//------------------------------//
// Ascension 
// Story: Spike: The Last Draconian 
// by Maneiac 
//------------------------------//


----S----


Chaos and death. This was the price of running away. I can see that now.

Anthros laid stretched across stands and rooftops, some with weapons inside their bodies while others were missing limbs. There was no one group of dead. Equines, Reptiles, Felines, Canines...Dragons.

Nothing else mattered as the remaining anthros fought to protect their home from the invaders. Mothers grabbed children and ran while fathers fought to protect their homes, and by extension, their lineage.

Golden-armored ponies poured profusely into the market and residential districts, killing anything in sight under order by Princess Celestia. 

“No...not Celestia, but something else. This isn’t the mare that helped Twilight raise me, and I plan to tear whatever it is out of her body and make it pay, before getting my revenge on the Elements of Harmony.” My thought was clouded in anger everlasting, making me tighten my fists as Dameion and I finally entered Zistral’s bounds. 

“I’m guessing this Princess Celestia would be hiding beyond the city perimeter, directly outside the gates? No need to answer, Spike; I’m headed there anyway. Arma was on duty during this attack, and I’m going to find out how boundless her incompetence truly was to let this happen.” Dameion added more power into his strides as we passed a burning stall. In return, I added more to mine and caught back up. 

“We’re not separating again. If Celestia, or the Seed, knew I was in that castle, I think it’s safe to say that she’s waiting for us to split up before attacking. I mean, think about it. We just entered a fucking battlefield that stretches as wide as a hundred miles, and you don’t think it’s strange that we’ve been ignored?” My two bits seemed to get under Dameion’s skin, based on the way he grimaced in distaste. 

“I don’t like it, but your logic is sound, nevertheless. We will do things your way, Spike the Dragon, and we’ll-” I raised my hand, cutting off Dameion as he glowered in response. 

“That’s what those blithering ponies are gonna be calling me. I don’t want my last friend sharing a name with my enemies. Call me...” I placed a hand on my chin and casted my gaze up to the red sky with black clouds, pondering many cool sounding names. “...Vorvin. Call me Vorvin, Dameion.” I smiled and looked at him again, my eyes laced with high amounts of satisfaction. 

“Call yourself whatever you want...Vorvin, but what I call you remains my choice. There will be instances in the future where I will forget this name and call you Spike. If that should happen, you must know that it’s your fault it did. Now, no more talking. I prefer to not soil my hands and sword with the blood of unworthy ones.” Dameion’s uninterested tone made me glower myself, but I held back a witty remark about his personality as we finally came to the only place that looked familiar in the marketplace. 

We had made it to Central Circle, the heart of the market district, which was nothing more than a giant illustration of a dragon in flight made by alternating shades and tints of cobblestone. Two swords crossed behind the flying dragon, and the sheer architecture of this place makes the whole scenario kind of aggravating. This town is too beautiful to know of war. 

“The Central Circle? Why was this left untouched? There’s no guards, no Elements, and no dead bodies. I wonder what those equines are up to,” Dameion mused as he placed a hand on the grip of his rapier, making sure it was hidden by using the other hand to bring his black robe over the weapon some. 

“Whatever it is, it’s huge. This place is practically surrounded by fire. It would be prime spot for an ambush.” I was no fool, and my statement led me to believe that Dameion thought the same as me. “Splitting up could’ve made this situation a lot worse. How much longer do we have until we reach the gate?” 

“Five minutes, give or take. Be on your guard, Spi-Vorvin. I think our mettle will be tested soon enough.” 

“Yeah, something’s about to make my life all types of fun,” I snarked, getting a growl from the critical drake as we pressed on through the inferno. The sounds of battle still rung out over the roar of the five-foot flame wall, and it seemed to dance as if it was...alive...

I grabbed Dameion and threw him into the air, using my newly-acquired strength to meet him in the air. I looked down and confirmed my theory. 

In the center of those flames was a mare. A mare that didn’t look too happy to see me. 

I narrowed my eyes and forced some of my magic into my boots, stopping the descent Dameion and i had been leading. I came to rest in the air itself, peering down at the mare as Dameion created a wing out of pure yellow lightning and began hovering next to me. 

“I can make you out in the flames down there, Miss. How about you disperse them,” I asked with the tension of a hundred stretching rubber bands. The sound of mocking laughter was heard as the flames dispersed, leaving me to look at something quite peculiar.

Her coat was a dark-gold, and her eyes were sapphires glinting with mirth and mischievousness, and there was also a lot of smugness too. Her mane wafted about like a nicely kept oil spill, drawing attention to her head and face nicely as the red mane with yellow highlight danced the tango of attention. This mare was serious business too, considering she summoned three tridents made of intense, burning fire.

“Hmm, you two seem stronger than the riff raff I had killed off earlier. Those ponies and anthros don’t do so well in fights against opponents using ranged attacks. Maybe you two...wait...” She trailed off as her eyes found purchase on mine for the first time. “You...You’re Spike the Dragon, yes?” 

“...And if I am who you claim me to be?” 

“That means I don’t have to put a trident through your dumbass, for starters,” Replied the mare with a snarky tone, causing me to narrow my eyes. Her tridents evaporated and, as her horn glowed bright blue, she ignited the wall of flames again. “I’m Sunset Shimmer, and I was supposed to teach you, remember? You have nothing to fear from me.”

Dameion didn’t seem satisfied with her answer by the way he was growling. “Insolent hay-eater! You use fire in order to smite us, and then you have the nerve to say we have nothing to fear from you? You could be nothing more than a black smudge on the Central Circle right now,” Dameion roared as he unsheathed his rapier and pointed it at Sunset down on the ground. The blade of the sword was now sporting yellow rings that spiraled down, making it look like a candy cane. These rings crackled with yellow lightning that arced to each ring in alternating patterns and intervals between jumps. 

“I’m afraid I don’t know you, Mr. Ant. And, just like your many cousins, I will not be bothered to ask the name of every ant that I crush under hoof & horn. You may engage me if you wish, but know that my horn is sharper than even Celestia’s by now, and I will not hesitate to make you a black smudge on the Center Circle,” Sunset hissed, her eyes and the inferno wall turning into aquamarine fire. 

Dameion looked at her for a few seconds more, his eyes narrowed as if searching for something. I don’t know what could be going through his head, but if Sunset Shimmer claims to be stronger than Celestia while she herself is just a mere unicorn, I fail to see how a fight between the two could end in Dameion’s favor. 

With a sigh, Dameion spun his rapier in the air, twirling it expertly before making a wide horizontal slash. The ‘pent up’ lighting blasted through the slice, illuminating the space around us in a bright yellow light and a loud clap of thunder. “I see no reason to slay you...yet. Keep your disrespect levels nominal, and my blade will never cry for your life.” He then sheathed his rapier with a grunt before crossing his arms. 

“So are we just gonna stay up here, or...” I trailed off, getting Dameion to shrug his shoulder at me. I sighed at his display of indifference before walking down the sky, much like Celestia had done. Every time I stepped ‘down’, a dull-but-rapid echo sounded, like someone was waving sheet metal forcefully. It took a minute and some change, but eventually, I was standing in front of Sunset Shimmer. 

She raised her eyebrow before nullifying her aquamarine flames. Once her eyes were back to normal, she gave me a smug grin and held out her hoof. “Arch-Mage Sunset Ephemeral Shimmer: Conjurer of the Aquatic Flame, Mistress of Mayhem, Lady of Lava Control, and Destroyer of Demons. I’m sure your background and titles will be half as long as mine, but I digress.” 

I shook her hoof with my stronger hand, lifting the mare off the ground on the up-shake. She looked terrified, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I put her down. “Hey there. I’m Spike to my friends, and Vorvin to my enemies and acquaintances. I don’t have any titles...yet, but I plan on gaining one, once I shove my boot up whatever’s controlling Princess Celestia’s ass,” I concluded, getting a nod from the mare just as Dameion landed next to us.

“So who’s mister Doom & Gloom over here?” Sunset jutted a hoof at him, getting a dismissive snort from Dameion in the process. 

“I am Dameion Setsuya: Proud Prince of Mithril, Harbinger of Lightning, and the Skillful Reaper. I seek no glory in battle, only the destruction of my foes. Make sure you don’t become one of them, horse,” Dameion growled, making me facepalm as Sunset narrowed her eyes at him. 

“Disrespect seems to be your forte, Prince Dameion. The title is appropriate; it means, more or less, that you’re too immature for the role of King. Imagine that.” 

“Your life is worthless compared to mine, fool.”

“Well then, there’s something we both can agree on!” 

“Laughable. My worth exceeds yours by dimensions- nay -multiverses. I’ll not suffer the disgraceful, neanderthalic words of a pathetic, cud-munching sow like yourself.” 

“You’re pretty laid back for a guy that’s playing with fire! Want me to show you how bad it hurts when your get burned!?”

“Oh please. Spare me the acts of dominance, you four-legged trollop. As if I’d ever be worried about-” 

“STOP!” My shout caused them both to look at me with glares on their faces. I counterattacked with my own and by crossing my arms. “You’re both over the age of twelve, so I expected better! I can see now that I’m in the presence of children! Come off it, both of you, before I leave you here to fight enemies with powers you’ve never witnessed before!”

Their glares softened up as they backed away from one another, faces of disappointment across their features. 

“Spike has saved you, maggot. Be warned; I will not hesitate to take your life again.” Dameion had to get the final word in! 

Sunset merely rolled her eyes and shook her mane by jostling her head. “Disregarding purebred monkeys with scales, I’d like to try my hand at assisting your in your endeavors against Celestia. I happened to be visiting this marketplace today after my journey from the dragon lands, and that was when the Princess showed up with six mares and roughly one-thousand guards. Everything went down the shitter after that, as you can see,” She explained, making me nod. 

“Yeah. I don’t think Celestia could do this. I mean, she practically raised me and Twilight when we were little, and this whole chase she put me through, coupled with this attack, is too out of character for her. Something’s not adding up, and I think it’s an evil spirit possessing her.” 

“Verily so, as a matter of fact. You would not know of the Fallen Angel known as Solaris, who has- in my theory, of course -become the ire of Princess Celestia herself. Fallen Angels are ruthless tricksters and dimensional powerhouses, capable of possession like demons, but have knowledge in the holy magics of angels. I’m getting shivers picturing a full possession, which is most definitely going to be the case should we not stop her now. As the kill count stacks, negative energies collect and cohese, adding to the Fallen Angel’s power.” Sunset’s explanation made my eyes widen. 

“So what you’re saying is-” 

“We’re on a timeframe...a countdown to destruction, yes,” Dameion interrupted. 

“Exactly. We need to shut her down, exorcise Solaris somehow, and put an end to this meaningless war before it’s too late.” Sunset began walking north, towards the Zistral Wall if I’m not mistaken. 

“Time is of the essence, Spike. Come on,” Dameion stated quietly but harshly as he followed after Sunset Shimmer. I turned my body around and followed, no longer seeing a reason to remain here. 

