Monsters Old and New
Cadance
Tirek, an old monster that had been defeated by Celestia eons ago. One that had been bound and chained within the greatest prison that any pony could have constructed. Yet here this monster, that subsisted off the theft of life and magic, was free of its ancient bindings. His escape from Tartarus had no doubt left him weakened, so weakened that he would seek out two ponies for help.
This wounded creature was so deprived of sustenance that it wavered as it stood before us. Bruises were generously littered on his flesh. I could faintly recall Tirek being described as a red beast, now he appeared far more purple than any shade of red. A withered and emaciated husk, so frail that even the faintest of winds would be able to topple the monster over.
Yet despite that frailness that was clearly displayed by the Centaur before us, there was an undercurrent of danger that was evident. The raw hatred that spilled from the faint shakes that wracked the ancient enemy of Equestria, was almost comparable to the very same torrent that my partner gave off at times. Hers was a near-endless tide of boiling hatred that threatened to overwhelm any that dared get in her way.
Tirek’s hate was far colder, honed into a fine edge that the centaur wielded with deliberate precision. I could see it within his remaining eye, that even now was filled with such hatred for us two ponies. Yet here he was before the two of us having asked us for help. Whatever sort of alternative choice that had been before Tirek must have been one of incomprehensible torture for him to be swallowing his pride.
“Why should we help you? Why should I not test the limits to your immortality? See if you truly can’t die of natural causes and merely require a helping hoof to finally relinquish your life?” Sunset asked as the temperature around us continued to increase. “It would be good practice for Cadance to snuff your life,-” What? Wait one moment Sunset. “- she wouldn’t even have to feel any guilt about it. After all, you are just a monster, one that should have been left forgotten in the past.” Sunset finished as a shadow crossed her face, her emerald eyes sparking with ill-contained magic that all but asked to be released upon the foe before her.
She was still going on about me killing some pony. Snuffing their life. Ending the unique existence that they represented. I know she had no qualms with… I could even now only describe it as murder. Even if at times it was justified and she performed such actions on behalf of ponies who couldn’t defend themselves. I knew the blood that stained my partner's hoofs was in such quantities that I would never be able to comprehend it.
She had never confirmed when she first took her first life, only that it had been some time since she had first entered the battlefield at the behest of Celestia. Where she followed the pony who had raised her in the defense of Equestria and had slain another creature at her mother in all but name request. Now years later she was using that experience as justification for my own hooves to become touched by blood.
So that I would lose the innocence that she perceived as weakness. That I, even now with an ancient foe of Equestria weakened and struggling before me, believed to be a strength. She thought that I would require her assistance to avoid any of the brutalities of reality. That she would need to step in and attract any filth that could be stained upon my soul. By performing such deeds herself, I had clearly seen such a fact when she had slaughtered Stinger and redirected Cipher’s loathing away from me and towards herself.
She couldn’t know that the blood of three ponies clung to me. Coating my feathers, staining my coat, and seeping through my flesh into my soul. I hadn’t claimed the death of any ponies upon my own hooves, but their blood still clung to me. I could still see how my mother was bitten in half, as she fought to save the one she called her child. How not even hesitating after seeing his partner killed, how my father charged the monster and was swiftly swallowed whole. How my own partner was beheaded in an instant and her boiling blood rained down upon me.
I was lucky it wasn’t even more than that. I was lucky that when I fell asleep, instead of dreaming I entered the Crystal Kingdom. I didn’t have to deal with any specters of what had happened in reality clinging to my dreams.
I may not have killed any pony but I still had their blood upon me, Ruby Love, Rocky Road, Stinger, Cipher, and even Sunset Shimmer. I couldn’t save my parents when I had been a Pegasus. I couldn’t even save any pony even after I had ascended. I had my doubts that even after I completed my ascension and was a true Alicorn I wouldn’t be able to save any pony. It was the actions of others who had saved me. Never my own.
