Martin watched in horror. “No Michael stop!”
“What’s this? The pacifist is attacking?” He chuckled and easily sidestepped, grabbing Mike’s hoof and flung him into the stone chair. The stone chair broke with the impact and crumbled down. Michael coughed, his back hoof twitching.
Martin facehoofed. “Have you ever fought with a blade before?”
“Once… or twice…” Michael spat, turning around and charging again.
He sighed and bent low, waiting for the pegasus to get close before kicking him in the stomach.
Martin flinched. “No… you don’t charge like that with a dagger…” He looked away when Michael was sent flying again. “God damnit..” He ran towards Thanatos but paused a few feet away, sword at the ready. “Come on pal, don’t waste time with him!”
He turned to glare at the earth pony and the air condensed as if a bunch of weight was forced on Martin’s shoulders. Michael staggered to his hooves, holding his stomach.
Martin fought against it to no avail. “Ya son of a bitch! Just stop these shenanigans and fight like a man!”
“But I am, just not the way you’re used to. You’ve never fought one on one with a unicorn.” Michael tried to sneak up on him but was caught in his aura and flung like a rag doll into another chair.
“Fuck you! Just stop this!” Martin yelled, his helmet holding his head to the ground.
“Very well,” he walked over and looked at Martin.
The weight seemed to leave for a moment and Martin shakingly got to his hooves. “That’s bet-” Thanatos punched him square in the face, the helmet cracking under the blow. Martin took a step back and shook his head. “Je suis Martin… et toi?” he slurred.
“Whoops, I think I broke him. Let me try again. Thanatos said and went to punch him as Michael flew in and tackled him. “Get off me!” he yelled as a magical shockwave launched the pegasus face first into the wall.
Martin shook his head again, trying to clear the cobwebs. “M-Michael? I-ich glaub ich bin nit ganz ber der Sache…” He muttered, his mind coming back.
“Speaking German buddy…” Mike moaned and pushed a rock off himself.
“Was? Ich versteh dich nicht.” He began to chuckle. “Oh… where bin ich… what is passiert?”
A rock flew and hit him in the back of the head. “Feeling better?”
He blinked and looked around. “Eh? What happened?” Blood ran down his head where the helmet cut his forehead.
“He gave you a minor concussion.” Mike said, limping over to his friend, his wing bet at an odd angle.
He turned and looked at him. “Wh-what did ya say? Everything just some weird beeping noise… and I still can’t move…”
Thanatos laughed. “It seems that you guys need a backup plan.” Mike levitated and flew over to him. “That wing looks like it hurts, let me help.” He said and twisted it even more, Mike screaming in pain.
Martin gritted his teeth. “May I get up… I haven’t even fought yet. Or are you scared of me Thantin urr… Tintin, Tictac?”
He threw Michael to the side and the pressure vanished from Martin. “By all means.”
Martin got up and stretched his legs. “Much better…” He picked up his sword and faced him, everything shaking slightly. “Ok…” Martin jumped towards him and faked a stab, Thanatos dodged to the left and Martin swung his sword at his face.
The sword passed harmlessly through his face as his body dissolved into an afterimage.
Martin’s jaw dropped. “What?” He swung again.
It vanished on the second strike. “What, have you never seen an afterimage before?” he whispered behind Martin. How about a little electricity?”
Martin’s nerves ignited on fire as he fell onto his flank, shaking uncontrollably. He cursed and dropped his sword.
The pain suddenly vanished as Thanatos yelled in pain. “Martin!” Mike yelled, holding onto his horn as electricity flowed through both.
Martin quickly got up and grabbed his sword. “Come on mate!” He slowly tumbled towards them, his body still shaking. Martin lunged and went straight for Thanatos’ heart.
“ENOUGH!” Thanatos yelled, a strong shockwave erupted from him as he crushed the floor. Both them and Fluttershy were sent flying, the room crumbling around them. A big ball of smoke and dust flew high into the air, half the roof exploding under the spell. The smoke rose high into the sky, Celestia and Luna watching from their balcony.
After a few moments, the dust began to settle, rock and debris stopped falling. Michael had protected Fluttershy, using his body as a shield as Martin struggled to stand, a hoof on his head.
“Oh god…” He frantically looked for his sword.
“Looking for this?” Thanatos asked as he stabbed Martin in the rear hoof. Martin grunted in pain and saw the dagger lying close by. He reached it, trying not to scream in pain. Thanatos held onto the sword, watching as it slowly tore through Martin’s hoof.
Martin reached the dagger and whirled around, the dagger slicing through the air, straight towards Thanatos’ throat. Thanatos dodged, barely, his throat bleeding lightly.
“Tsk, tsk Martin…” Thanatos taunted, holding a hoof to his neck. “Almost had me.”
