//------------------------------// // Twist of Fate // Story: Let's Duel! // by Snake Staff //------------------------------// All that Twilight could feel was pain. Crushing, blinding, fiery pain that engulfed her head and drove out anything else. Conscious thought vanished as she tumbled to the ground, clutching at her skull. It felt as though Des Gardius’ claws had wrapped around her own head, and no matter how hard she tugged at it they wouldn’t come off. Each passing moment only seemed to tighten the imaginary grip. Twilight couldn’t help it – she screamed her lungs out. Time passed, though much too slowly from Twilight’s perspective. Each fresh heartbeat brought a fresh lance of pain to her head as the pressure mounted. Her lungs hurt from the constant wailing, and her throat was dry. But, eventually, the feeling of pressure about her head began to lessen. The grip grew weaker and weaker, the intense pain slowly fading away into a dull throb. After what felt like ages, Twilight managed to force one eye open. She got a look at the toe of a fine leather boot inches from her face. “Finally up for it, are we?” came the sound of Nightmare’s voice. Slowly, painfully, Twilight forced her shivering, throbbing head to rise and look upwards. She was rewarded with the sight of Nightmare Moon looming tall over her, arms folded across her chest and a smirk on her face. Behind her, the Masked Beast Des Gardius loomed, claws flexing eagerly. “Did you little fools really think that you could defeat me?” Nightmare asked. “Were you so arrogant, so blind as to think that mere skill with a card game could help you? Your pitiful souls are far weaker than mine, and my power over the darkness is infinite. You never had a chance in a Shadow Game against me. The only reason I haven’t yet torn your screaming souls from your carcasses is because I want you to know how useless this has all been. How utterly meaningless everything you have done has been.” As Twilight’s eyes slowly drifted around, she saw the sprawled forms of the others spread out across the murky ground. Their breathing was shallow, and their bodies almost motionless. Their eyes, where she could see them, were clearly on Nightmare Moon. “Nothing you did has changed anything,” Nightmare continued, grinning. “Your petty victories in matches of cards and holograms meant nothing! In fact, they only helped me. When you threw yourselves into the fight, the power of your dueling spirits flowed to me! Thanks to you I tore myself free to walk the world once again! You may think that you were brave, that in fighting my servants you struck some blow against me, but all you did was take the coward’s way out! If even one of you had refused, had faced death rather than duel, you might well have changed the course of the entire world! I needed the strength of your very special dueling spirits – your blood would have achieved absolutely nothing!” We… We should have died?! Twilight thought. If I had refused… and perished… would the princess be alright? Would the world be safer? Is it… is it my fault? “And you only made it worse for yourselves by daring to challenge me! Not only have you failed to accomplish anything against me, but now your souls will be trapped in the Shadow Realm for all eternity! Your lives and memories, your hopes and your passions, all stripped from you one by one until you are nothing but a wailing specter, cognizant only of your own endless torment!” I… I did this to us… Tears began to well up in Twilight’s eyes. “And as for you, Twilight Sparkle…” Twilight forced herself to look up through blurry eyes. Nightmare Moon was staring directly down at her, a vicious-looking smile plastered on her face. “How does it feel, little girl? Knowing that you’ve sealed the eternal destiny of not only yourself, but five other souls? Knowing that you’ve not only lost, but helped me every step of the way? Knowing that soon I’ll crush your precious princess just like I’ve crushed you? You made the mistake of testing me, foolish girl, and now you and those fool enough to follow you shall pay the ultimate price. How does that make you feel?” “I…” Twilight wheezed. She found that she could say no more. Her vision blurred ever further, and she felt hot liquid rolling down her cheeks. “W-Why?” Fluttershy’s voice, weak and stuttering, cut in. “W-Why are you d-doing this?” “Because you challenged me. Because you defied me on my very night of triumphant return. Because a warm-up for a main event is useful,” Nightmare answered, looking idly at her fingernails. “And, frankly, because the suffering of my enemies deeply amuses me. A girl should always