Tirek’s response to Sunset’s threats was one of amused acceptance, for he only manipulated his lips into a smile. One that held no warmth, no only the barely restrained ferality of a being that had long since known that it was a monster and had accepted such a fact… No, not only accept such a fact, but they relished in that truth.
“Oh, if only all ponies were like you demon. Equus would be in a much more interesting state of affairs.” He wheezed out, hacking up blood as he called Sunset a demon. “Yet the rest of your kind refuses to accept the truth of the world.” His remaining eye flashed with unrestrained malice, as he attempted to take another step forwards.
Only to be encaged within blistering chains of flame, that restrained him. Pulling him into the air as they quickly began to burn through his flesh, what little flesh that remained, that was. Tirek didn’t even scream out in pain, no if anything the unrestrained malice grew as Sunset brought him closer and closer to death.
No doubt she would have continued with her ‘restraints’ until he could barely be counted as alive before giving me the chance to butcher the vulnerable monster. Yet the feeding frenzy of the burning chains was halted as I interjected.
“Sunset let him speak.” My voice held nothing more than the command that was spoken. Tirek was a monster, not a feral beast. He wouldn’t have thrown himself before our… Sunset’s mercy without any form of plan or insurance. Sunset didn’t hesitate as the flames were snuffed, leaving Tirek suspended before us upon blood-red chains. Where the once burning chains touched his flesh, were horrific charred black.
“Hah!” Tirek spat out, far less of a laugh and far more a hacking mockery that he had survived. “My thanks little Princess of Love, for a moment I almost thought that you would have allowed your mate to test the truth of her statement.” Even as the monster hacked and coughed his eyes still held that frozen malice that was content to observe the changing tides of the conversation. “I know of your quest o’ demon born of ponies, and I can hasten your path towards ascension.” Were he to have both of his eyes no doubt they both would have flashed with the crazed insanity that formed in the one who was even older than Celestia. Yet the pit where his eye had been plucked from only pooled ever more pustulating ooze that flowed with his fervorous declaration.
A silence was formed from the words that Tirek dared to utter. I couldn’t even hear the beating of my own heart, much less the pounding of my partner’s. Sunset even while being by my side had frozen. Not in conjured ice but no doubt in shock of what had been offered, what had been freely revealed. I couldn’t help the glare that formed as I continued to watch the ancient Centaur that was far too well-informed.
Tirek, taking the opportunity his words had provided to gouge himself on the air as the branding over his right eye flashed a pale silver. The monster before us buckled in the chains he was caught within, only managing to slightly shake within its bounds. “You seek, ascension demon, I seek to be unbound by the cult that has bound me!” Tirek declared as the branding’s light grew in intensity and I could all but taste the foulness of the magic that rolled off of it.
Tirek began to convulse within Sunset’s chains but even then he kept his one eye open. No doubt watching our reactions, Sunset was still paralyzed. I… I didn’t even know how to react to what was happening at the moment, much less what was currently displayed on my face. “As for you Princess of Love, should you assist me in my freedom, I shall freely leave Equestria and its inhabitants alone!”. Even as the silver light continued to grow from the branding, even as Tirek was forced under the curse's will, even as pain no doubt racked through his body, Tirek’s eye didn’t change.
Was this what Prismia’s own ascension would have resulted in? Was this similar to the demon that Sunset was supposed to become? Those two questions raced through my mind even as the curse continued to punish Tirek. He was an utter monster as even though the torture he had wrought ravaged his already brittle form, his remaining eye remained forever stalwart.
I didn’t even need to see the way that my partner slowly moved her head towards me, to know the current avenue of her thoughts. After all, if this monster was speaking a fraction of the truth, Sunset could begin her own ascension. She could bridge the gap between herself and me… She could bridge the gap between herself and Celestia.
Even if her eyes were still emeralds, they held no hatred, no loathing, no everpresent anger. Instead, a brittle weakness filled my partner’s eyes. One that was no doubt restraining the normal cocktail of emotions that fueled my partner.
