//------------------------------// // Flickering Flame // Story: Empress of Flame 2: Flickering Flame // by Pathious //------------------------------// The light in the sky was getting brighter as sunsets anger grew. Deep inside of this light hovered Sunset shimmer who was very much awake. Her eyes completely black, Black tears had been streaming down her face. Sunset was filled with so much hate that she was burning up inside. "I want out, Let me GOOOOOOO!" Sunset screamed as loud as she could. From this high up though there was no pony whom could hear her plea. "See no evil hear no evil....Feel n-no evil." Sunset kept repeating to herself. She was trying to calm down "Empress let me go. LET ME BE FREE~!" Sunset yelled out. The pain deep inside Sunset only grew worse as she screamed out. As she screamed out fangs slowly and painfully began to form in her mouth. Her head slowly looked down as her eyes closed. She was absolutely exhausted. The yellow shield of magical light that was holding her up there was starting to get darker. Sunset just wanted to get out. She had been stuck in one place for two years. Two agonizing and terrifying years. Sunsets entire body went limp as she began to drift into a dream state. Ever since she had been up here she had these off and on moments of sleep and consciousness. She had only been up her for twenty minutes now and she had already passed out ten times. Sunset was no in a much darker place. She looked around her dream. She looked behind her and all she saw was more darkness. Then when she looked forward again she saw empress. Empress was bound to a brick wall. She appeared to be chained there. The demon was in a human form. Sunset ran over to her darker side. "Sunset h-how long has it been?" Empress said as she was looking towards the ground. "E-empress w-why are you bound like this? D-did I do this to you?" Sunset said confused. "Sssssssssuuuuuuunset........" empress said in a hiss as she slowly faded away. Sunset reached for her. Her amber like hooves turning into amber colored hands. Empress had fully disappeared. "No Empress... I need you come back." Sunsets head lowered in sadness. Sunset actually began to feel tears form in her eyes. Empress was evil but Sunset had no idea how to fend for herself without her. "EMPRESS COME BACK~!" Sunset yelled out as she suddenly woke up again. She was once again still in the mass of light that remained floating in the sky. Sunset was slowly being broken down into nothing but a sad depressive mare. Little did she know that Equestria was already planning something against her. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Celestia was pacing back and fourth in her throne room. Guards surrounding her in a protective formation. Celestia was deeply and truly scared. She felt she had only one way to deal with this new problem that appeared to be getting progressively worse. "Guard prepare the squadron We must assault that light with all of our flying forces. Make it fall, I can not have any more panic." Celestia gave out a kill order. She hated ever having to use one, but she was scared she felt there was no better plan. The guards would not oppose her command. They simply nodded and headed of to become a weapon. Celestia lowered her head once they were gone. "Sunset.... forgive me for what I'm doing." She sighed as she looked over to see the throne room doors closing. Celestia looked out the window. She stared at the light in the sky. One last guard looked at her. "I'll go make sure the guards are all ready for the assault." The guard then slowly left the room. Celestia placed her hoof on the window and let out a singing note. "I am standing on the edge of returning or just running away. I am letting myself look the other way. And the hardest part in all of this is I don't think I know my way back, home. Is it worth the journey or do I let my heart settle here~!" Celestia closed her eyes letting a tear role down her cheek. "How cold have I become?" Celestias wings spread slowly as she sang. "I didn't want to. Lose you by what I'd done. Caught in the gray." Celestia turned and walked towards her throne as she sat she continued her song of sadness. She wasn't specifically singing for anypony she was singing situationally. "I don't wanna look you in the eyes you might call me away. I don't wanna give you the chance to make me stay. And the hardest part in all of this is I know my way back I don't want to Go and let you see all that has become of me~!" Celestia sat down her eyes shifted to look out the window. She could see her flying guards flying up towards the light. "I should've know, I should've known I didn't have a chance~!" Celestia closed her eyes and another tear fell down to the floor. "Now squadron, we have no ide what this thing can do so be careful. This thing could be deadly." A guard leader said to his squadron flying by him. "Lets get this job done clean and fast~!" The squad started flying in high gear. Sunsets dark eyes looked over in there direction. At first she saw it as a possible rescue mission. But then she saw that everypony there was armed. Sunset pawed at the sphere around her. The light was very solid. Which meant it must have been some magic sphere. "Come on Sunset think, think. Get mad~!" Sunset yelled at herself. She was getting frantic. she closed her eyes. "Twilight doesn't love you.... Twilight does not love you." Sunset said as if trying to get herself angry. "Twilight doesn't love you." Her efforts were hopeless. she just wasn't getting angry. "Alright stallions Don't hold back~!" The squad leader rand into the shield with his spear healed outwards. The spear went right through the sphere. The sharp end stabbing Sunset right in her upper shoulder. Sunset felt the pain surge through her body. Tears immediately filled her black eyes. She looked down to see the spear in her leg. She looked forward and she felt like time slowed down. A spear was breaking through the spear and headed directly for her face. Sunset began to instantly turn into a form she had once tried so hard to hold back. Within an instant Sunset turned form herself into the Empress of Flame. The spear was inches from slamming into her face when it began to melt. The glowing ball around her went completely black. All of the glowing essence had disappeared. The sphere baa to crumble into ash as Empress quickly flew out of it. Her massive wings knocking one of the guards out of the sky. Empress was then being quickly pursued by the rest of the squadron. Empress knew he couldn't out fly these stallions. She also knew they were bent on killing her and sunset. "Forgive me for what I'm about to do." Empress said to herself as she looked back at the guards behind her. "Give me your best shot~!" She quickly turned around as her horn glowed forcing fire at them like a flame thrower. Empress was grazed by a spear on her side as one guard managed to get by the flame as others were forced to fly back. She felt her darker blood start to drip a little. Empress turned and chased after the stallion who had managed to wound her. She tackled the guard out of the sky. Empress had her mouth around his neck as she and him began to plummet to the ground. Empress fell through the roof of Canterlot castle. Her grip on the pony still firm and tight. After she had tackled the pony through the building Empress laid nearly unconscious herself on the throne room floor. Celestia whom was still in her throne was wide eyed and staring at the scene. Empress slowly stood up as she turned towards Celestia in anger. She walked over to go attack her when A guard came down through the hole stabbing a spear directly into the side of the empresses chest. Empress let out a whimper as she started to collapse to the ground. a spear now in her side. Her dark cyan halo of eyes watching Celestia the whole time. Twilight Sparkle had entered the throne room at that very moment. Twilight was practically speechless. She never thought she would see empress again. "Celestia WHAT HAPPENED~!" Twilight rushed over not to Celestia but to Empress. "She was going to attack me twilight. S-she had to be dealt with~!" Celestia said as if trying to prove her point. Twilight on the other hoof was not buying it. Twilight walked away from Empress and then got in Celestias face. "When did we start killing our enemies. We are soused to try and fixed them with friendship." Twilight said as tears were filling her eyes. Now you may have killed Empress and Sunset~!" Twilight looked back at where Empress was laying two seconds ago. But Empress was not there anymore. Twilights eyes widen almost instantly. "Where is she. W-where d-did she go?"