//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 - The Defense of Newvale // Story: Golden Grace, Headless Headaches // by Thadius0 //------------------------------// Netherworld, Tartarus. Nocturne’s World Nocturne could feel the world around him ripple as he walked through the gates of Tartarus. The words ringing in his ears were that of a summons, he would be able to tell them anywhere as he never forgot that his people by their nature were summoned familiars at their core. "Lord Nocturne, this is Auric Fulcrum, Knight of the Eclipse. If you can hear me across the Void Eternal and That Which Fills It, I call on you and yours. Help protect me and mine. No price is too great to help bring back the balance between the light and the dark." As the words rang out he placed a hand to his throat which let his next words reverb through all of Tartarus. “Oh… this’ll be fun. Sandy, Abigail, Freya! We’ve got work! Get my weapon and the troops loaded up! Oh…and wake up one of our top tier dragons! I think we’re gonna need the big guns!” Was all he said as the world around him rippled further before a glowing silver mirror the length of his body ripped itself into existence which would lead him to his army. After deciding on his choice of action he commanded a list of demons to find their way to the gatekeeper. Seven fighters, Four Monks, Six Mages of each color. Three were Skulls (Male mage demons), the other three the females as both genders specialized in certain spells. He had summoned five clerics as he did not know how many foes would clash with his forces, and he needed to be sure that he kept those he was defending safe and alive. In the back of his group was Sandy wielding her Rifle and the Twins, Abigail and Freya both of which weilded a polearm. Behind the twins was a massive creature of unbridled dark energy, the Dark Dragon Bahamut. “So then… let’s get to work shall we?” He said as Sandy handed him an odd weapon, it looked like a harp at first glance until it unfolded into a massive greatbow. After he made sure the weapon was ready the world rippled as he heard the gatekeeper call out. “Your pleas are heard, THE CONTRACT IS SEALED.” Newvale The air was charged with energy as those words rang out. The mirror seemed to ripple like the surface of a lake after a stone was tossed inside before red hair parted the reflective surface. This red hair was soon followed by the rest of the head of a creature, humanoid in shape but entirely it’s own. “Well… this place is nice, it feels roomy enough.” The creature said with a smile as it continued to pry itself from the mirror. “It should, Dully here dragged a mirror out of the town limits before it sealed itself up,” Auric rejoined. “If the outdoors isn’t large enough, either you need a diet or to deflate your ego.” The creature huffed slightly as it fully emerged, it stood at a rather… short five foot seven at least compared to the size of the creatures that came through the mirror behind it. Including a sand colored mare like woman who stood easily nine feet tall. Auric whistled at the sight. “Well, I knew you came from a different Equestria, but just how different, I wasn’t aware. Still, pretty impressive.” The mare giggled softly at that. “Why thank you sir, Sandy Beaches at your service. Now where is the enemy?” She asked as the demons just continued to pour forth from the mirror like a tap had been broken and allowed water to flow freely. All of them humanoid in shape besides a MASSIVE Dragon that ripped it’s head from the mirror and would look like the bastard child of the Eclipse summon crossed with the Tiamat summon. Auric visibly gulped, whereas Dullahan remained staring at the road. Down the path lie forty ponies, all being controlled. One of them is not. Auric nodded as Dullahan’s words got through to him. “Yes, and there are ten of each alignment. Venus, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter. If you can, please, don’t kill them. There will be a small crystal embedded just under the skin, where the skull meets the spine. Drain it of its power, remove it, and they should be free. Be careful, the guy on the other end likes to blow them up in faces. I only ask for one of those so I can try to figure out the pony behind it, and the one who doesn’t have one delivered alive.” Here he gained a wicked smile. “How alive is up to you.” The smile that flowed onto the leader’s face was creepy to say the least. “So… no casualties, bring back the enemy tech, and bring back their leader? OOooooh you drive a hard bargain. We can do that though.” He smiled as his fangs glinted in the light and his wings flowed outwards with sprays of blood behind him. Auric shrugged. “They’re innocent. And the crystals have a great amount of power behind them. Though, if