Here she was another avenue towards ascension offered before her, and she wasn’t snapping to accept. That the monster before us was Tirek, a creature that had consumed the magic of countless ponies, I doubted mattered to Sunset. Even if it was Nightmare Moon herself who stepped from the pages of the stories she resided within, I knew my partner would happily do whatever that fictitious Alicorn requested of her. Yet here she was silently waiting for any hint of my disapproval
To see if this was a line I wouldn’t allow her to cross, that I found working with this weakened monster too much. That I would instead force this opportunity to slip through her hooves, requiring Tirek to be bound and returned to Tartarus. Any information of ascension to be damned to the prison that he was sent to. Another avenue of possibilities lost to Sunset, even after she had lost five years for me.
I truly had bound her. I had chained her. Even if Umbrum’s plan had not succeeded, nor would it, she was still shackled by me. A cyan string fluttered briefly into existence between myself and Sunset, connecting us in a way far beyond what I could understand.
How could I claim to be a Princess if I consorted with this monster? This was a creature that had in the past caused so much suffering, death, and destruction at its hooves and hands. Celestia for all her faults had decreed this monster unsalvageable, that she could not redeem this monster. It was fit to be locked up and forgotten in the deepest darkest pit that was available, the key lost if not purposefully disposed of. If she thought that about this monster what would that say of me for being willing to work with it?
Sunset was different, she wasn’t that bad. She wouldn’t ever get that bad. She was choosing to do better. She had no reason to become the demon that she was thought of as… Even if she was the demon Cadenza thought, she was still a pony. She was one of my ponies. She was my pony.
Finally, I turned to view my partner who had fallen into a near catatonic silence. Awaiting my decree upon the matter. Twin orbs of emeralds keenly observing me for any inclination of my choice.
I… What was the correct choice here? What should I do? Celestia wasn’t here to guide me at the moment… Even if she was, I knew the choice that she would make. I knew exactly what she would do. She would refuse the shadowed offer, and chase Tirek back into the cage he had escaped from. Uncaring of what that would mean to Sunset. Uncaring of what such actions would represent to the pony that thought the world inferior to her.
Taking a moment to allow a deep breath, closed my eyes, and envisioned myself on my crystal throne. Once more I had a decision before me, this time however it was not something forced by a mad spirit nor the soon demise of Sunset Shimmer. Opening my eyes and matching my partner’s waiting gaze I smiled. Uncaring of the monster that was still strung up before us. Of the way that Umbrum no doubt still watched from my own eyes. The way that Cadenza was likely screaming out at my actions. I smiled through it all at my partner who was awaiting my decision regarding her potential fate to ascend.
“Sunset, it’s your decision.” Letting my partner once more take charge of her own fate that she should have never entrusted to the hooves of an Alicorn. She should have never given the final say in such a decision to me, if she wanted my input on such an offer I would have offered it, but for her to step back entirely on something like this… I knew that she had been shaken by recent events, far more than I had impossibly enough.
She was still her own pony, an individual of the herd that didn’t need to bend to this Alicorn. She was my equal in every way that mattered to me. Every way but the one that she thought changed the most. We were in a partnership, an alliance, a relationship.
“Are you sure?” Her words were carefully spoken, almost as if she was afraid that were she to show her true thoughts on the matter I would change my mind at the last moment. Stealing from her the chance that had appeared before her, held by a monster that should have remained caged.
“I don’t trust him. He will attempt to betray us at the first opportunity, and no doubt he has other intentions than merely escaping the ones that bound him” I bluntly declared as I lifted a wing to gesture at the centaur who had fallen silent and was watching the byplay between the two of us. “But I can’t make this decision for you Sunset, if he is speaking the truth…” If he was speaking the truth this entire trip of Sunset’s would be cut if not in half, by a substantial amount.
“So untrustworthy for a pony.” The object of our discussion rasped out, his early fervorous words no doubt not assisting with the damage that he had already taken. If anything it had exasperated the wounds within his throat, the monster deserved it. No matter Sunset’s final decision I wouldn’t like Tirek. This was another creature that subsisted off of eating ponies.
