It had been difficult to untangle the Athanatoi from their sticky prison, but it had been necessary to do so to be able to march them out of the Crystal Cave. However, untangle did not necessarily mean untangle with care or clean up. Twilight and Sunset removed just enough of the super sticky, bubble gum cake batter mix so that the other alicorns could stand and walk. The left over mass had a considerable amount of severed and violently yanked out hair in it. The moment they were free, Gauge had the guards stand ready with rune etched, cold iron spears and crossbow bolts. Considering how many of their brothers and sisters-in-arms had fallen to the monsters Gauge was not entirely sure he would do more than scold and berate the soldier with poor trigger discipline.
Luna had insisted on personally securing all four of their wings with enchanted chain and four leg prison irons. She had been especially rough with their application when it came to Scylla, tearing out several feathers as she cinched the chains down. It was unclear if they had regained their alicorn strength and flight capabilities while clamped under inhibitor rings, but it had been best not to leave anything to chance. Once the princesses were certain the prisoners were secure, Cadence had ordered her airship captain to prepare for dangerous cargo.
“It would be unwise and reckless for all our princesses to undergo the journey to Tartarus, or whatever is left of it,” said Isabella. “I understand that despite my objections that it will be necessary for most of you to go, considering the… cargo, but not all of you. Somepony must take control of the kingdom and be ready to answer the no doubt numerous questions that will inundate the crown now that the immediate danger has passed.”
“Clearly, I must go considering the door is locked and only I am capable of opening it.”
“I’m going,” said Sunset plainly. “This was my idea and I won’t send somepony else to the… I can’t believe I am about to say this, to the underworld, when I have no idea what they would be walking into.”
“Well, if you want me to choose, I elect that Princess Twilight stays. The others are more than capable of handling this and as high princess she is the most valuable to the nation... no offense.”
Twilight frowned at Isabella and was about to protest when Cadence raised a hoof to halt Twilight’s counter argument. The pink empress smiled warmly at Twilight, disarming her animosity.
“I’ll stay,” Cadence said. “As Empress of the Crystal Empire I am technically the next highest ranking princess in Equestria and while I am confident in my many skills, I think for this mission Flurry Heart would be a better choice. She has had far more experience hauling monsters on the cross country trip to Tartarus. Plus, let’s be honest, Twilight has easily done the most reading out of any of us on what it might be like down there.”
“Thank you, Cadence. Though everything I have read has all been fantasy, theory, or ancient lore. Maybe a nugget out of all it is true.”
Cadence leaned over to Twilight and whispered in her ear, “We all know you want to go where ever Sunset goes because you’re in love. I was just giving you another excuse, sweetie.”
“So, four alicorns, and a dozen guards,” commented Spike, beefy arms crossed, standing next to his wife, Smolder. “Got room for one more adventurer?”
“Ohhhh, no you don’t,” said Smolder, firmly. “You are going to be right there by Isabella and Cadence’s sides helping smooth over all the political shit storm this entire event is going to cause. Then, you will be home by tonight and be dealing with another shit storm in the form of your son. Got it?”
Spike sighed. “Yes, dear.”
Tempest Fury hobbled over to the gathered group of princesses and pointed back to the clearing. “I already have the guards named, they have their kits loaded and ready to move out. Just waiting on the airship crew to secure its landing and we’ll get these things loaded and be on our way.”
“Tempest,” commented Twilight with pleading eyes. “You need to stay here and rest.”
“Your Highness, I know you can pull rank and make that an order, but I am asking you as a friend to not do that to me. I am fit and capable of performing my duty and more than that I want to be there when these nags are dealt with. I owe my soldiers to see justice done.”
Twilight looked to Sunset for support. Sunset shrugged and turned to Gauge. “Honest opinion, Captain, is she capable of performing her duty and protecting Twilight to the best of her ability?”
Gauge snapped his hooves together and gave a crisp salute. “Captain Fury would give her life for Princess Twilight without hesitation and is more than capable of performing her duties and then some, Your Highness. If you wish a demonstration, please choose any soldier you see here and I will order them to attempt to subdue Captain Fury, but their chances of success are minimal, dare I say abysmal.”
Sunset shrugged. Twilight sighed, but nodded. Tempest flashed Gauge a small smile before returning to her stoic professionalism. The group turned their eyes to the sky as the airship's keel came close to the valley plateau without landing on the ground. Instead, a belly cargo door opened and a platform on chains lowered until it came to a rest. Sunset pointed towards the platform and with the help of some persuasion at the tip of a spear, the Athanaoi walked. It was starting to become unnerving that the four alicorns had not said a word since becoming captured and Sunset was starting to suspect they still had the ability to talk to one another even with their magic restrained. They had several hours before the ship would reach the outskirts of the prison and she planned to stay near the prisoners the entire time. Perhaps she could run a few subtle tests, just in case.
Carefully, the platform raised back to the inside of the ship with passengers, crew and cargo aboard. The belly doors to the cargo hold were sealed, the prisoners were secured in four separate cages in the primary hold, as far away from one another as they were capable of being. The soldiers moved to their assigned positions as the crew prepared for flight. The princesses moved to their assigned quarters, all except Sunset Shimmer who elected to remain in the hold with the prisoners. Twilight considered inviting her lover to join her in her room, but the fantasy died as Sunset stepped away and sat, turning her back to the others and glared at the Athanatoi. With nothing else to add, Twilight and the others left. After a few minutes, Sunset heard and felt the ship's lift engines engage and the sway and shudder of flight could be felt throughout the ship.
Gauge came down the steps with a crewpony, both carrying sealed pouches of standard guard MRE rations. Gauge passed out the sealed packs to his guards who had remained on duty in the hold and offered one to Sunset as well. “You should eat, there is no certainty when we will get to again.”
“I could go for something to eat,” said Epona, a too wide smile on her face.
“The only thing you would get to eat is my hoof, so don’t bother asking,” growled Sunset before accepting the military food pack from her captain.
“You know you don’t have to stay down here with us. Since this is one of Princess Cadence's ships I'm sure it has finer, luxurious accommodations.”
“Yes, I do," replied Sunset, a certain finality to the words. "They have taken too many lives. I refuse to take my eyes off of them until… whatever the hell we are supposed to do is done.” Gauge was not one to argue about the commitment to duty. He knew that honor bound call all too well. He was also certain it made his soldiers feel better knowing they were not alone with the monsters even if they were collared and chained.
“And what exactly are you planning to do with us, oh great and merciful, ‘Princess’ Sunset Shimmer?”
Sunset set her untouched meal pack down and approached Balius’s cage, careful to not get too close. They had thousands of years of experience on her and no doubt many tricks up their proverbial sleeves. His expression was once again one of boredom as if no matter what she said it would be too mundane and beneath him to take it seriously. It was one of those kind of expressions that sent shivers through Sunset’s core because she recalled herself making it many times to school instructors human and pony alike and even to Celestia in her youth. She waited until he stopped examining his cage and hoof to look at her. She wanted him to look her in the eye. Then, Sunset smiled her most unpleasant, condescending smile she had in her arsenal.
