doom Slayer having not even slowed down a single step. Now more than a little concerned, Tirek began casting a spell. He couldn't recall how he knew it, or even how it worked, but a dark impulse from deep inside him, assured him it was the proper one. His hands and arms glowing with an evil black and red energy, as he directed his attention to the countless wrathful souls of the Slayer's recent victims, still yet to pass on.
Like a swarm of locusts, motes of dark dust-like energy coalesced into shapes both foreign and familiar. As the Doom Slayer ran on, a mass of figures appeared before him. Dark energy transformed into flesh and blood in mere moments, as the dead of Chrysalis's devastated army were called back to horrific life. With eyes like pools of black mist, the shambling beasts surged forward, accompanied by an unearthly choir of tormented roars, screeches, and howls. The Slayer plowed into the midst of his enemies in a cloud of dark, flashing steel, sheathed in gold. With every swing of his almighty blade a reconstituted and reanimated body, exploded into ash.
A mass of changelings, their horns blasting hellish energy, was sliced into confetti before disintegrating. A dragon lowered its head to belch corrupted black fire, only for the Slayer to jump over its attack and land atop its head. Plunging his sword into the undead beast's skull, the armored warrior simply continued running, dragging his glowing blade through bone and tendon as his body became a blur, just barely managing to stay ahead of the beast's discorporating body. As he reached the base of the Dragon's tail, the Doom Slayer made a mighty leap, somersaulting in mid air to bring the heel of his left foot down on the skull of a roaring manticore in a vertical spinning axe kick. The manticore's skull cracked like an eggshell, as its head hit the ground with enough force to crater the earth, and still, the Doom Slayer ran.
Blowing a gaping hole in the chest of a leaping yeti amid a cloud of viscera and splintered bone fragments, the Slayer spun violently on his heel. Whirling his sword about him with vicious abandon, he reduced a crowd of monsters to a cloud of dismembered body parts, that in turn were reduced to ash an instant later. Spraying an arc of blazing plasma from the rifle that had replaced the super shotgun in his left hand, the Doom Slayer scattered the beasts before him amid unearthly howls of pain. However, one foe, a revived, and now maimed chimera, survived. Letting out an ethereal roar, the charred remains of its goat head dangled uselessly as it leapt. Running and ducking beneath the creature, the Doom Slayer simply stabbed upward, continuing his charge amid a deluge of entrails, mid dissolution.
The descending claw of a maulwurf was severed in a spray of dark red droplets and burning sparks, as an advancing dragon opened its mouth just in time to swallow a rocket, that obliterated everything beyond its skull. As the maulwurf turned into a cloud of faintly smouldering ash, the earth began to rumble, and at last the Doom Slayer stopped. Turning for just an instant, he pointed his blazing sword at the mountainous mass that was the reviving ursa major. The light of his sword dimmed, as two of the glowing runes upon the blade went out. A bolt of lightning, so bright and pure it seemed to throw the world into x-ray, blasted down from above the clouds to strike the pulsing swarm of black particulates, turning them instantly into naught but glowing sparks on the wind, amid an almighty peal of thunder. Swiftly spinning to resume his charge, the Doom Slayer brought his sword down on the head of a charging bugbear. For an instant before the beast became dust, the two halves of its head were on display, as if an illustration in an anatomy textbook. As the Doom Slayer once more resumed his charge.
Tirek stared at the figure advancing on him with an ever increasing panic. Desperate, he focused, filling the air around the Slayer with discs of burning red, discharging blazing beams of disintegrating energy from them in a barrage of death. As the blasts converged on the Slayer from all angles, Tirek's heart leapt, only for the beams to suddenly stop short. A barely visible shimmering dome of energy surrounded the Slayer, as he stood with his sword in an angled down guard position. For some time, Tirek stared, as the Slayer remained immobile. Then, suddenly, the demonically infused centaur gave a slightly unhinged grin, as he started laughing.
"YOU CAN'T MOVE WITH THAT SHIELD UP, CAN YOU?!!" He hooted in glee, his expression becoming truly deranged as the remains of the undead hoard he had conjured surrounded the Slayer. This was too rich, all Tirek had to do was wait it out, if the Slayer attacked or moved, he'd be fried by the beams or torn apart by the hoard, and if he didn't then Tirek could either escape or. . . . Tirek smiled as he telekineticly plucked two massive boulder's from out of the earth behind him. "TIME TO DECIDE HERO! YOU?! OR PONYVILLE?!" He declared, as he charged the boulders with a mass of dark magic. Instantly the boulders glowed with a sinister red light, as black lightning crawled over their surfaces. Even if he didn't get a direct hit with his improvised artillery strike, the detonation of the boulders would still level the town. Tirek let out a peal of bellowing laughter. "SO CLOSE!! AND YET SO FAR!!" He roared. He wasn't kidding, less than a quarter mile separated the two dueling gods, but now it was over. . . or so Tirek thought. The only indication he had that the Doom Slayer was about to move, was that another two runes on his sword darkened.