I had gotten over my initial… distaste was a polite way to put it for Changelings when the entire process had been explained to me by Cipher. Even so, I still found the act grating on me, even if it was far better than any other alternative. What they did however was to survive, what the monster still held by vicious red chains did was to grow in personal power and strength.
“My apologies for believing you at your words, but over the last two months my trust in any pony has been severely reduced.” I sweetly responded to the monster whose fate was in my partner's hooves. “Especially ones that have been proven to be a monster!” My inner feelings on the matter leaked as I snarled out those words at the monster not even pretending that it wasn’t.
Sunset all but flinched away from me at my drastic shift in demeanor, so startled she was that the bindings that she had summoned to capture the old centaur flickered. Thankfully whatever Tirek had done, Sunset managed to correct. The spell only dropped for half a second before her spell regained its hold in this private plane that she had constructed. “Sunset?” I couldn’t help but question my partner’s recent faltering. Was Tirek able to eat her magic from simply being bound in the chains she summoned?
Ripping my gaze from my partner I turned back to the monster who had been swiftly recaptured before he could make any attempts at escape. “I don’t know what you did but, I swear to Celestia herself that if you do it again I will encase you within a crystal and shatter you.” I could feel a familiar weight draping over me as I softly intoned my threat.
My words fluctuated as my power flowed through them, the blood-red chains that had once faltered were now supported by a rainbow of crystals that grew from the discolored interlocking metal. Each of their jagged ends grew towards the newest monster that entered my life. That sought to harm one of my ponies. That dared touch one that was considered mine.
Another monster that dared threaten the pony that I was closest to. The one that was my Love. The one that was my LOVE! The crystals cascaded ever closer to the ancient centaur, growing around his hooves and his strange hands. Encasing them and clearly showing that my promise was not devoid of truth.
This was a monster that had run out of second chances. That had spurned the offered hoof of reconciliation and change countless times in the past. This monster held no desire for change or to do better. It only held concern for itself and its future aspirations.
Said monster didn’t even react to my Love growing upon its form. No, if anything it's one eye focused on me with the faintest traces of amusement that lingered within the putrid yellow pit.
“Oh Princess of Love it wasn’t I who did something, but you.” Tirek hacked out, his words holding as much strength as his physical form. Once more exposing lies to ponies, attempting to entrap us within his machinations. I had done nothing to Sunset, not after I had nearly ushered her beyond her limits.
I continued my efforts as the crystals continued to grow upon the ancient monster. I had done nothing to Sunset. Even with my Love growing upon him and preparing to encase the weakened monster, he defiantly continued to hold my gaze. “Aren't demons monsters?”
I faltered, the progress I had taken further into my divinity was abandoned, and the great power that had clung to me like a second coat was shredded. My crystals shattered, as I wrenched my gaze from the monster to the one who had no doubt considered my words meant for her. My divinity was fully lost as I turned to face my partner who was almost impassive. I would have attempted to explain myself but the wretched smile upon her muzzle silenced me far faster than any form of spell.
“Sunset, I’m sorry, I didn’t-.” I finally managed to get out only for her to interject before I could explain that she wasn’t one of the monsters.
“It’s fine, Cadance you don’t need to apologize for the truth.” Her words tinged not with the familiar flame of fury, but instead with an almost morose acceptance. That she was comparable to the monster that she had strung up.
“Even the Demon accepts such a fact, my Descendant.” An imagined voice echoed in my mind, reminding me far too much of Umbrum. No, while it indeed sounded like that monster, it wasn’t. I could recognize the sound of my own mind whispering thoughts I shouldn’t have considered.
“We accept your offer, Tirek.” Sunset lost any emotion that couldn’t have been considered an offshoot of her normally ever-present hatred. She turned from me, towards the monster that she saw as her equivalent. The bloodied chains began to fade as the monster was dropped upon the ground in a heap of its own limp limbs. “What is this path you speak of?” Her words dripped with heat as the very reality she had constructed began to fill with a heated haze.
