//------------------------------// // Among the Dead // Story: The Sorceress // by MrTyreste //------------------------------// My dearest friends and mentor, I have enjoyed my life so much being blessed with such ponies like you, and it's been amazing. However, given the current state of things, I just don't want to go on anymore. I haven't stopped crying since I got home. I just want you to know how much I love each and every one of you, even you Rarity. I forgive all the things you said. I know you didn't mean them, and you were just bluntly stating the truth. By the time you've read this, you'll have already found my body, so there's no need to be in a hurry. Be good everypony. Goodbye. Twilight set the quill down and walked towards the center of the room where a chair set ready for her with a rope hanging above it in a noose. She wasn't thinking, nor did she want to. She could have easily told someone, her mentor, her big brother, and they would have probably found him within the hour. Twilight Sparkle was never one to allow something like this to happen, but she was in such denial and so embarressed... What would they say if she came out and told them what had happened? Twilight didn't want to face them, nor did she want to face anyone. She stood on the chair and placed the rope around her neck. She was grateful that Spike was in Canterlot, she didn't want him to have to see this, to see her end her own life. With a kick from her hoof, the chair flew away and an audible crack was heard from the neck of the young mare. She was gone. --- Canterlot was stormy this time of day as the royal procession left the throne room. "Another lovely day for visiting royals, huh?" Shining Armor protested as he removed his helmet. "Another salute and I think my hooves are going to fall off." He smiled at the princess. Princess Celestia had been receiving visitors from the Griffon kingdom earlier that day, regarding the relations between their two lands. So far it had been peaceful, and the princess intended for it to stay that way. "I'm sorry you had to sit through all that, Shining Armor, or should I say my new nephew." She said. "You should probably know griffons can be very...talkative." She jokingly said. Suddenly the doors to the throne room burst open as a young dragon waddled before the princess and captain of the royal guard. "Spike? You should have left by now. Is something wrong?" Princess Celestia asked as the dragon was clearly out of breath. "It's Twilight, I almost completely forgot. Something's happened to her." Spike gasped as the two rose to attention. "What's happened to my little sister?" Shining Armor burst out. "Ponies in town are saying that she was, well what's the word, umm..." Spike searched him mind for the answer as the royal ponies looked at him with close attention. "Oh right, raped. She didn't come home a few nights ago, and I haven't seen her since-" Spike stopped as the two ponies went red with fury. "Who. Did. This?" Celestia stomped as she walked down the steps toward Spike. "You're telling me somepony used my sister like a sex toy and I wasn't even told until now!?" Shining Armor roared. "Who is he? Why in Tartaros didn't Twilight tell me sooner? Doesn't she know I could have him located and jailed within the hour?" Shining Armor rambled on as he paced the floors. "Dear Celestia, tell me she's not pregnant." "I'm standing right here, you know. We will find out who did this to her." She assured him. "How can you be so calm about this!? She's your personal student, why can't you-" Shining Armor was stopped by the sight of the tears forming in Princess Celestia's eyes as she opened her mouth to speak. "You're right, she is my personal student. That's why I'm going to Ponyville to comfort her." Celestia decreed. "I'm ordering you to find the stallion who forced himself on her. I want you to move Tartarus and Equus to find him. Do NOT leave any stone unturned. Are we clear?" Shining Armor didn't say anything, he just saluted and ran out of the room. "Spike, come with me." She hoisted the baby dragon onto her back. "We're going to find her." And with that she teleported out of the throne room and Canterlot itself. --- Darkness surrounded the little purple unicorn as she fell down and down into what seemed like an eternity. She had been taught from an early age that those ponies who killed would spend an eternity in the bowls on the abyss. She didn't like it, but she accepted her fate as she fell. Everypony she came across she could see the sins of. From theft, to murder, to even betraying the royal family, and even some for bearing so much hatred towards another before they died. She even saw some who were cast down here for the same crime done against her; rape. Twilight heaved at the sight of the deed done through somepony else's eyes, but she couldn't help it. For such was the price of killing oneself. She tried easing her pain by reliving her memories as best she could. Remember the time Shining Armor taught you how to fly a kite? Or when you turned your parents into plants. That was fun. How about your first trip to Ponyville? You made so many friends. Rainbow Dash Pinkie Pie Applejack Fluttershy Rarity... RARITY!!! How dare she say the things she did! It wasn't my fault! She's the reason I'm dead. She's the reason I'm here!! She's the reason... But deep in her heart, Twilight knew it wasn't Rarity's fault . For that matter, it wasn't the stallion's fault either. No, she alone made the choice to end her own life, to be here. The stallion might have raped her, but he didn't lock the doors to the library. Rarity might have been cold, but she didn't tie the noose. No, this was Twilight's doing. She felt nothing but despair wash over her as she fell and fell into nothingness. Until finally, something caught her. Something unseen let her fall to the ground gently as a checkered floor appeared beneath her. Twilight's eyes came to as she stood in the center of what looked like the largest library she had ever seen. Walls and shelves