One would think that after suffering that one would simply give up. After destruction and death one would stay down to watch the fight to a conclusion. To stare from the sidelines in a lifeless body; in the void of death itself. When everything is lost, is there anything to return to? When the truth comes out, do you shy away or embrace it? If you are presented opportunity, do you take vengeance or give forgiveness? Do you take up the shackles of a name or embrace its meaning and let it flow? Do you perhaps let your life lay still and allow your enemy to wake, or do you take up sword and shield, magic and might, power and vengeance, anger and rage, and strike him down?
When you are presented with choices, there is often consequences. Aldon, the man who has held a life longer than most understood this as he gazed into his own soul for an answer. A soul of torture, suffering, greed filled lies, deceit at the hands of nobility, slavery in abundance, power in the hands of few, powerlessness, and most of all lost love. He had lost a family before, as perhaps the only one he could call it so. Of course for them, he couldn't exact revenge for. To know that forever he would know that they died in vain and all because he was powerless in the face of power itself.
However, when presented with a chance to gain revenge would he take it? Would he unshackle his soul and let it loose? Unbound the animal in himself and let it roam free? Let it tear enemy limb from limb and then bask in its blood? Would he let his persona stand true, as a monster and something to fear?
He had to chuckle at himself. Life was never kind to the man. Either let them die with no peace, or let himself be presented as the very thing that his friends don't wish of him to be. However to Aldon, the choice was clear as the necklace came off. The bonds to his hate and the shackles to his rage were taken off.
"What will you do then?" The demon asked in the void. "Will you let them die, and let the beast live, or will you fight as the very thing everyone calls you?"
Aldon had learned the truth. He remembered the dragon sound and clear. In days past he was the dragon Lily had bonded with as a child, only to leave her without a goodbye. He was also the one to end her life. To end all of his friends' lives.
"I am merely here to guide you now. I may have been against you in the past, but understand that I have felt your pain and your suffering. Just as I am a part of you, you are a part of me. I have given you all I have before. You merely have to undo the key to set it loose."
Aldon had the power bestowed upon at first on that day. To slaughter those who had taken everything from him, except for the one man who took the most; he had managed to slip away from grasp. Afterwards he was introduced to Deus Occidere, the demon all gods feared and the one who felt Aldon had suffered enough in life at the whims of the gods. The demon learned to fear Aldon's power, and even gave him all of his own to fuel the fire. The demon saw Aldon as he would see no other: a friend. He felt every bit of pain Aldon felt; every emotion,every memory as if his own.
"He parades around as the victim. He has taken the lives of loved ones. He has even taken the lives of innocents right before my eyes. And yet he couldn't even spare their lives when I was gone? I was destroyed and he had to toy with me more; they had to toy with me and kill all I held dear? And now he seeks to destroy everything I touch, see and smell?" Aldon clenched his fist as tears rolled down his eyes and fire erupted in the void.
"He talks about me being toyed with by the ponies, yet he has lied, and taken everything from me! I--I'll kill him!" The fire began to erupt around the void as Aldon's body contorted on the outside, erupting into a hellfire of flames and vengeance. The sun would pale in comparison in beauty and 'fear-striking,' as Aldon's body turned from the man to the demon. "He acts as they all do! He thinks nothing of consequence will happen to him because he is a god! A deity as a dragon! An arrogant god will be put in his place. He has taken everything from me!" Aldon screamed as his body's flesh gave way to reinforced scales of black and red. Thorns popped out of dragon-like head, while he grew even larger. Encompassing a ten feet height and flames rolling down his body. His eyes turned from the gentle blue to the violent, rageful red. His feet and hands turned to serrated claws and formed muscular scales. All hair was gone as he felt fire rush over him. His mouth, that of a draconic demon spewed fire at every breath and held teeth to rival a lion. His muscular frame doubled in size as he grew a tail to encompass the huge weight and to balance. Although as spike grew out of the back, with a dark red flame as a cherry on the top, it was more than just balance.
