Part 32
Hearts and Minds
As Leeroy makes his way inside to form up ranks with the others, Twilight begins shouting orders.
“Alright everyone, this is our chance!” She says motioning toward the doorway. “Before the next wave of bad guys make it down the beach, we need everybody to get into position. Speedsters get a perimeter established, fliers get airborne and take down any advanced scouts, casters and long range attackers get in there and start taking out as many as you can as the descend from the cliffs. The rest of you get to the beach perimeter and dig in. The goal here is to get them to commit all of their forces. We need them all to be fully occupied while we seven fly up to achieve our objective.” Twilight takes a moment to look at all of those assembled. “Any questions?” she asks. None of the assembled respond.
Twilight draws a deep breath. “Alright. But one last thing. I know I haven’t know you long. Many of you I haven’t even spoken to personally. But I do know this. This mind that we fight for. Cordial, Discord, whatever name you know him as. He considers you all heroes. Every last one of you have inspired him at one time or another. Inspired him to be more than he is, to be better than average. To always strive toward an ideal. And I believe, in my heart, that he owes his reformation in part to all of you, and what you stand for. So when you go out there and face all those evil dark thoughts, those nightmares and wicked shards of memory, I want you to remember who it is you are fighting for. This is not just the mind of a pony, not just the mind of a lord of chaos, this is you HOME. In his thoughts you are alive and free. Now I ask you all, as his friend, will you fight to protect it?”
A thundering response of ‘aye!’ and ‘yes!’ and ‘yea!’ greet her words, as the assembled heroes begin their assault.
“Twilight,” Flutterthor says, “thy speech was incredibly inspiring!” And the demi-god pony crushes her to her armor plated chest.
“Th-thank you... too strong... blacking out...” Twilight says weakly, just as Flutterthor releases her.
“Fear not sister, never would the pony princess of Haysguard ever cause thee harm!” Flutterthor says, lightly patting her on the shoulder, nearly knocking her off her hooves..
“Riiight,”Twilight replies, rubbing her shoulder vigorously, trying to restore feeling.
“It looks like the heroes have established a perimeter, time for us to get going.” Ego says, his binoculars trained on the far end of the beach.
“Alright, Flutterthor, you Ego and Rainbow Dash, carry Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, and myself up to the top of the mountain, while Ego camouflages us as a cloud.” Twilight stops speaking as the rest of her friends look at her. “What?” she asks. “Ego should be able to hide us if we all fly together as a group.”
“That’s not it darlin,”Applejack says.
“Yeah, what we wanna know is, why you aren’t wanting to fly up yourself.” Rainbow Dash demands.
“Oh, um, well, my shoulder is really really sore where Flutterthor squeezed me just now. I um, just figured that it would slow us down for me to try and fly on my own. I mean, she’s a pony god of thunder, she can fly me way faster than I could myself.” Twilight says, rubbing the back of her head.
“Verily ti’s true! None save Thor-roughbred himself could match me in speed. twas well thought out indeed my sister!” Flutterthor replies heartily.
“We’ll just see about that, miss demi-god pony!” Rainbow Dash says gathering up Applejack in her arms. AJ I hope you’re feeling the need.”
“The need, for SPEED!” the both say in unison, as they light off from the ground.
“Ego, if thou wouldst carry the fair Pinkie, I shall bear aloft beauteous Rarity and Twilight.” Flutterthor says, as she effortlessly hoists both ponies under either fore hoof.
“Thank goodness Fancy Pants isn’t here to see this,” Rarity says at the indignity of being held like a sack of potatoes under Flutterthor’s right arm.
“Or Thor-roughbred,” Twilight adds mischievously, causing Rarity to blush crimson.
“Less talking, more flying!” Rainbow Dash says, as Ego begins to cast a cloud around them all.
“Alright girls, this is it. Today we get Cordial back, and get rid of Sorcery once and for all!” Twilight says as they ascend toward the peak of the mountain.
