//------------------------------// // 2-6 The Choice Is Yours // Story: Renegade // by Slendy //------------------------------// Several days had passed since Sora had seen her face, and already it was stirring something sickly in his stomach. He kept focused on the task at hand, but he felt like he should've done more every day, put his foot down, and dragged her away regardless. Instead, he, Cinder, and Astra abided by her wishes, and now they stood before Canterlot Castle. It had been two or three weeks since he left the walls in search of W; how much had happened in such little time, he wondered? The bright blue sky wasn't as clear as he'd have liked either. A large, black storm front wasn't far from Canterlot; from his estimate, the front won't be here until the afternoon, so any hope of hiding among the clouds was out of the question if they needed to escape. Once knelt by a wall, the trio ensured no pony followed or spotted them. "Remember the plan?" Sora refreshed, kneeling before the two ponies. "I shall shadow you from an exterior entrance," Cinder recalled. "And I'll find W." Astra, in particular, was buzzing with determination. So much had changed for her in only a few days. Per Cinder's request and ingenuity, the filly wore a belt with a few select items lining the leather; within her cloak were lighter objects of interest too, fitting for a thief or a mercenary. "Sora, will you be okay...?" She couldn't shake the bubbling dark blue shade of his aura; it hadn't improved since they left W behind. "...your aura...." Smiling lightly, he patted her head, leaning back to look over the wall facing the castle entrance. "I'll be fine; you guys focus on your roles; I'll take the burden this time." "W's done enough of that herself." "Then come friends, operation ugh... Piccolo is a go," Both Sora and Astra snickered at the horrid name for their plan. None could see the Lord's bemused face. "Of all names you allowed 'Piccolo'?" "What, it's a good name." Sora didn't try to hide his grin, quickly clearing his throat and patting his cheeks. "Alright, here I go; wish me luck." Once within view of the castle, Sora felt a wave of serenity wash over him. He didn't regret leaving in search of the 'Beast of the Everfree'; it had led him to so much he felt was robbed from him the second he arrived in Equestria. But being back under its shadow was a strange, homely comfort. Steeling his resolve, he tossed aside his cloak upon the approach of the guarded gatehouse. The second he came up the hill, the two ponies spotted him, immediately drawing their spears. "Hault, who - P-Prince Sora!?" The first to his right gaped as though he had seen a ghost. With a short smile and wave, Sora greeted the two. "Hey guys, sorry for my absence, you wouldn't believe what Cinder will put you through on a trip," He joked as they shook their heads, the one of the left speechless. "U-um, sorry, Prince! Please, welcome home!" He stuttered as the Aasimar shook his head at the formalities, but as a so-and-so 'Noble', it came with the territory, a good thing he wasn't new to the concept after so long enduring the good and bad. "You guys keep up the good work, and thanks," With a kind bow, he stepped through the white stone walls and into the courtyard, a few other guards were on patrol, but none dared to approach him. They were all good ponies, well, most of them, but they sometimes wouldn't speak with Sora unless it was urgent or he instigated the conversation. In all honesty, he remembered why he left in the first place. He leaned his head back with a reminiscent smile. "Out there I'm an equal again..." Inside the castle, he didn't take the time to admire what he took for granted or missed. He had a job and an important one at that. He could have easily located the dungeons and found W from his movements, but he fought against his wishes and relied on Astra to see the girl's rescue. Sora had one job, and if he failed, then Canterlot and possibly all of Equestria would fall. "Ah!" One of the housemaids yelped, dropping a vase on those stupidly precarious podiums. Having spent a long time fighting and training, Sora swept forward and caught it, saving the blue-haired mare from a scolding from the guards or her boss. "T-thank you, s-Sora!?" She, too, gasped at his return, and in fact, she hugged his legs tightly in response. "You've come back!" "Hehe, I missed you too, Swift," The blue mare let go quickly with a timid smile as Sora adjusted the