Of all the Hellbane's, Unmaker had always been considered the mightiest. Not because it could cut through anything, or because it could create unbreakable shields, any of the ten could do that. No, its generic abilities, while impressive, had never been what made it special, nor was that what made any of the Hellbane's special. Each Hellbane, regardless of form, had a unique ability, powered by letting it devour evil energy. Justice, the Hellbane born by Derran's brother Musashi, for example, could call down a bolt of divine lightning to smite a single being of evil. The attack was utterly unavoidable, the bolt finding its target even if they teleported, or shifted into another dimension, for none could escape heaven's wrath, and it always killed the target, no matter what their defense. Each Hellbane had a similarly unique ability, from the power to absolutely forbid a group of foes from being violent, to the ability to summon an unstoppable army of sacred ghosts. Unmaker, the mightiest of all the ten Hellbane's, in addition to its own sacred nova, had the unique property of allowing its user access to the powers of all the Hellbane's, including Temperance, a Hellbane with the ability. . . to stop time itself.
To Tirek, it at first seemed that the Doom Slayer had simply teleported, the beams of energy suddenly crashing together in a massive detonation that sent mud and dirt flying in every direction. Then an instant later, the hoard of monsters Tirek had ripped from the great beyond, all at once, fell into pieces. Before Tirek's horror struck gaze, the army of monsters seemed to evaporate, their body's cracking and crumbling into ash, to be scattered by the wind. And there, standing as if he had been there the entire time, and now scarcely two hundred feet from Tirek's uncomprehending expression, was the Doom Slayer. Tirek allowed the boulders at his side to fall, their glow dying, and the magic draining out of them, as he simply stared. Suddenly, a rush of terror and hate like nothing Tirek had ever known, surged through him. Gathering every ounce of magic he could, he compressed the power between his hands before, with a roar of equal parts fury and fear, he unleashed everything he had all at once, with a roar that was half rage, and half panic.
"JUST DIE YOU BASTARD!!"
The beam of energy had easily enough power to cut the moon itself in half. It should have turned the Doom Slayer, the princesses, the council of friendship, and the mountain range beyond the forest into little more than molten glass. Instead, the Doom Slayer raised his sword before him in both hands, the tip pointed skyward as if he was swearing a vow to the heavens above, as the beam made contact. Staring at the scene before him, Tirek was paralyzed with terror. There stood the Doom Slayer, bathed in the blazing black and red light of the beam, the sword before him devouring the energy as fast as Tirek could fire it, his feet set as he pressed forward against the force of the attack.
"WHAT ARE YOU?!" Tirek roared in panic, his mind disintegrating under the strain of a horror he never would have believed he could feel. Then, to Tirek's disbelief, the Slayer began to move. Slowly at first, but with steadily increasing speed, the Doom Slayer advanced, and as he did, he answered.
"I am fire. . ." He intoned, his voice somehow crystal clear above the din of the crackling beam, and chaos of Tirek's thoughts. His voice a low rumble, like the aftershocks of an earthquake, or the shudder of a mountain before it erupts into a volcano.
"Stop. . . ." Tirek whimpered, his mind cracking as he witnessed the Slayer striding toward him. His every footfall like a blast of thunder as he powered through the beam.
"I am steel. . ." He continued, the muddy rain soaked ground beneath him boiling from the beam's power, the very earth seeming to tremble like a frightened foal.
"Get away. . ." Tirek whispered, tears appearing in his eyes as the Doom Slayer rushed forward, picking up speed, the beam bursting around him till he was like the nucleus of a comet.
"I am death. . ." Tirek forced what little extra power he had into the beam, as he screamed.
"STAY BACK!!" As if in slow motion, the armored figure leapt free of the beam, the blast roaring past him and into the sky, as Tirek's shaking hands futilely attempted to keep it on target. His eyes becoming wild, and filled with fear induced madness. The beam cutting out as Tirek threw up his hands, in a pitiful attempt to shield himself from harm before turning to flee. . . only to freeze as he saw the Slayer's descending form.
