//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Save At All Costs! // Story: Shadow of the Past, Brought Forward Once More // by Super Ponyman //------------------------------// There will always be places the light of Justice and Moral Decency cannot reach, where criminals fester and scheme. Where the only thing in the world that matters is how much money and power you have, and barring that, how smart you are. The City of Canterlot was no exception to this. It already had its fair share of nightclubs, gentleman’s clubs, and other less than legal practices just like any other city. However, up until about six months ago, most of it was unnoticed and thankfully not very popular, since it was limited to the red light district. But over Six Months ago, they had a downtown. Over Six months ago, over a thousand people were still alive. Until that cursed day six month ago, life was simple… Then two beings that parts of mankind now considered to be gods walking among them, descended upon the city and shattered the comfortable and monotonous lives the humanity of Earth Alpha were living. Now though, in this new present... people needed some semblance of relief, any would do. Business for the red light district skyrocketed, so much so that the bosses that ran the place ended up claiming most of Griffonstone Houses and a piece of the Hollow Shades Apartment complex. This wasn’t limited to the city, obviously. The Federal government beefed up, prepared to assess and handle any fallout from the clash of Burning Star and Eclipsio. A warrant for their immediate arrest was issued, and some more radical groups asked for their execution for their destruction against humankind. The world eventually caught wind of the crisis of Canterlot Tower’s fall, and the discovery (or rediscovery according to some) of magic. Several foreign governments, specifically The UK and France reached out to help their overseas neighbors recover. In exchange, they asked for any knowledge on magic, as to identify and hopefully prevent, or at least prepare, for any tragedy involving magic in the future. A coalition of friendly magic users were inducted into the UN, known as the IMMA (International Magic and Mystical Association). They didn’t have any territory, rather they were seeking to use any vacant land they could, and several spots were found in Canada. While it still was under the authority of the UN. IMMA was an organization of Mages and for Mages, making special mention to distance itself from the general population of No Mags, not out of exclusion, but more so for their own safety. The IMMA formed basically overnight, and thus we’re still suspicious to the UN. How did an organization of this mass and support come out of the woodwork so quickly? Where did they come from? Most importantly, the main question was this. What EXACTLY went down during the Tragedy of Canterlot Tower and how much of it was real and how much was faked to calm the public? All these questions were in the heads of every person on the planet, and sooner or later, they hoped for at least something resembling and answer. Wether that answer would be one of peaceful cooperation, or a call for war, would be found out soon enough. But, if the Sons of Eclipsio had their way, it would be the latter, and Humankind would not survive a second dose of Eclipsio. (???) Dusk Shine awoke to a sore pain in his neck, his body finally starting to recover some stamina as he shook off some nauseated feelings. Despite what tv showed, waking up from being unconscious, especially after being rendered unconscious via severe pain, was not pleasant. Dusk Shine’s head hurt, he was dizzy and struggling to keep his eyes open. His thoughts were muddled and slow, almost like swimming through jelly. He did notice he was secured to what looked like a bed frame by silver-black binding spells. In the low light of the moon he could barely make out the shadows of the door, then dread sunk in. The door was ajar slightly, which meant two things. Either there was someone here, or someone forgot to lock the door. ”Great, first time you try to be the intrepid journalist Dusk and you get yourself kidnapped by an insane cult and now you have a concussion as well.” he thought to himself, thinking he was alone. “Oh I assure you, Dusk Shine of the Sparkle Family, you are far from alone here.” A familiar voice echoed from a small distance in front of him. Dusk’s body immediately kicked into fight of flight as he tried to struggle his arms free. Finding no physical strength he focused his willpower and determination inwards, ready to fight off any mental attacks by resisting them. “Oh come now Dusk, if I was able to mind control people, I would have done so already.” The voice responded to his inner thoughts, a chillingly smug tone to it. Dusk mentally cursed, earning a laugh from his captor. “Fuhahahah-HA. If I could do that, Dusk, I certainly wouldn’t do it to you. Your more than just some piece of meat for me.” Said the voice, almost jokingly. The source of the voice stepped into the soft light, and Dusk’s fears were realized. It was Zeron, he could read Dusk’s thoughts. “Besides, trying to control someone’s body and mind, especially for a long period of time, is exhausting. Even I would struggle with it, and I am the strongest magic user in the world, barring PRINCE Eclipsio and… Burning Star.” Zeron said, putting particularly heavy disdain on uttering the latter’s name. Dusk saw Zeron up close and his appearance chilled him to the core, he was beyond human description, but Dusk would try to take it in. Zeron’s face and hair were uncanny, possessing pitch black eyes and stark white hair, his mouth had several of his fang teeth showing, hanging over his Normal ones in a sharp toothed grin that iced his heart. Zeron wasn’t huge and