His flesh held the scars of the past. Flames spewed over the countless formed spikes on the monster's back. Flames also began to emit from the creature's eyes. Not enough to tell unless close enough, but still there to cover over the rageful red eyes. Aldon held his body out in full length, gazing up into the sky. His demonic form etching fear into all. His arms stuck out in a hug towards the sky, while his tail arched back almost touching the creature as Aldon continued to stare into the sky.
"I will deliver him from his cloud in the sky, to the fires below. To a world of suffering. Death will come after he's suffered as I have and as all others who have suffered due to him. He will learn pain!" Aldon stated as the body slowly stood in position, cracking the pavement below and sending dirt and debris away as the winds gathered around the flaming demon. "I will deliver death to the god called Sun Crusher!" Aldon roared into the heavens, signalling not only his return, but the ensuing battle to come.
A Demon vs a Dragon. A Rage vs a Dragon. A Monster vs a Dragon.
Sun Crusher stood arrogant and proud of his victory against the ponies. That roar only gave him rise for more pride to come. He would defeat anything that would stop him from having slaves to toy with. He had run out recently, and wished to secure more, but decided that why not? let's take everyone.
"A beast to fight changes nothing," Sun Crusher announced, "you all belong to me!" he bellowed as he continued his march towards the shaking populace of Ponyville. However, even he knew the power he felt. The power of an unstoppable monster.
While they were distracted, and energy was seemingly flowing back into ponies, albeit at a extremely slow pace, Celestia and Luna stood and engaged their plan while the dragon had his back turned.
"Sister now!" Celestia yelled, gaining not only all of the ponies' attentions, but also the attention of the enemy as he turned around, although it was too late as the two formed mighty respected circles below them. Luna held a firm Moon like symbol below, while Celestia held that of the sun in brilliant opposing colors. Midnight Blue for Luna and Noon Yellow for Celestia. They clashed as the spells combined and formed into a regal white directed at the enemy.
"May the Moon!" Luna yelled. While Celestia yelled at the same time.
"May the Sun!"
"Curse you!" they both yelled together.
"TO OBLIVION!" They screamed as a white beam rushed towards the dragon and his pupils dilated to that of fear.
The dragon roared in pain as his skin melted and did become oblivion, incinerating into floating ash, flowing into the created wind storm from the blast. Everyone took cover as the shock wave crushed over everyone, sending many toppling to the ground for cover, with their appendages covering their faces. As the shock wave died, so did the scream of pain from the dragon. What was left was the front of the dragon, appearing unscathed by the blast, until one would look at the back, seeing bone exposed and even organs in the open. Blood oozed to the floor, creating an ocean of the red sticky substance for all to see.
The dragon wheezed from the blast, but slowly began to laugh at the ponies, sending the princesses into shock as they collapsed from magical exhaustion from the move. They were very close, as his heart was exposed: the weakness to all dragons and the only way to effectively kill one, however it was soon covered up as rapid regeneration took place.
"Foolish little sisters. You were actually very close," the dragon said wincing in pain as he turned, revealing his cranium to be blasted open as well. "But that was everything you had wasn't it?" The dragon gave a sinister laugh.
Everyone stood in shock and both Princesses held guilt: they had left everyone down. It was meant to end the beast before it could do harm, yet they hadn't been able to finish him. Although they noticed a big difference, his regeneration was slowing, yet still much faster than any other pre recorded dragon to be seen using it. It was unnaturally fast as wounds closed in clear sight and the once annihilated section of the dragon came back in storm.
"Everypony!" Princess Celestia announced, gaining everyone's attention. "Run!" She yelled. As she finished all of the inhabitants had teary eyes as the beast approached.
"You shall be my first toothpicks princesses. You will serve as an example." The dragon slowly descended towards the princesses who stood tall towards their fates.
The maine six looked over in complete shock. The princesses were about to be eaten by the beast. Time slowed to a crawl as the enemy lowered his head closer and closer, while his mouth opened to reveal huge and ferocious blood stained and slightly cracked teeth to the princesses. The crowd in the meantime, continued to look over in complete horror for their princesses.
Rarity held a hoof to her mouth, whispering out, "oh no." The main six all held similarly 'shocked-in-horror' expressions. They all recited what Rarity said with her, except for Twilight who gave a glare at the beast who was about to take a practical mother away.