“I just hope nothing happens on our way there. I’m feeling pretty confident now that we have a third member to our-” 

My thought was interrupted as the inferno wall completely froze over, and it shattered directly in front of us in the shape of a hole. A familiar face stepped out of said hole, his white. long hair flowing as he did so. His body was covered by a scale-tight, black armor with blue lines making intricate patterns through it. His breastplate had a black skull with a large, blue gem socketed into the top. 

“Yo,” He called out smugly. “Couldn’t help but overhear that conversation you guys were having back there!”

“Hello, Zerris,” Dameion stated with no small amount of disinterest, making the anthro dragon frown as he came up to meet us. 

Zerris had a scythe, and the ‘blade’ at the top curved into a crescent moon shape. It also reminded me of dry ice, what with the way it was passing off white clouds of vapor as he gripped it around the metal stick part with one hand. “No need to be a dickmuncher, dickmuncher. My kill count stands at a hundred; what’ve you been doing?”

“I figured out where the leader is, and am currently on my way to behead her. You're welcome to join me, Zerris, but please do something about that atrocious mouth of yours. Surely your vernacular isn’t that poor.” Dameion and Sunset walked past the fuming Zerris after he received that verbal jab from her, leaving me alone with the guy. 

“So...er...how’s it hangin’,” I asked nervously. Zerris gave me a look that said, “Are you serious, bro?” before turning around and walking off with the rest of the gang. “You don’t have to be so rude! Honestly, I was just trying to engage in some conversation,” I called out after him as I ran to catch up. 

Once I did, however, a sight that made my blood run cold came forth. 

In front of the massive wall and doors was Princess Celestia. Flanking her left was the Elements of Harmony, and on her right was Luna. Beside all of them were at least five-hundred guards, each with a war face planted upon them. 

Celestia was dressed from the neck down in gold armor. Her breastplate had that diamond-shaped amethyst in the middle, and it seemed to rest further out than the rest of her armor. Her hooves were covered by two-layered hoof-shaped greaves that stopped right below her shins. Above the exposed shins were golden leg braces, which were strapped on top of golden chainmail that covered her where her armor could not. Her mane and tail were braided back into a ponytail, and on her flanks was a piece of armor adorned with her cutie mark. Even the tops of her wings were covered in armor, and her face was the very definition of resolution.

In her magical aura, she carried a battle crown and a golden battleaxe, with an engraving of her cutie mark on both sides. The Elements were dressed much the same, now, but the only difference was the cutie marks on their flanks. 

My group lined up next to me, placing me in the middle and giving me a direct eye path to Celestia.

“So here we stand,” Celestia snarked, making me roll my eyes. “I offer you a chance to come home, and not only do you rebuke it, but you have the gall to strike my sister in her face? Do you not wish for this land to be left alone? Why do you resist?” 

“Because you’re an asshole, that’s why,” I replied with shrug of my shoulders, before narrowing my eyes and clenching my fists in rage. “And you’ve done nothing but make my life hell so far. Well, not so much Celestia, but rather the Fallen Angel that rests inside you.” My statement caused Celestia to raise her eyebrow. 

“Really...you’re shifting the blame for this on me? I honestly expected you to mature a little while you were- as they say these days -on the lamb, so to speak. Not only have you not, but I fear your irresponsibility has skyrocketed, forcing you to blame this situation on beings that do not exist.” Celestia, after her response, stomped her hoof in disgust. “I had expected more from the pseudo-brother of my star pupil, but I see now that the nature of being a dragon is too much for sound thinking.” 

“Are you quite done flicking your bean, bitch,” Zerris asked in mock-disbelief, making the Elements gasp and Celestia snap her head over with glare. “I mean, I’m all in for foreplay, but think of the kids!” 

“Silence! Keep your mouth shut! This is a matter that does not concern you, any of you, for that matter! You’d do well to remain mute until my chat with Spike is concluded! My patience is already at an end!” 

“How humorous. You actually think I’ll give heed to your proclamation, horse? Cute, but unwise. You’re invading my kingdom. You’re attacking my friend. You, are in over your head...which I plan on taking, whether you’re possessed by this Solaris character or not. Gutter trash like yourself has no right in issuing orders, not while you’re within the boundaries of my kingdom.” Dameion decided to let himself in on the fun as well. 

“You dare!? You dare insult me!?” 

“No...” Dameion started as he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at her. “...I did, so do something about it. If not, I expect you to extend your neck,” He finished coldly, making me give him a look of surprise. 

“When did Dameion talk like that? This is becoming weird.” 

“Spike, please! There’s been so much death and destruction! We don’t want to do this!” Twilight tried her hoof at pleading, but it fell on deaf ears as Spike scoffed. 

“It’s Vorvin now, fillies. I want nothing to do with any of you, and I expect you all to be gone in the next five minutes. After that time period, I can’t be held responsible for the actions of these three.” My explanation caused Celestia to growl and Twilight to shrink back with a hurt look on her face. 

“This is most unwise, Spike! My sister is giving you a chance, a rare opportunity to redeem yourself! Why would you squander that!?” This time it was Luna. 

“And what would my redemption entail!?” I had a good idea where this was gonna go, and if I happen to be right, I’m gonna kill at least a hundred guards! 

“I believe five-hundred years in the royal dungeon woul-” 

“Fuck the lot of you,” I cut Luna off, making her eyes go wide at my disrespect. “You now have two minutes to leave. Once again, I can’t be held responsible for what happens after that.” 

“If Spike doesn’t want to come, why can’t he just stay here? This whole thing is stupid,” Rainbow Dash snarked, flapping her wings to keep herself aloft while she crossed her front hooves. This earned her a fiery glare from Celestia. 

“I believe we’ve been over this, Rainbow Dash! If Spike were to escape us, I have no doubt in my mind that he will be the destroyer of Canterlot in the future! It could happen tomorrow, next week, next month, or even years from now! It doesn’t matter! And so, I must keep an eye on him, or remove him. It’s that simple.” Celestia’s explanation caused Rainbow Dash to nod in fear before floating down to the ground next to Twilight. 

“At least bring some toilet paper for all the bullshit you’re talking, Sunbutt. I mean, it’s not that I don’t enjoy a little white lie myself, it’s just that I hate the obvious ones...like your whole speech right there. All that bullshit belongs in a barn stall somewhere,” Zerris snarked again, waving a hand in the air dismissively. 

Celestia snapped her head to face him again, her eyes completely white with magic. “I THOUGHT I SAID SILENCE! WAS THAT NOT CLEAR, PEON?” 

“God, I hope no bloke was unlucky enough to give you the pipe. I mean, can you say screamer? I bet everyone in the castle knows when you’re stirring the pot, right?” I couldn’t help but laugh at that last one. And, as it turns out, neither could some of the guards and my entourage.

Celestia had enough, what with the beam of solar fire she shot from her horn, hitting Zerris in the chest. He laughed, however, as the beam hit him and proceeded to bounce off the armor and rocket itself into the air. 

“Wait...” Zerris trailed off as he pointed at Celestia, whose face was currently in shock so much that her mouth was playing pattycake with the ground. “...You’re supposed to be the fucking leader!? You want to beat the Zistral Swords and capture Spike!? Get the fuck outta here,” He exclaimed jovially while swiping the free hand across his body. “Why dont you come back when you’re not a complete waste of our time!? Seriously, all you horsefuckers better leave before there are bits and pieces of you fags...like...everywhere. I’m talking twenty-inch cock, anal destruction here!” 

“Attack them,” Celestia ordered coldly, making the guards run off towards us with a triumphant battle cry. 

“Allow me, gentlemen.” Sunset stepped forward and ignited her horn, and when Celestia’s eyes fell upon the familiar mare, she seemed to be scared shitless for her guards. “Inferno, come forth, please.” 

And it was so. 

The same aquamarine inferno erupted from the ground, completely immolating the guards that had closed the distance so fast. We didn’t even hear their screams as they melted within the towering blaze, and then the fire was gone. There were only five guards left. 

I whistled at that. “Nice! You’re like a trapmaster or something!” 

“I pride myself on my ingenuity with traps, yes. And Zerris’s baiting did a good job of distracting Celestia from my presence as I set the spell. He was helping me the entire time, and none of them were wise enough to see through the old provocation trick.” Sunset stepped back and rejoined formed the line again, leaving the remaining guards paranoid as their heads snapped and searched for anymore booby traps. 

“Oh, and you all might not want to move...or fly, for that matter. I’ve been charging booby traps since this fight began, and let’s just say my power rivals that of your benevolent sun princess! You can only imagine what a chain reaction could do to all of you, right?” 

Celestia was pissed, and the air became hot and heavy as she placed the battle crown on her head. Once situated accordingly, she levitated her axe closer to her face and flared her wings. “This outrage will not stand, Spike the Dragon. By eliminating my guards, you have declared war not just on me, my sister, and your friends. But you have declared war on the Sun, the Moon, and Friendship itself! There is no greater crime than this in context to our land! Girls!” Celestia snapped her head to face Twilight and the rest of the Elements, making me raise an eyebrow over what could possibly be happening now. 

“You are to show no mercy with these four. Luna and I will lead the attack, I need you all to provide support with your Elements. This whole mission- nay -the fate of Equestria itself rests on the shoulders of you six, Luna, and I. We must prevail,” Celestia exclaimed with no small amount of conviction. 

Twilight casted her gaze down to the ground, apparently in thought. I could tell she was weighing her options. She only had two. One: She and the Elements could help Celestia with taking me down. Or Two: They would revolt, and side with me. 

I knew option two was out of the equation, so that only left- 

“Okay,” Twilight stated confidently. “Girls, we’re in this to bring Spike home! We can’t be defeated as long as we have the power of friendship on our side!” Twilight stomped her hoof as her friends gave their own versions of assent. 

Zerris dropped his scythe and fell over laughing. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! These titless whorebags are supposed to wield the ‘powah of fwendsheep’ against us!? This shit is priceless!” He continued roaring in laughter, kicking his feet into the air like a child while he did so. 

This got a glower from Twilight. “You’d do well to know that the power of friendship has saved Equestria from-” 

“What!? Evil teddy bears that hug you mercilessly,” he mockingly asked in a deep voice, making Twilight grind her teeth in frustration. “Ooo! Ooo! Or how about, The devilish tea time dolls...who don’t extend their pinkies! HAHAHAH-” He continued laughing on the grown as I facepalmed. 

“We call the blue one.” All of the Elements, including Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, drawled out angrily. 

Zerris laughed even harder. “Oh...Oh...I...I think I broke my coccyx! Someone...please...make it STOP!” 

He was promptly lifted from the ground via a large cobblestone pillar. Wondering what could’ve caused the earth to piston like that without magic, my eyes fell on Applejack as she shook her front hooves in minor pain. 

“Did she stomp!? Is that all she did!? And why does she have that gods-forsaken stetson on with that armor!?” 

“Hoo~wee! Look at dat varmint fly!” Applejack tilted her stetson back with a gold-plated hoof, her friends following her gaze as Zerris climbed ever higher into the sky. 