imposing, he was about average height but Dusk summized that the shoulder pads he wore made him look bigger than what he actually was. The cult leaders skin was pale, almost ashen white, and several magic lines ran down onto his hands and fingers. Dusk thought back to what the report Savior gave him said. ”Magic Lines were conduits in the human body in which the flow of arcane energy can reach your extremities and your other parts of your body. In biological terms, Dusk, they are the circulatory system for magic, with your soul as the heart.” Dusk had seen what magic lines had looked like from Twilight’s notes, they usually ran straight down the middle or side of your limbs, ending at your joints or where your limb of body part connected to the rest of your body. Twi’s had three pairs of lines, one down her arms, one down her legs, and one down where her spine connected to her head. Zeron’s did not run straight, in fact they were jagged, almost scar like. It looked as if he took a knife and scraped them into his skin in some attempt to unlock his abilities. They didn’t look fresh, but faded and old. Which considering what Dusk saw (or at least remembered) earlier, he did and with great success. Zeron happened to be topless at the time, for some reason… and Dusk saw His chest was covered in the scars as well, running all across his body. His body was toned and lean, almost too perfect to be called human if you ignored all the scars and sigil-like marks on his chest. Dusk was surprised that he was topless as well, which earned him a laugh as Zeron noticed his surprise. “Well Dusk? You comfortable? I hoped Thunder Strike did crush your skull like a grape, he was supposed to only stun your and bring you in for me, yet Savior must have made him go a little too far…” Zeron said, eyeing Dusk like a predator watched its next meal. Dusk found words to say and said to his kidnapper, “Could be worse, it’s not the first time I’ve been bound, unconscious on a bed frame. Although that time was for a more private reason…” Dusk’s cheeks heated up at the memory, hoping to keep his mind thinking as he thought of some way to escape. Zeron picked up on that thought and said with a sneer, “I assure you, Dusk, even if you were to get past me, which you won’t. You would have to get past Thunder Strike, and the other members of my group that I have here.” Dusk Shine sighed, “Guess I can’t hide anything from you can I, Zeron?” Zeron shook his head, “No, Dusk. There are some things even I am unable to read. My specialty isn’t in Mind Magic after all, I only really picked it up to aid in my, well, process of extracting information.” Within the blink of an eye, Zeron dashed over to Dusk and grabbed him by the throat, quickly depriving the young man of oxygen. He dragged Dusk’s face to his, Dusk feeling his hot breath on his face, “Which you will give me Dusk Shine, or I promise this will be more uncomfortable than it needs to be for you.” The cult leader said, eyes aglow with malice and power. Dusk Shine’s mouth moved before his brain could and he blurted out, “Ok, are you trying to interrogate me or seduce me? Because your not good at either.” (Warning Here: Be Warned) Zeron laughed for a moment, it was a hollow laugh that seemed to echo in the room they were in… which seemed to be a good thing. Until Zeron placed his finger on his cheek and slashed a large gash across it, earning a pained yell. Zeron then placed his finger on Dusk’s chest, and Dusk felt a sharp pain, like being stabbed, erupting from it. “You think your funny don’t you? You think Savior will come and rescue you? He won’t.” Zeron snarled, his voice devoid of the snarky tone he had earlier and replaced with cold contempt. “Me? Funny? I’m hilarious, at least in my own opinion.” Dusk shot back, his face in pain but still managing to crack a smile. Zeron removed his finger from Dusk’s chest, but not before dragging it off to Dusk’s right, leaving a cut across his collarbone. He saw as crimson blood leaked from it and dropped onto the floor. Zeron looked at Dusk with what could be described as wanting eyes, “So, here’s what I wanted to know… why exactly did some nobody from some college town come here?” Dusk responded, “Well, I was coming to visit my cousin. I was doing a report on magic. Nothing more.” Zeron slashed him again, this time on the left cheek and left collarbone. “Liar. You are lying to me Dusk, and I know it.” Zeron, spoke, voice oozing with sadistic joy. Dusk knew The cuts weren’t fatal, they were skin deep at most, but they were excruciatingly painful. “What do you mean I’m lying, that’s the only reason I’m here.” He said, trying to come off as convincing as possible. It failed, as Zeron smashed his fist into the left side of his face, directly into the open cut. His nerves exploded in pain, but he grit his teeth and stood firm, his face twisted into a defiant scowl. Zeron took a look at him and snorted a laugh, “Hah! You think you can endure this pain, Dusk? You don’t know how much I will inflict upon you!” Dusk ignored him, his pain tolerance was always stupidly high, getting into constant fights and learning basic CQC as a kid tended to harden your body real quick. Physically at least, Zeron wasn’t doing much beyond trying to loosen his tongue with torture. Dusk spat blood on Zeron’s face, “You think this hurts? I barely felt it.” Wrong, Dusk’s pain tolerance was high, But not endless. Plus, He did not know what Magic was truly capable of… And he soon found out as Zeron opened his palm and unleashed a stream of electricity onto his body, targeting the individual cuts he made. The bolts streaked straight to his nervous system and he figuratively and literally lit up like a Christmas tree with the feeling of pain. Dusk’s entire body convulsed in agony, screaming in pain as he was