Chapter 34
3rd Person POV
So close…
So close…
Just a bit more…
And she will fall…
64 stared down Super Nova as she observed the decapitated head of Silent Knight, not making any movements until she did so first. Super Nova simply gazed at the head, seeing its face still contorted to one of terror as it saw its final moments. Eyes gaping and mouth widened it gave a look of horror at Super Nova, as she looked away from the head and looked up to 64.
“I WILL SAY, I NEVER THOUGHT A WELP SUCH AS YOURSELF WOULD HAVE THE ABILTY TO MURDER SOMEPONY IN COLD BLOOD. YOU MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE AT MY RESPECT YET. IT IS SAD THAT I MUST KILL YOU HERE REGARDLESS!” Super Nova said, making one of her first statements which wasn’t a threat. 64 stood there, wearing a blank face as he held the red Long Sword in both hands, standing in an offensive with the blade held out.
“I SEE WHAT THE EFFECTS OF MY MAGIC ENTERING PROJECT #1 HAVE DONE. TELL ME PEACEMAKER, WHAT DOES IN FEEL LIKE TO HAVE THAT AMOUNJT OF OVERWHELMING POWER!? TO BE ABLE TO CRUSH AN ENTIRE VILLAGE WITH THE SWING OF A BLADE!? IT’S INTOXICATING ISN’T IT?!” Super Nova said telepathically, speaking to both 64 and Vi.
Vi began to become angrier at Super Nova, wanting to cleave her head in two.
“How about I go ahead and slice you limb from limb starting with your little precious hooves!” Vi yelled back, as 64 felt the heat in his hands start to increase. The blade of the Long Sword started to ignite with flames, as 64 looked at it in shock.
“Holy crap…” He muttered, as Shining Armor got to his hooves and ran to 64’s side.
“I can keep her occupied while you try to flank around her to get her! Just try to strike as quickly as you can, and we can do this!” Shining said confidently, as he crouched low to the ground. 64 remained in his stance, as he looked over his shoulder towards the Elements of Harmony.
“Twilight… you know what to do.” He said, turning back to the opponent in front of him. Twilight looked confused for a few second, before she remembered the Crown atop her head, and the necklaces around her friends necks.
“Shining, we have to keep Super Nova away from Twilight and her friends! Then we gotta get her in a position where they can blast her with the Elements of Harmony! Think we can do that?!” 64 yelled, as he turned towards his ally, as Shining Armor nodded, and they both turned towards Super Nova.
“YOU THINK YOU WHELPS WILL BE ABLE TO HOLE THE LIKES OF ME BACK?! YOU ARE GOING TO BE VERY SORRY!” Super Nova yelled, as she lunged towards the two. Shining Armor stepped forward as he created a dense shield to stop Super Nova in her tracks, as 64 rushed forward towards her as well. Super Nova smashed into the barrier, blasting her back a bit. As she recoiled from the blast, 64 came forward and sliced his sword into Super Nova’s thick armor, but was amazed as the armor was easily sliced through by Peacemaker’s newest ability.
“AHH! YOU LITTLE INSECT!” Super Nova yelled as 64 landed behind her, quickly turning around to block a downwards strike by a magically conjured Halberd she had made, obviously wanting to kill 64 the same way she had almost done so in the Elements of Harmony Tower. While Super Nova’s back was turned Shining Armor sent an Ice Bolt at her back, but she quickly turned to strike it out of the air as she rushed towards Shining Armor.
Making a razor sharp disc of magic, Shining Armor blasted it towards Super Nova’s body, only to have it pass harmlessly through her form. He stared wide eyed as she came barreling towards him, but was shocked to see that her body was merely an illusion, poofing out of existence the moment it hit him.
“Where did she go?!” Shining yelled towards 64, who was also looking around frantically.
“Underneath you!” Vi yelled, as 64 grabbed Shining Armor and used magic to leap into the air, as Super Nova blasted out of the molten rock floor in a fireball, nearly incinerating the both of them. Once he hit the ground 64 jumped in the way of Super Nova who was dashing towards Twilight and her friends, immediately stabbing forward at Super Nova, shocked as the blade sunk like butter into her molten body.
Her mouth was agape as she looked down towards the Sword impaled into her, as the fire left her eyes, making them empty white orbs. 64 stepped back as he pulled the blade out, and looked towards Twilight Sparkle as tears started to pour out of her eyes, seeing the fatal wound embedded into the body of her former teacher.
“Twilight… I—“ 64 said before being cut off, as Shining Armor suddenly yelled.
“LOOK OUT!” ‘
64 turned to see Super Nova’s body melt into lava, as it flowed backwards. It rose as it once again formed into Super Nova, as she gave out an evil laugh, before staring in his direction.
“YOU THINK A SIMPLY IMPALEMENT WILL BE ENOUGH TO STOP ME?! THE EMBODIMENT OF THE POWER OF THE SUN ITSELF?! YOU HAVE A VERY LONG WAY TO GO PROJECT 64!” She yelled as she charged a massive fireball. 64 stared wide eyed as he saw its size, nearly doubling him in height all around. 64 stood his ground, ready to try and block the fireball from the Elements of Harmony.
“Oh no you don’t!” Shining Armor yelled as he also charged up a spell, placing it right in front of Super Nova, whose eyes widened as the fireball she sent towards 64 exploded right in front of her, blasting her backwards away from him.
“STAY READY!” 64 yelled at the group before rushing forward to catch Super Nova in a state of weakness, jumping in the air towards her as she tried to get up. Seeing his attack Super Nova launched a small fireball at 64, blasting him in midair causing him to fall to the ground.
“Aww… shit…there goes my last shirt…” 64 muttered as he saw the smoking hole in his shirt, along with the large patch of burnt skin covering the left side of his chest. Wincing as he did 64 shot to his feet, using one of his more unorthodox skills and made a two handed Combat Hammer, using both ends of Peacemaker to extend into a handle.