you want, I might be able to arrange a small...meeting, in the Sanctum after, between you and a summoning tablet or two. Provided ol’ headless here agrees.” The armor merely did its version of a nod. Should they prove capable, I will have no objections. The demons that came through last, a pair of succubi which appeared to be twins with red and blue as their color schemes and holding lances smiled as they caught the word summoning. “Oooh, this world has summoning! Can we stay and see if we can establish a breeding network after?” The red haired demon with blue eyes said almost far too happy for this kind of environment. “That’s up to them, but that’s also after we work… Bahamut… knock on the door.” The leader said as he pulled a large harp from his back that unfolded into a massive bow. Auric pulled his sword from his sheath and then suddenly realized his small problem. Namely, the mare that had been set nearby. “Um. Well, this is awkward. Measured, please stick near the mirror. I think it’s probably the safest place here.” The large sand colored mare smiled. “Don’t worry sir, we take great pride in our work and keeping non-combatants safe from harm. Simply send anyone who you need protected out towards me and the healers and we’ll do our best to keep them safe.” She said with a kind tone. Her golden eyes looking much like those of the mint mare he’d met briefly the other day. Auric nodded as Measured trotted up next to Sandy at a measured pace. He then turned to face his enemy and scowled. “Dully, shall we introduce ourselves to our foes and allies?” The armor drew his dark blade and nodded. We shall. He strode forward a pace and pointed at the brainwashed. I am the shadow, the darkness, the elemental wraith. For fifteen hundred years I was imprisoned, and the values of the boy slowly became mine own. No longer am I a mindless watchdog. I am the protector of Newvale and those that dwell within, the dispenser of justice for the wronged. You who threaten this town and its peace, I call you mine foe. I am Dullahan, and there is nowhere you can run, for in the shadows, I am already there. Auric motioned to the leader of the demons he’d called then, as though telling him to go next. The demon smiled and leaped onto the head of the massive dragon. “HEAR ME MORTALS!” His hand going to his throat to create an effect of amplifying his voice. “FROM THE PITS OF TARTARUS I HAVE STRODE FORTH AT THE CALL OF MY SUMMONER TO FULFILL THE CONTRACT SIGNED IN MANA AND WRIT IN THE BLOOD OF THOSE YOU HAVE TARNISHED.” He said as he pointed at the brainwashed leader and removed his hand from his throat to do so. “I am Overlord Nocturne, the master of Tartarus, the king of demons, and the slayer of darkness. For none shall be darker than me that are allowed to walk these lands.” Auric pointed at the leader and intoned in a low voice, but one that seemed to stop all other sounds. “I am Auric Fulcrum, wielder of Alchemy and Eureka, known as the blade of Understanding. I existed as a shadow of myself for so long, and the spirit embedded in the armor corrupted me as I corrupted it. No longer am I the scared boy who ran from everything. To those that threaten the balance, I promise only one thing.” And everyone noticed his clothes change from their Day colors to the Night version. “Enlightment.” There was silence for a moment, and then the leader of the brainwashed laughed. Long and low and mockingly, he laughed. “Two I prepared for. Three will be no more difficult. All of you will fall before me, and those in Newvale will be mine.” This got a laugh from Nocturne, which started tame and extended to the point that it became borderline psychotic. “O-Ohh that’s rich… you really don’t realize how fucked you are… Bahamut, show them… MAGIC CRUSH!” He said as he leaped off the dragon’s head and allowed it to breath a strange black flame over the ponies causing a blue glow to encircle them before a strange symbol appeared around them much like a bubble with an x through it. The leader growled. “You may have sealed their magic…But as is repeatedly demonstrated...PSYNERGY IS NOT MAGIC! VENUS ADEPTS, QUAKE!” The ten in front reared up, their forehooves glowing brown, and then slammed the energy into the ground, causing a wave to rush towards the assembled defenders through the very ground. The demons shook and rocked as some of them looked to feel the pain more than others, obviously weak to the earth based magic though there were some who appeared invigorated by it, namely a strange humanoid wielding a staff in the back who appeared to be wearing a skull mask. “Ooooh that’s cute, they think they know earth…this power is nothing! GEOHENGE!” A large spiked stone flowed up from seemingly nowhere and launched towards the ten who caused the quake, embedding