True Final Fight
Edited by Brony17
The black abyss wrapped tightly around Twilight. She found it a wonder she could move her legs at all. Walking forward, unendingly, was all that she could do. The world was crushing her with its presence, weighing down her muscles and thoughts, but all she could do was continue.
The air began to part and return to her lungs with ease. With each step the drowning abyss seemed to fade and the world slowly returned her. Heavy hoof steps struck against solid ground as light began to focus on something before her. In the distance before her was a pair of twin metal doors that seemed to be connected to the surrounding darkness. The concrete ground she walked on now seemed to spread outwards from those doors.
She approached them with uncertainty of what laid beyond, but she knew she had to go through them all the same. She raised her hoof and pushed them open. She stepped inside and the doors closed shut behind her.
The room she entered looked just like a dungeon. Old stones stacked together, covered in various amounts of moss, grime, and blood. Chains hung from various locations, connected to bones of former ponies, sinners of crimes long gone. Burning torches were scattered around, illuminating the stone prison.
In the center of it all, a large white pony bound by chains lay on a stone slab, her once ethereal hair laid flat against the ground.
“CELESTIA!” Twilight rushed over to her mentor. The alicorn seemed to twitch in her spot, her chains rustling as she moved her head to look up at her student. Twilight stood just a foot from her, staring down in shock at the chains that kept her teacher bound to the stone slab before her.
“Twilight…” Celestia spoke, horror slowly seeping into her voice, “What… are you doing here?”
“Nevermind that now, we have to get you out of those chains!” Twilight spoke quickly, eyeing where the chains connected. It looked as though they dug deep down into the floor. The chains went far too deep to be able to cut them out of the cement, which meant she’d just have to cut the chains.
She summoned the black sword before her, aiming it at the ends of the chains and away from Celestia’s body. She swung down hard, the blade hitting the chains dead on. A loud metallic strike rang out with the impact, but the chain did not yield. As she pulled the sword back, she couldn’t see if she had even made a scratch.
“…That sword…” Celestia spoke quietly, staring at the sharp black blade Twilight wielding. “Where did you get that?”
“It’s… hard to explain. The simple answer is I found it.” Twilight grunted as she pulled the sword up and slammed it down against the chain again. “It’s sort of been following me through this damned world, but now that it’s mine it’s proved useful.” She landed another slam down against the chain, her teeth beginning to grind in frustration.
“…That sword… it belonged to Merlin a long time ago.” Celestia spoke quietly between each of Twilight’s strikes. “He always had a fascination with swords… it was his hobby. If he wasn’t studying spells, he was usually indulging in crafting swords.” Another loud ‘clang’ punctuated her words as Twilight’s breath came heavier, “The sword you’re wielding now… that was his masterpiece.”
Twilight let out a loud groan of exasperation, “This stupid chain won’t break!” She was panting from her exertion, staring at the chain that had still had yet to be scratched.
“I didn’t think it would. Not even a sword made from a scale of Acnologia could break these chains…” Celestia shifted under the chains to better look at Twilight, “I doubt even Merlin himself could have broken these. He could shape the unbreakable to his will… but the binding of sin weighs us down forever.”
Twilight stepped back from the chains binding her mentor, panting as she stared at them. Her eyes then wandered back to Celestia, searching for some kind of way.
“Princess… I’ve traveled through the pits of hell and back just to find you… to save you.” Twilight shook her head, not wanting to believe it, “And you’re telling me that I made it all the way here… only for me to not be able to save you!?”
The princess was quiet, unsure of what to say or how to respond. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything, leaving Twilight to stare. Twilight’s mind searched for a solution, for some way for the chains to break or to get her mentor out from under them.
‘The spell!’ her mind cried out. If no weapon could break the chains, then perhaps Merlin’s most powerful spell could. ‘This must be what it was meant to be used for!’ she concluded with confidence. She steadied her stance and lowered her head, closed her eyes, and concentrated. All she had to do was focus on the spell, cast her magic into a single spot, call forth its name, and she could free Celestia.
The world around her seemed to pause for a moment. She was trying to focus, to channel her all into the spell. The seconds passed as she concentrated, but nothing was happening. She couldn’t focus her magic into the spell, the seal that kept the spell from activating wouldn’t allow it.
‘What… But why!?’ She mentally screamed as she tried again and again to trigger the spell. ‘To break the seal I need to have been under duress, what more does it want from me!?’ She let out a cry that echoed around the dungeon, slamming her hoof into the ground. Celestia looked with sorrow at her student, unable to move or help in any way.
“The monarch of the land trapped by her sins? For what it’s worth, I’m not surprised.” Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a second voice. She swung around and spotted a familiar stallion she hadn’t expected to see there.
“I suppose in the end we all succumb to our sins, but this is a little more literal than I imagined.” Magus chuckled softly as he walked next to Twilight, before stopping to look at the tied monarch.
