//------------------------------// // Alternte ending new official ending // Story: Empress of Flame 4: The burning truth // by Pathious //------------------------------// Sunset was watching as what appeared to be the approaching death of her father. She really didn’t want to be the cause of the death of yet another family member. How had this come to be, Why was Celestia so against her? There were so many questions swimming in Sunsets head. So many that she couldn’t find the answers to. She had been such a wreck since she had crossed over to the human world. All the things she had learned seemed to be coming together in some kind of sick and twisted ending. This couldn’t be the end; this wasn’t how she was going to let things come together. Sunsets slightly glowing Cyan eyes gazed over at her mother once again. She could feel her sisters hate growing inside. The feeling was so overpowering. It was the same feeling she had felt when in the past slash future she had first turned into Empress because of the info of Twilights relationship. Sunset was debating in her head as to if that was a better path then the one that she was in now. “Back away from the stallion.” Sunset said in a very soft tone of voice. “Take care of me and leave him out of it. He has done his time and has not earned the death sentence. You want me dead remember.” Sunset gave a soft smile as fangs were growing in her mouth. She could feel warmth growing inside her. As if flames were starting in the depths of her stomach and heart. “What would you know?” Celestia said as her white wings fluffed as she was getting very uncomfortable. “I have my duties; some of them are not very clean.” Celestias raspberry eyes looked at Sunset as she was approaching her. Celestia seductively put the blade under Sunsets chin. “Besides, your father was never on my list. After all he’s working for me, how else was I supposed to get you back here?” Celestai let out a giggle as Sombra was now unchained. “Sorry dear but getting you gave me my freedom, with slight restrictions.” Sombra said as he hissed at his daughter. His snake like tongue stuck out in a menacing way as he hissed. His eyes were full of Dark magic. “W-what, why?” Sunset said as she was baffled by the turn of events. “I was trying to help you father I was going to help you from her…..Think about this for a moment.” Sunset said as she felt tears forming in her eyes. The magical essence was growing stronger inside of her so the tears evaporated the moment the touched her cheeks. Steam softly coming from her eyes, she was indirectly gaining the attention of the Master of Chaos himself. Celestia had her sword swinging down for Sunset neck when he arrived in a bright flash of light. His eagle talon grabbing the blade inches from Sunsets neck. The natural armor on his had caused him to grasp it without injury. “Just in time…” Discord gave a very sly smile as he witnessed this situation. His chaotic eyes gazed over at Sombra who was in the midst of attacking him. Discord dodged the various black tendrils of black magic that were headed his way. Discord hands were glowing in a golden form of magic. He had promised Fluttershy he would refrain from chaos magic. So his reality altering magic would not be used today. Discord grabbed hold of one of the tendrils and it began to glowing a golden magical aura. The tendril disintegrated as another quickly formed on Sombra to replace it. Discord felt as Celestia had jumped on his back with the sword ready to try and take his life. Discord let out a very animalistic growl as his hand started to glow again. The sword that was at his neck slowly started to heat up causing Celestia to drop the weapon. “Sombra you idiot do something~!” Celestia hollered as she was trying to retrain Discord. Sunset was trying to break out of her magical chains while Discord was doing his best to keep the attention away from her. Sunset looked at Discord who was now looking at her as he had Celestia by the neck and tendrils were wrapping around him. As his snapping fingers were inches from being restrained he let out one reality altering snap. This magic was not to help him but to help Sunset. The golden Chains around her ankles disappeared as his magic was now restrained. “Run Sunset go, Find Twilight and the Mane six…. I’ll try and keep these two off you.. NOW GO~!” Discord said as he let out another roar as Celestia had stabbed him, tears in his eyes. “GO NOW~!” He grabbed the sword pulling it out of him as he was overpowering the tendrils wrapped around him. Sunset quickly scampered to her hooves as the marble floor was slippery on her hooves. Discord was badly risking his friendship and life for her. He had promised his friends not to use chaos magic but he may desperately need it soon. Celestia caught a glimpse of Sunset running away. She could let this happen. Celestia tried to take flight but was