fried like a fish, before Zeron cut the power and said to him, “I know you felt that, cur. You clearly don’t understand how much danger you are in right now.” Dusk let out a grunt of pain, before saying. “No Zeron, I knew what I was getting into when I came here, but I didn’t think someone like you would be so pathetic as to beat up a journalist.” Dusk felt horrified as Zeron calmly put his finger onto the drop of blood he spat on his face, before reshaping it into a sharpened needle made out of blood and bone. With a hungry look in his eyes Zeron plunged the needle into Dusk’s arm near his left elbow joint, and then another into his right, earning another cry of pain, “I am impressed you are able to take this much abuse. It seems I may underestimated your will.” Zeron simply stepped away and smiled into the cracked mirror on the wall, “But don’t worry, I will get what I want out of you soon enough.” Dusk summoned his resolve and screeched, “What? What the hell do you want from me exactly?! I literally came here 2 days ago!” Zeron looked over his shoulder, at Dusk’s wounded form, before saying. “I want, no I NEED you.” Dusk was about to spit back with another question before Zeron slugged him in the gut, breaking one of his ribs. “Also, I am the one who will be asking questions. I’m the one in control here!” Dusk’s mind was burdened by the pain, but enough was still there to pick up on that last sentence. ”Im the one in control here? Hm, he certainly doesn’t act like it.” Dusk thought, trying to keep himself guarded. Strangely, it worked. Zeron wasn’t responding with more torture. In fact he seemed almost… distant. Then he began to spoke, not to Dusk however. But to, himself? “I am in control of this situation. I know my master. I know you will return with time. I have not been idle. I almost have it, just a little more time.” Zeron said to… no one. He was talking into the sky, looking out a broken window. Now as well as feelings of pain, Dusk felt confusion. He wanted to chock it up to just the insane ramblings of a cult leader that believed in a genocidal Alicorn Demon thing, but it struck him as odd. But that feeling was quickly quashed by more pain as Zeron nailed him again with a blood needle, this time in his left hand, it pierced straight through his palm. Dusk yelled, his tolerance wearing. He was still staying stable, though. Zeron clearly had tortured people before, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to perfectly thread those needles around all the major blood vessels that would cause Dusk to bleed out quickly. Zeron immediately turned around and grabbed Dusk by the face again, his nails digging into the open cuts on his cheeks. “You are going to give me what I want, Dusk Shine. Or this will be where you will die.” Where the hell was Savior when you need him? (Segment over, For Now) (Canterlot City Mall Ruins, 2 Hours after Dusk awoke…) Savior landed in front of what was once the Canterlot Mall, his sensors flaring with how much residual and active magic was emanating from the building. Six months ago, Give or take a week or during those six months… Savior made his debut into the public eye by taking down Black Sun. He also saved the Rainbooms from a deadly fate, and managed to gain a clue as to who was really pulling the strings. From that point forward he ceased to be a secret protector, he chose to make his presence known to the city, and probably to the world. They didn’t know who his identity was, but they did know he stood for justice and the protection of the people. Fat lot of good it did when the Tower fell. People got paranoid real quick, and despite his reassurance that he was there to protect them and stop the bad guys along with the police… people still felt nervous around him. Especially given the fact that his suit was unofficially considered a WMD, and he looked like a giant mechanical/cybernetic organism that flew and shot missiles and bullets. Savior’s audio receptors picked up the sounds of cars approaching as a riot van and police cruiser pulled up. Clearly Shining Armor wasn’t taking his warning seriously, that idiot. Was he brave, stupid, or some inane combination of both? Whatever the case, his judgment of Shining’s character could wait as the doors of the van opened up and six officers armed in the Anti Magic gear he supplied piled out. Savior’s Anti Magic gear was originally designed for his cybernetic form, as normal humans didn’t have the magic capability to wield it, let alone activate it. The irony about it was that it required a magic spark or an electric current to activate, in order for it to negate Magic… It was experimental Magitech for a reason. But, the CCPD felt like it was worth the risk. Any protection would help against this still little known force. Shining also stepped out of his car, wearing standard body armor and wielding his gun and a magically charged nightstick. It sparked and shine with electric magic, Shining’s preferred style. Savior also saw that on Shining’s side was the lightning blade he gave him during Black Sun’s attack on the hospital six months ago. It was deactivated at the moment, but all it needed was a quick charge and it would shine with enough energy to slice through even reinforced steel and the strongest barrier Magic out there. Savior chuckled at the sight, Shining was still learning the intricacies of the magical enchantment of weapons. While Savior personally couldn’t do magic anymore, his systems had every recorded spell in Equestrian history on them, as well as many sources of Terran magic he learned of first hand or via the Internet. As inaccurate as the internet sources were in their validity, they still held merit in order to compare his numerous theories on how Equestrian magic differs from Terran magic. Said theory could wait as Shining