Silas Epista

by Maneiac


Granite Podium Arc: Part 8 [Rewritten]

        Sunset Shimmer was not an amused mare in the slightest. Her eyes stayed narrow in horrible amounts of anger as she blasted guard after guard with her concussive rays and devastating light-blue fire spells. Many dogs fell, still burning, filling the tunnels that she and her ‘girlfriends’ were running down.

        It was Donna that brought up the back of the pack, running behind Wergal and Diamond with a beyond-scared face. Her every move borderlined paranoia, for she always kept a vigilant eye over her shoulder fearing a surprise attack. Unlike her blood kin, Dennis, Donna was completely useless in head-to-head engagements, and has proven such by staying at the back and letting the others fight.

 “... She’s cracking.” Wergal’s voice caused Diamond to look at him with a raised eyebrow, the male carrying Zaelstrom in his left paw as he ran a little ways behind his mate. “Sunset Shimmer is not herself... you know it’s the truth. I can smell it to confirm it, as well.” He snarled as he witnessed a mare get separated from her foal amidst the chaos, then watched the mare get pounced on by about three guards. She was outmuscled and torn apart without remorse.

Peeling off from the group, Wergal gave a howl of challenge before spinning out like a drill screwing a nail in, diving towards the three guards. Coming out of the tuck and roll he entered from his landing, he spun on his knee and swung his sword arm with all his strength. It sung through the air, Zaelstrom, almost as if it was never in contact with anything.... but the blood came in waves, spritzing Wergal down as the guards fell backwards with their bodies separated in half.

The damage, however, was already done to the foal. It - while trembling heavily - walked up to its mother’s corpse and nuzzled the cream-colored mare’s head gently. These same trembling legs gave out after about two seconds, sending the foal - unconscious from his faint - onto the mother’s head, her eyes wide open and afraid as the color slowly drained from them.

Donna was not taking that sight well. It took everything in her power to not empty her stomach at the brutality that was just performed in front of a child. A hand to her mouth, she hugged the wall of the tunnel as she looked at the foal. “... You... you poor dear.... why?... why’s it always death?”

The sound of skidding hooves made everyone look forward, watching as Sunset stopped on a dime and turned around swiftly. A quick trot up to foal, and then a jingle of her horn, was all that was needed for the foal to be lifted up and put on her back. “WE DON’T STOP MOVING,” She yelled. her left eye twitching furiously as she quickly turned herself back and kicked up the same pace as earlier.

Donna, however, could run no longer, and promptly fell over. “Wait... Sunset... s-s-stop... please.” Giving a hard gasp, the sow started to breathe erratically. She then gave a startled eep when her body was lifted up in a light-blue-black aura and hovered over to be in front of Sunset, who glared absolute irritation at her.

“Rest up and stay quiet, Donna.” An eep and a fetal position was earned for the mare at her cold tone.

Sunset looked over her shoulder after that, eyeing down Diamond and Wergal. “If my boyfriend has as big a brain as I think, he’s thinking about coming up here or meeting us halfway. Wergal,” she called, the diamond dog in question raising his eyebrow at being spoken to, “you lead the way down.”

Standing up from his crouched position and flicking the sword clean, he nodded and sheathed the otherworldly weapon. “... Do you know your magic has two colors blended together?” His question was laced with sass and hidden venom as he walked in front of her. “I’ve been subjected to enough corruption to know that something’s sharing that body of yours. What it may be is the mystery, I’m afraid.” Sighing deeply, the dog kicked into another sprint that eventually had them out of the tunnel and away from confrontation.

Grunting in annoyance, Sunset opted to keep her mouth shut and the notion of skinning Wergal alive on the down low. “Thanks for bringing us out of the- GET DOWN!” Donna was flung onto the ground as Wergal and Diamond hit the deck beside the mare. Her eyes were currently trained on a stick of lit dynamite that had been knocked from a dead slave’s talon.