As they rose above the battlefield, they gazed down as the two armies met in battle below them. War cries rang out from both sides, as bolts of energy flew out in all directions. Ponies, humanoids, and monsters begin to fall on both sides as the battle intensified.
The seven turned away from the carnage below them as they rose high enough to pierce the clouds. Despite the fact that this entire island was no more than a mental construct, their senses were accepting their surroundings as reality. Unlike the surrealistic world outside if the door, everything inside seemed both vivid and normal. There was a salty taste in the air, as they rose above the clouds, the wind blew through their manes and tails. The sun high above warmed them. If this room was indeed a memory, it was and incredibly detailed one.
Before long the mountain peak they had sought came into view. As they made their approach, Ego let out a sigh of relief as his gaze traveled over the area where his mother had previously been trapped. The earth was clean and undisturbed. After scouting the area for enemies, and finding none, the seven descended to the entrance of Sorcery’s cave.
The rough and craggy surface around the outside was broken only by a well worn footpath, leading out from the entrance of the cave to wander down the mountainside. Wordlessly the seven moved forward into the blackened abyss of the caves entrance. The air inside smelled dank and fetid. The smell of rot. The seven made their way down a long and narrow passage. The faint light from the opening behind them gave way to a flickering light from somewhere up ahead.
“Torchlight?” Ego whispers to Twilight Sparkle.
“Must be,” Twilight whispers back, “I don’t hear the crackle of a fire.”
“Do you think they left it burning when they departed? Or did they leave a guard?” Ego asks, worry in his tone.
“Either way, we have no choice but to find out.” Twilight whispers in reply. “Every pony be on your guard.”
As they rounded the corner of the passageway, the source of the torchlight became apparent. Instead of the living quarters the seven expected to see, what met their gazes was a large cavernous room, torches lining the walls. In the center, was the rooms sole adornment. An alter of gold, over which was suspended what the ponies could only assume was Cordial’s super-ego. His appearance was the same as that of Ego’s, although his face was haggard and contorted in pain. He was held aloft, his forelegs spread wide in the talons of a huge golden statue of the dragon known as Sorcery.
At the sound of the ponies approach, he raised his head weakly. His eyes widened in alarm.
“G-go.” He says, his voice barely above a whisper, “before it’s too late.” the effort involved in uttering these few simple words proves too much for the stricken super-ego, and he lapses into unconsciousness.
“Oh, it’s already too late,” another voice rings out, female, and very familiar. “it was too late the moment you set hoof into Cordial’s poor shattered mind.” The figure walks with a slow deliberate pace, as she emerges from behind the statue.
“Summergale.” Twilight says, as if she had been expecting the Flutterpony all this time.
Ego lowers his head. His fragment of self lost in painful memories.
“Aye,” the figure says, moving to stand between the seven, and Cordial’s super-ego. The last living remnant of Summergale, in the flesh so ta speak.” She says, executing a full courtly bow.
“Did you say ‘living’?” Ego says, raising his head in surprise.
“Oh indeed, my fragment of a son. As ye blew yerself up, and me along with it, Sorcery had enough time to snag what was left of meself, and reconstruct me here inside what was later ta reform as your head.”
“B-but why?” Ego asks in disbelief.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m here ta keep you from reuniting with him.” She says pointing a hoof over her shoulder toward the still unconscious form of Cordial’s super-ego.
“But why would YOU ever help Sorcery? You did everything you could to stop him.” Ego protests.
“Aye, that I did. But son, he SAVED me. I was so close ta death, that I nearly shook the reaper’s hoof. A death that was a direct result o’ your actions I might add.” She says, glaring at the fragment of her son. “But Sorcery saved me life, and made me whole. And after a few hundred years we came ta an understanding. An after a few more hundred years that led ta something more. And at this point he and I-”
“Horse feathers!” Twilight yells, interrupting Summergale’s speech. “You’re not Summergale. You’re not even a real memory of Summergale. You’re just a construct that Sorcery left here to keep Ego away.”