Smashing it into the ground, 64 created a small tremor which nearly rocked everypony off of their hooves, and lunged for Super Nova, who brought her Halberd to a block. She stood strong against 64’s hammer, and pushed back against him. Shining Armor immediately made another Razor Sharp disc, prepared to send it into Super Nova’s occupied form.
“64! DUCK DOWN!” Shining Armor shouted as he launched his spell at Super Nova, as 64 pulled back as he quickly dropped to a crouch, as Super Nova was blasted back by Shining Armor’s attack. Super Nova rose to her hooves slowly, as pieces of her molten rock carapace started to crack and break off as her molten lava blood started to flow out of her wounds.
“64, all you need to do to get that bitch onto her knees in defeat is to cut her little head off! It won’t kill her, but it will disorient her long enough to hit her with the Elements!” Vi yelled, as the Hammer in 64's hands started to burn with brighter flames.
64 nodded and deconstructed the hammer in his hands, and proceeded to make a one handed Katana. He walked forward towards Super Nova’s injured form, prepared to end this all in one fell swoop.
“YOU THINK YOU ARE THE HERO FOR ENDING ME LIKE THIS? YOU ARE NOTHING A HERO SHOULD BE. YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR ONLY YOURSELF! YOU CONTINUING SAYING THAT YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR THE FREEDOM OF EQUESTRIA, BUT HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY FIGHT FOR EQUESTRIA?! YOU HIDE IN THE SHADOWS TO STAY AWAY FROM THE CITIZENS, ATTACK MY ROYAL GUARD, MURDER AN INNOCENT ROOKIE GUARD WITH A FAMILY, SET FIRE TO MY ACADEMY FOR GIFTED UNICORNS, ANDNOW YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO CALL YOURSELF A HERO?! YOU RUNNING FROM YOUR INEVITABLE FATE HAS CAUSED MORE DESTRUCTION THEN THERE WOULD EVER BE IF YOU SIMPLY LAYED DOWN AND DIED!” Super Nova yelled, trying to buy time for herself.
64 simply shook his head and stood in front of Super Nova, prepared to slice her head clean off.
“AND DON’T THINK I HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU PROEJCT 1!” She added, catching Vi’s attention.
“And what would make you think that I have anything to do with you?!” Vi yelled, becoming angrier every second that Super Nova was still alive.
“YOU… YOU NOW HARNESS THE POWER OF THE SUN ITSELF! YOU CAN BECOME THE MOST POWERFUL THING ALIVE! WHY WOULD YOU END ME WHEN WE CAN TAME GALAXIES TOGETHER!? BRING EQUESTRIA TO ITS KNEES AND HAVE AN ENTIRE SLAVE ARMY CATERING TO YOUR EVERY WHIM?! INSTEAD YOU STAY CHAINED TO THIS PITIFUL SACK OF FLESH AND COWARDICE! TOGETHER WE CAN BECOME AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE OF THE SOLAR EMPIRE! WE CAN BECOME THE RULERS OF ALL LIFE AS ANYPONY KNOWS IT!”
“That’s all a croc of shit, and I would expect more from the so called “Ruler of Life”… I’m going to take great pleasure in ending it all for you Super Nova.” 64 said, bringing up the Katana to slice her head off.
“IN YOUR DREAMS PROJECT 64!” She yelled, as 64 felt his entire body heat up from the sudden burst of magic, and he was sent flying backwards, losing his grip on Peacemaker. Landing very roughly 64 rolled to a halt, feeling various parts of his skin burned and internal injuries making themselves apparent. It was like 64 was hit by a flaming Sledgehammer the size of his chest, and the pain he was going through was an obvious hint to that. He slowly lost consciousness as his eyes shut slowly.
“64!” The group of mares yelled, all seeing him get sent across the entire field of molten rock. Rainbow Dash immediately flew over to him and picked him up, dragging him back to the spot the other Elements were staying near.
“Oh my goodness! Slight 3rd degree burns covering the chest and navel area. Bruising and protrusions in the ribcage area, indicating broken ribs. Unconscious state and bruising around the cranial area could mean head trauma!” Fluttershy said quickly, startling everyone in the small group. She disregarded their shocked expressions and got to work, setting the bones in 64’s broken ribs, and tearing the retrievable parts of his black Long sleeve to make bandages out of them. Wrapping a few strips around his head injuries and his various burns, Fluttershy made quick work of some of the simpler injuries he had gained, and sighed a deep breath, finally relaxing a bit. She finally realized that the rest of her friends were staring in awe at her quick first aid application, and she blushed a deep hue of red.
“Umm… sometimes I h-have to work quickly to save some a-animals who are really hurt… so I learned some q-quick first aid…” She muttered, as a roar from Super Nova once again snapped everypony to attention.
Her mane of fire was now an intense blaze, raising about 2 more feet. The once cracked and molten carapace had fully regrown, but she was still leaking out lava due to the overflow of magical energy needed for her devious transformation.
Shining Armor stared at Super Nova’s new form, and instantaneously started to charge the same magical blast he used to blow the side of the Throne Room wall with, and aimed it directly at Super Nova.
“YOUR PITFUL ATTEMPT AT STOPPING ME IS USELESS AT THIS POINT! I AM UNSTOPPABLE!” Super Nova roared, lava spewing out of her mouth with every word spoken.
Shining Armor knew fighting her at this form would be useless without the assistance of 64, so he did the only thing he would be able to do at that point, and made a bubble shield around Twilight and her friends, the strongest spell he was able to pull off.
“There. Now she can’t get to them for now…” Shining Armor thought solemnly, knowing that he had lost this battle.
