//------------------------------// // Melee at the Shrine of Jarukia // Story: Sunset Rekindled // by EldritchNexus //------------------------------// Radiant Dawn felt a blindfold being removed from his eyes, and he found himself chained to some sort of stone altar. He looked around and saw the masked ponies crowding around him. "What the heck am I doing here?!" he shouted at them. "You needn't be so stressful, child." said one of the robed equines. "The ritual will soon begin, and your soul will be purified." "Why?" said Radiant. "What's wrong with how my soul is right now?" "It is tainted by a history of infidelity that has cursed your family for many generations." said the robed equine. "Oh, so it's not just because of my mom's little...stunt at that synagogue in Baltimare." said Radiant, dryly. "Well, that sure explains a lot. Look, are you sure you even have the right stallion? Because my family's not cursed! Or maybe it is, but not with what you might think. Look, you guys must be crazy if you think killing me is going to solve anything." "We do only what our lord Jarukia tells us." said the cult leader, approaching Radiant. "Turn your head, child, and look upon his magnificence." Radiant looked around and saw that the altar he was bound to laid-out in the shadow of the large golden ox statue that he and the others had seen last night. But now that he was so close, he realized just how terrifying the statue seemed to look. Its jewel-encrusted teeth were laid bare and its mouth was bent in a sinister-looking smile. Its diamond eyes were glowing balefully as Radiant looked into them, getting brighter the more he continued to look. The ox's body seem very skeletal compared to how it was when he first saw it, and its horns were starting to corrode. Radiant started to feel very queasy, like he had a bad stomach-ache. "I think I'm gonna be sick." he said, clamping his mouth shut and rapidly gulping down his own saliva to ease the pain. "Radiant Dawn..." said a deep, booming voice. Radiant looked around for the source of the voice, before finding himself compelled to look at the idol again. "I have looked into your past, present, and future." said the voice. "And I have seen much darkness and sadness in your heart. Your impurities will be your downfall." "How?" Radiant replied, mentally. "You will soon find out." said the voice, which now amplified as he spoke: "May the ritual begin! Feed me his soul!" Two of the acolytes clamped a large, heavy jeweled ring around Radiant's neck, then brandished blades from their sleeves. The cult leader spoke: "By the power, and by the magnificence of our golden god, we banish the corruption within this stallion's soul to the Eternal Void! Though we risk losing one of our own people, we make it possible for many more to live in his place. Do not see this as your doom, child. See this as a necessary solution to solve a great evil. For as the saying goes. 'the needs of the many...outweigh the needs of the few! You shall be a hero today...or a martyr.'" "You're all a bunch of mane-iacs!" rasped Radiant, struggling to lift his head up. "He who is without sin....make the first mark!" said the cult leader. Suddenly, a small winged shape sped up from behind and tackled him to the ground. "You are not going to hurt my boyfriend!" said Lightning Dust, trying hard to pin the cult leader to the ground. The other acolytes turned to surround Lightning, but several of them were knocked back by a series of blasts of what was unmistakably unicorn magic; Trixie, Pressure Point, and the Daystar Family had evidently arrived, too. The other acolytes regrouped. "We just want Radiant back, okay?" said Lightning, threateningly to the acolytes. "Don't do anything stupid, or your boss is gonna get it!" "Ha! It is your own stupidity that shall spell your own downfall, foreigner!" said the cult leader. "This ritual must be complete, or certain doom will befall all of Saddle Arabia." "Amethyst Nightcrawler, cease this madness!" Felix Summerset called to him, approaching the acolytes. Amethyst raised his head and looked at Felix. "Ah, young Summerset." he said. "I never thought I would see your face again." "Felix, you two know each other?" said Sunset, approaching them. "Unfortunately...I do, Miss Sunset." said Felix, apologetically, before continuing to speak to Amethyst. "But I know for certain that Jarukia would not have had you conduct a ritual of this sort without putting the victim on trial." "But the lord Jarukia already knew that Radiant Dawn was guilty of infidelity." said Amethyst Nightcrawler. "He even gave us his name when he called for us to bring him forward." "Which is rather unusual, don't you think?" said Felix. "I may not agree with the customs of your beliefs, but I know that your religion does have its own standards. Usually, Jarukia prefers to keep the identity of his preferred offerings vague and open to interpretation. He would never single somepony out, regardless of their infamy." "What are you saying?" Amethyst inquired, who managed to stand himself back up, even with Lightning Dust still clinging onto him. "I'm saying, my old friend, that you've been deceived by a greater power!" explained Felix. "Such blasphemous accusations!" spat Amethyst, swatting Lightning Dust off his back. "None could hold any power over our great god of gold! Jarukia stands alone!" Lightning Dust was knocked off of Amethyst's back, but she was able to fly back to the others just before she could hit the ground. "Amethyst, we could easily prove you wrong." said Scarlet Blaze. "Not even gods are immune to manipulation!" "In fact, Princess Luna of Equestria was turned into Nightmare Moon by--" Golden Sun began. "Bah!" snapped Amethyst. "The ways of the gods we follow in this land are not like those of those princesses your kind dare worship as deities!" "Listen here, Amethyst." said Sunset Shimmer. "We're not here to squabble over whose beliefs are better than who else's. And by the sound of things, this land already has enough of its own citizens. So we're not going to judge your beliefs, since it may have some good points of its own that us outsiders might