“I struck a bargain with Aine. I told her I would capture you alive in exchange for her taking the four of you from our world to somewhere else. Preferably another galaxy far, far away. But since I also can’t trust that she will be able to keep the four of you under control no matter how far away you are the first thing we have to do is erase your memories. All of them.”
“There is no spell or artifact strong enough in existence capable of doing such to us,” said Scylla with a hiss.
Sunset shrugged. “Actually, I came across an artifact a long time ago called the Memory Stone crafted by some evil sorceress or whatnot. It might have worked, but it was destroyed. So, we are going use something else.”
“I will die before I allow you to destroy my mind!” shouted Aethon from his corner, trying to rise up to smash the cage, but the chains held him down.
“Then you’ll die, by my sword.” Sunset turned to the red alicorn, her horn burning with red energy, eyes taking on a bright teal glow. “You killed innocents, foals in their mother’s embrace! Fathers! Brothers! Sisters! You killed my guards and damn near killed me, but worse than that, even worse than you helping kill my mother. You liked it. You laughed at my pain, at all of our pain, and for that you will be destroyed. One way or another.” Sunset let her magic fade and returned to the table to pick up her dried apple slices and munched on them.
Brother.
Yes?
Scylla stared at Balius while she sent her words to him. She was surprised that the suppression rings did not cut off their ability to telepathically speak. Perhaps it had to do with their elemental nature or because they were children of Aine. It could have even been something as simple as flaws in the power of their suppression rings that Scylla had no doubt were made by Mother.
We have to get out of this. What have you come up with?
I’m working on it, but right now I’m biding my time. Testing the limits of this profane clamp on my head. I assume you are doing the same?
Of course, fool! I’m giving myself a splitting headache trying to turn into cloud or vapor. Perhaps yours is more flawed than mine.
Balius turned to look at his other sister and sent, Epona, how goes your progress?
Epona cocked her head to the side. “Are you trying to talk to me?”
“I would rather introduce you to the many uses of duct tape than talk to you,” said Sunset, finishing her lunch.
Balius turned back to Scylla. Both coming to the same conclusion. Their brother and sister were completely cut off, but why not them? Upon closer examination of himself and his sister he noted nothing of merit except that they were both still filthy and covered in splotches of sticky cake goo. It was then that he looked closer at Scylla’s horn. There was gum cake on it.
Scylla, look at my horn. Is there some of that disgusting cake on it?
And in many other places, yes.
But what about Epona and Aethon? They both looked over to their angry brother attempting to pace his cage and failing because there was no room for him to pace. Then to their bubbly, pink sister. Despite her color they could see that the cake had not struck her in the face either.
Our rings do not have a perfect seal! Scylla smiled wickedly.
Something we can exploit.
“How long until we reach our destination?”
Sunset turned to Gauge. “By airship? At a guess, a few hours.”
“You should rest, my princess. We have no idea what awaits us and I would feel better knowing that you are at full strength.”
“I like how you worded that as a compliment while at the same time trying to get me to do what you want.”
Gauge smiled and shrugged and then gestured to the crude cot in the cargo hold with a standard issue military bed roll thrown out on top of it. Sunset stepped over to it and then looked back at her captain with an arched eyebrow.
“If you wish, I can try and steal a nicer mattress from somewhere else on the ship. You have but to give the order and it shall be done.”
Sunset rolled her eyes and lifted the bed roll before casting a sanitizing, harsh light spell to clean the cot's surface. She replaced the cover and climbed on, the springs and frame creaked in protest. “Can you imagine how many sailors have probably had sex on this thing?”
“Is that a statement or a request?”
Sunset arched an eyebrow again yet could not fight down the smirk on her face. “Getting a bit bold with how we talk to our princess, aren’t we?” Gauge’s smile grew wider and Sunset laughed before settling in and closing her eyes. "At least it's clean now. Oh, and thanks for the sleeping roll. I assume it's yours?"
"Anything for you, my princess." Gauge took up his guard position near Sunset’s head and turned to glare at the alicorns in their prisons. They in turn, glared back, Scylla pointing at her mouth as if she were about to vomit.
----------
Twilight stood on the deck of the ship near the bow, looking out over the horizon as fields and forest passed below. The crew of crystal ponies moved about and performed their jobs without needing to bother the ruler. In a small way, she wished they had. Twilight felt as if she were drowning in her own thoughts and could feel she was on the edge of a panic attack. Normally, in such situations she would turn to Spike or Isabella or if no one else was available she would lock herself in her lab and ride it out until she calmed down. None of those options were available. So much had happened in such a short amount of time and she was having difficultly processing it all. Twilight quickly sat down before she could stumble and embarrass herself in front of the guards and crew.
“And you say I’m the one that needs rest.” Twilight wanted to chuckle, but it came out more like a sob. Thankfully, a quiet one that only Tempest heard. She sat at Twilight’s side and removed her helmet, securing it. When she looked up into Twilight’s glassy eyes and slight body shivers the guard captain knew immediately what was going on. She had seen it before in her princess and her soldiers alike. “Hey, it’s okay, I’m here. Talk it out to me. If that’s not good enough I’ll go get Sunset and I-”
“No, please stay.” Twilight swallowed and took two more deep breaths to calm her racing heart. “How do you do it? How do you shoulder all your responsibility with no friends or family or anypony close? You take your duty head on and take the death and destruction in stride like it was just another Tuesday. I’ve had years, decades of practice at this and yet... I’ve ruled Equestria for a century and every day still feels like it is crushing me like it is my first day on the job… without my friends.”
“With respect, let me ask you this first, are you still trying to compare yourself and your rule to Celestia’s?”
Twilight bobbed her head back and forth a bit. “Well, she did set the bar pretty high and I was her former student and friend…” Twilight’s thoughts ground to a halt again. “I’ve lost another friend. More than that. She was a mentor, like a second mother.”
Tempest nodded. “Going to be hard on a lot of ponies once the news spreads across the land. Lots of tears. But none from me.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’d rather shed my tears on my lost soldiers or for their families. You say I have no family, no friends? Damn, Twilight, I thought you knew me better than that. Sure, I was an only foal and my parents are gone, but you are my friend and the guard is my family. Celestia, for me, was more like this unknowable, unobtainable idea that was just too big to really get my head around. That is, until I did and maybe you have a hard time seeing it, but she was flawed. Terribly flawed.
"Without knowing the whole story I’m sure more than half of Sunset’s attitude problems stem from her relationship with her mother. So, sure, I’m sad she’s gone, but no tears from me. Where on the other hoof, I can tell you the name, rank, and spouse, if they had one, of every soldier I have lost over the last few days because of those things in the hold. Gauge and I have already started writing out letters to their families, our true, heart felt apologies. And that, Your Highness, is where my tears will fall, as I personally deliver those letters to their families.”
