Chapter Forty Eight: Temper Tantrum
~BlackRoseRaven
Midnight Hour snarled up at his father, a little under eight years of age, larger than most adult ponies and with his sickle-shaped horn gleaming as he shouted angrily: “No! It's not fair, why are you doing this to me? I am a prodigy! I'm an adult-”
“You're not an adult! You look like an adult, and Horses of Heaven know you're smarter than most adults, but that's not what makes you an adult or even mature.” Scrivener snapped in response, his voice booming through the Garden. He was in full Tyrant Wyrm size, looking irritable and cold... and feeling, as he always did when they fought, like at some point he'd failed this poor child. Like this was all somehow his fault. “Now you heard me and your mother. We agreed that-”
“You agree on everything! You're always against me, I hate you both!” Midnight Hour yelled furiously, then he ripped savagely at the plants and ground underfoot, making Scrivener only sigh at the dramatics he was all-too-used to by now even as Luna flinched and clenched her eyes shut at the words... words that hurt her to the core no matter how many times Midnight repeated them. “I am Prince!”
“And I am King.” Scrivener said quietly, leaning down and glaring challengingly at Midnight Hour, who glared furiously back even as he quailed slightly. “Stop it. Go up to your room. You're not allowed to go to Ponyville, and you will stay here and you will behave yourself for Celestia and Twilight while we're gone.”
Midnight Hour trembled violently, furiously, and then he glared up angrily and snapped: “I am an adult! I am, you... you don't know anything! I'm stronger than you'll ever be, Dad, I... I'll make you both see!”
Scrivener, however, only snorted in derision at this, raising his head and looking down as anger burned in his eyes. “There is more to strength than size and power and calling yourself a 'god.' You used to know that, Midnight Hour...”
The hybrid child stormed back and forth, furious, not meeting his father's gaze as he muttered: “You always told me that I deserved the world, that I would rule this country when I was ready, that I was strong... you always told me I was destined for greatness! Why won't you listen to me now? I can take anything I want, I proved that a long time ago, I-”
“Stop. Just... stop, and go to your room, we're done here.” Scrivener said shortly, flicking a front claw irritably, and Midnight snarled in fury at the dismissive gesture as Scrivener felt his own aggressive, animal urges rising, mixing with the bitterness he still carried over how his son had callously killed his beloved pseudodragon. “Don't push me, Midnight Hour. I am your father, but I've had just about enough of you giving me that glare, of you acting like you can shove me around. Do you really want me to push back?”
“No, that's... that's not it! I just want you to give me a chance...” Midnight Hour shouted almost pleadingly, and Scrivener sighed a little as the boy-adult stepped forwards, looking up at him desperately and angrily. “What do I need to do to make you give me a chance?”
Their eyes met, and Scrivener's widened before he felt a connection form between them, Luna's own head snapping up too little, too late before Midnight Hour snarled and yanked his gaze away, snapping the connection... and Scrivener cursed in pain, body flexing as the light in his eyes flickered and he dropped forwards, grabbing at his head. And Midnight Hour looked over his shoulder in surprise as Luna flexed and gasped, then hissed through her teeth and rasped: “Go to your room...”
“I...” Midnight Hour's mouth went dry as he slowly looked over his shoulder at them, studying them, the way they were both contorted with pain through what had only been an accidental, momentary twitch... and then he slowly, coldly smiled as he whispered defiantly: “No.”
“Go... to your room!” Luna shouted, standing up... and Midnight Hour grinned at her as their eyes locked, that connection forming again, like hooked chains that lashed out of his mind, seized into the fleshy tendrils of thought and emotion in his mother's, then yanked back before he snapped his gaze away and severed the connection forcefully... devouring the screaming, surprised emotions of the winged unicorn as she lurched backwards, her mind splitting and going wild as Scrivener howled in pain, blood dribbling from one of Luna's ears as she flopped backwards.
“I... look! I told you I was stronger than you both you... you just wanted to keep me down! I knew I was an adult, I knew it was lies... I understand now, you're greedy, keeping all this to yourself, or even worse you think I'm weak... well I'm not! I'll show you I'm not, I'll show you how strong I am, how strong I can become...” Midnight's eyes lit up as he stumbled backwards, his grin becoming wider, lunatic, as he fed off the emotions in the air. “I know! The amplifier, at the top of the spire, the magic amplifier!”
“N-No, whatever you're thinking, don't! We abandoned that project a long time ago...” Scrivener hissed, looking up... but Midnight was already turning away, already running eagerly towards the halls before Scrivener leaned forwards and shouted furiously: “Midnight Hour, stop!”
“You can't make me! I'll show you how strong I am!” Midnight Hour howled angrily in return over his shoulder, then he looked forwards, eyes blazing, half-wanting to outdo his parents and half-wanting only to impress them, to make them see, make them understand, as he grinned savagely as the idea formed sharper and sharper in his mind. “I am the Prince of the Night! I'm the inheritor of Equestria! You told me you'd let me rule this land when I was ready and I am ready now! I'll prove it, I'll show you, I'll show everyone!”
“No!” Luna howled miserably, clawing her way to her hooves before she stumbled uneasily, and she cursed in desperation as she shook her head before her horn began to glow as Scrivener's entire frame shuddered as he shrank down, the winged unicorn looking up before her voice ripped through the halls and minds of Enstasis as she shouted: “Stop Midnight Hour! Stop our son!”
Midnight Hour snarled at this as he ran into the hallway, then he flicked his horn to slam the doors shut behind him before it gave another sharp flash, and the air around the doors became distorted, trapping them in a pocket of frozen time: anything that passed into the area around the doors would be halted in stasis. Then he turned ahead... and gritted his teeth at the sight of Twilight Shadow and Discombobulation, the Lich approaching slowly and calmly as she said quietly: “Okay, that's enough, Midnight Hour. Now, before things get any worse, I want you to come with me.”
“N-No. No.” Midnight's eyes blazed, his hackles rising, shaking out his sapphire mane as his claws tore against the ground before he snarled at her as a burst of rage rose up through his body, shouting: “I don't have to listen to you! You're nothing but a puppet!”