itself before them and then erupting into an explosion that seemed to drain the mana from their control devices. Their eyes closed and they collapsed. “Magic, in any form, is food. That is what we demons believe. Even the magic that gives life or power. Mana sustains you, mana defeats you, as all of your kind exist as we do. Mana is life.” The controller growled again. “You will not best us. Jupiter, PLASMA!” Ball lightning erupted from the third line, and rushed towards the defenders. Auric and Dullahan hit the dirt to dodge the massed lightning. The lightning slammed itself into a large wall of pure energy as the five robed figures standing near the mirror were chanting some kind of spell, the healers were currently using all their might to create a barrier that allowed attacks out but not in. Said barrier wavered as one of the healers actually screamed out and erupted into flames before vanishing. “Oh… now you’ve done it. I believe it’s time for the kid gloves to come off. Fighters to the fore, take them alive, I want the mana of those control devices!” Nocturne shouted as with a roaring battlecry the amassed horde of melee warriors charged forward like a wall of hungry death. Auric and Dullahan growled then. Impressive, for something without vocal cords. Before Auric could take a step, Dullahan was calling on a technique he’d not used before. You who would turn Psynergy against this town, pay the penalty! Dark Contract! From the third line erupted a mass of shadows that were drawn towards the sword of Dullahan. He then pointed it towards Sandy, and the shadows rushed into her. The energy of mine foes is mine to draw and redirect as I will. Indeed, the third line seemed more woozy than it had a moment ago. Sandy blushed as she held a hand to her chest, her face looking quite flustered. “My, my, so forward. Don’t you know it’s rude to play with a girl’s mana till the third date?” She said with a teasing yet sultry tone before she quickly leveled a massive rifle easily the size of her own body to her hip and let out three rounds at the line of mercury adepts. Each shot exploding above the fourth line and raining a weird energy onto them, that caused their fur to turn grey and their eyes to wander… the same effect that was known to be associated with the power of Discord. The armor shrugged. I figured you would know better what do with it, seeing as how I’ve no need of the power of the living anymore. E’er since the Sun separated me and the boy, the power of the land itself has been enough to sustain me. I would say the world has accepted me, but I did not desire it. Auric stalked forward a step, but was quickly rebuffed. “Mars, BEAM!” Ten hot lances of fire appeared and began to carve across the ground towards their opposition. Auric deflected one, and Dullahan took another to the chest, causing him to stagger. The beams of fire ripped through the ranks of melee demons, those who didn’t merely absorb their energy were torn asunder and vanished in a flash of flames and energy as they wailed in agony. This didn’t seem to affect their leader at all as he only seemed to become more enthusiastic with each troop fallen. He slowly reached behind him as he placed the bow onto his back, returning it to its harp like form. “I think this party could use a little music.” He said as he pulled his instrument of choice from… wherever he got it and began to play. The mercury adepts who were under the effects of whatever Sandy had done were suddenly snapping to attention. "Oh I’m a puppetmaster, and I’ve just found your strings, and when I play this instrument we’ll see how much that stings, see how much that stings." He said with a smile as he sang the possessed Mercury Adepts under his control unleashed a wave of healing energy into his forces, mainly onto his own healers to strengthen their efforts. Auric looked at the Mars Adepts in front of him, trying to decide how to best get past. “Mars...Mars and Venus share a relation...Jupiter might work, or might just fan the flames...DIAMOND DUST!” A wind whipped up, carrying the hints of water and ice on it. They slowly grew to head-sized chunks and battered into the Mars line, knocking several of them right out and dazing others. “Hit the next line with something of Earth, they’ll be weak to it, it’s in their nature!” The way Nocturne’s grin just widened even further, now stretching his face in a manner similar to Pinkie Pie, was meant to be unsettling to both his allies and his enemies. He’d learned early on that the scariest thing to an enemy was to know how little they seemed to care about your efforts to stop them. “Okay then! Geomancer, unleash it now!” The brown mage from before nodded as a large rock wall slammed up from behind the third line and from the front of