Deep within the endless mindscape, shocks and explosions echoed out. A flurry of dark magic swarmed in all directions as the lone alicorn flew across through a neon blue sky and several twisted giant maroon-colored pillars. The blasts started like fireworks before condensing into arrows flying towards the target. A lone siren upon a bold pink jagged ground stood ready as they advanced closer.
Swinging out his falcata, he slashed through the first attack, dodged the second, and jumping clear over the third as both tore up the surrounding ground. His last move stabbed deep into the fourth one, exploding in the air. “Condense them better!” He was surprised as two more blasts came out of nowhere and crashed right into him. He dropped his blade and grabbed them both with his bare hands. His eyes glowed a bright maroon, and he crushed them.
However, things were far from over as through the bursting darkness of the blasts the alicorn charging in head first. He only had seconds to catch her and throw her to the ground. “Was that better?” she laughed.
“A better pony would have defeated me.”
She gave him a wicked smile. “I did! I shot seven dark arrows!” With that, the last arrow hit her target with a giant burst of darkness that covered them both. The siren pulled back, blinded. He fought back only to be tackled down.
As everything cleared, the siren smiled to see the alicorn baring his own falcata against his neck. “So close...”
“What do you mean--” she stopped upon feeling his ocarina-dagger digging into her armor. “So it’s a tie,” she frowned and pulled back her attack. She threw the falcata to the side as he retracted his weapon.
“You are getting very good, Twilight,” the siren laughed. “You’ve mastered the dark arrows much faster than I expected."
“Yeah, maybe I should move to more advance stuff already,” Twilight dropped, completely out of breath. She was so tired from this fight she didn’t even note herself sitting on his lap. “Come on, Cold Blue... I can handle more.”
“Right, right? However, the Dark Arrows are a fine starting point for anyone wanting to master dark magic. The more advanced stuff will come naturally when you learn to control the flow of dark magic,” he remarked the older scar on his neck.
“Cold Blue, I how many times do I have to say sorry for transforming into the Pale Mare so many times--" She stopped as he rubbed her face. It was at this point she noticed the jagged flesh of her cheek showing she nearly transformed again. She retracted her face and took in a deeper breath. Concentrating, the pale scales moved back under her eyepatch. “I'm sorry."
"Why? You weren't raving mad this time?" Cold Blue brought back his hand and rubbed her smooth furry cheek. He slid his hand down her cheek and to her neck.
Twilight often found herself recently unable to stop him during these times, taking the gesture with much care, rubbing her face back into his hand. "I... I don't want to rely on that monster."
“You can call it monster all you want, but that’s just it. You are afraid of your form when it’s purely natural.”
“Natural!!” Twilight fell off of Cold Blue now more annoyed than anything else. “That beast takes over my will and body without warning.”
“That beast is you and you are her. There is no other way to put it. And the only way to truly master all forms of dark magic is to stop fighting the monster inside you.” Cold Blue sat up.
“Now you sound like that, wendigo.” Twilight got up and summoned a table and chair to sit on it. She had tired of the ground.
“And that’s a problem, how?” Cold Blue almost sounded offended.
“He... well evil...”
“To whose perspective. Your perspective? Rex’s perspective? Starlight’s perspective? Silver Pear’s perspective? He’s certainly not evil to Blood Diamond or the other alicorns. Rather an obstacle that needs to be conquered.” Cold Blue stood up, throwing his arms out.
“I... don’t want to talk about it anymore.” She summoned two drinks for them and another chair for Cold Blue. The mindscape had many uses besides training. They could summon anything they like from the realm in any way they desired. “Let’s just rest...”
“Fine.” He narrowed his eyes at the sight of the simple juice in the glasses. “How long was this session?”
“I don’t know, twenty-two days, I think. Wow, a fight that long could be near to impossible in the real world.” Twilight couldn't help but stretch her body out pointlessly. They were within the mindscape. Their bodies were only being minorly affected by these bouts of magical strength.
“Not what I meant...” With a wave of his hand, the drinks changed to something else altogether.
Twilight stopped and picked up the glass. The glasses had got thinner, and the drink was a deep bright blue hue. "What is this?"