jogged over to him and put his gun and stick away, before speaking to Savior. “So, this is the place Ironheart? Takes you back doesn’t it?” He said, using a name Savior had not gone by in years. Guess Shining felt nostalgic, so did Savior caught up in the atmosphere of his first public show off. “Yeah, I guess it does. I didn’t even know my cybernetic brain was able to simulate the feeling of nostalgia.” Savior replied, charging his weapons and loading his guns for the inevitable fight ahead. Shining did the same, as he motioned for his men to charge their Anti Magic equipment, as an invisible dome of power formed around the party. Savior began to walk towards the entrance of the former mall, which was blocked by rubble. Savior’s audio receptors in his helmet picked up noise from inside the wrecked building. His left gauntlet unfurled into a double barreled magic caster, a steady hum building as it charged up with a blast of arcane power. His right gauntlet opened and a tube popped out and extended, a breaching charge being loaded for firing. Shining also was hearing the voices, his hearing being enhanced by Sombra’s magical power. Wisps of dark blue magic snaked down His arms, and a haze of black fog covered his hands, his deep blue eyes turning red and gleaming in the darkness of the night. The air was still and silent, no one dared make a sound as several of the officers began to hear running footsteps. They gripped their Anti Magic shields tight, fear slowly creeping up on them. Then they heard the whine of a spell charging up… Within what felt like an instant, Savior’s breaching charge flew from its launching tube and he fired his magic caster at the broken window on the left side of the malls entrance, hearing a scream of pain as a sliver and black robed person fell out of the window, a searing hole in his chest from the shot. The breaching charge detonated in a burst of explosive power, and Savior took to the air and flew above the mall, probably to pinpoint Dusk’s location, while Shining and his men charged through the main entrance. Before the assault went off, Savior told him about what exactly happened and what he would be facing regarding the Sons of Eclipsio. Unlike the other two prevalent cults, who seemed to focus on the defense of their own, the Sons of Eclipsio only sought to attack and kill anything that wasn’t them. From what info they gathered via analysis provided by informants and encounters with the group, They put little effort in teaching their members how to defend against normal humans. In short, They thought themselves so powerful with their magic that how could human beings manage to fight them in any possible way. This was in professional terms, “Completely Dumb.” Ever since Savior began to provide anti magic gear and Magitech weapons, the Sons had been struggling to fight back. They usually relied on the strongest amongst them to do all the fighting, such as Thunder Strike and Zeron and anyone else. The mall itself had two main entrances and a couple of side ones, so Shining stationed several ambush officers on the smaller entrances on stakeout. It was hard to arrange all of this in an hour, but thanks to assistance from Savior’s presence during the meeting. Shining’s plan was a classic bait and switch with a twist, Savior was a giant distraction. He would blast his way through the mall to draw out Thunder Strike, before leading the powerful magic user into an ambush Shining had set up outside of the south entrance of the mall. While he knew he couldn’t kill Thunder Strike with a simple ambush, and the officers knew they could likely die, they still went along with the plan. They swore an oath to protect this city and its people from those who would do it harm… And while it wasn’t directly said…This included magic, monsters, and whatever the hell the Tragedy spawned six months ago. Shining Armor’s group rushed into the building, meeting little resistance as most if not all of the cult members were busy trying to take down Savior. ”Absolute fools, they cannot be this stupid, falling for a distraction this obvious. Shining, remind me again why you have had trouble with these cultists?” Sombra’s voice echoed in Shining’s head, since his horn was once again around the man’s neck. As much as King Sombra’s presence was evil and dangerous, Shining needed him for this. ”Mostly we have trouble with Zeron, as he always seems to be constantly near the members of his cult. He is a leader that prefers to be on the front lines. Reminds me of what you told me about yourself, funnily enough.” Shining responded to him in his head, but only getting disappointing silence from Sombra. ”In what way?, Sombra’s finally responded with, cold fury in his voice. A sharp pain ripped through Shining’s skull as Sombra increased his influence over his host. Shining’s hair began to turn black, but Shining managed to resist the powerful spike of influence, letting it return to the dull gray it was. Shining Armor rounded a corner, saying to his officers as they followed, “Split up into groups of five, if you see any of the cult members, engage and arrest them if you can. Lethal Force is authorized, but use it as a last resort if they won’t come quietly. Sweep and clear the rooms as you go.” One of the officers spoke up, Stone Spike. “If lethal force is authorized, Sir, why did you say that we should try to detain them. In my own observations, the Sons of Eclipsio members aren’t ones to surrender.” Shining gave Stone a look, “I know. But I’m required to say that as to not get into more trouble with the commissioner, he already doesn’t like me. For some reason he thinks these people can be reasoned with.” The rest of the officers looked at each other, then let out a short chuckle. Stone Spike spoke up, “Hah! You know captain, I think