Welcome to another story. I hope you enjoy!
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Countdown to Destruction
Just a little further...just a little further…just a little further...
The words repeated themselves in her mind over and over again as she continued to climb the rocky terrain surrounding her. The sun was blazing overhead, making the already sweltering heat even more unbearable. Beads of sweat poured down her face but she paid them no attention. The heat didn't matter; almost nothing seemed to matter to her these days. Food, water, rest; one by one those needs had been abandoned the further she traveled. She only stopped when her body collapsed in exhaustion, and even then she would continue to crawl her way towards her intended destination.
How long had it been like that now? She could not tell. Time had also ceased to matter long ago.
There was only room in her mind for one thing: revenge.
Tripping over a rock, she lost her balance and fell on her face. Circles of light seemed to shine in front of her eyes as she hit the ground. Her breath was taken out of her and her body ached with pain as she slowly struggled to get up. Her thoughts had betrayed her, turning to a familiar figure from her past, and she gritted her teeth and emitted a low growl as she remembered said figure, the one who had embarrassed her in front of everyone.
Her mind recalled the events as though they had occurred the day before. How she had arrived in town, confident that she would make a name for herself and impress everyone with her magic. She remembered the small group that had been less than thrilled with her act. Who were they to challenge the Great and Powerful Trixie? She had made quick work of them, relishing in the laughter and cheers of her adoring public and glowing in the attention they gave her. And why should they not? She was obviously greater than them, possessing impressive magical abilities beyond anything they were capable of. She was one in a thousand, a lone star that was destined to shine over everyone else.
Or so she had thought.
Anger coursed through her body, and she used it to press on, pulling herself up from the ground and climbing on stable footing. Her thoughts returned to the moment when everything had changed. The moment she had been revealed for what she truly was, and her spotlight had been taken by another.
Twilight Sparkle.
The name resounded deeply within her, causing sparks of energy to shoot out of her horn. She would never forget how the purple unicorn had vanquished the Ursa Minor, using magic that had made her abilities seem like those of a rank amateur by comparison. She had managed to succeed where she, the Great and Powerful Trixie, had failed. She had been beaten by a low-class unicorn, humiliated by a commoner from a small village, and she had lost the adoration of her fans in the process.
Her shine was gone, stolen by someone who was not deserving of it.
She became lost in thought as she continued through the valley that spread before her. The heat radiated over her for a moment and then it was gone, everything around her disappearing as her attention became focused on the purple unicorn and memories that seemed from long ago.
She had believed that Twilight Sparkle did not deserve the spotlight.
She had been wrong.
. . .
She had traveled to Canterlot after the incident, racing through the winding path all night long in hopes of outrunning the deep embarrassment her brief stay in Ponyville had caused her. She had convinced herself that it was just a minor mishap that had happened in a place of no importance. Now she was in the capital city, Canterlot itself, and she was ready to hear the clamor of an adoring audience as she shone brightly above the rest of them once more. She wasted no time in rebuilding her traveling cart, the total cost for its replacement heavily hurting her funds, but she did so without a single regret, believing that she would be able to make up for it easily once she impressed the citizens of Canterlot.
Fate, however, had not been so kind.
Her act was a complete disaster, her would-be adoring audience dispersing as soon as she began. "Simple filly magic," they had called it, their words a knife that twisted into her heart deeper than anything had ever managed to do before. How she wished she could have simply vanished on the spot, to disappear into thin air as she walked down the streets of the fair city, her head low to avoid unwanted attention. Her dreams had been ruined; her chance to shine was gone. She was nothing now; just a no-name, another face in the crowd.
Her resolve gone, she decided to leave the city for good. Her funds were low and her travels had left her with nothing but bad memories. She figured that she would return to her hometown and start all over again. She would always be a big hit there, a thought that was bittersweet at best. Never would she be the best of them, always being reduced to nothing more than the big fish in a small pond. It was a hurtful thought, but she realized with a sigh that she had no other choice at the moment but to accept that truth. With a heavy heart she packed her bags and prepared to take her leave of the capital city.
In the end she had postponed the return to her home for a day so that she could do some proper research before finally leaving the unremarkable tour behind her. She had traveled to the city's central library hoping to learn about other unicorns who had managed to make a name for themselves with their unique magic. The list was shorter than she had expected and she felt her heart sink. That so few had managed to overcome all odds and stand out throughout history did not serve as a comforting thought.
Regretting ever making the trip she began to dully trace the names on the list, most of them seeming from long ago. She was about to leave when her gaze fell over a name and her eyes widened. She stared at the list, mouth agape as her mind went blank.