Twilight did have a mother, who she loved indeed, but to her, Celestia was very well one. Even more so for the motherly attitude she's had for Twilight. She has taught her of many life lessons, and even put Twilight to strike out on her own and to learn on her own. To embrace friendship and kindness. But right before her eyes, the very pony was going to be killed, and with exhausted magic, she couldn't seem to do anything about it.
The dragon's face seemed to have a smile as he did it too, only pissing off Rainbow Dash more. She had her hooves clenched, if it was possible, and held anger in her eyes. It was as though she had betrayed her friends. For everyone it was like they had betrayed the princesses.
Stomping could be heard to be coming closer to the engagement as the dragon paid no mind to it, but before they were enveloped in their cripplingly exhausted state, smoky fog rolled into the battlefield, covering it up until the sky. But everyone knew it was neither forecasted, and could also not happen naturally. The princesses held confusion at their situation until out of the corner of Luna's eyes, she could see two bloodshot red eyes peering through the fog; almost like a mechanical red light, but organic as it gave a leer of utter anger to the beast in front of them.
Without his knowing, Sun Crusher experienced another blast sending him crashing to the ground in the fog. The blast in question came to him in the form of a laser alike fire blast, slamming into the dragon and incinerating his top skin, to which he squirmed on the ground in pain. Through the fog, a dark voice rung. As deep as a dragon, and as scary as that of a demon. With each word a continuous breath, from a somewhat large creature could be heard, but somehow enhanced as it spoke; it only increased the intimidation factor as it bellowed its words.
"You bastard!" Sun crusher yelled, "I just had my skin redone!"
"Sun Crusher," the creature said back, having stomps echo to the fact it was approaching. Every word paused for emphasis, "today, you--will--pay!"
5 minutes earlier.
Aldon looked around in his new body. The environment was torn apart by his transformation; one he wished he didn't need to use. The Avatar of Vengeance. However, all thoughts of doubt, guilt, and regret were erased from his mind as images, those which fuel him, flooding his view. Through the fiery eyes of the monster he inhabited, tears descended on the ground and vaporized on contact as he saw the images fade away. Memories of his friends and their great experiences. He could remember throwing a surprise party for Lily, to see her almost cry for joy. The party was one of friends through all sort of meetings. No annoying nobles, or ball or anything to disturb the time they had. Of course the formal birthday was another day, but only friends of the Queen were there, giving her reason for the tears. She never had an informal party before it.
Another time when he sparred with the dwarf. Both of them went all out, to destroy the battle area. The soldiers watching could only fearfully chuckle at the match, some even shaking in their boots. Aldon and Serven though, only had fun as they continued on putting the pressure. They both used their pain and suffering to fuel training and their power. Some would call it dark, but they simply called it fun. Those born from violence, seemingly revelled in it, and the two were no different. As the fighting continued, it got to immeasurable heights, with both of them at their max, until Heather came in to end it in the only way she could; battling. Then it was a free for all as we all lashed out at each other, each holding their ground. Although Heather was struggling, her ferocity ultimately won her the battle. Of course, Aldon never used his transformation, as it put too much stress on him, reminding him of past events and tragic upbringings. Every tragic photo or array of scenes would pop up in one.
Another such time is when they first came to truly know each other. Escelva and Aldon had a mutual relationship of neutrality, with Escelva only training Aldon to control his magic very limitedly. Although, after a battle to determine their fate, from which they were forced to work together, they bonded as brother and sister. Escelva had lost much just like Aldon. She even lightened up to the dwarf, who inevitably held feelings for the woman. It was a relationship they both shared eventually, and up until the death of Aldon, it had gone strong. They could've had a happy family, and settled down. Been together as husband and wife. Raise a few kids and enjoy a peaceful life, but of course, just like everything Aldon touches, it was taken away. The beast smiled as the images flashed away, only to reveal their corpses.