"Blue apple wine."
"Blue apples?" Twilight swung the drink around in confusion. "There no such thing as blue apples."
"Not in your time apparently..." Cold Blue lifted his glass more carefully. "Though they are pretty hard to find in this timeline, too. They grow on the highest points of the cliffs that hold up the Pegasus Isles."
"Isn't that land found directly above the Batpony Canyons?" Now Twilight sounded more interested.
"Yes, the batponies and pegasus have a strange relationship compared to the stuff I've seen in your memories of the future."
"Yeah, that was the biggest thing I noticed in this timeline." Twilight smiled brighter. "At the bar, there was this pegasus named Rainbow Dartz. Apparently, he was a soldier during the last war between the pegasus and batponies..." She stopped herself. "He saw many things during that fight."
Cold Blue raised an eyebrow at her words. Even after seeing many of her memories in this place, there were a few things more curious about Twilight than anything he could ever see in any warzone. "Tell me, before traveling with your student through all these timelines, what was your life like?"
"Certainly different from now. Such I fought tyrants and monsters alike before, but..." Her words got much quieter. "Things back then were much safer."
"I see..." Cold Blue knew he was touching a tender spot in Twilight's mind. "Here, eat." He presented food. The feast was small but familiar to Twilight.
"Hmm, fried cucumbers, egg salad... is that stone muffins from the land of the griffins."
"Huh, griffins eat them in your timeline. During this timeline, they are mostly eaten but cyclopes. However, I find their tough bread a perfect pairing with the greasy fried cucumbers." Cold Blue took a bite.
"Yeah, well, spoilers, the griffins have a war with the cyclopes a few hundred years before my timeline," Twilight laughed. "Apparently one of their leaders took off with a griffin trophy."
"Oh yes, never get between a griffin and their treasure. That stigma is still prominent in this timeline."
"I'm assuming this was made from a really excellent memory."
"Not really an excellent memory, but good food." Cold Blue feasted on some cucumbers.
"Not an excellent memory, huh..." Twilight was shocked by his quick dismissal of it. "I see..." She took in more food before finally questioning back, "You've seen a lot of my memories, but I've barely seen any of yours."
"Maybe if you refine your dark magic, I could show you..."
"No, memory spells have nothing to do with magic type. I know this better than most!" Twilight spoke up. "I've been in other's minds before. Celestia and Luna, some of my friends even."
"You use so much power on ones you consider allies and even friends," Cold Blue questioned back. "Do you use them on your enemies?"
"I... I... that would be wrong..." Twilight stopped herself. " I have my friends' trust."
"And what about your enemies?" Cold Blue threw up his hands. "Just how many could you had defeated by simply looking into their minds. Discord, Queen Chrysalis, even this King Sombra." Cold Blue threw up images of each of them. "They all had something important to them, from their powers to their pasts, presents, and futures!"
"What are you getting at?"
He brought up an image of Starlight. "You used information of her to stand against Blood Diamond, did you not?"
"Yes..."
"And yet here you are traveling through timeline after timeline and not using the rest of the stuff you've learned to your advantage." He brought up more images, from Starswirl to Rex, Clover and the many others she met through her travels.
"Enough!" Twilight threw up her hands in annoyance. "I just want to rest... now. We've been in this mindscape for a very long time."
"Clearly not as long as you realize..." Cold Blue looked away. "You don't respect the surrounding stuff, the power you have!"
"The power..." Twilight mumbled to herself. "Maybe you are right..."
Cold Blue was surprised by her acceptance of this. He calmed himself down and looked back over the meal. He dropped the images. "I'm sorry..."
"No, I'm the one that messed up--" she stopped as he held up his hand.
"Actually, we should be more clear with each other." He pointed to her. "I see your greatest weakness now. The power... you don't respect it."
"Respecting power. What are you talking about?" Twilight's raised an eyebrow back.
"Fine, you'll need an example," he waved his hand and images flowed above them. Twilight recognized it as memories forming. She was surprised, but glad he was willing to finally share. Cold Blue cleared his throat, "While this wasn't a wonderful memory for me at all… but it helped me in respecting power."