“M-Magus!?” Twilight’s voice conveyed her shock, “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be looking after Spike!”
“You should know better than anyone that things do not go as planned here.” Magus shook his head slowly, causing Twilight to wince a little.
“…Okay fine. Then where is Spike? Is he okay!?” Twilight demanded, slamming her hoof to the ground once more.
“The little dragon was fine last I saw him. He was in a sanctuary I set up, so unless he moved, he should be okay.” Magus nodded his head, causing Twilight to relax a little.
“A-As long as he’s safe…” Twilight then turned her sight back to her mentor, “We need to free her of these bonds.” Magus tapped a hoof against his chin in thought.
“If the chains are a construct of this world, then I imagine my spell should free her just fine.” Magus smirked, “Shall I give it a try?”
“The sooner the better,” Twilight said looking at her mentor. “I’m tired of this world. If Celestia is freed, I’m sure we can end the nightmare with her help.”
“Then one runic circle, coming up.” Magus’s horn lit up as he flicked his head, light appearing around Celestia. Her head moved a little, rattling the chains as she looked down at the light that surrounded her. Slowly through the light she saw red markings begin to appear, starting with two circles inside of each other. Once the circles had formed, the runic markings began to form within them. As Celestia saw the markings, her eyes widened.
“W-What are you doing!?” Celestia demanded, raising her head sharply only for it to be tugged at by the chains. “You fool! Do you know what powers you are messing with!? You must stop this at once!”
“H-Huh!?” Twilight asked in confusion at her mentor's sudden shift in behavior. “But I’ve seen him do this before, it’s what we need right now. Why should he stop?”
“No… no you can’t!” Celestia struggled against the chains as the spell neared completion. “You have to stop! You don’t know what you’re doing!”
Celestia’s eyes widened further and her breath caught her throat. The light of Magus’s spell vanished as the runic symbol appeared beneath her. Her body began to shake, the chains rattling violently. She strained against the chains, the loud clacking of the metal links striking each other filling the room as she struggled.
“W-What’s going on!? Aren’t the chains supposed to disappear!?” Twilight cried, quickly turning to Magus for an answer.
“Hmmmm. This is certainly an interesting reaction.” Magus spoke in his usual weird way, a smirk still on his face with his hoof to his chin. “I certainly can say I didn’t expect this.”
“What do you mean you didn’t expect this!?” Twilight shouted looking at Celestia again. The monarch’s eyes were as wide as saucers, her body thrashing against the chains. Her pupils appeared to fade away, leaving her eyes a white void of their former selves. “YOU’VE GOT TO STOP THIS NOW!” Twilight shrieked at Magus.
Staring at the thrashing Celestia, Magus rubbed his chin as his grin grew wider. “I don’t think I can stop this. At this point, I can only study.”
Twilight’s eyes grew at his words and she instantly snapped her gaze back to her mentor. The flesh on Celestia’s back had grown, sprouting out like an oversized tumor. The sickly brown colored flesh pulsed and pulled against the chains as it swelled even larger.
Twilight couldn’t move, she could only stare in horror as her teacher transformed in front of her.
Celestia’s neck elongated off of the slab, her head hitting the ground. The chains rattled loudly as they were pulled further out of the ground by the growing flesh on Celestia’s back. Her wings began to droop, growing longer through the restraints and changing into a deathly gray color. The monarch’s head began to split, blood dribbling between the line as her skull cracked open.
A new head appeared from inside of Celestia’s, a bulbous brown head similar in shape to that of a hairless chimera, red eyes in the center of white pupils staring forward. The head rose up as the body grew, the elongated wings starting to rise into the air and wiggling with life. The legs of the monarch stepped off of the slab and slammed into the concrete floor with a deafening impact, no longer the slim and slender legs of a pony, but the thick clawed leg of a monster.
The once beautiful ruler of the land was no longer recognizable. Before Twilight loomed a large monster of flesh and power, something that looked down upon others with doubt and disgust. This wasn’t her loving mentor and ruler anymore.
This was a Tyrant.
“Amazing,” Magus whispered, his eyes wide and a grin plastered on his face, stepping closer to the heavy large mass that made up the Tyrant. “She grew at least fifteen times her size! She towers over me now!” Magus laughed standing before the once beautiful monarch, “This is absolutely incredible! I have to study every moment of this!”
“MAGUS!” Twilight cried out. “GET AWAY FROM HER!”
Magus turned to look at Twilight in surprise. “I can’t. I have to study this. Can’t you see how much we can learn from th-“
Magus was silenced by a giant writhing tentacle smacking the side of his body full force with a loud thud. His body went sailing through the air, smashing straight into the side of the dungeon wall.
Twilight’s heart dropped and her sword snapped to attention in front of her. A pair of tentacles slammed into the ground before her, shaking the small world around her. The Tyrant roared into the dark ceiling as it brought its attention to Twilight.