vase. "Honestly, who even likes vases like this anymore? I keep telling Mom they're just tacky." The mare giggled and whispered under her hoof. "I believe Princess Luna likes the feel of old-fashioned decorations, being isolated for so long." "Hrm, yeah, that makes sense," Though Sora's flat gaze told otherwise. "No wonder the Night Guard come to me for help; she's impossible at times." His aunt was... weird. She liked new things but had a habit of sticking to old traditions. He couldn't recall how many... dark sentences she would murmur about giving to some of the less agreeable Nobles. He happily agreed, given his background. "Well, love to chat, but I've got something really... stressful to tell Mom." "O-oh, sure, sorry for keeping you," She stepped aside but not before Sora ruffled her mane, seeing her rigid form relax a little. A trick that worked well with almost everypony, given they were animals. "...you seriously make it hard for most mares to resist, you know?" She smirked slyly. With a wave, he passed by. "Sorry, already um crap... f-forget I said anything, Swift! Swift?" He mentally slapped himself once the sight of her 'gossip face' caught his eye. "Oh boy... I've done it now." Even after all these years, she still found a way to catch him off guard. This was it. One doorway and Sora was anything but prepared for what had to be said, what he may have to do. It tore at his gut and caused his heart rate to rise. Inhaling slowly through his nose, pausing, then exhaling, he pushed the doors open with a loud groan of the hinges, alerting anyone and everyone to his presence. His scabbard tapped off the edges of the doors as he squeezed through, the guards on the opposite side shocked by his entrance, unable to vocalize a response before he smiled. "Sorry that I'm late getting home... Mom," Nervously scratching his head, he faced the mare as tall as a human sat upon her throne, woefully unaware of the threat sinking its teeth into the country. There was a flash and pop in the air before Celestia stood before Sora almost intimidatingly. Stepping back slightly to view her face Sora wasn't certain of how she'd react. His, ahem, 'training' away from the castle with Cinder was abrupt, and explaining the lie so that she wouldn't contact Cinder, thereby dismantling the lie, was even harder than he realized. A piece of him didn't truly believe she fell for it; this was a pony that had lived well over centuries. Her hoof rose to touch his face, prodding a few of his fresher scars that had appeared since travelling with W. "These seem new..." She murmured with an almost unreadable expression. "Y-yeah, Cinder's a very odd teacher, but it worked out, I think, I... I really feel I've gotten stronger," Though it wasn't just CInder alone. "I learned alot." Then, Celestia smiled, wrapping her hoof around her baby boy tightly. "That's good; I'm happy things worked out for you," His own arm wrapped around her neck, enjoying the pleasant warmth he hadn't felt in a long time. There was a distinct difference between embracing your parental figure and someone you cared for outside of family; it was a sweet variation. Pulling away, she wore a cheeky smile. "You certainly smell like you've been rolling around in ash for weeks." "Ah hahaha, yeah, a few hiccups here and there," Sora chuckled lightly before a door to the far left of the thrones opened up to reveal a familiar red unicorn. "Cliff..." Something was different, though; his face was... conflicted. Whatever spell he was under quickly lifted upon meeting Sora's worried eyes. "Sora, heh, hey kid," He grinned, trotting over while ignoring the aversion looks some of the guards gave him for the informality. Once close, he jabbed the boy's side. "What's with leaving me hanging to go along with that dust ol'... heeey, Princess?" He grinned sheepishly at the humorous look on the alicorn's face. Puffing out his cheeks to clear his throat, he stepped back. "Hehe, sorry." "No need to be so rigid; you two haven't seen each other for a while, don't feel the need for formalities now," Celestia's face faltered slightly. "Even with the pressing concerns as of late." Playing dumb, Sora waved a hand toward his mother, "What do you mean? I remember CInder telling me to wait back at Hoofprint a few days ago, but he never said anything," Celestia, while reluctant, felt it was only right that her son from another world should know, "Recently myself and your aunt have looked into a matter concerning