//------------------------------// // Chapter 47: Rage // Story: Avatar: The Last Alicorn. Book 3: Unicorn // by Jeweled Pen //------------------------------// Twilight lifted a hoof before thrusting it forward, sending a massive ball of destruction and fire at the nearest airship. A part of her cringed at the sight of the pegasi fleeing for their lives and struggling to get away, but she suppressed it deep. She wouldn't hesitate, not this time. She even saw a few of the shadowbolts, their dark uniforms seeming to glow green in the strange night. They circled around her, but a quick explosion of wind and fire sent them racing away. She was the Avatar, when she truly tried, none could hope to stop her. The flames then encircled her body, making it impossible for any of her enemies to come close, and she used every bending trick she knew to destroy them. She wrapped them in tight, deadly winds and threw them hurtling at each other, creating panic and disarray in their ranks where ever she went. The screams, explosions and sounds of blades cutting the wind filled the air, but she ignored it. She drove herself forward like a nail, through the ranks of airships that stood in her way. Arrows turned to ash long before they could reach her and the pegasi who dared to draw close found themselves hurtling to the ground. Some of them might die, but it didn't matter. Not anymore. Too many depended on her, if she hesitated again, more of her friends might die. Off in the distance she could see the purple glowing dome, a reminder of what was at stake. If she didn't stop it, more ponies would die, they'd lose. She wouldn't allow that. There was a light sizzling as her tears were evaporated by the flame. ------ “W-what is she doing?” Fluttershy asked as she watched the fiery destruction. “T-those poor ponies...” “I have no idea, would somepony please tell me what's going on?” Rainbow asked, the frustration echoing from her voice. “It's Twilight, she's, well,” Rarity said softly. “She's plowing through the airships and... driving everything down. She's making a way for us though, we're piercing through.” It was true, their airship was following in the wake of the alicorn's destruction, flying over the burning wreckage of the destroyed vessels. On either side of them, full war was breaking out as pegasi and griffon fought in the sky, blades and hooves cutting through the air. A few of the Water Nation vessels were even being boarded by earth pony soldiers, though their distinct lack of wings put them at a rather large disadvantage. They were outnumbered, but fierce. Twilight driving straight through the line was also having a disorganizing effect on the fleet as well. Some ships tried to move to block their passage, but quickly found themselves a target of the alicorn's might. None of them had ever seen Twilight fight in such a way. “I think she's trying to break your record for most airships destroyed,” Pinkie said gently as yet another vessel was sent hurtling down in an inferno. “She's... killing them,” Fluttershy said softly. “Ponies die, this is war,” Applejack said softly. “We all knew this could happen. Might happen. It's... their own faults. They should know to get out of her way by now.” Indeed, many of the ships were doing just that. The lines were being scattered as some of the vessels turned tail and fled, running from the battle. Plenty of the pegasi were doing the same. They had them outnumbered, but the ferocity of the Avatar was something none of their enemies wished to face. The cliffs that penned the battle in made it all the worse, since there was little for the ships to do to escape the alicorn's might, aside from completely breaking the line and flee. There was another blast of heat as one of the ships exploded, sending wounded pegasi and charred pieces of wood to the ground. “Twilight's... doing what?” Rainbow asked. “Hey, come on. This is Twilight we're speaking about. There's no way she's fighting like that. I've seen her, she's--” “She just took out four Shadowbolts,” Fluttershy said softly. “I... I think they're still alive but... they... oh.” “Ah don't think they'll ever be the same,” Applejack said softly. “There are so many of them. Ah don't think she can keep this up forever. She needs tah rest, tah... ah, finally! She's comin' back! She's... what in tarnation?” The alicorn broke off from another airship and dove towards the nearby cliffs. She began spinning and drilled straight through the rock, drawing a gasp from Applejack. “She can't intend tah... but there's no way. She won't, she... oh buck.” The cliff portion that towered over the airships began to teeter and wobble. There was no doubt