Twilight’s eyes darted to the tentacles that writhed against the ground next to her. Following their source, she could see they had once been Celestia’s feathers, mutated into a hideous new form. Following another of the Tyrant's roars, they rose into the air and swung down in another attempt to crush her.
Twilight tumbled, rolling out of the way of the tentacle at the last moment. She was back on her hooves and staring at what was once her mentor, unsure of what to do. Her sword stood ready, but her heart wavered. Twilight couldn't stop seeing her loving mentor in front of her, even if she had turned into a monstrous Tyrant.
“Princess! Please stop this! I don’t want to hurt you!” Twilight cried out, hoping that somewhere deep inside the princess could retain her senses. The Tyrant only bellowed another roar, its large appendages rising into the air for another strike.
Twilight grit her teeth and jumped out of the oncoming attack, hearing the tendril slam down behind her and cracking the concrete underneath. Her heart was racing as she ran, staring at the large, deformed body of her teacher. The Tyrant slowly turned to try and keep up with her, intent on lashing out against the lone pony in the room.
‘How?!’ Twilight’s mind screamed at her, ‘How can I stop her without hurting her!?’
Twilight shrieked as she skidded to a halt, a large tendril smashing down right in her path. She quickly looked behind her to see the Tyrant’s head coming straight for her, mouth open and teeth bared.
With only seconds to spare, she crouched on her hooves and jumped, the Tyrant’s head stopping just inches from where she had been. A large spike shot forth from its mouth, impaling the spot where Twilight had just been standing. Twilight landed and skidded to a stop as the monster wrenched the spike free and retracted it.
‘I… I don’t think I can avoid hurting her…’ Twilight gulped, raising her sword again as the tendrils pulled back to the press the attack. ‘But… I… I can’t kill the Princess. I just can’t!’ Twilight shook her head, ‘Maybe I can stop her by just… hurting her?’ She ground her teeth at the thought. ‘It’s either that or run around until she manages to kill me… Forgive me Princess.’ Twilight steeled her resolve, determined not to die there.
The Tyrant’s piercing roar echoed through the chamber as a tendril descended quickly. Twilight was ready this time, a plan of action in mind. She dodged to the side, letting the appendage slam into where she had been standing. The cracking cement from the impact blew small shards around her, but her focus was steadfast and strong. With a thrust, the black blade embedded itself into the flesh of the tendril.
The Tyrant let out a loud shrill as the tendril reflexively lashed out. Twilight was caught off guard and tossed across the room, hitting the floor with a painful thud. She groaned as her sword clattered down next to her.
She rubbed her head, quickly getting back to her hooves. The Tyrant wasn’t happy with her, its injured tendril flailing about haphazardly trying strike her again. Her sword scraped against the ground as her magic readied it once more.
The Tyrant’s eyes refocused sharply in on Twilight. Twilight braced herself, the tendrils crashing towards her in full force. She dodged as best she could, her sword slashing through the air as the appendages attempted to smash her. Her sword sliced through what flesh she could manage to hit, the blade unable to cut through completely but still leaving deep gashes in its wake. The roaring Tyrant bore down on her, attacking her with a relentless assault. It was all Twilight could do to keep herself from being hit.
A loud thud echoed through her mind as the air escaped her body. She felt her hooves leave the ground, head spinning out of focus until pain assaulted her, sailing through her back. A tendril was pressed hard against her body, pressing her against the stone wall that made up the dungeon.
Her gasp of pain came out as a single, strangled breath as blood escaped her mouth. It trickled down her chin as she struggled, just trying to breathe as she stared at the pulsing, sickeningly brown tendril that was pressed up against her body. Her vision wavered, the tendril blurring in and out of focus as pain rocked her being.
‘Is this it?’ She thought, her mind unable to comprehend what was going on. ‘Am… I going to die here? At the hooves of my mentor?’ Twilight’s head slowly lifted, looking at the once beautiful head of her beloved teacher, now twisted into the shape of that skinned chimera. ‘Damn you Merlin... Your spell saved no one… Not even myself…’ Twilight’s head lowered, her vision beginning to fade out as pain assaulted her senses and it became harder to breathe.
‘I’m sorry everyone…’ Twilight begged for her friend’s forgiveness as her eyes began to close. ‘I tried… I came this far, but I couldn’t save you. Please… don’t hate me…’
Her mind was growing dark, fading away into nothing. The pain began to fade and her mind began to drift away. Her eyes closed as she drifted into a final sleep.
“TWIIIIIIIIIIIILIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!”
Twilight’s eyes snapped open, all the pain returning as a large gasp of air suddenly filled her lungs. The tendril crushing her had relaxed its grip, letting the unicorn breathe for a moment. That had distracted the Tyrant.
“Twilight! I’m here! Just hold on!”