a being that goes by a name we referred to as, 'The Dealer'," Hearing this, Sora almost gave away his fright at what they might have discovered but kept his composure, another thing W had passed along in her time spent by his side. "The Dealer? You mean that old fairy tale you told me when I was a kid?" Faking ignorance kept the tale spinning. "He is no myth, as much as that would be a mercy, he is known as Gambit, a clever and omniscient person who will offer one whatever they desire, for a price, one that I have used myself, Cinder too years ago," Celestia prattled before concluding. "Luna is in the process of tracking down his whereabouts to speak with him further, but nothing good has ever come of his words." "Why's that?" Sora pressed, now worried for whatever Gambit had told them about Kranon; what if he worked with the Vex? "But no, that wouldn't make sense; he seemed to loath him regardless of helping him in Displacing us." "Gambit has been known to 'deal' with many, good and evil ponies and creatures alike, to him, reality is a game that he deems is his to play constantly, never choosing one side in favour of seeing where things go before ultimately siding with no one, however, the times I have heard of him siding with one, the opponent was never to win again." Her words were deep and threatening. Gambit to Sora was an enigma but not dangerous, though that could've been a false sense of security. Gambit didn't need to threaten anyone because... he knew every outcome; he was smart enough to plot and ploy with reckless abandon. "Wow... well, I'm not sleeping tonight," Sora blinked, clapping his hands toward Cliff. "So, how did... your mission go?" He almost felt bitter saying that. Cliffheart was... blank, looking around the hall. "It was... unexpected, but results are results, and the Beast known as W was detained and has been very uncooperative since her incarceration, though that surprises no pony really," Even Sora couldn't hide a tiny smirk at W's stupid inability to listen to others. "She's been quiet for a while, though, even with other prisoners, she's just stopped responding to anypony." Now that sent a chill up his spine. "What?" He was breathless before shaking his head. Much as he loved to be here with those he loved, he had to do this, for W, Cinder, Astra, heck, Equestria itself. "Um, actually, there is something I wanted to tell you, Mom, Cliff." Stepping away from them both, Sora put his hand by his heart, ensuring he didn't have a heart attack at this very moment. Sucking in all his leftover confidence, he stood his ground. "Cinder and I didn't just train, we did, but... we've seen what was in the mines under Canterlot, I... he ensured I wasn't seen." This news drew a wave of silence and shock, Cliffheart having the nerve to ask. "What? What did you see?" He was almost ecstatic. "We saw nothing down there but Her. Did either of you see something? Anypony else, this... this could change everything!" Sora held a solemn gaze. "I saw... a man, just like me, he wore black, his eyes were... burning with rage and obsession," Sora could paint a picture so clear someone could sell it. "He made a structure out of black rock, his name was... Kranon." Celestia stepped forward, placing a strong hoof on her son's shoulder, ensuring their eyes met. "Sora, tell me everything, spare no details," Much like what W had retold, it seemed Sora's story matched with the description of this 'Kranon' perfectly. "Did he speak of anything else?" Just then, another door burst open, a guard stepping through. "Princess, Captain I - oh, my apologizes, I didn't know you were" "It's fine, soldier; what's to report?" Cliffheart waved him to hurry along with his message. The unicorn shifted sharply and saluted. "Sir; The two prisoners that assaulted the creature have been... very demanding they'd speak with you, spouting nonsense that might drive the whole dungeon mad," Much as Cliffheart hated clean-up, it was partially his fault. What none saw was the dark shade Sora's aura took; without Astra, none could see it fester and ferment. "'Assaulted' They... what did they...?" Sora's heart shook in his chest, and his blood boiled considerably as wrenching himself from his Mom's hoof. "What did they do...?" No one heard him, so he spoke up a little more, head bowed while his knuckles turned white. "What did they do to Aoi...?" By now, all attention was drawn to the furious face on Sora's features, something many felt was worse