“HOW VERY NOBLE OF YOU SHINING ARMOR. PUTTING A BARRIER AROUND YOURSELF TO PROTECT YOUR LOVED ONE AND GIVE YOURSELF UP TO THE ENEMY. YOU ARE EITHER THE BRAVEST STALLION I HAVE EVER MET OR THE MOST FOOLISH ONE!” Super Nova yelled, still spitting lava with every word.
“I’d like to think I’m both. But if you are going to want me, you’re going to have to fight a bit!” Shining Armor shouted, surrounding himself with miniature magic razor discs as they spun around him in a rapid circle. If he was going down, he wasn’t going down without a fight.
“YOU CONTINUE TO FIGHT EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW THE ODDS ARE TREMENDOUSLY STACKED AGAINST YOU! AS MUCH AS I COMMEND YOUR EFFORTS, I AM AFRAID THAT YOU MUST DIE HERE!”
Super Nova began to spew a stream of lava out of her mouth, as Shining Armor shot the miniature discs at the stream, holding it back as he began to sidestep and evade the bursts of stray lava. As he shot the small discs forward, he quickly regenerated new projectiles to throw at her.
The back and forth of their battle was starting to heat up, as the Elements of Harmony watched in total awe.
“Wow! Things are really starting to get serious out there! I can’t believe they are still going!” Pinkie Pie yelled out, treating this as a silly performance.
“Pinkie?! Dontcha get any of this? We hafta wake up 64 if we’re gonna get outta this thing alive!” Applejack spoke, putting her two front hooves on 64’s shoulder, before Fluttershy swatted her away.
“No! We have to let him rest of as long as he can! He’s still pretty hurt!” Fluttershy spoke, serious about caring for another creature.
“Fluttershy, you have to realize something. At this point 64 is our only hope to help my brother beat Super Nova right now, we have to wake him up to see if he can do something!” Twilight yelled, making Fluttershy back off a little bit.
“He still is really hurt, and I don’t think he should be getting up right now.”
“Fluttershy, I understand that, but we need him right now! Don’t you realize what is going on?!”
Fluttershy looked at her friends pleading faces, see that she really had no choice in the matter at that point. 64 would need to be woken up.
“Ok… Let’s wake him up then…” Fluttershy whispered, as she prepared to wake him up the quickest way she could.
64 POV
Ah…. What the hell… My head is freaking pounding on the side of my skull… What happened to me?
“Agh… what the hell?” I said, as I felt something tickling at my stomach. I saw Fluttershy using her tail to tickle my stomach, probably to wake me up from whatever knocked me out…
“64! We need your help right now!” Twilight shouted in my face, aggravating my headache. I groaned in pain as I gripped my head, trying to make the pain throbbing deep within it go away. I suddenly remembered where I was and immediately shot up, and winced in pain as I felt something shift in my ribcage.
“Oh! Don’t move that quickly! You need to sit still for a while so you can heal!” Fluttershy said to me, but I would have none of it.
“No… where’s Shining Armor…?” I groaned, looking at the small condensed bubble shield around us.
“He’s still fighting that horrid monster outside! He might need some help very soon!” Rarity said, answering my questions. I pushed myself up and stood, watching Shining Armor shoot his small magic disks at Super Nova’s beams of lava, keeping them at bay as he dodged the stray streams which got past his defense.
“Shit, he’s not gonna last that much longer out there. I gotta get out there, but I lost Vi when Super Nova exploded with magic! Do you guys see Peacemaker out there anywhere?” I yelled, pressing my forehead to the shield and looking frantically for her.
“I saw it fly that way when you got thrown back! It’s right there in the far right side of the field!” Rainbow Dash shouted, as I saw Vi laying there in the field.
“Crap, how the hell am I going to get there fast enough to grab her?! We have to get Shining Armor to open this shield for a split second so I can get to her!” I said, frantically looking around.
“No we don’t! We can just go under!” Pinkie Pie said with a giggle, as she began to dig a tunnel straight into the molten rock, down into the dirt and out to the other side of the bubble. I didn’t even bother to question her actions as I immediately shot down the tunnel, and crawled out to the other side as Pinkie Pie simply stood there.
“Pinkie, go back right now! And plug up this hole while you’re at it.” I exclaimed, watching as she gave me a salute and dove back down, as the molten rock reformed over the holes. I still paid no attention to the strange behavior as I turned back to the fight, and dashed for Peacemaker, desperate to get there before Shining Armor was killed.
I grabbed Peacemaker and called for Vi as quickly as I could, feeling pain all over my body which need to be healed so I could fight.
“Vi!? You there?” I asked frantically, as I heard her answer me.
“Huh? Oh, yea. Yea I’m here. Uh… it looks like you need some help. You want me to heal you?” Vi said, sounding a bit nervous and shaky, as if she was scared of me, but I knew that now wasn’t the time to dwell on any of that.
“Yeah! Shining Armor isn’t going to last much longer and I can barely move here!”
I saw the Red magic flow over my body, quickly healing the injuries I had sustained.
“AGHH!” I heard Shining Armor yelled, as I wasted no time dashing forward toward the fight, seeing that Shining Armor’s right foreleg was very badly burned, and a small patch of lava was burning next to him. Using him as a distraction I ran directly behind him, vaulting off of his back and leaping over him towards Super Nova, whose face went wide at seeing me up and ready to fight so soon.
Coming down with swing of a Rapier, I stabbed down at Super Nova’s head as she dodged last second, jumping backwards to avoid me. I quickly pulled out the sword and dashed forwards at her, nearly flying at her as I went for a stab at her, forcing her to continue dodging as I continued to attack quickly, nearly teleporting with the speeds I was going.
I as went for another swing to decapitate her, I saw her form another Rapier, and parried my horizontal strike. We went back a forward in this deadly fencing match, trying to get the other hand on the other. We were countering and attacking continuously, as each of us got small nicks and slices here and there, but it was an obvious stalemate in the fight. I shocked her by jumping in midair as she went to stab me, standing on her Rapier as I quickly back flipped off of the sword, kicking her in the jaw as I flipped.