Twilight nodded, her breathing finally coming under control, purple eyes opening and looking down at the vermilion unicorn, white and pink mane blowing in the breeze. Green eyes met purple and they both smiled.
“I’m sorry I said you had no friends or family. I was rambling, stuck inside my own head.”
“Eh, it’s the carefully crafted image I sell to most of my subordinates and onlookers. That's how I want it. As far as you, I just hope Sunset knows what she getting into with the coronation to become your co-ruler and your lover.” Twilight squeaked, face going bright red with blush. “What? Did you honestly think I didn’t know? You do realize that on a normal day, which we have not had lately, but I digress. On a normal day I can’t get to bed until I know exactly where you are and who you are with so that I know you are safe and secure. But last night, I had the BEST sex of my life because I knew you were okay. I knew you were safe and could finally just completely cut loose and it was sooooo good. Seriously, the BEST. Afterwards, we even talk a bit about you and Sunset and what it will all mean as far as our jobs, which may sound like terrible cuddling pillow talk to most, but I guess we just love our jobs that much. Fell asleep in Fog's embrace like that. Plus, he made me coffee, which I think is code for he had a good time too. So, from one friend to another, thank you.”
Twilight finally let out a giggle and wrapped a wing around Tempest for a quick hug before sighing. “Thank you, I needed that.”
“I knew you did.”
“And congratulations. I’m happy for you and Gauge.”
Tempest slid her helmet back on and gave a shrug that was adorably similar to one Gauge liked to give. “Yeah, well, we’ll see if it works out. I know he said he loved me, but that could have been the endorphins talking. I hope it does because, seriously, wow! He is good and, yes, I… I feel like could be happy waking up next to him every day.”
Twilight smiled, her eyes drifting to the doors that led to the cargo hold. “I know what you mean.”
----------
Sunset awoke from her nap with a jolt, rolling off the cot and back to her hooves, horn bursting to red light as her bleary mind conjured a simple defensive spell. It took her logic brain a moment to catch up with the sensations of an unfamiliar location. Gauge and Luna had both raised their hooves defensively and the glow to Sunset’s horn subsided.
“Be at peace, niece. We have arrived, or at least, as close as we can get by airship.”
“Is there a problem?” asked Sunset, her eyes shifting back to the alicorns in their cages.
“You’ll see in a moment.”
Once the ship was secure in its loading/unloading position, the cargo platform lowered the crew, passengers, and prisoners to the ground. Twilight gasped at the sight of landscape.
Sunset let out a long whistle. “What the hell happened here?”
“This… The entire mountain… and the surrounding mountains. They’re all gone?!”
“Well, duh.” Twilight glared at the pink alicorn behind her. “I’m just saying, we helped shape the world, did you really think we did that without being able to blow stuff up from time to time? I mean, technically the mountain is still here, it’s just here, and there, and there, and waaaaaaay over there too!”
“You can stop talking anytime you like, Epona,” growled Scylla.
“Seriously, you can gag her. We won’t mind,” added Balius with a nod.
“Awww.”
“Well, since you were already here and I no longer recognize the landscape you four can lead the way and if it starts to feel like you are just stalling for time or trying to lead us to a pitfall,” Twilight paused to point at Luna and Sunset. “I’m sure they would gladly jog your memory.”
“I want to see if I can knock another tooth out.”
Scylla growled at Sunset, her jaw still throbbing from the earlier damage. “Follow me.” Balius! We are running out of time!
I am trying something very precise here, but it will still take time. Just walk slow, stumble, pretend you feel light headed!
Scylla slipped on a rock she had not been watching for and fell forward, smashing her knee into a boulder and cutting her leg open. The dark alicorn hissed and whimpered at the pain of being so vulnerable. She had not planned to stumble that badly. Luna glared down at her, tempted to kick her tormenter, but instead just lifted Scylla in a small levitation field and shoved her forward.
The walk across the loose, uneven terrain was slow and tedious, but eventually brought them to a crater that the sand had turned to glass and granite pieces had melted and fused together. In the center was massive boulder that looked surprisingly untouched. Twilight scanned the rim of the crater, but saw no safe way to enter.
“Allow me, Aunt Twilight.” Flurry pointed her horn at the ground and began reshaping the rock and soil into steps that were wide and gradual enough that no pony or prisoner would accidentally trip and fall. Slowly, the entourage with the prisoners in the middle, made their way to the crater floor.
Sunset felt a chill run down her spine that had nothing to do with the air temperature. The air felt thick, heavy with an acidic odor not unlike an active caldera. More than that it smelled... off. Sunset stopped when her hoof connected with what she first thought was a rock. When Sunset looked down she tapped the rock again, but it felt… hollow. Curiosity got the better of her and she dug some of the hardened soil away with her magic until she revealed enough of the object. Sunset screamed and jumped back, dropping what remained of the pony skull back to the ground. Her glowing red eyes burned brightly as she seethed with disgust and anger.
“What?” said Balius with a small smirk, “Never seen a dead necromancer before? Because that’s who it was. You’re welcome.”
“You… destroyed Tartarus with all the prisoners still inside?!” Twilight said, her jaw hanging open.
“And?”
“That’s not justice, it’s just slaughter!" Twilight continued, "What about all the dangerous creatures? What about Cerberus?”
“The caged creatures died, but my little puppy escaped. No doubt running amok not far from here,” said Scylla gesturing about. “I may be a monster, but even I do not like to destroy my own favorite creations when they still may have use.”
Twilight shook her head. “Wait, YOU created Cerberus?”
Scylla smirked and bowed her head. “Long ago. He had no name then. The ones that broke him and forced him to be your pitiful little guard beast of the gate bestowed upon him that name. A shame really. It was always fun to watch him eat three ponies at a time. Oh! The sounds of their screams were… orgasmic.”
“Luna,” Sunset said through clenched teeth, “please find out how to open the gate so we can rid the world of these things.”
Luna snorted her own disgust. She carefully approached the smooth stone face that most resembled a door shape. The rest of the boulder was simply craggy rock that eventually met the earth. Twilight also approached while Sunset and Flurry remained with the guards and ship crew near the prisoners. After a few minutes of inspecting, Twilight used a careful blast of air to dust the bas relief. She did not recognize many of the glyphs or symbols, but there was no mistaking the mark that was a crescent moon identical to Luna’s cutie mark.
“Here. I think you insert your horn here.” Luna stepped next to Twilight and placed her hoof upon the carvings and closed her eyes.
“I do not detect any traps, however I sense… power. Ancient power.” Luna squinted hard. “There is… something else. Deeper, as if beneath the initial layer... a darkness, decay, death. Perhaps it is some sort of warning or means of dissuading travels to the other side, but... I... I admit it makes me feel uneasy. I do not wish to open this door.”