remember to have fun.” Twilight tried to say something, but the words caught in her throat. “So, I’ll ask you this one more time, Twilight Sparkle. You and your little friends have lost. How does that make you feel?” Time, for Twilight, seemed to slow to crawl. Her mind was whirling turmoil of emotions mixing, parting, dominating, and submitting to one another. Dull pain continued to eat away at her conscious brain. She couldn’t think. Everything was moving too fast. Her feelings wouldn’t let her. Her body wouldn’t let her. All she could do was feel. So she said what she felt. “You’re wrong,” she said quietly. “What?” Nightmare’s voice was soft, hissing. “What did you just say?” “I said…” Twilight raised her trembling head slowly, meeting the woman’s gaze. “That you’re wrong. We haven’t lost.” “Aha ha ha ha ha!” Nightmare threw her head back and laughed. “You’ve been hit on the head too hard, little one! I’ve already destroyed all of your monsters! You lie broken at my feet! And you say you haven’t lost?!” “I say.” Twilight gazed up into her enemy’s face. “I say not only haven’t we lost, but that we’re going to win.” “Are you insane?!” She laughed again. “Look around you, fool! Your souls are doomed!” “I’m perfectly sane.” Twilight forced herself onto her knees, arms quaking with the effort. “And I say that together, we’re stronger than your Shadow Magic and your Masked Beast. We’re going to win.” “Aha! Aha ha ha ha ha! Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!” Nightmare Moon clutched her stomach, roaring with laughter. “You pitiful, insignificant fools! Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!” “I… don’t know how… but…” Twilight heard Rarity’s hesitant whisper, through Nightmare’s laughter. “I… just… feel that she’s right.” “Maybe… we can…” Fluttershy said, a little slowly. Rainbow was next. “We’re still… gonna beat her…” “I ain’t…” Applejack panted. “Givin’ up.” “Count me… in…” Pinkie breathed. Around Twilight, slowly but surely, the other five girls were beginning to stir. First one, then another, and then another. One by one each forced herself up off the ground, their bodies weak and trembling from the exertion. But still they came on, rising onto their knees and then, ever so slowly, onto unsteady legs. Through it all, Nightmare Moon was still laughing wildly, clutching her sides and not even deigning to look at them. “Ha ha ha ha ha ha! We’re going to win! Oh, that’s rich! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!’ Nightmare reached up with one finger, wiping a tear from the edge of her eye. “That’s just too–” she stopped suddenly as she caught a glimpse, immediately swinging her eyes back down towards the group. “We won’t lose,” Twilight insisted with a conviction that surprised even her. “We’re going to win here, Nightmare Moon, and do you know why?” “Do tell,” she answered, hand on hip. “Because you have Shadow Magic, and us?” Twilight felt her mouth curling into a smile. “We have the magic of friendship.” Even as she spoke the words, Twilight felt a warm sensation moving through her body. It began at her chest, around the heart, but quickly spread itself to all corners of her form. The feeling was... comforting. Pleasant. Powerful. It took her a moment to realize that she was starting to glow. “And together, we’re stronger than–” “NO!” Nightmare’s eyes had shot wide open, and she took a step back. “Not again! Des Gardius, eliminate them all! NOW!” The three-headed fiend bounded in front of its mistress and raised one clawed hand at the closest target – Twilight. The heavily muscled arm came down, palm smacking into Twilight’s side. The girl found herself sailing through the air like a baseball, hitting the ground roughly almost twenty yards away. It didn’t hurt, but Twilight didn’t even think of that as she immediately sat up. On the spot where she had just stood, Des Gardius was just hurling the last of the other girls into the distance – all of them in a different direction. Wait, why didn’t it use its claws? Why bother… Twilight’s eyes widened as she perceived the beast’s strategy. Its blows didn’t cause harm, just push the other girls and herself around. Whatever the weird glow was, it had shielded them from harm. But even as these girls… her friends… sailed into the distance, the shimmering energy dimmed away. The further they got, the less potent the energy. When she looked at herself, Twilight realized that the glow had faded almost entirely. “Excellent!” Nightmare pointed. “Finish Sparkle off first!” Des Gardius bent its knees and leaped high into the air, all but vanished into the Shadow Realm’s black mists. Twilight