Using her moment of disorientation I rushed forward with a much larger Broadsword, ready to slice her head clean off of her shoulders.
I would do it. I was so close. She wouldn’t be able to stop this swing.
“DIE!” I yelled as I swung, bringing the blade across.
“I can’t let you do that….”
The blade I had made suddenly disappeared as I stared at Peacemaker frantically, before Super Nova turned around and bucked me in my left shoulder, throwing me back and dislocating the should in the process.
“FUCK!” I yelled as I landed, quickly slamming my shoulder into the ground to snap it back into place. I shot to my feet as Super Nova rushed forward with a Halberd she made, and I quickly sidestepped the attack.
I continued to try and make a weapon as Super Nova continued to attack me, but it felt like there was some sort of blockage between me and Vi.
“I SEE YOU’VE NOTICED WHAT I HAVE DONE WHILE YOU WERE GETTING NURSED BY THE PINK HAIRED ONE! PROJECT #1 AND I HAD A HEART TO HEART CONVERSATION BACK THERE, AND I FEEL SHE HAS FINALLY TURNED AROUND!” Super Nova spoke, stopping her continuous attacks.
I was finally able to stop and catch my breath, shocked at what Super Nova was telling me.
“That’s bullshit, Vi would never even give you the SATISFACTION, of a conversation. I’m going to kick your fucking teeth in when this is over!” I yelled, still trying to maintain a sense of confidence, although I was now nervous as hell.
“OH ON THE CONTRARY PROJECT #64. SHE AND I INDULGED IN A VERY INTIMATE CONVERSATION, AND I BELIEVE THE RESULTS WERE MORE THAN SATISFACTORY, BASED ON YOUR NOW INABILITY TO WIELD HER!”
I continued to glower at her, not believing a word she was saying. I looked around the field to see that Shining Armor had gotten over to Twilight and her friends, and was getting first aid applied to that foreleg.
“You did something to Vi, and that’s why I can’t make a weapon! Not some stupid conversation she would never even have with you!”
She simply stared at me as if she was trying to size me up, so I did the same to her. I noticed that her hair was flaming a bit higher, and her carapace was completely formed, but there was still lava leaking out of her, as if she was overflowing.
“YOUR STUBBORNESS TO ACCEPT THE SITUATION WILL BE THE DEATH OF YOU!” Super Nova yelled, charging at me once again as I was forced to back up, dodging her stabs at me and ducking under the swipes she was taking at me.
I took advantage of a very powerful stab that I sidestepped, grabbing the handle of the Halberd and jumping up, planting both feet in a kick onto Super Nova’s face, causing her to lose concentration for a split second and disperse her Halberd, giving me an opening.
I dashed forward and planted a right hook onto Super Nova’s muzzle, before grabbing around her neck and pulling my knee to her chin, making sure to grab her for only split seconds so I didn’t get too burned. In her daze I then sent a spinning back kick to her muzzle, disorienting her further. I saw her horn glow for a split second, then the molten rock floor underneath me began to glow a bright white, before I back flipped off of that floor. Instantly after I left that floor it exploded with a great tremor, kicking up a lot of soot and dust.
Through the dust I heard Super Nova’s voice, taunting me.
“IT LOOKS LIKE EVEN WITHOUT MOST POWERFUL TOOL YOU CONTINUE TO BE A THORN IN MY SIDE! PERHAPS I NEED TO CONVINCE YOU THAT SHE AND I HAVE GROWN CLOSER!?” She yelled as I saw a bright light shine from the other side of the dust, and I felt a tugging in my right hand.
I looked down to see Peacemaker caught in an Orange magical aura and my face wore a shocked face, before it contorted to one of extreme fury. How dare she try to take Vi?!
“NO CHANCE YOU BITCH!” I yelled as I began to pull back on Vi a hard as I could, squatting down low to pull harder on the imaginary tug over war. I couldn’t even see Super Nova on the other side of the cloud of dust, and I need to knock off balance.
I once again looked at Peacemaker wrapped in the magical aura, and that’s when I got an idea. I tightened my hold on Peacemaker, then I ran forward, leaping into the air through the dust. As I suspected Super Nova pulled me right to her, and I threw my left fist into her cheek. Using the momentum I gained I slid as I hit the ground and knocked Super Nova onto the ground with a sweeping leg kick, then jumped up into the air with both fists clenched, Peacemaker entwined between them, ready to render Super Nova unconscious.
“I can’t let you do that…” A voice once again whispered.
I found myself teleported just to the left of Super Nova, missing her head by an inch. I looked towards her and saw that she was now onto her feet, and her horn was charging a spell. Knowing I had no time to dodge, I held out my arms in an X shape, trying to block what was going to come as best as I could.
I felt a blast of red hot energy blow me backwards, my forearms taking the full brunt of the attack.
“AHH FUCK!” I yelled as the burns intensified, making me clench my fists in agony, blood spilling from them.
I waved my arms intensely, trying to get the feeling of burning off of them, but it simply wouldn’t subside.
“DO YOU LIKE MY NEW BURN SPELL? CONTINOUS BURNS UNTIL I DROP THE SPELL! NOW WHILE YOU ARE PREOCCUPIED, I WILL BE TAKING THAT!” Super Nova roared, as I saw Peacemaker get wrapped in a magical aura once again.
“NO!” I screamed as we once again started a match of tug of war. Using the same tactic as last time would be useless due to the fact that I was in plain sight of Super Nova, and probably wouldn’t be able to come up with a plan to create a distraction while this intense burning was fucking with my head.