“Aunt Luna, we have to. We have no other means of securing them,” Sunset sighed. She hated what she was about to say and swallowed the bile taste in her mouth. As her mother use to say sometimes before entering court, time pony up and be a princess. “We have no other choice. Please open the door, or I will make it a royal decree.”
Luna scowled, but nodded. With a calming breath, Luna inserted her horn in the hole and sent a small pulse of magic. The crescent moon took on a light bluish glow followed by more of the symbols on the relief carving. After the light reached the top of the rockface it allowed Luna to remove her horn and the section of wall slid down into the ground, revealing a set of stairs that descended into darkness.
“Luna and I will go first. Then the prisoners, then Twilight and Flurry. It’s probably best if everypony else stays up here.”
“I don’t think so, Your Highness,” said Tempest with Gauge giving Sunset an equally defiant look. “You want to lead, sure, Luna by your side, absolutely. But Captain Gauge and I will be between you and the prisoners all the way down to where ever that leads. You don’t like it, fire me when we get back, but there is no way I am letting those things near your unprotected backs in a narrow, dark hallway that supposedly leads to the land of the dead.”
Gauge shrugged. “What she said, my princess.” Sunset sighed and smirked gesturing for the two captains to take their positions.
Twilight paused to touch the shoulder of the airship captain. “Have your crew set camp here. If we are gone longer that there is light in the day and the sun won’t set on its own, contact Princess Cadence immediately.” The captain and crew saluted Twilight, quickly moving to retrieve camp supplies. With one last nod to each other, the group led the prisoners down the stairs.
The stairway cavern was dark, nearly impossible to see lit only by unicorn and alicorn horn light. The walls were smooth, too smooth to be natural, but there were no signs of tool marks or earth pony hooves. Just smooth, black rock that seemed to absorb all light, leaving only mat darkness. After several minutes of the only sound being hooves clomping on stone, Tempest finally voiced what they were all thinking.
“Where are we going and how deep is this hole?”
“It’s called the ‘Underworld’ for a reason.”
Luna turned back and glared at Scylla, who looked far too smug for her liking. “Watch them closely, I do not like any of this situation.”
“Everypony dim your lights. I think I see a light up ahead,” said Twilight from the back of the formation. Sunset and Luna reduced the lights on their horns and to their equal surprise, they could see that the stairs were indeed leveling off. In the distance, around one last curve there was a faint glow coming from below.
“Be on your guard. If mother went through this much effort to secure the location there is bound to be additional security,” said Luna. Sunset summoned her sword and held it close. The golden glowing blade providing all the light they needed so that the others could ready spells if needed.
The composition of the stone had changed as the stairs leveled off. The soil was just as dark as before, but seemed to absorb the sound of the hoofsteps more, loose pea gravel crunching then gave way to moss covered soil of all things. Sunset could hear the sound of running water, perhaps even a waterfall echoing in the distance. At the base of the stairs was an arch of massive thick stone that obscured the view until the pony was standing directly before it. With only a small hesitation, Luna and Sunset passed through the arch together.
They felt the change the moment they passed through the arch, especially Sunset, who was familiar with the sensation of interdimensional travel. There was no corridor of light or twisting and reforming of her body, but she knew they had just passed through a portal of some sort. The implications of that were... disturbing.
The cavern reminded Sunset of Carlsbad Caverns or the Reed Flute Cave she had seen. Massive pillars of stone holding the high ceiling where thousands of stalactites hung from above and just and many stalagmites rose from the ground and surrounding puddles. The entrance cavern was lit by ambient mage lights that were floating both high and low, but most of the light was coming from something beyond extraordinary.
In the distance, across the craggy and moss covered plateau was what could only be described as a city. It was large, but not a bustling metropolis like Manehatten or Fillydelphia. The walls from what Sunset could discern from a distance seemed to be made of some sort of yellow sandstone and gave off the glow that lit the rest of the underground space. Most notable, however was that the entire city, and most likely beyond what they could see was surrounded by water.
“Long… has it been… since I have heard the hoof steps of a living creature… in this place.”
The entire group stopped moving and horns and weapons were raised to defensive positions. Sunset scanned the numerous hiding places and determined that if it was an enemy hiding there, there was no way they could defend against such a well designed ambush. She had seen enough movies and played enough games to know what a horrible ‘kill box’ they had just walked into. However, no attack came. Rustling movement near the water’s edge caught her sharp vision and Sunset raised her sword defensively.
“The door was sealed,” the indistinguishable voice spoke, “sealed long ago by the crafter of the world beyond. How is it you came to open it?” From the shadows a figure stepped into the light, pony shaped but hidden under a full body, faded black cloak that completely hid their face.
“I swear, my head is going to explode from cliché overload.”
“Ah, I see all of you now.” The figure stopped and stood perfectly still. “Well, if your head were to in fact explode, Sunset Shimmer, daughter of Celestia and Sombra, you are in the perfect place for it. Your journey to rest would be a short one.”
“How do you know who I am?” Sunset growled, her magic grip on her sword tightening.
“Now that I see you, I know you. I know all of you.”
“And who exactly are you?”
“I have many names, Tempest Fury, daughter of Blue Turquoise and Strong Bow. Would you like me to name them off? We could be here a while.”
Balius began to back pedal stepping into Flurry who shoved him off of her. Twilight was surprised to see such fear in his eyes. “This was a mistake. All of it. We need to get out of here and reseal that door now!”
The cloaked figure let out a laugh that sent chills down every creature’s spine. “Oh, Balius, son of Aine, that door was not there to keep me in. It was erected to keep troublemakers like you out. Long ago, before the founding of modern Equestria, creatures of all types had been allowed to beg before the guardian beast and brave the grand stairway so that they may attempt to speak to their dearly departed by standing right here, upon the banks of the river. Some, would even choose to cross. Those that did of course never returned. No soul may return once across the river. That is my rule and many a necromancer and warlock has tried to circumvent it. One, nearly succeeded. A sorceress who had visited me often, she brought me many sacrificial gifts to barter for information and my time. In the end, she was using me as a means to try and gain the power that lies within the city.”
“Souls.”
“Yes, Luna, daughter of Aine and Portho, souls and the near endless magical power they can produce. So, I banished her, and erected the door. Aine then placed a seal upon it from the other side.”
Luna shook, her jaw hanging open. “You… you know my father’s name?”
“I knew him and so did you.”
“Sadly, you are mistaken. Mother refused to speak of my father and kept Celestia and I mostly to herself until we were older. It would be a lie to say I do not resent that, but it was long ago.” Even through the cloak, Sunset had the impression that the figure was smiling. A shift in the way they were standing and how the body contoured under the opaque fabric. It raised one hoof and Sunset could see that the entire leg was black as well.