Martin yelled in pain and let go of the dagger. “Fuck! You son of a bitch!”
He chuckled. “You’d be right, but I don’t consider her even worthy of that title.”
“L-leave him alone…” Mike said, fighting his way to his hooves.
Martin turned to look at his friend, his vision darkening from the loss of blood. “Michael! Argh! J-just run!”
Michael smiled, blood dripping out of the corner of his mouth. “I’m sorry… I can’t…” He took a deep breath and launched himself as fast he could.
“Oh, what will this accomplish?” Thanatos asked, raising an eyebrow.
“This,” Michael said simply, kicking the blade and snapping it in half. He grabbed the shard left in Martin’s hoof and pulled it out, twirling around and trying to cut Thantos’, his hooves cut.
Martin yelped in pain as he closed his eyes, trying to stay conscious. Somepony grabbed his hoof and tied something tight around his cut. He opened his eyes and saw Fluttershy tying something around his cut leg.
“Shh… it’ll be ok…” She whispered, flinching at the blood and every time Michael cried out in pain.
Martin closed his eyes again, trying to gather his strength. He thought of AJ, her laugh and smile… He opened his eyes and sat up. “Where’s the dagger?!”
Fluttershy pushed it into his hooves as Michael bounced and landed next to them, covered in cuts.
“Well now, what’s this? The Element joining the fight it seems.”
Martin forced himself to his hooves and stood in front of the couple, wobbling on his hooves.
“So you still have some fight left I see?” Thanatos mocked, his body only covered in a few bruises and cuts.
Martin raised the dagger, his hooves shaking. “I-I will fight till I die!”
Thanatos sighed. “Very well… seems like I wasted my time with you humans.”
Martin glared at him silently.
The dagger was grasped from him with a black aura and Martin was frozen. “Goodbye Martin.”
The dagger came back and suddenly Martin was pushed to the ground, grunting when he hit. Everypony stared in silence. Michael stood there, dagger deep in his chest as he took a few deep breathes before glaring at Thanatos and opened his mouth. He collapsed, Fluttershy screamed and caught him, crying as she tried to do something. Martin stared in horror as even Thanatos was surprised.
Mike stared at nothing, his last sight Fluttershy’s blue eyes as the world went black.
=
“Tick tock, tick tock… Time goes on, but what if… it didn’t?” A voice said in the darkness. “Open your eyes Michael, open your eyes and face the truth!” John said calmly.
Mike opened his eyes, coughing as everything was frozen. “Hey John…”
He smiled. “Hello…” He walked towards the down pegasus. “You’ve gotten yourself in quite the mess.”
“Don’t I always?” he chuckled and gasped in pain.
John nodded. “Indeed, but in the end, we would’ve seen each other, no matter what.” He kneeled down and looked at the hilt of the dagger. “We should get rid of that.” He grabbed the hilt and pulled it out.
Michael screamed in pain, stars dancing across his vision.
He looked at the dagger and chuckled. “How do you keep getting yourself into situations like this?” He dropped the dagger and placed a hand on the wound. It itched terribly for a moment before warmth blossomed from it, reinvigorating his body.
Mike looked down and saw the wound completely healed. “By being a stupid stereotypical good guy?” He chuckled and rubbed his chest. “But it was the only thing I could think of at the time… I had to save Martin.”
“Indeed.” He looked at the medallion. “And what do we have here… I think it’s time we got rid of this as well.” He grabbed it.
“Wait don’t!” he yelled, his body going cold.
John smiled and shook his head. “Don’t worry Michael, you have nothing to fear.” He kept pulling the coldness sapping Michael’s strength.
Finally the medallion was pulled off Michael. He flinched, waiting for death. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes and felt warmth return once more.
John held the medallion, cracked in half. His suit burst into flames. Michael looked at him in horror and tried to pat the fires out. “John, what the hell are you doing?”
He chuckled, the flames turned blue and engulfed most of his body. The bandages were eaten by the flames and melted off his face. He looked at the pegasus and he cried silently. “My end is near Michael.”
Time began to speed up again as the flames rescinded and he dropped to his knees, coughing up blood.
Mike held a hoof to his shoulder, trying to hold him up.
“Well, well, well… if it isn’t Death himself.” Thanatos said. “I thought I sensed another presence nearby.”
John laughed and looked at the unicorn. “Yes…” he smiled, showing his teeth and burnt skin.
Thanatos saw the broken medallion on the floor and laughed. “So you removed the medallion… I’m surprised.”
John nodded and got up, his chest burnt and scarred from the fire. “Go ahead Thanatos, time with catch up with us all eventually.”
“Indeed, it seems its even caught up with Death.”
John opened his arms, welcoming Thanatos, and smiled. “Please, we don’t have all day. I have let someone wait for long enough.”