“Two puppets, actually.” Discombobulation said mildly, holding up his front limbs to show off sock-puppets of himself and Twilight, and the Lich glared over her shoulder at him before the Draconequus shrugged and stated moodily: “Just trying to ease the ten-”
“Shut up, I can't stand your stupid jokes!” Midnight Hour snarled furiously, snapping his horn towards Discombobulation, and the Draconequus winced backwards a ball of blue fire shot towards him... before Twilight Shadow leapt up in front of him, the fireball hammering her in the chest and knocking them both crashing backwards when it exploded.
They crashed down, and the Draconequus hugged her back against his body as the stitching over her body steamed and popped, an ugly wound torn in her chest in which her silvery heart-orb glinted as she breathed painfully in and out... and as Discombobulation stared down at her with disbelief, she grinned weakly, whispering: “Hey. I'm already dead. And you are my friend, you big dummy.”
Discombobulation smiled faintly at his... and then both Lich and Draconequus stood slowly up, standing side-by-side as Midnight Hour grinned at them, breathing furiously, his hesitance vanishing as he saw the damage he had done to Twilight before Discombobulation smiled calmly and asked quietly as the puppets vanished from his hands: “Like old times, friend?”
“No.” Twilight smiled faintly up at him, saying quietly: “You still have that slave enchantment on. And I order you... not to sacrifice yourself for me.” She paused, then leaned forwards as her stitches popped and snapped, her body expanding rapidly as her jaws fell open with a hiss of blue mist, her eyes taking on a fearsome glow and mane and tail bursting into black flames as she rumbled: “Also, I can do this.”
“And here I thought I made all the bad one-liners.” Discombobulation said pleasantly... and without looking, he rose his fingers and snapped them, an enormous silver dome falling out of thin air and slamming down around Midnight Hour to trap him as he added wryly: “You remind me of an ex-girlfriend I had once. Even after I cut her head off she insisted on rising from the grave and doing ballet in the woods. What a ridiculous notion: everyone knows that trees don't like ballet, they like blues music.”
Twilight was spared the problem of responding to this when the silver dome shuddered before exploding as Midnight Hour roared, and the enlarged Lich leapt in front of Discombobulation, metal shrapnel uselessly ripping into her dead flesh before she snarled and charged forwards... but Midnight Hour leapt to meet her, swinging a claw viciously upwards into her chest, and Twilight's eyes widened in horror as it tore not just into skin and through bone, but into her very spirit.
A coldness spilled through her body, and then her form collapsed lifelessly when Midnight Hour tore backwards and ripped her very spirit out of the broken corpse, the prodigy grinning insanely up at the phantasmal form of Twilight Shadow as it kicked weakly and stared helplessly, the sickle-shaped horn of the male beginning to glow... but before he could, Discombobulation covered his eyes with his arm and snapped his fingers, shouting awkwardly: “I'm really sorry about this!”
Twilight's corpse shivered for a moment, then exploded with a tremendous bang, Midnight Hour shrieking as he was drenched in blood and hammered by bony shrapnel, the force of the blast knocking him off his hooves and allowing Twilight's spirit to vanish hurriedly from sight. Then Midnight Hour looked up with a scream of fury as Discombobulation peeked awkwardly through his fingers before he winced when the hybrid swung his horn at him and released a powerful, focused stream of lightning.
Discombobulation swung his arm down, and the bolt of lightning was drawn to the enchanted armlet sealed around his upper limb, hammering uselessly into it as Discombobulation winced; the destructive chain of lightning snapped back and forth, but the Draconequus managed to keep it focused on the armlet, cursing under his breath as he staggered slowly backwards and Midnight Hour stormed forwards, shouting furiously: “You're nothing to me, none of you are! Get out of my way or I'll kill you!”
“All you had to do was ask.” Discombobulation replied with a wince, and then he vanished from sight, Midnight Hour stumbling forwards before the Draconequus reappeared behind him and slammed a foot into his haunches, saying in a calm, accented voice: “To send you on your way with good luck, good sir, and a good day to you!”
Midnight Hour spun around with a yell, but Discombobulation was already gone, and the youth snarled... then looked up sharply when the doors vibrated violently, hissing furiously. He had been delayed too long already... and with that, he turned and ran towards the nearest doorway, howling furiously at the Greater Nightmares that appeared in his way: “Get out, move!”
They tried to resist, but he simply smashed by them, knowing full well that none of the servants of darkness in this castle would harm him, could disobey his own orders, as he stormed through the interconnecting corridors. The soldiers and the Ivory Elite that got in his way, however, were less fortunate: the former he plowed over, ripping through with his claws like they were toys, and the latter he blasted with concentrated magic or froze in place, hissing and growing more animal, more furious on his rampage through his own home, his own castle, and yet feeling a hideous, primal enjoyment in it.
He was halted in an upper corridor by the sight of Celestia dressed in her full armor and waiting calmly at the other end, however, resting on her haunches and polishing a golden broadsword slowly and leisurely in her hooves. The six Moon Blessed sat on either side of her, and the First Concubine looked slowly up before she said coldly: “I knew you'd pass this way if you want to reach the Central Spire. You've hurt your Mother and Father and others very important to me. Their importance and the safety of Equestria... outweighs your importance.”
“A-Are... are you threatening me? You, First Concubine, my aunt... threatening me?” whispered Midnight Hour... and then he snarled furiously, his head twitching, his eyes glowing before he shrieked: “How dare you! If you truly are all against me then I'll just show you what I'm really capable of!”
“Don't hold back.” Celestia ordered quietly, and Cowlick grinned as Big Mac narrowed his eyes, the Moon Blessed readying themselves as their horns glowed before Midnight Hour roared and charged forwards, but the sound was cut out by a single curt order: “Incapacitate.”
The six Moon Blessed stepped forwards, their horns glowing brighter before they all released concentrated blasts of electricity, and Midnight's eyes widened before he snapped his horn upwards with a hiss, the six blasts of lightning drawn to this and the hybrid's eyes glowing as his teeth ground painfully together, hissing through them as he dug his hooves against the ground, before he roared furiously: “I am your Prince!”