he’s the one who needs a head check.” The humor cut off when Shining’s ears picked up the sound of spells charging up, he immediately signaled for everyone to raise their shields and brace. Out of the dark corridor, several fireballs, bolts of electrical power, and blasts of cursed energy flew. They disappeared on contact with the Anti Magic shields, then Shining and the officers opened fire. Shining unleashed a stream of electricity from his right hand, while he fired his gun with his left. Several of his officers took cover behind door frames and pieces of rubble and fired along with him. They heard the sounds of cries of pain and fury as several cult members rushed out of the dark with spells in their hands. They fired wildly at the group of police officers, who quickly took cover. A member slashed at Shining with his hand coated in sparking magical energy, Shining simply turned his body into shadow and let the strike pass through him, before delivering a electricity covered fist to the man’s face. The man fell to the floor and went still, as another leaped over his body and fired a bolt of fire towards the captain. Shining weaved his body out of the way of the searing projectile before slipping behind his attacker. He restrained the cultist with his nightstick, throwing him over his shoulder and into the other members. Suddenly, An officer cried out in agony. Shining’s head wheeled around, seeing a cultist stabbing his man with a magical construct of a sword. He turned into shadows and pried the insane cult person off his fellow officer, using his momentum to sling the cultist through the wall. It crumpled easily and Shining stepped into the room beyond, using his advantage in the dark to sneak behind and quickly snap the cultist’s neck. Sombra’s voice spoke through Shining’s mouth, his influence at its peak. ”These cultists are spineless and weak, Zeron must truly be scraping the bottom to send these whelps out to face us.” Thankfully, no one noticed Shining’s voice change despite being in the room with an injured man. He was clutching his arm in pain, the slash wound went across his arm above his elbow. This was bad, Shining didn’t have any medical training, nor did he bring any EMS (didn’t get the clearance. Stupid Commissioner.) ”Why are you concerned if he dies? He knew what he was getting into. Only thing we could have done was kill the person who did this, and you just did that.” Shining Armor ignored Sombra’s retorhic and wrapped a shadowy binding around the officers wound. While he was no expert in healing magic, he could at least keep the wound from bleeding out more. The officer still shuddered in pain as several of Shining’s men ran over and began to get him out of the firefight and into a safer position. Shining Armor looked into the darkness, his vision perfectly clear thanks to Sombra’s own power over the dark. He heard a crash in the distance, knowing it was Savior’s explosive entry. Already he saw at least a dozen bodies of cultists on the floor, they weren’t moving. Most of the others that were still alive were retreating, or were advancing on Savior’s position. “That’s our Cue, men. Move in deeper and find Dusk Shine. Fan out and check the store fronts, Zeron probably needs a decent amount of space to use his magic, as evident by his attack out in the open this evening. So, check the bigger storefronts, Squad B, your with me.” Shining bellowed, his voice mixed with Sombra’s. The officers saluted, beginning to fan out and travel down the balcony paths of the mall, checking each store as they did. Meanwhile, Shining Armor turned into a shadow and slipped into the darkened corridor on his left, heading towards Savior’s position. Squad B followed close behind. ”Hold on Savior, I’m on my way for backup.” (Abandoned Canterlot Mall, Food Court) The largest group of cultists were gathered in the food court remnants, using the large space as their gathering hall. Zeron was currently in there, taking a break from torturing Dusk, he had been running low on magic and Dusk’s perseverance was much greater than the expected. ”It must be Eclipsio’s spirit in him. It’s the only explanation as to how he could survive all that.” the mad cult leader thought to himself. He continued to think, trying to understand how someone as unimportant as Dusk could keep going even after all he did to him. ”A human being, especially one without magic could never be as strong as me. I cut him relentlessly and he is being bled out slowly. I need him near death to draw Eclipsio’s fragment out of him. It’s the only explanation as to why he keeps going.” Zeron then spoke to his assembly, “Members of the Sons of Eclipsio, I’m sure you all have now heard that our sacred temple has been breached by the foreign invader Savior and those that think themselves the authority of law and order. However, they have no chance against us! For we, the chosen members of the Entourage of the Swallower of the Sun and Moon will never fall to them!” The cultists screamed their support. Zeron was ever an expert at playing to a crowd, considering he was a public servant before everything happened. He worked primarily as public relations for Grey Ghost Arms, a weapons and body armor manufacturer. They supplied weapons to the military and police and struck it rich in the months following the Fall of Canterlot Tower. With how many people panicked, their stock skyrocketed and purchases of weapons exploded. All according to Zeron’s plan, keep the public panicked and armed. So that when it was time to loose his wrath upon the city, it will descend into chaos. People killing in the streets, absolute anarchy and violence abound. And while the police and government were trying to reign it in, his followers would resurrect Eclipsio. He would feed on the war and chaos, and grow