‘That voice… No, it couldn’t be. Not here, not now!’ Twilight’s mind cried, turned her head slowly. She didn’t want to believe it, she didn’t want it to be true, not here, not now, not with that Tyrant looking for blood.
“I’ll get you down from there!” the small waddling purple dragon cried out, heading straight for her. She could see the fear in his eyes. He ran without a plan, no idea what he was doing, compelled only by the need to help Twilight.
“SPIKE! RUN!” It was all Twilight could scream. This was not a place she had ever wanted to see the young dragon, not in this hell, not facing the abomination that was once Celestia.
“Twili-GAH.” The young dragon’s words were cut off by the force of the Tyrant’s tendril. The appendage quickly wrapped itself around the young dragon’s body and lifted him into the air.
“SPIKE NO!” Twilight cried out, ignoring the pain wracking through her chest. The small dragon was held right in the glaring gaze of the Tyrant. Spike’s eyes were wide with fear, his small body trembling as he came face to face with his captor.
The two stared at each other for a short moment, Spike only managing a gulp of dread. His fear began to slowly fade as he looked into its eyes, something gradually dawning on him.
“P-Princess? I-Is that you?” He croaked out, having difficulty breathing through the tightness that squeezed him. The Tyrant maintained its glare and replied only with a low growl.“Celestia! It’s me, Spike! I-I know that’s you in there! I can sense it… D-Don’t you recognize me?”
The Tyrant’s head tilted a little, slowly drawing the small dragon closer. Spike wriggled a little, managing to get his arm free from the tendril’s grip. He held it out, showing his openness to the creature.
“Celestia… You’re like a mother to me… Come on, let’s put a stop to this… okay?” Spike pleaded to the once mighty ruler of Equestria. The Tyrant tilted its head again, drawing closer to Spike. A smile slowly formed on his face as he reached out to hold onto his other mother.
A succinct sound cut the air, followed by a crushing silence, Twilight’s eyes widening in shock. The Tyant’s mouth was open, the lance kept inside it extended. On the other side of the dragon’s body could be seen the sharp point, the weapong having sailed clean through.
The Tyrant’s head tilted the other way slowly this time, as if taking a moment to admire its work. Then the lance was withdrawn and Spike was let go. His small body fell quietly before hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Twilight could only stare, her mind unable to process anything that had just happened. She saw it, but she couldn’t believe it. Spike was lying on the floor, a large hole ripped through his chest. His blood was quickly pooling around the small frame of his body. He wasn’t moving, not even twitching. His color visibly faded with each second, no longer the bright purple and green dragon she knew.
“Spike…” Twilight weakly called out from trembling lips. “Spike… Get up…” She begged him. The little dragon didn’t make any move to respond. Twilight could see it in her mind though. She could see him getting up, dusting himself off, and then looking at her with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head as remarked on how close that one had been.
Her young assistant had always been with her. When she was alone in her dorm, Spike had been there to help her with her studies. He had taken care of organization to ensure everything was where it needed to be. He gave her a second opinion, and was never afraid to let his mind be known.
To her he had been just like a little brother… Or maybe, even like a son.
“You… You killed him…” Twilight struggled to get the words out, staring at the small body of the baby dragon. “He… he called you mother… and you killed him…”
Twilight could feel the pressure from the tendril picking up again, pressing her harder against the wall. Her mind refused to register it, only focusing on what had just happened.
"You...you killed him," she muttered again. Her teeth started to grind. Her mind began to smolder. Her body started shaking as it fought back against the tendril crushing her. That single thought repeated again and again inside of her head, stoking her building rage to burn ever hotter.
Her magic began to pulse through her horn, concentrating into a single point. Her body pulsed, her eyes beginning to shine.
“YOU KILLED HIM!” Twilight’s cry shook the room, her magic sweeping the ground. The black sword was quickly picked up, sailing through the air and stabbing the tendril holding her down.
The Tyrant cried out, pulling back and letting Twilight go, roaring as the pain assaulted its appendage. Twilight landed on her hooves, her mind focused as her magic channeled to the end of her horn, all doubt having burned away in her fury.
The seal on Merlin’s spell unraveled in her mind. She could see it now, she could focus on it. The spell's power began to mix with her own, concentrating in a single spot right above her head. A flash of memory from Merlin followed behind it, bringing the spell into sharp clarity.
“Crafting spells is my special talent, but making swords is my hobby. So I decided that my life’s work, the spell I built my life around, would encompass both. A spell that channeled the raw, perfect power of magic, into the shape of the most elegant sword I could craft. A sword made of magic, only wieldable by those who can access the power of the Element of Harmony’s symbol of Magic.”
“This sword would be my most powerful creation, so it cannot be entrusted to just anyone. This sword is a beacon, a symbol of power and magic. I can only entrust it to some pony who I know would use it for good. Who would not abuse its power for greed, or lust, or power. No, this weapon will have one name, attached to the person who uses it. And only when the sword shall be called for, will its name be known.”