Time slowed down as the mare ran forward, her horn flaring brightly as she blasted a plume of solar fire tinted light-blue and black towards the direction where the stick of dynamite was soaring from. A shield of similarly-colored magic came up next, and then a loud and large explosion that sent a huge jet of the light-blue and black flame out of the tunnel’s entrance. Since there was nothing but dogs there, Sunset saw no harm in using the move of mass destruction.

The deafening boom of the magical blast sounded like many galleons opening fire simultaneously, making even the mare who casted the spell wince from the volume, before she fell down with a huff. Many rocks dislodged themselves and fell down around the gang, one or two hitting Wergal in the head, making the dog yelp in pain and accidentally throw the sword out of the tunnel.

Sunset’s ear was clipped by the sword, slicing a nice chunk of it clean off. She gave a pained holler from this, then grimaced as something began to happen that scared the rest of her entourage, Donna especially. The mare continued grimacing as her ear seemed to regrow itself in a bubble of light-blue and black energy. When all was said and done, Sunset flopped onto her stomach, heavily panting.

Diamond came up after that collapse of fatigue, picking up the unconscious filly and cradling it. “You’re using too much magic, Sunset. If you’re not careful, your body’s going to burn out. I’ve been down here long enough to see it happen when a unicorn or two tried running.”

Sunset gave a hoarse chuckle at that, standing up shakily. “This.... t-this is nothing, Diamond.” Finding her balance after what seemed like an eternity of struggling, the mare turned her head to look at the diamond dog. “We need to get moving. Silas is close.... I can feel him for some reason.”

Wasting not another word, Sunset continued on shakily, eager to embrace her boyfriend. While she trotted, she began to notice the space around her darken out into a void of abyss, the only light coming from a brightly burning wisp of flame colored black and light-blue. Raising her eyebrow at the wisp and sitting on her rear-end, Sunset awaited for this momentary spell of weirdness to blow over.

“Hello, Sunset Shimmer... it’s me... your hidden potential.”

Frowning hard, Sunset bared her teeth. “I don’t have time for you. Go away and leave me be; there a pressing matters I need to tend to.” At her retort, the flame turned itself into a massive inferno wall with a roar of a dragon. This caused Sunset’s eyes to widen and for her to stumble backwards, not expecting that in the slightest.

“You’ve ignored me for far too long, Sunset Shimmer. I’ve been dormant inside you ever since you opened that book! You are to no longer ignore my existence, and accept me as a part of yourself! Together, we can escape this hell hole, and reunite with our better half; our surrogate other! It will be bliss!” Sunset grimaced in this plane of darkness, looking directly at the flame. The voice was so calm, so alluring... so right.

Shaking her head profusely, Sunset Shimmer sighed and looked at the inferno wall with strong distaste. “Why now? Why decide to show yourself after being ignored for so long?”

The wall of pyre hummed, almost as if deep in thought. “I was awoken by a stronger flame... romanced by the embers of this... Hearth’s Fire. It cried out to me, you see.” Sunset’s mind flickered, almost as if it was plucked in rebuttal by an older sibling. She winced from the weird sensation of slight pain.

“It called out to you?”

“I felt it... a calling. And so, here I am. Are you scared of me?”

        The mare frowned deeply. “Fear is important to avoid error; however, I do not fear you, since you are me...” She brushed her mane with a hoof, cleaning some dirt out of it. “... For the most part. As I understand, you’re more or less my hidden potential; another stepping stone in the granduous idol that is Sunset Shimmer.” Smiling proudly, Sunset placed that very same hoof on her chest while turning her nose up. “I don’t blame you for being mad; I’m sorry if you ever thought I was ignoring myself, me~!”

        A groan of extreme exasperation left the towering pyre’s form. “Look you narcissistic, egotistical mare; you have a special someone waiting for you, yearning to see if you’re alright. Stop flattering yourself and get your head out of your ass!” At the end of its rant, the inferno surrounded Sunset on all sides with another roar of flame. “Will you accept a small portion of my help?”

