Beginning of the End
Chapter 22 Beginning of the End
By Honored Service
On a hill within Sweet Apple Acres, a tall lone figure stood gazing out across the rolling hills and fruit filled trees, taking in every detail as he watched vigilantly for any slight disturbance. Years of experience showed on his scared and rugged face as his reptilian eyes stared out, the wisdom and lessons learned flashing by in a moment in their deep green gold pools. His shirt was old and well-worn with the dark red material quite faded. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, displaying muscles and scars alike as his fingers twitched as if remembering some old memory long forgotten. A quick flash of shadow covered the area in front of the lone figure as two large black wings spread out from his back and extended to their full span. The black smoke like texture of the wings dripped dark fog from them as the man gave them a few test flaps. He licked his lips and sent his tongue over the two large sharp white fangs poking out over his bottom lip. He continued to look out over the orchard as a light breeze blew over his shaggy brown hair, tossing the red, yellow, and orange streaks in it around. The solitary creature coughed and cracked his neck.
"Jesus I look like a fucking gay Gary Stu." Honored laughed loudly before throwing himself into the air and flying up into the sky and over the vast fields of ripe apple trees. He waved a friendly greeting to the large red stallion working beneath him and continued to sail through the sky at a lazy pace, still showing signs of his inexperience in the ways of flight on his new wings.
"Ah there you are Honored." A cheery voice called out to him from his left. Honored looked and gave a smile to the purple alicorn princess as she flew up and joined him at his height above the ground. "Right on time. Ready to start practicing?" Twilight asked giving him a smile.
"Yeah I guess." Honored said still looking at the ground below. The thought of flying unassisted by machines or chariots pulled by pegasi still brought an amount of fear to the ground loving warrior, but he now had the ability to take charge of the sky and advance his skills to aerial combat. What more of a reason did he need to overcome that fear? He was the fabled legend. The insane human. The unbeatable human. The master of-
SLAM
Not paying attention to trees.
Honored slowly slid down the side of a large shiny crystal castle-tree-library-home thing before laying on the ground.
"Ouch." He groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. He poked a finger against the new teeth he had grown thanks to his mastery of the Void magic... And the splitting of his consciousness into two. As he tried explaining to the studious alicorn, it was like being able to now think of two thoughts at the same time easily. Solving two problems at once, or in his case, keeping the sinister Void magic in check and allowing it to be used with precision and accuracy. He had to keep himself in check or he would succumb to the temptation of unstoppable power that was the Void.
"Honored are you okay?" Twilight asked floating down to him on slow flapping wings. "That looked like a pretty hard hit."
Honored looked and nodded at Twilight but only heard a series of mumbled words rather than coherent sentences. Honored rapidly shook his head, trying to clear the minor ringing from his ears.
"Come on, let's get back up there and keep practicing." Twilight took a few tentative steps forward and leapt back into the air. The dazed human shook his head again and stood up before flapping the wings on his back and slowly rose into the air.
"These stupid things should come with a manual or something." He grumbled while following after Twilight as she practiced a few lazy loops and turns. "Damn evil demon wings."
Perched upon a cloud high over the practicing rookies, Rainbow Dash watched the pitiful display with bored eyes. She could easily teach those two about flying with one wing behind her back. Heck she could do it with both wings tied behind her back. She probably had forgotten more about flying than those two knew together about it.
She smirked and rose to her hooves before leaping from the cloud and diving down towards the beginner fliers. She banked hard and flew past the black smoke wings and chuckled as she sent them flying to the left.
"Watch it!" Honored screamed after her as she pulled up and around the human as he struggled to regain his balance.
"Oh what's wrong?" Dash taunted at him as he leveled off, "can't the big bad human do something as simple as flying?" She smiled in delight as the human's face turned a lovely shade of red and his silted eyes narrowed.
"Wanna run that by me one more time?" Honored snarled at the cocky pegasus. He hated being made fun of for any weakness. He licked his fangs and instinctively reached towards his waist where a trusty knife or side arm would have been.
Now now she is just being Rainbow and you know it. No need to be butthurt. Just let her make her jests, it's only her nature.
"I said that-" Rainbow quickly found her mouth shut by an aurora of purple magic originating from Twilight's horn.
"She said that we are doing good and she has to talk to me privately." Twilight gave Honored a large smile and quickly dropped to the ground, yanking Rainbow Dash down with her.
"What do you think you're doing!?" Twilight demanded once they reached the ground.
"Jeeze lighten up Twi." Rainbow Dash said gloomily. "I was just joking around."
Twilight sighed and locked eyes with Rainbow. "I know you are Rainbow, but Honored, the new Honored, he might not know that. And until we know that he is in fact in control of this void, we need to keep an eye on him. And we need to make sure that he keeps his emotions in control or he might go..."
"Crazy?" Both ponies jerked around, hearts beating like drums in their chests as Honored hovered just behind them, his wings flapping silently. Honored looked at them sadly before turning around and began to fly away towards his house off in the distance near the Everfree forest.
"Honored wait!" Twilight yelled out, but he was already too far away to hear or care. "Great." She sighed again and then began walking off in the direction the human had left in. "Now I have to fix the insanely powerful warrior. Why can't any day just be normal."
I slammed the door shut and stalked into the gun room in my lovely abode. "Stupid freaking void. Not only do I have to look evil now, even my friends think that I am."
That isn't what she said and you know it. They are afraid of you. And they have every right to be. Remember what you did in Grifflin?
I did single handedly take out the griffon government and put a mercenary company in charge of the country. And to be honest, Chief Will was doing an insanely good job at it. The clean up of the griffons in power was in effect and slowly they would be given back the right to govern their own empire again, but so long as the idea of attacking Equestria loomed in their minds, the would stay under Black Claw control.
As I dropped another weapon onto the cleaning table, a loud series of knocks rang out from upstairs. I sighed and wondered which of the mane six would be here to try and cheer me up. I groaned and made my way out of the basement and grimaced as my wings brushed against the wall on the way up.
"I'm not coming out!" I stated loudly as I opened the door. I was actually surprised to find the kind wall eyed mailmare Derpy Hooves standing on my doorstep.
"Umm that's alright." She said staring at me with a smile. "I don't need you to, just delivering your mail."
"You mean you're not scared of how I look now?" I asked, reaching out and taking my mail from her outstretched hoof.
Derpy just gave a smile and turned around and spread her wings, readying to take off, "Why would I? You've always been there for us. And besides," she added turning her head around and smiling, her eyes going wall eyed, "it's okay to look different." With that she took off into the sky, her mail bag loaded with letters and was also unclasped spilling the first.
I thought about what the pegasus had said while closing the door and turning to my mail. A few junk letters selling and promoting magazines and saddle bits. I simply ignited them and watched them burst into purple and black Void flame. The last letter was from the Black Claw merc group. I gave a grim smile and took the letter down to the gun filled basement. I walked to the back of the room and reached up, gripping a thin string and pulled down. A long map came down from a hidden compartment in the ceiling. The map was covered in blue dots located around different cities in the Griffon Kingdom and Equestria. I opened the letter and began to glance over the parchment picking out the important details.
Another name and a another city marked. Some griffon named Ritz in Primary City was a known engineer at the small weapons workshop that was developing the primitive firearms for the griffons. My map of potential threats was growing, and it showed that I had at least twenty creatures as of now that new the secrets of creating the flintlock pistols the griffons used. But one question was still bothering me.
Who had developed the World War One era bolt action rifle? They were the biggest threat to the security not only if Equestria, but the entire stability of the planet, and I had to find them. And insure that information on crafting weapons of war stayed in my hands only. I knew from the dead king that the first place I needed to look was Beakerton. Stop this at its source.
"Well we got our work cut out for us." I said looking down as the soft clicking of claws on stone approached me. "Any luck on getting your lunch Selene?" I reached down and began to scratch behind the young manticore's ear. After the saloon fight I looked at that cute little ball of death a lot differently. And after my... split with the void magic, Selene seemed a whole lot more understanding when I spoke to her. Sometime it was like she could read my thoughts.
I looked down and was meet by Selene's light pink eyes boring into mine. "Whoa. Thats creepy girl." I laughed as she cocked her head for of my scratching.
“Any ideas on how to go about this Selene?” I asked the manticore kitten. “How am I going to stop the knowledge of these weapons? Especially if the some of the knowledge is held by non violent, friendly ponies…” I said aloud laying my head down on the workbench before me.
I was going to need some advice. From the wisest being I knew. Okay, maybe three of the wisest creatures.
And I needed to get them all together. Time for what was basically going to be a ‘bash on Honored fest’.
I grabbed three sheets of paper from a nearby desk.
“Dear Princess Celestia.”