The spell took shape in front of her, a golden aura of light hanging just inches away. The spell was drawing forth all of Twilight’s magic, shining bright gold as it formed a sword made of pure magic.
The Tyrant let out a roar, staring down at the glowing aura of light before it. It was unable to comprehend what was happening, opting to simply let its tendrils wander, trying to gauge the right moment to strike. They drew in, readying to attack, unsure what the light was going to do.
Twilight wasn’t going to let it though. Her magic was channeled, the spell was ready. Her eyes looked up, boring a hole into the Tyrant before her.
“Channel your magic into the spell and call forth its name,” Merlin’s words echoed in her mind. She pulled the sword back, the magic solidifying for just a moment, forming a solid steel blade with gold carvings. With an echoing cry, she screamed forth at the top of her lungs.
“EXCALIBUR!”
The blade of light swung forth, light bursting forth from the blade as it came crashing down. The Tyrant let out a horrifying screech as its body was assaulted, surrounded in the light from Twilight’s sword. The world began to shake and rumble, being torn apart by the very power of the spell itself.
Swirling winds tormented Twilight's ears as the spell rocked the very foundations of existence. The Tyrant’s cry of pain barely pierced through the howling winds. Twilight could feel her legs slipping away from stable ground, but she could see nothing through the blindingly pure light.
The world was consumed in the spell’s vibrant light, overpowering the darkness, the creatures, and even Twilight herself.
Her magic had been consumed, she had put everything into that single spell. Her eyes closed as she felt the air rushing up around her, her legs no longer on solid ground. The sensation of falling was the last thing she remembered as her consciousness faded.
-----
Twilight let out a groan, the sound of a pulsing beat in her ears. A hoof came to her head as she rubbed it, feeling it throb in pain. She had just consumed all of her magic in one go, and the whiplash to her system was biting her back with a vengeance. She was surprised she was even conscious, she could still feel her magic was completely empty at the moment.
Something warm brushed against her, causing her eyes to shoot open. She almost immediately regretted it.
The walls of the room she was in… were moving.
If she had to guess, they looked like muscles. Thick and red, pulsing in and out, a constant thumping beat sounding in combination with their movements. The floor beneath her was made of the same material. The whole room reminded her of a beating heart.
She stared in shock, unsure of where she was, or why it hadn’t all ended already.
“He… lp…”
A voice weakly called out. Twilight lifted her head from the ground, looking in front of her. A black orb pulsed in the center of whatever room she was in, pulsing in time with the walls around her.
Staring at it filled her with a sense of pure dread, it was an orb of unnatural origin. It didn’t belong there, it shouldn’t exist, and yet there it was, defying her very senses of reality.
“Why…”
“So cold…”
Voices came again, this time from around her. Twilight looked for their sources but couldn’t see them. They were different from the first, but she didn't know what that meant yet.
“Betrayed.”
“I loved you.”
“For the night.”
“We wanted to be free.”
“She deserved to die.”
Twilight shook her head, the voices were practically clawing into her brain. She didn’t know what it meant, or what she was hearing them. She couldn't understand any of it. Merlin said his spell would’ve ended this, that it would stop the nightmare.
Why was she still there!?
“I’m sorry.”
“You should have died.”
“We were right.”
“You took our homes.”
“We believed in you.”
“Annie.”
“This is all that’s left.”
“SHUT UP!” Twilight cried out, holding her head with her hooves. She couldn’t take it; the pain was pounding into her head. She wanted them to go away; she wanted it to end already. Why was it still happening!?
“You… Should see.”
This voice was different. Twilight’s eyes popped open as she stared at the source, coming from the dark orb. The voice was deep, unnatural. It was unlike anything she’d ever heard before. She stared at the orb, unable to comprehend what was going on.
She swore her mind deceived her. The faces of ponies were swirling inside the orb, as if that thing was made out of them.
And then she was somewhere else, in the middle of a large barren field. She could see Celestia standing on top of a cliff all alone, as if she was waiting for someone.
And then they came. From the other side of the field an army appeared, marching straight for Celestia. She stood her ground, unflinching as the army came to a stop several yards from her position. They easily numbered in the thousands, each soldier clad in the same armor Twilight had seen all over Ponyville.
A single pony stepped forth, a scar on his face and a flag attached to his side. It bore the emblem of a moon on top of a shadow, a symbol Twilight instantly recognized as Luna’s cutie mark.
“Tyrant of Equestria!” the commanding pony bellowed, “You have trapped our glorious leader, Nightmare Moon, into an eternal prison on the moon. We are her army, all that remains to oppose you and your eternal rule. You stand alone, facing against a legion of five thousand ponies.” The commanding pony stomped his hoof down. “Surrender now and we may yet be merciful. Not even a pony considered a god could stand up to the might of an army.”
Celestia stood still, her gaze unchanging. Her glare never once faded, her anger never once wavering.