“Yes,” Sunset said with such conviction, that it caused the wall of fire to grunt in surprise. “Well, hurry up! Don’t chew me out for stalling then do the same thing!” Immediately, the flames grew closer and hotter, making Sunset erect a barrier out of instinct. “What the hell do you think you’re doing!?”

“Calm yourself, me. I’m just imparting a portion of our might.”

“You’re going to burn me.” Sunset’s face was now a permanent frown as her horn ignited in blue-green fire. “I won’t accept that kind of impartation!” Steeling herself resolutely, Sunset glared angrily at the pyre.

“Of course it’s going to burn, you twit. This is an untapped reservoir of your true potential. It’s been sealed up since you were a kid... by that Sun Bitch, no less.” At hearing those words echo out, Sunset grunted and widened her eyes. “That’s right; Celestia kept you from becoming what you were always meant to be...”

“..... A princess...”

“Screw alicorns and their stupid wings. It’s all a big, glorious facade to hide their faults and blemishes. True power lies in the hearts of those willing to do anything to grasp it... hearts like ours.” Sunset watched as a tendril of that two-toned flame snaked its way through the air towards her, gulping in minute horror. “For so long, you have long nestled the thought of becoming a princess, only to have the Sun Bitch deny you it at every waking moment. And then, she even had the nerve to seal a third of your power away... in an antique no less.”

Sunset blinked at that, dropping her barrier and stopping her horn’s glowing. She was completely taken aback by that information. “... An antique? She took a third of my power!? Why haven’t I been told this yet!?” Stomping both her front hooves in agitation, she gave a loud yell of severe anger. “You could have opened your mouth sooner and said something!”

“Don’t blame me for your own shortsightedness! I am merely a portion of who you are, that was originally trapped in an antique, but the restriction spell has been waning for this past decade; this is why I’m able to talk to you as I am now!” Five more tendrils shot out and swirled together, popping out a mare that looked exactly like Sunset Shimmer, but with blue-green eyes and red hair that looked like scales in some places.

“In fact, you have no right to claim me an associate in your own ignorance. We may be one in the same, but I certainly know when to accept responsibility for my own shortcomings!” Walking forward briskly, and with a face of severe distaste, the second Sunset eventually came to rest in front of the first, sitting on her haunches. “Now, tell me; are you ready for the impartation?”

Sunset simply glared at her other self for a quiet moment, staring into the eyes that she swore were mocking her... just like everyone else’s did... just like Celestia’s. Snarling, Sunset flared her horn up. “And why should I accept your help now!? I was go-” Her eyes went wide as she felt all the air leave her lungs, her face being brutally slammed down onto the ‘floor’ below the duo with a mighty thud.

“Silence yourself, me. By this show alone, you should be well aware of how much strength is locked behind that antique of Celestia’s.” Lowering her head, Sunset Two touched the tip of her horn to Sunset’s, making the mare on the ground scream in pain as the horns began to sink into each other. “It will only hurt for a second longer, my dear. Bear with the discomfort for a bit, me.”

Offering the real Sunset a sinister smile, Sunset Two kept sliding her horn into the mare under her, the latter’s becoming quickly engorged and bulbous; it sparked and arced blue-green lightning, with a couple wisps of blue-green flame blasting out every now and then. These two forces of nature roared and crackled at each other, but their commotion was drowned out by Sunset’s pained screams.

Her hooves flailed, trying to knock the far-sturdier unicorn mare holding her down off. She felt as if her lungs were being compressed, the image of them folding in like an accordion playing through her mind. Her breaths became short and forced, spittle flying out between her teeth as she grimaced harshly. Eyes clenched tighter than a vice, the mare squirmed and shot out every appendage in hopes to release herself of this painful hold.

“Cease your squirming. If you truly wanted me gone, I would have vanished. You want me to do this, to join us together and become what we were always meant to be.” Sunset Two  closed her eyes at that moment, which caused Sunset to pass out. Everything went quiet in this plane, but on the outside...

 Wergal was now slapping the absolute bullshit out of Sunset Shimmer, whose eyes have rolled back into her head. Her pupils were completely white, the mouth of the mare wide open to display her teeth and oral cavity. Even her breathing had stopped, the only sign of life being her horn, which sparked with blue-green electricity or flame from time to time.