“Oh, she tried, but your father was more persistent and clever than Celestia’s. Alogo gave up after a little while, but not Portho. He tracked Aine down after she moved away to birth you. He grew a beard, changed his mane style, and only approached when he knew she was busy with others or Celestia. He would make small talk with you, sometimes giving you a flower, usually an orchid.” From the upturned hoof came a purple magical glow that formed into an image of a dark blue stallion with dark brown mane and dark brown eyes. “Your soul has suffered much from your mother by not knowing this one small detail of who you are. Scales should be evened. Consider this an apology and a gift that I can grant.”
Luna slowly approached and examined the image more closely. It had been so long since those days in the village of Trot. A fire, time, and nature left the settlement abandoned and It was nearly impossible to even find where the village had once stood on a modern map. But as she dug through long buried memories and gazed upon the kind face. Luna could hear him, the gentle baritone voice asking how she was and if she had enough to eat. He never gave his name, just another merchant that would sell his wares and move on only to return a few weeks later. Luna began to shake and soon sobbed uncontrollably, falling to her knees. The image faded and the cloaked figure took a step back as Sunset came to sit next to her aunt, quickly wrapped herself in her niece’s embrace. Luna sobbed for another minute before finally nodding her thanks to Sunset and standing again.
“Thank you.”
“Do not thank that thing!” shouted Balius, earning him another hard shove from Flurry Heart. “Do you not realize what that is?!”
Sunset nodded and scowled at the Athanatoi, her gaze falling next upon the group that had followed her, to where they were, and then back to the cloaked figure. “I know who he is. He's the keeper of souls, the Grim Reaper. He’s Death and Aine’s brother.”
The figure bowed deeply with flair, then stood and pulled the hood back. Twilight and Flurry Heart both screamed at the face he had revealed.
“Y, Y, You’re not him!” Twilight growled in a high, fear laced voice, her horn taking on a burning magenta glow. “You are a monster wearing his face. Change it!”
“D, D, Daddy?”
The cloaked pony smiled pleasantly, nodding his head again. Despite the black leg and hoof Sunset had seen earlier, the stallion now standing before her had a pristine white coat and charming, gentle and yet masculine face with two-toned blue mane that fell about in a playfully alluring way. The only thing that was wrong were the eyes. His eyes had been blue, not a black on black pit of nothingness. While she had never seen him as a pony, Sunset knew the human counterpart extremely well and immediately connected the dots of what she was seeing and Twilight and Flurry’s reactions.
“Shining Armor,” said Sunset, her face scowling.
“Change your face!” shouted Twilight again, taking up a position to unleash a bolt of energy.
Death simply blinked, making no reaction to her threat. “No.”
Twilight, unleashed a bolt that the fake Shining Armor caught with his hoof and then discharged into ground. He dusted off his cloak and bowed slightly.
“Be at peace, Twilight Sparkle, daughter of Twilight Velvet and Night Light. You cannot harm me and I would not see you harmed or this place damaged. However, understand that you are in my domain and will play by my rules. I will wear whatever face I choose. In all honesty, your brother was quite handsome, and so I am choosing him because I feel like it. The discomfort will keep you alert.”
“You’re an asshole,” said Sunset, glancing back to Twilight and gesturing for her to calm down. After she wiped a few tears away, she nodded and tried to focus on her breathing.
Death shrugged. “Since we appear to be at the end of the pleasantries, let us move on to why you have gone to such great lengths to bring me the Athanatoi in chains. If they are to be sacrifices in exchange for those they have killed I’m afraid I do not do that sort of thing anymore. As I said, no soul may leave once they have crossed the river and most would rather not anyhow. After all, beyond these waters lies final rest. Some call it paradise, others, a gilded prison. Regardless of perspective, it IS the final destination of all.”
Sunset looked to the others, but their own silent expressions all reached the same consensus, ‘this was your idea, you talk to him’. With another deep breath, Sunset stepped forward. Closer to the keeper of souls than she was really comfortable being, but needed him to know she was serious and to pretend she was not terrified. If he saw her legs shaking, he was gracious enough not to point it out.
“Touch me not, Sunset Shimmer, a single touch from my hoof and you will drop dead no matter how many centuries you have left. Only my siblings have the power to embrace me… well, that’s a partial lie. One other has done so, but she is already dead.”
“Uhh, okay, anyhow. I was just going to say I made a deal with your sister, my grandmother, Aine. If we captured the four mules over there and brought them here to have their memories erased, she would not wipe out the world to protect The Well. So, we need them to drink from the River of Forgetfulness and then she will take them from here and…” Sunset trailed off before revealing the last of the bargain. She suddenly remembered playing poker with her friends and how Applejack had warned Fluttershy and Twi to never reveal all their cards. That game had been for fun, they had even used Skittles instead of money. Now, she was at the high rollers table and some part of Sunset’s subconscious was yelling at her to not tell Death she demanded her mother leave the planet forever.
Of all the things Sunset had expected she was not ready to hear Death give a full body, bellowing cackle. It just seemed... wrong. Like, walking in on your parents have really wild, kinky sex in the living room kind of wrong.
When he finally settled, he stood back up and smiled a tooth grin at Sunset. “Thank you, grandniece, I have not had a good laugh in some time.”
“Would you care to let any of the rest of us in on the joke, Lord Death?”
“A laugh at my sister’s expense, Fog Gauge, son of Satin Cloud and Speed Sparrow. It would be too difficult to explain. Let’s just say you had to know my sister better.”
“Why do you answer with our full names and parents?” asked Sunset, the curiosity getting the better of her.
“An old habit of honor from a time long ago. Pay little attention to it. Anyhow, the process you seek is quite simple. Have them step forward. Dip their heads to the water here and make them drink. It must be two full gulps of water. This is crucial to what you are trying to accomplish.
“You must understand, when a soul is brought to the city they must cross the river. Being that they are already freed from their mortal forms they are given three options. First, they can pass as they are. They may explore the city, relax, catch up with old friends and family. They can appear young or old, what ever makes them most comfortable. The soul is malleable like that. Most importantly, they have all their memories intact. For many, this fine, but as the old saying goes, ‘ignorance is bliss’.
“So, as an option they have the choice to drink from the river. By doing so it will erase all the bad memories. Every terrible day, regretful sentiment, all the sins, washed away as if they had never happened. If that is not enough, they have the choice to meet the final end without lingering about for others. This is the choice the lonely choose. By taking the second gulp they lose all their memories and suffer a complete amnesia. These souls are then guided to the Well at the center of the city. They jump in and they returned to the great cosmic cycle. Their souls are broken down and mixed with all the others that came before and will ever be, no individual remains.”
“But my mother always called the soul immortal. The only thing that was truly ours even after we die. What you are saying is that you just throw us in a melting pot and we’re gone?”