“I dare say that was a good shot, darling! That’d teach the hooligan to mock the power of our friendship,” Rarity exclaimed as she danced in place, jumping back and forth between the hooves on either side of her. 

“Where’re you guys lookin’?” I nearly shat myself as Zerris’s voice rung out next to me, and I hastily turned my head to see the guy with his arm around both Dameion’s and my shoulder. “Have they never seen someone clone themselves with magic? It’s a common technique.” 

“Remove your appendage, ape.” Dameion shrugged Zerris off, who promptly gave him the bird. Zerris was also chewing some gum, and it smelt and felt like a winter’s morning as he did. 

“I guess? Also, why aren’t you attacking them while they’re watching ‘you’ fly away?” 

“I don’t enjoy hitting females, man. No self-respecting guy does.” Zerris used his free arm to shrug as he crossed his legs while continuing to lean on me. “Anyways, I guess I’ve got to. I mean, it sucks that they’re all girls, but my home is getting dicked in the ass right now, and someone’s got to say, “Hey! I’ve been stretched enough!” “

After that...thrilling analogy, Zerris patted my shoulder and pushed me back, using the hand that dropped of my shoulder to call his scythe back to him. “Freezix and I have to bone a couple bitches, it seems. Ah hell, what can you do when you’re a soldier, right?” He used his occupied hand to swing the scythe down, making the edge of the blade thud into the ground. 

Spires of ice began popping out from the earth, rapidly growing in size and speed as they approached the Elements of Harmony. Twilight looked down just in time to see a spire three feet away from her and the rest of the gan, and that was all the time she needed to teleport all of them out of harm’s way. 

She winked back into existence directly next to the ice spire, which had left a sizeable hole in the Zistral Wall.

“You done goofed,” Zerris quipped with a smile, making Twilight raise her eyebrow quizzically. 

“How, when you clearly missed?” 

Aquamarine orbs of sparking energy lifted themselves in clusters of five or six from the ground, completely surrounding the Elements of Harmony as they fizzled and lighted up. 

“TWILIGHT!” Celestia beelined into the mares, blasting them out of the arcane minefield right in time.

“And boom goes the arcane dynamite,” Sunset quipped herself as the mines exploded, blowing the entire front gates and front wall out of existence. A massive flap of wings completely pushed aside the dust cloud, however, and revealed Celestia, completely unfazed. 

She began flapping herself off the ground, her eyes going back to being pure magic. “YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT DEARLY! NONE OF YOU SHALL BE LEFT ALIVE AFTER I UNLEASH THE FULL FURY OF THE S-” 

As her climb came to an apex, her body jerked down into a boomerang shape as a familiar anthro dragon drove her knees into Celestia’s back. The impact was louder than a chorus of cannonfire, and it sent out a large white shockwave that reminded me of Rainbow Dash’s sonic rainboom. Celestia and the armored figure slammed into the ground, making an earthquake-like tremor come about. A large plume of brown dust kicked up and completely covered the entirety of the surrounding area. 

“Air Cannon: Lance Shot!” There was no way I have that voice mistaken. That was definitely Artemis, the sweet and demure woman from the castle. 

Celestia, after I felt a large gust of air nearly sweep me off my feet, was sent flying past all four of us. Her crown was missing, and the braided ponytail she had her mane styled in was gone. She crashed through many stalls, and if she hadn’t that armor on, I think Celestia would’ve been gravely injured from that.

I heard a yell, one of a battle-like nature, and this caused me to turn my head in time to see Luna blast Artemis from behind. This sent Artemis flying past us as well, Luna hot on her ass as she sped off after her opponent.

That left me alone with Zerris, Dameion, and Sunset Shimmer. Well, considering how Zerris whistled and twirled his large and long scythe with one hand as he strolled towards the Elements, I was left alone with Dameion and Sunset. 

“Sunset, help Zerris in any way possible. He’s sure to underestimate the mares, and that’s gonna be all she wrote if he does. Cover him with your traps, remain hidden, and should you live, you can escape with Dameion and I.” My arms wrapped her up in a hug, for as weird as it may sound, she has proven herself to be a part of my clique. Much like Zerris and Artemis, in fact. I don’t want them to die if I can help it.

I felt her breath catch in her throat momentarily, making me worry that due to my new strength, I was inadvertently choking her. My panicked thoughts were laid to rest when she returned the gesture quickly before pushing me off, galloping towards walking Zerris. 

When she finally reached his side, he looked down at her. I saw his lips move momentarily, not even for a second. That was all it took for Sunset to buck him in the groin. He didn’t feel the pain due to the armor, but I could tell the vibration didn’t feel all that great either, based on the way he grimaced minutely. 

“Artemis is fighting the Lunar Princess and the Solar Princess. She’s in need of aid, and I plan on taking the life of Celestia anyway. I do not care what you may do, or if you do anything at all,” Dameion spat, walking towards the Center Circle and the marketplace. He got halfway in before a red beam shot through a couple of stands, and since Dameion was walking in a line directly in front of me, I had to jump to the side in order to avoid the beam as well. 

“Show yourself, trash. Your element of surprise is gone, and in a few moments...” Dameion trailed off as he unsheathed his rapier and pointed it at the stalls where the beam had come from. “Your life will go with it.” 

“Pssh, leave it to you filthy Draconians to make such cold remarks.” My eyes widened at that deep voice as an anthro figure swept the stall aside like it was an annoying toy, the whole thing lifting from the ground and flying into more stands to the right.

I couldn’t tell if this thing was after me or not, seeing as how I ran into it a while back at a train platform. Auburn armor, completed by a devil-horned helmet and a ripped, red cape became known to me. Burning orange eyes leered at me with ample amounts of mirth and killer intent, and in its left hand was a weapon of which I’ve never seen. One side had a sword blade, while the other one contained an open, metal clamp thing. 

The being walked forward, stopping somewhere between ten to fifteen feet in front of Dameion. I walked up next to my friend and readied myself for an attack that was sure to come. 

“Spike the Dragon. Dameion Setsuya. It is a pleasure to meet you at long last! I am Lucian: the Puppet-Master of Pain and Lord of the Plane of Suffering. As you can probably tell, I’m probably the strongest entity you feasted your eyes on so far.” Lucian’s smug voice was grating on my nerves. “Everything you two have done, I orchestrated. Everything. From your banishment,” He pointed at me, “To your forced millennial slumber by your father,” Lucian took that clawed finger and pointed it at Dameion. 

“All this to get here, in this exact spot, where I revived due to the negative energies of death and suffering thanks to this war, plus, the dead body of an anthro! I really must thank you two for making this so easy. I can finally finish a battle that was started long before you two were even thoughts in your parent’s heads.” Lucian- and I somehow knew he was mocking us by how slow he was doing it -bowed at the waist and remained like that for five seconds. After that, he lifted himself back to full height and tilted his helmet at us like a westerner would. 

“I hope you don’t mind it none when I burn this decrepit rock in the depths of Tartarus, kiddies. I plan on resurrecting every soul trapped in my Plane, utilizing them as my undead army and slaying everything on this planet. Equus will become the starting point of what’s to become a multi-planetary nexus of suffering, and you two helped me do it! So relax~...your deaths will be quick.” Lucian began twirling his awkward-looking weapon about, holding his other hand up to his face while he used the same hand’s fingers to clean the grime and wood underneath. 

“You orchestrated my life? How absurd.” Dameion began walking towards Lucian, who turned his silhouetted face to view the prince with some interest. “A peon like yourself, who is lower than the defecation of worms, couldn’t possibly grasp the grandeur of my life, let alone orchestrate it.” Dameion jumped into the air and swung his rapier downwards, and Lucian blocked this by lifting the bladed part of his weapon to intercept with one hand.

Physics seemed to be broken here. Dameion was suspended in the air as their blades clashed, and he stayed there. 

“Oh great, we have a hoity-toity one. You’ll be the first to go.” Lucian swung his arm lazily, flinging Dameion towards me like he was a gnat. I didn’t have time to react as Dameion slammed into me, catapulting us both backwards. I landed on my back, taking on Dameion’s added weight, and began sliding along the cobblestone. Thanks to my dragon scales, I didn’t feel any pain from the impact or slide. 

“If that’s all you two can do, I’m honestly disappointed. I mean, I tried getting you two to power up as much as possible before fighting me with the hopes of making this shit interesting, but this is just depressing. I feel like I’m kicking a puppy...which is only fun on hump day.” 

“Everything you say pisses me off,” I roared as I shoved Dameion to the side, springing from the ground using my back and legs. I brushed some dirt off my shoulders with tiny sweeps, turning my head to see what I was doing. “And you got my clothes dirty! Am I really gonna have to fuck you up, man? I don’t feel like fighting.” 

“So don’t. I don’t give a shit. You’ll be making my job easier,” Lucian responded indifferently, making me scowl as my jab was returned full force.

“Alright pal. You asked for it.” I channeled some green fire into my hand, then shot the appendage forward, making the fireball spin as I curved my fist at the last moment. It whistled through the air, honing in on Lucian as he chuckled and held the sword end of the weapon towards it. 

“This is pointless. I’ll just stop it like so.” He jabbed his weapon forward, and I saw his eyes widen as the fireball changed course and smacked him in the face, exploding and sending the armored figure flying back into the many stalls. He traveled far, and I could barely make out the smoke and debris as he kept going. 

“Shouldn’t have talked all that talk,” I finished with a smug grin. I knew then that my power had increased in comparison to when I hadn’t fused with Vorvin. Even Dameion- though the gesture was almost missed by yours truly -went wide in the eyes at that. 

“Well now, it seems you have some power after all, Spike. That last fireball almost looked controlled, as if you spun it on purpose. Of course, we both know your mind isn’t strong enough to come up with such an advanced technique on a whim like that.” Dameion smiled smugly at the end of his rant, making me snort in mild annoyance. 

“I wish it was you in front of that fireball, pal.” I slapped him on the back, getting him to hiss in pain and step forward while rubbing the offended spot. 

“A redback slap? Honestly? Although this shows great comprehension of your newly-found strength, I must also state that it still hurt...bad. If you ever do it again, I’m going to fry you,” Dameion pointed his rapier’s tip at me, which made a tiny spark of yellow lighting punch me right in the nose. I grasped the recently shocked part of my face with both hands, giving a shrill cry of pain.

“Gah, asshole! Why’re you using that shit on me!? Hit the creepy guy with the weird-ass weapon!” 

“He has not returned from the vacation you sent him on,” Dameion quipped, getting me to snap my head up and growl at him. 

“Oh, you’re so dea- wait. Did you just jest? Holy shit...” I trailed off and began thinking about all the possible ways the world could be ending right now. “You...Dameion Setsuya...just told a joke? Has my whole life been a lie?” 

I was promptly slapped in the back of the head. “Jest all you want, clown. But be on guard, our opponent comes to us now.” 