rolled frantically as the massive fiend burst out of the fog all but on top of her and falling fast. The ground shuddered at its impact, razor-sharp claws puncturing the almost fleshy earth right where Twilight had just been. The Masked Beast raised one long leg and stomped. Twilight again rolled along the ground, just barely avoiding being crushed. It tore its claws from the ground, leaving them covered in purple-black ooze. Des Gardius stomped out again, but this time well ahead of where Twilight was rolling to. Caught between its legs, she had nowhere to go as the fiend raised high one clawed hand and… Took a burst of gold-orange flame to the chest. It was Des Gardius’ turn to sail through the air, crashing roughly into the earth and gouging out a trench that halted almost directly at its mistress’ feet. Twilight forced herself to sit back up as she looked around in naked astonishment. “What?!” Nightmare snarled through clenched teeth, clutching at her own smoking chest. “Who dares to–“ “That,” answered a voice Twilight couldn’t fail to recognize. “Would be me.” Twilight turned her head towards the source. Her eyes opened to the size of dinner plates, her jaw almost unhinged itself. There, in the depths of Shadow Realm, shining like a brilliant torch on a moonless night, stood Princess Celestia, her face a mask of determination and fury. At her back was the massive Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, smoke drifting gently from its opened beak. “Celestia…” Nightmare hissed dangerously. “You’re early.” “I was tipped off,” Celestia answered, taking a few steps forward. “It seems your minions overlooked a certain someone.” “Those fools!” She gritted her teeth. “They’ll pay dearly for that!!” “Despite what you’ve done, in the name of our past I’m going to offer you a chance to surrender.” Celestia seemed almost to glide over the black ground beneath her, long rainbow hair flowing in a breeze that wasn’t there. The light seeming to come from her pale skin felt warm and comforting, like a bright summer’s day. Twilight managed to stand up, feeling rejuvenated by its mere presence. Celestia positioned herself and her monster between Nightmare and the others. “Otherwise,” Celestia continued somberly. “I cannot guarantee your safety.” “My safety?! Ha!” Nightmare smirked as Des Gardius rose again, baring its claws at the Sacred Phoenix. “You should be far more concerned with what’s about to happen to you!” “Princess Celestia!” Twilight called out to her mentor. “Twilight!” Celestia’s head whipped around to face her. “Are you alright? Are the others alright?” “I’m fine!” she called back, looking around. “I’ll live.” Rainbow Dash was standing up herself. “As will I,” Rarity called out. “I’m… um, ok,” Fluttershy managed. “I’m still in it!’ Pinkie shouted. “I ain’t done yet!” Applejack finished. “I want you all to stand back and remain behind me,” Celestia ordered. “This madwoman is extremely dangerous!” Twilight hesitated. “But we–” “Twilight!” Celestia’s tone brooked no disobedience. “All of you! Behind me, now!” “Yes, princess…” she muttered, hurrying towards the others, who were likewise running or hobbling as best they could towards her. “Protecting the weak again, are we?” Nightmare chuckled. “How noble of you. So sad that’s its all for nothing! You will fall here, and your souls will be devoured!” “I take it that you refuse to back down, then?” Celestia’s voice sounded oddly… sad. “I didn’t last time and I won’t start now!” Nightmare Moon clenched her fist. “Don’t forget, dear princess, that I know your deck and all of your moves! Even your god card is no mystery to me!” God card? Twilight’s eyes widened. The princess has a god card?! “And don’t think you can use the god card you stole from me! You know that it won’t turn on its rightful mistress!” This lunatic used to have a god card?! “I assure you that I wouldn’t be so foolish as to try,” Celestia answered calmly. “But if you refuse to surrender, then I will do what I have to do to protect the innocent.” “You always were a stupid little goody-two-shoes.” Nightmare snorted, slipping a card from somewhere. “But in the end your defiance is meaningless! Behold my secret weapon!” Nightmare Moon held her card high into the air. Twilight couldn’t make it out, but Celestia gasped and took a step back. Moments later, lightning ripped through the mists to strike the card, bathing the Shadow Realm in blinding white light. Beneath Twilight’s feet, the ground began to shake. “Watch as I summon the beast of your ultimate destruction! I call upon the powers of the god of despair, my invincible Dystopia the Despondent!” The