In the end, she chose to retract her claws and stand back up, extending a hoof towards the fallen pony.
“Get up,” Swift Light ordered. “And don't try anything. I don't want to have to kill you but I will if necessary.”
“Oh thank you so much. Truly your mercy and generosity know no bounds,” continued the other mare.
“Yeah yeah just stand up and start waving over the airship. I don't want to have to drag you all the way to the nearest outpost,” Swift Light replied.
The other pony grabbed the offered hoof and allowed herself to be hefted back to her own four hooves.
“Absolutely. I’ll just signal that the fight is over and we’ll be out of here in a moment,” she continued. “You know you surprised me back there.”
“How so?” Swift Light asked, gaze narrowing.
“You were remarkably vicious, and a talented fighter, but you haven't seem to have heard about silent spells,” continued the mare.
“What-” Swift Light began, her eyes popping open.
She hadn't seen the other unicorn’s horn light up even once when she had been casting magic. The illusion magic necessary to hide such a glow was complicated and not taught, at least in Canterlot anyway. Other, less reputable places of learning all too eagerly embraced the underhanded tactic.
Swift Light lurched forward, her claws opening while her mind conjured a stun spell. She didn't manage to land either, as an invisible bolt of energy slammed into her chest and dropped her to the ground. Limbs twitching, and muscles unable to coordinate, Swift Light’s spell quickly fell apart, as did her plan.
“Poor silly guard,” remarked the other mare. “For all your newfound savagery you still can't see past your own nose.”
“G-g-et y-you,” Swift Light stuttered.
“No, you won't. In fact, the only thing you are going to get is a spot in my fighting pits,” pressed the strange pony. “How does that sound my little hellcat?”
Swift Light tried to mutter an insult or declare her vengeance, but she couldn't say anything.
“Say it with me. Yes miss Cinder Flare,” taunted the other unicorn, who used her magic to puppet Swift Light’s mouth against her will.
Swift Light’s vision began to fade, and despite the rage welling inside of her, she began to lose conscience. The last thing she saw was Cinder Flare waving away the airship before being joined by a groggy-looking griffon. The guard was then unceremoniously tossed onto the mercenary’s back, where Swift Light passed out.
Swift Light sat in silence, staring at her own reflection in the well-polished bronze shield. Like the dented bit of hoof-mounted protection, she had taken her fair share of hits.
A scar ran over her left eye, one that went deep enough that the orb had turned a milky, unseeing white color. A trio of gauges made by a clawed limb ran from her right ear down to her nose, the injury having long since healed into a gnarly mass of scar tissue. A chunk of her mane on the left side of her head was gone, destroyed by a burn that had left a permanent mark on her. Other scars, old injuries, and battle wounds were visible all over her body, though she ignored them.
Strapping the shield to her left foreleg, Swift Light winced as the straps tightened and her worn muscles ached. She then drew her blade, a short, pointed thing well worn from what had likely been over a hundred battles. Finally, she tugged at the straps holding the breastplate to her chest, the mare using her hooves as her horn was completely gone.
The sudden squeal of metal prompted Swift Light to glance over to her left where an iron door had been opened. Standing in the opening were a trio of griffon mercenaries and several ponies that didn't look older than nineteen or twenty.
“Hey wait. We don't know how to fight. We’re just surveyors!” one yelled.
“Shut up,” barked the griffon before backhanding the stallion to the ground.
His companions were tossed in after him, the dou swiftly pulling their friend to a stand while looking around. Each was from a different tribe, though they all looked relatively green, and definitely not suited to venturing so far from civilization.
“You there. You’re not with them are you?” inquired a young mare.
“Do you really think I’d be down here if I was?” Swift Light asked, gesturing to their surroundings.
The room they were in was bleak, made mostly of rough-hewn stone, with weapon racks covering two walls. The other two had either a relatively small iron door with no handle or a large portcullis that was currently down. Beyond the iron bars was a dirty fighting pit ringed by high walls, beyond which were hundreds of seats most of whom were occupied.
“No, your right. I’m sorry,” murmured the other mare.
Swift Light merely grunted and gestured to the wall across from her. “Grab something sharp. They won't give you long to select something and get suited up so you better get moving.”
“But we don't know how to-”
“Fight. I heard that” Swift Light interrupted. “That doesn't matter anymore. If you want to stay alive then you do as I say and arm yourself.”