“Sister did you-“ Luna asked as while floating the sheet of paper in front of her and walked into her sister’s room. She stopped mid-sentence as she caught Celestial perched on a stool and a large telescope aimed directly at the Royal Guard hoof-to-hoof training ground. Celestia quickly spun around off the stool and caused the sweaty stallion viewing apparatus to vanish in a flash of magic.
“Why yes Lulu I did just get the letter from Honored.” Celestia grabbed the letter from her desk and pulled it up to her face before quickly flipping it around so that the writing was actually facing her. “Oh darn that Honored.” Celestia said shaking her head. “Always doing that stuff we say not to.” She gave a huge fake smile as Luna still stared at her in utter shock.
“Putting your… um hobbies aside,” Luna strode to her sister and pushed the letter back into her sister’s face, forcing her to read it, “He is asking for help. Don’t you get it? This is Honored, who has recently gone under extreme magical change and now says that he has his mind split in two so that he can control the void magic, something that has never been done in the history of the world successfully.” Luna stomped a hoof against the ground drawing Celestia’s attention from the letter and towards her sister. “We must listen to his pleas and help him.”
With the declaration made, Luna turned from the still red faced solar princess and darted from the room.
“Good talk.” Celestia said while turning and giving her window a longing look. “Next week my guards. Next week.” Celestia laid the letter aside and followed after her sister.
The human stood looking at the cave deep within the Everfree Forest. A loud growl sounded out from behind him and the man whipped around arms at his waist. No belt covered in bullets adorned his waist. No shoulder holster carrying a pistol as he normally had. No rifle or shotgun was slung across his back or rested in his arms. For once Honored stood unarmed against the dangerous and wild Everfree Forest. The roar sounded out again as a lumbering shape entered the human’s field of vision.
A large cragadile stood before the human snapping its jaws made of bone crushing rock in hunger at the lone man. Honored stood his ground and stared the creature down before standing straight up and spreading the wings from his back.
The wings made of black smoke and void magic simply folded out from their position against his back. The wings themselves were not actually attached to Honored’s back. One could look and see them floating off the human’s back by an inch of space, and yet to Honored he felt every gust of wind and every twitch of feather as if they truly were attached to his body and apart of him.
The cragadile stopped its advance for just a moment as the human’s wings sprang forth and spread to their fullest, casting their menacing shadows along the forest floor in the clearing before the cave.
“You will leave.” The human stated. He did not yell. He did not shout. He simply spoke it to the cragadile and possibly any other creature watching from the depths of the forest. “Now!” He added with more force, sending himself into the air a few feet off the ground with one powerfully flap of his mysterious wings.
Surely you see what you are doing. You are attempting place control over a creature of the Everfree with the void, a power that is just as wild as the Everfree. Very clever. I see the ability to do so, the void does poses the ability to reach the magic, the wild and untamed magic, which the Everfree controls.
The void mind in Honored’s mind was racing as it weaved and formed the spell needed to show the cragadile its power. It pushed the power forward to the gauntlet that acted as the magic’s focus point and added the right amount of will and knowledge to demonstrate the undeniable power that the human commanded.
The other part of Honored’s mind though, ‘fuck shit up’. The floating warrior pushed his hand forward, the shiny black metal of the gauntlet seemed to absorb the light around it as a baseball sized amount of void magic launched in a deep arc from his palm. The ball crashed in the center of clearing and became a swirling vortex of deep purples and black sparks that leapt out at random angles. Light itself seemed to be sucked into the void magic residing in the center of the ball of magic. The cragadile took one look at the void to see nothing but pain. The simplest and easiest thing the creature could understand. It fled in fear of pain.
Honored descended back to the floor of the forest and watched as the void quickly tapered out and stopped. He smiled. It was good to have a control of the void. He could care less that he was the first being to ever control the void, he simply was happy to know that he couldn’t be lost to the power it contained again.
The great sound of wind being pushed by wings sounded out from above Honored and he looked up to see a mass of golds, yellows, and oranges descending directly towards him. He leapt quickly to the side and rolled as a massive gold dragon slammed into the earth where he had just been standing.
“Hey watch out Gal!” Honored yelled as he stood up and ran a hand along his jeans to try and get some of the grass and twigs off of it.
The great head of ancient dragon turned and narrowed its reptilian eyes at Honored. “I see that you failed to head my warning Honored and you have lost yourself to the void fully.” The dragon sucked in a deep breath, “I am sorry for this.” Honored’s eyes grew wide as a deep glowing began to form in Gal’s open mouth.
The dragon can create heat in its flames that are comparable to that of the lava found deep within the core of Equis ranging to nearly 6,500 degrees Celsius. Taking the heat and splashing it within the void, it will absorb that heat and the direct heat from it, converting it into empty space and gaining an excess of the energy to keep the shield up so long as Gal keeps the flame going, effectively turning his own energy against himself in the form of negative heat shield.
‘That is going to be fucking hot’. Honored’s non void mind thought as he aimed his gauntlet forward and fired a stream of void magic forward and creating a dome around himself.
The fire roared out of Gal’s throat and impacted the void bubble surrounding Honored. The fire washed over the shield with a mammoth ‘hiss’ as if water were splashing against a hot pan.
Gal’s eyes widened as he watched his flames stop and actually pull themselves into the bubble of void magic. And to make it worse, the bubble began to expand out. The stream of magical dragonfire slowly trickled to a stop as Gal realized that his own magic was fueling the very shield that was being used against himself. Within the bubble of void, Honored stared out at Gal with a surprised look plastered on his face.
“Gal please stop! It’s me Honored. I have mastered the void and I have come to you to seek advice!” Honored pleaded at the ancient dragon as he slowly brought the bubble in till it vanished into the gauntlet on his arm.
Gal glared at me across the small clearing outside of his cave, the smoke drifting out through his nostrils filled the air with a sulfur stench. I could barely wrap my mind around the idea that not only was I fighting a dragon the size of building, I had just blocked his savage attack as easily one would swat a fly away.
"Gall please I came here to seek your help!" I called out desperately trying to end the fight with my old, powerful, super huge dragon friend.
"I will help you and this world by cleansing the void from it." His voice was like ice as his words hit home. "I'm sorry that you had not come sooner Honored, if you're in there, I would have taken the void and released it before it claimed you. But you are lost to the void, you are the strongest presence I have ever felt and it pains my heart to see that you were claimed Honored."
I looked at Gal, slacked jaw, and slapped a hand to my face. "Oh come on you great dumb lizard. It's me, Honored! Fush Ro Dah Honored. Its me!"
Gal opened his mouth and raised himself to his hind legs before slamming forward onto his chest. The resulting body slam sent massive chunks of rock and dirt into the air in front of his open maw where he then shouted, "FUSH RO DAH!" The giant chunks of earth ripped through the air directly at me.
Five large fragments of earth weighing at roughly 4,000 pounds, speeding at a velocity of 1200 feet per seconds with an impact equivalent of 121.4 megajoules. Casting a mass dispersion spell with a backlash counter spell to redirect the projectiles.
'Fuck me.' I grimaced and thought while raising my arm, void magic already pooled into my palm and the gauntlet releasing it towards the incoming earth.
A dark purple glow surrounded the incoming chunks of earth and each one vanished or rather they shrank down to size of pebbles and whipped around my head before rocketing back towards Gal and expanding back to the correct size mid flight. Gal's eyes grew wide as he raised his claw and the rocks stopped inches from his face.
I looked at the floating rocks and back at the dragon that kept them suspended in mid air. "How are you doing that? You're using magic!?" I shouted and questioned him at the same time.
"And here I thought you, a void creature, would be intelligent." Gal scoffed at me while simply flicking the mammoth chunks of ground behind him. When they impacted the side of the mountain, the rocks fused into the side of the mountain and simply added onto the rock face.
"Hey!" I put my hands on my hips, "I am too intelligent! I just didn't know dragons could use magic."
"Only the ancient and ones filled with wisdom can." The calm voice said from above. I looked up and sighed in relief as Luna and Celestia floated down into the debris covered clearing. My heart leapt at seeing Luna and I sprinted towards her.
SMACK
I tumbled backward, my head ringing in pain. I rubbed a hand across the growing welt and gawked at the massive redwood tree that had suddenly erupted from the earth between Luna and myself. I looked at the equally startled Luna and then at the smug looking dragon.
"I'll be with you in a moment my old friends, I first must cleanse some void from my humble clearing." Gal reared back and slammed his front claws down, his long sharp claws sinking down into the earth.
I jumped backwards, or I tried to jump backwards, but I found myself rooted in place. Literally. Huge thick roots had appeared and wrapped around my legs and were continuing to wind themselves around my thighs and waist.
"Anytime y'all want to cut in and help, that would be great!" I shouted at the princesses while the roots began to tighten and Gal removed his claws from the ground and lumbered towards me. He out reached a lone talon and placed the tip against my forehead before I felt the feeling of warm water rush over my body.
