• Published 13th Apr 2014
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Beyond the Portal - Firestar463



Sergeant Kyle Slater was stationed at the Dark Portal when the attacks began. He was among the first to encounter the Iron Horde. He pursued the enemy beyond the portal, and when he did not return, was assumed dead. But that was far from the truth.

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Chapter 32

A set of claws lashed out at Kyle, forcing him to flip backwards to avoid being ripped in half. He landed on his feet just as the Changeling charged at him, quickly closing the short distance between the pair. This Changeling’s forelegs had been completely replaced with a set of black-and-white claws - the same claws that appeared on the Sha.

Kyle raised his mace to block, catching the first strike in the air. The second one whistled past his face, narrowly missing his eye. Kyle lashed out with his free hammer, slamming the hilt into the Changeling’s face. The Changeling reeled backwards, but could not escape with its claw still hooked around Kyle’s weapon. His second strike brought the head of the mace down on the Changeling’s skull, punching through it with a sickening crunch.

Kyle pulled his mace out, dragging flecks of bone and brain with it as the Changeling collapsed to the ground. He clipped his maces to his belt and drew his dagger, placing the handle in his mouth. He ran towards a nearby building and began to ascend, using the windowsills and the sign above the door to clamber up onto the roofs.

He wasn’t the only one looking to take advantage of the higher ground. A Gnome Warlock and her pet imp were standing upon the building already, raining fire and brimstone down upon the Changelings in the streets below. A few buildings over, a Unicorn was also lashing out with his own magic.

Kyle spat the dagger out of his mouth and wiped the handle off before turning to examine the battle raging around him. The Changelings had retreated far into the southern reaches of the city when the Alliance had first struck, but that had been hours ago. Now, the two forces seemed to be evenly matched, the line drawn a few blocks south of the courtyard where the Defenders had originally taken their stand.

Of course, the Changelings weren’t just attacking from the south anymore. Kyle saw the battle dragging on far to the east and west. He grimaced at the sight - with the battle line spreading out to such great lengths, the defenders were spread thin. The Alliance had forced the Changelings back before, but they had had the element of surprise on their side. In an even fight, the Changelings still had the advantage of sheer overwhelming numbers.

A loud whistling pierced through the roar of the battle, and a section of the street just a dozen meters west of Kyle erupted in a massive fireball, consuming a dozen Changelings. A few seconds later, another explosion ripped through the east, again annihilating a large clump of Changelings.

Kyle let out a soft whistle of his own. “Bringing out the heavy guns. Mortars…” he murmured to himself. He crossed his arms, frowning as he glanced over at the two craters once more. Large groups of defenders stood not half a dozen meters away from each blast. It had been nothing short of a miracle that they had not been hit by friendly fire.

The sound of rustling wings drew Kyle’s attention. He turned his head as Rainbow Dash landed next to him. She had certainly seen her fair share of the battle - several spikes on her boots had been torn off, and her legs were coated in green blood “There you are Kyle!” she exclaimed. “What the hay?! I thought you told Scootaloo to go home!”

“We’ll worry about her once we’re done here,” Kyle shrugged off the Pegasus’ anger. “She’s stronger than everyone gives her credit for. She’ll be alright. Trust me,”

“Whatever dude, it’s not me that has to explain that to the Princesses,” Rainbow Dash muttered. Kyle felt his heartbeat quicken. He hadn’t considered what the Princesses would think about this. True, he hadn’t explicitly given her permission to stay, but there was no doubt they’d see the duplicity of his actions…

“Speaking of which, you’re wanted,” Rainbow Dash continued, snapping Kyle out of his thoughts. “King Varian and the Princesses are looking for you. They’re in the courtyard.”

“Right. Thanks Dash,” Kyle replied as the Pegasus soared away, flying high over the battle.

Kyle winced as another explosion landed right in front of the building he was on, so close that he could feel the heat of the blast. He dropped to his knees and gripped the roof to keep his balance as the entire building shook with the force of the explosion. Several Changeling legs rained down around him as he regained his balance. “A bit too close,” he muttered darkly, turning and running down the roof towards the courtyard.

A few moments later, Kyle hopped down from the roofs into the courtyard, rolling to disperse the impact from his fall. As he pushed himself to his feet and brushed the dust off of his legs, he noticed that the courtyard had changed dramatically since he had left. He spotted Varian and the Princesses in the northeast corner, huddled around a table with a piece of parchment on it - the map of the city, no doubt.

In the southeast corner, several tents had been erected and numerous cots laid out. Ponies and Azerothians alike were laid out on the cots, each one injured in some fashion. Kyle winced as he noticed a few particularly brutal injuries, such as a severed wing or a missing eye. There was no doubt that some of the scars from this battle would never truly heal.

A loud thud vibrated the ground, drawing Kyle’s attention to the northwest. In that corner of the courtyard, several large mortar cannons had been pulled into place, each one managed by their own crew. Among them, however, Kyle spotted a familiar poofy, pink-maned Pony. He stared, dumbfounded, as Pinkie Pie bounced around the mortar teams.

Finally, Kyle forced himself to approach. As he drew near, Pinkie froze in place and began twitching erratically. “Ear flop… tail twitch…. toothache…. hair poof… double ear flop... zero two two, seven one nine, seventeen seconds!” she yelled.

“Got it,” a nearby Dwarf decorated as a Knight-Champion replied with a sigh, motioning towards one of the mortar crews. The crew began frantically adjusting the angle of the weapon, finally settling down into position. The Dwarf held his hand up in the air, staring down at a pocket watch. Just as Kyle counted seventeen seconds after Pinkie had stopped talking, the Dwarf brought his hand down in a slicing motion. The crew fired the mortar, and the shell launched into the air with a loud shriek. A few seconds later, an explosion could be heard off in the distance as the round landed.