He snapped his horn upwards, and the ivory lightning twisted and sizzled violently before the horns of the Moon Blessed began to grow brighter: Fleur and Ross snarled in pain, but it was the others, whose horns were only crystal veiled in enamel, who felt true agony as the lightning surged back through them before the crystalline prosthetics exploded one after the other in bursts of lightning and blood, sending the Moon Blessed crashing backwards. Ross howled in misery as Cowlick fell, and then electricity tore across his frame and sent him crashing down... leaving only Fleur standing as she tried desperately to hold her own before screaming as Midnight Hour met her eyes and ripped savagely into her mind.
Her concentration broken, lightning tore down her body from her own reversed spell, knocking her crashing backwards onto Big Mac's bleeding form. Celestia looked slowly back and forth, and then she stood slowly, three swords rising up around her and spinning once before raising into a ready position as she opened her mouth-
And Midnight Hour simply flicked his horn, a ripple traveling through the hall and passing over Celestia as her eyes widened slightly, her fiery mane twisting and slowing... before she was frozen entirely in place, her swords numb and silent at her sides, her eyes surprised, her mouth partly open. Even the glow in her mane had frozen as she stood stock still, helpless, horrified, and unable to move as the hybrid strode slowly towards her, his eyes burning insanely before he leaned slowly up and whispered: “Oh, like I'm stupid enough to give you a chance, Aunt Celestia. But you always liked to talk, didn't you?”
He slashed his horn viciously forwards, ripping through her armor, tearing a shallow cut in her front. But the wound didn't even bleed: she was still frozen, broken bits of armor glimmering in the air in front of her before Midnight brought a claw up and stabbed savagely forwards into her breast, and Celestia could feel her life being sucked out of her body, Midnight Hour screaming and laughing at the same time as energy poured into him, filling him with her strength, her powers, her body steadily graying as steam hissed up from her frozen-in-time frame before he tore backwards... and Celestia finally collapsed, her swords shattering like glass against the ground as she gagged and wretched and shivered miserably, her features aged, her fiery mane and tail turning to white hairs as she trembled on the floor and Midnight Hour looked coldly down at her. “A great warrior indeed, aren't you?”
He stomped savagely down on her face, cracking her cheek and jaw, and she was only able to croak weakly in return before he strode over her body and shoved the door beyond open. The maddened hybrid continued onwards, growing more intent with every step, losing every last inhibition as power and energy flooded him before he grinned insanely as he saw Pinkamena and Nidhogg ahead with Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Nirvana and their foals, the dull-gray demon shouting over her shoulder: “Goddammit, sissy, run!”
“No, I want all of you!” crowed Midnight Hour, and he snapped his horn upwards as Fluttershy began to turn, the door slamming on the face of the Pegasus knocking her backwards before the other doors in the halls shut violently as well, Midnight Hour, slavering as he charged forwards down the long corridor and shrieked: “A little snack before I show Equestria the face of their new king!”
“Eat this!” Pinkamena snarled, stepping forwards as she tore her axe off her back and threw it hard, and Midnight Hour looked stupefied before the blade of the weapon slammed into his skull and made him scream in shock and pain as he was knocked onto his back: it hadn't torn into his metal-hard skull, but it had left an appreciable amount of damage all the same from the sheer size and weight of the blade. Nidhogg squealed, looking horrified as he grabbed at his head, and then he gargled when Pinkamena seized him by the head as her armor began to pop and snap as her body expanded, asking in a furious roar: “Who is your Master?”
“Scrivener, Scrivener!” Nidhogg shook his head violently, then the demon tore free with a snarl and leapt into the air, shooting violently forwards and crashing into Midnight Hour, tackling him down the hall just as he began to sit up. They rolled violently, but then Nidhogg screamed when Midnight Hour's claws ripped into his throat and their eyes locked, the creature feeding off the spirit and vulnerable mind of the demon...
It was over in moments, Midnight Hour throwing the broken corpse aside as he sat up, the wound on his face healing with the new life force pouring through him as he charged forwards with a snarl, and Fluttershy yelled desperately as Nirvana and Pinkamena both lunged: the Phooka's powers were useless against the creature, however, and it was slapped aside like a toy before he and Pinkamena tore at each other... then Midnight Hour shrieked as something smashed into the closed door he had come through.
Pinkamena took the moment of drawn attention to slam her hooves into his throat, but it only made the creature snarl before he half-turned and threw the demon hard, sending her crashing into the closed, battered door before he flicked his horn... and before she could fall, both demon and the area around the door were frozen in another time bubble, Midnight Hour spinning around and hurrying towards his objective. Pinkie Pie scrambled out of the way, but Fluttershy only looked mutely up... before Midnight simply trampled her as he passed, smashing her heartlessly to the floor and crunching her ribs beneath his powerful hooves and claws, leaving her gasping weakly for air as Pinkie Pie screamed in horror and fell back against the wall as her mane went straight and flat, and Nirvana howled in misery from where he was laying prone as their foals cried out in desperation, in denial...
Midnight Hour tore into the central spire of Enstasis, slamming through the iron door like it was paper... before a pair of strong hooves slammed into his face and knocked him sprawling. He rolled backwards with a shriek, and then stared in shock at the sight of Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage both standing ready, the Pegasus shouting furiously: “Stop it, little brother! I don't want to hurt you!”
“I... I...” Midnight Hour licked his lips slowly, breathing harder before he snarled furiously as terrible, vicious urges rose up through him, leaning forwards and howling: “I want to hurt you, though! I want to hurt everyone, until they love me again! I'll make them see that I am the chosen prince... even if I have to kill everyone around me to do it!”
He ran forwards and leapt at her, and Apple Bloom swiftly spun around and slipped herself neatly in front of Scarlet Sage, slamming both rear hooves into Midnight Hour's face and knocking him sprawling backwards again with a gargle. The earth pony snarled as she leapt on top of him, her hooves slamming back and forth against his features before Midnight kicked her hard off, and Scarlet Sage leapt up, catching the mare against her body with a wince before dropping her safely back to the cement floor of the round, wide empty base of the spire. “Look at yourself! This isn't you, where's-”
“Enough!” Midnight Hour howled, throwing his head back and releasing a surge of energy, and Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage were both frozen in place before Midnight lunged forwards with a snarl, seizing Apple Bloom by the skull even as tears threatened his eyes before he lifted her, then slammed her into the ground by the head, again, again, again, shrieking: “I'm supposed to get everything I want! I'm supposed to be loved! I'm supposed to be special!”