of what would happen next and the enemy airships brimmed with retreating pegasi, ponies throwing themselves from their vessels in an attempt to escape what came next. The cliff side fell over, collapsing onto the nearest air ships. The balloons held for a second before jagged shards of rock pierced the balloons and they began to fall. The ponies stared in awe at the hole in the fleet that Twilight had created. “What's going on, what happened?” Rainbow asked. “Twilight just... dropped a mountain on 'em,” Applejack said softly. “Ah didn't even think she... had that kinda power. What in... Twilight!” The alicorn glided in and collapsed on the bow of the ship. She dropped to her knees as the fires died out around her and she panted, wheezing for air. “Are yah okay? What in blazes was that? Are yah tryin' tah get yourself killed?” Applejack asked as she galloped to the mare. “Yah can't fight like that, you're gonna burn yourself out an' bite off more 'an yah can chew. Are yah hurt? Anythin' broken?” “I-I'm fine,” Twilight said softly as she got to her hooves. “C-can't stop, need to keep going. T-they'll fill that hole, they'll send more ships. We need to push through, now!” She tried to take off, but was gripped by her tail. “You've made us a hole and we're pushing through it,” Rarity said, her magic wrapped around the mare's tail. “But you need to rest, conserve yourself. It won't do any good if you're exhausted. Calm down.” “I can't calm down, everypony is depending on me!” Twilight snapped, shaking her head. “I need to stop this, now! Don't you see?” She motioned to the sky. “Discord is almost here. If we don't stop him now, I fail. I can't fail again!” “Easy girl!” Applejack yelled, stomping her hooves. “You're wound tighter than a hog tied pig wrestlin' a squid!” The alicorn paused for a moment and stared at the mare. “What?” “Yah need tah relax. It ain't gonna do any of us any good tah have yah chargin' in an' gettin' yourself killed. Take a few deep breaths an' think about this.” The Avatar sighed and took a slow, deep breath. “Your right. I'm sorry. I'm calm. Let's summon the elements to end this.” “Very well,” Rarity said before releasing the mare's tail. The five friends then lowered their heads and, after a few seconds, their elements appeared around their necks. They then turned to the Avatar. “Well, darling, where's yours?” “I... I'm trying,” Twilight said softly as she gritted her teeth. But, try as she might, it wouldn't appear. The element wasn't coming, it was resisting her. Her breathing began to quicken. “I-I can't summon it, it's not working!” “W-what?” Applejack asked, her eyes widening. “It's not coming, no no no no,” the Avatar said as she shook her head. “It's not coming, it's...” She closed her eyes and stomped a hoof down. “I won't fail. Not this time.” Before the others could object, she took off, leaving the ship behind. The princess lunged and tried to grab her, but was too slow. “We've gotta stop her,” Rarity said as she watched the alicorn blaze across the sky. “She's going to burn herself out. What if she gets hurt, or even killed?” “We can't do anything from here,” Applejack said with a sigh. “She's blazing a path for us an' we're makin' it through. We jus' gotta hope she can handle it. In the mean time...” She glanced to Rainbow and smiled. “Ah suppose there is one thing we can do. Rainbow, yah can still bend just as well as before, right?” “Of course I can. Being blind doesn't ruin my bending. Not like it does any good though.” “Well, it just might. Come on, let's give Twilight some support. I'll aim, you blow.” Rainbow stared at the mare, even though she couldn't see. She then burst into laughter. “Okay, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say. I doubt it'll work at all.” She then smirked. “But it'll be awesome, I'm in.” “Ohhhh, can I help? I have lots of magic aiming experience!” Pinkie said with a giggle. “Just a shame she doesn't have a horn.” “Yah know what? Sure Pinkie, let's see what yah can do.” The group walked to the bow of the ship and aimed the pegasus towards the enemy ships. ------ Twilight blew through ships and pegasi that dared to block her way, her wings flapping as hard and fast as they could. Her element wasn't working, she couldn't summon it. They needed it if they were going to have any chance of defeating Nightmare Moon. And yet, she'd failed. She was going to fail. NO NO NO! She shook her head and sent another stream of fire down on a ship. She would not fail, not this time. It didn't matter if she didn't have her element. She would destroy all in her path and wipe out everything they had. The next ship tried to raise up higher, out