“Belay yer daft ramblings. I AM Summergale. I remember every single thing that happened ta me ever since the explosion. I’m no construct, I’m alive!” Summergale says, a note of desperation in her voice.
Twilight’s face softens. “Oh you poor, poor, thing. I didn’t realize. You really do think you are Summergale. By the gods, Sorcery is far more cruel than I ever thought.” Twilight says sadly, as she approaches the Flutterpony.
“But I am Summergale! Sorcery saved me and brought me here. I’ve been here fore thousands of years. “Yer just tryin ta trick me, what would the likes of you know about it?” She says, trying to strengthen her resolve.
Twilight calmly walks up beside Summergale, and whispers in her ear. The figure of Summergale freezes in place, her eyes widen, and suddenly she shatters like a broken mirror, the pieces fading before they hit the floor of the cavern.
“MOTHER!” Ego screams, as he tries to run forward only to be held in place by Flutterthor.
“No Ego, I was right. That wasn’t your mother. Not even a fragment of her.” Twilight says, facing him. “It was just what I said it was, a construct of Sorcery’s put here to stop you.
“But how could you be so sure,”Applejack asks. “And what did you say to it to make it go all ta pieces?”
“I’ll explain all that after we free the super-ego, and get rid of Sorcery.” Twilight says. “It’s something HE doesn’t need to know.” She says gesturing toward the statue.
“Twilight Sparkle, I LOVE you.” A voice says, emanating from the still form of the statue.
“What?!?” the other ponies say in unison.
“I’m taken.” Twilight replies in an even tone.
“WHAT?!?” the other ponies say again, only louder.
“Such a shame,” the voice from the statue says. “When this is over I must see about killing him, or is it her?”
“Unlikely.” Twilight replies. “Because when this is over, you won’t exist. And the world will be a better place for it.”
“Twilight, Twilight, you ARE a delight. A master strategist. Somehow you have managed with just a few days worth of conversation, to uncover and unravel a plan that I have been working on since almost the dawn of time. No other living being has ever offered me such a challenge. Sadly, as close as you were to winning, after coming so very far, I’m afraid you will still lose.”
“Oh Sorcery, is THIS all that you are reduced to? Trying to TALK me into losing? We found out your plan, you are paralyzed and trapped in the real world, and as soon as we free Cordial’s super-ego, he will unmake you. I’d imagine it’s taking all of the concentration you have left, just to carry on this conversation.”
Roused by Sorcery’s voice, and his fading strength, Cordial’s super-ego opens his eyes, and looks down on the seven. For the first time his expression becoming hopeful.
“Ah, Twilight, you are correct in all things, except one. Youuu willl stilll loooosse.” Sorcery says, his voice fading away.
Twilight turns to face the others.
“You’re taken?!?” Rainbow Dash says, a hoof beat before the others, a note of heartbreak in her voice.
“Later,” Twilight replies. “Right now we need to focus on freeing Cordial’s super-ego.”
“Alright, but this isn’t over.” Rainbow says, glaring at her friend.
They all approach the alter in unison. Cordial’s super-ego gazes down at them. His expression eager, and hopeful. Wordlessly the six friends lower their heads, and close their eyes. A soft, yet dazzling glow begins to emit from the chest of each of Twilight’s friends. After a few moments however, Applejack dares to open one of her eyes, and looks across at the others. Although Twilight has her head bowed with the rest of them, her chest remains dark.
“C’mon Twi-, you were the one who was in such a hurry.” She says as her other friends open their eyes to look at her.
“S-sorry, just a bit out of practice.” Twilight says.
She screws her face up in concentration, willing the power of magic to come forth. Around her all her friends are filled with the power of their elements, yet Twilight remains the same.
Finally, all the others stop as well. The power of their elements still shine forth from inside them, but without the sixth they are unable to unleash them.
Twilight falls to her knees, and begins to sob uncontrollably. “No... I was so sure. So sure this would work. It was my last chance.” She throws her head back and wails, “my last chance!!!” As if the last floodgate inside of her has broken, she begins to cry in earnest. Great wracking sobs. Her friends all surround her.