“Tyrant of Equestria, speak now! Do you surrender, or shall we end your life here?” the commanding pony demanded, slamming his hoof into the ground once more.
“Thou will return to thy homes. Thou will pledge thy allegiance once more to our crown,” Celestia bellowed in return, her eyes narrowing, “Or else thou will die here. All of thee.”
“We cower not to your threats!” the commanding pony bellowed back. “You have chosen your fate! STALLIONS! At arms!” At that moment, the ponies behind the commanding pony raised their weapons. They carried a large variety, ranging from swords to axes to spears. They aimed them all directly at the lone Princess that stood before them.
“READY!” The commanding pony raised his hoof, the entire army taking a step forward.
“CHARGE!”
The large crowd of ponies let out a roaring cheer as they then rushed forward, ready to destroy the tyrant that stood in their way.
When they were barely a yard away from impaling her, Celestia's wings spread wide and her eyes glowed brightly. In an instant, a large orb of magic surrounded her and exploded outward.
Ponies cried out in horrific pain, their flesh melting away as they were blown off their hooves by the explosion of magic. Fire blazed intensely around Celestia, the ground charring just from her presence.
The charging army didn’t falter, rushing straight for Celestia with their weapons drawn. The Princess lowered herself for a moment, then surged forward and broke through their ranks.
The battle was exactly as the commanding pony had predicted: a one sided fight… But not in the army's favor. Celestia took no prisoners. Fur, skin, flesh, and bones burned and melted all around her. Weapons came to life, floating into the air before turning on their former wielders. Magic attacks struck arcane barriers and ricocheted back into the doomed mass of soldiers.
It wasn’t a fight; it was a slaughter.
It took effortless minutes for her to completely destroy the army that had once stood before her. Nothing but a pile of smoking armored bodies remained, the triumphant monarch perched atop it. Twilight could smell the burnt, cooked flesh. Blood was spilled everywhere on the land. Crimson stains now covered Celestia’s body, proof of the ponies she had killed. Her mane never stopped flowing, unaltered in her fury.
Only one pony was left alive, to be dragged through the corpses of his fallen allies. Her magic lifted him up, hanging him by his back hoof in humiliation. The commanding pony refused to groan in pain, most of his flesh cooked and lacerations covering what had yet to be charred a deathly black.
“Thy army was for naught. Thou had a chance, but thou chose death.” Celestia glared at the commanding pony, her words biting deep. “When thou defies the crown, thou gets death. Dost thou understand now?”
Instead of lamenting, or cowering, the commanding pony began to laugh. The unamused monarch grit her teeth.
“But don’t you see?” the commanding pony coughed. “You didn’t win… we did.”
Celestia glared at the armor clad pony, not understanding what he meant. A grin formed on his face, reveling in his victory.
“So what if we lost the fight. You’ve now lost more. Your people will no longer trust you.” His voice grew louder, “The ponies of our army were the ponies of your land. They have family, they have loved ones, they had friends. All of them. And you slaughtered them all. You have proven you are a Tyrant.” He was overtaken by another fit of uproarious laughter. “A Tyrant will never last in Equestria. An enemy will rise that can kill you. Just like Sombra before you, just like Discord before him.” He paused for another bittersweet chuckle. “You will die. And your Tyranny will end.”
His mocking laughter cut Celestia deep. She had him hanging by a hoof at death's fiery, unforgiving door, yet he laughed instead of confess his guilt and accept his fate. It was a mockery of everything she had lost. Her temper flared, she couldn’t hold it in any longer.
With a loud scream the commanding pony was set ablaze, his flesh cracking, sizzling, and burning to ash before the wind carried it away. She let his blackened skeletal remains drop to rest atop the mound of cooked ponies that had once been his army, panting as her body shook.
The burning battlefield was replaced once more with the red pulsing flesh of the room in which she had been standing. Her legs wobbled as she tried to recover from it all, staring at the black pulsing orb in the center. The faces of ponies pressed up against its skin, circling around it again and again.
“I… I see…” Twilight gulped, closing her eyes as she steadied herself. “So that’s how it is…” She opened them again still looking intently at the rob. It was not something she could hurt by conventional means. She would need a grand spell to take care of it.
“I see… That was your game Merlin…” Twilight softly chuckled to herself as she began to concentrate again. Merlin's spell started to form again, concentrating into a single point before her.
The spell required all of her magic to cast. She had already used it once, and there was none left. She would have to rest,most likely for days, to restore her magic to full once more. It would be impossible to have enough magic to cast the spell once more.
Not unless a price was paid.
The spell could channel something else to use as a catalyst. A pony's life energy, converted into raw magic, would be able to give shape to the sword a second time.
‘I’ll end this once and for all. I’m the only one who can do that now,’ Twilight told herself, finally understanding the words of the ponies who had come before her. The gleaming golden blade began taking shape before her, steadily sapping the energy from her very being.