not be seeing. Instead, we're just here to stop an innocent life from sacrificed, and I'm not saying this because he happens to be my brother. I'd do the same for any other pony." "How sagely of you to say that, little mare." said Amethyst. "But don't think you can sway us so easily. You claim to be indifferent of our beliefs, yet still defy us by trying to stop our ritual. You mock us!" "No! I'm not!" said Sunset. Amethyst backed up to the other acolytes, who all drew whips and blades from under their robes, bracing to protect their leader. Sunset and the others followed suit. But just before either could deal the first blow, there was a loud humming in the air. Sunset and Amethyst both looked up into the sky to see a massive dark shape flying their way: it was the Summerstar! Mauve Mirage looked down from the bridge of the Summerstar through a telescope. She had it zoomed in on the shrine, observing the stand-off that was occurring there. She was able to distinguish the robed acolytes, but the other group took some time to recognize, but she was soon able to identify them from the report Minister Sterling had shown her. "You two!" she said to Nose Nip and Frosty. "Land the airship...now!" "You could say please..." Frosty said to Mauve, who galloped into the hallway. "You...know?" Mauve went to her companions. "Templars, we're going to be landing a little earlier than expected." said Mauve. "But I'm positive we've found the group responsible for dismantling our Fort Echidna garrison. Get yourselves ready now!" The Summerstar landed on the sand-dunes, and its ramps opened up. Sunset and the others at first seemed relieved when they saw that a squad of guards from New Mustangia were departing from it. "Great, the cavalry's here!" said Teddy. "Nose Nip and Frosty really..." "Sunset Shimmer!" said Mauve Mirage. "You and your accomplices are to be placed under arrest for crimes against the Neo-Templars." "Got us into trouble somehow." Teddy finished, grimacing sheepishly. "Templars?!" exclaimed Lightning Dust. "They were templars this whole time?!" "What the heck's going on?!" Radiant called over to them, still tied to the altar. Sunset turned too look at Radiant; she somehow completely forgot he was still on the sacrificial altar. "Okay, Amethyst." said Sunset. "Last chance. Let Radiant go, or we're all gonna have a very bad day!" "Never!" spat Amethyst, defiantly. "Lord Jarukia still demands his tribute! And I see enough potential sacrifices to please him for a decade!" The templars came in closer in formation, brandishing weapons of their own. "Come with us, Sunset Shimmer, and we can discuss your punishment back at the colony." said Mauve. "Don't worry, we can be much more reasonable than those ruffians you encountered at Fort Echidna." "Maybe, but we're not going to take the risk!" said Sunset. "Everyone, pick an enemy and fight!" Sunset's group turned to face both the acolytes and templars at once, and charged forward as the other two groups did the same. The three groups were fighting each other at once all around the shrine. In the confusion, Nose Nip, Frosty, Maud, and Sunflower broke through the ranks and covertly snuck up to Radiant Dawn. "Wow, Radiant." said Frosty. "Ya don't like too great." "I'd say I still look a little better than you." chuckled Radiant, softly. "Now get me out of here!" Nose Nip and Maud broke the restraints on Radiant, while Frosty unclipped the ring around Radiant's neck. Scarlet Blaze and Mauve Mirage circled each other, glaring at one another with great intensity. "So you think you're fool enough to fight me, red?" said Mauve. "I'll let you know I've excelled in three types of martial arts, and I'm not planning to go easy on you." "Fair enough, blue-eyes." said Scarlet. "Ready when you are." The two tall Saddle Arabian mares raced towards each other, and started to thrash one another. Although Mauve was slightly stronger due to being an earth pony, Scarlet Blaze was able to hold her own against her rival. Scarlet also fired clusters of projectiles at Mauve, who simply evaded each blast. "I know just how to deal with you magic types, red." said Mauve, slyly. "Let's see you try casting spells at me if you can't see me!" There was a strong breeze passing over Mauve, who stuck a hoof into the sand in front of her, and repeatedly stroked it left and right, going faster and faster until an entire cloud of sand was kicked-up and blown into Scarlet. Mauve wore a smug grin as she watched Scarlet stagger in place. She casually strode towards her in the sand-storm, ready to finish her off, when Scarlet suddenly leapt into the air out of Mauve's sight. Mauve looked around, but couldn't see Scarlet anywhere due to her own sandstorm obscuring her vision. "Now where in blazes did she--UGH!" Mauve groaned as she felt something heavy fall on top of her and knocked her to the ground. "Looks like you lost this round." Scarlet grinned down as she had Mauve pinned down. "Bloody right I did, ol' girl." said Mauve, nodding her coifed head slowly. "Good show, miss..." Suddenly she struck Scarlet across the face with her hoof and broke free. Scarlet was dazed for a moment, but pursued Mauve out of the sand-cloud. "Limey, redheaded tart!" Mauve shouted back to Scarlet as the two ran away from the site of the battle. "At least I don't talk like a scullery maid from Trottingham!" Scarlet shouted back. "You take that back!" said Mauve stopped, clearly offended. "I am twenty times more elegant than you will ever be, half-breed!" Suddenly, a rock shot through the air and stuck Mauve Mirage on the scalp. Mauve had a dazed, confused look on her face. "Like I said..." she smiled. Then she fainted, and collapsed into the sand. "Nice throw, Maud!" Scarlet heard Nose Nip say behind her. Scarlet turned around to see that the battle had subsided and that Sunset and the others were in the process of tying up the incapacitated templars and acolytes while interrogating the ones that were still conscious. "You two!" Scarlet called to Nose Nip and Maud. "Why don't you carry Sleeping Beauty over to her buddies?" She pointed to Mauve Mirage. "Umm...Okay." said Nose Nip, simply.