The trio looked at one another, a silent conversation passing between them before they moved to the wall. As they selected their meager arms and armor, Swift Light went back to sharpening her blade with a whetstone.
“So, how long have you been in here?” asked one of the mares.
“Depends. What's the date?” Swift Light replied.
“August third, fifth? I’m not sure,” answered the stallion.
“Over a year,” Swift Light muttered.
“How have you survived this long?” asked one of the new arrivals.
Swift Light merely raised her sword, as well as an eyebrow.
“Right. Sorry. Probably could have figured that out,” they murmured.
“Where did she nab you three?” Swift Light inquired.
“Couple miles north of the Guto River, near the griffon-stone station,” replied the stallion.
“She’s reaching that far already. Something must have happened back home if she’s able to edge so close to Equestrian territory,” Swift Light reasoned.
“You don't know the half of it Celestia is-”
A loud gong interrupted whatever the stallion was about to say and prompted everyone present to turn to the portcullis. Across the way high up into the stands was a private booth set apart from the others, a trio of guards standing near the back. At the forefront was a young stallion draped in silks that obscured his features save for his mouth.
“Welcome to today’s gladiatorial games,” he shouted, voice carrying unnaturally well over the vast distance. “We have a very special fight for you all, but before we introduce our combatants, allow me to welcome our mistress and future baron of the griffonian lowlands, Cinder Flare!”
Swift Light couldn't help but scowl as her decadent torturer stepped out onto the balcony, a smile on her face. Time had not taken a club to her as it had Swift Light, with Cinder Flare looking nearly identical to before. Only her dress had changed, as she wore a collection of finery so grand that even the most gauche of Canterlot nobles would scoff.
“Baron huh? So you seek to legitimize your claim,” Swift Light muttered under her breath.
Cinder Flare waved a ring-adorned hoof at the audience, causing a loud cheer to go up and last for several seconds. At which point she sat down on the long, plush couch waiting for her, and blew a kiss down at Swift Light. The action enraged the former guard but that anger was so burned out at this point that all she did was frown.
“Now as many of you know our resident beast of the pit has recently celebrated her one year as part of our mistresses’ menagerie,” continued the silk-clad stallion.
The crowd booed or cheered depending on if they had won or lost money on Swift Light.
“The dragon mercenary put on quite a show, but in the end, he was no match for the beast’s dirty, underhanded tactics,” he pressed.
Swift Light seethed quietly, a hoof touching the burn that had yet to completely heal on the side of her head.
“Don't you worry folks. We’ve found a creature so vile, and twisted that it will surely end even the beast’s reign of terror,” he proclaimed.
A cry went up, and hooves began to pound against stone.
“Are you the beast?” whispered the pegasi mare.
“What do you think?” Swift Light shot back, baring her sharp teeth for all to see.
That sent the other pony scuttling back amongst her fellows, a terrified expression crossing her face.
“That's right. Today is the beast’s final day in the pit, for soon she shall be facing what some believe to be a god cursed to walk the world as a mere scavenger,” proclaimed the announcer.
As if on cue, the massive iron door across the way clanged loudly, a fresh dent visible several feet off the ground.
“Please welcome Moros, better known as the scourge of the blasted hills!” shouted the silk-covered stallion.
The portcullis opened at the same time as the door across from them did. The creature it had been containing burst forth with enough force to throw the thing right off its hinges. The massive hunk of metal landed with a dull boom, kicking up dust high into the air. The towering foe that had done this stood stock still, its head turned downward to stare at the ponies only one-tenth its size.
Though it had the general outline of a hyena, it was unlike any beast Swift Light had ever seen before. Standing nearly two stories tall, with teeth as long as a broadsword, and fur the color of rotten flesh, the monster was an imposing sight. Doubly so when Swift Light noticed that the distinctive fur along its back was actually made of some kind of metal. The rust-covered fins were long, and jagged and seemed to grow naturally along its spine and ended just above its brow.
“Augh the smell,” murmured the pegasus.
Swift Light grit her teeth.
The stench was indeed incredible, with the towering hyena-like creature exuding a smell so intense that it nearly made Swift Light gag. The closest thing Swift Light could think of was the aroma of rotten meat left to cook too long on an open flame. Swift Light’s ruminations were interrupted when her gaze met that of her foe’s, the small, beedy yellow orbs fixing on the former guard.