I am sorry Honored for this. Gal's low rumbling voice filled my head.
'Then please don't!" I thought as hard as I could.
Honored? The dragon's voice came out surprised. How can this be? You should be lost to the void.
Honored is far from lost to the void. On the contrary, he was able to gain absolute control on the void by splitting his mind in two and placing one part of the consciousness, myself Mars, in charge of the void, keeping it in check and stopping any attempts of the void consuming the mind.
You are this Mars? Gal questioned the other voice of my mind.
Yes I am Mars. The part of Honored's mind split in a trying time to gain control of the void in a time of extreme need.
So I just tried to exterminate the real Honored who mastered the void just as I have mastered Creation? Gal sounded almost embarrassed.
Indeed.
Then I believe that apologies are in order. Gal thought as the feeling of warmth left my body.
I shook my head as the wave of roots vanished into the earth and Gal stood up taller from his position before me. "Okay what the hell just happened?" I asked looking from one apologetic dragon and the two amused princesses. "And thanks for the help." I glared at them before looking at Luna, "and no kisses for you."
"Meh I went a thousand years on the moon without them." She smiled sweetly at me and the burst out laughing with Celestial as the laughed at me.
Gal gently picked me up in his mammoth claw and held me at his eye level. "Honored I am sorry. From the depths of my heart, I ask that you accept my apology." He sighed, "I had no idea one could control the force the brings destruction and endings."
I gave him a blank stare.
"So you really know nothing of the void. Only the ability to control it." Gal slowly placed me down besides the two alicorns.
"Your void is the opposite ultimate force of this world. You have the alicorn's peace and calmness to Discord's chaos and wildness. The great balance I have taught you of." I nodded and watched as Gal closed his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling and a small rose bush began to grow before him, crawling out of the earth and growing leaves and buds in seconds opposed to months.
"I mastered the great light side of the magic here in this world, Creation, hundreds of years ago. It only came to me in a time of extreme suffering both mentally and physically. The forest around you was a raging inferno, a fire gone rampant that even the pegasi couldn't hope to extinguish. I tried with all my might to save what I could, or it would all be gone. At the moment I was engulfed by the flames. I was not yet worried." Gal said tapping a long claw against his chest.
"I was a dragon, flames could not hurt me. But I soon realized as the flames surrounded me, that this was not a natural fire. I was in pain. These flames were magical, cooking me from the inside out.”
“The pain was insurmountable. I wished for death, but only could imagine the rest of the forest dying with me, it could not happen. And it was at that moment my mind split, it split so that a half could deal with the pain, and the other to fix the problem around me." Gal stopped and stared out at the forest around him, a look of peace overcame him and he gave a faint smile. "At that moment my mind split, I felt no pain, no sadness, no destruction in my mind or in the area around me. I formed a spell meant to extinguish the fire but with my mind split, not only could I focus on the extinguishing of the fire, but now I saw how to turn the furry and energy of the fire into a force of creation." The large gold and orange dragon looked down to me and closed his eyes, deep in thought. "I knew how to bring life to the world, to turn destruction into life. To bring balance Honored. Nothing more, nothing less."
Gal stood up taller and then peered around the semi destroyed clearing around the base of his mountain. He inhaled a deep breath and placed his claws into the earth and exhaled, releasing air into the clearing. All around us, grass sprung up from the blackened ground. Trees fried to a crisp during the gout of magical fire Gal produced began to regrow bark and the trees themselves shot back towards the sky reaching for the light above the canopy.
"Creation." Gal simply stated, gazing out at the re-growing foliage.
"And I'm destruction?" I asked looking at Gal and then to the two princesses who also stared at me.
A deep sigh escaped the dragon and he looked at me with eyes that spoke more than words could ever. "Even destruction has its place in the world. New life can't begin until old life ends."
"Honored you have just become one of the most powerful beings on this planet. We have all the great balances of power now gathered here. We are here at your request," Luna smiled and walked towards me, "what would you have us do?"
"Wait." Gal said with a frown. "All the balance powers are here?"
"That we are!" Discord's voice came from below us. We all looked down to see the Draconequus' face plastered on the flower Gal had just grown.
"Chaos." Gal grumbled.
"Creation." Discord responded with the exact same grumble. They locked eyes and continued to glare at each other.
"Oh just kiss already." I yelled out sarcastically before walking in between them. "I didn't ask y'all to come here to fight. Right now the five most powerful beings on this planet are gathered because I need your help." I turned my back to the group and summoned from my home the crude griffon produced 1903 Springfield rifle. "This weapon is about a hundred years behind my current tech. The griffons are copying my weapons and trying to mass produce them to fund their armies, but that's where I run into a problem. The griffons have lost their own government and in that they have no more armies. So why produce them?"
The four other beings in the clearing all found themselves lost in thought. I knew one of them would have the answer for me, just what kind of solution would I get? I looked at the rifle suspended in my magic. It was a piece of shit if compared to my weapons, but next to the swords, spears, and crossbows that armed most of the Equestrian Guard, it was a holy relic. These had to go, and their makers too.
"Extremists." Luna whispered. We all stopped and looked to Luna as her eyes widened. "These griffons that are still working at these factories and workshops only know that their government and empire is gone. They are still working and arming themselves for whatever happened."
Gal nodded slowly before speaking, "Yes this seems to be the most likely. They are simply scared."
"Or they know or who is coming for them." Discord added flipping backwards before spinning in a circle and appeared wearing a long hooded black cloak and a sickle clasped in his eagle claw. "Here he comes, the harbinger of death. The master of destruction, the god of..."
Discord's rant slowly tapered out when he saw me slowly sink to the ground. "Or maybe not." He walked over to me and placed a lion's paw on my shoulder. "Honored you need to accept this responsibility you've been given. Don't look at this as being the grim reaper of the pony world, but as the protector of peace and life by stopping those that would cause harm."
I looked up to the chaos master and gave a weak smile. "Ya mean it?"
I felt a great slap to my back that sent me sprawling into the ground, "Of course I mean it! Don't you see, here we all are, all the great balances found in the world! Delicious chaos, boring peace and calmness, beautiful creation, and you, powerful destruction. All together we make up the perfect circle of balance." Discord reached out and wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled the princesses close while giving a goofy grin to Gal.
"Alright." I said with a smile and pushing myself from the group but still going to Luna and placing an arm around her neck. "I get it, I know what I have to do. And I do need your help."
Celestia stared at me. Luna was agreeing with me. Discord was surprisingly staying calm. Gal hung his head, but knew what must be done. I needed the help of the princesses and Discord for one horrible thing, mind wipes.
"It is a very tedious spell," Luna said glancing to her sister, "and to only wipe information relating to weapons of your advancement or others developing them is crazy."
"Good thing I love crazy!" Discord said while winking, "I may know a thing or two about getting into minds."
Celestia gave a sad smile, "We can create a spell to do what you want, you just get them to us and we will clear their mind of anything related to new weapons."
I nodded. "I will seek those out and give them the option of parting with their weapon knowledge or death." I added quietly. I hated that idea.
"Honored you must not fret over the death. They want to create weapons that this world simply isn't ready, and should they refuse to forget that information, then they welcome death to themselves and others." Gal spoke softly and calmly, his wisdom seeming to radiate from him, "If they fail to see your reasoning then it is too late for them anyway."
It was decided on how I would cleanse the world of the development of these new weapons. It would take a lot of time, but it was the only way I could be sure this growing problem would be solved. All those names and locations on my map in the basement marked where I had to go and talk. Talk. That's the key part to this plan.
I would confront the pony or griffon or whoever held the knowledge for making the weapons and then give them the ultimatum, either submit to a modified memory spell to cleanse their mind of weapon production or death. That easy. Right? I thought it was a fair trade. It was the only solution all of us 'balance force' beings could agree on. And of course I was the only one that had to get his hands dirty.
"I know this will be hard Honored." Luna said, draping a dark wing across my shoulders, "but if they see reason and are of sound mind, they will allow for the spell."
I sighed and looked up to my special somepony. She had a smile on her face and her eyes were filled with compassion and caring towards me. I smiled back and leaned into her and wrapped my arms around her neck and gave her a tight hug. "Thank you Luna." I said but with my head shoved into her fur, it came out as, "mwmph thuu woona."
"Of course little warrior." She said with a smile before returning the hug with her wings.
"So you want to do what to my mind?" The tall beige unicorn asked with a surprisingly accurate Scottish accent. He was one of the weapon and engine engineers that worked on Fast Skies under Stand Bold. He had agreed to meet with me under the circumstances of, please come here I need to talk to you. Stand Bold had informed me that this Gear Hawk was a master of designing and starting to make new and better spell rifles. I stared at the oil stained unicorn again. He had oil and grease all over his dirty messy blonde mane and along his beige coat. He had welding goggles resting above his horn as he looked at me with a look of disbelief.