The images were faint at first, but quickly came into perspective. It revealed a mountain all too familiar, too many, as it really changed over the millennia. The place was common to both timelines. Known in Twilight's timeline as the macintosh hill where only the toughest ponies would travel. However, in this timeline, the place had a different name due to two things; first it more uniform appearance in the past that acted as a perfect buffer between the lush lands above to the deadly desert below.
Its second and most important difference gave its name the most meaning, for this was the realm of the mighty centaurs.
******
It happened it was three thousand years ago. Back then, immortal anomalies like Cold Blue and Rex had to go through two thousand years of training before they could go on assignments with the alicorns. It was harsh training all around, but it was worth it to stand among the immortal, god-like being known as the alicorns.
Cold Blue’s first assignment with Blood Diamond might have seemed minor at first. It was just a dinner party, after all. However, it would drastically change his perspective on many things from then on. Above all things, it would change his perspective on power. Who truly has it. And how to truly respect it.
The two arrived early within the highest mountain of the centaurs' homeland. Blood Diamond wasn't one to really show patience during missions he considered dire. And this was indeed going to be a tough mission. They were to meet with the king of the centaurs, the tyrannical King Ixion.
They entered the castle with a loud booming echo and took a seat at the table without even greeting the king of the castle. Sitting on an ivory throne forged from the horns and tusks of many minotaur and cyclopes alike, was the king of the centaur race.
King Ixion stood thirty feet tall with a dark, almost brownish-red upper half and bleak gray lower half. He was old, yet his form didn't show signs of weakness at first from his oversized muscles and heavy black mane and beard reaching to the ground. While his body showed proud vigor, his throne showed the opposite. His throne was old, ancient, as if he no longer cared to clean it. Instead, several smears caked the surface from top to bottom of varying colors and mold levels.
King Ixion smiled upon their arrival and greeted them loudly. "Come in, come in!! I had my slaves prepare a meal for you, but I was hoping to know you first.” He attempted to make formalities of Blood Diamond. The alicorn refused to answer, so the king pulled on a chain by his throne. “Don't be so cruel, her kind spent so much work on it.”
Cold Blue’s eyes filled with rage when he first caught sight of a hippogriff chained and beaten bloody. “What is going on here?” The siren was cut off completely by the smell, as it was just as intense. He was completely sickened. This would be involved in his first mission. However, Blood Diamond held his hand up before Cold Blue could draw his weapon.
“Please, King Ixion, remove your... wife from our sight so we can proceed with this mission unheeded.” Blood Diamond’s words only brought greater sickness to Cold Blue’s stomach. “There is no need to bargain. The alicorns have sent us to listen to your demands.”
“Good, very good.” Ixion whipped the chain across her face and she sleeked back into the shadows. The king waved his hands over the food, presenting it. “Take your fill while I get to the point. I desire the wastelands to the north.”
“The changelings will not give that up easily,” Blood Diamond concurred as he took a sip of the wine. He bit softly into the stone muffin. "Hmm, I see your griffin slaves haven't lost their touch."
As Twilight watched the memory play out, she couldn't help but notice the familiar offering of food. The same blue apple wine, the same stone muffins, and even similar fried cucumbers.
"Indeed, and the pegasus and batponies are proving to be just as useful..." King Ixion laughed. "However, the stock is running low for the nagas in the deserts."
"Well, they united with unicorns long before you came into power," Blood Diamond posed.
“Which is why I had the alicorns send for you. I believe the changeling hives will make a much finer replacement for those worthless snakes,” Ixion purposed.
“We thought we were here to propose something of our own not to be tossed around like a bargaining chip of your desires.” Blood Diamond put down the food and turned away. "We glad seek war for you but Golden Williams is better suited for negotiations."
"However, you of all alicorns are better suited for handling the changelings!" Ixion roared out in defiance. Blood Diamond ignored his word and stood up to leave. King Ixion's guards held up their weapons, blocking their exit. The king gave a wicked laugh, "Did you forget I know plenty about the alicorns."
"And?" Blood Diamond couldn't see the point.