You. You are worthy. Thought a vaguely feminine voice at the back of Swift Light’s mind. If you best me I will grant you my power. Do not disappoint.
“Begin!” shouted Cinder Flare.
The enormous hyena leaped across the fighting pit, a mad cackle spilling from its cracked lips.
“Right, let's do this,” Swift Light muttered, hefting her blade.
Swift Light stood bleeding profusely atop the great monster’s chest, sole remaining forehoof gripping her sword. Dozens of wounds peppered her body, some were minor injuries, and several were life-threatening. A scratch in her stomach was so deep that it nearly let her guts spill out onto the ground, chest no longer protected by her armor. Like her shield, and the limb that had held it, her breastplate was simply gone, either bitten off or sundered by a clawed swipe.
Her allies lay dead around her, ripped apart by the beast that now lay defeated beneath Swift Light’s hooves. This monster had not managed to escape the fight uninjured, with the hyena missing a front and back limb, one eye, and a good two-thirds of its face. The smell of burnt hair wafted off the thing, mixing with the scent of blood, rot, and whatever foul odor spilled from its broken jaw.
“There you have it folks! The beast is bested, as is the scourge!” shouted the stallion.
Swift Light slumped down, blade still held in her grip. “Where is the power your promised?” she muttered, teeth spilling out of her mouth.
“Though they still live for the moment, our mages have confirmed that their injuries are life-threatening. We are but seconds away from a double kill, so place your bets now. Who will survive longer?” continued the silk-covered announcer stallion.
You need only tear open my chest, and feast upon my heart. Replied an exhausted, and pained voice in Swift Light’s mind. Only then can you claim what is now rightfully yours.
Swift Light ignored the continued prattling of the announcer, as well as the many shouts of bets being placed. Focusing on her weapon, Swift Light leaned her full weight on the blade and plunged it deep into the hyena’s chest. Wrenching the sword back and forth, Swift Light withdrew it and tossed it aside, extending her claws.
Hurry. Urged the voice. You need to consume it while I still draw breath.
Swift Light grunted and tore at the hyena’s chest with her claws, raking a large enough opening for her muzzle to fit. Reeling back, Swift Light opened her jaws wide, and threw herself forward, burying her head neck deep in gore. For a moment she thought she had missed the mark, then she felt it, the dull thump of a great organ only an inch away.
One final push and the mare clamped her remaining teeth down upon her foe’s heart. With a twist, and pull, Swift Light ripped the thing from the hyena’s chest and out into the open air. There it pumped lazily, squirting blood out onto the dirty ground in full view of everyone, including the heart’s owner.
Remembering the hyena’s words, Swift Light bit down hard, chewing several times before swallowing the massive organ. The taste of blood barely even bothered her, the pony so close to the brink of death that she didn't even flinch at stuffing herself with something so gross. She could feel the hunk of meat slide down into her belly, where it landed with a squelch.
Wreak vengeance. Give them… death. Whispered the voice one final time before falling silent.
“I will,” Swift Light muttered.
The pony tried to take a step off the hyena’s chest, but tumbled to the ground, landing with a splat in a pool of blood. Raising a hoof to the sky, Swift Light reached for the sun, a smile spreading across her face. Though she stared up into the noon sky, darkness began to close in around her, slowly swallowing her vision.
Despite the loss of limbs, pieces of her body, and her very life, Swift Light couldn't help but laugh. The sound came out like a dry wheeze at first but it grew with each time she filled her lungs with new air.
“Hahaha, ahahahaha!” Swift Light cried.
“It seems as though the beast is the last alive, but has unfortunately completely lost whatever dregs of sanity she had left,” called the announcer, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Her laughter slowly grew, becoming a full-bellied chortle to finally a manic cackle that sounded not unlike that of a hyena. The light of the sun pushed back against the darkness closing in, strength blooming outward from the mare’s midsection. Suddenly all the blood loss didn't seem to matter, and with a heave, Swift Light rolled onto her back before pushing herself up.
Still cackling, Swift Light stumbled towards the enormous metal door blown off during the beginning of the fight. As she awkwardly hobbled over to it, her body grew hotter and hotter until it felt like her very blood had been replaced with magma. The wounds peppering her body began to close, each step becoming more and more certain.
Blood no longer poured out of her stump leg, or gushed from the opening in her stomach. Flesh knitted itself back together, and her heart pumped faster and faster, refilling her body of the precious vitae she had lost. By the time she reached the huge piece of metal, Swift Light’s laughter was loud enough that the crowd fell silent.