Lucian came strolling through the white and brown clouds of wood and dust, whistling a merry tune as he did so. “Hey, did I mention I’m a certified badass? No seriously! I went to school for it an everything! That being said, you should know that one attack doesn’t dictate the flow of this battle, right?” 

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re capable of. I would’ve been happy if one punch was the case, BUT HERE’S ME WISHING FOR TWO!” Two fireballs erupted from my fists, one travelling faster than the other. The one aimd for his head was moving the fastest, while the one meant for his chest was moving slower. 

His awkward weapon slashed through them both, but, just like I had planned them to do, the fireballs split themselves into fours and hit Lucian square on. He skidded back from the explosions that followed, and I could hear a grunt of minor pain come from his mouth. He tried his best at hiding it as a chuckle, however. 

“This is almost sad, you two. If Sir Fireballs over here can only use that one move, I’m gonna be extremely pissed. And what about you, Little Lightning Sword? Aren’t you gonna join in on the fun?” Lucian sounded like he was pleading now, and that only served to irritate me further. 

“I’ll not entertain gutter trash like yourself. I am the strongest being to ever live, trash, and you should be prostrating yourself before me accordingly. You’re going to find out that even Lords of Suffering can taste the ground as they kneel before me.” Dameion pointed his rapier at Lucian, who promptly took that as a sign to charge us.

The Lord chuckled as he swung his weapon, Dameion intercepting the strike with his rapier. Sparks of lightning and heat jumped out from the clashing blades, and Dameion proceeded to match Lucian’s chuckle with his own.

“I can see now that you’re holding back...greatly. Even so, if this is how strong you are while holding back, I can honestly say that your chances of winning against Spike and I are minimal.” Faster than I or Lucian could see, Dameion’s knee slammed into the demon’s stomach, causing his whole body to fold up. Lucian let out a pained gasp and swung a fist from his bent over position in the air, which missed Dameion as he retracted his knee, spun around quickly in a great attempt to create momentum, and launched himself upwards with his rapier. 

All of this was happening right in front of me, by the way. 

As Dameion slashed Lucian’s falling body from bellybutton up, a large red red mark appeared up the length of the skinny incision. I had thought it merely to be more sparks, but as Dameion came to an apex and flipped over Lucian’s head, bringing the rapier down on the demon’s back, another red mark came out.

I bore witness to two attacks that happened in a one second interval, and also saw the red lightning arcing in the cuts. The sign was obvious, so I promptly jumped back using my new strength just in time to see Lucian become enveloped in a red lightning cloud. 

“Ruby Lightning,” Dameion stated coldly as he then flashed by Lucian’s lightning-enveloped body, a red line following his slash as he phased through the demon. He came out of the attack on a knee, holding his rapier so that it was laying horizontal to the ground. His eyes were closed as well, and when he opened them, he finished his attack, “Red Cross.” 

Red lightning crashed down from the sky, blinding me as a loud explosion and the sound of volts echoed through my ears. When the noise finally died down and the lights vanished, I opened them and saw something quite awesome. 

Lucian was still standing, yes, but he was hunched over and panting. He was in a line, a vertical hole that went ten feet out in both directions. The bottom of the hole was red, and red lightning fizzled along the edges of the cobblestone scar. 

Dameion stood up and dusted his knees off before turning sharply and pointing his sword at Lucian. “Demon or not, you will bow. You will bow before myself and Spike, and you will confess with your heart that we are kings.” 

“Do you ever shut up? Did you really think an attack of this magnitude could beat me? I’ve been in existence for over three-thousand years, insect,” Lucian roared, dropping his weapon before bending further over. On his cape came these black holes of viscous darkness. From these holes came chains with nine barbs. 

“CHAINS OF CERBERUS,” He roared as he spread his arms out quickly, bending backwards enough to angle his head to the sky and let loose a roar. Nine of those chains erupted from his back and raced to carve Dameion to pieces.

Lucian laughed as Dameion did his best in avoiding and slashing the chains, but because of how quick and how precise the attacks were becoming, Dameion began taking hits that left nine gashes for each strike that landed. 

“No matter how good of a swordsman you claim yourself to be, you’re gonna be nothing but bits and pieces by the end of this assault. Supernatural foes with twice the amount of strength and skill fell before these chains! A fledgeling dickhead like yourself hadn’t a chance!” Lucian began laughing as Dameion crossed his arms in an ‘x’ formation, switching to just defending himself from the onslaught of tipped metal.

“I’m not saying your assistance will be appreciated, Spike.” 

I shook my head after that, then jumped using my new strength. I jumped in a way that allowed me to soar over the chains, coming down on Lucian like an anvil. Leading the attack with double-handed slam, my fists slammed directly on top of his helmet, shattering the piece of equipment while effectively burrowing all of his body into the ground. 

I flipped out of the attack and came to rest five or so feet in behind him. I heard the sliding of metal, and as I turned around, I saw the chains from earlier receding into the dirt.

Dameion lowered his guard as Lucian slowly turned his head one-hundred-eighty degrees to face me! “That fucking hurt. Not the head turn, but the whole attack you did just now. Sorry to say it,” Dameion and I were still hung up on his ‘face’, which was nothing more than black smoke with the orange eyes. “But now, I’m gonna have to get serious.” 

The ground began to shake as Lucian inhaled a lot of air slowly. Dameion and I kept stumbling, hoping to find our footing as the ground rumbled. This meant that we couldn’t attack Lucian at all, and I was beginning to get worried. When the rumbling stopped after two minutes of him inhaling, I rushed him, knowing that something bad was going to happen if I didn’t. 

Apparently, I was too late. 

“Hellskin...EQUIP!”

----A----


I twirled my black kris daggers expertly, hearing the metal sing as it slashed the air. My eyes went from pony to pony, and their eyes never left mine. We were locked in battle focus, our muscles tensed and our magic ready for someone to make a move. 

“State your name and reason for attacking us, woman.” The blue one’s voice carried sorrow, hurt even; but it also contained conviction, and command. She was not to be trifled with, and as they’ll soon find out...neither am I. 

“I am Artemis Chrysanthemum Airflower: Lady of Crimson, Wind Queen, and current Ruler of Mithril. And since you both have a regal appearance to yourselves, I’m willing to bet that you’re also royalty.”

“We are,” The blue one responded quickly. “I am Princess Luna Everfree Faustus: Third-Born to Creation, Mistress of the Night, and Dream Guide” 

The white one stepped forward with an unamused look in her eyes. “And I am Princess Celestia Everfree Faustus: First-Born to Creation, Lady of the Sun, and Keeper of Harmony. We are the diarchs of the Equestrian nation, and we have come to apprehend a criminal who has found refuge in your boundaries.” 

“And you didn’t send notice, why,” I asked with a lot of venom, my grip around my daggers tightening. Princess Luna looked away when her sister peered at her with distaste. “I’m sure we could’ve talked things out before it got to this point?” 

“Nay. Circumstances prevented that from being the case, I’m afraid. It was either I chased him down and rallied my forces to capture him, or he would come back and destroy Canterlot, our nation’s capital,” Princess Celestia explained, making me nod my head in mock-understanding.

In truth, I was pissed. 

“Yep, totally credible...” I snarked sarcastically, getting Celestia to look at me with that glare she was giving her sister. “If I was an idiot, sure! Do you assholes really think I’ll let you tear up my kingdom in order to nab someone who escaped you!? There is nothing you can do to make me see this differently! Now prepare yourselves; astral deities or not, I will make you pay for this transgression.” 

“Hubris,” Celestia yelled as she charged me with her axe raised in a telekinetic aura. In response to this, I sent some wind magic into my feet and zipped out of the way, appearing next to her body with a higher speed than she could track. Her eyes widened as I zipped in for a stab in her head, but I noticed a blob of blue in my periphery.

Channeling more magic, I moved out of the way of Princess Luna, who had launched a ray of magic from her horn in an attempt to hit me. It missed terribly, however, as I found myself on the top of a brown stall. 

Celestia and Luna turned their heads to look at me with raised eyebrows.

“High-speed movement? You think this power is of concern to my sister and I?” Celestia’s question was filled with haughtiness. “We’ve trapped the elusive God of Chaos: destroyed the Cloven-Hooved Necromancer, wiped out the Wiccans of Wickedness, defeated the King of Shadows. and bested the Evil One himself. You...you are dust. That’s it.” 

“I see. But didn’t you know?” Angered by her condescent, I zipped up to her face and held one of my kris daggers to her right eye. That same eye widened, of course. “Even a speck of dust can cause unparalleled amounts of pain and discomfort.” 

She tried swatting me with her axe, which ended up being a pretty bad mistake in her case. You see, I ducked under the blow, zipped around to her other side, and plunged my dagger into her eye. I then zipped back as the organ popped like a balloon, ushering a wail of intense pain from the sun deity. 

“For instance, let’s say that spec of dust found its way into your eye.” I could only say that much before Princess Luna tried hosing me down with continuous rays of energy, which whistled through the air like arrows with holes in their shafts.

----Z----


“Well this is unfortunate.” 

Okay, so let’s be honest here. I wasn’t expecting six colorful ponies to be kicking my ass like this. Hell, I even came into the fight underestimating them. Now, based on personal experience...they’re a little tough. 

Of course, my attacks- the ones I used for fun, that is -seemed to be finally taking their toll on them all. Well, the lavender one with wings and horn- a trait that wasn’t shared among her friends -was just staring at me as I panted on the ground. I had one hand on Freezix’s shaft, and the other one was on my knee as I looked up that the six. 

“Am I too sexy to kill or something?” The purple one snarled at my smartass remark. 

“It was never our intention to kill, pervert,” She snapped. Yep, she had taken to calling me a pervert earlier in our fight. “Now, do you surrender? I don’t want to continue fighting against you anymore.” 

I smiled. “Do you normally bunch together like that? You know, crowd around one another?” The lavender one looked at her friends with worry on her face before looking back at me. I saw her wings tense up in preparation for an escape, so I knew the lure had already been placed. I was just waiting for the fish to bite. 

“And if we do?” 

“Wouldn’t it be a shame if the ground froze over, leaving you trap-” 

They all jumped into the air, making my smile double in size. “Gotcha.” 

The Elements of Harmony, which is what they had addressed themselves as being earlier, were promptly introduced to one of the worst pains ever. That pain, ladies and gents, was electrocution. 

They lit up like the Creation Festival fireworks! Aquamarine lightning repeatedly conducted itself in the large bubble that had surrounded them while in mid-air. Their titillating screeches of pain filled the air as I rose to my feet. After what felt like four minutes, one of the mares passed out and went limp. It was at this time that the trap stopped. 

Five landed on their hooves, one landed on its side. The yellow one with the pink mane was down for the count. 

“What...a dirty trick! You don’t...don’t...think it’s enough...to beat me, right?” The one with a rainbow mane spat, one of her eyes shut as she panted. Her mane, hell, all of their manes looked a hot mess now. Said mare fell onto her face, down for the count, after another ten seconds. 

The orange one went next. 

I kept my smile up and watched with a little disappointment as the pink and white one fell over. 

