//------------------------------// // Mistakes of the Past: Conflict Part 1 // Story: Equestria Without Harmony: Mistakes // by EclipseSight //------------------------------// Equestria without Harmony: Mistakes Conflict Part 1 Twilight stared down her opponent, her eyes taking in every ounce of information she could see. The obsidian hued dragon standing before her was about as tall as Luna, though much longer, with a whip like tail swaying behind him. The end of the tail was adorned by a razor sharp blade, glinting in Celestia's sun. That was definitely to be avoided, just as much as the long jaws full of dagger like teeth. Perhaps the most worrying asset the dragon possessed though, was a long thin horn, similar to her own. It was separate from the two that curled from the back of his skull jutting forwards instead of backwards. Twilight had never heard of a dragon with the horn of unicorn before. She would have to suppress her curious side for now, as Slasher had started to speak. "I would have expected Celestia to be the one to demand to fight me alone. Regardless, this is merely a delay. You will not stop me." "I will stop you!" Twilight retorted, stomping her hoof to punctuate the statement. "I will not let you hurt the ponies I care about." "A bold claim..." Slasher whispered, scratching a single, curved talon along the dirt. Staring down at the thin groove he had created, the dragon's thin shoulders started to shake. Twilight narrowed her eyes as her adversary raised his head, revealing that he was laughing. She was about to respond hotly when he snapped his jaws shut with a loud clack, all merriment gone. "We fight for the same thing then Twilight Sparkle, which makes this much more...” he paused to think of a word. "...Tragic," he continued. "Both of us must win, yet only one of us can." "Why did you come here?" Twilight asked, hoping that talking would calm her nerves and slow her racing heart. "To reverse the damage done when Celestia allowed those magicians into the archives freely. They destroyed my connection to the underworld, which caused everything to start to deteriorate. Without my maintenance, there is now almost nothing left. Evil spirits and the vilest of demons run amok, while the others have to live in terror. All I can do is watch... And comfort those who died young enough to not view me as the failure I am." "That wasn't Celestia's fault... She just wasn't herself after your fight." Twilight protested gently, though she was still tense and ready to spring. "Be that as it may... I have a task to complete. Do you intend to stand in my way?" "Yes. If what you do will harm my friends... And your silence tells me all I need to hear." "Very well, let us dispense with the talk. Try and stop me. I'll give you the first move," the dragon said, shifting slightly to prepare for the alicorn's action. Twilight gulped, trying to keep the motion invisible to her opponent. She didn't have long to do this, Celestia, Luna and the others would be awake soon. Her horn glowed vibrantly at the tip. Slasher rolled his eyes and raised up a shield in front of himself, confident that he would be able to deflect whatever she threw at him. He wasn't expecting Twilight to completely disappear in a magenta flash. He heard the mare appear behind him, but wasn't quick enough to turn in time to shield his other side. Twilight's follow up blast caused the dragon to be thrown into the dirt, a large four inch wide patch of his gleaming black scales to be scorched the colour of charcoal. That had caught him off guard. He knew she could teleport, but still he hadn’t expected her to open like that. She still wasn’t strong enough to beat him though, the blast told him that. He had prepared himself for both Celestia and Luna. Twilight was good, and getting stronger each day, but she was still nowhere near their equal. The scorch on his scales burned as the muscles beneath it stretched and flexed when he pushed himself back to his feet. Twilight watched him stand up. She had not expected him to be done but hoping never hurt anyone. The dragon faced her again, and a cold shiver of dread made its way along every vertebrae of her spine. His silver gaze burned into her, and Twilight was beginning to see the error of going out alone. However, she had made her choice and was going to stand by it. Twilight readied another spell, wanting to stay on the offensive. Her horn burned as the magical conduit fired off spell after spell. Each of the burning bolts sizzled through the thick air. The shield was holding up against the onslaught but staying on the defensive was not an option. A small interval between the attacks allowed the dragon to cut the power he was channelling into the dark silver barrier. Dust and grass clung to his sharp scales as he rolled across the ground to avoid the next strike. Twilight had chosen a flat area to meet him in, with clean well kept grass that didn't have many little stones able to get between his sharp scales and make movement