As she stood over the hunk of blasted metal, Swift Light felt her eyes begin to widen. As they grew, they started to glow a bright yellow color, reflecting the inner fire that burned hot within her. The strength she had felt building in her limbs suddenly exploded and with a lurch, she bit down on the door, twisted her body, and threw it across the Colosseum.
The several-ton hunk of twisted iron sailed through the air with all the speed and fury Swift Light could muster. So fast and sudden was this attack that the mages meant to protect the coliseum goers were crushed before they even knew what was happening. Still laughing, Swift Light bounded over to the edge of the pit, her bones snapping loudly with every step.
Her femur snapped, her skull cracked, and yet she kept on laughing, the pain barely even registering to her. The limbs lengthened, and her head expanded all while her jaw grew to fit the ever-lengthening teeth she now sported. Replacing the shark-like ones she had before, now Swift Light had the thick sword-like canines akin to the ones her hyena foe had possessed.
Already by the time she got to the edge of the pit she had doubled in size, and the growth wasn't slowing. Her muscles shifted, contorted, and expanded haphazardly, some sections becoming larger faster than others. Swift Light wasn't bothered by this and merely grabbed her unaltered hoof stump with her large, pawed forelimb.
With a tug, she tore the appendage off her body and cast the thing aside without a second thought. Then, she reached into her shoulder socket, grabbed something out of sight, and yanked at it as hard as she could. A new, hyena-like pawed limb was seemingly pulled into existence fully formed, clad already in yellow fur with black spots.
Above her, she heard the patron scrambling to flee their seats, while Cinder Flare shouted orders. None of it concerned Swift Light, who jumped at the wall, dug in her new claws, and continued on. In mere moments she had clambered her way over the barrier and had entered the stands.
Next to her, a random patron looked up in awe, silently marveling at the half hyena half pony that stood three times his height. Her fur was falling out in chunks, replaced by courser hair the same yellow spotted with black that adorned her one leg. Beneath her skin, her body contorted and twisted as if she were filled with maggots or other insects. Struck by the horror, the random pony could do nothing but stare as Swift Light immediately charged past him.
Up she went, leaped over terrified ponies or other creatures without a thought to their safety. The occasional fight goer got in her way and was crushed by the mare’s titanic weight and enormous paws. Including the guards who tried to stop her, their bodies batted aside like they were little more than toys.
It didn't take long for Swift Light to reach the booth of her most hated foe, the mare in question attempting to flee out the back while her guards attacked. The situation was easily dealt with, as Swift Light merely crushed one, and cut the other to ribbons with a swipe of her claws. Even still, Cinder Flare almost managed to slip away, her back hoof trailing behind just enough for Swift Light to bite down on it.
Careful not to sever the appendage, Swift Light dragged her foe back into the coliseum, screaming all the while.
“Release me you monster! Guards, guards! Help your mistress!” Cinder Flare shouted.
That only made Swift Light laugh even louder, the sound of her cackling drowning out everything else. As she laughed, the last of her pony features fell away, revealing an enormous hyena larger even than the one that lay dead in the pit below. Two and a half stories tall, with teeth as large as claymores, and jaws big enough to swallow multiple ponies, the creature no longer resembled Swift Light in the slightest. The only lingering connection was her glowing yellow eyes, as even her cutie mark had fallen out and not grown back.
The monster that had been Swift Light stopped her cacophonous laughter long enough for her to grunt. Then with a wet cutting noise, a row of razor shape ridges burst forth from the enormous hyena’s back. The row of glinting metal extended from the back of her neck and ran all the way to her short, bristly tail.
“You should have killed me when you had the chance,” the hyena boomed.
“I… I,” Cinder Flare stuttered, searching for some lie, or placation she could offer the massive creature.
“Instead you have given me everything I need for my apotheosis,” the towering beast stated. “Now you shall serve as dinner, and then finally, as fertilizer.”
“No, wait I can be useful, I swear!” Cinder Flare shouted.
“You will be much better serving as food for the plants than you ever could have as a baron. But don't worry, I’ll maintain your little empire here. In fact, I think I’ll start expanding as soon as I’ve finished digesting you,” the beast bellowed.
Cinder Flare screamed as she was tossed into the air, and then swallowed whole.