“That...didn’t look like...a spell you know! Who’s...Who’s helping you,” Lavender yelled wearily, making me snicker and flip a stray bang out of my face with my free hand. 

“Well, that wouldn’t be any fun, right? And here I thought you mares would put up a better fight than this, considering all the choking your ruler was doing on your dicks. On a sidenote: did you see the lips on that princess? Daaaayum! She could get my other legs in there following the third!” 

“Must you be so vulgar? Honestly.” I groaned as the Nanny came up from behind me, dropping her concealment spell. A blue line that started from the top of her head went down the entire length of her body, revealing Sunset Shimmer in aquamarine fizzles that died out over time. “It’s nice to see that the Elements of Harmony have been dealt with, however. I must admit, the new pupil of Princess Celestia gave me pause in correlation to whether you could handle them or not, but I see now that my worry was fortified on sand instead of rock.” 

“Why don’t you get laid? I mean; I’m all one for intelligent debate, but come on.” My quip rewarded me with a zap to the ass, which I did not yelp at. Not. 

“I just want to bring Spike home.” Lavender’s trembling voice caused Sunset and I to look at her simultaneously. She looked on the verge of tears, and she even dropped down onto her ‘knees’ and shut her eyes tightly. “We made a mistake! I...I don’t want anypony to die! This is horrible,” Her last word turned into a wail as she began crying. It was rather...awkward, watching an adult cry like that. I mean, she seemed like an adult, and I knew that based on the fact that she looked the same age as Sunset. 

“Yeah, it is; but someone’s got to do it. And unfortunately, my position as Number One in the Zistral Swords dictates that my mission isn’t over until the opposing force is retreating or dead.” I hefted Freezix up and leaned it across my shoulders with my right hand, allowing the staff part to rest on my back. The cold sensation of Freezix’s blade next to my left cheek made me a little anxious to get this shit over with. 

“I’m not a people- or in your case -pony, person. But, I’ve killed enough of them to generalize with a glance. You, Ms. Lavender, don’t look like the quittin’ type. I guess you know what that means, right?” My question and sudden footsteps as I made my way over there caused her to snap her head up in fear. 

“No. No! NO! Stay away from us! You’ve done enough,” Lavender yelled, making me shake my head in shame. 

“This is the only part of my job that I hate, you know. The law is broken, but it’s the law. I have no choice but to follow it. Sorry girly, I got to add you to my Head Collection. There’s a reason they call me, the Sub-Zero Guillotine, after all.” Once I reached in front of her, I pivoted my body to the side and placed my left foot back, taking the staff of Zernix in both my hands. 

My weapon was now in crescent-moon pose, and I was ready to claim the head of this pony. “Any last words, art project? You’ll find me merciful in last wishes, I assure you. Most of my victims die happy...most.” 

“...No.” 

Her voice was so softspoken, I couldn’t make out what she said. “What?” 

“NO!” I never felt pain like being hit at point-blank range by a ray of magic. And I never had a hole the size of a bowling ball blown into my chest cavity before. That was definitely new. 

My vision swam as I dropped Freezix, stumbling backwards awkwardly.

“Woah!” That was Sunset...I think. 

The next thing I know, there was a blistering pain in my head as I fell. I was then introduced to the red sky with black clouds as I coughed some blood up. Her magic and mine didn’t mix, cause I tried healing my wound with ice like normal...and it didn’t work. It’s like that beam cancelled my magic altogether...and boy is it hard keeping my eyes open. 

“What the fuck is happening here?” 

As my eyes fluttered, acting as shutters to a film, I became aware of what was playing. It was my life. 

Holy shit. I was dying. And this...this was the whole life-flashes-before-my-eyes schtick. 

I saw myself as a small lad, in my father’s dojo. He was a nerd in every sense of the word, got married around forty and didn’t have his first piece of ass until that age as well. My old man and I didn’t get along too well, especially when it came to fencing training. 

The Hex clan in Mithril was renowned for its prowess with a fireplace poker, which is basically what I call rapiers. I mean, how can those things do damage? They’re like metal toothpicks, and that was the argument I gave my dad. 

He didn’t take it so well, based on the scene that was playing out before me. 

My old man was currently beating the snot out of me with a wooden rapier, and every time I messed up or missed, he made sure I knew. I couldn’t leave the dojo after, even though I wanted to. He had been successful in breaking both my legs and arms, and even cracked half of my ribs. My face looked like a squash patch. 

I cried myself to sleep on that waxed, wooden floor. Even when morning came, and no one came to check on me, I eventually crawled to the doorway. I moaned in pain as my claws dug into the paper of the oriental-styled sliding door. I, using what little strength I had left, slammed the door open from my position on the ground. 

There, waiting with a wooden rapier in his right hand, was my father. He peered down at me with the fury of hell behind him, and I remember pissing myself in fear. 

“Not only did you slam this door open, but you urinated on my floor. Crawl back to your sword, boy. Practice was not cancelled for today,” He spoke in a voice like thunder. The younger me winced in comprehension as his bodily pain flared up. 

Eventually, I passed out after trying to stand up twenty times on broken legs. The last thing I remembered from that was my father spitting on me, and telling me that I was the greatest shame to ever happen to the Hex clan. 

Two years later, and I was ready to attend third grade. 

That’s when I met Dameion and Artemis for the first time. Recess had began, and although Dameion acted as if everything under the roof and sky was his, he was enjoyable to be around. I found myself drawn to him, and I figured it was his gift of companionship that made me come closer. Artemis was, to be blunt, my first crush. 

This made things complicated between the three of us for the rest of our scholastic lives, seeing as how she loved Dameion. I knew this was the truth, the irrefutable truth. There was no denying it. 

And I used that as an excuse. I can see that now. I used my love for Artemis as a crutch to get by in life. 

Every time a girl would place a love letter in my shoebox, I would meet her where she specified and tell her that there was someone else. And I didn’t feel bad doing it, entertaining a love that I knew could never happen. My affection had become a handicap I found no shame in using to avoid the pain of heartbreak, and I used to break the hearts of others. 

And now, I’m pretty sure my heart is plastered over a tree somewhere. 

I let a smile work its way across my cheeks, my eyes telling me the show was ending based on the way my childhood memories were slowly fading to black. But before the curtain drew, I could see one last thing. 

During the last Creation Festival we spent together, right after senior year in high school, we had gathered on a hill to celebrate. It was a spot Artemis had found during the nightly strolls she was always fond of, and thanks to that, we had the most beautiful view of fireworks ever. 

We sat next to each other, stupid grins plastered on our faces as we enjoyed the taste of sea-salt ice cream on a stick. And then, after our frozen treats were gone, we overlapped them and smiled at each other before repeating our phrase from childhood. 

I had just enough strength to open my eyes slightly, seeing Sunset’s panicked face looming over mine. Couldn’t hear a damn thing she was saying, but when I opened my eyes, her screams seemed to double in strength, coming across like someone speaking through a hollow barrel. 

The image of us on that hill, that phrase we spoke, slowly worked its way down from my brain and into my mouth. 

My smile widened weakly as I allowed my eyes to finally have their way. 

“Together...forever...” 

----D----


My eyes widened and my ears kicked up. There was no mistaking that voice. But...why did I hear it? Zerris was a good distance away from our battle, so how come his voice sounded like it was right in my ear? 

“Something’s gone wrong. Something has gone TERRIBLY wrong!” I turned my body to sprint off, but was stopped by a laughter that rang out from behind me.

I barely noticed Spike in the air, getting ready to pummel Lucian into the ground some more before an explosion blasted us both backwards. An intense heat kicked up, and as I backflipped out of the momentum and skidded along the ground, lifting my head to see what the hell just happened, I became a witness to something that was- frankly put -impossible. 

A large spire of lava, complete with the patches of black rock, exploded from the entirety of the Center Circle, barely missing my face by a few centimeters. Knowing I wasn’t safe here, I channeled my secret lightning, Sapphire, into my feet and propulsed myself backwards as plume after plume of lava erupted in front of me. 

“I can only imagine how Spike is dealing with this!” 

The surprises for today were infinite, apparently, as the lava began cohesing into a giant...thing. It was easily one-hundred-twenty feet high, and the lava moved to make a face, body, arms and legs. It then pushed all the blackened earth forward into a shell, and horns that numbered at least twenty on its head. 

Its legs were made up of the blackened earth and lava like the rest of its body, but strangely enough, the lower half reminded me of the ponies. The shape did, at least. 

In its left hand was a giant sword, made of flowing and pulsating lava, which was crusted over to give it a sword shape. 

Orange eyes soon found themselves locked on me. 

“I’M BACK, BITCHES. DID YOU GET DADDY SOMETHING NICE?” Its voice was condescending, sure, but it also reminded me of wildebeest stampedes and a bout of fireworks. The ground shook as he spoke, stumbling me to and fro.

I was undeterred by his sudden change, however. I peered up at him as he peered down at me, a cocksure grin plastered on his face. “So you got bigger. Wish I can say you got stronger, but that’s yet to be determined,” I called up to him challengingly, making the massive entity known as Lucian to chuckle. 

“O’REALLY? LET US FIND OUT, THEN!” His roar caused the ground to shake, so I merely pulsated lightning out of the hole on my back, feeling it shift into its wing shape before giving to test flaps. Feeling everything was in order, I promptly launched myself at the head of Lucian, going at breakneck speeds. 

As I neared, I could see Lucian raise a molten eyebrow, the sound of two mountains humping each other following the movement. He then opened his mouth, and I widened my eyes and peeled off in time to feel a burning hot stream of lava come from his mouth. 

I used the momentum from my barrel roll to keep spinning myself and place my rapier, Blackheart, in front of me. I then channeled no small amount of red lightning around my body, doubling the acceleration as my cocoon-like self propelled into and out of the face of Lucian.

Once I left the molten confines of his head through the back, I spread open my wings and turned around, surveying the boulder-sized hole I had left behind. It was when Lucian began chuckling that my worry level skyrocketed. 

The whole hole closed up quickly, and Lucian’s head turned a full one-hundred-eighty degree to face me with a smile. 

“THAT DIDN’T WORK THE FIRST TIME, ASSHAT. WHAT MADE YOU THINK IT WAS GOING TO WORK THIS TIME?” Before I could plan my next attack, I was hit in the chest by a black boulder that was launched from between his eyes at supersonic speeds, shattering my ribcage as I was sent plummeting down the one-hundred-twenty feet.

I yelled in pain as the boulder’s weight sunk into my shattered chest cavity, and I summoned some ruby lightning into my free hand before punching the hell out of the rock. It exploded on the first hit, much to my relief, but that didn’t stop my immediate problem of plummeting. In fact, it worsened it. 

I let my head lean back to see the ground rapidly approaching, and right before I hit it head on, I felt arms wrap around my midsection before tucking me into a masculine chest. 

Quite frankly, I couldn’t tell you how long we were rolling, or how many melting stands we crashed though. I could tell you, however, that I was grateful for making a friend like Spike at that point in time. 