strong again! It was a foolproof plan, nothing could dissuade it. Zeron would be rewarded for his service! He had to! All that he was missing was the fragments of his master’s body, which he believed were inside Dusk, and he had good evidence to support it. How else could he survive all the pain he inflicted? Either Dusk had a previously unknown resistance to magic (which wasn’t uncommon in some No Mags), or he had internal magic that he was unable to access for… some reason. Zeron looked at his handiwork on Dusk, who was currently unconscious. He had fainted when he began to cut into his arms and legs. Not enough to make him bleed out, but enough to expose his dormant Magic Lines, and boy did he have a bunch! Zeron was surprised to see that Dusk had not one, not two, but five different Magic Lines on his body. Two down each of his arms, one down both of his legs, and one running up his spine. The only problem was that they were inert, due to Dusk having no magical power whatsoever. Suddenly, the skylight glass above them burst with a bang as Savior dropped through it, slamming downwards like a falling anvil and opening fire as he did. Several cultists were shredded by the initial salvo while others dove for cover and returned fire with bolts of flame and darkness. Zeron sighed, ”amateurs” waving his hand as a portal opened up next to his head, before firing a silver-black laser of magic from it. It struck Savior in the wing, knocking him into a small overgrown grove of trees that was in an indoor planter. Savior emerged from the planter and fired a trio of concussive rockets towards Zeron from his right arm, and a powerful grenade from his left. Zeron conjured a shield, blocking the rockets, but shattering from the explosion of the grenade, he stumbled back as he returned fire with a stream of arcane power. Savior put up a shield using his wings, as the blast scattered away. It pushed him back, but did no damage. “So, Savior. Come to face me directly, now? How bold and foolish of you.” Zeron said calmly, opening fire with several bolts of dark magic. Savior retaliated with shots from his magic casters, the two attacks collided in a burst of power. Smoke filled the area, as Savior continued to fire. Zeron batted the bolts aside, they collided with the decrepit food stands, then he took the opportunity to run in with a solid magic sword in his hand, Savior saw through the smoke and draw his Lightning Blade. Zeron was a strong mage, but only average in up close combat, but all he needed was to get close enough to slash Savior, forcing him to block and unload a Dark Burst spell in his face. Savior’s sensors immediately picked up his attack plan and he flicked his wrist forward, sending the Lightning Blade in a thrust towards Zeron’s chest. Zeron blocked and tried to fire his attack, Savior dodged out of the way quickly and kicked the insane man in the face. Zeron’s face crunched inwards as his nose broke, while his adrenaline was keeping him from feeling it, the blood now dripping out was starting to annoy him. If he started using healing now, it would give Savior an opening to probably finish him off. He needed more time, so he cast Obscure, shrouding the area in black fog. When Savior took to the air, he charged a blast of Dark Magic, letting it rip from both his hands one after the other. Savior flew out of the way and crashed down with a mighty bang. The shockwave sent Zeron skidding back even with his shield up. To make matters worse for him, gunshots began to rain down from the balconies above. Bullets whizzed through the air and several pierced his body. They passed harmlessly though thanks to his abilities over distortion. He paid the officers no mind as he continued his assault on Savior, who The cult leader chuckled, “Fu-haha-h. You’re not one to bring backup, Savior. Seems the fools that call themselves the enforcers of the law think they can strike me down.” Zeron moved his right arm up and a portal opened above him, as giant black tentacles shot out and smashed into the balconies above him. Anyone that wasn’t immediately killed by the attack fell to ground level, struggling to stand. Zeron didn’t have to say anything as his fellow associates fell upon the police like ravenous wolves, slashing and blasting away at them with magic blades and bolts of darkness. The cult leader smirked, even as Savior clashed his Lightning Blade with his own solid magic sword. “You must realize, Savior, that you are doomed. Did you not-“ The cult leader was interrupted by Savior breaking his magic weapon and blasting Zeron point blank with his shredder gun, sending him flying backwards. Shining Armor arrived just in time to see Savior back up, hearing with his enhanced ears a sound like something straight out of hell. ”EVERYONE HIT THE DECK!” he yelled, voice his own for once in the past 10 minutes. The officers, at least the ones that were not dead or unconscious, obeyed and immediately took cover. Savior’s feet sent out anchor pins as the lights on his armor began to glow red, the noise from before getting louder as he leveled his arms and wings towards Zeron, who was starting to get up. Several cult members swarmed the man, unaware that they were running to their rapidly approaching deaths by pissed off cybernetic monster. Savior said one thing before all hell broke loose ”Shut Up and Die!” Hell broke loose in a cavalcade of gunfire, explosions, and magic blasts. Shining took the initiative and threw Sombra’s shadowy form around his officers that had taken shelter in the corner. Even through the curtain of darkness a bright light threatened to burn it away, were it not for Shining throwing everything he had into the barrier, it would crumble underneath the sheer pressure of the assault that Savior was unloading. Savior’s Machine guns, shotguns, rifle