In that instant, the world became static, as if suspended in crystal. Backed by the light of the shining sun, as it burned through a perfectly circular hole in the clouds, the Doom Slayer's appearance changed. Perhaps it was simply a fear induced hallucination, but for that ever so brief moment, the armored figure underwent a devastating transformation in the eyes of his foe. Feathered wings of black fire eclipsed the sky, sprouting from behind the shoulders of a figure robed in white, that seemed the size of a mountain! From a face obscured in the depths of a gold trimmed hood, surrounded by a halo of black fire, two burning red eyes stared down in judgment, laying bare Tirek's mind, body, and spirit, to the titanic creature's enraged gaze! In the figure's hands, he raised a sword that blazed with righteous golden flame, surrounding a core of ebon black, so bright it turned even the blackest night into day, yet so dark it seemed to blot out the sun itself! Tirek's mind and body convulsed, as he screamed out in fear for the corrupted remains of his very soul.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!!" In that moment, Tirek felt his heart stop beating, as that terrible sword hurtled down, along with a final, thunderous declaration, as he and the Slayer were consumed, in a blinding golden light. . . .
"I AM DOOM!!"
Across Equestria and beyond, silence reigned. Millions of eyes glued to massive screens that were now bordered by a warm auric glow. The view had been zoomed out, showing the devastated remains of a canyon containing the splintered remnants of a section of forest. Only a few isolated groups of the hardiest trees had survived, singed, and with most of their leaves gone. Near the center of the canyon, a gaping hole yawned wide, its melted edges at last cooled. On one side, atop a hill that abruptly turned to a rocky cliff falling away into the canyon, stood a small group of ponies and one dragon, while on the other, was a massive cloud of opaque mist.
So great was the detonation of the Doom Slayer's final strike, that all the moisture in his general vicinity had been instantly turned to vapor. The mists rolled and swirled, concealing the outcome of the fight, and all the world held its breath. One minute slipped by. . . then two. . . then three, the tension and worry growing greater with every fallen kernel of sand from the hourglass. Griffons, yaks, dragons, changelings, and ponies alike, clutched at their hearts and each other, wondering what would be revealed as the mist began to thin. Then, from atop the cliff opposite the mist, a sky blue pegasus hoof shot forward.
"LOOK!"
Soundtrack: Carolus Rex by Sabaton
From the mist, a figure emerged. On two legs he walked, clad in armor of a ferocious and terrifying design. With his helmet removed, long black hair spilled over his armored shoulders like an ebon waterfall. Strong noble features were set in a stern frown, as if daring the world to try to stand in his way. Two eyes of icy blue, seemed almost to glow in his head, like ghostly sapphires, a look of terrible purpose burning in his gaze. In one hand, he held a sword of black steel at his side, relaxed, but ready for use. And in the crook of his opposite arm. . . a small foal, smiled happily up at him.
Across Equestria and beyond, a cheer went up, the earth shaking, as the myriad races of Equestria rejoiced. In Canterlot, Fancy Pants and Fleur De Lys cheered and stomped as they tearfully hugged each other, the streets of their city shaking with the thunderous screams of joy of every pony within it. In Manehatten, the buildings seemed to sway around a Filly with a caramel coat and variegated pink mane, as she joined in with her fellows shouting joyously to the heavens. In Appleoosa, Breyburn removed his hat and cried tears of joy, as ponies around him whooped and hollered, throwing their own hats and bonnets high into the air.
All across the land there was celebration. In the Dragonlands, Ember and every one of her subjects roared fire towards the sky, as a great chant shook the volcanoes of their mountainous home.
"DOOM SLAYER! DOOM SLAYER! DOOM SLAYER!!" The shout echoed, by a thousand times a thousand roaring draconic throats.
In Griffonstone, the populace cheered, sang, and hugged, completely forgetting themselves in a moment of euphoric joy. Gilda, overcome in a moment of high emotion, grabbed the griffon next to her and planted a giant kiss on their cheek. Grandpa Gruff normally would have been driven into conniptions by such an unwanted display of affection, but barely noticed as he screeched and shook his wizened claw at the clouds in joy.
In Yakyakistan, prince Rutherford and his fellow Yaks, roared loud enough to trigger avalanches, as they descended into an absolute orgy of celebratory smashing. Boxes, buildings, rocks, pots, anything and everything they could lay hoof upon. They were determined, that the new 'world's best warrior', would not find them wanting in their celebration of his heroism. That day would be passed down in legend for generations, as the single greatest day of smashing in Yak history, and the eyes of those telling the tale would shed a tear, for never again would its glory be equaled.