earth trembled and then, without warning, exploded. Twilight and all the others were flung to the ground, Celestia alone remaining on her feet, as the ground behind Nightmare Moon went off like a nuclear bomb. Great chunks of black earth the size of trucks and houses rained down, but Celestia held up a card of her own, and those that would have fallen on the girls instead vanished into swirling portals. From the gaping hole in the earth rose a creature like nothing Twilight had ever seen. Humanoid and black as midnight, Dystopia’s mighty visage towered over everything on the field, making the Sacred Phoenix and Des Gardius look like little more than child’s toys in comparison. Even Spike’s Kaiju monsters would have been utterly puny next to this new creature. A black, crown-like crest topped its head, and baleful, soulless red eyes glared down at its enemies. The beast folded its two massive arms across its chest and growled, a deep rumbling that shook the much-abused earth even further and forced all six girls to cover their ears and curl up. “AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!” Nightmare Moon roared, arms wide and face nakedly triumphant. “Behold my great beast! Your doom is here! BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!” “That card was sealed away,” Celestia muttered. “By my sister and I…” “And I had my minions break the seals!” Nightmare crowed. “Now this card serves me, and I will use it to rend your pitiful soul from your body! It’s all over for you, Celestia! HA HA HA HA HA HA!” “We’ll see about that,” Celestia answered, her own cards beginning to orbit around her head. “There’s not a card your deck that can save you!” Nightmare grinned. “Last time it took the strength of two gods to defeat Dystopia! But you only have one!” “That’s where you’re wrong.” Celestia’s voice was perfectly even, save for a faint undertone of melancholy. She picked one card into her hand. “And that is why you will fail here.” “Huh?!” Celestia slowly turned her card around. “I-Impossible!” Nightmare’s eyes were wide, and she took several steps back. “That c-card hasn’t existed for ages! Not since the Pharaoh departed this world!” “Very possible,” Celestia replied. “N-No! I don’t believe it!” Celestia bowed her head slightly as she held up the card. “Great beast of the sky, please hear my cry. Transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight.” There was a great flash high above the earth. Shadows dissipated as a column of light descended from on high, driving into the ground behind Celestia. The already fragile earth trembled and cracked still further. Overhead, inside a hole that had been blasted into the Shadow Realm’s fog, a newcomer appeared – a blazing orb of pure, blinding golden light. Twilight and the others were forced to shield their faces against. “Envelop the deserts with your glow,” Celestia continued to chant. “And cast your rage upon my foe.” Barely able to see through the radiant aura, Twilight could nonetheless make out motion from the majestic sphere. Slowly but surely, the great orb was splitting open, parting and rearranging itself. “No!” Nightmare backed off still further, shielding her own face with one hand. “This isn’t possible! This must be a trick!” “Unlock your powers from deep within, so that together we may win.” The sphere seemed halfway transformed now. Great golden wings and mighty clawed legs were visible through the shining light. The wind returned, hot and fierce, whipping through the Shadow Realm with enough force to drive any ordinary human to his knees. “Appear in this Shadow Game as I call your name.” Celestia’s eyes rose to the heavens, her arms spread wide. “Winged Dragon of Ra!” The column of light flickered and then exploded. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut as waves of brilliant golden light overtook them all. She shielded her face with both arms, but it wasn’t enough – even with her eyes closed everything looked bright as daylight. Heat waves washed over her as she curled up on the ground, blistering skin unfortunate enough to be exposed. At last, the light dimmed and the temperatures fell. Twilight dared to open her eyes and look up. Her jaw dropped. Hovering behind her mentor was the largest, most majestic dragon she had ever seen. Dwarfing every other monster present, the almighty golden beast radiated power, hot winds rolling off of its scales. Its red eyes glared at its enemies, its clawed arms braced. Ra’s vast, fanged maw hung open, raw flames licking at the edges. The god monster roared, the force so powerful it swept Nightmare Moon from her feet, sending her