than Celestia's by every account. Something so riddled with a fury that it could shatter stone. "What did they do to W!?" Gone was his reason to hide and lie behind some flimsy story; he was done pretending to be okay. He wasn't okay, not when the girl that meant so much to him was suffering under his very feet. "What?" "Did he just say the creature's name?" "How does he know this?" Many voices were heard but were met with a strong gust of wind emitting from Sora. "Quit calling her that name! She's W, like me, she's suffered like me!" Sora yelled, swinging his arms wide with blood building in his face. "Do you know how hard it was just to sit there and watch as she took hits she never deserved? How much I had to bottle up for her sake as she cried over how she felt everything was her fault!?" "Kranon did everything, to me, to Cinder, to W!" He stomped again, his wings bursting to life without any control. For once, Sora was biting back after so much time just shrugging off insults, ridicule, and suffering for the sake of others. For once, he wanted to be heard by everyone, not just Cliffheart and his Mom. Turning to Cliffheart's horrified face, he continued. "Don't you get it; he's been manipulating you since the beginning! He forced you and the Elements to target W, force her to hide, steal, and fight just to survive! He poisoned your sense of justice and kindness and turned it against her!" "I-I didn't... I..." He clutched his temple in one hoof. "Why did I... no..." The hold Kranon had was slipping; Sora could see it, feel it! "You're my best friend; you were the first pony that ever saw me as more than just... this," Sora shook his hands at himself. "A human stuck in a body that was never his, and you didn't see that, you saw me, and I want to believe the same stupidly persistent pony I trust can see that too." "He's working with the creature...?" "Princess, what should we do?" Upon hearing this, Sora spun around, glaring daggers at the pair that said this. "You think you're ones to talk? I bit my tongue for my Mom's sake, for my Aunt too so they could be at ease about me, but screw you!" He threatened those who never saw him as a person, not a Prince, just some animal for the first time. And he was sick of it. "You come near me or dare touch a hair on W's head, and I'll kill you!!" "Freak!" One snapped, drawing his spear toward Sora, much to a great number of guards' shock, none more than Cliffheart and even Celestia who's whole body trembled with rage. "You think I'm afraid of some farm animal?" Sora's face wasn't hesitant or passive. No, this was everything he had sealed away, breaking free. He was stronger than the child that had no one to turn to upon arrival in this world, but because of the kindness of a few, he was able to draw his swords forward. "I'm Sora Rhodes. My parents are Sarah and Cole Rhodes. My adoptive Mom is Princess Celestia. And if I have to fight my way to W, so be it." "Correction," The doors slammed shut, revealing the armour-clad state of Cinder, himself waving his greatsword through the air. "You are not a Prince," He hummed, stepping forward past many that were unsure of what to say or do, some held their weapons against Sora, but Cinder paid them no mind. With a single flick of his sword, he brandished it toward the guards, embers blazing. "You are human too." "Something I had almost forgotten." Not a soul moved; the tension was high before only now had it boiled over. Celestia was ready to raise her voice to silence the in-fighting, especially against those that threatened her son, regardless of his lies. Cliffheart was left in a daze, his head shrouded in confusion. Cinder and Sora stood close together, their plan had fallen apart, but opinion B was still on the table. *CRASH!* The air shifted dramatically like a wail of a piano, one of the glass murals shattered, and a large, dark form tore through the shards, arm cast a dark purple. Cinder reacted in turn, guarding both Celestia and Sora. "Get down!" He demanded before a large burst of purple energy struck his sword, flinging the Hollow across the hall and into a nearby wall, embedding his form in the concrete. Something stumbled against the marble floor, lifting itself with snaps of bone and broken glass underfoot. In the levelling dust, Sora's eyes widened immeasurably large. "I know... she's here... the girl...!" A large, irregular jaw unhinged a growl, brushing aside the dust for Sora to stare back at the marred flesh that covered the upper jaw of the Forsaken, the hood shredded, revealing crystals and deformed bone jutting from its scalp, the lips peeled back with a gargled snarl. "Kill... the girl!" *Rumble...