“Twi,” what’s wrong? What happened?” Rainbow Dash says in a surprisingly tender voice.
“It’s all gone! All gone!” Twilight wails. Her tears falling like rain upon the cavern floor.
“Ya’ll need to calm down, you’re not making any sense. What’s all gone.” Applejack asks, her voice filled with concern.
“M-my magic. I-I can’t do magic anymore!” She shrieks, her echo resounding through the cave.
“Oh Twi,” Pinkie says, holding her best friend tightly. I-it’s going to be okay.”
“Okay? Okay? Pinkie, you don’t understand,” Rarity says. “This is... a unicorn thing. Magic isn’t just something we do, it’s a part of us, like a tail, or a hoof. Oh Twilight, however did this happen?” Rarity asks, tears forming in her eyes as well.
“It... it was when The Doctor and I went back in time to get that piece of Keil’s statue.” Twilight says between sobs. “I had been practicing slicing time with his Tardis, and I was r-really good at it.” She says, her voice brightening for a moment. “A-anyway, we went back in time to the moment before the statue of Keil exploded. It was really hard to keep the Tardis steady in the proper moment. Huge amounts of chaos and order were swirling around the ethereal plane causing all kinds of time distortions. I-I was manning the controls, and The Doctor had just flung the door open to receive the statue piece as it exploded outward, when there was an accident.” Twilight stops speaking for a moment to catch her breath. “There was a short in the system, as the damping grid overloaded from the force of the chaos lightning striking Keil’s statue.” Twilight says, her eyes looking far into the past, as the memories of that day take hold of her. “With the damping grid down, an arch of power from the Eye of Harmony shot right out of the control panel and grounded itself on my horn. I was unable to move, my body locked rigid as the power arched through me. The Doctor flung himself at me in a dive and broke the connection.
The next thing I remember was waking up in the medical bay, the Doctor and Par-, um the Doctor was looking down at me. I remember he seemed so sad. But I felt fine. I got up, and looked myself over, no worse for wear. But then he spoke. ‘Twilight, we ran some tests. Physically you are fine. No worries there. But, we don’t think that you’ll be able to do magic anymore.’
“I was shocked. I didn’t believe him.” Twilight said, earnestly looking up into the faces of her friends. “This couldn’t happen to ME. I was the ELEMENT of Magic. But he was right. Everything I tired, even the simplest spells no longer worked. Worse still, since my wings were magical alicorn wings, I could no longer fly.”
“Oh Twilight,” Flutterthor says, tears falling from her cheeks, “That was why thou wished me to carry thee.”
"We spent years, going from Doctors to wizards from hundreds of worlds and times... but it was all useless." Twilight says, lowering her head once more.
“I-I did my best to get past it.” Twilight says, continuing her story. “I used the Doctor’s workshop to build my K.I.T.-E. It was based on his K-9 technology, and I added everything I could think of to compensate for my loss. And... and it worked. And I moved on. But I knew that soon we would have to come here. And I knew that we would need to use the Elements. But I always assumed that I could still do that!” She cries. “I mean, both Pinkie and Applejack are earth ponies, and they could use THEIR elements!”
“But darlin,” Applejack says, trying to be gentle. “You’re element IS magic.”
“I know... I know. But I had thought, had hoped, that it would still work. I-I thought that it might... might...” Twilight collapses, sobbing uncontrollably.
“You though it might heal you.” Rarity says softly, as she strokes Twilight’s mane. “Oh, Twilight.”
So... we lost.” Ego says, looking up at his other self.
Cordial’s super-ego looks down at the seven before him. Five of which are huddled around the sixth, as his Ego watches helplessly beside them. He looks toward Ego, who regards his stare. “It doesn’t matter,” his super-ego says.
“What?” Ego says, looking up at him.
“Please, call Twilight to me.” The super-ego says.
Ego steps over to his friends. “Twilight, um, I know this isn’t a good time, but um, my super-ego wants to speak with you.” Ego says apologetically.