“GIVE IT UP PROJECT #64! TAKE YOUR FATE LIKE A STALLION!” Super Nova screamed, as she took it upon herself to walk forward up to me and buck me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me and sending me across the field. I had lost my grip on Peacemaker with that intense kick, so I quickly scrambled to my feet to see Super Nova standing there, a shit eating grin on her face as she held Vi in a magical hold, practically shaking her in my face.
“Let go of her right now!” I screamed, the adrenaline surging through my body at this point was more than enough to numb the burning pain in my arms.
“OH, BUT YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO SEPARATE MY NEWEST PARTNER, RIGHT?!” Super Nova yelled, as time practically seemed to slow.
She swung Peacemaker in a horizontal swing, and my eyes widened as a Fiery Red Katana blade came shooting out, forming one of my favorite weapons using the partner I had over 6 years of history with.
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!” I bellowed, as I felt a fire burning within my core, telling me to rip Super Nova’s head off with my bare hands.
“I DID NOTHING TO HER! SHE HAS SELECTED ME AS HER NEW WIELDER, AND NOW UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IF WE WORK TOGETHER! WE WILL BRING AN ERA OF FIRE AND INFERNOS!” Super Nova yelled as she cackled evilly. I knew that Vi wouldn’t just up and abandon me, and she had done something to her.
“I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING RIGHT NOW, YOUR FACE OF APPREHENSIVENESS AND DISBELIEF PAINTS IT ALL OUT LIKE A PERFECT PICTURE OF STUBBORNESS. DO YOU WANT PROOF THAT SHE IS HELPING ME IN MY ENDEVORS?” Super Nova asked, but it wasn’t really a question, because soon I felt an intense pain burning at the inside of my skull, as if someone had poured kerosene on my brain and lit it.
I fell down to my knees, screaming as I felt the fires intensify. I knew what was going on, but I had no idea how Super Nova was doing it. Somehow I was being transported into the Peacemaker, without having a direct connection to it. The burning didn’t subside as I entered the realm I was so familiar with, and seemed to intensify as I entered. My vision was blurry and my thoughts were frantic as I smacked at my head, trying to put out the flames I felt that were there.
“AGGGGGGHHH! WHY THE FUCK AM I HERE!? VI! VI!” I yelled in pain, writhing on the floor as I tried to do what she told me to do first, and focus on anything but the pain, but was so intense I found I could nothing else but focus on it.
“Please… let me help him…”
“NO, HE IS NOW YOUR ENEMY. ANY PAST CONNECTIONS TO HIM MUST BE CUT FOR TOTAL EMOTIONAL EMPTINESS! THE TAKEOVER OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE WILL NOT OF ROOM FOR FEELINGS OTHER THAN HATE, ANGER, AND FURY. REMEMBER, ‘VI’, WE WILL BE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE GREAT FAUST HERSELF!” I heard Super Nova scold Vi, and I tried to shoot to my feet to confront her about it, but the minute I stood up the pain surged through my head once again, rendering me back to the floor.
“You’re… right. I guess… But he won’t be able to hear my explanation if he’s writhing in pain like that.” Vi spoke, obviously trying to get Super Nova to take away the pain I was going through.
I heard nothing for a short while, other than my screams of pain for a bit. I felt the flames start to die down, and my vision soon returned to me. I slowly got up, making sure that I wasn’t going to have any pain shooting through my head as I did.
“THERE, NOW HE CAN UNDERSTAND US.” Super Nova spoke, as I rose to my feet. I stared at the two in front of me, with Vi standing next to Super Nova form, not fighting back, and not yelling obscenities at her.
“Hi, Project 64…” She said, looking at me with her hands clasped in front of her, a blank stare on her face. I was shocked at the lack of emotion she was giving me, and was nearly appalled by it.
“V-Vi...? Wha-What are you doing?” I whispered, still absolutely shocked at her sudden change of emotional state.
“Simple, I’m using my full potential. A life of running away, and a life of fighting simple guards in one country, is a life I do not want to be a part of. I have the power to destroy entire countries, yet I am tied down to you. It is obvious what choice I would make when presented with an offer like Super Nova’s.” Vi spoke plainly, sending shivers down my spine.
I didn’t know who was standing in front of me. I didn’t know who was speaking to me. That wasn’t Vi standing there in front of me, speaking of power and destruction. It was someone else altogether. Super Nova had done something to Vi and I knew it.
“You bitch! Let Vi go right now!” I yelled, knowing that Vi would never say anything like that. I rushed forward to attack Super Nova, before I felt an invisible force throw me backwards, smashing me onto my back and sliding me back.
“YOU STUBBORN FOOL! PROJECT #1 HAS COME TO ME ON HER OWN FREE WILL! I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO HER TO SWAY HER OPINION BESIDES SHOWING HER THE TRUTH OF WHAT SHE CAN BE! FOR YOU TO THINK THAT SHE WOULD STAY WITH YOU SO YOU BOTH COULD GO AND GALLIVANT AROUND EQUESTRIA UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIED MAKES YOU NOT ONLY A FOOL, BUT A NAÏVE MORON!” Super Nova spat at me, as I used a kung fu get up to spring back to my feet, and ran towards her once again.
As I saw she was about to send me flying back again I jumped to the right, planting my foot on invisible wall to redirect myself back towards Super Nova then kicked off of it, sending me launching towards her.
“No.” Vi spoke, as I saw her eyes glow with fire and I was caught in a telekinetic grip, freezing in midair.
“Vi! Don’t listen to her! The Vi I know wouldn’t be talking like this! We have been through so much, so how could you even think about leaving me?! Before we climbed back up to Canterlot you were talking about how we have been through thick and thin, trying to escape from the pony you are now siding with?! What the fuck Vi?! Your head is being all fucked up by Super Nova’s magic! Fight her Vi! Fight her!” I screamed as I felt Vi begin to crush me in her grasp, but I knew this was all subconscious.