of reach, but it didn't stand a chance. Another burst of flame lit it up and sent it plummeting to the ground into an inferno. She wouldn't fail. She would blow a path through these ships if it killed her, and then they would stop this ritual. She looked up to the sky. The great ball of green magic was so close, almost staring at her. She felt a tug at her heart as she thought about the seals that had gone into place over a hundred years ago. Starswirl had tried so hard to seal that monster away, yet he had leaked out. Just enough to cause impossible to measure destruction and ruin countless lives. Now it was her problem, her job. She would deal with it and destroy it. Discord would be stopped, here and now. He would never get another chance to ruin this world, it was hers. She would not fail. She burst through another ship, the flames surrounding her and turning all to ash in her wake. Then she was through. She looked back at the wrecked ships and began to turn around. But nopony was coming near her. The line was broken and more of the ships were breaking into full retreat, flying over the mountains and making their best effort to escape her inferno. She scanned the ships for a moment before diving towards the nearest one. The pegasi inside quickly took to the air, fleeing her wrath. For a moment she considered pursuing them, but instead settled for burning yet another ship to ash. They were winning, the Water Nation was on the retreat. Only one thing came now. The final assault. She looked back towards the ship with her friends, it was making its way through the destruction, with more ships following behind. They had it handled. She took a deep breath and turned back to the glowing purple dome. It was surrounded by the tents of the Water Nation and their grounded soldiers. The air forces couldn't stop her and the soldiers on the ground were all that stood between them and victory. She dove. ------ “Oh... oh no,” Rarity whispered as she watched the mare dive towards the dome. “She can't go there alone!” “Ah don't think she cares,” Applejack muttered. “She's plowin' through everything. Even them fancy Shadowbolts can't seem tah touch her.” “Yes, but they'll have benders on the ground. Earth benders, water benders. It won't be her bending powers versus normal pegasi.” Applejack cringed and looked towards Pinkie and Rainbow, the two working in combination to keep any of the Water Nation's ships from coming close. “Well, looks like we're goin' down, girls. We need tah get this ship down as fast as possible! Captain! Lower us!” The captain looked up, confusion on her face. “But what about--” “Doesn't matter, get us on the ground, we'll take it from there!” “As you wish.” ------ Twilight slammed into the ground, sending the ponies nearest to her toppling over and making the ground ripple out in a wave of dirt and stone. She didn't hesitate, lifting forward on her front hooves and then kicking out with her back hooves. The ground erupted into a flaming swarm of rocks and dirt, burying the ponies behind her and sending them flailing back. She took a quick step to the right as a spear pony charged her, though she sent the pony hurtling back with a wave of her wing and burst of powerful air. A moment later, the ground began to rumble under her. She leaped into the air as the spikes erupted, narrowly avoiding them. She then lowered her head and flame burst from her horn. She sent a steady stream across the ground, scattering the ponies and making them flee for their lives. A boulder shot at her, but she shattered it with her front hooves and flapped her wings faster. She caught the rubble in her winds before sending them raining down on the ponies. More of the ponies galloped away. She landed on the ground again and the flames erupted out from her body, sending the nearest ponies toppling and screaming back. She thrust a hoof forward and the ground drove forward, burying more of them. “ENOUGH!” Twilight screamed. Her hooves suddenly felt heavy and a quick look revealed them to be encased in stone. She snorted and flapped her wings faster, sending a whirlwind out from her, picking up ponies, rubble and tents into the air before making them fly outwards into pained heaps. Her vision was blurry from moisture, but she ignored it. She had to end this, now. She couldn't let them stop her. She had to push through. Her eyes landed on the dome, still glowing purple, an affront to all she had worked to obtain. Every fight, every lesson, every sacrifice. They were trying to undo everything with one massive spell. She wouldn't let them. Couldn't let them. “AGHHHHHH!” she screamed, stomping her hooves down and taking off forward