Then he threw her backwards as static flickered through the air, and Scarlet Sage trembled and fell to the ground, staring over her shoulder in horror at the sight of Apple Bloom laying with her skull broken, bleeding heavily, feeling her dying as the connection between them grew weaker before a claw seized her around the throat and Midnight Hour snarled up at her: “You were always Dad's favorite... you bought his love with your body, whore!”
Scarlet Sage didn't bother to respond, gritting her teeth as she swung a hoof forwards, and Midnight Hour only snorted, using his sharp, sickle-like horn to rip into her front leg and deflect her limb, making the Pegasus shriek as he grinned... then frowned when Scarlet grinned painfully back before snapping her limb forwards and splattering her blood in his eyes, making him curse as he threw her away in disgust before Scarlet's eyes glowed bright red.
The blood in Midnight's eyes began to steam violently as it heated up and became like acid, and the hybrid screamed in agony before he fell forwards, clawing at his eyes as Scarlet Sage took the moment of distraction to rush towards Apple Bloom, hefting her onto her back. She could feel her weakening, and the Pegasus snarled as she sprinted past her brother and out of the room, needing to get the mare she loved to a safe place, knowing, horribly, that the only ponies who stood a chance at stopping Midnight Hour was her own parents... and worse yet, that even they might not be enough, as tears spilled from her eyes and behind her, Midnight Hour screamed: “I won't forget this! I'll get you one day, Scarlet Sage!”
Midnight Hour snarled, stumbling stupidly forwards as he finally managed to wipe his eyes clear. There were blurs here and there in his vision, but he could still see as he looked over his shoulder, then flicked his horn to slam the door and create another time distortion around it, whispering: “But not now. I'm so close now, so close...”
He turned, hurrying towards the enormous set of circular steps leading up to the top of the immense tower, and he charged up them, his mind refocusing on his objective and his plan as he breathed hard in and out, his eyes blazing with a mix of desires. Greater Nightmares appeared beside him, pleading with him, shouting at him, trying to delay him, but he ignored them, shaking his head and snarling: “I am going to be the ruler of this country! I'll show Mom and Dad just how strong I am, I'll prove that I deserve it, I'll make them bow to me!”
He laughed as he climbed stair after stair, his eyes glowing as below, the time distortion rippled before it was neutralized in a blast of fire and lightning as the door was torn off its hinges, Luna and Scrivener leaping through and snarling up the long tower before Luna threw her head back and shouted in a voice that echoed through the enormous structure: “We are very disappointed in thee, Midnight Hour! It's time for thee to be punished!”
“You're too late...” Midnight Hour whispered as he reached the end of the spiraling, immense stairs, running through an archway and skidding into an enormous concrete room that was dominated by a massive cradle of stone, and the object it held: an enormous obelisk of black crystal, covered in glowing runes and held in place by thick iron chains and banded cables, the creature grinning slowly as his eyes glowed and he whispered: “Yes. Yes, look at it... it's glorious.”
He could hear Luna and Scrivener approaching, and yet it didn't matter now: nothing mattered now, nothing at all. Not anything else in the wide, circular room, not anything outside this sky-high tower, not anything in Enstasis, not all of Ponyville. He had eyes only for the obelisk, stretching grimly from the floor to the ceiling some thirty feet above, tampered with and modified over the years to better channel the dark powers of the King and Queen should it ever be needed, visibly reshaped and restructured here and there, a terrible and beautiful sight. Runes pulsed tantalizingly over it, and it seemed to whisper to him, drowning out the shouts from his parents as they rushed up the stairs after him, but they were so far down the enormous tower and he was here, striding towards it, his eyes glowing as he focused his powers into it...
The amplifier pulsed, runes sparking brighter along the body of the crystalline obelisk as dark light flared inside it... and across Equestria, other amplifiers – some clean and polished and standing as proud monuments in cities or points of interest nearby, others overgrown with vines and other plant life and hidden in the depths of forest and jungle – much smaller and less-ominous began to glow slowly with trembling light, as if they didn't want to broadcast the terrible message that Midnight Hour was beginning.
He grinned wider, his eyes glowing as he leaned forwards, breathing harder as the central amplifier began to grow brighter, pouring more of his powers and strength into the amplifier, his eyes staring hungrily into the obelisk as Luna and Scrivener felt the power growing in the air, pushing themselves harder as they ran up the stairs, yelling furiously, and Midnight Hour snarled as he heard them. They couldn't be allowed to interrupt, to stop him... and he shoved brashly forwards, yelling angrily as he stepped towards the amplifier: “Stay away! I told you to leave me alone, I can do this and I will prove how strong I am, that I am Prince of Equestria!”
“No!” Luna shouted desperately... and then both she and Scrivener were slammed backwards by a terrible rush of force, bouncing off the wall and sent crashing down the spiraling staircase before they were both blinded and numbed by a rush of light and sound.
A terrible blast of energy ripped through Enstasis, the shockwave tearing through the towers that stood around the central spire and sending several crashing downwards as supports and joists snapped. Like a miniature sun, a sphere of light grew bolder, brighter, around the central spire, consuming the top of the tower in crackling energy, pulses of power and force emanating from this as around Equestria, the other amplifiers glowed... then crackled with energy before one-after-the-other, the abused magical devices began to explode in blasts of lightning and flame, ripping up the earth around them with impulses of violent magic that sent Equestrians panicking and screaming in terror.
Fire spread violently through the land as amplifiers blew apart one after the other, the earth rumbling and nature herself seeming to fade and die at the violence with which the chaotic destruction tore through Equestria. And no one could do anything to stop it, as the fires spread, as the earth quaked, they could only hide, flee the hungry flames, and howl in misery, fearful that a second Ragnarok had already been brought down by their malicious King and Queen.