Her grip got tighter as I shook and fought against her, wondering if this was what Vi was going through in her head, or if she really did totally give in to Super Nova.
“Project 64… you need to realize that I am doing this all on my own accord. Everything that Super Nova has shown me what I could do with the magic I now possess would make you tremble to your knees, and bow to me… Goodbye, Project 64…” Vi whispered, as I desperately tried to look for a sign in Vi’s expression which would show any proof of sadness or deception, but found none.
I woke with a gasp as I found myself on the floor of the field I was just on before I was transported into Peacemaker, and I momentarily wondered if that name had to change. I heard the sound of rushing hooves as I looked up to see Super Nova about to decapitate me with a Katana, when I rolled to the right to dodge.
I pushed myself to feet as I once again felt the burns permeating through my arms of Super Nova’s past spell, before I turned around to see Super Nova looming over me, as she brought a swing down towards my chest. I back flipped away before rushing forward and ducking another swing of a sword she gave at me. I then brought up my best uppercut towards the bottom of her jaw, watching as lava spat out of her. As she was dazed I gave a spinning back kick at her neck, but she caught my foot in a magical hold before throwing me towards Twilight and her friends, as I smacked onto the shield Shining Armor still had up.
“Vi… I know it’s her fucked up magic doing this to you, and I’m going to fix this if it’s the last thing I do…” I thought, as the back of my head was exploding with pain. I quickly got up and brushed the back of my head with my hand and saw there was a good amount of blood on it, as I muttered angrily.
“64! You have to try and hold her still! She needs to get hit by the Elements of Harmony! That’s the only way to stop her!” Shining Armor shouted through the shield, sounding slightly muffled. I nodded, looking down at my hands and arms to see a good amount of searing burns dressing them, and wondered how many scars they would leave.
“Hold her still…” I muttered, as a plan began to form through my head. I couldn’t physically hold her still without inflicting tremendous pain to myself, but I had no weapon I could use to incapacitate her for a moment so she could hold still.
“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOU PUNY THING? STILL MOURNING OF YOUR OLD ALLIES NEW SIDE CHANGE?!” Super Nova taunted, as I saw her begin to form an incredibly large fireball in front of her. I simply stood there as I continued to evaluate my situation. From ever way I tried to go at it my plan always ended up in me being burnt to a crisp, while Super Nova still continued to wreak havoc through Equestria.
I looked up to see that Super Nova was still forming the ball, as I continued to stare. When she fired the shot, time seemed to slow for me.
The fireball was now coming at me, and I still had not made any move that would show I would try and evade it.
Shining Armor and the rest of the mares were staring in shock that I still had not moved, and feared for my life.
Super Nova had a maniac grin, obviously enjoying that I was going to give myself up and take the ball of fire directly.
Vi had an expression of utter disinterest, not caring whether I lived or died at this point. She was now completely gone from this world, now consumed by that hate and darkness Super Nova had jammed into her head. She’d forgotten our first encounter, our escape from Canterlot, the first time I successfully incapacitated an Underground Royal Guard, the first time we had a game of chess, and every other precious memory we had made together.
Our Chess record was 70-64, with Vi in the lead.
“NO!” I yelled, before practically teleporting to the left, dodging the fireball which collided with the shield, creating a large explosion. I was in a state of rage I had never felt before, with my blood boiling and vision locked onto Super Nova, whose face was once again showing anger and annoyance, as I launched forward at her.
She smirked as she spewed a stream of lava out of her mouth, to which dodged right to and rolled, getting under Super Nova’s body and getting her onto my shoulders. I barely felt them sear in hot pain due to the adrenaline coursing through my veins, before I picked her up and slammed her onto her head as I threw her. As I saw she struggled to get to her hooves I sent a flying kick into the side of her body, knocking her over once again as I stood over her.
I stomped on the side of her muzzle as she formed a Sword to stab me with, but the second my foot collided with her muzzle her grip on the blade was disrupted, causing her to drop Peacemaker onto the ground. I picked it up the second it hit the ground and threw it towards Twilight and her friends, not caring if Vi was under Super Nova’s spell. I wasn’t about to leave her in the hands of Super Nova.
Bringing my foot up once again I slammed it back onto the side of her head, as she continued to try and form a spell before I brought my foot down once again. I continued to curb stomp Super Nova’s head onto the ground over and over, watching as some cracks in her carapace were starting to form. A hoof shot up and stopped my next stomp, as I felt a burning pain shoot up my leg and toss me back.
“YOU LITTLE IMBECILE! YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP ME?! IT’S NO WONDER WHY PROJECT #1 ABANDONED YOU!” Super Nova spat, standing over my aching body as I laid on the ground.
“It’s no wonder because you are the one who did that to her! Your magic is screwing with her head to make her more power hungry, and your little speech about ruling over galaxies got into her head!” I yelled as I planted both of my feet onto her stomach and grabbed her fore hooves, launching her over my body as I quickly stood back up.
I needed to end this quickly, all of the burns I was getting were starting to get pass the adrenaline painkiller, and I would quickly and quite literally burn out. I turned to Shining Armor and Twilight who were staring at the battle in awe, and I nodded my head vigorously, as their faces went into shocked expressions.
Shining Armor recovered first as he dropped the shield he had around Twilight and her friends, as he stood there charging magic in his horn just in case.
“Alright, c’mon girls!” Twilight shouted as they got into their formation.
I turned back to Super Nova to see she was spitting another stream of lava out of her mouth, forcing me to jump to my left to avoid it. Once recovering I ran towards Super Nova and slugged her across the face with a fierce hook, knocking her off balance for a split second, but it was all I needed.
I rushed forward and grabbed Super Nova’s horn, feeling the burning sensation of her magic trying to escape from it.