them as well before simply folding together with a loud crash of stone on stone. Though as the two halves faded they revealed no crushed ponies, only that the walls had ripped the crystals from those caught between them with seemingly no effort, due the alignment of the magic. Dullahan merely nodded as most of the ponies in front of him blocking the path to the one in back had been dazed. It would seem like now is the optimal time to ensure that they stay down. Would you prefer to, or shall I? Thus saying, he turned towards the leader again and gestured with his sword. “Oh please be my guest sir, I’m simply the summon.” Nocturne said with his smile even wider than before now, his eyes glinting with demonic energy as he continued to play his instrument, though it seemed to do something different this time. Mainly cause the same effect that his Geomancer had performed, revealing him to be the reason the crystals surfaced from their hosts. They seemed much duller than they should have been, like all forms of magic in them were absent, leaving them as simply pretty rocks. Dullahan turned back to the crowd and raised his sword to be parallel with the ground. Ye who would use Psynergy against me, against this town, know now the flames, the heat, the Storm of my anger! DJINN STORM! A wave of light erupted from the armor and washed over the ponies, and each one it impacted dropped like a stone. Their psynergy had been drained, their magic blocked. Only the one in back had been far enough away to escape the blast. Speaking of, he growled as well. “I will not be bested by you and yours! I have been infused with as much Mars as I can hold, my power burns as bright as my conviction!” Thus saying, the pony seemed to catch fire, and Auric sighed. “Got any Mer- er, water or ice?” “Gallon or Ocean?” Nocturne replied with a smile as he motioned to the lance wielding succubus with the blue hair. “OMEGA ICE!” She said as she leveled her spear with the walking inferno before the sound of something ringing filled the air and a massive flash of blue light occurred blinding everyone not used to the display. When it subsided, a massive pillar of Ice that easily eclipsed the trees in it’s height was present, the burning pony trapped in it’s base. Auric whistled again. “Not bad. But he’ll break out fast if he’s really ‘imbued with Mars’ might,’ like he claimed. He might not even be able to control it. Best option, someone drains his reserves, we put him to sleep, and someone else rips answers from his mind.” “That’s all?” Nocturne said as his smile faded to a business like expression. “And I thought this would be hard. Then again, ponies have lost so much of their fighting instinct while I was locked away.” He said with a short sigh as he walked up to the pillar of ice and put on a new glove that seemed to cause the air to waver with heat. “Keep in mind, the power I can feel from him is nearly as much as is contained in an Elemental Star. Sure you can handle it? Oh, and he’s a fanatic, willingly. He’ll resist.” “I hope he does… oh please let him resist.” Nocturne said with a smile as he reached into the ice and literally dragged the pony out through it as if it was just water, his hand tightly gripped around the pony’s throat as his eyes flashed and he proceeded with the draining. His body glowed brightly as lines flowed from him to every single demon that was still standing till it hit Sandy and then a line connected to the mirror. “My lord the energy bank connection has been established.” The female voice that had spoken of a sealed contract before he appeared called out, easily heard as if she was present. “Good… now then, scream for me, crazy pony.” Nocturne said as he moved his hand from the pony’s throat and bit into it with an almost feral glee like some kind of energy vampire. The pony only said one thing before he did as Nocturne asked. “You will never get any answers from me, you de-” And then, he managed to use up nearly all of his vocal cords as he felt his energy ebb away from him, causing an untold amount of pain to his system. The lines of energy pulsed and burned brightly with all the energy stolen from the overlord’s prey, even causing some of the demons channeling it to burst into flames as they ‘Died’ from the raw power rushing through their forms. Though the stallion’s screams would only increase as Nocturne showed off just how cruel he could be and started to not just drain energy, but info as well, ripping into the stallion’s very soul like a juicy apple. Eventually, he dropped the, now drained of all useful things, stallion to the ground. “He doesn’t know. His superior administered the infusion to him, and all he knows about that is that his boss has a boss, who also has a boss. There’s a chain of command, and he’s