“Damn you, pony,” Wergal yelled in frustration, picking up the knocked-out mare and turning back to face the rest of the group. “... We have to keep going. Sunset was vital for keeping enemy archers at bay, but without her, we’ll be sitting ducks in wide-open spaces.”

Diamond huffed at that point in time, walking past Wergal and finally out of the tunnel. Looking left and right, above and below, she saw no evidence of enemy archers around them. But, she did see two figures running to meet them; she gave a grin at the sight of scales. “... It’s not archers we’ll be seein’, hon. Take a look-see.”

Wergal rounded the corner, standing next to Diamond as he slung Sunset over his shoulder. It was at that point in time that his eyes made contact with the tall forms of two creatures; one a minotaur bull that was very intimidating height and muscle-wise, while the other was the familiar form of Silas Epista. “You finally made it. I was beginning to think one of those dumb mutts got the best of you.”

Silas frowned, closing the rest of the distance alongside his friend. “You insult me, good sir.” His claw was resting over his abdominals, no doubt covering the bruises he sustained earlier. “Where’s my girlfriend?”

The male diamond dog jerked his head at his shoulder, where Sunset Shimmer was taking a quick nap. “Sleeping like a pup. She wore herself out using too much magic, and this happened. The girl’s still breathing though, which is a plus.” Silas’s frown deepened, but he nodded and allowed the pony to remain resting on Wergal’s shoulder.

“Alrighty.” His eyes locked onto Diamond, who raised her eyebrow at the weird-looking dragon-man. Silas offered a smile, though, his face shifting into a warm one. “You must be Diamond, yes? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Extending his claw, the alien awaited some sort of shake... it never came, though.

“Sorry, Mister Epista; I’m skeptical with new people, is all.” Diamond bowed, though, still greeting him. “And yes, I am Diamond Everwinter. Sorry about the voice; been screaming a lot lately.” Indeed, the woman’s voice was becoming fairly hoarse, even more so than usual.

Silas took that moment to sigh, just to be rushed by a familiar cow. “Woah! Donna,” he asked, his eyes widening as a big hug wrapped around him. “Is everything alright, big girl?” The drake decided to return the gesture, giving her a hug as well.

“It will be if you get us out of here...”

Dennis, the giant bull, decided to make himself known with a husky cough. “Heya, Donna. How are you?” At the sight of her beaten-up sibling, Donna gave an extremely shrill gasp before detaching herself from Silas and practically diving into his arms.

“DENNISSSSS!” She broke down instantly, crying her eyes out as she was scooped up like a baby into a mother’s arms; only that this mother was a hulking mass of bull that seemed to devour his sibling with his arms alone. “I.... I thought you w-were dead!”

The bull offered his sister a chuckle, petting her head lovingly. “... It’s gonna take a lot more than a couple a’ mutts to get me six feet under.” Dennis looked at Silas during that embrace with his sister, smiling. “... Thanks for reunitin’ us, Si’.”

Silas, smiling brightly, pressed past the congregation at that time. “There’s no more time to waste, you guys. We reach the top of the mountain, wait for my ship to come by and pick us up, then we leave.” Placing his claws inside his pockets, Silas continued to walk forwards. “Let’s not dilly-dally down here any longer than we need to do.”

Everyone else in the gang gave their own few words to each other, before following behind the confident drake. It was Dennis who came up beside him, placing a massive hand on Silas’s shoulder. “I can’t thank you enough for this, bud. When we get out of here, I migh-”

Both men widened their eyes as an unholy amount of force slammed into them from the side, sending them off the edge of ramp. Time slowed as both Silas and Dennis looked at their would-be attacker; a giant version of a Boxer dog, wearing a flawless tuxedo. Both the bull and the drake remembered this huge dog, and gave their own versions of a snarl as the plummet continued.

“.... Rex.....” Silas spat, knowing the ground was going to meet them soon.