"I have to purge your mind of anything relating to those spell rifles you've designed and built." I said with a frown."I know it sounds bad, but this world is not ready for weapons of this caliber. I've been tasked to clear the knowledge of them from the world. Pony, Griffon, or any being must render to the spell or else."
"Or what lad?" The unicorn said with his deep Scottish accent.
I hated this part.
I reached down to my thigh and pulled the massive bowie knife Bad Bertha, and slammed the blade into the table top with a loud thud.
"Ah... well you make an interesting argument." Gear Hawk said swallowing deeply as he eyed the blade. He looked around and sighed. I looked at him as he thought and eyed his bronze gear cutie mark with wings sprouting from it making it seem to be flying. "Well you make this a real hard argument . I'll do the bloody spell."
"Excellent choice." I grabbed a red gem and slammed it against the table, causing it to explode into a mist and hit the unicorn with a blast of red, yellow, gold, pink, and dark blue magic. Every one of the beings of balance helped create the spell, explaining the different colors of the spell. Gear Hawk blinked his grey blue eyes rapidly and then looked at me.
"Did you do it?"
"Do what?" I asked back at him.
"The spell to remove..." He trailed off as he scrunched his muzzle. "Huh...it's like I know I forgot something but it's on the tip of my tongue." After a moment he shrugged his shoulders and smiled at me. "Are we done sir? Not to be rude, but I got two engines to look at and three gem generators as well."
"No no, we're done here, sorry to take up your time." I said my farewell to the unicorn and walked away from the empty room on board Fast Skies. That had been pretty easy. Well that had been the first mind I had to wipe. On my list I had nineteen to go.
"I'm going to have to do so much goddamn traveling."
I opened the door to my humble little home and fell forward onto the hardwood floor. I grunted as I felt a weight land on my back, right in between my wings. "Hello Selene." I said turning my head and looking up at the adolescent manticore. She purred and curled up between the smokey fog wings and pulled one over her with her mouth.
"Can I at least get to my bed first?" I grumbled out before picking Selene up in my magic and gently placing her on the ground beside me. I sat up and rose to my feet and moved deeper into my home and towards the stairs leading down to my basement. I flicked on the light and walked over to the workbench and pulled down the map and list of weapon knowledge holders.
Using my void magic, I crossed six names and locations from the map and list. Four ponies and two griffons. All of whom agreed to the spell easily. The two griffons and one pony were members of Black Claw that were present in Canterlot. I still had to talk to Chief Will about Eggy, his lead weapon engineer. He was potentially the most problematic name on my list only because Chief Will didn't like to give things up.
I pulled my weapons of their belts and from holsters and laid them on the table. I was going to the griffon kingdom in two days. The Black Claw temporary government had established a somewhat peaceful state, but I had already sent word and was requesting permission from the lead griffon to come to their city, and speak for peace.
My request had been surprisingly approved, but under the condition that I come alone and unarmed. I responded that I would be alone, but I would have one weapon and only one. And my magic, that had only a week ago decimated their capital, didn't count.
They had agreed to my terms again surprisingly.
I walked up the stairs, stopping to look back at the map before flipping the light off. I took my time entering my study down the hallway from my room and gently closed the door. Three massive tomes that would make Twilight jealous loomed on my desk. I opened the thickest one, quickly glancing at the title, The Tartarus Guide, and opened it to its only marked page. I looked at the arcane void magic summoning rune and sighed.
"Let's get cooking." I reached to the side of the desk and pulled a stick of charcoal made from wood found deep in the Everfree Forest.
I began to sketch a large six pointed star.
I rolled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom groggily turning the sink water on and cupping my hand beneath the faucet before splashing cool water across my face. I groaned and looked at the mirror over the sink and smirked. I still had some coal rubbed on one cheek from my rune . It had taken a lot longer than I had thought it would to sketch the star and some of the crazy glyphs along the edges of the star.
"So what were you doing last night?"
"Ahhhhhh!" I yelped and tumbled backwards into the bathtub and hit the shower as I fell, effectively releasing a torrent of cold water on my flailing body. I glared up at the laughing Lord of Chaos. "What do you want?" I said through clenched teeth as I shut off the water and climbed out of the tub.
"Oh I just got the shaky hibbie jibbies last night. The same kind that occur when someone is tampering with something they shouldn't." Discord sounded serious at that last part. Whoa. Discord being serious.
"Maybe." I said while drying off. I chewed on my cheek. In my mind Mars was flipping my shit for not casting more protective spells and I was trying to figure out how to get out of this situation.
"Well no worries Honored, your secret is safe with me." Discord lazily floated before me as I clipped a holster around my waist. I whipped around and dropped my jaw. "Oh don't look so surprised Honored, I can be a good creature. And I want to help you. I can guess what you're trying to do and it's crazy, but brave. Do you think Luna will be okay with it?" He asked and dropped down to my eye level as we walked down stairs to the living room.
"I haven't told anyone yet." I added quietly.
"Well maybe you should tell them. They will try to stop you, you know." Discord said while dropping down into one of the plush chairs in the corner of the room.
I let out a deep sigh and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "This could solve a lot if not all of Equestria's problems. I have to try."
Discord tapped a talon to his chin and the snapped his fingers and vanished in a cloud of magic, leaving a large burn mark across my plush, expensive lazy boy chair.
"Oh come on!"
"I have said what I came here to say, High Governor Iron Beak. I wish nothing but to put everything that has happened between myself and the noble Griffon Empire behind us and bring about a time of peace and prosperity, but to this I need your cooperation in cleansing the knowledge of these weapons from this world." I looked up to where the High Griffon Governor was seated. Strangely he was seated in the same throne where I had butcher and slaughtered the previous two griffon kings. This governor answered to Chief Will and acted as the face of the rebuilding Griffon Empire. He was also the next in line for the throne.
Needless to say he was not too pleased to have the human and harbinger of death standing before him asking to commit mind rape on some of his citizens.
"I see where these weapons would become a hindrance upon this world." Iron Beak clicked his beak in though. His beak was deep gray with lighter gray feathers covering his head and his brown body was streaked with iron colored fur through it. His golden eyes looked at me before sighing, "but this method it takes away principal rights and not to mention that you, a know supporter and member of the Equestrian military, get to remained armed."
Time to break out the ace in the hole. "About that your grace, I actually have something for you to read that will clear that up." I said while slowly reaching into a small pouch on my side and removing a scroll. I motioned with the scroll and Iron Beak waved me forward. I presented the scroll and backed down off the raised platform the throne rested on.
An awkward silence filled the air as he read over the information I presented him. I looked around the throne room and noticed the damage I had caused was still somewhat present. Large blast holes, scorch marks, and void burn marks covered the room. I looked at one of the guards standing beside me. "So I guess you weren't on duty that night."
"No, but my two brothers were." He said coldly back at me.
"Oh." I quickly shut my mouth and looked ahead opting to wait in silence.
After a few minutes of the most agonizing waiting of my life, the High Governor lowered the scroll and rolled it up before touching it to the small candle that rested beside his throne. Iron Beak leaned forward and placed his talons on his chin. "Do you understand what you're doing? You would do that to yourself for this world that is not your home?"
"So do we have an agreement?" I asked, ignoring his question.
"Yes human. Do what you must, cleanse the knowledge of these 'guns' from the factories and cities. Just please try to keep the casualties down. The gods know we have had too much bloodshed." He added sadly.
I dipped at the waist and offered a deep bow to the Governor before rising and walking towards the open archway that used to house two massive wood doors that I kicked down.
"And human," I turned and looked back at Iron Beak, "if you should succeed in your plan, you'll never be able to undo it."
I slowly turned back around and gave a sad knowing smile, "good thing I'm not from here then."
"First you come and kill hundred of thousands-"
"More like hundreds." I mumbled out loud.
"Then you obliterate the capital-"
I rolled my eyes, "only the gardens of the castle."
"And now you want to wipe my mind!?" The griffon engineer at the Beakerton weapon plant screamed and raved at me. This facility had five of the of the thirteen creatures that needed to have their mind wiped of weapons. And this was the first one, and he was certainly making it difficult.
I was seated across from the five griffons, each one showing a lot, and I mean a lot, of anger and hatred towards me. The empty room I had acquired for this debate was bare save for a table and six chairs. I looked at each griffon and saw nothing but hate. I turned back to the first griffon, "I need an answer, the spell or death." I kept my gaze on him as he just glared back at me.
"You can kiss my feathered-"
BANG
The four other griffons jumped at the sound and stared in shock at their unofficial leader as he sat in his chair, talon raised mid insult, and a large hole in the center of his chest leaking a large amount of blood onto the floor. I still remained sitting in my chair, but the smoking .44 magnum was resting in my hand on the table.