* The drizzle of dust from the ceiling caused quite the stir in Courier's side of the cell, lifting his head slightly to catch the dust fall to his hoof. He chuckled gleefully. "Quite the party upstairs." He lowered his head as the clop of hooves ran through to W's part of the dungeon. She remained unresponsive to the noise. "I told ya, it's coming from upstairs," The left guard grunted, whacking the back of the right guard's head. "Okay, first, ow, second, how could we know?" He raised his hoof to W. "She's pretty much immune to magic-less she wants it to affect her, which is never." "You know the rumbling up top's starting to cause a stir down here," Courier's voice drew their eyes, seeing him flick his cunning grin toward the Sarkaz laying like a corpse. "This place's older than all of us, same with the restraints on her; what'll happen if one got loose while you're picking your hairs tryin' to keep your heads screwed on tight?" "S-seriously?" The left one blinked, looking to the motionless girl, then to Courier's winning smile as he sat back against his bed. "Hey, I'm just tryin' to do good during my time, brother, up to you what you believe," He tipped his cowl. "But I wouldn't want to see the blood spilt if she's loose, get me?" The right sighed, looking around quickly before coming to a tough choice. "You watch this one, I'll go check the creature's restraints," He fished out his keys with his horn, jiggling the lock on W's cell while the younger guard nervously threw his gaze between his higher-up and Courier, still retaining his grin under his hood. Once inside, the guard prodded the Sarkaz with his spear, lifting her tail as it rattled the chain, nothing, not even a stir or breath. "Is she dead?" He didn't care otherwise but saw that true to the prisoner's word, her right cuff's wall bolts were loose from the commotion up above. Nothing a little magic couldn't fix. Applying his magic to the bolts and pad, he neglected the tail that snaked under his throat. "Ah!" It gripped like a viper, choking the stallion until his muzzle met the stone wall, knocking him out immediately. By Courier, the younger guard gasped, only for a hoof to yank at his breastplate's collar, slamming the kid's face into the bars, resulting in the same knockout. Courier dusted off his hooves, procuring a set of keys from the guard as W used her tail to grab the keys and unlock her cuffs, rubbing her raw wrists with a scowl. "Fuck, that feels better," She huffed, smirking at how she used the rough edges of the wall like a saw against her tail's weaker chainlink, breaking it over a day ago. "Hey, Courier, you - huh?" When she looked, his cell was already vacant, leaving the guard inside and a note by W's open-cell with the bold initial of a 'C' on the front. Her sceptical face slowly morphed to a relieved sigh. He was good company for what it was worth, and she wished to have told him that personally. Picking her dirty body off the ground, W let every joint in her body pop after many hours of constant discomfort slip away with a fuzzy sensation across her body. "...W?" Another voice cut the silence as W exited her cell, cracking her neck with a blissful sigh. Her heart genuinely skipped upon seeing the troublemaking filly trying to sneak around the shadows of the dungeon, only breaking it upon realizing the mercenary was out and safe. The filly's eyes glistened before pouncing into the woman's chest, sniffing slightly. "...m-mama." W shifted sharply, face turning a little pink before ultimately relaxing against the cell bars, rubbing the little pony's back gently to soothe her, though it couldn't last. "Come on, kid, I've got a score to settle." And a few days' worths of rage to unleash, and maybe a sandwich. Forsaken lunged for Sora, who quickly took flight, evading its lumber attack as the bent and mangled muzzle of the crossbow hummed, firing a burst of Arts high to knock Sora down and in range of its claws. Spinning sharp for a snap-kick, he deflected the claws, landing behind Forsaken to carve two large strokes through its skin, the muzzle flash sending him flying backwards on his ass as the beast took charge. It grunted under a gold barrier erected behind it and Sora, Celestia's horn buzzing with holy light. "Stay away from my