of books stretched out for what seemed like an eternity as she walked slowly forward towards the edge of the room. It must have been several minutes before she reached what looked like a stand that held some form of armor that seemed to be just her size. Beside that, two ghostly ponies stood vigil before it. One a large stallion with a grey coat and long, white mane. The other a smaller, pink mare with a short, crystally, blonde mane. "What is this?" Twilight asked herself as she inched her hoof towards the armor, only to be swatted by a large grey hoof. "You really don't want to do that, unless you've made your choice this quickly." The large, grey stallion chuckled. Twilight jumped back as he turned his head towards her. "Element of Magic, and you're surprised by a couple of spectres. I expected more from you, didn't we, Suffering? The pink mare nodded her head. "Oh sorry, forgot the intro. I'm Pain, and this is my good friend Suffering. You'll have to mind her, though, she can't speak." Suffering nodded. "Why not?" Twilight asked, still confused. "Well, as we all know one should always suffer in silence." He said with a smug smirk. "Oh you were raped so you think you know suffering? Lemme paint you a picture. My friend here was a poor Crystal pony living on the outskirts of the Empire when a group of bandits slaughtered her grandparents and took her as their prize. I'll let your brilliant mind figure out the rest." He glared at her as she shuddered. "Why am I here?" Twilight backed away slowly before being stopped by the grey stallion. "Our master has been watching you for a while, waiting for you to slip the binds of life, and end up here." He waved his hoof around. "And now that you are, we can have another Sorceress." He cheered as the pink mare grinned. Pain motioned towards the armor on the stand and flashed his sharp, yellow teeth. "Touch the armor, and you're back to life with power unlike anypony else. You could even rival Celestia and all her wisdom. But it comes at a price." The stallion looked at her intently. "What price?" Twilight was freaked out at this point as she contemplated turning around and making a run for it. But she soon realized that she had nowhere to run to. "Every so often, one spirit will visit you, and your body must provide it with shelter. During this time, you must do whatever the spirit commands, sometimes you will at least have to try. Sometimes the spirit will take over and you will have to do it against your will. This will happen only 6 times, and once it is done, you will be free to keep the powers as you see fit." "Anything I need to know?" Twilight asked, suddenly becoming more confident. "Just that it's your decision to accept this or not. Make your decision now or return to the afterlife. And just so we're clear, it's not Discord." Pain laughed. "Excuse me?" "You think Discord is the only spirit of disharmony around? There are others, and my master is very kind. So what do you say?" He motioned towards the armor as Twilight walked slowly towards it. Twilight thought a moment, about how this would affect her, but something clouded her judgement as she reached for it. A desire for higher education, for new knowledge, and new power overwhelmed her, but something else was there that she craved. Above all, she craved vengeance. "I'll do it." She touched the armor as it turned to energy and shot into her horn. The power overwhelmed her as her coat grew darker and horn grew sharper. Her usual purple mane became black, but still maintained the magenta and lavender streaks as she convulsed and twisted while the power overtook her. "Now go, go back home. Your friends and mentor await." A new voice echoed as Twilight's eyes began to close. And she fell into the darkness once more. --- Twilight! Twilight! Voices cried out as the purple unicorn lay there motionless. She had been cut down by Princess Celestia, who held her in her hooves as she cried over her. Her other friends were there, all crying over her. "What have I done?" Rarity cried as she was the closest to Twilight in the room. "I said horrible things to you, and now..." She trailed off as she sobbed. "Princess Celestia, she's waking up!" Rarity cried as Celestia's forelegs left Twilight's stirring body. They soon began to notice the change in Twilight's appearance, but didn't care as she stood up on her legs. "Where am I?" Twilight looked around at all her friends, and her mentor. "Princess Celestia? What are you doing here?" "I came here as soon as I heard. Oh dear Twilight Sparkle, why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Princess Celestia cried. "Who did you hear it from?" "Spike, apparently Rarity had told him about it." Twilight Sparkle looked at Rarity with contempt, but a feeling of happiness soon overtook it as Rarity ran towards her and embraced her in a hug while crying on her shoulder. "Twilight, I am so sorry for what I said to you. I don't know what came over me, whether I was simply jealous or angry or just..." Rarity sobbed as she choked out the words. "I'm so sorry for what I did. I told Spike when I found out about the whole thing and he went to Canterlot, but everything I said... I'm just so sorry and ashamed of how I treated you. I don't know how I can make it up to you, but-" Twilight didn't let her finish as she grabbed her and hugged her back. "I forgive you." Twilight left Rarity speechless as the two held each other and were soon joined by the others in the room. "We're glad you're alright now, Twi." Applejack smiled softly. "If you need anything, just send word, ok?" Rainbow Dash nodded as Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy made equal offers. "Twilight, if you don't mind, I'll be staying the night with you." Princess Celestia told her, much to everypony's shock. "I feel it would be best if I were here to keep you safe for a while. I hope it's alright." Twilight nodded in earnest as tears filled Celestia's eyes. "I'm so glad you're ok." She said as she walked upstairs. "Me too." Twilight choked out.