like a dart. The winds and fires swirled around her as the ground erupted underhoof. She wouldn't be stopped or slowed. She blew past each wall and pony, sending them scattering before slamming her hooves down and sending another wave of destruction outwards. A shard of ice impaled her right hoof, making her scream. She stopped and pulled back, looking down at the wound, the ice already evaporating. A quick examination revealed the wound was little more than a cut, the ice already almost gone when it penetrated her barrier. She glanced to the source and scowled. Water benders. A small herd of them, standing with buckets of water. They formed another spike of ice and sent it hurtling at her as one. This time she was ready. The fire formed on her horn and she sent it out, enveloping the icy projectile. Steam filled the air as the two fought, the water benders struggling to keep the ice going and stop it from melting, while she kept the stream of fire going to melt it. The ground under her shifted, making her fall backwards and her fire die out. The spike shot forward and she barely managed to avoid a direct blow, narrowly rolling to the side and getting a long gash down her side. She let out a soft whimper, before getting back to her hooves. Earth benders, water benders, soldiers. She would beat them all, fight through every single one of them. Her heart was beating rapidly and she could feel the muscles in her body burning as she pushed herself harder and harder, but she wouldn't stop. She couldn't stop. She lifted into the air and drove herself forward like a nail into the Water Benders, the adrenaline pumping in her ears. She was the Avatar. She wouldn't fail again. She burst into the midst of their ranks and, using their own liquids, sent a small wave of air and water outward. There were scattered and she quickly went back on the offensive, sending waves of rock and stone after them. Her assault was blocked as earth ponies jumped in the way, raising their own wave of stone to blocks hers. “Give it up, surrender!” she yelled, shaking her head. “The Water Nation falls today!” They didn't answer, instead launching rocks from all sides. She dove under the ground and prepared for her counterattack. Their silence just made her angrier, the hatred bundling within her stomach like a ball of fire. They would take everything from her if she didn't stop them. It didn't matter what she wanted, what she did. So long as she stopped them. She had to stop them. Twilight erupted from the ground, sending rocks and dirt raining down on the ponies. Water and stone spiked out to meet her, but she was ready. She broke each attack with her own bending, before redirecting it towards her enemies. But they wouldn't stop. She fought with a ferocity she'd never known, bending all the elements into powerful, deadly assaults before launching them at the ponies. But for every one she wounded, two more would take its place. Her body burned and her vision was so blurry she couldn't see half the time, but she couldn't stop. She had to go. She had to fight. She had to-- A rock slammed into the side of her head, toppling her over. For a second she was stunned, but that was all they needed. Water swirled around her and turned to ice. A moment later, the ground opened up and enveloped her, casting her in darkness. The two benders worked in unison, encasing her with their strongest magic as she struggled to break free of the bonds. The ice cracked under her assaults, but reformed almost instantly. As powerful as she was, she couldn't form the elements like this. Only water. She was outnumbered and helpless. She failed. She was going to fail. If she could sob, she would have. But she couldn't. She couldn't breath, couldn't move, couldn't do anything. Encased in the ice and dirt, she couldn't even see. The prison shattered. For a moment she was blinded by the light, squinting. Her friends stood around her, even Rainbow. Applejack and Rarity were staring down at her. “Yah okay?” the earth pony asked. “Y-yes, I-I'm fine. I need to go, though. Nightmare's in-- Rainbow, what are you doing?” Twilight asked as the pegasus groped her withers for a few moments before finding her face. Rainbow then grinned and gripped the horn for a second before slamming her head forward, headbutting the alicorn. She dropped like a rock. “Ow ow ow ow! W-what was that for?” “Sit down and stop going all nutso on everything,” Rainbow yelled, pushing a hoof out to pin the alicorn. “Don't move. We're dealing with this. Don't worry girls, I've got her.” Twilight watched helplessly as her friends charged into the fray. “S-stop, stop it! I-I need to do this, m-me. It's