son, monster!" It sneered at her and raised its crossbow to the barrier, unleashing a venomous stream of energy that ultimately decimated her magic, allowing it to swipe at Sora had his boot not met its chin followed by a stream of red-hot flames scorching its skin, forcing it into retreating, unleashing several volleys of purple light from its arm, keeping any guards from advancing while hooking its digits into the wall, swinging over and away from Celestia's magic beams, using its own to retaliate if not for Cinder deflecting the shots with protective swings from his sword. "Sora, take it down!" Cinder commanded, pointing a hoof up at the tapestry suspended on the wall while charging a lightning spear into his hoof, tossing it forward as the electricity splashed, missing Forsaken as it continued to swing across the ceiling like a monkey. Taking flight, Sora weaved around another burst of Arts, performing a descending helix twist as he tore off the tapestry, seeing the heavy cloth catch Forsaken unawares. The abomination crashed to the floor, shredding the fabric while locking the Originium crystals growing from his forearm to Sora's vertical swings, the pair bracing one another, the pressure flinging Sora over Forsaken, evading a streak of energy while a column of fire erupted under the beast, tossing it across the throne room. With a sharp slant, Sora and Forsaken struck, fist to the blade, followed by a simultaneous left swing, each of their attacks made little to no connection other than abrading sparks and crystals the shockwaves pushing Sora back while deflecting every swipe he could, or until amethyst filled his gaze and pain ruptured against his chest, scorching his clothing as he crumpled to the floor but not before he blinded Forsaken with another enchantment of light imbued onto the deformed crossbow. "N-now...!" Sora huffed while the combined strength light magic from Celestia and a large Chaos-infused fire orb hurled toward the monster. Both attacks completely consumed Forsaken in a divine, hellish inferno that left many to shield or advert their eyes, unable to stand the force of heat directly. "Sora, are you okay?" Celestia quickly knelt by her son's side while he winced from the burnt portion of his shirt and coat, applying his glowing palm to the smoking state, sighing once the rush of a light breeze tickled his chest. "Well, guess all that running and fighting paid off, huh?" He smiled dumbly up at Cinder and his Mom, the former chuckling lightly. "Very tru-" He raised his scimitar, embers rising at the smoke ahead of them. "Kill... them all," From the smog, Forsaken's jaw hung open, bones realigning and breaking as crystals clattered to the floor like glass. "Kill the girl! Take the girl! Kill Everything!!" He was shambling over to Sora's location, crossbow mangled and beyond repair as it swiped its claws toward them all, everyone in range frozen in fear over the state of the inhuman animal. "Kill!" It stomped and Cinder's curved sword glowed. "The!" Celestia readied her magic, even if it did little to phase the creature. "GIRL!" *Thunk-Boom!* Fire and hot air struck the ponies, and Displaced, the force of the explosion against Forsaken's cheekbone flung the creature back, utilizing its claws to slow its tumble with a hiss. Astra slid into the throne room from a doorway, and beside her, made Sora unconsciously smile with relief. Dressed in her combat skirt and favourably attire, lowering her grenade launcher was the pissed off Sarkaz herself, W. Her tail flicked sharply, but along her wrists and end of her tail were the red markings from her cuffs, cuts, dirt, and the occasional bruise marking her arms and face. Both orbs sunk against Forsaken, burning all the unpleasant sights of ponies from her sight. She snorted, blowing the bangs out from her eyes while taking slow, careful steps forward, dropping off her duffle bag for Astra to catch quickly with a huff. "Stay back, kid..." Her tone was flat and apathetic; she wasn't anywhere close to Aoi; that girl wasn't here right now, just the sadistic grin splitting across a mercenary's face. "I can't wait to kill you again." Forsaken was already high above her spot, claws splitting the concrete by the time W leapt out of reach, landing to fire a grenade that was banished by another swipe of its stumped left arm. W deflected his second swipe with her launcher, then the third while his boot pressed to her stomach, shoving the disgusted Sarkaz back. W quickly