only one rung above the lowest.” The overlord paused for a moment. “Though, where they’re getting this energy is concerning. They seem to have imprisoned several elemental spirits.” The pause was longer this time. “And four wielders.” Auric blanched. “We only sent out four trained Adepts, to spread the word of our town. Do the words ‘Newvale Adventuring Troupe’ trigger anything?” The overlord nodded sadly. “Yeah… they looked like hell though. Here… take his memory, I don’t need it or want the damned thing.” Nocturne said simply as he coughed into his hand and a translucent sphere of sound and pictures appeared there which he held out to Auric. The boy reached out and grabbed the sphere, then his head as the foreign memory integrated into his own, his clothes fading back from Night to Day as the pain momentarily overwhelmed his senses, and he blacked out for a moment. Sandy ran over to the boy and grabbed him before he could hit the ground, hugging him tightly to her chest. The demons that survived the battle cheering for their victory as gold lettering seemed to flow over them in waves, showing the words “Level Up” over and over. Auric was slammed back into the world of the living as he realized he was being smothered by, what he would define as, “Something that never happened to me, nor would I expect to have happen to me, especially once I landed in magical pony land.” Namely, the set of flesh only females were known to have. He blushed quite quickly, and there was a growl from Measured Thought that sounded more at home at a Timberwolf than a pony. Sandy blushed as she heard the growl. “Aww, don’t be like that sweetie, I wouldn’t take another mare’s mate. It’s not my style… besides, I’m betrothed to an Overlord. Who needs to date another human when I have grandfoals with one?” She said simply enough as she did take the extra moment to hug Auric just a bit tighter to her breasts before letting him go. Before Auric could speak up and deny anything, one of the crystals that still had some juice in it spoke up with a different stallion’s voice. All eyes turned to it as it began to rant. “You think yourself invincible? You think you can stand against me? Nothing can or will! The sun itself will one day grow cold and dark, the moon shall stop and fall into the seas, all pony life will one day die, and magic itself will fade! The four Alicorns will one day die, why do you think yourself any better?!” “Because of one simple thing, you half-bred horses’ ass.” Nocturne said as he grabbed the crystal and swallowed it like it was a candy. “Demons will exist as long as people who are evil do. It’s the law of the world.” He said as he let out a burp as the magic that made the crystal began to dissolve into his body, drawing everything from it into himself and then projecting it like a flare outwards as it attempted to detonate. Yet another turned on then, but Auric grabbed it and held it to his face. “Listen to me now, my foe. I am Auric Fulcrum. With the power of the Golden Sun, I truly am immortal. The world may die, but I will live on. I have tested this by having swords jammed into my lungs and getting up again. I will live long after you are dust. I merely hunt you to expedite the process.” And with that he idly drained the stone so as to stop the detonation he knew would happen and flicked the energy towards Nocturne. “Well if you’re going after this guy. I want in, nobody gets to be more evil than me on my watch, it sets a bad precedent for demons across the multiverse.” Nocturne said as his demons went about collecting the crystals and ingesting them, using the energy to fix the damaged and formerly possessed ponies through what could only be called making out with them at first glance. Auric shrugged. “It’s something I’ll consider, surely. Especially if I face a force like this again before I’m back to full strength, keeping a mountain from sinking into the earth is a REAL drain.” “Well…. I could have a team of Geomancers take a look at your… mountain problem but, it’ll cost you extra.” Nocturne said with the tone and expression of a seasoned businessman. Auric looked at him with what could only be called an expression of hope. “Oh? How very nice of you. I think a few Psynergy stones with things like Growth or Cure or the like could be worthwhile. You could use them to teach said techniques to anyone, and afterwards, they’d even make a nice snack. I think we have two of both I can freely give stockpiled.” “You sir have a deal. Abigail, you and your sister go take our fighters back and send seven Geomancers over. Dominic and Sandy will be staying with us.” He explained as the sand colored mare had gravitated over to Measured Thought and struck up a conversation. “So, what do you like most about him?” She asked with