my element, it's not working. I... I...” “So? That's no reason for you to go running off, elements blazing. You're good, but you aren't invincible.” “B-but I need to stop them, I... I have to. I-it's my duty. My job. If I don't, if I don't, what'll happen? Look at how many ponies have died now. Look at what happened to the Great Dragon. Look at what happened to you! I have to stop this, now, while I still have a chance. If I don't, ponies will die, everything will fail and--” She was cut off as a hoof was jammed in her mouth. Rainbow sighed. “Twilight. ENOUGH. You can't do this alone. You can try, but you're just going to get hurt. You know what's going to happen then? You'll die. We'll all fail. You need us, just as much as we need you. So stop running off like you have some kind of death wish. Let us help you.” Twilight whimpered. “But... you'll get...” She looked over the battle and whimpered. Her friends were risking their lives, they were fighting everything and... actually, they were doing a really good job. Even Fluttershy was doing a rather fine job of disarming and defeating the soldiers. “You'll get hurt...” “So? If we get hurt, we get hurt. But as long as we're working together, who cares about a few mistakes? We'll still win in the end.” The pegasus took a deep breath. “Ponies get hurt. It happens. There's nothing you can do about it. But a lot less ponies will get hurt if we work together, than if we run off alone.” “But... but we're--” “All ponies. Including those of the Water Nation.” “W-what? Who cares if they get hurt! They--” “You care,” Rainbow snapped. “Don't pretend you don't. You know who these ponies are, what they are. You care about each and every one of them, even if they're our enemies.” “N-no... no I don't. We have to stop them, we--” “Have to end this war. We have to defeat the Water Nation. We don't have to slaughter them to do it. Twilight, you've always been after... well, less fatal means. I mean, heck, you nearly had a breakdown the first time one of the soldiers died in front of you. Not to mention the ponies you met while we were traveling through here. Do you really expect me to believe you just stopped caring if they live or die?” “Well... I mean... I... I just...” “No,” Rainbow growled. “You didn't. You're the Avatar. It's your job to care about all the countries. This isn't you. You aren't some mad killer, running around and blowing everything up. Even if it looks awesome. Stop trying to fight what you are just because you're scared. We don't need somepony who blows everything up and asks questions later. We need Twilight Sparkle, our friend and ally. The nerdiest, most eggheaded and chicken winged pony I know.” The alicorn whimpered. “But... but I can't h-hesitate. I have to... I have to stop them. I have to... do whatever needs to be done. I--” “You don't have to do anything. We have to do this. All of us. Together. Or have you really forgotten all you've learned so fast? Do you really think you'll be able to do all this without us?” Twilight opened her mouth to speak, before slowly lowering her gaze. “Oh... b-by the sun. Y-you're right. You're so right. I just... I-I'm so scared...” she whispered softly as the tears flowed out. “I can't... I can't do this.” “Yes, you can. You can because you have all of us. It doesn't matter how strong you are, we're all there for you. Okay?” Rainbow patted her back. “Now come on, we've got a battle to win.” “You're... you're right. We do.” Twilight slowly got to her hooves. She could do this. They would do this. She wasn't alone, her friends were there with her. The crown appeared on her head and, one by one, each of the six elements began to glow with a brilliant light. The alicorn closed her eyes and after a moment her friends appeared by her side. “It's time to end this. Together.” The soldiers soon laid on the ground, many hurt but still alive. There was now nothing that separated them from the dome, only a single wall. The orb of magic was now directly overhead, its green glow almost dazzling. “Come on, we end this now!” Twilight yelled and the six surged forward. The doorway to the dome was pushed aside as a tall, dark figure stepped forward. Her armor glowed in the darkness and her eyes were cold and merciless. “So, Avatar. You've come. I've been... waiting for you.” “Nightmare Moon,” Twilight said softly. “This ends here. Now. Surrender, you can't win!” “End this? Why would I, when victory is so close at hoof?” Water swirled around the unicorn's head. “Come, Avatar. Face me if you dare.” The six looked to each other, before giving a quick nod and turned to the ruler. It was time to face their destiny. The end of the war.