----S----


We came out of the roll, crashing into a plethora of stands and tapestries. It’s a good thing the lava from earlier didn’t reach this far, or else all of Zistral could’ve been up in flames by now. 

Oh, and it was pretty stupid of Dameion to use his lightning to avoid the lava. I mean, we’re dragons. Dragons are fireproof. I mean, hello~? 

Dameion, for the most part, was taking a nap amongst a nice rug as I launched myself from the stall; coming to rest on a knee with a hand on the ground for added stability. I then rose to full height and dusted off my nice duds, before gulping. 

My eyes slowly traveled up the hulking mass of lava known as Lucian, and I could tell by his face alone that he was becoming bored of us. He even yawned. Now that made me frown in anger. 

“DAMN. YA’LL ARE STARTING TO BORE ME. I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA HAVE A BLAST FIGHTING YOU TWO, BUT I GUESS THAT’S WHAT I GET FOR ASSUMING, RIGHT?” 

One again, I gulped. This...thing was out of my league. Like...waaaay out of my league! He’s also been orchestrating everything in my life! That means he knows everything I can do, or possibly will do!

“FEAR? IS THAT WHAT I’M SMELLING? YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS.” Lucian chuckled briefly. “THERE IS NO REASON TO FEAR ME, SON OF VORLIANTH, HEIR OF SEVINNA! THIS IS A BATTLE I PLANNED TO END WHEN I CAME BACK, TO FACE THE SPAWN OF THE ARCH-DRAGONS THAT HELPED IMPRISON ME IN THAT GODFORSAKEN PLANE OF MISERY. SO COME ON, SPIKE THE DRAGON! SHOW ME WHAT YOU’RE MADE OF!” 

The molten sword slowly climbed into the air, and when it finally reached its apex, it came crashing down. I couldn’t even describe the shadow it was casting upon what could possibly be the entirety of Zistra’s marketplace district, but I can tell you how afraid I was.

This...this was it. I was finally going to die, and it won’t be from Celestia like thought. It was going to be from some dimension-jumping demon lord, one who has been making my life happen. 

Wait...HE’S responsible for this!? HE’S been here since the beginning, destroying my hopes and dreams while uprooting my happiness like a...a...weed! My life has been SHIT! I’m tired of it....

I felt something pulse up from my stomach, racing its way up to my throat in less than a second. I choked on it, and I finally realized something...it was my true strength. It wanted out, and the only way to let it out, was to let myself out. 

In other words...

“Fuck this shit.” I lifted my hand just as the blade came down, stopping it while blowing everything around me away. Even the stall that Dameion was lodged in was blown away, but I lifted my other hand and channeled my magic into it. The draconian became enraptured in my green flames as it formed a cocoon around him, and while I was at it, I healed his wounds and placed him on the ground feet first. 

His face was the picture of shock when the flames dropped. 

I turned my head toward the giant sword my hand was holding in place after nodding towards Dameion. The sword itself bored me now, and I promptly gripped and shattered it like glass after closing my hand all the way. 

“This shit ends now. I’ve had it with this planet, its fucking peons for citizens, and whatever fucking demon lords lay hidden in the asscracks! No one here is stronger than me, physically or otherwise! AND NOW...” I exhaled, seeing the shot of air blow Lucian back half a step. His face was also the picture of shock. I clenched my fists, feeling something tell me to take everyone’s soul in the whole town of Zistral. 

I glared at Lucian as he roared. 

“...I’m pissed.” 

----A----


I was slowly being pushed back by both Luna and Celestia’s horns. Celestia had lost her golden axe, or at least, gave the impression of losing it. It’s never safe to assume something that could be different. 

My feet slid along the ground slowly, for I was being pushed back by the combined might of the Royal Sisters. This new force was amazing, and I honestly felt like I was being destroyed from the arms back. I swear my arm bones were creaking, and I knew if something didn’t change soon, they were going to try a tactic I wouldn’t like. 

Then, as if I had fallen in favor with the Goddess of Luck, a large blast of wind rocked me from behind. Given the experience I had gathered over the thousand years of training and leading a nation of strong warriors, I took this pseudo lay line within myself instantly. 

I smiled and zipped through up into the air, the added wind accelerating the speed of my movement by at least fifty percent! By the time the Sisters figured out I had disappeared, I had already slashed their shins with my daggers, making sure to cut deep enough on both sides to immobilize them completely. 

A sigh left my lips as the lay line left, and I stabbed one of my daggers into the cobblestone in order to stop the slide I had to enter after the power boost faded. 

My eyes fell over Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, watching their bodies finally catch up to what happen. They fell instantly, their hamstrings completely decimated by the multiple slashes that had appeared over the back of their knees. 

“Grh! What sorcery is this!? When did she do this,” The blue one exclaimed in anger and shock, making me snicker.

“Whoever did that blast of wind from earlier was my angel in disguise!” 

Coming down from the chuckle fit I had at their sudden helplessness, I walked forward until I was right in their faces and squatted down, using my green greave to flip my crimson bangs out of my eyes. “You know, the fact that I just harmed you two like this was nothing but pure luck. As you might have deduced by now, I am naturally attuned to the element of Wind! So, when that large gust came from nowhere, I took the hidden magic out and tuned it with my own, nearly doubling my speed!” I patted them both on the head, even giving them a scratch or two behind the ears while I was at it. 

Princess Luna forgot her pain altogether, leaning into my hand with a shameful moan of pleasure, while Princess Celestia reeled her head back and turned on her horn. 

I jumped back with a smile, thinking of putting some distance between whatever spell she was getting ready to blast me with; but unfortunately, I had forgot about something after using my power boost.

Pain. Pain was all I could feel. My back erupted into an unholy amount of the feeling.

“AHHHHH!” I couldn’t stand anymore, this I knew as fact. I knew too, based on the burning sensation in the wound, that Celestia’s Axe was to blame for this! I fell over in an undignified heap of blood and wails, completely immobilized as the sun bitch’s axe remained embedded within the confines of my spine. 

“Hubris. You dare pat me like a foal, girl,” The condescending tone of Celestia reached my ears...like...right inside of them. I slowly turned my head, the only thing I could still move, and looked into the all-white, magic-infused eyes of the sun deity, whose fur upon my skin was like being touched by a million heated skillets. 

“I measure my life in eons, for I am immortal! You could not win...ever. To think otherwise is, and was, foolishness.” I moaned and felt something cold touch the underside of my slightly raised chin, which I confirmed to be Princess Celestia’s armored hoof as she outstretched my neck. “And now, for aiding an escaped criminal, I am forced to apply judgement. I am sure your people will remember your sacrifice, and even erect monuments in your honor, Lady of Crimson.” 

The cold sensation of metal came across the back of my neck, but there was also a hidden warmth amongst all the cold. 

“I see. She plans to behead me. I’m too injured to fight back...I guess this is it. Not too many people can say they injured the Goddess of both Sun and Moon though, and like she said; I might be dying here, but my people will keep me alive in their hearts...always.” 

My eyes fluttered shut, and I saw an image of a memory most dear to me. It was during the Creation Festival, and right after we wished upon the Second Star to the Right and Prayed to the Goddess of the Earth, a fireworks show began. Hues of exploding yellows, greens, blues, and reds graced the night sky. Every flash brought me a little closer to Dameion’s side, and eventually, I found myself leaning my head along the small of his neck, my hand falling on his thigh as I snuggled in closer. 

He batted me an amused smile and planted a kiss upon my forehead, making me return the gesture and peck his chin.

“Someone fucking shoot me.” That was Zerris, complaining about Dameion and my antics again. I wish I could’ve told him how I really felt...I think that’s my only regret. 

“Oh, here’s the best part,” My past self exclaimed, bringing all three of our hands together and clutching them into a ball. “Remember these words, Day-Day and Zere-Bear! It’s like...a promise to each other!” 

“A promise,” Past Dameion asked dubiously. 

“Did she stutter, fucknugget?” 

I bopped Zerris on the head and glared at him, making him narrow his eyes at me. I narrowed my own, and he promptly backed off. Seeing how he calmed down, I promptly rubbed the back of his head and told him that it was necessary. He humphed and told me to get on with whatever I was going to say. 

“Alright, so this will be broken into three parts! Each of us will give their own vow in remaining best friends! I’ll start it off with...” 

And, almost as if it were some type of sick joke, the image shattered and I was reminded of my current position. I smiled, knowing my death was imminent, and mouthed the words from my past, hoping against hope that Zerris or Dameion would hear them. 

“...Not matter how bad it looks...I know we’ll be there for each other...” 

The axe hit my neck, and all feeling was cut off. 

----D----  


A faint wind pushed against my back, almost like something was trying to hug me from behind. In response, I did an about face and scanned the immediate area for anything that could be used as a trap by Lucian. 

“...We’ll be there...For each other...” 

My eyes widened as the wind caressed my cheek, then moved down to my lips. There was a tentative embrace there. I shivered as the feeling remained for a minute or so, prompting me to slowly raise a hand and just keep it suspended in front of me, lined up with my hip. Even if it was ephemeral event, I think I felt a hip there! 

And then...the sensation was gone, following a short howl of wind before finally dying down in silence.

“...Artemis...” I dropped down onto my knees as the sensations finally made sense. This shiver I felt when I heard Zerris’s voice...and the wind I felt just now when I heard Artemis. “No...” It was almost as if someone was stabbing me in the heart, making sure I felt every ounce of sorrow.

Not wanting to see myself tremble in grief, I slapped my hands over my eyes and let out a bloodcurdling wail of anger and sadness. When the first wail was done, I replaced the second one with a roar, feeling a large sum of lightning surge from the new opening. I knew it was on its way into the sky, and let out another roar as a memory most harmful appeared in my mind. 

It was of Artemis, Zerris, and myself. We were sitting next to each other, smiles on our faces during the time in which we were...holy shit. 

“This is...the Creation Festival of our Senior Year! Solomon High, Class of 1013...The night we made that promise...” 

I roared again as an awful throbbing ransacked my brain, almost preventing me from remembering anything else. Like before, another surge of lightning erupted from the bowels of my person, making its way into the sky. 

“...I know we’ll be there for each other! So, what’s yours, Day-Day,” Young Artemis looked so innocent like that. As if...she knew this would be remembered by me someday. As if...she knew that smile would ease me into the hardest thing I ever had to say. 

“I...I...” My whole body pulsated painfully that time, and I let loose another wail into the sky. 

“Yeah? Are you gonna spit it out or what, idiot,” Young Zerris snarked, earning him a bop to the back of the head. The young version of me laughed, before blushing and fidgeting with his hands. 

“Weeeell~?” Young Artemis leaned in and pecked my chin with her lips, making ‘me’ blush harder. “Come on, Day-Day! It’s not that hard! Just say what’s in your heart!” She poked me in the chest tenderly, as if it were a sleeping lion ready to kill her at any second. 

My body did not pulse now, but I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. They were gone...and I was powerless to help them in their time of need. I couldn’t be there to stop their lives from being snuffed out.