He would never see Lilly again, and dreams were shattered without any second thought. And even then, he couldn't leave him alone. Sun Crusher had to continue on his quest from his leaders to strip Aldon of joy and slight happiness. Even if it only a small fraction, he had to strip it away. He wanted the dragon to pay, and pay in blood and battle. To suffer as he has suffered because of the dragon. To suffer as the ponies, who had no reason to be attacked have suffered. To correct the tragedy that happened that day and to remove an arrogant god from the world. The beast smiled as the images flashed away, only to reveal their corpses.
He began to maneuver his heavy body to the battle, sensing impending danger, he turned a corner. What he saw was the princesses about to be eaten. Sun Crusher was smiling and revelling in it. The main six were all horrified, and Twilight had tears running down her face. He felt compassion for the pony. To have someone close stripped away, or at least that's what appeared would happen. Aldon, however, had different plans as he let the water around him steam away, and buildings burned to a crisp as he moved, the flames being mouses in comparison to his lion of heat as buildings turned to ash and a smoky fog moved towards the group. Right before Sun Crusher could finish the job, Aldon let the anger swell up inside of him and let it loose towards his enemy, in the form of a 'laser-like' beam of fire, sending the dragon toppling back and squirming on the ground.
The dragon yelled out something that Aldon couldn't care less about as his eyes lit up in anger as he spoke the next words with fear following them; "Sun Crusher," he addressed, "today, you--will--pay."
Hope revitalized as the princesses stood shocked as the demonic beast approached. The body of a demonic dragon. It held the power of a dragon, with the structure, build, and terror of a demon. The anger and rage of the one they knew as Aldon inhabited the beast. As it approached, it took them all in, gazing at all of the unconscious and dead ponies, seeing a few he had never seen, but looked to the ones he did and simply stared trying to get a message across.
"Celestia, Luna," The demon addressed, gaining their attention from the shock, and also destroying the shock of everyone else in the fog who could see him. "Get everyone away," he said.
"Who art thou? And why do you think you can command us?" Luna asked, to which the creature approached closer, revealing heavy scales, demonic flesh and intimidating, flaming horns. Its eyes bore into the princess of the night, until it shook its head.
"Please Luna, do this so that no one will die. Take all of the unconscious away." Luna contemplated trusting the demon, while Celestia was still lost in thought.
"We shall heed your words, but we are not finished discussing. We wish to know how you know of us and we not of you." The demon slowly noded as Luna turned to her sister.
"Sister," she started, still having Celestia in deep thought. "Sister," she tried again, a little louder; still nothing.
"Sister!" Luna yelled, funaly gaining the princeses attention.
"Oh, yes. Everypony!" She yelled to the one conscious in the fog, namely a few scattered guards and the main six, "please, we need to move everypony who is unable to fight!"
The main six all nodded to each other as they looked to the unconscious unicorns and pegasi. While the princesses were exhausted, the dragon couldn't seem to hold onto their power as it returned, even giving consciousness to some of the downed ponies as they looked around, and some seemingly ran from the new demonic creature present.
"Everypony run!" A newly conscious pony screamed, "demon!" Aldon had to laugh at this, as while they would stand and fight a dragon, they would run from a thing like him. Although, he did look scarier, with the flames and structure with it.
"You little thing," Sun Crusher spat as he slowly got up, "you finally bare your teeth." Aldon turned his head to see the creature that dwarfed him by immense proportions. A giant to him, but Aldon held no fear, or any feelings of being intimidated. "Why would you stop me?" he asked, completely confused.
"I put them all out of their misery." The dragon said, gaining a smirk as he talked.
"They were simple cattle without a master. A chicken without a head. You should've seen their faces as I rid them of it. It was simply priceless." The dragon began to laugh on the memory, as the monster's body fell silent and unmoving, with darkness creeping over its face in front of the two princesses, who themselves, were appalled by the words coming out of the dragon's mouth.
Everyone overheard the words, and looekd to the monster, who held a garb of darkness over his face, slowly scrunching up his clawed hands into a ball of anger.
"That's just cruel," Rarity said while helping to move some of the still unconscious soldiers out of the way. Some of them. of course still held immense fear for the beast who had just entered the fray.
"Ah would buck that dragon to the mountain if I could," Applejack said, holding anger in her honest voice. She however, held shocked eyes as well, as everything coming out of the dragon's mouth was true.
