Chapter 13
You and Celestia both reach the center of town, and see Luna managing to hold the moon back herself. Looks like getting closer to it really worked after all.
“Sister! We have been able to hold it back, but we do not know how much longer we can hold out!” Luna exclaims, seeing the two of you approaching. Celestia nods, and you watch as she approaches her sister, adding her power to holding the moon back.
…My god, it’s actually working! You watch as the moon, though slowly, is pushed back up into the sky.
Ponies from all over who were hiding in their homes are watching from windows as the princesses push it back into the sky.
You hear cheering from all over.
You smile. It’s really over with.
You approach the two princesses, looking at each of them with a proud grin on your face. They turn their heads and nod at you, smiling back.
“I’m happy this is finally over, Anonymous. I don’t think we could have done it without your help,” Celestia says, smiling at you.
“Yes, we thank you, Anonymous, for all you’ve done,” Luna nods, while both of their horns continue to glow.
You nod back, and then turn and look at what remained of the cottage. “I just hope that pony from before will be alright…”
Celestia nods. “Fluttershy will be just fine. The power of the mask was too much for her, and it very easily overwhelmed her… If she had the force of will to control it, she might have been able to stop it from causing so much destruction…”
You nod.
“Certainly… she had far too many flaws to use MY power…”
…
You feel a shockwave of pain rush through you as you collapse to your knees.
“Anonymous?! What’s wrong?” Celestia asks, her eyes widened in surprise.
The mask…
You shouldn’t have taken it with you…
It floats out of your bag, and levitates in midair. “A puppet that cannot perform its role is mere garbage… but you…” its voice echoes around the three of you as it circles in the air, “You have great power. Perhaps you would make a better puppet than she would?” the mask asks.
Celestia stands between you and the mask. “I will not allow you to make a puppet out of Anonymous,” she says, her expression quickly turning to one of divine fury.
“Oh, I wasn’t talking about that monkey,” it says, laughing. “I have far greater interest in the two of you.”
Suddenly, long red tendrils lash out of the back of the mask, wrapping themselves around both of them. Both Celestia and Luna are struggling in the bindings while the mask acts as a centerpoint for the tendrils.
You stand and begin to charge towards them, but are cut off from the pain, falling to one knee once again. “No…”
“Now, this one here has divine power in every sense of the word,” the mask says, moving itself towards Celestia. “Power like this would certainly come in handy when causing the destruction of this land.”
It then turns to Luna. “But this one… this one already has tasted the power of darkness, and is much more susceptible to it…” its voice rumbles, before letting out a shrill cry as it releases Celestia and plants itself onto the head of Luna.
“NO!” You run forward despite the pain, but you are pushed back by a large shockwave of power as Luna lets out a blood-curdling scream as the mask takes hold of her.
“Sister…” Celestia mutters, her horn glowing a more intense golden color, “Forgive me…”
She launches a ray of light at Luna, but it quickly dissipates as it reaches the aura around her.
”What?!” Celestia’s eyes widen in terror. “This can’t be… I put all of my energy into that attack…”
”Sister…” Luna mutters, slowly walking forward. “Don’t think we have forgotten about what you did to us… about how you banished US to the moon…” she growls in rage, stomping a hoof down. “Let us see how YOU like it instead!”
The moon’s gaping maw opens wide, and you see its suction wrap around Celestia. She fights it, flying downward, but she’s like a seagull in a hurricane as she is swallowed up by the moon.
“And now, for you…” Luna mutters, turning to look at you.
You glare angrily at her. “Do it. Just get it over with,” you say, your eyes filled with hatred for that damned mask.
“Oh, you don’t want to play anymore? How sad…” she mutters, walking towards you, until her face is just inches away from you, the mask’s orange eyes staring into yours.
The two of you stay like that for a few moments.
…
“…You’re an interesting guy. You’re like a fly, buzzing around,” she says, stepping back a few steps. “Let us play a final game.”
You growl angrily. One more game, huh?
“Hm… what to play…” she mutters, placing a hoof to her chin. “Ah! Tag! Tag is a fun game!” she exclaims, flying around you in a circle a few times before landing once again around ten feet in front of you. “Winner takes all. How does that sound, hm?”
She turns to look at you. “Oh, and you’re on a time limit,” she says, pointing her hoof up at the moon as it once again begins its descent onto Ponyville.
You nod and reach into your bag, taking out the mask the salesman gave you.
“Let’s play.”
You put on the mask.
Immediately, you feel all of your pain rush away as the enormous power stored within the mask takes over. “Do not worry, Anonymous. I will take this opponent on from here,” a calm, yet powerful male voice echoed in your mind.
You let this voice wash over you and watch from an out-of-body perspective as your physical self begins to change.
Gone are your normal clothes. In their place is a white outfit, with a large chestpiece made of some kind of metal you can’t even fathom. On one breastplate, there is a symbol of a triangle, and a crescent moon on the other.
Your normal hair color and length is gone, and in its place your hair is a silky white, and draped down past your shoulders.
Your eyes are now a pure white pigment, and are glowing with the power of the mask. Two painted red lines decorate each cheek, with a blue design draped across your forehead.
On your arms are sleek, armored gauntlets that cover up to your elbow, while your shoulders are protected by under-armor, covered by the cloth of the white garbs.
You also have grown massively, too; at least two feet taller than you usually are, you are now over eight feet tall, and your body’s muscle mass has increased to larger proportions than normal to accommodate the larger size.
Despite looking from the outside in, you can feel the power radiating from you as well.
You can beat this demonic mask once and for all.
You are a deity. A god. A spirit of pure vengeance.
And this mask will not hold back your rage.
Not after everything it has done to you.
Celestia… Luna… Ponyville… Spike… Twilight… They were all under your protection now.
The protection of the Fierce Deity.