The scars...the scars of light that remain entrapped within me. The jagged edges of heaven’s might that wished nothing more than to harm and wreak havoc upon those who did this to my friends....MY HEART! 

“I...I LOVE YOU GUYYYYYYSSSS....” 

I felt the call of lightning, wailing like a siren in my ears, and felt the crash- no -the force of a bolt crashing down upon me from the skies. The thunder boomed, and it began raining night instantly, drenching me as the current of electrons and magic pulsed through me like never ending floods. 

I finally had the power to remove the hands covering my eye, and to do so, I merely let them flop down by the puddle that had already formed around me; such was the heaviness of the rain. My breathing was taxed, paying revenue to the whore-queen of weariness, who would buy herself gown dressed in misery and polishes made of my tears, plus the sweat of my broken heart and brow. 

No more. 

I no longer need my emotions...for I am the lightning. Lightning will always fall, and it does not feel when it falls on something alive and kills it. 

So in short...neither will I. 

Amidst my panting, weary breath, which stained the air in front of me in a white smog, I could feel the eyes of everyone one me as I rose from the ground shakily. “No more sorrow...No more happiness...No more love...No more hate...No more guilt...No more confusion...No more timidness...I’m done. What need...have I...with emotions?” I remained hunched over as the chorus of rain wailed for my power to join the choir, to bound amongst the droplets like a nimble rabbit through the shrubs and underbrush of a dense forest. 

“I’m through...with FEELINGS! Therefore, I cast them into the Static Core of my being! BEGONE WITH YOU ALL! VANISH WITH THE THUNDERCLAP!” I opened my closed eyes, watching as a yellow bolt of pure lightning crashed into me from the black clouds above, igniting the world around me in a bright-yellow light. 

I could feel...no. 

Not anymore. Feeling is meaningless...and now...Those who’ve wronged me shall feel the cold steel of my sword. This sword, which I know to be transforming, will need a name. 

It will need to be an extension of myself...it will need to be myself...And I am the lightning. 

I grasped my rapier that was laying upon the cobblestone of the Center Circle by its handle, picking it up before swiping it in front of me horizontally. The lightning was still crashing down upon me was sucked in and sent soaring towards Lucian, who ate the too-quick-to-stop bolt in the chest where his heart should be. The impact caused a deafening thunderclap, and it sent the massive demon reeling back in pain as he gripped his chest and roared. 

“YOU CAN’T HARM ME LIKE THAT! YOU DON’T HAVE THE POWER!” 

“No...I don’t,” I affirmed with him, hearing my voice drone out emotionlessly. “At least...not yet.” 

I raised my rapier and channeled my magic into the sword, watching it spark and fizzle with yellow lightning. 

“A Draconian, which is higher than any anthro, any demon, and any alicorn, deserves a sword made from the strongest material ever...A Draconian.” I narrowed my eyes and thought long and hard of the old language, remembering the word for what I had now become. A force of nature most powerful, which give no quarter to either mortals or the planet itself. 

My sword was me...and as I’ve said before...I’m the lightning. 

“Shochraos,” I droned, glaring at my rapier as it transformed into a katana with an all-black blade, and navy-blue handle. Five small gems went up the handle. Starting from the bottom up, it went like this: Topaz, Ruby, Amethyst, Obsidian, and....some white one I forget the name of.

“And now I do. But my interest was never to kill you, Puppet-Master of Pain.” Lucian quirked an eyebrow up. “It was to distract you. Someone’s not where they’re supposed to be right now, and you’re still none the wiser.” 

His face skewed into horror, and he quickly turned his massive body, looking for Spike on the ground. 

“You will not find him like that, Lord of Suffering. And you cannot stop the Draconic Arrival...nothing can.” I sighed and sheathed my new sword on my hip, folding my robes overtop and tying the black sash to keep them from opening.

“ENOUGH! WHERE ARE YOU, SPIKE THE DRAGON!?” 

“I call upon the dreaded drake that awaits all souls in the veil of death, who now swims about my magic and through my veins like tainted water! I beseech the Deathlord to bless his offspring, so that he may ascend to his destined status of Apocalypse. THIS I SWEAR, UPON MY BLOOD AS THE SON OF VORLIANTH!” Spike’s voice echoed throughout ot the air, and I couldn’t help but look up at the black speck high in the sky. The rain made it somewhat difficult to see him, but I knew he was there, even through the cloudiness of the water.

And then...the souls left. 

Thousands upon thousands of souls...the souls of my people and the ponies, entered Spike’s body as he tucked himself into a ball. He began to glow a sickly green, easily the color of green asbestos as the souls continued to pour into him. 

And then, just when I thought his body couldn’t get any brighter, he exploded in black smoke with a roar that shook the earth. The smoke itself wailed like a chorus of damned souls, and quickly extinguished all forms of light in the entire Marketplace District.

“This is interesting...I can see through the darkness just fine, but the others, including Lucian’s bumbling form, seem to be blind. Hold on...That’s Celestia coming in from the north! Vengeance is mine...” I thought with a frown as I slinked back on all fours and gently made my way over to the princesses who had stopped their progress because of the new darkness. 

I am the lightning. I fear no darkness, and no deity of the sun. 

It took me quite some time, but thanks to getting rid of my emotions, my body had become worlds sharper than anything alive. All my senses could be controlled to increase or decrease, and right now, I was stepping with the efficiency of a well-seasoned lion, who had just found a tasty little morsel of stag amongst the ferns.

“...This darkness is alive, Sister dear. I believe, based on the amount of angst and sadness in its makeup, that Spike the Dragon created this somehow.” 

“The analysis was welcomed, Luna, but I fear there’s more here than just angst or sadness. Truly I tell you this: Spike has finished absorbing the soul of every person in this country!” Celestia’s face was in a permanent frown, displaying her anger quite annoyingly as she squinted into the darkness. Her wings were shut close to her body, letting me know that she didn’t feel safe flying through the dark. 

And, as I crept up in front of her, I could see what looked like a red outline flicker like flames in her right eye. Either she was trying to use fire in order to pierce the veil of this darkness, or something was beginning to grow restless within her Core, thanks to all the sadness, angst, and anger that was apparently proliferating through this cloudy abyss.

“That’s preposterous, Tia! Even if Spike was able to absorb souls, I doubt he would have enough to control to differentiate just the Mithrilnians! That could take years- no -centuries to do!” 

“Who said it was just anthros, Lu-Lu? You are correct in stating that Spike’s ability to differentiate would take centuries to hone, but what if the difference was more...obvious.” 

Luna gasped. “You don’t mean...” 

“Indeed. Spike has absorbed the soul of everyone that has died during this conflict, that way, the only thing he’d need to identify his prey would be the pulse. No pulse, no problem.” Celestia’s right leg lifted up, and I knew that meant she was ready to continue trekking through the darkness. 

I froze in position, roughly ten steps ahead of her, and thought about what she just said. “That means...Spike is carrying the soul of every Zistral Sword, including Arma, Maxxis, and Zerris. On top of that, he’s carrying the soul or Artemis as well. And then there’s the fact he’s assimilated every soul in the vicinity of Mithril itself...” I sighed quietly, as not to disturb my approaching prey. “It’s decided then. I’ll handle Celestia here and now, and while I’m doing this, Spike shall deal with the interdimension demon. And speaking of Celestia...” 

The gold-covered hoof came down in front of my snout, making me respond instantly. 

“That being said, we should keep talking to each other as to not lose ourselves in this MMPH-” 

“Sister!?” 

----S----


“I...I feel AMAZING! Is this the power of my father...the ability to absorb souls and add them to my strength!?” Coming out of my ball while completing that thought, I let myself fall the fifty feet to the ground, where I dropped down and outstretched my hand while squatting. “I need to remember the teachings of Vorvin. I can die all I want as long as I have souls in reserve, and right now, there’s about fifty-thousand inside of me! Plus, the Reaper skills need a healthy amount of souls in order to activate, and then another one in order to stop the feedback from summoning one.” 

I let my gaze travel around the devastating amount of darkness I blasted out of my being, seeing it shape into the small form of a baby dragon, who was sitting on his small rump and crying into his hands. From his spines to his scale formation, he was similar to me...and I narrowed my eyes at the implication. 

“Is that all I am to them? Just a broom with scales they can throw in the closet and call it a day? No...Twilight and her friends love me...I’m sure of it! Yeah!” The Cloudy Spike stood up and crunched his tiny hand into a fist, wiping his tears with his open hand before giving a smile of confidence. “I’m just being silly! I can’t believe I really thought that crap! Oh! I gotta get to Rarity’s to help her dig for gems again!” 

The Cloudy Spike sped off into the darkness, disappearing when his body assimilated. 

I snarled. “I was a fool...and now...darkness has claimed me. But as such, I shall claim the darkness that houses me as my own!” My arm shot out and I closed my eyes, focusing on the teachings of Vorvin from within my Magical Core. I began feeling the souls I required for my first Reaper, the sum of five-thousand, travel from within my chest to my open and stretching hand. 

Then, I felt the darkness receded into an orb within reach of my hand, and then watched as the five-thousand souls exploded from my hand and enter the orb of absolute darkness. A fierce rumbling began as the orb, which was completely black with a neon-green aura of flames surrounding it, lowered itself into the ground.

From there, a massive pillar of darkness in the middle with bright-green flames erupted from where it entered. I gave a triumphant yell and shot my outstretched arm and hand into the pillar, grabbing hold of my weapon.

I screamed as I felt the scales melt off my arm, then the skin. Muscles came next, and before I could blackout from the pain, I sent the last soul into the confines of the pillar, leaving me with a sinister looking scythe. I could feel the power flow from its shaft into my right arm, which was nothing more than bones and hanging, burning flesh. 

That’s right...burning. The tatters of flesh were still burning in emerald fire, but no matter how long they remained immolated, the flesh never disappeared. It looked horrid, but at the same time, cool. 

My scythe, standing as high as I am, had two blades at the top. One was longer and large, while the other shorter and more sword looking than the other. The middle of both blades, however, were completely black, and green words in a forgotten language laid scribbled upon the black. Seven candles, each one varying in size and illumination, burned with a green flame matching the ones burning the skin on my arm. The white wax from the candles dripped onto the back and middle of the top blade, enhancing the sinister feeling I was getting from it. 

One blade was at the bottom, very short in length. The base of the scythe itself was circular, and their was a draconic-like pupil in the center of the glowing lime-green energy. A ghastly lantern glowed dimly, wisps of green smoke seeping from its confines...and based on the sinking feeling in my stomach, I knew it to be some of the souls used for its summoning...just like the flames atop the candles. And then, that’s when I noticed something peculiar about the top of the scythe.

There was a set of eyes behind the folds of silver, staring out with curiosity. I didn’t like it, but it gave my scythe a more evil looking appearance.



I slammed the end down, seeing the ground splinter and crack from the measly force I put in it. Then, I began twirling it, forgetting where I was at the moment as the power drifted through my body, letting me know that if I wished it, I could destroy and kill anything here.