bitten around the ankle by Disocrd who then pulled her back to the ground. Sombra had quickly turned to mist and followed after Sunset. Discord growled as he tossed Celestia against a nearby wall. He struggled as he got on all fours in an animalistic like stance. He felt Celeastia swip the blade of the sword against his back as he took off after Sombra who was now at Sunsets ankles. He was almost going to stop her when he was forced back to physical form by Discord who immediately pinned him to the ground. He was much bigger than ponies. Sunset stopped and looked back at Discord who had Celestia now coming up behind him with the sword floating at her side. “Discord, behind you~!” Sunset hollered at him with all her might. Discord eyes widened as he swiped his tail behind him tripping Celestia who nearly stabbed herself from falling. “Thanks, now move your flank and find the friendship princess~!” Discord said as he was now fighting both of the enemies by himself. Sombra had black crystals growing around him as he was now getting extremely angry. Sunset really didn’t want to leave him to fight by himself. The magical essence inside of her was now sending out blast waves of energy as she ran. Her magical essence was now reaching elemental status as Empress was growing powerful from all of her hate. Sunset could feel the flames spreading inside of her. The only part of her not overheating was her head. “Discord back down or you will die, don’t you understand?” Celestia said as she tried slicing Discord with the blade of her sword. “I can’t… A friend once told me that if you stop fighting for your friends…then you have nothing to fight for… you will grow cold inside.” He said as he had used magic to slam Sombra against a wall. “You taught me nothing of Friendship celestia that is why your knowledge of it is weak…if I die for her… I die a friend.” Discord pounce on Celestia pinning her to the ground. Sunset was running as fast as she could when she was feeling the full heat of Empress hit her head. The very moment the magic was throughout her whole body she froze in place, Celestia, Sombr, and Discord rushing her direction from the other end of the stained glass window hall. Sunsets whole coat color burst to flame that dissipated fast leaving her in a rose color instead of her usual amber. She let out a painful scream as dark magic started to flow from her eyes and her fangs were growing bigger. The three other individuals focus was now on Sunset who now floating six feet of the ground. Sunsets gaze quickly shifted to look at them as she let out another blood curdling scream. She was now a little taller as rather large demonic wings shot out of her back flapping slightly. Wind rushing through the torn areas of the wings. Her mane and tail started to flow as the only thing left to change were her eyes. Time felt like it had slowed down. Sunset was filled with pain now as she closed her eyes allowing empress to now take control of her. When her eyes opened again the whites were now black as she slowly floated to the ground laughing. “Back away from the draconaquus” Empress said as flames were lightly accenting her hooves now. The sword that Celestia was using magic to hold was quickly and easily swiped from her by Empresses stronger dark magic. She levitated the sword over to her. Empress looked at it as she licked the blade causing it to melt by the touch of her hot tongue. Sombra could feel the dark entities mass of magic. This caused his knees to shake at the opponent that now stood before him. Discord had the biggest smile on his face as he slowly limped backwards to back away. Empress waited for him to be far enough away before she spoke again. “You think you can dim the flames of truth, come dim these flames. Dim my light.” She smiled as she showed her fangs. “You think you can beat the both of use…?” Celestia said as if she was not fazed by the demonic entity that was once tiger lily. “I would like to see that happen.” Celestia said as she had made another sword manifest in her magical grip. Empress started to chuckle before letting out a singing note. “Tonight, my head is spinning” She sang as her irises started spinning upon the word spinning. “I need something to pick me up” She spread her wings as she slowly walked towards Celestia a scythe made of dark magic appeared at Empresses side. “I've tried but nothing is working, I won't stop, I won't say I've had enough~!” she closed her eyes slowly before opening them to continue. “Tonight, I start the fire~!” She yelled out as her mane and tail started to flow faster. The drapes on the windows setting a blaze “Tonight I break away~!” Empress raised her front hooves in the air before slamming them to the ground causing cracks to form at her hooves “Break! Away from everypony, Break!, Away from everything” She swung her scythe at Celestia who proceeded to block her with her