"So I will ask again." I said slowly while turning the revolver to the next shaking griffon, "spell or death."
The days all blended together for the traveling human. He moved from griffon workshop to factory to workshop delivering the mind wipe spell to nearly all griffons on his list. So far only two griffons had to be removed with death. Some of these 'factories' were as large as an office building or could be as small as a basement. In each weapons plant Honored stopped at, the mind of the lead engineer was wiped and then the machines in the factory destroyed.
At every spot the warrior stopped, he encountered much hate and anger geared towards him for what he had caused. But this failed to hinder him. He moved swiftly and efficiently, trying to complete his grave task as quickly as possible but without leaving any loose ends.
Soon Honored found himself looking at one final name on his list. Storm Drive.
Honored thought back to when he had meet that pony on board Fast Skies. He had been away on a weapon demonstration when Honored had first stopped by that ship so he couldn't have done anything till now. And this was going to be the hardest one of them all.
Honored had been dreading this name the most because of the relation he had built. One of the coolest, and certainly most useful weapons in his armory had been designed and built by the smart pegasus. And even now, as Honored walked into the weapons lab, the blue overall wearing pony smiled and offered him a wave.
"Hey Honored! Heard you were looking for me. Did you hear about my new spell caster I designed? I actually was gone to get a few parts for it." Storm Drive turned around and held out a blocky short weapon towards Honored. He reached out and snagged the spell caster from his hoof and examined it. It looked close to an old Mauser pistol. Long skinny barrel leading into a blocky midsection of the weapon and a primitive pistol grip with a bare trigger. It did look a lot like the Mauser, but the human warrior was sure it did something way different.
"You drop in a clip of these spell gems into the chamber here," Storm Drive opened the slide revealing and entrance into the blocky magazine area and dropped a strand of ten glowing red gems before the slide slid forward and the barrel began to glow red. "Now you're ready for business! " Storm Drive declared loudly with a big grin on his face. Honored gave a deep sigh before putting the spell pistol into a small bag beside him.
"Something wrong Honored?" The pegasus dropped his head, “you didn't even try it out."
"We need to talk Storm." Honored said with a deep frown while pulling out a deep red gem.
Honored walked slowly down the boarding ramp leading down from the belly of Fast Skies and into the darkening sky docks around the Canterlot castle. After having wiped all but one of the weapon engineer's' mind, Honored was ready to be finished with his grim work.
A pony named Metal Works was nowhere to be found. He worked under Eggy with the Black Claw group, but he wasn't anywhere in the headquarters or his home. Had he somehow gotten tipped off about the human's grim mission and jumped ship? Honored thought long and hard on how to catch one fleeing pony when he had so much ground to cover.
One could ask friends and family if he mentioned anything. Find the bread crumbs leading to him. Every being would leave some kind of trail, just have to find the thread and pull. Mars quipped in my mind. It was a strong plan, just time was growing short and he had much bigger things to deal with.
"You can stop following me." Honored said, stopping suddenly along the side of one of the empty docks hanging over the empty space on Canterlot Mountain. Honored turned around to face a cloaked figure with a horn protruding from their head. With a faint green glow, the unicorn's horn ignited and revealed a light caramel colored stallion with a deep gunmetal gray mane. "Metal Works I presume." Honored said while lowering his hand with agonizing slowness towards his holster on his waist.
"Ah not one more inch." The pony said with a rough voice. Held within his magical aurora he waved a weapon that had a short pistol grip and two barrels attached to a simple trigger mechanism. A magical shotgun. Sensing at least seven different spells located in each barrel's chamber. Fire, ice, water, chaos, pure magic, light, and magma are all crammed into each casting gem. It'll have a nasty amount of power, but no focus range. The void reached out, and examined in fractions of a second, the contents of his spell caster shotgun.
"I know what you've been doing. How are you okay with what you're doing? The great protector. The savior warrior. The Human. Wiping minds and killing in the name of what? Peace? Stability? You are doing something far worse than killing." Metal Works took a step forward and waved the shotgun at the human, forcing him towards the edge of the dock. "You are taking away somepony's mind. What makes them them. And you are doing it why?"
Honored cleared his throat and spoke calmly and slowly, "to rid weapons that could upset the peace-"
"The peace?!" Metal Works gave a deep laugh before narrowing his eyes, "we have been at a constant state of terror since you showed up. Changelings, shadows, griffons, and now Tirek. Yes how dare we try to develop weapons to protect ourselves from evil."
"You know that isn't the only way they will be used." Honored shot back. "The griffons were stocking up for a full scale invasion. I stopped that before it could even began."
"You seek to rid of these guns, and yet here you are, strolling around with the very same thing."
"Take it then, I will still offer you the same choice." Honored cocked his hip to the side and felt the weight of the .44 revolver pulled from its holster.
"Such simplicity. But you know that spell casters are so much more efficient." The unicorn said while looking at the revolver and still keeping the shotgun leveled at Honored’s unarmored chest. Metal Works looked up from the pistol and gave it a flick, sending the nickel plated handgun spiraling out into the air and down towards the valley below thousands of feet.
"I still offer you a choice Metal Works," Honored said, reaching into the pouch on his side and removed a red gem and holding it out in his gauntlet. “Please make the smart move, I don't want to do this, but for stability of the world I have to.”
“You really think I will let you and those would be Gods play with my mind?” Metal Works sneered and scoffed at the human whose jaw was hanging open. ‘What in the flying fuck? What the hell was this pony going on about? This was some serious shit for a cute lil’ ol pony to spewing.’ Honored’s two minds were racing to try and figure out what was happening. This was the first pony he had ever meet that held such strong opinions and Honored was truly perplexed.
So Mars stepped back and let Honored do what Honored did best. Tricky and wild shots.
SHHCRACK
As Honored had placed the memory wipe spell back into the pouch, having been rejected by Metal Works, Honored gripped the spell caster pistol he had just relieved from Storm Drive and aimed it through the pouch with the assist of the Void.
Angled directly front to the left at a slight tilt, firing one magical gem encased with a velocity rune and a shatter spell with a paralyze curse and a blood flow hex. Storm Drive certainly knew how to make a killing round. The gem will impact and cause a five meter shrapnel area, with each piece carrying the ability to paralyze spell and an instantaneous blood flow effect that causes the wound to leak more blood than normal.
And to think the Griffons were just designing normal projectile weapons.
The high velocity gem impacted against Metal Work’s chest and punched him backwards across the center dock and over the edge, no scream escaped the unicorn’s lips as he was paralyzed and could only watch as the dock and the watching human crew to a dot above him as he fell.
Honored watched with great sadness as the shape of the falling unicorn faded from his vision. He walked over the blood stain on the ground and the spell caster shotgun and picked the weapon up and tucked it under his arm.
Truly a wicked weapon, and beyond dangerous. All those spells impact one being at once, I imagine there wouldn’t be an open casket funeral.
“Let’s go Mars. I think… I think I’m ready to get some rest. I’m very tired.”
“To tell… or not to tell that is truly the question.” Discord paced within his room in the Canterlot Castle. The sheer chaos that Luna would put him through, oh it was just so good that Discord shuddered in anticipation. But on the other claw, if Honored went through with the insane plan then, well it would solve so many problems that he would live forever. Both in the annals of history and physically.
But if he failed? Oh that is where Discord lost focus and couldn’t decide what to do. Honored would be lost forever. There is no returning from a spectacular failure like that. Discord couldn’t imagine the effect Honored being lost forever to- Discord quickly looked at the mirror in his room and gave a quick glance at it, almost peering beyond it to a pair of eyes, “Ah ah ah, no spoilers yet. You’ll have to wait like everyone else.”
With a flick of his wrist a thin line sliced across the mirror.
I rolled out of bed and walked over to the dresser resting against the wall. I sighed and placed my hands against the top of the wooden furniture piece and gazed into the small mirror I had placed atop of it. I looked at the green eyes with golden flakes staring back at me. I looked deep at the reptilian like slits gazing back at me and blinked. I still had trouble believing that those were my eyes now.
Next I was reminded about my new found powers with the two fangs that poked just barely out of my mouth. I liked those least of my new transformations. As if egged on by my thoughts the black wings made of void magic sprouted out from my back and proceeded to knock a few weapon parts from the dresser and onto the floor. I groaned and levitated the parts back to their respected places.
“Fucking wings.” I walked down the stairs to the first floor of my house and into the kitchen, my wings tucking themselves against my back. I grabbed a glass of water and downed it before taking an apple in my gauntlet and walking from the house and into the early morning.
Ponyville still remained mostly asleep for a few ponies lazily beginning their early day. I made way to the park while munching on my light breakfast to meet with my trainer. The only being in the world that could even have a hope of helping with the void. And it wasn’t like I needed that much help, Mars did one hell of a job.
