The Path of Absolution - Punishment

by Morningstar1337

lix - Hyperion's Stand

Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Spike were preparing for the trip to the Frozen North, And the final confrontation with the windigoes.

Spike gathered up as many supplies as they can. “So after this the disasters will stop?”

Twilight said, “I hope so.” She wasn’t sure how they were going to defeat Legion. The Elements of Harmony had stopped threats such as Nightmare Moon, Discord, and Queen Chrysalis. But the windigoes predate the Elements. She was uncertain how effective they would be against Ithaqua.

The mares and Spike went to get the fillies. Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash were worried about the fillies and Spike. The mares knew that there was a chance that they would not come out alive.

---

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were preparing for the trip to the North.

Apple Bloom said, “So how do you think we can stop this guy?”

Scootaloo said, “We could sabotage the ritual.”

Sweetie Belle said, “Yeah, that might work.”

Nearby, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were walking around the castle. Diamond Tiara remembered her and the Crusaders crashing the wedding under abnormal circumstances. She looked back at Silver Spoon. “You don’t have to do this.”

Silver Spoon said, “Yes, I do. I want to stop him just as much as you do.”

Diamond Tiara remembered that her friend said that she will not leave her side. But she was worried for her safety. She looked at the Crusaders. She knew she was the one that caused this with the Foal Free Press’s gossip column and her more direct hoof as Diamond Dust. She also knew that they felt a need to make amends for what they done. ‘I have to make this right,’ she thought.

The fillies saw the bearers of the Elements of Harmony in the hallway.

“Y’all ready?” Applejack said.

The Crusaders nodded. Diamond Tiara and SIlver Spoon just followed the group as they left for the Frozen North.

---

Shining Armor, Princess Cadence and Cloudchaser checked the members of the guards. Among those ponies, they saw Flitter, Star Song, Lyra Heartstrings, BonBon, and Thunderlane, as well as several valiant soldiers. The zodiac based ponies were helping with the preparations.

Shining Armor saw her sister and her friends exit the castle. Twilight was surprised at the amount of ponies there.

Rarity took out some small costumes for the fillies. “I made this out of the hide we got earlier.” She handed the near invulnerable armor to the fillies.

“There’s wasn’t enough for the soldiers?” Cloudchaser said.

“There was only one hide,” Rarity said “I was lucky enough there was enough to make 5 of them.”

“I got that covered.” Leo just appeared with several Nemean hides.

Sweetie Belle said, ”Where did you get those?”

Leo said, “Found them. The others are on their way soon.”

Rarity and some other ponies went to work making armor for the fight. She used her magic to lift the hide and claws and various suits of armor.

Flitter went to Cloudchaser, She was followed by Star Song and Thunderlane. Flitter said, “So this is it, huh?”

Cloudchaser said, “Out last mission as part of Cloudsdale weather team? yeah I guess.”

“Kinda ironic that none of our jobs took place in Cloudsdale.” Star Song chucked.

“We’ll need to be careful,” Thunderlane said.

“No need to tell us, rookie,” Cloudchaser said.

Thunderlane said, “If we get through this, maybe we can meet at the Wonderbolt Academy,”

“You?” Cloudchaser said. “At the Wonderbolt Academy?” She chucked at the thought.

“I hadn't much of Cloudsdale, so why not?” Thunderlane said.

Nearby, Lyra and BonBon were discussing the fight.

Lyra wondered if her lyre could affect the Ithaqua corpse.

BonBon said, “You okay?”

Lyra said, “I’m fine.” She looked at her partner. “Thanks for sticking with me at the wedding.”

BonBon said, “Don’t mention it.”

The group prepared for the upcoming battle. Rarity was making suits of Nemean armor at a faster pace than usual.

---

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were preparing for the upcoming fight.

Luna said, “Sister are you sure that the ponies are ready for this?”

Celestia said, “I know they are ready for this.” She looked outside and saw Twilight Sparkle. “They have come a long way, but there are still many trials and tribulations ahead.”

The two princesses flew out of the castle and descended in front of the large group.

---

A few hours later. Rarity was finished making armor for everypony. Celestia said, “Everypony ready?”

The other ponies nodded. They were already in scarves and armor made from the Nemean hides.

Rainbow Dash said, “So how are we gonna get there? Most of us can’t fly”

Luna said, “There are the chariots.” She pointed to some of the chariots usually used for the Royal Guard and the Princesses.