“It’s more complicated than that, Flurry Heart, daughter of Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor. Each soul is unique, like a snowflake. But just like a snow flake, it is melted down into runoff, into a river, and then back to the clouds to be made anew. When a new creature is born, as they draw that first breath of life, the world itself bestows upon them a single unseen nugget of magic. The tiniest seed of energy directly from the Well of Souls. All of you are built upon those that came before, a foundation for which to create yourselves. Of all the things my sister fought to achieve, this cyclical process is the most complex and the most worth protecting. A magnificent work of art that I gladly protect and preserve.”
“But we don’t have souls!” shouted Scylla. “If you wash us away then we will become nothing! It is the same thing as killing us!”
“You are not entering the Well, that, after all is what you wanted. To steal the power and consume that which is most precious. No, you will be fine right here at the river's edge.” Death stepped back and gestured. “You may proceed.”
Sunset turned back to the Athanatoi and her horn lit up, the red magic glow surrounded Aethon’s chains. The red alicorn struggled in vain as he was dragged telekinetically towards Sunset Shimmer. “This one’s mine.”
Luna, her horn taking on a glow as well, pulled Scylla forward in a similar fashion and she put up a similar futile resistance as her hooves gouged ruts into the moss and soil.
“Balius!”
The aquamarine alicorn just scowled and growled as Twilight shoved him forward. In contrast, Flurry did not have to do anything to Epona. The pink alicorn just hopped and skipped over to the water’s edge.
“Epona!” Scylla shouted. “What are you doing you idiot! Fight back!”
“Eh, we’re boned, so why fight it?” Epona shrugged. “Hey, don’t be so glum, we had a good run and to be honest, forgetting some of the bad things I’ve done might be a blessing.” Without another word, the pink alicorn submerged her head in the water, probably more than what was necessary. A moment later she reemerged to gasp for air. Everyone present watched and waited for what would happen next.
Epona blinked a few times and on the last blink, her red eyes turned blue. A huge grin spread across her face and she started to bounce, but then suddenly realized she was in chains.
“Um, so, hi every… whatever you… or I am. Wow, this place sure is dark. I bet it’s… hmm… nope, never mind. Forgot what I was going to say.”
“It worked,” said Twilight with astonishment.
“Barbaric mortal maggots! You killed my sister!” shouted Scylla, trying to thrash out of her bonds. She looked directly at her brother. BALIUS!
I’m almost through! Just give me a few more minutes!
“We do not have a few minutes!” Scylla realized she had spoken out loud, but none of their captors seemed to be alarmed by it.
Sunset seized Aethon around the neck and began pushing him down towards the water. He struggled and attempted to thrash and kick. Sunset’s horn lit again, taking his legs out as she wrestled his head into the water. She held his face submerged, keeping a hoof on his throat to feel if he was taking it in. Finally, she pulled him up with a telekinetic water bubble over his muzzle.
“Take care to not get the water on you. While I have never tested it, your skin would absorb some of the water just as well as your mouth.”
“Good to know,” Sunset growled. After Aethon’s eyes began to roll back in his head, she finally released the water and sent it back into the river. The red alicorn coughed and hacked the water from his lungs, stumbling about and tripping over his own chains. After a few more shuddering coughs the orange glow left Aethon’s eyes and they became a soft brown color.
“Where, where am I? Am I dead?” Aethon rolled over, eyes wide with fear. “Who are you?”
“Two for two,” commented Tempest, gesturing for Aethon to come sit next to Epona. He scrambled to her side and curled in on himself. Epona started to play with his mane like a cat with a string.
Luna pulled Scylla up to the riverbank.
“You will never be rid of me, Luna! Even if I forget you, you will never forget me! I will haunt your soul for eternity! You will never be clean, never be free from my imprint!”
“If that is the price I must pay, the burden I must carry so that no pony is ever plagued by your nightmares again then I gladly pay it. Now, shut up and drink or I will make you!” Luna kicked out Scylla’s legs and tripped the black alicorn sending her face first into the water. Carefully, Luna placed a hoof on the back of her nightmare’s neck and held her to the mud and water.
“Mistress,” Gauge finally said after Scylla stopped thrashing and her black coat lightened to a cerulean color. “I believe that is enough.” Luna nodded, and pulled Scylla from the water, tossing her into Tempest’s waiting magical field, to have her sit with the others. Scylla’s eyes now had round pupil and were the color of gold, wide with fear and child like horror.
Sunset touched her aunt’s armored shoulder guard and Luna nodded in understanding. It was time to let go. Luna approached the shivering Scylla who was on the brink of tears from fear. She even jumped when Luna leaned down to look her in the face.
“W, what is going on? Where am I?”
“I asked the same thing!”
Luna ignored Epona. “Be at ease, all of you. You are safe and no further harm will come to you.”
“Why are we in these… what are these called?”
“You are chained to keep you safe. You were… unwell in the head for some time. Once we are out of the cave I will personally set you free. You have my oath.”
“O, okay. Thank you… who are you?” Luna smiled warmly, but did not reply.
Twilight pushed Balius forward. She was about to order him to drink in a similarly threatening manner when a voice cried out that could be heard across the entire cavern.
“TWIIIIIIILIIIIGHT!!!!”
Death rolled his eyes and sighed. “Oh, great. HER.”
Both Twilight and Sunset’s ears twitched. No matter how many centuries would pass, no matter how many long days or tiresome nights were ahead, they would never forget the sound of that voice.
“Over here you guys! I told you I was picking up on a doosie!” Twilight looked across the river to the city shore. In the distance, was a small pink pony bouncing and waving with a huge grin on her face. She was younger, appearing as Twilight remembered her best during the greatest years of her life in Ponyville.
Twilight choked on her breath and felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. “Pinkie Pie!”
Death sighed again. “That one is unique beyond all measure. I do not know how she does it, but somehow I have found her across the bank and giving me hugs because she said I looked, ‘moody’. Then when I go to return her, she is gone and back on the Elysium shore.” Death eyed Balius who flinched and stepped back. “I am blaming you and your siblings on my lack of peace and quiet.”
While Pinkie continued to bounce, another pony came up behind her, then another, then another. Sunset had to hold out a hoof so that Twilight would not accidentally walk into the water to get a better look at the group that was forming. With each nostalgic face Twilight felt another tear roll down her cheeks. There, standing on the shores of Elysium were her friends and loved ones, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and even Starlight Glimmer.
“We love you Twilight!” Pinkie shouted as the others giggled and waved. “Oh, and your new marefriend is HOT!” Sunset snorted and Twilight laughed and cried at the same time, her face going red as Pinkie began mimicking a particularly lewd thrusting gesture.
Epona laughed. “Hehehehe! I like her!”
Sunset stopped laughing, her breath hitching as another pony came into view, taller than all the rest. She felt her knees grow weak and her lip began to quiver, tears welling up in her own eyes. Sunset glanced over to Twilight, who looked just as awestruck. Twilight’s friends parted and allowed Celestia to stand at the edge of the shore, looking on with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.