"Sometimes I wondered why the gods kept saying they couldn't kill you?" The dragon asked, slowly walking to the unmoving beast. "They can take everything from you, yet not the life you hold?"
Aldon looked at the dragon, with his body carrying the darkness it held, as the air began to stop moving. Everything began to heat up. Magical pressure increased around everyone as they walked away, and even too did the princesses as they looked at the fight about to ensue.
"I'll kill you." The angered demon voiced, as air began to burn and fire was summoned in its open palms. "You took them!" It screamed as it leapt to the dragons face, faster than most could see. The dragon's eyes dilated, but the same smiling face met the demon's eyes as burning fists of crimson red met with it.
The dragon stifled back, as some of its scaled oozed off. "Now we're getting somewhere," the dragon said, as he could feel the demon's energy feeding into him. "This power, it's so magnificent. It's so wonderful. It fills my tummy and makes me hunger for more," he thought out loud as the dragon's scales regenerated back and the demon landed on the ground with a slow levitation at the end.
The demon roared as it charged the dragon, slamming into the dragon's chest, sending him toppling over and the fog dissipating letting the town view it with their own eyes. The dragon seemed to get bored with the formalities and began to fight back as both unleashed a fire beam at each other meeting with a clash in the center. A hurricane spawned at the center, as winds pushed everyone back and made some shield their eyes as wreckage, and foliage went flying.
"This is so exhilarating," the dragon sounded, as he pushed the demon back. The demon was losing, as the dragon continued to gain power from it.
"That thing rushes in with no thought. Sister, how shall we handle this?" Luna asked her sister.
"Let them battle it out Luna." Celestia stated, gaining confusion, but eventual affirmation from her.
"Give me more power!" The dragon yelled, as it continued to beat the demon back with his blast, to the point where it was baring down on it. The demon wailed and angered pained cries. "Aww, are you already dead? What a pity." Sun Crusher finished his blast, revealing a demon writhing on the ground in pain.
"You can never win," The dragon stated nonchalantly as he slowly approached the demon, to place his foot and begin to crush it out of existence. "Once I'm done, I will rid this world of happiness too. They will all serve me or die," the dragon cooed as it continued to apply pressure on Aldon's demonic body.
"How...?" the demon asked aloud, to which the dragon maniacally smiled and bellowed in laughter. The demon tried to push the weight of the dragon off.
"You failed them," the dragon started, getting further spark out of the demon as it continued to push with more strength. Celestia began to see the anger swelling in the beast; more than anger. "You failed your friends, you failed everyone here, and you even failed that little red head," the dragon stopped. The dragon looked at the reaction as the demon began to churn under him. He got the reaction as more power flooded into Sun Crusher, giving him a wonderful feeling of power itself. The demon was his play thing to do with what he wanted. Everything on the planet was; they were all his toys, but the demon just turned out to be the best at the moment. His favorite.
"I watched it all," the dragon said, gleaming with a wide grin. "It was so fun to watch her beg and plead for her life as they took it from her." He could feel the power increase and his enjoyment only increased with it. "You let her die," the dragon stated, as it still increased and the demon laid silent as before, gaining power through anger.
"But to me it was very enjoyable. Like a play to watch, it gave me joy as they used her," the dragon's words left its scaly lips. Luna understood what the creature was now. The fire, the anger, the imposing and intimidating magic as the same man they had met in combat a week earlier. It was in fact Aldon being tortured by words and pain.
"Sister, it is Sir Aldon," she said, still not gaining Celestia's attention. Celestia knew it was Aldon. Her sister had told her of the nightmare, and all of what had happened and she too had connected the dots, but she wished to see his reaction. She wanted to see his power. It was curiosity in the most base form, but it overtook her.
Everyone reacted differently at the ongoing scene. Some with fear and intimidation, some with anger and yearning to destroy, and some with shock and sympathy. The main six all felt horrible, as Hammerhoof could only give compassion to the demon. His friend had to hear that all, and just like Hammerhoof, would have to go through life knowing he couldn't save them. But Hammerhoof wouldn't lose a brother. He just needed to spark his fire. To break his chord and let it loose. It wouldn't be pretty, but it would save everyone and give everyone satisfaction, including Aldon himself.