This was no longer Sunset Shimmer working in an effort to be a better pony. Nor was it Sunset Shimmer acting as my mare friend. No this was Sunset Shimmer burning her way through ascension, no matter what lies before her. The hatred, blood, darkness, and even the beckoning void. This was the first side of my partner that I had seen. The one that had nearly killed me before Celestia herself.
“I am glad little demon that you have-.” That was as far as Tirek managed to get in his monologue before Sunset interrupted it the only way she knew how. Prodigious amounts of flames flooded forth, encircling the already downtrodden centaur. Licking at his still prone body, with ill-contained anticipation, waiting for their mistress to allow them to feast upon the newest source of fuel.
“What is this path you speak of?” Sunset repeated. Each intoned word brought the coiling flames ever tighter around the centaur who could no longer stand if he wanted to avoid being burnt. The flames begin to alter in color from dark reds and pale oranges to flickering with sparks of black. She was serious about testing the limits of Tirek's immortality? Why was I surprised? Of course, she was serious.
He wasn’t a fully ascended Alicorn, he wasn’t even a pony. Tirek was certainly not Discord. He held no true immortality, my best guess would be some form of agelessness. That wouldn’t save him from Sunset. Not with how she was already beginning to pull from the magic she had used to stand wing to wing against Celestia herself.
Between an Alicorn and a Unicorn, whether the Alicorn had fully ascended or not it was expected for the Alicorn to best the Unicorn. Sunset Shimmer, demon or not, was my rebuttal to that argument. Even now having been training in my new gifts and powers I knew that if we were to truly clash she would incinerate me upon a pyre of her magic. When I had seen her battling Celestia, she had the Alicorn of the Sun on the run for the portion of the battle I had seen after I intruded into the spat between a mother and her daughter.
Tirek was quickly realizing that he may have been a monster that had terrorized Equestria a millennium ago, but this was no longer that time. He managed to pull his head from where it had been trapped under his legs and proceeded to freeze at the sight that awaited him. Sunset had once more adorned her demonic guise, in all of its gory splendor. I gleefully watched as the once great monster brought so low was cowed by a Unicorn, a shameful feeling pooled slightly due to the cause of the glee, but I paid it no mind. This was a monster, after all, one that had fed on ponies.
“The Alicorn Amulet.” Tirek managed to get out through his trembling lips, his one remaining eye finally showing something other than malice. For within his remaining pupil shone the unmistakable sight of fear. “What are you?” The monster asked the pony as the flames receded back to their summoner after they had successfully cowed the monster. Sunset didn’t answer the question and I certainly wasn’t going to do so.
“The Alicorn Amulet was first and last seen back during the reign of King Sombra, who had either forged it himself or had found it after it had been lost to history.” Sunset rattled off, her illusion fading as she found herself once more wrapped up in the discussion of magical artifacts. I would not have been surprised if Celestia had truly thought that Sunset’s initial request to go artifact hunting had been genuine with how my partner got to be at times when she was discussing her own or studying others.
Wait… Didn’t Sunset mention that King Sombra took over the Crystal Empire… Ugh, don’t tell me that I have the amulet in my head. “It was hypothesized to be lost with the Empire after Sombra banished it. You are claiming to know where the amulet is?” She continued on her emerald eyes sparking with anticipatory flames that convulsed internally. Awaiting the confirmation from the centaur that was struggling to his hooves.
“Indeed I can claim knowledge of the location of the amulet.” Tirek hissed out, any regality he had once adopted in his tone had been snuffed out by Sunset's flames. “As you can see however I am currently unable to lead you to where it is located.” Tirek continued as his hands gestured over his now even more wounded form. “A showing of good faith on my part, I shall offer the location of the amulet in exchange for a fraction of your magic.” And the killing intent was back.