Then, Sunset felt her heart stop. Another pony, almost as tall as Celestia came to stand to her left. His coat was a muted earth umber color, eyes as green as emeralds and mane black and handsomely styled. The unicorn said something to Celestia and she nodded. Those emerald orbs locked on Sunset and she knew, in her head and in her heart, she was looking at her father.
Sunset turned to Death, tears streaming down her face. “H, how?”
Death smiled warmly. “I found him adrift. A lost, shining light from a dead universe. He was making no effort to defend himself as astral horrors tore him apart over and over again. When I asked why he choose to allow such suffering he simply said, ‘penance’. I had no idea how long he had been tortured, but as a reward for such willingness to suffer for his sins I brought him here. I had no idea at the time that he knew your mother. Sometimes, Fate is quirky that way.” Death tapped the ground and the shore began to reshape into a narrow bridge with no guardrail, wide enough for only a single individual to walk upon. A similar bridge, but twice as wide also began to extend from the shore of the city. They stopped near the middle of the river, but did not meet.
“You have suffered much in your life at the hooves of those that have used you for a tool, Ignis Ferrum Incarnate. My brothers and sisters often forget how important the little things are to the mortals that they use and discard. I grant you this one boon to balance the scales, grandniece. A chance to say goodbye. You have five minutes, use them wisely.”
Sunset nodded and carefully strode out onto the bridge. It was solid and sturdy, but still felt uncomfortably close to the the treacherous water with no room for slip error. With some encouragement, Celestia and Sombra stepped out onto their platform as well. When they reached the end, both bridges still had more than a ten meter gap, but was more than close enough to see and speak clearly.
The first and most obvious difference was that Celestia’s hair was now all pink instead of three colors, similar to what Sunset had seen in ancient manuscript illuminations of her mother. Sombra was similar to the monster she had seen in the in between, but now appeared like a normal pony and extremely handsome at that. They each just stared at one another until Sunset could not stand the awe induced silence anymore. She collapsed into sobs and nearly slipped.
“I’m sorry!” Sunset blubbered, “I’m so, so sorry!”
“Little sun, look at me.” Sunset gasped. It had not been Celestia who had said the nickname. “There we go. There’s my little girl. By the sun and moon, you are just as beautiful as I remembered. Somedays I would think it had all been a dream and was just part of the torture the monsters were reaping upon me. Sunset, I’m sorry for all the pain I caused you when I was… possessed.”
“I, I’m s,sorry I, I killed you, D, Dad.”
“Shhhh, none of that. You saved me, Sunset. I was a monster beyond all redemption and thanks to you and your friends you purified what was left of me and then eventually I woke up from my nightmare here. And now, I have truly found Heaven. I have my love by my side and I have a chance to see my daughter with my own, unclouded eyes.”
Sunset smiled and then turned to Celestia and began cry again. “I failed you.”
“Oh, my little sun, my daughter, brightest light of my life, you failed no pony. You have fought and clawed and out thought and out maneuvered gods and monsters far beyond your means and you have done so with your friends, your family, and your loved ones happily by your side. I could not be prouder to call you my daughter and I love you so, so very much.”
Sunset shuddered again. “I love you too! Both of you!”
Twilight could not hear what they were saying, but she had a pretty good guess. It was probably not all that different than what she would say to Celestia or to her own parents for that matter. She wiped her dripping eyes and nose and stepped to the side when Flurry Heart came to a stand next to her with equally sobbing features.
“Princess!” Flurry shouted and was relieved when Celestia turned to look at her. “I’M SORRY!” Celestia smiled and bowed her head. Flurry could not hear the reply, but by the looks of her moving lips, she said, ‘I forgive you’. Flurry had to hold onto Twilight to keep from completely breaking down into a mess.
Luna, who had stayed behind the others when the dearly departed ponies began to crowd the shore, took to hover a few feet off the ground and shouted while tears streamed from her own eyes, “I LOVE YOU, SISTER! KEEP THE CHESS BOARD OUT SO THAT I MIGHT THRASH YOUR PLUMP PLOT WHEN I YET SEE YOU AGAIN ON THE OTHERSIDE!”
Celestia smiled and blew her sister a kiss. Luna landed with weak knees, having to take a seat as the full weight of it all struck her heart. She did not wish to cry in front of others, but seeing Celestia one more time… it was too much.
Balius had not moved, had not done anything to draw attention to himself as his captors all became distracted by seeing the souls on the other side. He had to control his breathing and concentrate on his task even as the bridge extended, giving him beyond ease of access to the city. All he had to do was get the accursed ring to break.
When Balius realized that the seal on his ring was incomplete it still did not give him many options. Much of his power was still locked away. Then, through trial and error, he felt it. He could still form water and control it. So, as carefully and quietly as possible, he formed a tiny bubble behind the ring that began to spin it faster and faster like a tiny sawblade. It was painstakingly slow work and his heart burned each time one of his siblings had their minds wiped.
However, be it Fate or Destiny or Chaos or Death, he had been given time to complete his work and the runes on the ring flashed as they were broken and the metal band fell to the ground. Power surged through Balius’s horn as he turned his body to water and escaped his bonds, reforming a few paces away.
“Princess!” Gauge leapt and tossed his staff. Balius’s blast that had been aimed for Twilight’s back had been slightly deflected and only grazed the purple alicorn's shoulder instead. Twilight’s painful scream snapped Sunset immediately out of her sobbing funk. She glanced back at Celestia and Sombra one last time. The bridges both rapidly descending back into the water.
“Go,” said Celestia and Sunset obeyed. Sunset’s wings burst into brilliant golden light as she drew her light sword.
Flurry charged Balius and fired a horn blast. Balius moved like water and reformed next to Flurry, trapping her in a water bubble and throwing her all the way back to the archway, bouncing roughly on the stone. Two water tentacles snapped out and wrapped around Gauge and Tempest’s necks, holding them in the air as he approached Luna who was back on her hooves and had summoned her glowing axe.
“Release them!”
“You took my family from me. Now, I will give you that chess game with your sister that you so desired.” Balius glanced to Death to see if the creature would interfere, but had only moved so much as to begin retracting the land bridges and Balius's chance for an easy crossing. With a snarl, Balius slammed the guard captains into the ground hard and charged Luna. He turned one hoof to ice and caught Luna’s axe and pulled it away, shattering it.
Luna gasped as the alicorn engulfed her, trapping her inside his water body. Try as she might, he was blocking her power from even her most basic spells. Twilight shook off her injury and turned to find the water alicorn standing nearly twice as tall as her with Luna trapped inside the water body.