barrels, all manner of firearms were white hot as the cybernetic hero filled the air with lead, shells, and slugs. Cultists were filled with bullets and dropped, or they were completely shredded to ribbons by the torrent of fire. Magic casters flashed, bolts of superheated arcane energy screaming outwards, disintegrating the enemies. The bursts of power so intense that Savior’s own armor was starting to warp from the strain. Savior’s wings opened up and unleashed shards of steel. Giant blades of metal rained down upon the cultists, ripping them asunder or impaling them like skewered meat. Some were torn completely in two in a spray of red viscera. Grenades flew from his shoulder pads, reducing the surrounding area to dust and any cultist to a fine mist as they were blown away in a blast of fire and shrapnel. All the while Savior stood silent, the only noise coming from him was the sound of his weapons. Shining was in awe, while he was aware Savior’s Suit was classified as a WMD, he thought it was just hyperbole, or meant to intimidate criminals. But seeing the sheer amount of dakka that he was unloading into a single point, even his own estimates were off by a considerable amount. After what felt like ages, his clips ran dry. Savior stepped back and felt more reload in, keeping the ends trained on the place he shot Zeron into. His armor was glowing, seething. The armor plates glowed white hot as steam rose from the vents, the ground was visibly melted around his feet, and a massive uneven pit was dug about 20 feet into the dirt where Zeron landed. Between all the gunfire, explosions, and weapons, Shining’s ears were ringing. Sombra’s voice cut through his mind like a hot knife through butter. ”Well now, it seems your friend has much more power than I thought. I haven’t seen that much firepower since I fought Celestia AND Luna together. No wonder they used to call this thing “The Night Terror”. What in Faust’s name would possess someone to create a weapon like this, and where can we get one?” the King said, uncharacteristic awe and shock in his voice. The silence was cut by something that sounded like clapping, it came from the pit that Savior had dug with his hurricane of death he unleashed. The smoke cleared with a gust of wind, and both Shining and Savior’s mind ground to a halt. Zeron stood in the pit, genuinely clapping. He was alive! After everything that was just shot, launched, and casted at him, that bastard was still alive?! “Bravo, Savior. Bravo indeed, but unfortunately for you, that won’t work the same way it did with Eclipsio and Burning Star. You can’t just overwhelm your enemies with the size of your power output.” He said, standing tall and the same smug look on his face. Zeron was alive, but he wasn’t unharmed… Zeron’s entire right arm was burned away, nothing but a stub of his elbow, his right leg was the same, as was the entirely of the right side of his head What shocked Shining and Savior was what the were seeing. It was completely impossible! Zeron’s missing right half was replaced by a silvery black cloud of magic, forming the shape of a leg, arm and the bit of his head that was missing out of a black fog. Savior’s sensors were on fire trying to analyze what he was looking at, and Shining’s mind was trying to comprehend it as well, even Sombra was drawing a blank. Savior watched slowly as Zeron floated out of the pit, a confident look on his face as a portal opened up next to him. “Especially when you have a hostage in the line of fire, now.” He said, and Zeron’s hostage was pulled into view. Shining’s face hardened and his heart leapt into his throat, It was Dusk! He looked like he was dead. (Trigger warning again. Don’t worry this is short.) Dusk’s body was lacerated in multiple places, fresh wounds on his arms and legs. His face was ugly and dark, dried blood on his cheeks and his left eye were swollen shut by bruising. His chest was bare, covered in scars and line-like slashes, an almost surgical precision to them around Dusk’s ribs. Particularly his left side. He looked like he had been tortured for 4 weeks, but it’s only been 4 hours. Just as he felt the ammo load in and the capacitors charge full of magical energy so he could finish Zeron off, Savior’s sensor array picked up a small heartbeat. It was weak, and slow. (Ok warning over, back to your regularly scheduled reading) Dusk wasn’t dead, not yet. But he would be dead if they didn’t get him out of here, and hopefully blow this monster back into hell. Zeron’s remaining hand opened and a minuscule ball of black stuff appearing in it. It seemed to writhe and visibly shake as he placed it in his palm. Zeron continued his monologue, pacing back and forth in front of Dusk’s strung up body. “Oh poor, poor Dusk. You all don’t know what I know, but when you find out… fu-haha-haha! Oh the surprise it will be for you!” “What surprise? Spill it!” Shining Armor yelled, Sombra’s influence rapidly growing. Zeron simply laughed, his voice distorted. “Fu-ahahahhaha! I will admit that little attack there was powerful, enough to kill even the strongest mage or even harm someone like Burning Star…” The area around Zeron erupted in silvery black power, sending Savior skidding back as the madman roared out in a voice straight out of a nightmare, ”But I am ZERON. I am the first chosen follower of PRINCE ECLIPSIO! the Swallower of the Sun and Moon! Destroyer of the Great Alicorni Race! I will not fall to something as primitive and crude as a group of humans and some malfunctioning cybernetic weapon?” Zeron reached his hands towards Dusk’s chest, near his heart, still speaking. “I mean really now, What can you do? Nothing! the moment I have a hostage and this little orb you freeze up Savior! So desperate to save the life of some “nobody with no magic.” Shows how much