I turned the scythe in front of me with one hand, then added another one into the equation before slamming it home on top of my shoulder, hearing the wail of a thousand souls when it rested there. Zerris would be mad at the way I was holding it, because using one hand to support it felt way better than anything else.

One exhale to expel the giddiness within me, and I found myself looking up at Lucian. 

“You’re dead.” 

He took a step back as his eyes traveled to my scythe. “YOU SHOULDN’T WIELD THAT SO CASUALLY! THAT’S YOUR FATHER’S WEAPON!” He seemed really scared. 

Good. 

Let him be scared. 

“Defend yourself, demon.” I gripped the snath with one hand and the foregrip some inches below the heel with the other. I then swung it horizontally, putting my whole body into the movement, and as I came out of the attack, I could see a claw-shaped wave of lime-green energy gunned straight for Lucian. 

His massive orange eyes widened, and he lifted both of his arms in a boxer’s guard to stop the attack...which ended up going right through him, arms and all. Lucian let loose a roar of agony as his to half separated and flew back from his bottom half.

“Jade Reaper,” I stomped a foot back, placed the top of the scythe on the ground so that the toe faced the sky, and channeled an obscene amount of souls from the lantern into the blade...which began whistling a haunting tune and glowing a bright green, before bursting into flames. “JADE PENALTY: DEMON HUNTER,” I roared and swung the scythe up, entering a barrell roll in mid-air as a massive lime-green scythe tore up the ground as it honed in on both halves of Lucian, growing larger in size as it went. 

When it got halfway, it was easily as tall as the hulking demon himself. The wave of energy transformed itself into a roaring dragon, which collided with Lucian’s bottom half and his falling top half, before erupting in a massive blast that knocked me on my ass as the whole right side of Zistral became lost in the green fire pillar. 

I placed Jade Reaper on my back with one hand as the flames vanished, leaving behind a smoking crater with nothing inside it, nor anything beside it.

A sigh left my lips, and I nearly found myself laughing in victory if it wasn’t for the sound of approaching wings from behind. I whirled around,swinging my scythe quickly, and just stopped my attack when the neck of Luna laid a hair’s length away from being reaped. 

Our eyes locked, and I could see in her’s the feeling of sadness and hurt. 

I narrowed mine. 

“Speak or lose your ability to do so,” I growled, watching Luna narrow her eyes before lifting a hoof to lower my scythe herself. 

“A little hard to do such when an instrument of war is practically shoved down my neck, no? We are not animals, Spike. Please refrain from acting so callous for a se-” 

When she closed her eyes, I took it upon myself to drive the middle of the snath into her windpipe with both hands, pinning her to the ground on her back. She began punching me in the stomach with her hooves, even going so far as to buck me with all her might, to which I laughed at. 

“No need to act so high and mighty, Luna! We’re the best of friends, right!?” Her horn flashed, making me use my long tongue to wrap up her horn, feeling the sensitive appendage twitch and die down as she gagged underneath me. 

“Let me...go...” 

“Listen.” My voice was not impacted by my tongue being wrapped around her horn somehow, and I’m not gonna complain about it either. “As things stand, Dameion and I are too strong for anything and anyone. Equus, as much as you would beg to differ, is doomed. But unfortunately, I find the option of further discovery upon my powers and latent potential to be more exhilarating than forcing everything here to prostrate itself before Dameion, Sunset, and I.” I let my tongue snap back into my mouth and raised off of her, letting Luna cough her lungs out as she struggled to get more air into them. 

I walked over her and towards the two specks in the sky, which were colliding in large blasts of magic. One was yellow, and every time it collided with the black one, sparks of sunlight and fire would escape with a low-pitched roar. The black one, resembling a small bullet, smashed into the yellow one mercilessly with arcs of yellow lightning careening off into the sky at every collision. 

And then, the black one caught the yellow one with an outstretched hand. 

“UNHAND ME, VERMIN! YOU DARE LAY HANDS UPON M-” 

My eyes widened as the black bullet returned, and promptly slammed itself into the ground with the yellow bullet going first.

“Well that looked painful, Dameion! You’re not pulling any punches, are you?” 

“...No, I’m not. And you should make your way over here while you’re at it, and make sure Luna is with you. Hell, make sure they’re all with you.” 

“DID YOU JUST SPEAK TO ME IN MY HEAD!?” 

“Calm down. I have ears, remember? In any case, yes, I did. Now, gather everyone and come over here. The world needs to see this.” 

I sighed at the monotone voice in my head. “Whaaaatever.” 

I turned around just to be rammed in the stomach by Luna herself, causing me to sigh as I was pushed along the ground minutely. My hands slammed themselves around her head, hard enough to knock the magic out of her bullet-like charge. Because pony eyes are so fucking big, I saw her widen them from my bird’s eye view. 

“You’re coming with me...and so are you.” I lifted my head just as Sunset Shimmer came out of her cloaking spell. 

“You noticed me before I dropped my camoflauge? I must say, I am impressed.” She looked at Luna, who was trying to worm her way out of my grasp, bucking and tugging at any given second. “Need some help with that?” 

I opened my mouth to respond, but shut up and smiled when a large, aquamarine key lock fastened itself around Luna’s back legs. They went limp, and Luna’s eyes widened that much more as she began flailing her front hooves, crashing them into me mercilessly. This brought another snort of amusement from me, which was joined in on by Sunset herself as she magicked another one of those locks around her front legs.

“It’s a shame you used so much magic against Spike and Artemis, Princess Luna. I rival the strength of Starswirl the Bearded, who was your teacher. You no longer have the power needed to resist my spells.” 

“Unholy wench! Thou will undo these hexes most foul!” 

“No,” Sunset returned smugly, “I don’t think I will! In fact, here’s one more, you know, to help ease you into going with us willingly.”

I almost told Sunset to stop when a...well...fifteen-foot long buttplug in the shape of a crescent moon appeared from her magic. 

I blushed, knowing full well what the instrument is used for. 

“Spiiike? What’s she doing,” Luna asked with growing paranoia. I, in turn, lowered my head to her ear. I then slid my scaled-arm into her mouth and whispered, “No lube.” in a sorrow-filled tone. Her eyes widened, and I think I saw her horn light up before the most sinister smile worked its way over Sunset’s face. 

“This will not stand! I am the Princess of the Night! You can’t do this to mEEEEEEEEEEE!!!”

----D----


“Did you honestly believe this to be enough, dragon?” Celestia kept barking condescending questions at me as I held her down by her horn with my hand. Her hooves slammed into my chest and stomach mercilessly, and if I was my old self, I might have felt something from the hits. 

“Quit your unneeded and fruitless struggle, Celestia. You shall be made an example of right now.” My feathers stood on end, and I found myself looking up to see Spike approaching with a...lustful Luna and Sunset Shimmer, who had a mischievous grin plastered on her features. “Where are the Elements? Surely the extinction of two demons is something they would like to see?”

Sunset stepped forward with a pleased smile on her face. “Only one of them is conscious, and I’m willing to bet that she’s getting more guards. We don’t have long, so if we’re gonna do something about Princess Celestia, it needs to be done now.” 

“Right.” I looked down, just to be on the receiving end of a hot wad of saliva, courtesy of Princess Celestia.

“Insolence! You can’t do anything about me! I control the sun itself, fools! THIS BODY IS IMPERVIOUS!” 

“Obsidian Lightning: Unholy Baptism.” 

Princess Celestia was covered in a black and white cloud of lightning, which she began screaming through. I was feeding it directly into her horn, which traveled to her Magical Core in a matter of milliseconds. 

“In the next minute, a demon will flee, or Celestia shall fry. Ready your weapon, Spike.” I looked up at my friend and saw him comply with my wish. He was posed to reap something, based on the slashing pose he took up. 

“SISTER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HER, SCUM!? UNHAND MINE SISTER AT-” 

Spike swung his scythe’s top, hitting Luna square in her jaw. Consciousness was taken from her instantly. He then got back in his pose and awaited what came next. 

From Celestia’s mouth came a smog of blood-like mist. And as it tried to zip away, Spike sliced it in half, dissipating it instantly. 

I stopped the flow of Obsidian Lightning that was entering Celestia’s body, the mare flopping onto the ground completely knocked out. A limb on her body would jump, then a small arc of black lightning would jump out and back into the respective limb. She moaned in pain before falling quiet and snoring. 

“Note to self: Alicorns are unrealistically immune to magical effects.” 

“So, now what?” Spike’s question caused me to remove my hand and dust them off upon each other, before looking at Sunset and him. “We can’t stay here. Twilight’s bringing backup, and as much as I’d like to soil my hands some more, I’d actually like to find more information on my powers and inheritance away from conflict.” 

I nodded. “I agree. The thrill of battle is long gone. It must be replaced with something else, I’m afraid.”

“I have a suggestion? You know, because I’m not chopped liver or anything,” Sunset snarked, making me turn my gaze upon her. She flinched and looked away. “Er...right, sorry. How about we...leave the planet?” 

I crossed my arms and growled, making the mare flinch again. 

“Stop playing around, Sunset. I’m tired, and I thought better of you!” Spike’s voice was laced with annoyance. 

“But I’m not playing around! I can open up a portal to another world! I’ve already been there!” 

“Tis a lie, wench. Prove it.” 

Sunset glared at me before turning her nose up in the air. Walking past the downed body of Celestia, Sunset began channeling an obscene amount of magic into her horn. Her face scrounged up in effort, before she yelled and let loose a tiny speck of aquamarine. She collapsed after that, and I found myself snorting somehow at her failure. 

“A speck of light? Honestly? Disgrac-” 

And that speck of light, which I thought to be completely useless, opened up into a throne-room shape door. The doors themselves were bigger than Zistral’s walls, and when they opened, Spike whistled in amusement. 

“Now that’s magic! Let’s go!” 

I looked at him like he grew a second head. “Are you mad? Do you know what this portal even leads to?” 

“I told you already, you emotionless cod!” Sunset’s voice made me snort in distaste as she rose from the ground wearily. “This portal leads to another world...one I visited...once before.” 

“So...let’s go? Really don’t want to be here when Twilight in her friends show up.” 

“Agreed.” 

Both of them looked at me. 

I kept my eyes crossed and waited for Spike to see the error in his judgement. 

“Well,” Spike asked, making me sigh in defeat. 

“Fine. Through the portal it is.” 

“You will not regret this, you two!” 

I glared at her. “It won’t be us with regrets should we find this venture displeasing.” 

Sunset swallowed the mountain in her throat before heading through the portal. Spike placed his scythe on his back with a strap he apparently had back there, before placing both of his hands behind his head and walking off into the portal after Sunset Shimmer, whistling all the while. 

“Idiots. I’m travelling through time and space...with idiots.” 

This was by far the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. And for some reason, even if I’m saddened by the loss of my kingdom and my people. Which includes my best friends, of course, I couldn’t help but think of all the possible havo we could cause. 

Wasting no more time, I walked after them....

...With a grin on my face.