But Enstasis too quaked, even as the light faded and left an impossible sight behind... and slowly, tiredly, Luna and Scrivener opened their eyes at almost the same time and picked themselves miserably up as Midnight Hour's voice screamed: “But it's impossible! No, no, no! It should have... why didn't... this isn't my fault!”
Both winged unicorn and poet looked numbly upwards before their eyes widened in shock at what they witnessed: the magic, the mix of time control and dark magic and uncontrollable desire had violated the principles and fabric of reality itself, and left them standing in some terrible wasteland that had once been only thin air and perhaps the top of Enstasis's central spire. Now, instead, it was a wide, flat expansive of dry, arid sand, with random floor tiles, shards of stained glass, and chunks of furniture standing up here and there from the floating, miniature desert. Immense blocks of black stone and broken chunks of wall floated here and there in a red, awful haze that surrounded the island they stood on, and Scrivener stared in disbelief at one of these walls, looking through the window that stared like a blank eye in the center of it into not red haze, but cheery blue skies.
Above their heads was a ceiling of black clouds and glimmering shards of dark crystal, flashing now and then as lightning arced out of these to travel through the dark roof. They were in some grotesque bubble of madness-made-environment... and Scrivener and Luna snarled as they both drew their eyes towards the only other occupant of this awful place, standing on the other side of the island and screaming at the skies.
Midnight Hour: except black chunks of crystal had embedded themselves throughout his body, and his eyes glowed with raving, wild light. He was staggering back and forth, bleeding from wounds that laced his body, but he didn't seem to notice the pain as he shook his head wildly, then snarled at Luna and Scrivener, shrieking: “This is your fault! I... I don't need you! I hate you both, I'll kill you both!”
“Don't make us do this...” Luna whispered, and Scrivener clenched his eyes shut even as he readied himself, but Midnight Hour only snarled in response before he leaned forwards and broke into a wild charge, and Luna gritted her teeth and whispered: “I am so sorry we failed thee, Midnight Hour...”
He dove at them with a scream, and Luna leapt forwards, slamming her head fiercely into her son's face, and the hybrid was knocked back with a grunt before Scrivener leapt forwards and slammed his shoulder into his son's body, knocking him crashing and skidding through the sand before he and Luna rushed forwards, Scrivener sweeping a claw up under Midnight's chin to knock him rearing back with a shriek before Luna slashed her horn across his chest, then flicked her horn to send a blast of force smashing into the male, knocking him crashing backwards with a howl of misery.
He skidded over his back through the sand, trembling once before he whimpered weakly, staring in horror at his mother and father: “Y-You hit me...”
“Yes, we did. And we are in all likelihood going to kill thee.” Luna said as gently as she could, trembling a little as her mane and tail burst into blue flames, and Scrivener slipped sideways as his form expanded, his features warping and transforming into full Tyrant Wyrm shape as he grew towards full Tyrant Wyrm size. “Thou art... maddened, Midnight Hour. Thou art ill... and maddened. I will give thee this chance to surrender... to lay down peaceably...”
“Don't force us to fight. Don't make us fight you. Don't make us kill you... but this has gone too far. You've hurt too many people. You tried to kill... so much and so many.” Scrivener Blooms added quietly, leaning forwards as his powerful, enormous frame flexed, blue mist twisting quietly up from his muzzle and his nostrils as his sapphire eyes glowed darkly. “You were supposed to be the one who made everything right.”
“I am... I am the one who will do that... I'll kill you both and prove it!” Midnight Hour screamed, stepping forwards and slamming his claws into the ground, and then he flicked his horn as a pulse of power emanated from him, and Scrivener snarled as he was frozen in place... but Luna immediately shot forwards, faster than Midnight could target even as his eyes moved towards her before she rammed her shoulder into his face, knocking him backwards before she slashed her horn savagely outwards.
He swung his own up, the sickle-shaped, larger natural blade violently parrying Luna's as he cursed in surprise at the power and speed of his mother's attack, eyes widening as she continued forwards, snarling as she propelled herself with her wings and her hooves danced over the sand, strafing back and forth as she slashed and attacked at the same time. He was barely able to keep up under the ferocious barrage as he staggered backwards, his eyes widening in terror, tripping back on his haunches before a hoof slammed up under his chin, the attack stunning him and seeming to come out of nowhere before Luna's hooves smashed viciously back and forth across his face.
He howled, clawing at her furiously, but she danced away before Scrivener Blooms leaned forwards, Midnight Hour staring up in shock before the Tyrant Wyrm roared, waves of sound and sapphire smog smashing into the hybrid and knocking him skidding backwards with a scream as his body burned from the toxic mist.
He lurched to the side, hurling himself out of the cloud and rolling once, wincing as he landed sprawled and shivering on his stomach, his bruised body steaming as blood ebbed out of his scales. He looked slowly up, rasping hard, as Luna and Scrivener loomed silently, looking down at them, hesitating... and tears rose in Midnight's eyes before he hauled himself up, screaming: “I hate you!”
Luna flinched, as she always did, and Scrivener seemed to freeze up... and with a howl, Midnight snapped his horn upwards, reality rippling around his parents before they were both frozen in place, Luna with an expression of pained surprise, Scrivener with a snarl before Midnight charged towards them, his eyes glowing as he hissed: “I'll be better than you ever were!”
He slammed his claws down on Luna's shoulders, ripping them into her, and her life flowed out of her, her eyes bulging in horror as her son began to drain and absorb her strength, her energy, her powers... and as he did, Midnight's wounds healed, her knowledge flooded his mind, his grin grew wider and more insane as he drank down her passion, her pleasure, her-
Discombobulation appeared out of nowhere, slamming his armlet-covered limb into Midnight Hour's face, sending the hybrid backwards with a gargle before the Draconequus snapped his fingers, and the air itself seemed to turn to cheap glass around Scrivener and Luna before the Tyrant Wyrm threw his head back with a roar, shattering the prisons as Discombobulation staggered and muttered: “Damn my theatrical need to make everything into a visual metaphor...”
Luna stumbled forwards, but the Draconequus smiled and caught her by the shoulder as the Tyrant Wyrm snarled and stepped forwards, leaning protectively over them both as Midnight Hour looked up with fury, with hate, with raw anger... and then he suddenly grinned, his eyes glowing as his horn took on a sudden golden sheen before he whispered: “Bye-bye.”