a living hell. Thankful for this little detail, Slasher channeled magic into his horn. The structure gained an aura the colour his shield had been. Twilight had never seen a dragon use magic before, and Slasher had a special way of doing it. He imbued the magic unicorns would blast from their horns into his natural fire. This blend sent a thin stream of crackling flamed towards Twilight. The lavender alicorn threw up a reddish purple bubble too block the attack. Her eyes widened and her knees turned to jelly as the shield was shattered like thin glass. A light tinkling sounded all around her, as the magical shards crackled all around her. The shield had done its job, stopping the assault from reaching her. Her coat was standing on end, and her mane was windblown and out of place from the shock wave that had occurred when the two magical energies had collided. She was unharmed, but clearly outmatched. Her shield had never just broken like that. The only one who had been able to nullify her magic so easily had been Celestia. Slasher narrowed his eyes at the young alicorn's shaking form. Perhaps she was realising finally that there was no way she could win. Something inside of him hoped that was the case. His logical side wanted this to be the case because he needed to save his energy for the sisters. Another part of him, close to his lightly thumping heart, desired it so he didn't have to truly hurt the young mare. He did not desire to hurt any of them, except Celestia. She had caused all this, and deserved to be punished just as he would be. They both deserved this...everyone else was just, unfortunately, in the crossfire. "Do you see now that you cannot match me? Coming without your friends was noble but foolish." He took a step forward. Twilight whipped her head up to glare at her adversary but stayed her horn. Slasher continued to speak, knowing full well that every moment he wasted gave Celestia a greater chance to come to the rescue. It would also bring Luna...he deserved whatever she would dish out as well. He had failed her as much as he had failed the denizens of the underworld. "I will give you one more chance to back away, if you do not take it then I will not hold back." Twilight knew that she couldn't match him, but she couldn't just back out and put her friends in danger once again. She wouldn't be able to look at herself ever again. "I can't..." she said gently. Slasher nodded and leaped backwards, putting some distance between them once more. Once again, they stared each other down. Last time Twilight had made the first move, but this time it was her adversary. Slasher lunged forward, his long sharp talons spread wide. Twilight gave out a startled yelp and dived to the side. She heard rather than saw the dragon crashing into the ground as he missed. Before the princess was able to retaliate, that long tail she had noted before came into play, and slammed into the back of her head. Sharp pain exploded in the sees behind her skull, and she fell to the ground. Still dazed, she felt long claws raking through her back, ripping through her coat and muscle as easily as she would tear paper. Long thin lines of white hot pain burned relentlessly into her back and a loud shrill scream tore from her throat. Blinded by pain, the alicorn could only thrash around in hopes of connecting with her target. Her hoof caught something warm and a loud snarl told her that she had hit her mark. She could not revel in her victory as her back was torn once again . Now both combatants were bleeding, Twilight on her back and Slasher over his eye. The black dragon backed off from her, hobbling as he kept one paw over his eye to try and stem the bleeding. Her flailing hoof had broken at least one bone around his eye. He'd been careless, putting himself at a disadvantage for when... Slasher wasn't allowed to complete that thought due to a blur of colour crashing into his side, bowling him to the side. "Get away from her you freak!" Rainbow Dash yelled at the downed dragon. The next assault came from Applejack, a powerful buck that sent him flying into the air, his light build easy to launch for the farm mare. Twilight looked up at all her friends. She felt ready to pass out, the long deep wounds in her back still throbbing violently. Gentle hooves wrapped around her as an even gentler voice whispered. "It's going to be okay now Twilight," Fluttershy soothed, immediately turning her medical attention to the mares back. Rarity and Pinkie Pie followed the farm mare and speedster into the fray. Spike was torn between two actions, going to Twilight or making the one who hurt her pay. The four of them seemed to be doing okay, alternating assaults on the wounded dragon. Rainbow could get in and out before he was able to react while the others could attack from afar with rocks fired in various ways. Pinkie Pie used her party cannon, Applejack bucked the rocks, and Rarity threw them with magic. The heavy objects pounded into the dragons scales, crushing or