a smile. Measured blushed a bit as she replied. “Well, he did save me twice over. And he’s pretty good with those hands of his. Plus he’s got power like no other, did you know he can break things apart on the atomic level?” This got Sandy’s attention. “My my, well I think that’s definitely impressive enough to warrant attraction, now how about a gift between us girls while the boys discuss their toys hmm?” She asked motioning for Measured to follow her as she walked out of earshot while the demons moved in formation to follow their lord’s orders, and the smaller mare followed. Auric motioned towards the mountain in the distance. “Discord patched up half of it, but Canterlot could still use some work. Damn thing is like a backpack on my shoulders all the time. Even with a totem or two, it’s still a drain. Don’t know how bad it’d be if I had to hold it up without.” The geomancers, who all looked vaguely similar to their leader, the so called ‘Dominic,’ all nodded and began to walk in formation towards the mountain, chanting some kind of arcane dialect that made little sense, and even less so when they smacked themselves in the forehead with their staves in unison. Auric slapped his forehead. “Oy! You lot! Don’t let any ponies see you! They aren’t even accepting of me or Dully, really! More bipeds being seen would only incite a panic I do not need!” He then turned to Dullahan, and the armor nodded before rapping on the lavender bubble in a sequence. It dissipated, and he walked in to retrieve the agreed-upon payment. “You don’t need to worry about Dominic and his boys being seen, after they get out of the forest they’ll be traveling underground. The roots here are too thick for them to do so without disrupting and angering the forest.” Nocturne explained in a very calm manner for someone who just a scant few minutes ago was draining a pony like one does a juicebox. Auric sighed and sagged. “Thank goodness. I don’t need Sunbutt on my butt for more than Typhon.” “Typhon? You mean like the big badass eagle thing?” Nocturne asked, his pointed ears flicking twice. “Sorta-kinda. See, there are other Equestrias than just yours and mine. Typhon is known as the Heir of Breath in his, and he...sorta, kinda, God-Tiered. He’s even the one who made my clothes. He’s a nice guy with too much trouble on his plate. I should know, I helped him with one.” “I see, well if you ever feel the need, drop my call sign to anyone who you think might need some help.” Nocturne then actually reached into his chest and pulled out a slightly blood stained coin looking object designed to look like the medal he wore. “When polished and placed near a mirror I can hear whoever is calling me, no matter where they are.” Auric carefully took the object and placed it in a pocket. “And for this, I will give you the most valuable commodity. Information. There should be, somewhere in your world, a black book and a golden coin. The book will have Dullahan’s name in it, and the bit will have my symbol,” here he pointed at the eclipse on his shirt, “on one side, and on the other will be a see-saw with the atomic symbol of gold above it. Hold it and call for me or him, and we will hear you.” “That’s really cool, I’ll have my people look for them then.” He said as there was a loud rumbling noise in the distance as the tectonic plates aligned and repaired themselves under the not so gentle prodding of the Geomancers. “And that’s why Dominic has a name when there’s so many demons without. The guy is good.” The sound of shifting metal announced the return of Dullahan, with four gems clasped in his hand. Two were distinctly amber, while the other two were jades. Auric picked them up and held them to the demon lord. “And another, far more valuable. There are, again, others. Ones I refer to as the Triad, who have their own weapons of Madness. Alice, with her Vorpal Blade. Pyramid Head, with his Knife. And Jack of Blades, though I know not his weapon. Mine own, Eureka, may be counted among them, were I incapable of controlling it or asking it to control itself.” As Nocturne took the gems and pocketed them Dominic’s group would return, as well as Sandy and Measured Thought. “Well then, looks like we’re all settled up then. Time to head home,” he said as the Geomancers walked into the mirror and began to vanish. Indeed we are. May the shadows part for you, Nocturne. Auric nodded as well. “May the Golden Sun illuminate your path.” “Aww… that’s no fair, I don’t have a catchphrase…” Nocturne said with a sigh. “Oh! Hang on. May the blood moon shine brightly in the darkness and the netherworld’s grip never reach you.” He said with a smile. Before Sandy and Nocturne walked back through the mirror, Auric looked down at Measured Thought. “So, do I get to know what you two talked