you know!” Savior’s systems were blaring red, his sensors finally analyzed what was in Zeron’s palm, and how bad of an idea it was to open fire. Shining’s heart was hammering and his eyes were focused squarely on Zeron when Savior’s voice spoke through his earpiece. ”Tell your men to lower their weapons. It’s an emergency.” Shining relayed back, “I’m aware it’s an emergency, he has a hostage, he has my damn cousin as hostage! Why should I lower my weapon?!” Saviors voice blared across the radio, “Beacause Zeron is currently holding ANTIMATTER IN HIS PALM AND WILL KILL US ALL IF WE FIRE ON HIM.” Shining’s hand shot up and the officers lowered their weapons, fingers still on trigger. He knew what that was, Twilight helped him through college level physics (she was at the age of 13) and she told him about how matter and anti matter… didn’t mix well… to put it lightly. ”I don’t believe it, Antimatter. This scum can summon Faust-damned Antimatter?! What can I do?! Savior’s internal thought process relayed. He was running any solutions that could allow him to kill Zeron, save Dusk, and not blow everything in the city up in a gigantic annihilation event of Matter colliding with Anti Matter. No solution. He had a cerebral network in his head that was a fast as a supercomputer, and it came up with no solution. He ran the problem again, no solution. No solution. No solution. That word flashed over and over in Savior’s network, but he still kept running it. Then he thought of something, it was risky, but it could work. Savior stopped using his machine brain and used his organic one, or what little synapses and neurons he had left to come up with a plan. It was a human… pony plan. One void of any computation, logic, or reasoning. It was a gut feeling plan, and it would work. Savior knew it would. Shining heard something over the radio, “Shining… this is my last gift to you, I give you hope. You know who will need it…” Savior’s armor suddenly shot off his body, grabbing Dusk before Zeron could react and his internal cybernetic body flew towards Zeron. It grabbed him and flew into the air, using any leftover thrust from the original rockets in his feet to take him higher, taking him away from Shining and the city. Zeron kicked and thrashed against him, the Anti Matter orb thrust towards him, but stayed suspended in its bubble, Savior’s old Ironheart magic shell was still strong, “What are you doing?! You know this isn’t the end of me! It’s impossible for you to defeat me, Savior! What is this reckless display!?” The plan he came up with had little chance of working, his computer saying it would be mathematically impossible… Only one problem with that word. ”Impossible” Looking back from this moment, he did the impossible many times. He found comrades in Burning Star and Sunset Shimmer, the meeting of both of them together was impossible and the defeat of Eclipsio even more so. He traveled to a distant world, previously believing it to be impossible, creating the Savior Armor to help stop Black Sun’s rampage. He was defeated despite his advanced technology, by Mare Do Well and the Power Ponies, which was impossible for anyone else, and turned his whole outlook around. He did the impossible and fused with the weapon he created, and became Ironheart, the Pony of Vengeance. …And now that weapon, no that tool… would be passed to another. He knew who would pick it up, they just would have to find the hero, the hope in themselves, as he did. So yeah… Savior didn’t believe in impossible. After all, he was Doctor Oculus Bright Mind. The word impossible, meant little more than dust in the wind, which he would be soon if he had his way. “You see, Zeron. I might not be able to kill you…” Savior’s voice sparked, his body heating up and glowing. Savior’s reactor began to hit critical, he had been overloading it as he flew higher, much to Zeron’s growing alarm. “…But I will be able to buy these people more time… plus… I already have a plan.” Zeron tried to struggle free, but it was too late, He was too high and Savior blasted him upwards along with him. “What plan?! What are you planning?! SAVIOR!” The cult leader roared, still flying higher into the air, now past the clouds. Soon, Savior saw the sun rise over the horizon, it was dawn… his time was done. But he did not fail them… he did it. He successfully defended Canterlot from the last remnant of Eclipsio. He could rest knowing that his own investment would also pay off… if they figured it out. Under the blaring warning sirens and Reactor Critical Message flashing in his eyes, Savior muttered the phrase that Mare Do Well once told him. ”You want to be a hero, Bright Mind, Then do it your way.” With a short exhale, Savior smiled and said his last. ”Ganbare… San Setto…” With a deafening bang, a white light filled the skies as Zeron and Savior’s collective blasts of power detonated above Canterlot City. Shining had to cover his eyes as the light burned to look at, let alone be near. Windows blew out and as the entire city rocked with the force of the explosion. People were jolted awake and looked out their windows in horror. They didn’t know what it was but they did know whose light that was… Savior. A white explosion filled the air right above the ruins of Canterlot Tower’s surroundings, it lasted for what seemed like an eternity before it dissipated, leaving only a shining red star in the sky. Shining saw the Star come into being, before saying to his fellow officers, “Gentlemen, a moment of silence. We have lost one of our own.” The yellow light of dawn broke across the city… and people woke to the sound of the explosion. They thought it was another magical anomaly, they hoped it wasn’t what they thought it was, but it was. Those that knew, knew well what it was… And those that didn’t, would soon find out.