cutting the obsidian protectors. "Okay! That's enough!" Applejack called, holding up her hoof. Immediately the rocks all stopped, and Rainbow landed back beside her friends, glaring at the dragon. "Is Twilight gonna be okay?" Pinkie Pie asked, turning around to the two friends who were tending to her. Spike gave a small nod, before looking back down at Twilight. She was conscious, but barely, the wounds on her back still weeping. Rarity took a small step forward before opening her mouth to speak. "So, what exactly do you think gives you the right to hurt our friend?" she asked, trying to keep the anger from shaking her voice. The dragon looked at her through his one good eye while the other was swollen shut. He had really been careless, a stupid mistake that he would need to avoid making again. "I have something I need to do and she got in my way. Take my advice and don't make me do the same to you." "Is that a threat!" Rainbow Dash hissed, lunging forwards to try and get at the dragon. Only the combined efforts of both Applejack and Rarity were able to keep the cyan mare off the dragon. "No... It is a warning," Slasher sighed softly. Meanwhile, the two sisters were watching from afar. Luna was looking down at her hooves, watching the sparkle of the ornamentation adorning them. The way the shiny metal twisted and distorted her features made the dark alicorn sigh. She couldn't do this... She'd hurt them both too much. She knew they were both blaming themselves but the truth was, she was responsible for all of this. She had allowed herself to be corrupted. An alicorn should have been strong enough to resist. A warm weight rested on her shoulder. She looked up into hr sister's gentle face. Luna felt dampness start to well up in her teal eyes as she met Celestia's gaze.The aged white mare looked down on her sister with understanding. "If you cannot fight him, I will not force you...and no pony will think less of you. However I must stop him, if this is the path that he has chosen." Luna gave a weak nod. "I can't... All I can think about is the past..." "I understand..." Celestia stated, spreading her white wings and raising her form into the skies. Her presence immediately filled the the area causing all the heads to turn to her. "I will take it from here," the princess of the sun said softly. The other mares all backed off to allow the Princess to land in front of the dragon. Twilight hung her head, unable to look at her former teacher. There would most definitely be consequences for her reckless behaviour. "This cannot go any further," Celestia said firmly. "Stand down Slasher. This is not the answer." Her vibrant pink eyes were locked on the dragon, who wasn't able to look directly at her. He never had been able to when she was angry. The knowledge that despite all of his power, she would be able to squash him. Well, not today, he had prepared too long for this and even the Princess of the sun would not stand in his way. He could not help but feel a twinge of regret at Luna's absence. While it helped his cause he wished he could see her face to face, as the Luna he once knew...before he tore her whole world asunder. Celestia felt heavy inside. She did not know the whole situation but if the underworld was in danger then nothing would make Slasher back down. It had been the same when they were children. He was stubborn and rash, a nice balance to her calm and detached way of dealing with things. Luna had always been the middle ground that let them get along. Now they would have to clash with nothing in between them. Deciding he would have to bring out his ace already Slasher slowly pulled out a small red ruby from a small and worn leather pouch on his leg. Celestia's eyes zeroed in on the small pouch and the corners of her eyes crinkled for a moment. It had been a gift for his 41st birthday that she herself had given him because his back spikes and sharp scales quickly destroyed saddlebags. The fact that he still had it somehow made this even harder. Drawing her thoughts away from the pouch, she moved her gaze to the glowing gem he had in his claw. "I squirreled away every scrap of magic I could in six hundred years, waiting for it to be enough." Slasher said when he saw her gaze falling onto the gem. He squeezed it gently, and dark red veins of magic started to move over his body. They started along his foreleg, branching out between his scales. Any wounds that Twilight had managed to inflict closed over, his scales repairing themselves. His closed eye cracked back into shape with a sickening sound that caused every pony plus two dragons to wince. Opening his eye once again, the dragon spread his wings and launched himself into the sky. Celestia followed him, framed by her magnificent sun. "For six hundred years I have waited for this... Ever since that warped spell severed my connection to the underworld, the evil has run riot. I was there to keep it in check and now I cannot... Not in that world anyway." "So you plan to bring all the good