Rainbow Dash said, “Oh.” She saw that some of the chariots were big enough for four or five ponies.

The earth ponies and unicorns boarded the war chariots while the pegasi took the reins.

The pegasi took flight and lifted the chariots to the sky. They went to the Frozen North.

---

The large army had entered the Frozen North. The clouds above boomed with thunder and snow and lightning fell from the sky. the chariots landed in the ice as not to be hit by lightning and the ponies left.

“Brrr,” Pinkie Pie said. “it’s chilly.”

“Well, it is the arctic, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash said.

Shining Armor and twilight Sparkled erected a barrier and magical lightning rod to divert the effects of the weather.

There was an altar in the distance. The ponies saw the windigoes circling around it.

“So,” Twilight Sparkle said. “This is where Ithaqua is?”

Princess Celestia nodded. The ponies trekked towards the large altar.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Diamond Tiara looked at the altar with a sense of dread and anticipation. They knew this is where they will face the being that brought them so much pain.

As they approached the altar, the ponies felt a source of power surging from the structures. They saw bricks move, and the shapes contort in unusual forms.

Some of the soldiers looked back and saw that the area behind them had changed. The chariots they left were replaced with frozen mountains.

Cadence saw the changed area as well. She thought, ‘Maybe we need to get a train station built after this.’

The ponies felt that the altar was off. Luna and Celestia were unfazed, but the rest of the army were clearly unnerved by the sudden eyes that would appear in place of bricks, the space between the bricks what changed to something different, or the eerie dark azure color of the area.

Eventually, they made it to the tip of the altar. There they saw Legion and Ithaqua’s body. There was a crimson, vermillion, chartreuse, viridian, azure, violet, and magenta trumpets placed on icy stands, and a grotesque figure nearby. The figure was similar to the corpse in shape, but he was smaller than Ithaqua and his head looked like a squid. The ponies felt something otherworldly from this herald.

Cloudchaser and Flitter saw Gale Force, frozen at the center of the altar.

Legion said, “Ah, so you have arrived.” He looked at the fillies. “And you hath returned our queen and her servants to us. Excellent.”

Diamond Tiara said, “Can it! I’m not your queen anymore!”

Apple Bloom said, “And we’re not gonna help you freeze Equestria.”

Twilight Sparkle said, “We’re here to stop you!”

Princess Celestia said, “Ithaqua, you have plagued Equestria for far too long.”

Legion said, “So be it. I shall appreciate thine opposition. Cthulhu prepare the ritual.”

One of Cthulhu’s tendrils too the magenta trumpet. He tried to play it.

“Oh no you don’t!” Rainbow Dash flew into the beast and took the magenta trumpet. The ponies scattered to stop Cthulhu or Legion from playing the instruments on the ground while Celestia and Luna engaged Legion in battle atop the altar.

Twilight took the violet trumpet from its stand. Cthulhu sprouted more arms and tried to attack Twilight, but she teleported away.

Rarity took the azure trumpet. “Well this does match my eyes.” She didn't notice the windigoes descending behind her. The windigoes were ready to attack, but Pinkie Pie blasted them with her party cannon.

“Ooh,” Pinkie said. “You’re right, there do match your eyes.”

Rarity saw more windigoes charging behind Pinkie Pie. “Look out.” She ran past Pinkie and kicked the windigoes away.

Applejack lassoed the viridian trumpet off the stand and prepared to charge the windigoes. Cthulhu grew and sprouted more legs. He tried to punch Applejack, but she dodged and ran on of his arm and kicked him in the face.

Fluttershy sneaked around towards the chartreuse trumpets and took it off the stand. “Phew,” she said. Only to see that she was surrounded by windigoes. She dropped the trumpet and tried to run away, but the windigoes were everywhere.

Fluttershy felt the temperature rise as the windigoes were engulfed in green flames. They dissipated in smoke while a tired Spike took the instrument.

Fluttershy said, “Are you alright?”

Spike panted, “No problem... it was more fire... than I ever thought... I could breath.” He handed Fluttershy the instrument.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders managed to take the vermillion trumpet off its stand. The fillies saw that six of the trumpets were off their stands and being passed to the other ponies.

Scootaloo saw some windigoes behind were preparing to attack. “Look out.” She galloped and took her friends out of the windigo’s path.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom saw part of the altar freeze over from the windigoes’s attack.