He snapped it upwards, and Discombobulation stared at himself with horror as the same golden aura rapidly spreading over his body, becoming brighter first at the extremities before it became yellow fire, and the Draconequus let out a miserable cry of horror as he threw his arms up, leaning backwards, half-stumbling... and freezing in place as his body rapid petrified as the golden flames spread violently inwards.
And a moment later, he was nothing but a still stone statue, Luna and Scrivener staring in horror before Midnight Hour snapped his horn briskly upwards, and the statue rattled violently before exploding into shrapnel that tore into Luna and Scrivener's bodies and features, stunning them both as chaotic energy tore through the air around them. They both staggered, horrified, distracted, agonized... and Midnight Hour took the moment to charge forwards, snarling as he snapped his horn to the side and ripped the sickle-shaped blade through Luna's shoulder, throwing her to the side and sending his mother crashing down with a gasp of shock and pain as the same agony ripped through Scrivener, the Tyrant Wyrm looking down too late before Midnight Hour crashed into his chest with a howl of: “I hate you most of all!”
Scrivener was forced to rear back, his eyes filled with pain as Midnight's rear hooves slammed into his body and his claws ripped through his armor-like scales like they were cheap cloth, every tear sending up a shock of energy as Scrivener's very spirit was attacked by the savage hybrid as his horn moved with a horrible, unnatural elegance stolen from Luna, tracing deep slashes and rips over his frame as he darted back and forth up Scrivener's breast with all the ease of climbing ladder before lunging upwards and sinking his horn into Scrivener's neck. And Luna staggered on the ground, stumbling instead of leaping into flight as she grabbed at her own throat, her eyes bulging in horror as she felt the wound spreading there even beneath the fused collar before Scrivener howled as Midnight ripped to the side and then tore his claws into the wound to rip it wider, then kicked savagely outwards, knocking himself flying backwards before he snapped his head down with a wild laugh.
A blast of lightning hammered into Scrivener's face, arcs of electricity twisting violently over his features before they erupted into a blue conflagration, the devastating explosion knocking Scrivener crashing limply to the desert as Midnight Hour flipped elegantly once, then crashed to his hooves and grinned insanely across his mother, meeting her eyes and shrieking: “Want to dance, Mommy?”
Luna felt an assault of wild images tear into her mind, blocking out her vision, making her stumble drunkenly as Midnight Hour rushed her, then slammed his horn back and forth across her features, ripping gouges through her face as she howled and swung her horn back and forth, unable to fight, unable to see, Midnight Hour laughing and dancing around her with ease before he reared back and savagely tore his claws back and forth through her features, flaying her ephemeral mane and her face apart. She screamed as Scrivener Blooms dragged himself around in a circle, howling in pain, his own face covered now in horrendous wounds before his glowing eyes brightened as he roared: “Shallock!”
“We are the destroyers and the ultimate, the killers of all that was and all that will be!” The Black Verses echoed through the air, and Scrivener's head reared back in horror as they came not from him... but instead from Midnight Hour, his eyes blazing before he caught Luna by the face when she attempted to charge, then he seized her horn and turned, flinging her like a toy into Scrivener's chest, knocking the Tyrant Wyrm back a step with a gargle before his eyes widened when Midnight met his glowing lantern eyes fearlessly, as hooked chains ripped into the Tyrant Wyrm's mind, as a voice whispered through his brain: How does it feel to have your every weakness exploited, your every strength turned against you?
The connection was shattered as Midnight simply flicked his horn, and Scrivener howled in agony, the light flickering in his eyes as it felt like every thought, every image, every memory was torn forcibly out of his head before he gargled weakly, then collapsed forwards, whimpering, trying to move to protect Luna as she lay prone in front of him, silent and staring. Midnight Hour only laughed at them insanely, despite the fact he was bleeding from his eyes, the wounds, the tremble in his body as reality around him shivered violently as if the universe itself feared his very presence. “How does it feel, Mommy? How does it feel Daddy? Your little bitty boy just cleaned the clock with the two self-proclaimed gods of Equestria, and neither of you stood a chance whatsoever against me! Tyrant Wyrm, you're just a pathetic weakling, Father! And you, Mother... if that's how the Valkyries fought, then it's clear they were just Odin's whores, not Odin's guards!”
Luna snarled, trembling, as tears fell down her cheeks, and Scrivener clenched his eyes shut, his horn pulsing weakly before he slowly forced himself to raise his head, rasping weakly: “Shut up...”
“Make me. Oh, you can't, that's right!” Midnight Hour flicked his horn, and a blast of lightning hammered into Scrivener's face, racing along his features and making him groan in pain as bolts of energy surged up along his horn. “You're weak! And you said Tyrant Wyrms were fearsome... no wonder you're the only one left if you're supposed to be the strongest of them all...”
“Midnight Hour... surrender to us... do not make us take... extreme measures.” Luna whispered, trembling as she slowly forced herself up to her hooves, and Midnight snarled at her furiously as Luna looked up desperately, pleadingly... and yet at the same time, with ruthless determination. “I realize that it has been a long time since I have played the role of 'hero...' but I will play it now. I will do anything to save Equestria even... even if I must kill thee. For thou... art mad with thine own power... and I only wish we could have kept thee pure and innocent and good as thou once wert, that our sins... had never been visited upon thee...”
“You know nothing about me! Shut up, you bitch, lie down and die! I don't need either of you anymore, parents... ever listening to you, loving you was weakness and failure!” Midnight Hour screamed, looking furiously across at them, and he stomped a claw forwards as he grinned, lunatic, insane, eyes glowing even through the tears of blood leaking from them. “You taught me that if you have the power... then what you want is yours! We are gods... and gods rule through force, and your time to rule is now over. I have conquered you both. I will absorb the last dregs of your powers, I will make all of Equestria mine, I will play out my visions, my images, my glory! There's no need to give to others, all I need is power, power, more power, more respect, and most of all for them to fear me! They will worship me, it's all mine, mine, mine, and I get to do anything I want with it because I am stronger than anything else in the world!”