"I fought on the front lines in the alicorn's wars with Realta, Grogar, and even Kray. I came into power here because the umbrums fell from grace and sirens sleeked back into their waters." Ixion held up his hand. His guards followed his command and brought their weapons closer. "I know exactly what you blasted immortals will do to keep the peace. Whether by bargains just like this or even... flat out genocide!" King Ixion stopped his words as Blood Diamond and Cold Blue were brought back to the table.
Blood Diamond faced the king and narrowed his eyes, deciding to change the agreements. “How about we stand by while you do the negotiations with them? We’ll play a bailiff of both sides to see who has a better right over the land.”
“That will not work!” King Ixion was quickly showing his annoyance. “I must have absolute control over them.”
"Ha! Control?” Blood Diamond laughed. “Are these chains controlling the hippogriffs?” he pointed to the chains leading to the wife in shadows. “Is that dirty, stinking, and disgusting boney throne keeping the minotaurs and the cyclopes under your control?”
“These are power!!” King Ixion struggled but finally stepped off his throne. He yanked on the chain, throwing the hippogriff mare to the ground. “Look at her, the daughter of a wasted kingdom merely a saddle to my loins.” He kicked her to the ground, and she reached for something in her pocket.
Cold Blue could barely contain himself from the first sighting. Seeing it again with these words tossed around her only pushed him to the very edge. The siren rushed forward and aimed his weapon at the king’s throat. However, Blood Diamond’s wing stopped him in place.
“Did we give you an order, soldier?” Blood Diamond’s wing through Cold Blue to the ground. “We are sorry that he overstepped himself.” Blood Diamond’s apology only shook Cold Blue even more. “It is his first mission after all.”
“Keep him in line next time or I will myself.”
“Fine, fine. Please know that his actions are not in line with the alicorns. We see nothing against your bride nor your moves towards the changeling. If you must seek war, then we will help you with an invasion, but that is as much as we can do.”
“Not the agreement I desired..." King Ixion took a moment to think before finally giving in. he sat back on his throne rather quickly and gave his answer. “However, I guess seeking war will keep those changelings in line next time. As long as the other alicorns stay out of my way.”
“Good, shall we go over the paperwork?” Blood Diamond bowed. Cold Blue used this moment to charge forward again, only Blood Diamond to knock him out completely.
******
The images faded, leaving Twilight just as sickened as Cold Blue was in that moment. However, as she looked upon Cold Blue now, this present version of him only confused her more. “Why? Why would you show me this?”
“You didn’t see it the first time just like I didn’t.” With a snap of his fingers, the images reminded. Cold Blue held out his hand and stopped the image upon the hippogriff mare once more. “Look closer and you see what I could only see after the fact.”
Twilight’s eyes stopped at the dagger in the hippogriff mare’s pocket. “What? How long was she holding that?
“Apparently the entire time.” Cold Blue brought the image closer. “It is known as an azoth dagger.”
“Wait, as in the magic stealer.”
“Well, it has more uses than that, but yes.” Cold Blue took the drink in his hand and sipped carefully. “Blood Diamond saw it the moment we entered the room. From then on he knew where the true power laid.”
“Are you saying she was going to kill that king?”
“No, the weapon was meant for herself. And in that lied the power.”
“Power, what kind of power is suicide?” Twilight threw out her hands, “Kill that monster!”
“And let all his kingdoms fall into chaos, killing millions more.” Cold Blue words struck Twilight back into her seat. “She has that knife because she knows could save herself and even ruin everything he built. Her death would show him to be a weak king and bring doubt from all his followers. For if he couldn't control his own wife, what control would he have over his kingdoms? She holds all the power.”
A new image of Blood Diamond appeared with the words. “Having power is a right! Whether by loyalty, rank, boundless magic prowess, or the desire to protect the ones you love. Power is a right that must be held in high regard and respect."
"If I were to save her, it would show her as the weak one, not him. His death would go down in glory while my actions would bring nothing but more shame and war to the alicorns.”
“Then why did she just end her life a long time ago?” Twilight questioned.
“Because luck was on her side.” He moved the image to King Ixion. “You still haven't noticed the biggest piece of all." He held the image of the king.