Thanatos stood there for a moment, eyeing John before Fluttershy eeped and flew over to him, the broken sword next to her throat. “I like where I am.”
Michael growled and got ready to attack.
John chuckled and put a hand on Michael’s head. “I may not be immortal anymore…” He snapped his fingers and FLuttershy was engulfed by black smoke. She disappeared and reappeared next to John. “But my magic is still… something I’d consider rather strong.”
“So a wizard’s duel? Even you can’t win against me.” Thanatos said calmly.
John walked towards him. “I have nothing to lose, but I can see your fears. I know you don’t to leave this world before you reached your goal. You’re afraid to die… you are too certain of your victory.”
Only a fool is clouded by arrogance, such as you.” He said, fire erupting from his horn and attacking everyone.
The fire turned to ice. “Arrogance? Truth? Where is the difference?”
“The truth is that only one of us will walk away from the duel.” Thanatos said, controlling the ice to shatter into sharp shards to rain down on us.
“I’m afraid only death awaits for all.” The ice turned into steam.
The steam boiled the room, the temperature increasing inside. Everyone started to sweat. “But some have learned to avoid death, such as the princesses and Discord.”
“No one truly outruns death. You should know nothing appears out of nowhere. Everything has to be created somehow, and if there truly is something above everything. Something that is everything! How do you want to escape it? No one… can outrun it. It was the the beginning and it will be the end.” John grinned devilishly. “And who knows what angers it? Maybe the arrogance of someone who thinks he cannot be defeated?” John picked up the dagger and held it towards Thanatos.
Thanatos was silent, staring passively at John. He took a deep breath before he begun to laugh, the room echoing. John joined in. “What makes you think you may outrun what awaits us all?”
“John, I never said anything about outrunning. I know I’ll die, either today or some time in the future, that’s not new.” His eyes began to glow, his horn sparking with energy. “It’s always been how you die and how you’re remembered.”
“I’m sure many will remember me… Go ahead, kill the end!”
He shook his head. “John, John, John… I’ve never said I’d kill you… but other individuals... “ He shrugged. “I’m not so sure.” The pressure was beginning to build, forcing everypony to their knees. Sparks began to fly throughout the room. “It seems in my various studies, that certain spells have certain advantages… and some disadvantages.”
John smirked. “Indeed, a very powerful spell.” John looked at the lantern on his waist. “Seems I have to make a choice.” He held it up in front of Thanatos, the blue flame licking at the metal, getting excited.
Thanatos grinned. “Let’s see who’s stronger.” The room exploded into fire as everypony was thrown back, Michael quickly using himself to shield Fluttershy and Martin. The blow fractured Michael’s wing and broke a few ribs. Martin was barely conscious, didn’t even feel any of his bones breaking.
The explosion before was miniscule compared to this; the very ground shook, earthquakes hitting towns and cities everywhere.
The lantern shuddered and John chuckled. “Oh my, guess death awaits us both.” The glass cracked and the explosion stopped as the blue flames were released. John was thrown back while Thanatos was swallowed by the blue flames. The flames flickered for a moment before coalescing into a sphere, screams and yells of the damned coming from it.
“The second realm my friend, the world of waiting!” John yelled before turning to look at Martin. He walked over and reached into his chest, pulling out a human ghost.
Martin screamed and slumped over for a moment. Apollo faintly smiled. “I’ve been here long enough…” They both turned and Apollo paused before walking over. “It may not be enough, but you can have my remaining power.” He said, healing Martin of most of his wounds.
John looked at Michael and smiled, his face slowly regenerating. “Thank you Michael.” The two walked into the sphere, sparks of pure energy shooting everywhere for a moment.
Michael smiled. “Say hi to Veronica for me… Get some rest, you deserve it.”
The sphere shrunk, collapsing in on itself before it sent another shockwave through the room and disappeared, the lantern hitting the ground.
Michael sighed and leaned back, holding Fluttershy. “Well… that was fun.”
She was shaking and hugged him tightly, tears rolled down her face.
He rubbed her back gently. “It’s ok…” He looked at his unconscious friend. “But we need to get you to the doctor.”
“Mrwhh... “ He muttered, coming back. “I-I hate to be a bother… b-but I need some bl-blood...:”
“Martin!” AJ’s yell echoed in the room as the rest of the girls flooded in. AJ was at his side in a second, hugging him.
He coughed and patted her back. “A-AJ, how are you?” he asked.
“No talkin’.” She said and kissed him. Twilight came over, her horn aglow. “We’re gettin’ ya to the hospital.”
“Aye…”
Twilight shook her head. “If it’s not one, it’s the other.” She looked at the others. “I’ll be right back.” Her horn glowed brighter and the three of them teleported to the hospital.
He chuckled. “No need to rush…”
For a moment, it was darkness before the hospital lights blinded them. “Oh not again.” Nurse Redheart muttered.