"Brother," Hammerhoof yelled. The demon didn't move. "You might not have been able to help your friends, or your family," Hammerhoof yelled, as everyone paid attention to him, even Sun Crusher. "But, you can do something now!"
The princesses looked at the pony, who stood proud and tall for what he said. He knew what it was like to lose those close and not being able to stop it. However, while it did help, the next words were the ones to spark the dragons downfall. Sun Crusher would remove himself from the world.
"Even at her dying breath she gave you that smile, only to see you fail in life. And then my favorite part, they used her body for their own pleasures. Wasn't it beautiful?" The dragon asked, while sealing his own fate.
The dragon's body began to overload itself with power. He began to choke on it as the demon launched Sun Crusher into the air with a swift push. The red eyes bled as flames burst forth from them. The body erupted in dark flames of red and black. The unstable flame showed itself as it coursed over his body. Winds circulated as everyone ducked for cover. Even the town's inhabitants, who stood a fair distance away, were being bombarded by heavy wind gusts and immeasurable magical pressure. Instead of just a feeling and guiding force, the magic was literally taking shape and almost forcing people to their knees. The ground in the vicinity of the demon burned and melted away, with barren, burnt soil in its place. Like a bubble, the area of complete anihilation was set and on the move.
"You want power?" The demon asked in renewed rageful vigor. "Let me show you power!" He yelled as the dragon began to come tumbling down, still choking on the power he was receiving. The demon let his arms fall back and his head go forward as his body contorted in bright colors from his stomach to his mouth, until a dark red beam, more powerful than before erupted. The flames burned into the dragon, sending scales oozing off, and pain screaming from Sun Crusher. He tried to shield himself, but his wings only got blown off in the process, shocking everyone as the dragon slowly crumbled to nothing.
"Oh Celestia," Twilight lowly whispered to herself as she saw it.
The dragon kneeled on the ground as the fire continued to pour onto him. A dragon's heat resistance was a thing of the past as everything melted; scales, then skin, and then muscles and finally bone and organs, until his entire chest was opened up and his beating heart was in sight.
Everyone had clear sight to what happened next, as the dragon tumbled, coughing up blood, and with it flooding out of his body. "Wait, wait," the dragon began to plead as magical pressure flooded over him and regeneration ceased completely. He was powerless as he looekd to the monster in front of him. "Please stop!" The dragon pleaded. "I'm sorry!" he yelled afraid of death that was approaching.
"You are nothing," the demon said, devoid of emotion and even darker than before. Aldon was gone inside of it, and replaced by his avatar of rage and violence. "I will put you out of your misery," the demon said, continuing to walk towards the fearful beast. Sun Crusher continued to plead as the demon got closer. "For your crimes," the demon slowly said, as he stood in front of the dying dragon, "you will die!" And with that the demon lunged his hands forward, pointing palms at the heart as with it, fire and destruction rained towards the life of Sun Crusher.
Everyone cringed and looked away in horror, fear and shock as the dragon roared out for a minute, until he ceased, and a broken, battered, incinerated and burned body collapsed over. The mighty dragon, and attacker of Ponyville was defeated and the Demon stood there, emitting his magical energy. No one had ever seen a dragon be so utterly destroyed before, even the princesses. Its face was of complete shock and fear, eternally plastered on it. His innards were drained of blood, which flowed like an expanding ocean on the ground, and the inside looked like a well built home for an immense insect hive. Completely clean and burned to a crisp.
There were no words to describe it, just shock and awe, but not in a way most would think of. That's when the magical pressure ended, and everyone felt the weight uplift. Simultaneously the demon collapsed onto one knee, and let out a mighty demonic screech before leaving and returning the bare, rather oddly clothed body of Aldon.
Many questions would arise. As guard ponies began to move closer, from which all regained consciousness, the crowd simply stood flabbergasted and in an unmovable trance of shock.
Celestia, and Luna were in a state of wonder, but also slight fear and paranoia. Indeed many questions would surface, and the man would never be looekd at as such, but only as that of the day: a demonic monster.