Twilight Sparkle.
The world seemed to stop around her as she stared at the name, the words seeming to tease her where they lay. Her eyes began to scroll down through the list of deeds that had earned Twilight Sparkle a place as one of the best, and her mouth seemed to drop even farther.
Protégé of Princess Celestia. Youngest student ever accepted to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Full magical abilities still unknown.
Full magical abilities still unknown…
The words were like a blow to Trixie, and she returned to where she had left her cart in a back alley with no memory of ever leaving the library. The words she had read continued to play in her mind throughout the night, and every single time she felt her hopes get crushed more and more. She had thought of this Twilight Sparkle as nothing more than a pest, a nuisance that stood in the way of everything she had always dreamed of. Now she knew better, and it drove her mad to think that it was actually easier for her to handle her defeat now than it had been before. She had not been bested by an everyday unicorn, but by the best of the best. She stood no hopes of ever being better than someone like Twilight, who at such a young age had become the personal apprentice to the ruler of all of Equestria.
What chance did she, a simple unicorn from a quiet town, possibly have of making a name for herself next to someone like Twilight Sparkle?
At that moment a horrible truth sank in, and she realized then just how much she had been fighting against it to no end. She was not meant to shine. She would never stand out, and she would never be destined for greatness. Such an honor was reserved for others like Twilight Sparkle. Her destiny was to be one of the masses, to always play second fiddle to someone who was better than her. No matter how much she wished to deny it or how hard she tried to fight against it that would always be her fate. There was no use in fighting something that could not be changed.
She would never be anything special.
She lay awake in her bed all night, sleep seeming to flee from her and refuse her its comfort. Morning came all too soon, and with a broken heart she sealed the cart for the long trip home. The whole adventure had served no purpose other than to show her how foolish she had been all along in thinking she would ever make something out of herself. Tears welled in her eyes and fell down her cheeks before she shook her head and wiped them away in annoyance. She refused to break down where anyone could see her, and she would not let them see her showing signs of weakness. She would persevere, even if it was against all odds. She would keep on trying and she would never give up.
And if fate itself stood in her way, then she would crush it as well.
Her mind returned to the purple unicorn who was obviously more gifted in magic than she was and her eyes narrowed. All she had learned on the day before only seemed to further fuel her hate towards the one who had embarrassed her. Why was Twilight Sparkle destined for such greatness while she was shunted to the side? Was it not bad enough that she had been made a fool of in front of everyone? Now she also had to accept the fact that Twilight Sparkle was better than she could ever hope to be?
She would not let this go. Even if it was the last thing she did she would have her revenge.
"Such a serious look does not suit a beautiful unicorn such as you."
Snapping out of her thoughts she turned in surprise to the voice that had spoken. Only there didn't seem to be anyone around her. She was completely alone.
"I wonder what could be the cause of your misfortune."
Trixie whirled around, the voice having spoken on her other side. Still she could not see anyone.
"Who are you?" she called out, standing straight as she stared ahead. "Show yourself at once!"
"No need for that," the mysterious voice said, and Trixie turned to where it spoke. A shadow had appeared on the wall to her side. Turning to the mouth of the alley she began to walk in that direction, hoping to get a good look of whoever was speaking to her.
"Not another step," the voice warned, "or I take my leave."
"And you think I actually want you to stay?" Trixie asked in annoyance.
"I think you will, once you hear what I have to say."
Trixie rolled her eyes and turned back to her cart. "I have no time for these games. I have places to go and things to do. So just go away and leave me alone!"
"It must be very frustrating knowing that nothing you do will ever amount to anything."
She froze where she stood, her eyes going wide as the words sank in. Slowly she turned around to regard the voice.
"What did you say?"
"I know how hard you try to be the best," the voice continued. "I know you dream of being the most talented magical unicorn in all of Equestria. You wish to shine in the spotlight where all can see you perform magic of amazing feats, and I believe I can help you."
Trixie narrowed her eyes. "And how is it that you plan on helping me? Why would you even want to help me? I don't even know who you are."
"But I know everything about you, Trixie," she heard the voice say, her eyes widening at the sound of her own name. "I know how hard it's been for you, trying so hard to impress everyone. Yet no matter how hard you try they always turn away from you. So you figure that if they won't accept you then you'll simply shine above all of them on your own."