Sweetie Belle said, “Thanks.”

Pinkie Pie bounced around the area until she saw the crimson trumpet. She gleefully took the instrument without her mouth and played it. The sound the came from the trumpet were painful enough to drive the nearby windigoes away.

The ponies passed the colorful trumpets to each other. with each pony dodging the windigoes and Cthulhu's attacks.

---

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna fought Legion. They fired indigo and yellow beam at the windigo ruler. One of the beams hit the windigo, but he was unfazed.

Celestia materialized a sword of magic and prepared to slash Legion.

Legion taunted, “Just like old times, huh? Except this time, thou shalt falleth to the depths of despair.”

Luna blasted Legion again while Celestia slash hit the leader of the windigoes. Legion conjured ice shards that fell all over the altar. The barriers keeping the ponies safe have faltered and the lightning hit some of the soldiers.

Celestia conjured up a fireball and melted some of the ice shards. But Legion vanished.

---

The ponies passed the trumped around each other and kept them as far away from Cthulhu as possible.

Lyra and BonBon had the chartreuse trumpet. They galloped and avoided Cthulhu’s attacks.

Lyra passed the chartreuse trumpet to Shining Armor. Several soldiers stood by and helped him pass the instrument to Flitter.

Flitter and Cloudchaser flow around the area. Cthulhu kept his eyes focused on the sisters. He prepared to slam Flitter to the ground.

Cloudchaser saw what Cthulhu was about to do and rammed her sister out of the way. Flitter let go of the trumper and Cthulhu grabbed it.

“No,” Flitter said. Cthulhu had regained one of the seven trumpets.

Thunderlane had the crimson trumpet. He threw it to Rainbow Dash. Cthulhu tried to grab the instrument with one of his six arms, but Rainbow Dash got to it first.

“Hah,” Rainbow Dash said. “Nice try.” She flew around the area, avoiding Cthulhu's attacks.

Cthulhu moved forward and grabbed Rainbow Dash. He opened his and saw that she didn’t have the crimson trumpet.

“Too slow.” Rainbow Dash flew up and punched Cthulhu's face. The blow knocked Cthulhu back several feet as he fell.

Princess Cadence had levitated the crimson and violet trumpets. She handed the crimson trumpet to her fiance and gave the violet trumpet to Star Song.

Cthulhu stood up and prepared to take both instruments, but Twilight Sparkle fired a beam of light at him.

“You are not laying a hoof, claw whatever on my brother!” Twilight said.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie attacked Cthulhu with several blows and launches from Pinkie’s cannon.

Cthulhu swatted the assault aside and grabbed Star Song and the violet trumpet. Star Song struggled to break free of his grip.

Rainbow Dash went ahead and punched Cthulhu's face again. He dropped Star Song and the violet trumpet.

Cthulhu raised one of his open arms up to the sky. Light struck the hand and charged it with immense power. He saw a soldier with the viridian trumpet and flattened him. He took the viridian trumpet.

Diamond Tiara had the vermillion trumpets. She saw Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle waving their hooves and slid the instrument to them.

The windigoes saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders with the vermillion trumpet and chased them, only to be rammed by Applejack and Rarity.

“Apple Bloom, are you alright?” Applejack said.

“We’re fine,” Apple Bloom said. Sweetie Belle handed the instrument to Rarity and she used the magic to hold it. The three fillies saw Fluttershy and went with her.

Twilight Sparkle, now held the azure trumpet. She teleported around the area kepping it from Cthulhu and the windigoes.

Cthulhu raised it’s arm again. Lightning charged it as he slammed into the ground.

Twilight teleported away at the last second before the attack hit. She saw Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow!” Twilight threw the instrument in the air.

Rainbow Dash flew after the azure trumpet, but Cthulhu swatted her away and grabbed it.

The ponies were losing this fight. Cthulhu now held three of the trumpets. They knew that they had to keep the last four trumpets away from him.

---

Celestia and Luna went to help the ponies keep the trumpets away from Cthulhu. Luna fired a blue beam at Cthulhu while Celestia descended on the ground.

“What happened?” Twilight Sparkle said. She lifted the vermillion trumpet.

“Legion vanished,” Celestia said. She looked to the eldritch herald. She saw that Cthulhu had the azure, viridian and chartreuse trumpets and prepared her sword.