sword. “If you can't stand the way this place is Take, yourself to higher places” She sang again as she pulled her scythe away before floating up using magic to throw the weapon like a boomerang. The scythe missed Celestia for she had dodged the attack. Celestia rolled to the side and upon standing up she sang back to Empress as the fight continued. “At night I feel like a vampire” Celestia sang as she formed a magic shield just when flames from one of empresses attacks started to form around her. This shield protected her from the flames. “It's not right.” She teared up as she closed her eyes. She opened her eyes staring at Empress with a now angry expression. “I just can't give it up, I'll try to get myself higher” She pointed at Empress with her balde now. “Let's go” Celestia sang as she flew up after empress. “We're going to light it up~!” She swung only to be parried by empress who was wielding a much bigger weapon. “Tonight we start the fire~! Tonight we break away~!” Both empress and Celestia clashed ending the singing as the fight had officially started. Celestia swung her blade barely grazing the skin on Empresses front right hoof. Empress was losing her grasp on her sanity that was keeping her from repeating history by trying to take over equestria. Empress swung her scythe as she used the blunt end to knock Celestia out of the air. She slammed into a wall losing her breath as Empress landed beside her. Empress was in her mid-swing as Twilight had finally come into play. “Empress stop~!” Twilight hollered. Empress stopped her attack and immediately looked over at Twilight. “Don’t kill her, I know you’re angry, I know she hurt you. Please just… don’t hurt her.” “If you truly knew my hate for her you wouldn’t stop me. She is the reason i….” she stopped her sentence as she had felt something stab right through her. She shouldn’t have been distracted. She shouldn’t have let her guard down. Celestia had stabbed her right in the base of the spine. The blade had gone in an angle so its exit wound was right out her chest and through her heart. Twilight was almost speechless as she had not seen such an act coming from Celestia. The blade was then pulled out by Celestias magic as Empress crippled to the ground clinging to life. “Celestai nooooo~!” Twilight rushed to the demons side as there was black blood pooling on the floor. Empress looked at twilight that was now elevating her head off the ground so she wasn’t cold during this. “Twilight go….You don’t need to see this” Empress choked out some words as her cyan eyes gazed at Celestia who was now wobbly standing up. Empress then thought back for a moment and realized something. “T-twilight come close… I n-need your help.” Empress coughed. Twilight came really close as she was met with Empress locking her lips to Twilights. Black veins started to form on twilight resonating from her lips as she started to spark. Empress was now Sunset shimmer again as she had transferred Empress to Twilight. Twilight let out a scream as she felt the flames quickly consuming her She was quickly transforming into midnight Sparkle. Once transformed she looked at Celestia who was swinging at her already. Midnight used a hoof and knocked the swinging blade away. The blade melted upon impact of her hoof. Midnight grabbed Celestia with magic and locked eyes with her. “You’re going to burn Celestia.” Midnight said as flames starts to resonate around them. She looked towards Sunset who was now lifeless on the ground. Midnight closed her eyes and time began to slow down. Empress did not have the same kind abilities as Daydream so she was unable to reverse time. Midnight opened her eyes and looked at Celestia again as sombra who had been stunned this whole time was turning to dust. Celestais eyes were filled with tears as her soul started to burn. Celestia died from her soul being burned Twilight sat upon a grassy null. A picnic was all set up as she was sipping whine waiting. “Is she always late?” Twilight said to herself as she was looking off into the sunset sky. “No I’m not.” A voice sounded from behind twilight. An amber unicorn sat by her kissing her delicately on the lips. Sunset shimmer was this mare. The burning of soul can replenish the life of another. And my friends is what you can call. A happy….ending. The journey was long, the love story confusing. But in the end love is the victor and love….will carry on. No matter what. Sunset Shimmer had a rough life. In the end nothing kept her away from what she loved most. Every waking moment she tried to change for her. In the end what she was trying to change is what brought them together. What of Daydream and Empress you ask? Well you see They’re around. They are always around. The tale of them never ending. Empress lives within Sunset along with Daydream. Whether or not they pose and threat. That is unknown. After all the flame….never dies out.