It was true. Ever since she had been a filly she had been on her own. In her loneliness she had turned to her magic as a way of gaining admiration from others and it had worked for a time, her fans shouting her name as loudly as she had ever heard it. She figured that, in time, she would be able to climb her way to the top, to be the best that anyone had ever seen.
Now, however, her hopes and dreams lay crushed by reality.
She turned to the voice once more, her tone hesitant. "How exactly will you help me?"
"On my own, there is nothing I can do. But I can tell you of something that can. Legends tell of a magical artifact that can greatly increase a unicorn's magic. If you can find it, you will become more powerful than you have ever dreamed."
"An artifact," Trixie repeated, frowning. She couldn't believe that she had let this stranger get her hopes up. She was supposed to believe that there was something somewhere in the world that could grant her so much power? Shaking her head, she turned back to her cart. "That's it? I can't believe I wasted my time listening to you."
"Then don't believe," the voice said. "But I would have thought that you would not have forgotten the embarrassment of being humiliated in front of everyone. Have you already forgotten how they laughed at you? How they jeered and pointed at you and cast you out? Have you forgotten the one who caused them all to turn on you?"
Her mind warped, and she was once again standing in the open streets of Ponyville. Everyone was surrounding her, their eyes all glued to her as she turned in one direction and then the other. They began to laugh, their cackling growing louder as they pointed at her and insulted her.
"Can you believe we ever thought her magic was any good?"
"The only thing she's good for is a laugh."
Her eyes fell on Twilight Sparkle, who was sneering at her. Surrounding her were the others who had never been impressed by her magic. They too were laughing at her.
"I told you she was a phony," the rainbow-maned pegasus said. Beside her the white unicorn's horn began to glow, sending a flash of magic sailing in Trixie's direction.
"I hope you like green hair," the unicorn said, shooting Trixie a wicked grin as she continued to laugh.
"You'll never be anything special," Twilight Sparkle said. "You'll always be a pathetic unicorn with pathetic magic."
The laughter grew louder as everything began to spin around Trixie. She grabbed her head and began to scream.
"No!"
In an instant she was standing in the alleyway once more. Her body had begun to shake as her heart beat rapidly in her chest.
"So what is your answer, Trixie?" the voice asked. "Will you let them humiliate you once again?"
Silence followed the words as Trixie remained lost in thought. Then her features grew dark and her eyes narrowed.
"No. They will never laugh at me ever again."
. . .
The voice had told her where she needed to go in order to find the one thing that held all of her hopes and dreams and she had taken off in an instant. Her journey had taken her far to the south, the opposite direction of where her home lay. Her heart ached as she traveled. She had never been so far away from her home before. The only comfort the journey provided was that she had also left behind the other two towns which had brought nothing but disappointment to her.
She focused all of her energies on finding everything she could about the mysterious artifact. Whenever she came to a new town she would stop only to eat, sleep, and gather information. She asked everyone she could about any legends they might have heard regarding magic. Many times she heard the same legend of a magical artifact, although the tale changed slightly with every new version that was told. All of them told of a place that lay further to the south, the only lead she had that she was heading in the right direction and not going around in circles.
Well into the journey her cart broke down and she was forced to leave it behind. Her funds were almost completely gone but on she went, her dark thoughts the only motivation that continued to push her onwards farther into the unknown voyage.
Finally, after weeks of uncertainty, she got a solid lead. A kind stranger who was visiting the last town she had wobbled into had offered her food and a place to rest. They had talked into the night and she had partially revealed the purpose of her journey: to find the land where the artifact of legends supposedly lay. Her host, a female zebra named Zecora, was familiar with the legend, and had warned her of the dangers of the path that lay ahead.
"Such a place is best left ignored," she said, "and that you turn around is what I implore. The land is a danger to all, and should you continue a tragedy is sure to befall."
While she had appreciated the gesture Trixie refused to turn back. Too much depended on the outcome of her journey. Finally the zebra relented and agreed to show her the path on the following day.
They had traveled together in the early hours of the morning, passing through the village and continuing on through the road, eventually breaking away from the main path down a trench that opened to an endless valley. Zecora took her as close as she dared to go before departing.
"Now I must insist that I take my leave, but I wish you well on the rest of your journey. Stay safe, young one, and return soon; I am sure there are many who are worried about you."
Trixie thanked her and continued the journey alone. The valley spread before her, a barren and lifeless field that seemed to go on forever. She traveled well into the morning until the sun was high in the sky and refused to budge in either direction. She took a quick break to study her surroundings. Behind her there was nothing but her own tracks; ahead of her lay an endless expansion of land.
With no hesitation whatsoever she pressed onward.