bent to her left, feeling the vibrations from the crystalized arm sail by her skin; she ducked under a frantic, horizontal stroke then blocked a thrust, two impact grenades in one hand. She slid her left forward; both grenades tossed into its chest for an ear-splitting blast of thermal energy that left the frenzied creature reeling in agony, flesh cooked and peeled within the robes. While in a daze, it spun around in a wide arc, one that W effortlessly skated under, diving over another horizontal crescent while kicking Forsaken in the teeth, landing safely to kick up one of Sora's silver swords to her right. Both closed in, striking near W's left calf, the mutant claw and silver edge deflecting. W moved much faster and with precision. Striking twice across his chest, his left shoulder to throw him off balance, then a solid stroke to the hip, followed by his lower back. He turned to retaliate, only for another blast from a small impact grenade to ward off his claw's swing, W crisscrossing the scabbard over his chest, striking him atop the head while twirling over a slant to deliver a strong snap kick to his chest, flinging Forsaken into the wall with enough force to shatter the face of. With Forsaken pushed aside, W scampered to the opposite end of the throne; legs bent as she built up pressure around herself, hearing the air slice and whistle. The concrete under her boots fissured, her Arts propelling the mercenary forward at an alarming rate. In seconds, Forsaken barely managed to guard in time to stop the longsword from carving through its wrist while simultaneously driving him deep into the wall back-first, fragments of its hand crumbling at W's feet, reducing the appendage to dust. W did a small twirl and landed; the guard rejoiced for her swift counterattack; however, Astra's fur shivered after taking a small sense of the area, the Forsaken's aura was growing. "W!" She nodded and quickly dived back from the monster's arms, slamming into the ground, itself lunging to bite her instead. Growing tired of this, W rushed forward. She dove over a chomp, allowing Forsaken to bite down on the thick leather belt that she used to wench herself onto its irregular back. Hastily tied and gagged Forsaken before it shook her off, throwing the mercenary far enough away to grunt. "Hey, dipshit?" It turned to her, and while it couldn't see what she held, everyone who's seen W's weaponry knew what her fingers were embroiled with. Several pins from grenades now strapped and bound to the abomination's head and neck. "Walk away from this." Frantic, the Infected clawed with mere stumps and bit down on the fabric after catching the ticking of several mechanisms around its throat, reeling and yanking with all its might before the throne was engulfed by a bright, orangy-gold light and small fragments of rock and hardened skin. Lowering her arm, W panted and saw that through the smoke, the Forsaken stood tall, headless, and its arms were blown away up to the elbows, parts of its collarbone and spine exposed before it fell to its knees, crumpling to the floor as it shattered into thousands of pieces. Silence and the faint crumbling of rock and dust filled the air, except for W, who turned to face her friends, who she admittedly missed alot. Pointing her finger down at the remains of the Infected beast. "I swear to God if he comes back from that, I Quit!" In seconds, the trio were standing around her, Astra hugging W's legs while Cinder patted her waist. "So glad you're okay!" Astra teared up a little, neither spared time escaping from the dungeons, Courier having slipped out unannounced. "You never cease to surprise me, lass." Cinder huffed lightly, earning a small bonk to the forehead from W. "It is good to see you too." Standing in front of her was Sora, both staring at one another for a good few seconds until W smiled weakly. "Sorry I worried you," She murmured, losing her strength to stand as she fell against his shoulder, enjoying the warmth of his arms wrapped around her back tightly, his own head against her shoulder. She swore he was trembling but couldn't tell while linking an arm over his back. "Worth it..." "Don't ever do that again, please," He muttered to her, squeezing her tightly while wanting to shield her from any that dared to come closer. "Promise... Fly-Boy." He couldn't hold in a small, pained chuckle at that, W herself doing the same. Right now, she felt safer than anywhere else in Equestria. To Be Continued...