Flaming spears blazed their way into existence as they filled the private realm that had been formed. Each of them a command away from seeking to impale the centaur with extreme prejudice. The heat around my partner bloomed once more as the heated haze clung to her form. Yet she did not adopt her guise as a demon once more. She instead allowed Tirek to continue his line of reasoning. “The Cult of the New Moon no doubt realizes that I have little interest in serving them or their lunatic of a leader. I shall need sustenance to brave the Well of Shade that lies beneath our very hooves.” Tirek continued, his voice heavy with exhaustion but showing no concern for the flaming projectiles that languished in the air before him.
Well, I think this is a new record Cadance, not even two days in Hollow Shades and you have met an old monster, entered into a temporary deal with the monster, discovered the existence of a cult that had bound the monster, heard of an amulet that could make a pony an Alicorn, and learned of something called the Well of Shade which sounded far too ominous to be a good thing. Here I thought my introduction into Canterlot had been bad, Hollow Shades has taken the cake about thrice over. Every pony wishes to be a Princess. They should be glad that they didn’t have to deal with becoming one.
Tirek took in Sunset’s response and lack of any verbal communication with a shallow nod before he continued. “I would be more than happy to taste the magic of an Alicorn o-!” Tirek’s words had burned from his mouth. I didn’t enjoy what he had implied and had been about to speak up once more, but just like Tirek, my own words turned to ash upon my tongue.
The flaming spears that had alternated between a sickly green and blood red now were colored pitch black. The same color as my partner's eyes as she stared down the monster as if he was her newest prey. Her horn elongated, the pair of bloody flaming wings adorning her sides as she stalked towards the monster now turned prey. Each step cracked the realm we were within, and each faint movement of her wings sent the temperature hurtling to further extremes.