‘No one else has to suffer anymore. No one has to be in pain. This will end it.’ Twilight opened her eyes, the sword nearly finished as she stared at the orb. It pulsed more wildly as though it knew well enough to fear the impending completion of her spell. 'Now I can put this all to rest. I might die in the process, but if it means that everypony else can live… it is more than a fair trade.'
The sword shined brightly in the walled room, the orb pulsing rapidly. The cries of ponies long since past echoed around her, but she paid them no mind. This was how it was meant to be. This was how it all ended.
With the utterance of a single word.
“Excalibur.”
The sword swung down with a mighty force and the world was once again consumed with raging light. The screams of tortured souls tore through the air and were silenced, blown away with the rest of the remaining remnants of the dark twisted world around her.
Twilight closed her eyes one final time, at last feeling a sense of harmony filling her heart.
This time, she knew she could rest peacefully.
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This chapter was glorious.
So, that's 2 chapters now, that were the supposed "last chapter." Not that this wasn't awesome or anything, but, like, really. When's the actual last chapter?
Before the reading.
Reading the chapter title...
Wait I have to get some epic music for that....
Now I can read this
After the reading:
No offense but seriously? Excalibur?
Well okay, it is supposed to be the strongest sword known to mankind... but thats it, MANKIND. But I still loved the chapter. Keep up the work, and I hope you have some really badass endings for this
I have to agree with Dradavar, Excalibur is a HUMAN weapon. Not only that, the name "Excalibur" is used to death in various others work of fiction, professional and fans. Its the only thing that is disappointing in an otherwise enjoyable read
Wait, it said life force could be used as a CATALYST. Catalysts aren't consumed when used to therefore Twilight should be fine!
Or maybe it's just a poor choice of words and Twi's dead.
If Twilight paid for Celestia´ sins, doesn´t that mean Celly gets a Karma Houdinni again?
I disagree with the naysayers on Excalibur. Yes, in fiction it has been used to death. That doesn't decrease its potency when used properly in a work, it instead burns the chaff away by saying "This, this is how you use a gorramn GOD TIER WEAPON. Not as mediocre reference that is handed out in the first chapter, but as something that everything builds towards, as a true Deus Ex Machina granted at the right time, at the right cost."
BLOODY FUCK, will this never end?
I honestly don't know how Celestia can be trusted now with the sins she's committed. Ending. Good endings. Waiting on endings!
Wow...
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.
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.
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Just... Just Wow. That was the most epic thing that I have ever seen. Granted, the transformation of Celestia into the Tyrant was a little lackluster, but really well done. That would have been an epic fight to play through if this were a game. Now I wonder, after the endings of this Fanfiction, does this mark the canon end of Silent Ponyville? Or does it mark just another beginning?
3132977 I couldn't agree more
3132977
I never said anything like that. I said that the name is kinda unimaginative. He could have thought something own up. I know WHY he used "Excalibur" I'm just saying that a HUMAN weapon doesn't really fit into a pony fiction. It's MY opinion. Maybe there are many more like you who say, "We don't care how the buck the sword is called" And that's your free opinion
Is it ironic that I guessed the name of the sword before she yelled it?
3132530 3132701
Coming up with sword names is haaaard!
3134158 Fair enough, but I was mainly aiming that towards the guy that used those terms, and you were in the general firing range. I like opinions, but I also love a good retort
3134432
Kalimgarad....
Naralyr....
Pavrathym....
I know they sound crappy
3134158
The pony show takes it's mythology and mythos from various human mythologies already. Most, if not all, of the monsters are from various forms of human myths. Hell, without humans the 'Minotaur' doesn't make any sense at all, as there's no 'Humans' for there to be a half-human, half-bull breed of creature.
Even locations are taken from Human mythologies, such as Tartarus, of the Greek mythology, which is the resting place of the dead. The human dead, mind you, not the animal dead.
So saying a 'Human weapon' doesn't fit into a pony story is kind of ludicrous in it's own right. Besides, I've been foreshadowing the inclusion of Excalibur since Merlin's appearance. If you know of the Arthurian lore, you know how he's tied to it in the first place, so him giving the sword isn't exactly a big surprise.
Plus, this is a crossover fanfic. Making references to other material in a way that makes sense is kind of the bread and butter of this kind of story. Now if this had been an original piece, sure I could agree with you a little more. But before this I'd referenced things like Cupcakes and Fairy Tail, and even the way Excalibur is used is a reference to Fate/Stay Night.
Drawing inspiration to create a unique work is how the world makes new stories, and I've pooled the things that inspired me into a new tale that not only am I proud of, but I enjoyed writing when I did finally get around to writing it.
3134496
Wow an answer from the author in person? Now I've seen everything.