“LET GO OF ME THIS INSTANT YOU FILTHY WORM!” She yelled as she brought up a hoof to strike me in the chest, which I grabbed as I fell backwards onto my back.
“TWILIGHT! GET HER NOW!” I shouted as my hands were burning in pain, and Super Nova thrashed in an attempt to get out of my grasp, but I wasn’t going to let go for absolutely anything.
“LET GO OFF ME RIGHT NOW! YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET THIS YOU CURR!” Super Nova exploded as she spoke, as I still held her to the ground. She was thrashing around like a mad cow standing on a bed of hot coals, and I was having trouble trying to hold her still.
“64! We can’t get a clear shot in! She’s moving too much! Last time we did this Nightmare Moon stood still for some reason!” Twilight shouted.
I couldn’t hold on for much longer, and I knew that with the Elements now exposed that the second I let go Super Nova would launch towards the Elements of Harmony, and I knew that Shining Armor wouldn’t be strong enough to hold up a defensive spell for them. There needed to be another way I could hold her, and if I didn’t think of one quick, we would all be dead.
A dull thud pulsed in my brain, giving me the idea I needed. It needed to be done, damn the consequences. It’s time to end this shit, right here, right now. I was gonna make the bitch who twisted Vi’s mind into a fucking pretzel pay.
“TWILIGHT! HIT ME WITH THEM!”
If it wasn’t for Super Nova yelling and screaming to try and get out of my grip, you would have heard a pin drop at my insane, yet necessary idea. I brought my head forward to head-butt Super Nova in the jaw, causing her to stop fighting for a few seconds.
“64 you can’t expect us to do that! What they might do to you is completely unpredictable!” Twilight shouted back at me, but I didn’t give a shit.
“I COULD GIVE LESS OF A FUCK OF WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO TO ME! HIT ME WITH THEM RIGHT FUCKING NOW!” I screamed, head-butting Super Nova once again to try and get her to calm down again. I felt the blood start to trickle down my forehead along with an intense burning sensation, as I felt the clock start to run down.
“FOR EVERYTHING GOOD AND HOLY SHOOT ME WITH THOSE FUCKING ELEMENTS RIGHT NOW!”
I saw Twilight look around reluctantly, before she realized that this really was the only way I could stop all of this. She nodded confidently as the Elements of Harmony started to glow, and I realized what was going to happen.
I was going to get my paradise, whatever it would be once they hit me. It would be over, the 6 years of running and fighting would finally be over. I wouldn’t need to get up at 5 every morning, check to see if I needed to go hunting, see what patrols would be nearby so I could plan every single footstep I made, and hide every time I heard a noise which would sound out of the ordinary.
It would be over.
That was a sentence I never thought I would have the pleasure of saying. It would all finally be over…
The 6 floated up into the air in a dazzling spectacle of light, nearly making lose my attention to the grip I was holding on Super Nova’s horn and hoof. The lights got brighter and brighter until Twilight’s eyes illuminated a bright white light, and the entire field was engulfed in the light. Twin rainbows shot into the air as I watched them with intoxicating hypnotism, the burning feelings I felt while holding onto Super Nova subsided as I finally came to peace with what was going to happen.
They arched in a swirling beam as they descended towards me, as I prepared to get hit by them.
“NO! DON’T YOU DARE HOLD ONTO ME!” Super Nova screamed in desperations as she began to flail wildly, trying to get out of my iron grip. I didn’t let go though, as the beam of Rainbow finally struck me in the chest, but it wasn’t a pushing kind of strike. It was more like a stabbing kind, as I felt it enter my chest.
I looked down to see that the rainbow was continuing to swirl inside of me, magic pulsing through my entire body.
“LET GO OF ME RIGHT NOW!” Super Nova roared, trying to get out before whatever happened, happened to both of us, and I simply shook my head no as I started to feel the effects of what was happening to me.
I looked down at my feet to see that they were becoming stiffer and harder to move, and grayness was starting to form on them.
I was turning to stone.
Perfect.
I gripped Super Nova tighter as the stone began to spread through my body, running up my legs and up my navel. She tried to punch at me using her free hoof, but I simply head-butted her once last time, and she simmered down as the stone ran up my chest, and through to my arms. The second my hands were covered in stone, it traveled onto Super Nova’s horn and hoof, making her scream out in terror.
“NO! NO! I WILL NOT BE BROUGHT DOWN BY THIS SACK OF WEAK FLESH! I HAVE THE POWER OF THE SUN ITSELF! AND I WILL NOT BE STOPPED!” She yelled in defiance.
“too late super nova… too fucking late…” I muttered as the stone started to form onto my face.
Memories of past events started to flash before my eyes, from my first day of being taken out of the giant holding vat, to fighting Super Nova in my final moments. I had lived my life to the most I could have made it, and my only regret, was not having Vi with me in my final moments.
“heh… I did it all right…” I thought, as the stone complete engulfed my body.
Shining Armor POV
I had just witnessed 64 get hit by the Elements of Harmony, and he was completely turn to stone. Super Nova was still trying to pull away from her connection to 64’s new stone form, but she too was slowly getting engulfed by the stone.
“I CURSE YOUR NAME PROJECT 64! I CURSE YOU!” She yelled as the stone began to cover her head, silencing her, and stopping the tyrant who was Super Nova.
There was a deafening moment of silence as the battle finished, the aftermath apparent to us.
“Is- Is it over?” Twilight asked, shaking as the events that had recently happened were still freshly imprinted in her mind.
“I think so...” I said, not really sure if things were over myself. I took one step forward towards the now two new statues within the Canterlot Hedge Maze, and there was an immediate explosion of magic, nearly knocking me off of my hooves as the shockwave blew past us. As the tremors subsided, I opened my eyes to see that the Hedge Maze was no longer a dead piece of molten rocks, but was back to its lush state, along with the blue skies, and the original state of the castle. Nothing was on fire anymore, and the smell of burning earth was no longer permeating in the air.