sprawling before Dystopia. “Behold, the most powerful of all the Egyptian God Cards!” Celestia raised a hand high into the air. “And my secret weapon.” “This is impossible!” Nightmare half-screamed. “That card was destroyed ages and ages ago, and there was only ever one copy! That must be a counterfeit!” “Do you think Ra’s spirit would respond to a counterfeit, except to smite me for impudence?” Celestia asked her. “No, that card is very real.” “Where could you have gotten that?!” Nightmare rose to her feet, fists clenched defiantly. “It hasn’t been seen since it was in possession of the King of Games himself!” “You’re wrong,” Celestia said calmly. “There was another time it was used. But then, if you had known about that you wouldn’t be surprised that I tracked the card down.” “Grrr…” she ground her teeth. “It doesn’t matter! I still have Dystopia!” The black giant looked across the field, clenching its fists and growling at the golden dragon. “Alright, my mighty god monster–” Nightmare clenched her fist, cape billowing out from behind her. “–attack her dragon now!” “Winged Dragon of Ra, counterattack!” Dystopia clenched its fist and pulled back one arm, dark energies concentrating around its enormous hand. Ra opened its mouth wide, exposing human-sized, razor-sharp white teeth. An orb of brilliant yellow and orange flame began to take shape inside its mouth. At the exact moment, they attacked. Dystopia threw a massive punch, a shadow fist the size of a house flying from the end of its arm. The Winged Dragon launched its massive fireball. The two attacks fly through the air, colliding with one another head on. For a moment, they strained against each other. And the next, they exploded. A billowing shockwave rocked the Shadow Realm, sending all six girls flying. Twilight couldn’t hear, couldn’t think. And as an impossibly bright white light washed over her, see couldn’t see either. Everything was an endless, bleak white. The last thing she did was scream. “Uuuurgh…” When next Twilight became aware, she found herself lying on something soft and cool, with little tickling objects all over the front of her body. Every bit of her ached, and trying to move seemed to be almost futile. Trying to push herself up with her arms proved pointless – they quivered and collapsed within a moment, exhausted from the night’s events. But I guess this isn’t what eternal torment feels like… she thought dryly. So I guess that’s good news. As feeling and consciousness slowly returned to her, Twilight became aware that all wasn’t quiet. In fact, she could hear the sounds of several, simultaneous, ongoing battle all around her. “My move!” called a familiar voice. It can’t be… Twilight thought. Shining Armor? With one more surge of energy, she managed to force her neck to turn vaguely in the direction of the voice. One eye barely consented to crack open, but it was enough. She could make out the familiar armored silhouette of her older brother, back to her and cards in his hand. Two of his mechanical monsters were also visible in the darkness, their backs to her as well. What’s he doing here? she wondered. “Alright, I’ll sacrifice my Ancient Gear Knight and Ancient Gear Soldier…” he declared, both of his monsters vanishing. “So I can summon my Ancient Gear Golem!” A towering mechanical colossus rose up behind Shining Armor, massive gears grinding steadily and fists clenched. Its sole red eye gleamed brightly amid the darkness, the crested helmet it wore only making it more visible from every direction. “Ancient Gear Golem, attack her Demise, King of Armageddon! Mechanized Melee!” Gear Golem pulled its fist back and then, gears whirring, threw a single crushing punch. A phantom copy of its fist flew off the end of its arm and out of Twilight’s sight. She couldn’t see the impact, but from the ensuing explosion she guessed that it had done its job. “And that’s game,” Shining Armor declared. All he got in response was a low, somewhat feminine moan. “Hmph.” He snorted as the holograms faded away. There were other duels ongoing all around her, Twilight realized. Her mind rousing itself at last, she realized to her shock that she was back in Ponyville town square, minus any light sources save dueling holograms. Celestia must have sent them, she realized. While she went to… With a great deal of effort, Twilight managed to turn her head around a little bit. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw all five of her compatriots sprawled out around her, unmoving but obviously still breathing. Her relief turned to worry almost immediately as she realized that someone was missing. Where was Celestia?