“It is amazing, Scrivener Blooms... how spectacularly we failed. We were given a beautiful, handsome son... and somehow, we molded our savior, our hero... into this.” Luna whispered softly, then she bowed her head forwards as emotions and images passed back and forth between Scrivener and Luna, before a single thought rose between them... and Luna looked up with a cold, strange smile. “Scrivener and I... must deny thee the glory of killing us, Midnight Hour. And yet I fear I no longer wish to live all the same, so that leaves only one option. Scrivener Blooms... do it.”
Scrivener rumbled, shivering once as he reared back... and then his jaws opened wide and lunged down, descending on Luna, biting savagely down on her as Midnight Hour fell backwards, staring in horror as enormous fang-marks ripped through Scrivener's own sides and body even as the animal, vicious Tyrant Wyrm greedily, fiercely crunched and tore into Luna's form, swallowing down flesh and spirit and soul... and even as he continued to chew, rip and tear, the light died out of his eyes before his lifeless head fell forwards and Luna's few sordid remains spilled out of his jaws, staring coldly mercilessly outwards.
Her mane and tail became nothing but simple hair, and Scrivener's blood rotted in the air, becoming dark, corrupt mire as his scales became like porcelain, and Midnight Hour stared stupidly, then trembled and laughed weakly, insanely, gazing disbelievingly at the corpses of his parents. He tilted his head back and forth, grinned brokenly, then shook his head before laughing again and whispering: “I knew they were weak. I knew it I... I...”
He frowned slowly, looking upwards as something trembled, something stirred... and even as Scrivener's clay-and-shale, mire-leaking corpse began to steam, cracks formed over his chest before his breast shattered open, revealing a terrible crimson core. It looked like an immense eye, staring outwards, and Midnight Hour shrieked as he hurriedly yanked himself backwards before he thought he saw something in it, a pair of terrifying, disapproving shapes of mother and father as other things, spirits, shadows, unnameable shapes swirled around these looming apparitions... and then the light slowly faded from eye as it sagged.
It split apart, tearing with a sick sound as mire and ooze spilled out... and then a shape slowly emerged with a soft sigh, a winged unicorn with a gunmetal coat but a mane and tail of burning black flames. Silver hooves gleamed dangerously, and when his eyes opened, they glowed, cyan and dark, as black wings spread and flapped powerfully once before slowly furling to either side of a graceful, athletic body as its tall black horn gave a single pulse.
Tail and mane settled over the faintly-masculine figure: it was hard to tell what gender it truly was, features sharp and vain and androgynous, body athletic and toned as it strode forwards, and Midnight Hour trembled violently as he whispered weakly: “Who... who are you...”
“I'm surely not your mother or your father.” it whispered teasingly, a mix of Luna's sultry tones and Scrivener's mocking calm, and then it paused to glance meditatively down at Luna's corpse before it swept a hoof forwards... and Midnight Hour stared in horror as the hoof snapped apart, becoming a flexible silver claw that easily grasped the black pearl still inset in the melded collar before tearing this loose, and it smiled as it held this up... then opened its large-fanged jaws and swallowed it whole, closing its eyes and saying softly: “So many memories... but we are made of memories. We are two halves of one soul... finally sharing one body.”
Midnight Hour whimpered, then his breathing quickened before he snarled and lunged forwards, shrieking in fear and anger as his horn glowed: “I don't care what you are, I'll-”
And then he gargled weakly as the winged unicorn seized him by the throat and hefted him into the air like a toy, looking up at him and saying gently: “You'll die, is what you'll do. Oh, don't get us wrong. We know you're strong, little boy, but while we have the benefit of mingling all of our vitality together to recover some of our strength from the battle... you are... bleeding. Dying.” It leaned forwards, a long, curling tongue twisting out of its jaws before it slowly licked up Midnight's face, making him whimper before he was thrown on his back as the winged unicorn looked down at him almost serenely. “Go ahead. Try and kill us. Use up the last of your energy, foolish boy. Strength alone doesn't matter... you've used up most of yours by now.”
Midnight Hour snarled, snapping his horn forwards, releasing a pulse that froze time around him before he leapt forwards... and the mocking winged unicorn simply vanished from sight, Midnight staggering weakly before the creature reappeared in front of him, silver hoof snapping apart into a claw that ripped across the hybrid's face before forming back into a hoof to slap back across his muzzle in a vicious hammer blow, knocking him flat as the awful, taunting shape walked forwards, Midnight Hour screaming in denial before the winged unicorn seized him by the shoulders and pinned him on his back.
He felt the hooves separate, felt them becoming claws and individual digits that grasped gently into his shoulders as the winged unicorn leaned down and whispered: “Nice try. But we know that trick now. We expected it. We are disappointed in it...”
Claws stroked lovingly up his shoulders to his throat, grasping into it, beginning to choke him slowly, and Midnight Hour gargled, his eyes bulging, his claws grabbing uselessly at the winged unicorn's forelegs as he wheezed: “Mommy! Daddy! It's... it's me, stop, I... I... I'm sorry! Mommy! Daddy! No, no, I won't ever do it again, I... I... I... p-p-please!”
“Shh, shh, shh.... don't worry. Soon, you'll be a part of us too. We will consume you... every last little drop...” the winged unicorn said gently, leaning down, licking slowly up Midnight Hour's muzzle, and the creature shrieked before the winged unicorn smiled into his eyes as its own glowed terrible emerald, jaws opening wide to reveal those horrible fangs as claws squeezed tighter, monster killing monster. “Mommy and Daddy love you.”
Midnight Hour screamed once in the chaos... and then he fell silent, he existed no more, as the terrible creature's jaws locked fiercely over his and drank up his fear, his emotions, his life... and his very soul.
Luna and Scrivener sat together comfortably on a grassy hill overlooking a pretty vale, just like old times: Scrivener, the charcoal earth pony, noticeable not for his size, or the scarring over his face and body, or the glasses on his muzzle, but because he was always beside Luna, with her sapphire coat and the black pearl dangling gently on the green rope of ivy around her neck, as her starry mane and tail glowed softly.
They sat together, looking up into a beautiful blue sky as the sun shone quietly overhead, and Scrivener said finally: “I guess we really screwed up this time, huh?”