Fluttershy and The Cutie Mark Crusaders while Rainbow Dash leads the other pegasi in an attack. Apple Bloom held the violet trumpet.

Cthulhu had struck the ground with another charged slam. The ice cracked after the attack.

Shining Armor and Applejack held the crimson and magenta trumpets. The latter went forward to ram the legs of the fowl herald, but Cthulhu grabbed her.

Apple Bloom saw the eldritch trumpeter lift her sister in the air. “Applejack!” She kicked Cthulhu. “Let my sister go!”

Cthulhu saw Apple Bloom and glared at her. Apple Bloom gulped when she realized that Cthulhu saw the violet instrument. Cthulhu took Applejack’s instrument and flung her into the air.

Cloudchaser managed to rescue Applejack before she fell into the cold water. She saw Apple Bloom run away with her instrument while Cthulhu trying to take it.

“You’re not getting my sister!” Applejack galloped as fast as she could. She rammed into the trumpeter’s legs.

Rainbow Dash followed up Applejack’s attack with an uppercut and Rarity used the opportunity to get the fillies to safety.

Celestia and Luna then fired more magic beams at Cthulhu. The herald stood up and tried to attack the Princesses, but Shining Armor defended them with his magic forcefield.

Cthulhu grew two more arms raised them to be struck by lightning. He slammed the ground and caused a shockwave large enough to knock the ponies back.

The force of the attack caused Apple Bloom and Shining Armor to let go of their instruments. Cthulhu then picked up the two trumpets up and diverted his attention to Twilight Sparkle.

Celestia and Luna went in front of Twilight. Celestia said, “I won’t let you hurt them. Nor will I let you finish the ritual.”

Twilight took the vermillion trumpet and went away. She passed the instrument to Rainbow Dash.

Cthulhu tried to grab the trumper from Rainbow Dash, but Luna and Twilight fired some beams and distracted him. The herald swiped at them, but they dodged. Celestia went forward with a slash and managed to wound Cthulhu The trumpeter knew that he must catch the last instrument.

Rainbow Dash flew around the area. Cthulhu tried to grabbed the instrument, but he was blocked by attacks or interceptions. He held up his two arms agai. Lightning struck the arms. He then used one arm to sweep away the ponies. Rainbow Dash tried to fly to the left of the giant herald, but he used the other charged arm and swiped at her.

Rainbow Dash was flung high into the atmosphere. Her instrument slipped off her hooves and into Cthulhu’s hand. She fell into the ice.

“Rainbow!” Twilight said.

Rainbow Dash fell into the ice. The fall had wounded her badly. Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders rushed to her while Celestia and Luna tried to stopped Cthulhu.

Fluttershy and Twilight tried to heal her. Fluttershy said, “Are you alright?”

“It’ll take more than that to stop me,” Rainbow Dash said.

Cthulhu ascended to the top of the alter. His arms now hold all seven trumpets. He held the magenta one to his mouths while new mouths appeared on his hands to play the other six instruments.

Celestia, Luna, and the other ponies tried to stop him, but it was too late. Cthulhu played the trumpets.

The sounds of the trumpets boomed all over the arctic causing the ponies to cover their ears. The princesses cast a spell to dampen the noise. The ponies were veiled in magic.

As Cthulhu played the trumpets the Crown of Conquest, Sword of War, Scales of Life, and Scythe of Death appeared in front of Ithaqua’s corpse.

The ponies could hear maniacal laughter over the deafening sound of the trumpets.

“It’s over. Thy battle is lost. Thy land is lost!”

Legion appeared in front of the corpse. The corpse and talismans glowed and emitted a blinding flash of light. The windigoes went into the light.

When the light vanished, the ponies couldn’t see Cthulhu, Legion, Gale Force, the windigoes, or the talismans. There was only the corpse of Ithaqua. The corpse started to move and change. Large golden armor appeared on Ithaqua as it stood. His two arms became four. Three of the talismans appeared in his hands while the Crown of Conquest appeared on his head. His eyelids opened to reveal crimson holes that appear to suck all matter in.

The ponies felt the temperature fall and the sea freezing beneath them.

Ithaqua’s voice boomed, “Bow down before me and knoweth that your world is forfeit!”

Author's Note:

There are two alternate endings after this. The next chapter is Ending Alpha. The chapter after that is Ending Omega.

Comments

[Matt11]

wow this was the longest story iv ever read but it was worth it great job