spirits here, and leave all the evil ones in the underworld." Slasher narrowed his eyes at her. "Okay just how did you work that out?" he asked. "Probably the same way you did. The only way to fix it in your eyes is to start anew." "And sadly I am not exactly spoiled for choice," the dragon snorted. "True, I can not very well just stand back and let you do this. We could work to change your situation for the better, if you allow some time." "Time is something I do not have anymore. You had six hundred years to come forward with aid but you didn't. Your subjects and status were once again too important. When will you learn that there are more important things than your princess hood?" Celestia had to stop herself from bristling noticeably. Slasher always knew just how to get to her. Unlike Luna, he would use her weaknesses if he felt he had to. It made her hate him sometimes and, even if such feelings were fleeting, one day she knew he would go to far. "If that is what you feel... Then thus is where we both stand. Making you another offer would be meaningless, I know you too well. For the fate of Equestria, I will stand against you!" Slasher nodded, closing his eyes for a moment. A brief series of flashes depicting the events that had led up to this moment flew behind his scaled lids. He watched for a moment before snapping his eyes open and allowing the world to flood back into view. Celestia was more than ready for the torrent of flames that her once long time friend expelled from his maw. The barrier that the princess erected not only withstood the torrent but sent it back upon its caster. Huge blade like wings tore through the flames, hardened scales protecting the dragon from the intense heat of his redirected attack. The clash of the two titans was watched intensely by all below, except one. Luna could not bring herself to lift her head to the source of the noise that was ringing in her ears and tearing at her heart. The thumping muscle would not let her decide. To be loyal to her sister and all of Equestria should have been the easy decision...but to do so she would have to once again betray her most trusted friend. Luna was not the only one in turmoil. As Twilight watched the battle unfold she thought of her friends. She wanted to protect them, but it was always them putting themselves in harms way to protect her. Celestia, her mentor ws up there battling with a being hell bent on his own twisted goals because she wasn't strong enough to stop him. Her friends were always there for her, so why did she feel like being a princess meant that she couldn't rely on them the way she had in the past. A sickening thought came to her that she had to quickly force down. Fluttershy noticed her friends distress and hugged her a little tighter though still keeping careful mind of the wounds on her back. The newest princess pressed into the warm yellow mare, trying not to think. She needed her head clear. Celestia was panting lightly as she stared down her foe. She was winning every trade, but with six hundred years of magic at his disposal, the dragon was as fresh as a daisy while she would tire. She had to get that crystal away from him, but she was unable to simply levitate it. He had the foresight to place a protective barrier around it to prevent such a strategy. Ignoring the intimidating flash of the long razor sharp talons that had raked her former students back, or the long ivory fangs that lined crushing jaws, Celestia surged forwards. Closing with her opponent she turned and bucked the dragon hard in the chest, her ornamented hooves sending him careening through the air. Still his claw clutched tightly onto the one chance he had in this fight. She did not come out of the exchange unscathed as the long tail whipped behind her. A long red line appeared on her pristine flank, blood trickling down through her fine silky fur. Luna saw the blade slice her sister's skin and she was almost up in the air. However, her eyes came upon her age old friend and she faltered again. She could not bring herself to act, even if it should be her who was being torn into... Not her sister, or the pony who had been able to look beyond her past, or the dragon who had shared her past. "I can't help but wonder, is all their fighting really necessary? I mean if this is all over a problem, can't we just help him fix it?" Applejack asked, wincing as the fight escalated above them. Celestia was still trying to get the crystal away from him. "I don't know... It certainly seems that Princess Celestia was much less willing to talk things out than usual." Rarity added, "That freak hurt Twilight," Rainbow snarled, launching into the air before anyone was able to stop her. The two ancient beings disengaged once again. Both were hurt, but Celestia still had not removed the gem from his possession. As the dragon started to replenish his magical stores, the sky erupted in colour. The seven hues of the spectrum splattered the light blue equestrian sky in a rainbow of light.