“I do not know, Scrivener Blooms. Did we 'screw up' or did... we make the best decision we could?” Luna asked softly in return, reaching out and rubbing quietly along the male's back as she smiled a little. “I love thee. Thou loves me. And now we share a body as well as a soul. Although it seems that our mixed consciousness is... particularly...”
“Nasty.” Scrivener supplied, and Luna nodded thoughtfully as they leaned back and gazed up at the blue sky, and the clear azure rippled like water before showing them images of the world outside. Images of this creature they had become making its way calmly down from the chaos bubble above Enstasis towards the castle... a consciousness they both knew they could reach out, they could affect the course of if they wanted to, that was made up of both of them... but neither of them wanted to.
They were content, inside this Heaven in their mind. Where their soul had receded... where they could rest and play, where days had already passed in the minutes that had passed outside. Everything they ever wanted was here. Everything they knew, and longed for, and desired... was here. Everything they dreamed of... even if none of it was real, it was all here, it felt real, and it was good enough for now, because Luna and Scrivener both... needed a rest. And never before had they felt so... so connected. Even with all their connection before, now they truly were one. Apart, hidden deep inside the mind or soul or whatever, at times like this... but they felt as one body. One perfect form...
They both traded awkward smiles, then shared a short, sweet kiss for a moment before both glanced over their shoulders curiously as there was a ripple... and Nightmare Moon appeared, striding towards them and looking back and forth before she sat quietly and asked gently: “May I join you? I do not wish to offer... recriminations or apologies, reason or debate... I just... wish to spend time with you both. Luna, you locked me very deep inside yourself... I didn't like it there. I didn't like being sealed completely away... I... missed you both.”
“Of course, Nightmare Moon, thou art a welcome friend and what I did was... a mistake. We... made many mistakes, culminating in this: the greatest mistake of all, or the greatest joy of all.” Luna said softly, glancing upwards quietly, and Nightmare Moon nodded slowly before she quietly leaned forwards, wrapping her forelegs around both Scrivener and Luna, large enough to easily pull them both back against her. And Luna smiled faintly at this, as she whispered: “'Tis funny, though... we are both in the shapes of... who we were before this nonsense, this violence, this mess. That must mean something, aye?”
“It means we're stupid.” Scrivener said simply, and Luna laughed and nodded before they shared a look, and then Scrivener glanced up at the strange, floating screen in the sky.
The being was looking across at scared and worried Celestia and the other survivors gathered in the courtyard, who were all looking up at her fearfully, before Celestia shouted something, and a Greater Nightmare vanished. Scrivener and Luna and Nightmare Moon watched as sound entered their world, as time synced up between the world inside this being, and the world outside it, as Celestia asked apprehensively: “And... what... is your name then? You say you're made from... I mean, I feel... both Luna and Scrivener's presence from you, I feel a connection to you and my horn reacts to yours, but...”
Scrivener looked thoughtfully at the mirror, then he glanced to the side when Luna looked at him insistently, making him wince before he looked over his shoulder at Nightmare Moon, who only smiled indulgently and shrugged, and Scrivener made a face at them, muttering: “I hate you both.” He paused, winced and looked up as he realized the images were still moving in the sky above, and then he lowered his head.
And outside, in reality, the strange winged unicorn lowered its head as well, its features seeming to become more like Scrivener's for a moment before it looked up and said softly in the male's voice: “Gymbr. I am Gymbr. But call me Scrivener Blooms, or call me Luna Brynhild, or call me anything else you like. For I am both as much as I am anything else.”
Celestia smiled faintly, and then she glanced to the side as the Greater Nightmare reappeared, carrying a puzzle box... and inside Gymbr, Luna and Scrivener Blooms both cocked their heads before a silver hoof rose up and broke apart into a claw to gently take this, horn giving a faint pulse and the box clicking and opening in response as Celestia said softly: “I do not have the magic to separate you both... but perhaps our combined powers and the help of a small miracle...”
Scrivener and Luna both looked through the screen above and into the puzzle box at the single remaining, glowing white card taken from Valthrudnir: kept, treasured, never used. They looked at it... and then they slowly looked at one another before they shared a soft smile and nodded, then closed their eyes, both giving the same wish as Nightmare Moon looked down in surprise.
Gymbr calmly rose the card in its claw, and then said clearly, in the mixed voices of Luna and Scrivener, as the creature's horn glowed: “We wish for power.”
The card glowed brightly, becoming a glowing white beacon before flashing as energy surged over Gymbr's body, the winged unicorn flexing and gritting its teeth as its eyes glowed, and Celestia stared with horror before the storm of energy and power died down, and a moment later, Gymbr only stood calmly. It smiled across at Celestia, then reached up and squeezed her shoulder gently, saying quietly: “We are not ready to be separated yet. One day, we will become so powerful we shall be able to do anything... including separating ourselves back into two entities. But for now, we enjoy being one. Besides, Celestia, we must not be selfish. Come. Help us heal the wounded. Help us raise the fallen.”
Celestia stared over her shoulder disbelievingly before she sighed softly and closed her eyes, turning silently to follow with both admiration and disapproval... and inside Gymbr, Luna and Scrivener smiled as the images of the world outside vanished back into brilliant blue sky before Scrivener suddenly frowned and glanced over his shoulder at Nightmare Moon. “With you and Luna both here, why is our fantasy world still... bright and sunny?”
“Because the night has been long and dark, Scrivener Blooms, and while it is my domain and I wish for all ponies to admire its beauty... sometimes I too long for the warmth of the sun on my body, and the comfort of a bright day, when... darkness is all washed away. Because even darkness can grow too intense for me, Scrivener.” Nightmare Moon smiled tenderly, glancing down at the two before she looked quietly up at the radiant sun, murmuring softly: “There is nothing wrong with a little sunlight. If there was no sun, my beautiful night would have no meaning, and the moon could not shine so bright.”
And Scrivener and Luna both nodded silently as they gazed up into the blue sky above, resting quietly back with Nightmare Moon as she kept them comfortable in her gentle embrace, inside their secret shared utopia, in their shared soul, mind and body.