“Two hostages should be more than enough to keep Celestia’s spawn off of me.” Balius reached for Twilight but struck a defensive dome of magic. He smiled. “Cute.” The water aspect reared his forelegs back to smash down upon the dome when all four of his legs were cut out and flashed to steam by a golden blur and blazing sword. Sunset slid to a stop, her sword burning a molten gash into the rock. She charged again with a battle cry and cut down on the flopping alicorn, cleaving him in half, the body bursting like a bubble. Luna threw up water as she coughed and gasped for air. The puddle moved and reformed.
“Sunset, behind you!” Twilight’s warning most likely saved her life, but did not keep her from being impaled by a water spike that struck through her back and out her abdomen.
Balius, still in water form, reformed his head next to Sunset’s, using her as a shield against retaliation. “You will never know peace, you will never know happiness. I’m going to bleed you and make you watch as I kill your friends and take the Well. Then, I’m going to destroy this pitiful rock just to spite Mother.” Sunset twisted painfully, tearing her wound, grunting as she inserted her horn into Balius’s water form and released a powerful electrical blast that shocked herself as well. Despite the pain, the water alicorn eventually lost his form and had to drop her.
Sunset struggled to limp back to her legs while trying to hold her insides where they belonged. The puddle reformed at the edge of the bridge and Sunset charged as best she could. Twilight charged as well erecting a barrier that Balius could not cross. He turned back to Twilight, eyes flashing sickly green.
Twilight had a healthy suspicion what he would attempt next and stopped, closed her eyes and dropped a massive interdiction field down on the entire plateau just as Balius attempted to teleport. The pain from the failed spell caused him the stumble back and return to a solid form.
Sunset Shimmer had not ceased her charge. She raised her sword and slashed downward, taking most of the aquamarine alicorn’s horn in the strike and left a burning red gash on his muzzle. Balius screamed and thrashed about. Sunset stumbled back, taking a moment to seal her bleeding wounds before she would pass out.
“Give up," Sunset hissed through the pain of her injuries and the cauterization, "don’t make me kill you.”
“Death as my witness, you will not enjoy your victory.” Balius charged quickly and body slammed into Sunset, knocking both of them into the river.
“SUNSET!” screamed Twilight. She was about to jump in to the water as well when Luna and Tempest grabbed her forelegs.
“Twilight, you can’t! The water!” Twilight looked down at Tempest then to Luna.
Sunset emerged from the river with her foreleg wrapped around Balius’s neck. She then shoved his head back underwater. “Open your mouth and swallow it like a good little whorse, you son of a bitch!” Balius thrashed about before his body suddenly turned into water again and he slipped out of her grasps. A water whip caught Sunset across the face, cutting deep and drawing blood.
“You can’t make me drink this. I was born from this river!” Balius glanced up at Twilight and the others, relishing in the sheer helplessness on their faces. “And now, the grand finale!” Balius seized Sunset by the neck and forced her to submerge.
“NO!” screamed Twilight. The purple alicorn’s eyes burned bright white, her body burst into brilliant magenta light, throwing her friends back. Twilight refocused her energy into a full body shield and dove into the river.
Sunset tried to swim, tried to cast a spell, tried to do anything but open her mouth, but her lungs were burning with demand and the biological need was overriding her resistance. The unseen water tentacle holding her down was not helping either. Suddenly a sharp pain pierced her side and Sunset gasped, eyes going wide.
Her memory flashed to Celestia giving her a bath after she had mastered her first teleport at ten years old and landed in a mud puddle a short distance away. Then another memory of her mother and her reading together by firelight. Next was Sunset screaming at Celestia how she was holding her back, keeping her from her true potential. Sunset could hear her own words, “This is the biggest mistake of your life!”
Sunset felt her consciousness slipping, her body losing the struggle to find air. Her memories were fading. Her first days at CHS, her first time on a motorcycle, her first kiss with Flash Sentry. She remembered Applejack and helping on the farm. She remembered playing games and sports with Rainbow Dash, working the adoption drive at the animal shelter with Fluttershy, the late night graffiti painting at Rarity’s store and the grateful smile she flashed when she realized who the mysterious ‘Flanksy’ was, and of course all the good times with Pinkie Pie baking, playing, just being young and happy. Finally, Twilight, her beloved wife and best friend. Those quirky smiles and nervous tics of adjusting her black framed glasses. Years of college together, their wedding, their first house, raising their girls, out living everyone they knew. She saw Twilight in the nightmare dream, looking right at her as she held Midnight Sparkle.
“I’m sorry, Sunny.”
Sunset’s mind was being erased, she knew it and had no way to stop it. She tired to hold on to each memory as they were ripped from her just like the Memory Stone and just as then, she was helpless against the savage mind raping she was receiving. Her memories of Princess Twilight slipped through her hooves like the surrounding current of water. Their experiments, their talks, the feeling of her soft coat as she kissed along her body and happily brought the new love of her life much desired mutual pleasure.
“Twilight…”
Had Sunset been conscious she would have seen a glowing magenta angel break the surface of the water and scoop her up in a powerful foreleg while the other legs and wings pulled and ripped her from the water’s grasp. Twilight emerged a moment later and carefully set Sunset on the shore. The goldenrod alicorn was not moving or breathing.
Flurry Heart moved to help, but Luna raised a hoof. “Do not touch her, she is soaked in the river water.”
Twilight wrapped Sunset in a light cocoon and pulled all the water from her coat, then pressed down on her wounded side. She pressed harder, then harder again, nearing the point where her ribs would break. Sunset’s body reacted to the pressure and forced the excess water from her lungs. Coughing and vomiting was soon followed by a massive intake of air. However, there were no cries of jubilation. They all knew what the expelling of so much water had meant. Sunset Shimmer had drank from the river as well.
Twilight, her eyes still burning white and body radiating magenta magic turned back to see Balius swimming in the center of the river, quickly making his way to the other side. Twilight spread her wings, about to take flight when Death raised a hoof to halt her. A hoof she nearly ran into. Death looked down at Sunset then across the water at Balius. He was about to step out of the water and touch the souls of Twilight’s gathered friends when suddenly, he was pulled back into the water.
“Balius, poor, foolish little alicorn. You may not be able to ingest the water of the first river, but as you said. This was the water of your creation. And like all things created there is an end. From the first water you were born, to the first water you shall return.”
Balius growled in frustration. He tried to step out again but soon could not feel his hindlegs. His eyes went wide with panic as he looked at his forelegs and they began to drip away. Try as he might, he was unable to reform them. Balius thrashed defiantly as the water dragged him in deeper.
“Grrrrnehhhg! Noo! NOOOO! MOTHER!!!! AHHHHH!!!!” His scream turned to gurgling water, head slipping below the surface. The bubbles decreased. Then, the stillness returned to the surface of the river.
Death looked down at Sunset Shimmer one last time as she looked about, lost and confused. “I believe your business here is concluded. Please, remember to relock the door on your way out.”
Sunset looked up at all the creatures standing above her, then down at her… they had a name, what were they called again? “What? Where am I?”