. . .
Swaying on the spot she snapped out of her train of thought and took a look around. How long had she been walking?
She was not sure, and time seemed to have no effect on the sun, which hung high in the sky and continued to beam down on her. She had journeyed deep into the valley that held nothing but silence and heat, and she was beginning to grow aware of how tired she was. Her throat was completely dry and her legs were wobbling from the long journey. There was nothing to offer comfort from the sun's powerful rays: only rocks and cracks dominated the landscape.
Biting back a cry of frustration she continued on the path. She had no way of knowing if she was still on the right track; she didn't even know if she was searching in the right place. At that moment she realized how vague the instructions had been when she had heard them, and her anger began to rise. What if the whole thing had been a joke? What if something happened to her out here? No one would ever know that she had ventured off alone into such a dangerous place.
Finally the sun began to pass overhead to her right in the sky. She took a few more steps foward; her legs gave in and she fell against the ground, succumbing to the coughs she had been holding back for what felt like hours. A cool breeze had begun to blow in the valley and she became horribly aware of her current predicament: it would only get colder as night drew closer and even more so once the valley grew dark.
As she lay on the ground she felt the last of her determination abandon her. This was it. This was the end. There was no way she could make it back before darkness set, and she had no way of knowing what lay ahead of her should she continue. There was nothing more she could do. She had been led in a chase that took her halfway across the land in search of something that might not even exist. She raised herself to her knees, feeling tears beginning to form as her vision became blurry. She would meet her end here, alone, lost in the middle of nowhere.
In her desperation she began to scream, her voice echoing in the open terrain, demanding an answer she knew she would never receive.
As if to prove her wrong, an answer came. The ground began to shake.
Before her very eyes the cracked land tore open, revealing deep crevices beneath the surface. She tried to stand on her legs, but no sooner had she stood that the shaking ground brought her crashing down once more. She stared with wide eyes as the ground around her began to break away. She had enough time to realize what was happening before she was falling, the earth and the setting sky quickly vanishing from view as darkness swallowed her up.
. . .
Her head throbbed painfully as she came to and the world seemed to spin before her eyes as she slowly stood. Where was she, and what had happened? She closed her eyes as she fought to remember, the dull throb in her head affecting her concentration. Then her memory came rushing back and she remembered the ground tearing open, plunging her deep below the surface. She took a look at where she had landed, her eyes adjusting to the darkness around her.
It looked like she had fallen into a catacomb of sorts, and she stood on stone rather than the jagged rocks that had first come to mind. Above her, high in the ceiling, the moon seemed to shine through a tearing, providing the only source of light that reached the deep chamber. She turned around looking for any signs of a way out, but it was no use. The whole tomb seemed to have been sealed and she could not find any sort of exit. Panic began to set in before her eyes fell on what looked like a small box that rested over a pillar. She slowly made her way over to it, focusing her energies so that her horn began to glow and she could get a better view of the mysterious object before her.
The box was adorned with many strange symbols, none of which made any sense to her, except for one. Her eyes locked over what appeared to be the figure of a unicorn who sat on a pedestal, its face adorned and its horn seemingly surrounded with many dots and lines. What did they mean? She did not know but it seemed to her like the drawing was showing a powerful figure.
At that moment it all seemed to click: the artifact of legends, said to greatly increase its wearer's magic. The drawing of a unicorn, whose horn was emitting strange energies. Both ideas seemed to converge into one and she felt her heart stop. This was it. Here was what she had been searching for endlessly for so long.
She reached for the box and tried to remove its top but she didn't even manage to lift it an inch. It was far too heavy and her body was exhausted, yet she had a feeling that she wouldn't have been able to remove it even if she had her full strength. It was as though something was keeping the box sealed. She took a step back, her resolve returning to her as her features grew firm. She was the Great and Powerful Trixie, and she had not journeyed all this way to be denied at the very end.
She focused her energy and her horn began to glow once more.
What ensued was a battle of endurance the likes of which she had never engaged in before. She used her magic on the box and felt an invisible force resist her and push against her. Collecting herself quickly, she pushed back, sparks of energy shooting out of her horn in the process. The strain was unbearable, and she gritted her teeth as she stood her ground. Once again the force seemed to resist her, its horrible strength overpowering her easily. The struggle continued and she felt her control begin to wane, but her anger served as a replacement, and she applied more energy into breaking through the intangible barrier. She felt the force begin to fall back and applied even more energy. Beads of sweat had begun to fall down her face and her body was growing tense, her muscles screaming in protest as her horn began to glow even brighter.
