//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 or The Beginning of the End // Story: My Little Human: The Beginning // by SSA //------------------------------// The old palace was a ruin. Rubble and broken glass covered what used to be the front grounds of the palace. There was no brick or stone higher than the second floor and most of that was gone as well. The loose rocks and dirt crunched under our boots as we moved towards the still standing doors. They had been partially blown outward in some ancient blast and we were able to enter easily. The Elements were pretty easy to find, what with them just sitting out in the open, encased in stone and resting atop a sculpture that was obviously made to hold them. I left the girls to lift them off their pedestals while I prowled about, trying to sense or spot any danger which could come from the numerous doors leading from the chamber. Twilight declared that she needed privacy to perform an activation spell and the girls began to file out. I knew that spell, she didn't need privacy to do it, so she sent them away for another reason. I saw that reason when the orbs began to rise in a whirlwind. Dashing forward I managed to get myself caught in the teleport along with Twilight. We ended up in another room of the castle. Twilight looked ok, but what I saw on the other side of the room made me reassess the situation. A woman stood at the other end of the room, radiating power and malice. She stood at nearly 7 feet tall and was clad in ancient armour. Chest place, vambraces and grieves all done in dark blue with a black tunic and leggings underneath. Blue black skin was set off with hair like the night sky, twinkling with stars. She carried a rapier in Her right hand and a dagger in Her left. Did I mention that She radiated power? A lot of power. You could tell She wasn't holding back and I almost dropped to my knees before Her. This was a regality, nobility, and dominance that I was unused to. This was more than the simple Princess of the night. This was a queen of darkness and pain. Truly, She was worthy of the name Nightmare. Twilight was standing, pressing her shoulder to mine. Magic gathered around her hands and she began walking towards the Goddess. I drew my blade and followed. The Goddess frowned at us, "Thou must be kidding." We pressed forward, faster now. She sighed disgustedly and began moving toward us. Faster and faster we moved until we were sprinting at each other. 3 seconds to contact. My breathing even out and my grip loosened. 2 seconds. Her blade was angled to run Twilight right through. 1 second. I brought my blade up and back, ready to block and counter. Contact. Twilight disappeared in a flash of light, Nightmare moving through the area Twilight had previously occupied and straight into my blade. I brought it up in a backslash that would have made Celstia proud, knocking the rapier out of the way before reversing the momentum of my swing down at Her dagger hand. I missed but that set he up to ram my shoulder into Her stomach and throw Her back. She landed heavily but still on Her feet. I couldn't let Her recover. I launched a barrage of quick but powerful strikes, keeping Her off balance and retreating, right into the ring of Elements as Twilight activated them. I smiled grimly as the stone orbs began glowing and rising. "No!" She bellowed, looking about at the orbs. 'That was easier than I though it was going to be.' The thought had just finished forming when the glow disappeared and the orbs fell to the ground. I stepped back, my eyes wide. We're doomed. She started laughing at us, a horrible laugh that vibrated through the body and instilled fear into the mind. A laugh you'd hear from a murderer doing his business. The Goddess stomped the ground and shattered the Elements, crushing our only hope of winning. Twilight gasped and started to sidle toward me, around the insane Goddess. I readied my blade, I would not die running away. "Foolish creatures, didst thou truly believe that you could defeat Us by thineselves?" The Goddess screamed, "Thou shalt never see thine Princess, or thine Sun. The Night shall last forever!" I slowly pushed Twilight behind me and readied my blade. I could probably buy enough time for her to get back to the crew and make their escape. Hopefully I could convince this creature that I'd make a better slave than a corpse, but I couldn't do that if my sister was in the way. Then we heard the sound of the crew approaching. I didn't even think, "Get them and run!" I shouted and charged the Goddess. Blue black magic formed on Her blade as She swung lazily toward me, She seemed surprised when I blocked and slashed at Her neck. She dodged easily but was off balance. "Impressive little dragonkin. Tell Us, how didst thou come to own a star metal sword?" She seemed intrigued, and She was talking, that was good, I needed Her to keep talking. "Your sister made it for me." I smiled at Her anger at those words, "She said that Her son deserved the best." This shocked Her, "Our sister has had another son? So soon after His death?" She was growing more angry, "That harlot, She shall pay for this. But first, what is your name, little dragonkin?" "I was named Eshkhan Vishap." This amused Her, and I understood a moment later when She spoke in the Old Tongue. It burned my ears and was made of pure magic. "Well then, Prince of Dragons, come fourth and meet Thy doom." We readied out blades. I didn't know if Celestia's teachings would help me here, against one who was no doubt 100 times more powerful and knowledgeable than I. I hoped that my sister had made it out alive, but those hopes were dashed when I heard Her voice. "Did you really think that the Elements of Power could be destroyed so easily?" She asked quietly. "The Elements can never be destroyed, because the spirits of the Elements are right here!" She shouted as the other five stepped up around her. The shards around the Goddesses feet began to stir and glow slightly. "Applejack who, even in the face of chaos and disorder, was able to the the larger picture and get people to follow her orders represents the Element of... Leadership." Orange shards surrounded Applejack, slowly orbiting her body. "Shy, who soothed and killed the corrupted beast, only to weep at its the death, represents the Element of... Mercy." A group of pinkish glowing stones orbited her body. "Pinkie Pie, who was able to sooth our rage and despair with a quiet song that touched our soul. She represents the Element of... Understanding." These stones were blue. "Rarity, who was able to keep her mind on the task at hand even while being presented with distractions and riches, represents the Element of... Focus." White sparkles floated from these. "And Rainbow Dash, able to press on in the face of fear and despair, represents the Element of... Courage." Red was this stone's colour. I was shocked that Nightmare had remained silent throughout Twilight's explanation, I certainly hadn't, and my green dragon's fire was condensed and supercharged for the moment when everything fell to pieces. Nightmare smiled, "You still do not have the sixth element, your spark did not work." "Wrong," Twilight smiled, "It simply required another kind of spark, the spark of trust, and friendship." She turned to look at her friends and I prepared, but Nightmare didn't move. "I realised it when I heard your voiced. When I knew that I could trust you to come here, when I realised that I wanted you to. Thank you." With that their elements formed.