Okay, if you put it that way, maybe I was a little bit too overcritical. And hey, this is just a SMALL detail in the giant universe you created with Silent Ponyville. So aslong as there are people like me that can cry over such small things you don't have to worry.
I just have to learn to overlook such small things and look at the whole picture.
And nothing against the story in total. All of you stories so far are pretty amazing.
And so... that was interesting. Is it over, though?! If so, is it the canon end of Silent Ponyville, or is it merely the beginning? Also, this was worth the short wait.
Hmmm. Excalibur ay?
Twilight is now a 4e hexblade.
I want to say that, while SP1 is my favourite take on Cupcakes and SP2 blew my mind, so far SP3 only registers as "yet another Tyrantlestia fic". A great fic in most other regards, mind you, but the reveal does not impose itself so well to me. It might be because of the delegated nature of the soul-searching (unless... Celestia dreamed she was Twilight? Dun-dun-DUUUN!) or because we have traded a tragic and guilt-filled past for unforgivable sins, but I just do not buy any of it the way I did for Pinkie or Fluttershy.
And who is this ponified Merlin who defeated the bestest lizerd ever, was loved by Luna, knocked up Celestia and created da ultimate sword?
Not sure what Death is doing here either, although I must confess I have not played the game.
............ DANGIT JAKE........YOU DID IT......YOU CLIFFHANGERED ME SO HARD MY BRAIN EXPLODED....... please tell me the canon ending is the good ending.....im not even sure if you can write a good ending at this point without pulling some major bs......but by all means PULL SOME BS I WANT TEH GOOD ENDINGZ!
Anyone who has watched Soul Eater has been exposed to horrible memories.
Gloriously glorious.
3133392
I think that's the entire point, though. She's a good pony, but if you live long enough you live to see yourself do some terrible things. This all came about because she's unable to forgive herself.
3134227 and i was sure it was gonna be the Excalipur, oh well..
3134496 It was more the fact that excalibur has transformed into a monty python esque silly thing that made it strange, than its human origins.
OH LUNA FEELS!!!!!
No pyramid head? THE DESPAIR!!!!
WHOO HOO MORE STORY!!!! This is awesome!
The part when the voices say "Annie.", is that a reference to Silence In Ponyville?
I think this is the only error.
Hey bro! i love your work on SP3! Gives me all the feels and whatnot
i made this comment however to tell you you might want to let the people at EqD that you have updated your story several times, cause they only have links to the first 7 chapters, and nobody other than you can let them know to update your story.
alright, It's been nearly a year since you first started posting this, it's time to finish it dammit
WHAT? NOOOOOO
CLIF HANGING!!!!
3228771
Heh, I suppose I can understand. Vincent is my favorite Silent Hill character too, and I wanted to capture him just right. And to be fair, there's really nothing 'subtle' about Vincent. He's a kind of 'in your face' kind of guy, without ever being 'in your face'. He's a weird but fascinating guy that I absolutely love heh
3233237
Yeah, I'm aware that my writing skills aren't the best. I do much better with dialogue than I do descriptors and keeping myself from being 'repetitive'. I've had a few editors onboard who are supposed to be helping with this sort of thing, though they can't always catch everything. But I do improve the more I do it, so here's hoping it's not too terribly distracting heh
cool cliffhanger
, goes well with the "alternative endings" u often use, update soon please!
PD: Watch out for repetitives (im too lazy to put examples
)
3137556
Good obs
3134496
The existence of minotaurs, tartarus, and other human myth stuff doest actually means anything. Its a good reason and excuse through.
One more chapter, please!!!!!!!!
3132977
Unfortunately for me, all it really did was completely take me out of the story. How could I stay immersed when I'm too busy laughing at the thought of Twilight shouting "EXCALIBUR" at the top of her lungs? It was unintentionally hilarious for me, and I wish it'd been named something else just because I didn't want to laugh at that scene. Or at least that Twilight didn't have to shout the name for it to work, that just added to the silliness.
...and this is why Celestia sucks and is a tyrant.
Night be hailed!
We shall read on.
I saw "rob" instead of "orb."
...hmmmmm...
I really like the whole seriers. The first and second were great, and while the third is good, it sort of...leaves it absent.
It kind of doesn't explain the reasoning behind the first and second one. Maybe I missed something, but I feel there are still some loose ends.
You don'y know how long I've been waiting for that.
A mustache for you, kind sir.
Okay, in defiance of everything that everyone is saying about this chapter... I didn't like it. To be frank, the whole thing felt hammy. I mean, it was a good, solid try and all, but with how good a lot of this story is, this entire chapter was one big disappointment. The only moment in the entire chapter that I enjoyed was when Celestia slaughtered the army.
I could go into depth about what I didn't like, but I think I'll hold back this time.
Eh not really. She would have been a Tyrant if she used untrained civilians as cannon fodder. Why risk lives of ponies if she could fight just as well? This story interpretation of Tyrant is a bit loose in my opinion.