“Hello… how are you?” he asked with a faint smile.
She sighed and grabbed a gurney towards them. With the help of the three ponies, they put him on it and rushed to the operating room. “What happened?”
“Well… I-I got a sword stuck through my leg…”
“Really?” She looked at his back leg and saw the scar. “That looks bad, might’ve done some irreparable damage.” She muttering, getting him into the room.
He took a deep breath, the world going dark. “W-well you see…” His eyelids grew heavy. “I-I think I need a rest…”
A needle punctured his arm and his body relaxed. “This might help, trying to clean your body.”
He nodded and rested his head on the pillow. “Urgh… I feel sick…”
A bowl appeared next to him. “If you feel like you’re going to throw up, let me know. You might feel another pinch…” She said, taking a needle and drawing a little blood.
“Didn’t I l-lose enough blood?”
“Not to me.” She flatly said before disappearing with the vial of blood.
He chuckled. “AJ? You there?”
“Right here sugarcube.” She said, patting his shoulder.
He smiled. “Good to have you here…”
“Well somepony has ta make sure you stay in one piece.”
He nodded and looked at his leg. “Good that you didn’t see that wound…”
She grimaced as she looked at the scar. “Ah can imagine wasn’t pleasant.” She was quiet for a moment. “Why didn’t ya tell me?”
“I was scared… I didn’t wanna get you hurt. And Thanatos asked for only Michael and me… Fluttershy being there was an accident.”
“But ya know we could’ve helped and this wouldn’t have happened…”
“I’m sorry… I wasn’t thinking straight… but when do I ever do that?”
“I bet you never think,” Nurse Redheart said, returning with more supplies. SHe cleaned and patched the remaining cuts and bruises silently.
“Martin, ya need ta know you can trust me. Ah need ta know that you trust me.” She looked at him sadly. “If ya didn’t come back… Ah don’t know what Ah’d done…”
He smiled and patted her hoof. “AJ… I won’t leave your side… never… And even if I would’ve died… You’re the strongest and bravest mare I’ve ever met… I’m certain you would’ve been just fine without me…”
AJ gripped his hoof tightly but before she could respond, a doctor came into the room. “Martin, good to see you among the living.” He said, a smile on his snout as Redheart whispered into his ear.
“Aye doc…”
Another nurse appeared with a blood pack and hooked him up, the blood easily flowing into him. “We’ll just let that run and check on you again in bit. Call us if you need anything, okay? We’ll be back in a few minutes.” He said, leading the two nurses out.
Martin leaned back into the bed and chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“I-I couldn’t have died anyways.. Death is no longer in this world…”
“W-what?” she asked, dumbfounded.
"He’s right you know." Discord said, drinking a smoothie.
The two looked at him. “Hello there… what can I do ya for?”
“Just wondering how you got John better?”
“That wasn’t me, you should ask Michael.”
He raised an eyebrow. Oh? Hmm… He disappeared as suddenly as he appeared.
Martin gave AJ a confused look. “Where’s he gone now?”
“No idea.”
“AJ, I hope you know that I trust you… I was scared… I didn’t want to get you involved…”
She was silent for a moment before she sighed. “Ah know… it just bugs me that ya didn’t even plan ta tell me. Let’s say Death was still here and ya would’ve died, what then?”
“I-I don’t know…”
“Exactly. Ah would’ve had Twilight bring ya back from the dead so Ah could knock some sense in ya.”
He chuckled. “I guess I’m just one big dingus, aye?”
“You could say that again.” Michael chuckled, the girls following him.
Martin faintly smiled. “Aye…”
Michael walked forward. “So this is what it feels like to be on the other side.” He chuckled. “How ya feeling?”
“Bloodless… could be worse though…”
“Could be dead.”
“Y-yep… well, not anymore…”
“Yeah…” he agreed sadly.
“At least…” He held a hoof to his head. “At least he got to rest.”
Michael nodded. “That he did, he deserved it.”
Martin grunted in reply. “Ah… my head feels like I’ve been hit by a truck… think I might take a nap…”
Michael chuckled and ushered the others out. “Get some rest dingus.” He said, leaving Martin and AJ alone.
“AJ, I hope you’re not mad.”
“Ah ain’t mad, just disappointed at mahself for not seeing it.” She patted his shoulder. “Get some rest, Ah’ll be right here.”
He pulled her into a hug. “Thanks AJ…”
She faintly smiled and kissed him gently. They kissed for a moment before he ended the kiss.
“Maybe… when I get outta here I can make it up to you in a way…”
She laughed. “First let’s get ya better lovercolt.”
He chuckled and let go of her, the pillow feeling magnificent. “Aye…”
“Sleep well.”
Before she could even finish, he was fast asleep, weary from the battle and blood lost.