“O-of course.” Twilight says. She rises slowly, brushing the tears from her face. “I-I must look a sight.” She says to her friends, glancing at them in turn with red rimmed tear stained eyes.
“You look fine darling.” Rarity says with a small smile.
Twilight makes her way to the alter, and slowly climbs on top of it so that she can come face to face with the super-ego.
“Twilight Sparkle. At last we meet.” Cordial’s super-ego says.
Twilight breaks down again. “I-I’m so sorry!” She wails. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this! We were supposed to free you. And now... and now everything is over. We lost! Sorcery is going to eventually enslave the whole world! It’s... it’s all my fault.”
“Twilight?” the super -ego asks.
“Yes,” she says, wiping at her eyes again.
“It’s okay.” He says gently.
“W-what?” Twilight says, trying to regain her composure.
“It’s okay.” Cordial’s super-ego says once more. “You did your best Twilight.” He says, smiling at her. “You and your friends redeemed me, when no one else would’ve ever tried. You stood by me, and accepted me, and trusted me. You all gave me a home, and a pony to love, when I never thought I could feel love again. You and the Doctor and Harmony could’ve just found a way to destroy me, before Sorcery had any idea you knew he was there. But what did you do? You went across time and space, and risked your life, just to save me.”
“But we failed!” Twilight protests.
“But you tried your best, and no pony could ask any more of you. Thank you Twilight Sparkle, you are... my best friend.” Cordial’s super-ego says, tears leaking out of his own eyes.
Twilight puts her fore legs around him and hugs him tight. “Thank you.” she says, as her own tears begin to flow.
Suddenly, a glow envelops the form of Cordial’s super-ego, a familiar purple glow, that resonates with Twilight’s five other friends. The claws on the statue that were holding the super-ego’s hooves, release him as if they had been burned, and he falls into the astonished hooves of Twilight. As he takes a step back from her, his eyes widen in surprise as the glow intensifies. A beam of violet light shines forth from him, to be met and joined by five others near the ceiling of the cave above them, the six dazzling beams of light swirl together into a rainbow, that spirals it’s way down and envelops Twilight Sparkle.
The purple alicorn’s eyes widen in surprise as she finds herself lifted off of the alter, the rainbow around her growing brighter and brighter, until with a sudden flash of light, it vanishes, leaving Twilight herself, hovering in midair.
“I-I’m cured?!?” She asks incredulously. “I’m cured!” She cries, as she twists and turns in mid air, flying loop-d-loops before landing in front of her friends. They all embrace each other, laughing and crying at the same time.
Ego walks up to his stunned super-ego, now standing free upon the alter.
Cordial’s super-ego is staring at his hooves in disbelief. “I-I did a magic,” he says, his voice filled with childlike wonder.
“No. You did THE magic.” His ego says, smiling broadly.
Twilight breaks away from the others and walks up before Cordial’s super-ego. “Thank you... SO MUCH!” she says, flying up to embrace him.
“I-I don’t know how that happened.” Super-ego says, still in shock. “I’m not an element of harmony. How is this possible?”
“Friendship IS magic.” Twilight says with a happy smile. “And friendship works both ways, not just from me to you.” She gives him another hug. “I came all this way to save you. And you ended up saving me. I can never thank you enough.”
“Well,” Cordial’s super-ego says, his face red with embarrassment, “that’s what friends are for!”
“Well said!” the voice of Flutterthor booms out across the cave. “Now, what say we finally put an end to the foul beast that has vexed us all this day?”
“Agreed.” Both Ego and Super-ego say in unison. Super-ego jumps down from the alter and turns to face it. Ego joins him and together they both lift the lid. Inside a young colt yawns and opens his eyes.
“Is it time to play?” he asks brightly, as his rises out of the alter.
“Yes, it’s long past time that we all played together.” Ego says, helping him over the edge.
“You’re Id, aren’t you?” Twilight says looking down at what appears to be a young version of Cordial.