In the New Changeling Kingdom, the cheers were so loud they could be heard clear in the crystal empire. Changelings hugging each other and crying in abject joy and relief. At long last, their greatest fear was no more! Overcome with happiness, some changelings lost control of their transformation ability, rolling around laughing and cheering and crying, as they randomly changed shape.
However, it was in Ponyville that the cheers were loudest, and the tears of joy flowed freest. Pony's screaming out the name of their almighty champion. Derran Grandel, the Guardian of Equestria! And of course, none cheered more loudly than the four fillies in front of Twilight's castle.
Finally, in Ponyville General Hospital, a grey and blond pegasus, though ignorant of the events and celebration around her, smiled in her sleep. None, including the mare herself, would ever know it, but as she smiled, her mouth moved. In a whisper so faint none could hear, she spoke words she would never remember, about happenings she could never have known about.
"I knew he could do it. . . ."
Meanwhile, as if unaware of the raucous faces in the screens overhead, the Doom Slayer walked on. He moved forward at a slow and steady gait, his head held high, and his gaze set. Overhead, the clouds began to break apart, pillars of heavenly light shining down on the canyon and surrounding forest through the overcast sky. It seemed, as if even nature itself, was bowing in deference to this almighty Guardian. It was then that the world, finally noticed the figure, stumbling out of the mist behind him.
Her blue-green seaweed-like mane and tail, were a drab and frazzled mess. The arrogance and poise with which she once conducted herself was gone, replaced by the bowlegged gait of a drunkard. Her crown was missing, lost she knew not where. Her head was bowed as if by a great weight, moving fitfully this way and that, as if unable to process where she truly was. Her wings hung limp, almost to the point of dragging through the dirt, as she bumbled furtively forward. Only when her hair parted, and the crowd saw into Chrysalis's eyes, did they understand. . . . The mind of Chrysalis, former Queen of the changelings, was gone. . . .
One look into her eyes was more than sufficient to tell the tale. Dull and lifeless, Chrysalis's eyes stared ahead blankly and without comprehension. The light of consciousness had fled from her gaze, the things she had witnessed scouring her memory and personality from her mind. She followed the Doom Slayer like a furtive lost puppy, the lights on, but with nobody home. True to his word, the Slayer had not killed Chrysalis. . . he had broken her. Inflicting upon her the very fate she had intended for her enemies.
Even so, the cheers continued, as the Doom Slayer crossed the great chasm that once held the ursa major. A bridge of golden light provided by Celestia to allow his passage, even as she maintained the projection spell she had liberated from Chrysalis, to let Equestria see both its oldest, and newest, hero. Onward he went, never slowing or speeding up, as he moved inexorably toward his goal. It was only at the point where he had almost reached the cliff that he halted. As out of the ruin that was once the forest canyon, they came.
Most were beasts, bears, boars, a tiger, one or two trembling timberwolves, and even a hydra. A few changelings also showed up, remnants of Chrysalis's army. The Slayer simply stared at them, his eyes as cold as an eternal winter. He seemed a giant, being waylaid by ants, and they flinched as his icy gaze swept over them. Then, one by one, in slow careful movements, the creatures before the Slayer lowered their heads to the ground, in an unmistakable gesture, of submission.
The Slayer did not speak or nod at this display, nor offered command or censure, he simply continued forward. The beasts around him shaking in terror as he passed, their gaze firmly upon the ground in a display of cowed abasement. As he neared the cliff, a stairway composed of blue mist and motes of stars appeared. Leading him up to the loved ones, who had arrived with him here, what now seemed a lifetime ago. As he climbed the stairs, the crowd went quiet. Finally, he and the unaware Chrysalis arrived at the top. Stabbing the tip of his sword into the earth, the Doom Slayer leaned upon it, as he fell to one knee before Cadence and Shining Armor. With his head bowed, he slowly, and with infinite care, extended his arm, offering up the giggling bundle that was Flurry Heart. Slowly, with tears in their eyes, and shaking hooves, Cadence and Shining, took their daughter back, holding Flurry as close and tight as they dared. As the pair stared speechlessly at the being in front of them. There were truly, no words.