“Ah Honored welcome! Today’s test is simple,” Discord said floating upside down beside me as soon as I entered the park, “Just get to the other side of the park and I’m going to do everything in my power to stop you. I’ll be creating an arena just like the place you wish to go.”
I gave the lord of chaos a nod and squared off against the empty field of the park. I cracked my knuckles and then lowered my body and flared my wings back and crouched low to the ground.
“GO!” Discord shouted and suddenly the park was gone and I found myself staring at a world of brimstone and fire.
“What is it today?” Rainbow Dash asked Applejack as they walked towards the center of town. Dash was up early to get the weather set up for the day and Applejack pulled a heavy apple laden cart behind her for the stand.
“It looked like an obstacle course straight from a foal’s nightmare. Fire and lava everywhere. If’n ya hurry you should still catch him doing it. He sure is getting a might better with the wings. Might even be getting close to your level.” Applejack said with a bit of nudge to the pegasus's side.
“Oh please, this I have to see.” Rainbow jumped into the air and raced off towards the park where a sizable amount of smoke was filling the air.
“Again!” Discord shouted. “That was sloppy at best. How do expect to show him that you are worthy of commanding? You got singed three times, lost footing twice, and that flip? Oh as if. I’ve seen better from a shitfaced Celestia.” Discord didn’t yell, but he sure didn’t hold back. And I didn’t need him to. I needed to be prepared as much as possible.
“GO!”
I shot forward like a bullet from a gun using my wings to fly over the ground by only a few inches. I slammed into the standing obsidian rock that stood in front of a lava pit that fired up molten slag and toxic gases. I landed on the falling rock face and using the void propelled it forward like a surfboard along the boiling metals.
Using void force to redirect the heat into a pocket dimension and taking the misplaced energy to create negative effect that removes the heat and creates a positive lift.
‘Fly like a surfboard’ was all I thought. Mars did the rest.
I ducked and weaved my way along the lava lake and skidded along another exploding geyser and used it to fly into the air. I reached down and grabbed the side of the obsidian board and flipped backwards over another exploding lava geyser and aimed my gauntlet at the top portion of the molten material and pulled an orb of lava towards me.
Keep the heat contained within the negative energy field. Remain the lave consistency and temperature before outputting it into a positive field, have it keep itself heated.
‘Ball of lava’.
The lava contained within the void sphere soon was clasped between my hands and I launched it forward, where it slamming into a wall of red stone that imploded in on itself and revealed another lake of lava. I jumped from the board and let it crash into the boiling lake.
“Good! Show him your power now! Hit it!” Discord coached above me.
I soared as fast as my new wings could take me till my eyes were stinging and watery from the fumes and air rushing past me. I dove down till I was racing along the surface of the lake, the void keeping me from bursting into ash at the insane heat. Another powerful lap sent me spiraling up into the air as I faced off against a waterfall of cascading lava and rock. Brimstone boiled and lava hissed. I fired a burst of pure void at the center of the lavafall and gave chase immediately after it left my gauntlet.
The void slammed into the lava and created an opening in the wall of liquefied slag and I dove through into a cave filled with eerie green light and thousands of prison cells lining the walls.
“You have to want this!” Discord commanded. “He can tell if you simply are there, and he will take you. You must know what you want and you must want it with everything you have!”
I looked up and found myself glaring daggers at a being that dwarfed everything I had ever fought before. This demon, this god, was over five stories tall and was wrapped in deep purple robes. A helmet that resembled a bull’s head rested on his shoulder and the two long horns curved upwards where a small black flame danced suspended between the two. Mammoth muscles covered nearly every inch of exposed flesh and deep red eyes stared at me from behind the mask of the helmet. In one hand rested a staff that reached taller than the giant of a man and in the other rested a chain that lead into a dark opening in the side of the room.
“SON OF CRONUS I CHALLENGE YOU TO THE RIGHT OF THIS DOMAIN!”
And suddenly everything vanished and I found myself staring at Discord who gave a single nod. “That was the best yet. I believed that you truly wanted to fight him, and that’s what you have to be like.”
“Then why did you stop it? Let me practice fighting him.” I took a deep breathe, the adrenaline still pumping through my system. I was itching to fight, I was ready to end all the suffering.
“Because even I know nothing more than only how he looks and what he commands.” Discord hung his head. “The only other being that might know anything about him is Celestia and that’s because she was actually alive as well in the time of the creation of his world.”
“Wouldn’t you be that old too?” I demanded.
“Yes, but if you could recall from Twilight’s not-so-brief-brief-Equestrian-history I was in a different state of mind and it all seems to be a blur of chaos.” Discord said defensively before striding over to me and resting a claw on my shoulder. “You don’t have to do this Honored. You are essential changeling death itself.”
I gave the draconequus a smirk, “but you forget I’ve died like twice. I figure I owe him a visit in person for once.”
“What the buck Honored?” Rainbow Dash only stared in disbelief from her hiding spot in the bushes on a hill overlooking the park. The lava, the smoke, that crazy explosions. Discord as a coach. And his moves? They were insane and absolutely beyond anything he should be capable of for only getting wings like two weeks ago. And what the hay was that big robed human thing? It had been positively scary and that was coming from ‘the Dash’. “I gotta tell Twilight.”
Rainbow took off towards the library just as the sun rose above the horizon. Twilight would probably still be up from a night of studying or something.
“And you’re sure you saw that?” Twilight almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing. A giant human monster and a park of lava and fire? Impossible. But this was Honored, so it didn’t seem all too far from the truth.
“Yes!” Rainbow leapt into the air and almost slammed her face against the alicorn’s. “It was like he was getting ready for a fight because Discord had told him to run it again or something.”
“Well I’ll do some research, but I don’t know anything about a big human with a bull helmet.” Twilight said trying to think to any myths and legend book she may have skimmed for a light reading session.
“And muscles, don’t forget the muscle part because he had a lot of them.” Rainbow added to Twilight who rolled her eyes. The purple alicorn ruffled her wings and then wandered over a stack of books and began to go through them in search of the mysterious figure Honored seemed to be preparing to fight.
Rainbow took this as her cue to rest her eyes and take a nap while the princess began her search into the books.
“THAT’S IT!” Rainbow shot into the air and nailed her head against the ceiling of the massive library room in surprise from the sudden outburst from Twilight. She looked at the clock and saw she had a solid two hour nap. That was like the record for sleeping in the library section of the castle without being woken up by somepony barging in.
“Here in the Ancient Beings of Power I found a section that gives a brief description matching the thing you described.” Twilight dropped the book onto the table and flipped it open. “As the days grew and the nights took form so did the evil. For as much goodness that occupied the land, evil took its place beside it. The balance of forces began for none could coexist without the other. A new realm was created to detain the evil that should threaten the overworld.” Twilight looked up from the book with a curious look on her face. This book was written with so little detail but still contained the information she needed.
“Over world…. Ah that would be the current world that we live on.” Twilight nodded and smiled and gave herself a mental pat on the back, “then this other realm created would be Tartarus?” Twilight looked at the sentence and shrugged, “Tartarus would hold the balance as the world for the evil that sought to seek refuge in the good above. The underworld would be safeguarded by the son of Cronus, who shall stand tall as the warden of the realm.” Twilight quickly grabbed another large tome from a shelf and held it up to Rainbow, “Did it look like that?” She asked flipping to a rough sketch that appeared to be centuries old.
The sketch showed a massive thing that looked to have a similar body structure to Honored but that is where the similarities ended. Two legs and two arms rippling with muscles stick out form a robed midsection and its head was hidden beneath a helmet that resembled that of an angry bull with wicked long horns that reached over the creature's head and held a black flame in between them, much like Tierk had.
“Yup.” Rainbow said japing a hoof at the picture. “Just like that.”
“What in all of Equestria is Honored doing fighting that?” Twilight said using one of her wings to scratch her head, a perk of having the new appendages.
“Soooooooo Celestia what’s up?” I asked while leaning against the side of the diarchy’s throne.
“What’s up?” Celestia turned and narrowed her eyes at me. “You never stop by to ask me simple questions. In fact you only stop by to see Luna and pull pranks on me.” Celestia turned her attention back to the empty throne room praying to all above that a pony would come and stop the damn human from whatever he was planning. But none came. “So I don’t know Honored, what’s up?”
I sucked a deep breath through my teeth, knowing that dear ol’ Celestia hated that noise. “Well I was just in the neighborhood and figured that I would stop by and whatdoyouknowaboutHades?”
Celestia felt the blood drain from her face. “Care to repeat that? It sounded like you said ‘do I know Hades?’”
I wanted to smile that she obviously knew something, but the look on her face didn’t look like she was happy that I knew that name. “Yes Hades. Lord of the underworld. One of the sons of Cronus. Big and scary. Mean ol’ sumbitch.”