Slowly be surely Twilight came to realize the truth. "He... was dying..."
"Yes, dying for some time. It seems his several wars and bouts finally caught up with the false immortal. Her knife was the backup plan to humiliate him." Cold Blue brought the image back to the hippogriff mare and lower the screen to her gut. "However, she was also pregnant. Siring those children would be the only way to keep the kingdoms stable after his death. All she had to do was wait. Soon he would be dead and her children could rule in their place. Her power was in her will.”
“I... I see...” Twilight didn’t want to admit it, but he was right. However, she was still at a loss why he was showing her all of this. “I must understand. What does this have to do with me?”
“Everything but most of all your power.”
“What do you mean?”
Cold Blue removed the memory and played through Twilight's memories, “Much like her, you are chained down by responsibilities like teaching your student, Starlight, and returning home to your friends, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Spike. However, you also have a duty to yourself, much like her. To either continue this journey through war and darkness or end it all right now.” The azoth dagger appeared in his hands, this time just as real as the dinner platter.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“The biggest reason you haven’t refined your dark magic is that you are still in conflict with these choices.” He slid the knife to her. “I sense it every time we fight. You can’t choose between surviving until freedom is in your grasp or ending it all ever so quickly.” Water magic lifted the knife into her hand. “Denying that choice is you denying your power. Stop disrespecting that power and use it.”
Twilight took the azoth dagger and held it close. For a solid second, she nearly brought it to her chest. A second of thought almost told her to end it right now and stab herself. Another thought echoed out just as loudly, telling her to live until she was home. Both thoughts echoed back and forth as her hands fought with the knife, bringing it closer before pushing it away.
The more she fought the choices, the more her frustrations became louder in this mindscape. Cold Blue could hear every thought she was having. The roaring, the screaming, and even the crying. The truth was right in front of her. Twilight soon saw the chains that were over her mind move like the chains over the hippogriff mare. She pulled back, trying to fight them, trying her best to deny the realities that were always haunting her.
"Why not choose already?" She stopped at a voice. She looked to her left and jumped back at the sight of Fluttershy.
"Yes, dear, this is just too frantic," Rarity's voice echoed out as her image appeared to Twilight's right.
"Be truthful with yourself already?" Applejack's image answered behind Twilight.
"Stop overthinking it, egghead!" Rainbow Dash's image slapped her in the shoulder.
"Just let it out!!" Pinkie Pie cheered the loudest.
"Please, we will be happy with whatever choice you make..." Spike's compact form held her hands up.
Twilight was brought to complete tears by everything around her. She had made their image appeared many times in this realm and even imagined them in the real world just as much, if not more. However, never had their images felt so real until now. She couldn't help but tear up at this sight and these feeling.
"So, Twilight, have you made your choice?" Cold Blue waited patiently for her to answer.
Twilight's eyes fell upon the azoth dagger. She gripped it tightly. "I... I... I want to live!!" Twilight shouted proudly.
A bright light shined out and engulfed the weapon. "Good, then I didn't waste time on getting this." Cold Blue's voice did little to shock Twilight's touch more than the weapon changed shaped into something else.
Twilight stood up and held the new weapon up as the light faded. It was an icy blue dagger with a twisted ivy vine grip and a branch wrapped around the purple gem on the bottom. "This isn't a memory."
"Kind of, I have an ally in the mindscape who can forge memories into reality." Cold Blue waved his hand over it and its blade changed shape. "Its blade changes shape with the holder. A gift... for you."
"You want me to have this?" She questioned.
"Yes." He nodded back and stood up as the tables and food vanished. "You can't exactly keep training with me completely weaponless--" He was stopped, and she rushed in and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you."
"..." Cold Blue was now the one surprised. "You're welcome..."
The two found themselves unable to break the hug for a sold minute. Twilight was just glad to finally reached an impasse. She had made a tough decision in coming to the mindscape and an even tougher decision to trap herself here for several centuries. However, this decision had become her toughest by far and she never realized that she had been making it since the very beginning.
The road ahead was already hard. However, at this moment, she was just glad to have someone by her side. She could place what this feeling was, but she was simply glad to have Cold Blue right here with her.
******