“I think that just answered your question Twily.” I said smugly, wrapping my right forehoof around her shoulder. I almost smiled before I realized what needed to be done so this could have happened. I limped over to the center of the field and stood in front of the two statues now standing there, a face of anger and defiance staring down at a face of content and calmness. I was absolutely astonished that 64 was able to keep a straight face while there was a true embodiment of evil looming over him, and even more astonished that he was able to hold her until he was completely overtaken by the stone.
“Did, did 64 really jus’ do that?” Applejack whispered, walking up to the statues with Shining Armor.
“Yes. He sacrificed himself to save the rest of us from her. But now all we have to do is wait a bit…” I said solemnly, kicking at the dirt a bit with his good hoof.
“What do you mean? What happens in a bit?” Twilight asked me, making me surprised that she didn’t already know the answer.
“Alicorn magic isn’t held completely back when hit by the Elements of Harmony. Remember when you defeated Nightmare Moon? After being attacked all that was left was Princess Luna, and Nightmare Moon was gone.” I said, seeing her start to understand.
As if on cue, a dangerously bright light started to shine next to the statues, and we all had to shield our eyes to prevent them from getting damaged. The whirring of the magic al light eventually died down, and I concluded it was safe to open our eyes again.
“Shining Armor…… thank you… for protecting them…” A voice said, and I looked up to see who it was. I immediately bowed down when I saw who was standing there. Both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia were standing there in all of their Regal glory, but Princess Celestia’s eyes were stained with tears, and were a slight shade of red.
“Princess Celestia, I’m glad to see you are back.” I said while bowing, and I felt a hoof on my shoulder. I looked up to see Princess Celestia with a scared face, staring at the injury I sustain to my left rearleg.
“Did I inflict that injury?” she asked frightened, as I shook my head.
“No, Super Nova inflicted that injury.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Y-Yes…”
She backed away and put a hoof to her mouth, obviously having no recollection of what she had done in her time as Super Nova.
“And you stopped me?” She asked. I noticed she had not seen the statue which was standing behind her, and part of me was reluctant to tell her.
“No Princess.” Twilight spoke up, walking out in front of me.
“Twilight. I am so sorry that this happened…” Princess Celestia spoke, as more tears of sadness shed as she hugged Twilight.
“It wasn’t you Princess… 64 showed us that it was Silent Knight who caused all of this…” Twilight spoke, as a spark ignited in Princess Celestia’s head.
“Project 64? Is he here?” She said, looking at our small group.
“Princess… look behind you…” I said, looking away from what she was going to see in the statue.
I think she expected to see 64 poised for a sneak attack on her, because she turned around with her horn charged, but gasped as she saw the detailed statue now if front of her. She saw the face of anger which was painted across Super Nova’s face, and her wanting to kill the creature who had her by her horn and hoof. She saw the creature she had accused of Murder, Treason, and many other various crimes was pinned underneath Super Nova, a look of content and peace draped across his face.
“When he and I engaged you in battle, something happened and he went absolutely crazy. He was punching and grabbing Super Nova with his bare hands, dead set on ending her life. When he was finally able to get her into this position where we could have used the Elements of Harmony on her, she was moving around too much to get a clear shot on her, so 64 called for the shot to be targeted on him, turning him to stone along with Super Nova who he had in his grasp at the time of petrification.” I spoke, reading off the events as if they were a mission report.
Princess Celestia had not spoken a word while she looked at the statue, obviously shocked beyond words at the sacrifice he gave to save everypony from Super Nova.
“A-And that was it?” Princess Celestia said, not looking away as she sobbed slightly.
“Yes.”
Princess Luna stepped forward breaking her silence.
“He was committed to stopping Super Nova before she could cause any large scale damages, even throwing himself in harm’s way multiple times to save others.” She said.
“I-I see…” Princess Celestia spoke.
Nopony said a word as we shared a small moment of silence for Project 64, knowing that he had been through so much in his short life, and in the end he gave it all to save those he barely knew.
Princess Luna all of a sudden shot her head up, turning towards the opposite side of the field. She walked over to the piece of land she was so attracted to, and studied the ground for a bit.
“Princess Luna? What are you doing?” Twilight asked, walking over to her as she too saw what was on the ground. She picked up the object, and I saw it was the device 64 had used multiple times in the past and Super Nova had wielded it during the final parts of the battle.
As Twilight picked it up, she instantly threw it to me in pain, as if it had burned her. It landed on the floor next to me, and curiosity got the best of me. I reached my hoof out to grab it, and when I did, I felt absolutely nothing. There wasn’t any burning like Twilight had looked like she experienced, so I took a better look at it. It was a simple metal black bar, but apparently it was capable of magical manipulation, having the ability to grant slight magical advantages to non-magical beings.
“Let me…”
I looked up and around to see what that voice was, but nopony was even looking at me, they were all to transfixed to the now monumental statue.
“Help…”
I heard the voice come from deep within my head that time, and quickly wondered if I had knocked my noggin a bit too hard during one of the fights.
“It’s me… inside of the device….” The voice said once again, as I looked down towards the device. I stared wide-eyed, and waited for the voice to say something again.
“Give me… Princess Celestia…” it said, and I knew that this was the real deal.
“Princess Celestia, what in blazes is this thing?” I said, walking over to her and handing the device over. She stared at it through tear filled eyes before she wiped the tears away, and spoke up.
“It’s the first Project… Project #1… But it seems like she is infused with some sort of evil magic… her magic…” Princess Celestia spoke, nodding towards the statue. “She’s sentient, and can communicate with those that she chooses. And she telling me she can do something.”
I looked up in surprise at the Princess, wondering what “Project #1” had to say.
“She says she can bring him back…”