“GUARDS!” Celestia yelled and the two bored looking unicorns quickly snapped to attention. “Close the court for the day. I have business on the most important kind.” She then turned to me with a fire in her eye that had only seen when she was trying to kill be for doing things with Luna. “You come with me.” She jerked me into the air and teleported away in a flash of blinding light and the worst tugging sensation on every atom in my body.
“AWWW SHIT FUCK HELL!” I screamed as I landed on the cold hard floor… of the dungeon. “What gives C?”
“Honored!” Celestia stated sternly. No joking, no anger, just like an extremely agitated pissed off mom. “What have you done?”
“Nothing yet I swear!” I held my hands up in defense. “Just ask Discord I have done nothing!”
“What do you mean yet?” Celestia glared at me and I felt my soul take a hit from that gaze. “You have three seconds to start making sense before I send you to Tartarus.”
“Actually about that –“ I started but suddenly I was slammed into the wall of the dungeon with enough force to crack the solid stone wall. I coughed as dust fell from the ceiling and landed on me. Celestia was literally on fire as she kept me pinned with both magic and her hooves. I tried to teleport and was rewarded with nothing.
‘Mars help here buddy.’
I… I… she is cancelling the void… I… She is using the void!
I looked again and sure enough the normal pink aurora coming from her horn was sickly black and purple. Her eyes were slit like and reptilian just like mine and two fangs had appeared from her mouth while her wings had become black and smoky just like mine. My jaw dropped as I stared at another being that was just like me. A void master.
She is a master of the void and then some. It would explain why the balance of the world wasn’t thrown off without a destruction master. She was both representing calm and peace of the Alicorns and destruction itself. The amount of void looked away inside of her is beyond measure. She is simply absorbing our void as I cast it.
“Celestia what the hell is this?” I gasped at her as the sheer daunting amount of power this pony held. All the jokes, all the time I laughed with her, even when she came to my house on the intent of killing me, she was simply holding back. Every time she has lifted a hoof to fight it was always with holding back this void.
“Consider yourself the luckiest being in the universe Honored. You are now the only being that has seen this side of me. I didn’t want you to ever master the void because I knew where it would lead you. You’re a protector and I knew you would try to go down this road.” Celestia still held me in place while she spoke. The anger in her eyes slowly started to fade, but the power, I could still feel it in my mind. My void was almost bowing to a greater power.
“How long?” I choked out.
“More time than I can remember.” She stated. “But rest assured that it will be longer still for you if you do this.” Celestia let me down and sighed. “You want to fight him, don’t you?”
“Yes.” I looked up and stared at a true master of the void. “So many creatures have escaped under his watch and I want to stop that. Wouldn’t you? Why haven’t you?”
“Honored,” Celestia turned to face me her eyes filled with tears, “you don’t think I’ve thought about it? Honored I’m a mess inside. I am supposed to be the representation of peace and tranquility yet I am filled with the mastery of destruction and death. I am surprised I haven’t truly gone insane. Honored I need you to succeed in this endeavor.” She quickly wiped away the tears. “I hate myself.” She crumbled to the ground as she gasped out a breath, “I want to fight him regardless of how much danger it puts you in so I can finally rid myself of this internal damnation.” She took a deep lungful of air in and steadied herself.
“It happened when I found an ancient tome. It wasn’t a book Honored. The knowledge of the void was carved into a wall of a cave long forgotten and destroyed by myself thousands of years ago. That’s when I learned it. And I have been battling with it since then. Everyday. And I use it against itself to keep it from showing.” She gestured with her wings at her changed state. “An elaborate illusion spell that even my own sister, a being of the same flesh and blood can’t see through.”
“Tartarus was supposed to be reserved for the worst of the worst that the evil could give this world. And its guard was Hades. Hades was one of the ancients. Before Discord. Before even myself he served as a warden. Today he would be like a bounty hunter. He was supposed to catch the bad and guard them. That was it and with every being that he captured he sought more. But he grew bored of his routine. He would let one evil monstrosity out to wreak havoc and then capture him. A sport Honored. He turned his duty into a common sport. To see if he could catch the evil before it killed too many or destroyed too much.”
I simply sat down against the way and stared at Celestia as she sat across from me. “What happened?”
“Luna and I did the only thing that we could think of. We banished him to the very place he swore to guard. Tartarus. We locked him within his own home. It then became up to ourselves and the Elements of Harmony to send beings to Tartarus. The fact that there isn’t evil creatures running around nonstop means that he has continue to guard Tartarus, but still lets some go, for what reason I do not know.” Celestia hung her head and let out a breath of defeat. Slowly all the changes, the wings, teeth, and eyes returned to normal. She pulled out a red gem that looked like the very same one I had been using to wipe the memories from anyone that new about weapons.
What was she doing with that? She knew nothing about the inner workings of the weapons I wielded. “What’s that for Celestia? I’m not going to tell anyone about your secret.”
“It’s not for you Honored.” I gave her a raised eyebrow. “I want to give to you all the knowledge that I hold on the Void. Then I want to forget. You will be the only being left in the world that understands the Void and can wield it as a master.” I stared at her. She was giving me the tools needed to fight the monster Hades, but she was giving up a part of herself.
“Celestia… I don’t know if I can mind wipe the leader of a country. What about you, what will happen to you?”
“Oh I’ll be alright Honored.” She said with the faint ghost of a smile. “Please thing of this as the final piece of the puzzle. And we both know what the final picture will look like. In the end it would have to be this way.” She stood on her long legs and walked over to me. “Thank you Honored, just remember who you are and what you are fighting him for. It is the key to everything.”
“I won’t, now do it before I stop doing stupid things.” I smirked as her horn began to glow.
“We both know that will never happen challenger of death.”
FLASH ZAPPP
“Honored?”
“Honored?”
“Sweet Celestia, he drools like a dog.” A sultrily voice groaned out.
“Whhhaaaa?” I cracked open my eyes to see my friends from Ponyville and one stupid night guard turned handler staring down at me. I shook my head and gave a smile. “So how’d I end up unconscious this time?” I saw that I was resting in one of the many guest rooms around the castle and was very crowded. Wait. Why was everyone here Canterlot?
“Well the princess said that you were doing some training with Discord and then you went a little too far and hit your head on a rock.” Twilight said with a frown. “What are you training for?”
I looked down at the doorway and saw Celestia nod and then walk away. I guess it was time to spill the beans about this insane plan of mine. I just needed to get a few more ponies gathered around. Then I could do. I could tell them that I was going to solve the problems of monsters from the underworld once and for all.
“Well let me gather some more ponies up and then I’ll explain all about everything y’all need to know.” As they filed out of the room I let out a deep sigh I hadn’t realized I was holding in. They were going to fight this like crazy.
I found myself seated at one of the tea rooms beside the throne room. Both princesses, the main six, Tune, and Night Rose were all seated around the room in nice cushioned overstuffed chairs. “Okay now if you will now all open your booklets to page three we can begin.” I said while to confused ponies and one robot found booklets placed in front of them.
“The diagram shows the structure of this world, or the plane of existence. The top is us, Equestria or Equis if you will. This contains all the land ponies, happy creatures, and what not live on.” I received a few nods around the room as everyone looked at the little booklets. “And below that, is the underworld home to the dead and the nasty. Monsters, demons, lost souls and all that other pretty stuff.” Tune looked at the booklet with the camera mounted to his little claw. He rose it into the air.
“Yes Tune?” I said pointing to him with a ruler I had acquired for Honored’s teaching class 101.
“You have another layer below that with a symbol above it?”
“That is Tartarus. The sub level of the underworld reserved for only the worst of the worst. The jail of the underworld if you will. This is where all the baddies and monsters that invade Equestria are coming from. That symbol is the simplified version of the teleportation spell needed to reach that area.”
“And why do you need to know that?” Applejack asked while scratching a hoof along her mane under her hat.
“Excellent question!” I smacked the ruler on the table and then smiled, “go to page five please.” There was the sound of pages turning and paper crinkling as the booklets were flipped to the correct page.
“The overseer or ruler of Tartarus is a being of immense power named Hades. He is the being that Rainbow Dash saw me fighting. He is the reason why the monster are escaping. He is supposed to be acting as the guard along with Cerberus, but he is failing and I aim to find out why.”
It was dead quiet as the information sunk in to the ponies and robot around the room.
“Wait a minute darling.” Rarity said raising a hoof, “Out dear Twilight went to Tartarus that one time when Cerberus escaped.”
“Ah that. Page nine please.” More page flipping.
“Cerberus resides in the plane directly before the gates of Tartarus acting as a guard dog, he actually doesn’t live in Tartarus.” I said with a smile.
Every eye and one camera looked to Twilight. “Oh he’s right, I just thought the two were the same.” Twilight groaned and glared at me. I simply shrugged my shoulders and continued.