“Y̵͍̣̼͌̎̋̿̏̈́̍̈́͆̾͊͆̕̚͘͝͠o̶̢̢̥͓͍̘̱̳͙̖̠̝͔̦̗̦̻̻̜̘̠͎̻̥̹̙̿̇̐͊̀̿̆̽̓͛̀̽͆̍̍͐͑͊́̊͗́͗͆͂̎̐͑́̚͘͜͜͝ͅͅù̶̢̨̡̼̲͉̪͉̼̱̖̮̫͍͔̞̘̩̣̰̦̦̠̤̮̜̱̮͙̖̻͔̟̱͚̳̝̗͚̞̆̓̔͛͗̿́͊̀̒̽̈́̿͋͘̚ͅͅ ̷̡̢̠̻̗̘͍̩̰̯̳͇̟͉͇̀́̐̍̋͑w̷̢̨̨̡̧̪̩͙̩̻̣̣̹̝̲̦̟̼̮̮͖͚͎͈̮̯͍̝̔͊̊͂̾̒̈́̐̉̅̽̈̀̌͆͂͋̔̋̒͘̚͘͜͝ḯ̷̧̛͉̘̬͎̳̭͉̬͖̼͔̥̜̰̺͓̲̼͙̹̻͑͛̆͂̒̅̈́͛͊͋́́̉͋͒̈̌̃͒̐͗̈́̐̊̉́̆́́͑̏͝͝͝͝ļ̶̢̨̧̫̫̣͎̞̟̦̥̯͍̺͇̺̟̬̘̰̳̻̮͓͎͙̠́̂̍̓̒͂̓̂̄̇̏̍͊̒̈́͗͛͆̒͐̿̀̍̈́̌̀̽̆͊͑̓̾̚͘̕͜͠͝͝ͅl̵̢̨̧̪̱͖̹̫̹̲͉̱̻͔͎͇͎͔̰̯̪̩͍̣̞̪̮͇͓̜͕̘̲̻̪͋̒̀̅͑̌̈̋̐̈́̂̉̔̊̂̀̊̿̉͌̉̌̔̐͘̚͜͜͠ͅ ̴̧̡̡̢̧̠͉̳͎̲̦̘̬͇̦̻͔͕̪̥̟͋̎̿n̸̨̨̢̡̻͔̪͓̠̖̭̳̙̠̪̲̠̼͙͕̘̖̗͎̞͚̖͛͊̏͊͋͊̆͐̈́̉̋̄̃͌͗̌̍͆͂̒̈́̂̎̓̉̓̓͐̆̿̌̽̅̅͛͆͘̕͜͝͝e̷̛̘̲͔͚̠͚͚͒͑́̾͌͋̓̐̎̔̂͂͒̀̃́̄͝͝͝͠͠͝͝ͅv̵̢̻͖̻̯͖̣̮͂͊̃͘ę̵̺͍̳͓̇͐̉͂̈̆̂̉̓͊̇̽͋̀̾͗̃͋͘r̸̟͈͍̖̝͈͉͚̝̞̝̰͕͌ ̸̛̗͚̲̎̃̃̀̀̈̌͋͐̒̉͆̍́̽̀̎͋̊̊̎͒͛̚͘͠f̶̢̧̨̧̡̨̛̫̗͚̘͍͉͖̟͙̰̙͔͈̦̫͔͍̥̘̰͎̱̻͇̖̟̬̤̦̬̹̯̰͇̀̏̍́̌́̒̔͗̓̄͊̇͆̀͌́̉̾̈́̂̚̕͜ȩ̵̨̧̨̨̡̨̨̛̬̙̳̞͔͇͔̣̙̩̘͇̝̩͍̮̤͍̼̬̫̱͓̖̬͖͙̫̦̬̭̙͉̘̘̱̳̻̪̱̂̉̎̏̈͗͒̌̄͐̃̉̿̊̄͆̑̾̌̆̒͗̊̏̄́̍͌̋̐̕͘͜͠͠͠͝͠͝ę̴̡̡̛̛̙͓̰̯͎̼͎̠͓͖̻͉̖̠̻̠̦͎͕͔͍̝̲̦̖̼̯̎̌̽̀̎͂̂̿͊͂͆̈̊̇̓̎̽̌̿̈́̾͒͊͌̇̎̀̽̇͒͗͐̓́̄̕͜͜͜͠͝ͅď̴̛̛̝̟̦̬̏̀̋͋͛̓͊̀̓͑̈̓̉̐̉͌͐͗̂͐̐̈̔̄̏͌̇̿̂́̍̆͌̓́͐̌̀̚͘̚̕͝͝͝ ̸̨̡̢̢̨̧̺̭͔̺̜̭̯̼̠̘͇̹̜̖͕͍͎̤̜̯̟̖̫̹̣̱͇͎͖̭̬̥̪͙̻͔̰̗̲͎̦͒̈́͜ͅf̸̧̧̙̯̞̖̖͓̠̟̞̟̖͖͕̺̪̦͈̘̼͈̤̜̥̙̅̀̈́̄̑̄̿̚̚͠͠͝r̵̡̧̡͙̺͉͍̥̪̲̹̍̉̚ǫ̴̢̢̧̖̼͍͕̱͔̝̗̳̗̹̝̠̣͈̝̬̘̘̳̪̦̲͗͂̆̋͗̍̇̇͗͋̕͜m̶̛͓̼̳̙͓͔̬̰̯̖̙̱̜͖̯̟̗͐̃̋̄̍̇̊̑̀͂̎̑̎̚͜͠ͅ ̵̡̨̛̤͇̐́͑̈́̉̇͂̈́͘C̸̢̡̢̬͈͕͔̤̳̖̝̳͖͔͙͓̟͎͙̠͇͉̯̼̘̱̰̖͕͈̯̥̼̙̳̬̉̒̏͌̆̆͗̾̈́͑͘͠͠ͅa̸̢̧̨̛̩̳̪̗̫͚̹̙̤̠͉̔̏̍̓͆̃́͒̊̈́͌̆̑̆̉͆̆́̒̊̋̇͗̈́̂̈́̿̑̑̋͐̆̌̋͛͑̐̀͆̒̚͘̚͘͝͝ͅd̸̝̦̄̑̈́͐̍̀̈́͗̈́̈̋̏́̄̏̎̎̈́̃̕ạ̷̡͕̘̝͓͚͇͕͔͚̫̮̞͉̗̦̹̙̮̝̦̄̌̌̃͋͑̔͌͋̃́͒̍͆̒̏̓̑́̽͘͜͠͝n̵̝̑̑̔̓̾͛̉̓́̽̓͐̒̍̽̏̑̉̈c̴̡̡̛͓͉̠̺̳̼̙͍͕̹̭͚̻̮̓̊̿́̍̋͗̈́̌͑̎͒͊̈́̑̚̚͜e̶̝̦͌̃̄̓̊́̏̍́͊͘̚͠͠ͅ ̶̧̡̛̲̼̖͇̺̠̣̩̞̞̤̼̖̝̥̯̱͓̟͉̋̒̇̿͗̌͗̅̾͑̒̄̆̄̋̈́̓̕͝͝a̵̙̗͉͖̟̻̫̦̰̹̤̠̫̫͒̀̐͒̋̑͊͑̔͋̐̒̄̇̎͂̓̊̍͋͊͗̀̍͂̒̃͗́͐̂͐́̉̽̀̈̍̕̚͘̕̕̕͘̕͠͠͝ͅg̸̨̛̣̦̻͙̠̭͕̯̣̫̪̒̇̓̌̐͒̈́̎̅͐͐̆̈́̋̊͂̓̕͘͝͝͝ạ̶̧͓͍͈̠̩̦̟̦̞̲̤̖̗̖̭̭̾̽͠ͅͅi̷̡̢̧̧̼̳̰̗͉̙͍͚͇̯͕̗͈̱͕̰͔̰̘͓̲̪̺̹̗̱̪̤̞͔͕̦̘̺̳̪̪͓͉͍̤̙͖̾͆̆̋̂̍̽̒͑̈́̓́̄̈́̇͑̇́̎̈́̓̏̇̓̓̐̈́͋͘͘͘̕ͅͅn̵̮̘͕̬̠̝̬̯̝̝̤̰̳̭̳̤͍̲̖̩̫͈̗͓̦̮̭̪̲͖̰͚̪̲̬͕̮͐̓͘ͅͅͅ!