"By your word. . . and in your name." Derran intoned, his voice sounding older than the stars in the sky as he placed his right fist over his heart. Shining Armor, clutching his wife and foal, stared with Cadence at the bowing warrior. Then suddenly, they, and everypony else present, including a beaming Celestia and Luna, moved forward, to lock Derran in a vice-like embrace. Tears filling their eyes, as they greeted one who in turns, was now their lover, their brother, and above all, their friend. However, before he or anypony else could say a word, the voice of Celestia boomed out, as she released her embrace and turned to face the crowded screens above the cliff.
"PONIES OF EQUESTRIA!! ALLIES FROM LANDS DISTANT AND NEAR!! I PRESENT TO YOU, THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING OF EQUESTRIA!! DERRAN GRANDEL!!" Before Derran could even wipe the suddenly bewildered look from his face, Celestia and Luna, followed swiftly by a thousand watt grinning Twilight, moved to stand at his side. Rising from where he had been kneeling, Derran whirled around in the direction of the princesses, an angry rebuke upon his lips. That died the instant he finally became aware, of the hundreds of magic screens showing every corner of Equestria, each one filled with smiling and cheering faces.
Nudged none to subtly by Celestia, she whispered in his ear. "Go on my King, address your subjects." Derran at that moment, and for the first time he could recall in his life, genuinely hated Celestia. Trapped by her words, and unwilling to disappoint the obviously happy crowd, Derran settled for simply glaring at her out of the corner of his eye, as he stepped forward. Celestia simply smirked at him, and it did not help when the Doom Slayer, as he faded back into Derran's subconscious, gave out a parting shot.
+All you boss. I gave you your message, now you just gotta put the ol' 'Guardian of Equestria' spin on it!+ Had Derran had the ability, he would have thrown the Doom Slayer from the cliff in front of him, and bidden him a pleasant flight. Unfortunately, neither the universe at large, nor even the Light itself, was quite that accommodating. Concluding that, for the moment at least, there was nothing to be done but play along, Derran took a deep breath. If nothing else, he was going to do his best to make sure that no more would-be-tyrants would cause trouble for his ladies. So, in a booming voice, subtly enhanced by a spell from Twilight, Derran began.
"Children of the Seraphs! My name is Derran Grandel, and twelve hundred years ago, I swore a vow to Ladies Celestia and Luna! A vow that I would protect them, serve them, and ensure that the paradise known as Equestria, need never fear for its safety. . . . And it is because of that promise, that I must now offer you, my deepest apologies." At that, the many smiles in the projections above, turned to looks of confusion, as Derran took a knee, bowing his head before going on. "When Discord returned from the exile to which I sent him, and rained chaos upon the land. I was not there. When Sombra, a thousand torments upon his soul, enslaved the Crystal Empire, and then ripped it from reality for a thousand years. I was not there!" As he continued, Derran's voice trembled with self loathing, as tears appeared in his eyes. "When my beloved Luna, she who's kindness and beauty put the stars and moon to shame, weakened by loneliness and heartbreak was possessed by the vile wraith that is Nightmare Moon. I! WAS! NOT! THERE!" With a deep breath, Derran suddenly calmed, as he raised his head, and slowly got to his feet. "So many times did great champions rise to defend you, yet I, your Guardian, the one who swore most fervently to do so, was not among them. I was not there when you needed me. But. . . I am here now." He intoned.
"I cannot change the past, I cannot undo my failures, all I can do. . . is atone for them." Pulling his sword from the earth, Derran raised it and pointed it at the screens before him. "I speak now to all in this land and beyond, hear me! And listen well!" Across the world, every creature who could see Derran felt a chill, as he fixed them with a look of pure steel. "Equestria is a land of peace, of love, of friendship, and equality. If you come with kindness in your heart, if you seek companionship and safety, and to make a new life, then know you shall be welcomed. If you come in peace, regardless of the where or why, the seraphim and their children shall embrace you with open hooves, and loving hearts. However. . . ." Suddenly Derran's tone darkened, his voice like a rumble of distant thunder, as a look that froze the hearts of all who saw it, appeared on his face, instantly turning their blood to ice. "If you come seeking plunder. . . if you come bringing conflict and hatred, with greed and malice in your hearts. . . then you shall find me waiting!" For just an instant, Derran's eyes turned a bloody red, as waves of pure wrath flowed from his armored form, sending every creature who could see him cowering, as he finished. His voice a threatening hiss, as the shadows around him seemed to flicker like candle flames.
"And may the Light have mercy upon your souls. . . for I will not!"