“I am going to challenge Hades to the right to rule Tartarus and the responsibilities that come with ruling it. This will stop all monsters from coming to Equestria and prevent a repeat of the Tirek incident.”
The silence in the room was deafening. “Excuse me?!” Pinkie Pie yelled leaping into the air. “Are you loco-in-the-cocco? You want to fight a scary ol’ GOD of the freaking underworld? You are going to fight death itself incarnate and then be the one on top! Do you understand how evil mean and nasty he will fight to stop the little human warrior of protection and friendship?!” Pinkie Pie bounced closer and closer with each accusation before she pressed firmly against me and panting heavily.
“Honored?” I dread this argument the most.
“Luna listen, I have a good reason for th-“ My words were cut off as Luna placed the tip of her wing against my lips.
“Please listen to me Honored.” She took a deep breath before moving away. “You want to fight to protect us, but did you stop to think that maybe we need to fight against the evil so that we have a purpose besides just living day to day only to die withering away living in the constant doldrums of life?”
“Whoa.” I said but silenced myself as she spun around.
“And what of me when you leave? You are the being I chose to love with all my heart and now I hear about you going to fight Death? How am I supposed to let you do this? Do you know what happens when you die in Tartarus?” She looked at me, her deep pools of teal lakes looking onto my green and gold eyes. “You die and that’s it. There is no open fields of the ever after. The plains of forever full of family and friends and loved ones. You are gone. Nothing.”
“Even in my own death, whenever that may be, I will be without you. Alone forever.” Luna was now on the verge of tears as she stared at me. I swallowed and stood up tall.
“And if I win do you know what I get?” She was silent. “Page ten.”
Flipping pages filled the room.
“The flame of immortality?” Fluttershy whispered.
“That’s right, the flame resting between his horns on his helmet is his right to the rule of Tartarus. With it, he can live forever without fearing disease or famine or old age.” I walked to Luna and wrapped my arms around her neck before looking into her eyes. “Even with the Element of Protection I will die. And how do you think I feel knowing every day I live, I grow one day closer to having to leave you behind. If there is a chance, no matter how small, that I could gain the immortality that you, Celestia, Discord, or Gal have then I would be insane to not try and get it.”
“You’re doing this for me?” She whispered out as I still looked at her.
“Well the whole protection thing too, but you know, two birds one stone.” I gave her a grin as she let out a sad laugh.
“Oh Honored.” She laid her head against my chest.
“So that’s the plan. I go and assume control of Tartarus and save Equestria from ever having to fight a villain from there ever again. And I will walk Equis delivering justice to those that need to bring down to the depths below.”
“Just one question.” Tune asked his robotic voice sounding grim. I looked at his camera as every gun on his body locked back and slammed forwarding, loading a round into each chamber and the missile pods opened and lifted up, posing ready to deliver death from above. “How am I going to get to Tartarus?”
That evening Pinkie told me she was going to throw the biggest best party she had ever thrown in her whole life. A ‘good luck on your hero-ing mission’ party. All of Equestria was invited and it was being held at the Canterlot Castle.
“You’re making it sound like that it’s going to be as big as the Grand Galloping Gala.” I said with a smirk and stared as Celestia’s face split into a wicked grin.
“Oh you could say it’s going to be something like that. Just with more fun and normal party stuff.” She added with a smile.
“You know what it really is?” I asked with a slight frown. “A farewell party, in case I don’t come back.”
SMACK
“OW MOTHER FUCKER!” I spun around to see Tune’s arm looking the other direction.
“The robot is right Honored. You are going to come back, you must. For more than just Luna.” Celestia said with a sigh. “I know I don’t possess the powers of Void anymore, but I know I had them, I know what I could do, but I can’t actually picture it. It’s somewhat frustrating to not remember, but it is nice to not feel what I did before. You must come back so that the balance can remain. You know that right?” Celestia said with a grimace. “I kept the mind wipe gem, it still holds the Void information I wiped.”
I raised a hand to speak.
“It is hidden to the degree not even you can find it Honored. It’s on the moon and only I can recall it.”
I lowered my hand. “I will come back Celestia. For Luna. For Equestria. For the sake of your work load.
I was smacked again.
I found myself standing next to an empty table in the castle ballroom sipping on a slightly salty punch drink that was really messing the ponies up. Hundreds of ponies were in attendance at the party that was being held in my honor before I left to begin my passage to Tartarus and fight Hades. A million thoughts raced through my brain every second as Mars went to work trying to settle my mind while I then thought of new problems. How was I going to kill death?
“You need to stop this thinking.” Luna said as she appeared beside me. I smiled at her and then wrapped an arm around her neck.
“Oh you know me dear, always thinking and stuff.” I tried to give her another smile and found her still giving me a dead pan glare. “Okay I know, but you see I’m going to this place, I’ve heard it’s not a very nice place, to fight death himself. I got to think about what I’m going to do.”
Luna rolled her eyes and then grabbed me in her magic and tossed me through the air and I flopped onto a stage that Pinkie Pie had somehow constructed in only a day.
“Alright everypony!” Pinkie Pie, the wonderful party pony screamed as I stood up and looked around at the hundreds of eyes watching me, “It’s time for music! Hit it Honored!”
“Uhh?” I gasped as I felt all... tingly all over. Like a type of magic was running along my entire body. Out of nowhere music slowly began to fade into the room and I looked around for its source, but I could find none. The beat became infectious as the ponies gathered around the stage and began swaying to the music as I continued to stand there frozen as the music picked up.
“Take me down to the river-bend.
Take me down to the fighting end.
Wash the poison from off my skin.
Show me how to be whole again.
I let my body go and began to swing while moving around the stage as the drums kicked in and the ponies all stared at me as the beat got faster and the music got louder. This was it, this was the music that the ponies could do, where they were able to just sing at random with instruments accompanying them.
Cause I’m only a crack in this castle of glass
Hardly anything left for you to see.
For you to see.
I sang with sadness and tried to put all the weight of what I’ve done into my words so that the ponies watching could get a taste of what I’ve done in this world of theirs. How much I’ve changed in the time since arriving in Equestria. What I still had to do. This was my burden to bear and I would fight to give the creatures of this world peace from the evil that sought to retake the land.
Before I had a chance to step down from the stage I felt that tingly thing all over again.
“Whoa! Two of ‘em! That’s really special Honored!” Pinkie Pie yelled as the electric guitar shrieked into the air from nowhere. The drums kicked in and I smiled, this would be a lot more livelily than that sad stuff from before. Time to get them all hyped for my leaving and fighting. Time to save Equestria for good. Well at least from monsters from Tartarus. Time to give these ponies some good old fashioned human rock.
Back in black
I hit the sack
I’ve been too long I’m glad to be back
The ponies jumped and cheered and began dancing along to my singing and the magical music that was pouring from my body.
“I think I finally figured out what my blood did to him.” Luna shouted over the music to Twilight who nodded frantically while throwing her limbs about. “It would seem that our hero is no longer immune to the music magic that resides inside each one of us.” Luna stared happily at me as I launched into another verse of the rock song, the energy coming from me driving the crowd absolutely wild.
I was having fun.
They were having fun. I had to win this fight. I had to return. Not for myself. Not for the Equestrian world.
But for her, for Luna.
I had a lot of time to make up for running off and doing my missions and quests. I needed to beat Hades and gain his immortality and from there, well id do what i did best.
Improvise.
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Just thought, hey on my honor is a thing, and it hasn't updated in a while.
And look what I find when I log in.
Improvise.
AND NOW WE WAIT.
I think either Hells bells or Highway to Hell would have fit better. Back in Black is good as well though. Good old classic Aussie rock
Back in Black would be better for his return, but I get why you used it now. Though, one thing comes to mind for his return. Shoot to Thrill. Possibly followed by Shook Me All Night Long after Luna lets him walk out of her room. With or without a cane depends on how much dignity he wants to keep.
I noticed some spelling errors. ('form' instead of 'from' and some missed capitalisations, ect.)
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
IT LIVES!!!
I think bat country might work better.
I wonder if you'll go against the whole "of course the hero is going to win" narrative and actually have Honored die in the end... Probably not.
Skip to 1:20
6596984
Thanks, fixed
So are you going to make a sequel of this? And if you do, wil the human world play any part?
Or you are just going to make it a trilogy?
6598439 Most stories on this site dies when the main character(s) dies. So, yeah. Unless you have a very very very very very very very good reason and logical sense in the narrative way for making the main character dies, you don't.
6603524 I'm afraid that with things happening in the near future I will be low on any time, im talking like for the next 2 years. So it'll be ended in a trilogy, but maybe small one shot things will pop up ever so often
Nothing lives forever.
That handsome scottish fellow was easily the best character. Thank you for fulfilling your promise. -Gear Hawk.