̵̡̛͖̪̣̠̪̱̗̠̝̪̹͙͉̖̇͐̓͊́̒̉͑̂̒̄͆͒̀͒͋̂͒̉̒̈̋̚̚͘͠͠͠ͅͅ” She incomprehensibly snarled out as reality began to fragment around her. Iron pooled in my mouth as that spectral pain embraced me once again. Tirek appeared to have fared even worse than both Gentle and Rebound had, as the centaur was wilting away in the heat. Portions of him flaking away and turning to dust, before the walking conflagration that was Sunset Shimmer.
Swallowing my blood I coughed out her name. My blood halted in my veins as her neck all but snapped to allow her to once more see me. Even as her black eyes began to fill with both cyan and emerald the blackness remained.
“Don’t you need him alive?” I forced out, each word taking more and more of my remaining breath. Sunset Shimmer smiled at me, and I added one more tally to why Hollow Shades just generally sucked. It was a smile that was filled to the brim with such blind adoring love that was only equal to the utter loathing and hatred contained within. Those contradictory emotions burned at me in the feral smile that the creature that was once my partner gave me.
I'm not sure how long it took for the blackness to fully fade from her eyes as she continued to silently stare me down, but eventually, the third color from Sunset’s eyes faded. Leaving only a muddled swirl of cyan and emerald that nodded at me before turning back to Tirek who had not so surprisingly managed to get even worse. She brought the flames that had been released. "You will never think of attempting what you just offered.” Sunset hisses out flames licking out at each of the words that left her tongue.
Tirek could only barely tilt his head, nodding in a swift agreement. “Now feed.” She hissed out as she grabbed Tirek's jaw with her hooves and wrenched it open. Before I could even open my mouth and do anything, a black aura formed around my partner's horn and was being sucked into Tirek’s maw.