At last, with a final push, she tore through the force that had resisted her and felt it shatter around her. The box slid open as her body slumped to the floor, her energy almost completely gone. Her throat was on fire and her body ached all over. Her legs had begun to spasm uncontrollably as she lay on the ground, her breath coming in short rasps. Minutes seemed to pass before she struggled to get up, slowly moving towards the box and peering inside.
She had thought that nothing could disappoint her after such a long journey. She had been wrong.
Peering into the box, she saw no magnificent artifact, no glorious adornment spoken of in all the legends she had heard throughout her travels. Staring back at her was a hideous mask, two large bulbous eyes seeming to stare deeply into her. Jagged fangs seemed to decorate its lower half and two horns protruded over its eyes. She stared at it in disbelief, as though willing it to change into the object she had believed she would find all along.
"Hello again, Trixie."
She jumped back, her eyes widening in shock. She turned around and saw no one. She was all alone.
"Over here."
She turned back to the box, her heart racing quickly as she looked inside once again. The mask starred back at her.
Could I be imagining things? she wondered.
"No, you are not imagining things."
She gave a yelp as she heard the words once more. Staring deeply into the mask, she stammered, "You…you spoke? How is that possible? And how do you know me?"
"I have been waiting for you Trixie." the mask seemed to say. "I was asleep for a very long time, locked inside a dream. I thought I would never wake but then something happened. Your despair reached me and broke through the dream. I was awake, and so I set off to find you."
Her mind reeled as she remembered. The back alley in Canterlot. The mysterious voice she had heard, the one who had spoken of the object that would help her become greater than anyone else, the one who had given her directions and had begun her journey in the first place.
She looked back at the mask. "That was you?"
"Yes. I told you where to go. And now here you are."
Trixie shook her head. "But why did you want me to come here?"
"Because I can help make your dreams a reality. You were the one who awoke me from my slumber. I have been waiting for someone like you for a very long time."
"And why have you been waiting for someone like me?"
There was no reply. The mask remained silent, its huge eyes staring at Trixie as she held her breath.
Finally it spoke. "I pledge my loyalty to those I deem worthy of my power. I will aid you in becoming the most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria. All will see you and bow in your presence. You will surely shine above all others. Will you accept me?"
Trixie was about to agree when she stopped. All that she wished lay before her. She had the chance to become the greatest of them all, to stand alone as the best of them. With the mask's help none would ever outshine her.
So why was she so hesitant all of a sudden?
The mask, sensing her struggle, spoke once more. "I thought you wanted to be the best. You said that none would ever outshine you. Will you let them make fun of you again? Will you always let others steal the glory you rightfully deserve? Will you not have your revenge?"
The words had hit their mark. Her resolve returned to her and her eyes narrowed.
"I accept your help."
The mask began to rise from where it lay and Trixie took a step back. Her fear quickly subsided as she rationalized that if the mask could speak, it would also be able to move on its own. It made its way towards her and hovered in front of her face.
"My magic is of no use unless you wear me."
Grabbing hold of the mask she slowly brought it to her face. She had thought she would have been blinded while wearing it and was surprised to find that she could see perfectly well.
She remained rooted to the spot and waited. Seconds ticked by and when nothing happened she frowned.
"I don't feel any different…"
"Try using a spell." she heard the mask say, only that time she had heard the words directly in her mind. "Use your magic to get out of here."
"What?" she asked, perplexed. "You mean teleport out of here? But…I don't know how. Magic like that is beyond me."
"Nothing is beyond you now. Give it a try."
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath Trixie focused on leaving the tomb. A moment later she felt a cool breeze on her face and opened her eyes. She was above the ground, the large gap where she had fallen into the tomb a few feet to her side. Her eyes widened as she marveled at the turn of events. How was it possible?
"As I told you earlier, no magic is out of your reach now." the voice in her mind said once more. Apparently it could also read her thoughts. "Follow me, and all you desire will be yours."
Trixie silently agreed. She let out a deep breath and felt her body relax. While the mask seemed unimpressive at first glance, its presence felt oddly comforting to her. Maybe this was what it felt like to have a friend.
Returning to the moment, she realized just how exhausted she really was. She decided to return to the village and find food and shelter. In the morning she would begin to experiment with her magic, and once she had learned the full extent of it the whole world would marvel before the Great and Powerful Trixie.
But before that happened she had one thing to take care of: she had unfinished business in Ponyville with a certain unicorn named Twilight Sparkle.
And she could not wait to settle the score.