about?” Nocturne simply shook his head and chuckled as Sandy gave a conspiratorial wink towards Measured. “Oh...nothing much. Just a few spells. Recipes. Techniques. Maybe I’ll show you one day.” And with that, Sandy walked through before Auric snapped his fingers. “Oh damn! Nocturne, wait! I owe you a thing! A summon or so! C’mon into the sanctum!” The demon blinked twice as he’d almost forgotten about that and pulled his body back out of the mirror and placed his hands in his pockets as he casually strode after Auric into the mountain/mine/sanctum located in the back of the village. “Wow… the magic in here is as thick as my girl’s hips!” He said with a whistle. Auric smiled. “Don’t let her hear you say that. Now, do you have a favored element?” “I do a lot of healing and battlefield management, as well as controlling others on the field with buffs and the like… what’d that equate too?” He asked as he looked around. Auric pointed to one of the tablets on the bottom. “Coatalicule, guardian of the waters of life. When summoned, all your allies will regain health per turn. More is granted the more you are aligned with the wind and the water.” “That… is seven kinds of badass. You are now my best friend in the multiverse.” He said, actually hugging Auric in a very, more than friendly way if the way he squeezed his ass was anything to go on. “Yes, well, just touch the tablet. It shouldn’t shatter, we made these to be more sturdy than their counterparts.” Auric coughed awkwardly as he realized the hug was less than chaste. “Keep in mind, it won’t last forever, but it will last for quite a while.” Nocturne nodded. “Well if my track record with dealing with foreign magic is anything to go on, my body will just adapt it to my spell list and then it’s mine. No time limits needed.” He explained as he let go of Auric and walked up to the tablet placing his hand upon it with a smile as his whole body burned brightly. The runes on the tablet lit up and burned like they were lightbulbs as the name flashed three times. Then, the entire tablet faded and the glow around Nocturne faded. “Did it work?” Auric questioned. “One sec…” Nocturne said holding up a hand and then tossing down something that looked like… a ball of water. Which ended up turning into a miniature form of the summon he’d just received. “Oh yeah! I can even make minion versions of it!” He said with a smile like a kid who’d just found the best toy in existence. I am now afraid. Let’s not let him at Charon or Isis. Not that we would, anyways. Auric nodded. “Agreed. Maybe some of the others, perhaps as repayment should I require your services again.” Nocturne nodded with a smile as he picked up the miniature summon and placed it on his head like a hat. “That… would be most excellent. Thank you.” Auric nodded. “This is the place where the boundaries are most thin. Do you still require your mirror?” “Well… not really, the mirror is more like a temporary doorway that opens with my influence, the Gatekeeper connects all worlds and is a living doorway in her own right. You should meet her, she has a soft spot for demons or disembodied spirits.” He said with a chuckle and wink towards Dullahan. I will keep that in mind. Auric, shall we? The two native bipeds came together and clasped their left hands, opening a dark hole that was more than just darkness or a hole in the roof of the Sanctum. “Well it was nice doing business with you both. I hope we do this again soon.” He said as he leapt through the hole and back to his world with a smile. Leaving a strange stone and a note beside it. “This stone is a gift from Sandy, it prevents possessions though it must be placed in an area like a church or something.” Auric merely chuckled and yelled into the Void, knowing those that Listened would be able to hear. “You only want to get your mitts on our summons!” And with that, the hole closed, and the worlds were separated once more. Overlord’s Castle, Tartarus. Nocturne sat upon his throne with Sandy sitting beside him, leaning into the well placed scratches of his fingers behind her ears. Something that apparently transcended the multiverse; ponies melted when you scratched their ears just so. “You know Sandy, I’ve been wondering… what did you give that mare back there?” He asked, only receiving a smile from her. “Well… let’s just say he hasn’t seen the last of anthro mare boobs and leave it at that~” Sandy said with a giggle. “Eh, whatever happens, you get to run damage control on it this time.” Nocturne said as he waved his hand and the image of him and his throneroom faded from view. Item Get!: Demon’s Thumbnail. This stone prevents possessions when placed in the church of one’s home town and is based on the legend of the gargoyle. Shaped like the nail of the beast’s thumb.