“Uh, huh.” The young colt replies. “You’re a pretty lady. Will you be my friend?” Id asks, wide eyed.
“Yes I will. “Twilight replies. “We will all be your friends,” she says, gesturing at all the others assembled.
“Really!” the young colt squeals happily. “I haven’t had any friends before! Just my brothers.” He says, looking up at Ego and Super-ego. “D-Do you want to play?” He asks hesitantly, looking toward the others.
Pinkie Pie steps forward, and looks at the little colt solemnly. “Kid, there is nothing I would rather do.” She says, giving him a tight hug. “Cupcake?” she asks, reaching behind her mane and pulling out a cupcake with rainbow swirled icing with extra sprinkles.
“Mmm-hmm!” Id says, taking the proffered sugar bomb and begins devouring it on the spot.
“We really need to get Pinkie out of our head,” Ego says to his counter-part. “She’s really bad for us.”
“Where does she keep getting that stuff?” Twilight asks them both.
They both have the grace to look ashamed. “Um, I’m just guessing, but probably mental resonance.” Ego says with an embarrassed grin.
“What’s that mean?” Rainbow Dash asks.
“It means that Pinkie Pie, and Discord think a lot alike.” Twilight says rolling her eyes.
“Oh. Well THAT makes sense.” Rainbow says, watching the pink party pony play with the immature representation of Cordials mind.
“So, are you two ready?” Twilight asks, facing Ego and Super-ego.
“Long past ready.” Ego replies. “Id? Time to play later. We need to get together for a bit. We are going to slay a dragon. Won’t that be fun?”
Id breaks off his game and runs up to the other two. “Is it the scary red one?” he asks, “Cause I don’t like him.”
“Yes, it’s the scary red one, and once we are done, he’ll never ever bother us again.” Ego says.
“Yay!” Id squeals. “Okay, let’s do it.”
The three link hooves, and a golden radiance begins to envelope them. Slowly, ever so slowly, the three parts of Cordials mind begin to reintegrate.
“Twilight,” A voice echos in Twilight Sparkles mind. She looks all about her but can see no one.
“Twilight,” the voice says again. This time Twilight recognizes the voice, it belongs to Sorcery. She looks toward the golden statue of the dragon. The statue that represents how the evil red dragon is still enmeshed inside the being of Cordial’s mind.
“This really is it.” She mutters to herself. “Right now you’re still stuck in there, and in a few moments, they...HE will unmake you. You lose Sorcery.” she says loud enough for the others to hear.
Her friends move up to join her, facing the radiant form of Cordial’s mind, whole and complete for the first time in thousands of years. Flutterthor rushes forward and embraces him.
“Oh Twilight, you overlooked just one small detail.” the voice whispers insistently in her mind. “You were right, the Summergale you fought was just a construct of mine. But what you didn’t think about, was that I can see and hear everything it does.” And with that, the sibilant voice vanishes from Twilight’s mind.
The now complete Cordial faces the statue of Sorcery, with a thought the gold surrounding it’s form shatters to reveal the dragon itself.
“What does that mean?” Twilight mutters to herself again, how can that help him?”
Enveloped in the mental magic of Cordial’s mind Sorcery is forced to revert to his elemental form. The red gem that is the chaos lord pulses malevolently, trapped in Cordial’s golden magic.
Twilight’s eyes open in shock, as she suddenly deduces the meaning of Sorcery’s words.
“Any last words, before you cease to exist, you foul blight on Equestria.” Cordial asks the helpless chaos elemental.
“Just these.” Sorcery replies, his words echoing in all the minds around him.
“No!” Screams Twilight Sparkle.
“SUMMERGALE IS ALIVE!” Sorcery yells.
The golden sphere containing the chaos lord shatters, as the entire mental realm around them reels in shock. All the ponies are thrown from their hooves as a massive mindquake distorts the entirety of the landscape around them.
As Twilight manages to regain her footing she sees the elemental known as Sorcery slowly drift his way up and out of Cordial’s mind, the cavern around them ringing with the mocking laughter of his departure.