“What was that, sir?” Kyle asked as he approached the Dwarf.

“Firin’ artillery, lad,” The Dwarf replied. He glanced over his shoulder at Pinkie, who was now happily bouncing around the area again. “We’ve been followin’ ‘er directions all day, at Princess Celestia’s request.”

“You’ve been shelling the battlefield? All day?” Kyle asked, his jaw dropping. “How… what… How did I not notice this?”

“Well… not all day, but fer the last hour, yeah. It’s mostly been out to the east and west until just now,” The Dwarf explained. “Fired three shots right in a row t’ the south, just a few decimals over from each other a few minutes before ye showed up.”

“That was you all?” Kyle demanded. “With all due respect, sir, you need to watch your fire. You dropped those mortars right on our heads!”

“We’ve gotten a few reports similar, yeah,” The Dwarf muttered darkly. “Shouldn’t rightly be talkin’ ‘boot this, but I think that there horse -”

“Pony, sir.”

“Pony, whatever. She’s a witch.”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“She keeps on twitchin’ and floppin’,” The Dwarf replied. “And then she yells out some coordinates fer us to bomb. And we do. And we’ve had a few close calls, but we ain’t yet hit one o’ our men.”

Kyle’s jaw dropped. “What? Not once? In these close quarters?” he demanded. “That’s impossible!”

“I would’a said the same thing, lad, but all reports indicate otherwise,” The Dwarf replied. “And don’t even bother askin’ how she’s doin’ this,” he added as Kyle opened his mouth again. “I already asked. She jus’ called it ‘er ‘Pinkie Sense’ and started twitchin’ again. And the other horses -”

“Ponies, sir,”

“Ponies, whatever, they all just tell us not t’ question it. Bloody nutty, it is,”

Kyle rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Right. Well… good luck, sir. I think you’ll need it,” he added with another glance at Pinkie, who was now staring intently at the lever on one of the mortars. “Don’t touch that!” he bellowed, causing the pink mare to jump backwards and whistle innocently

Kyle turned and began walking towards the Princesses. As he passed the medical tents, he saw one of the tents open up. A familiar white Unicorn stepped out, with several bloody bandages held in her magical grip. “Hey Rarity,” he greeted as he walked next to her

“Oh, Hello Kyle,” Rarity replied as she lit the soiled bandages on fire, incinerating them quickly.

“How’d you wind up with Medical duty?” Kyle asked, remembering his own time tending to the wounded. It had definitely been an experience he would gladly pass up doing again.

“Well, I’m not really the type to… get down and dirty, as it were,” Rarity replied. “All that dirt and dust out there in the battlefield - bleh! So I elected to help set up the tents here. And when one of the other Humans saw me tying up the tents, he said he had never seen anypony - well, anyone he said, but never mind - never seen anypony tie knots so quickly before. He asked me to help out with bandaging the wounded, and I agreed.”

“But isn’t blood harder to get out of fur and clothing than dirt or dust?” Kyle asked.

“Well… yes,” Rarity admitted, turning back towards the tents. “But I can change the bandages with magic, so I don’t have to get in close. And I think I’m a bit more helpful back here than clashing with those barbarians out there,”

“Right. Well I’ll let you get back to it,”

Rarity nodded and slipped back inside one of the tents. Kyle, meanwhile, turned once more towards the Princesses, who by now were looking directly at him. “Nice of you to show up, Mr. Slater,” Celestia said as Kyle stopped in front them.

“Sorry it took so long,” he said, looking around the area. The Princesses and Varian were all crowded around a wooden table that, as Kyle had suspected, indeed had a map of the Crystal Empire upon it. Scattered around the area were other high-ranking officers, including several Marshals and even a Grand Marshal.

“We have a mission for you, Sergeant,” Varian announced, striding over towards Kyle. “The Princesses inform me that an item called the Crystal Heart is of the utmost importance to the defense of this city. If it falls, the shield will collapse, and the Sha will be able to enter the city. We must not let that happen. It is currently on the street under the palace, where the Princesses say it usually is. Your mission is to retrieve it and bring it back here, where it can be more closely guarded.”

“Be warned Mr. Slater, that this is not going to be as easy as it sounds,” Luna added. “We are asking you to do this because you can be trusted. Any pony we ask could be a Changeling in disguise, and any other Azerothian… well, they know not the importance of this artifact,” she finished.

“Be swift, Sergeant,” Varian ordered. “You’ll be needed on the front lines again shortly.”

“Yes sir,” Kyle saluted. He spun around and ran off to the north, making his way through the crowded courtyard. He reached the northern road and entered it, making his way towards the castle.

As he drew close, his ears picked up another new noise. He froze in place, listening intently. Over the sound of explosions in the distance, Kyle could just make out another sound. The sound of shouting, of magic, of steel clashing against steel.

The sound of battle. And it was coming from the castle.

“Damnit all,” Kyle hissed, breaking into a full-blown sprint. He unhooked his maces and held them tightly as he whipped around a corner, and then another, putting him right in front of the castle.

The entire area was a war zone. Ponies and Alliance soldiers clashed with Changelings, some of whom were still wearing the armor of the Ponies they had been impersonating. The defenders had clearly been caught off-guard, and Kyle could see yet another wave of Changelings coming from the west. They needed help, and fast.

Kyle growled and launched himself forward, leaping into a Flying Serpent Kick. His foot connected with a Changeling just as it was prepared to cut through the exposed back of a Dwarf who was wrestling with another Changeling. Kyle’s target went sailing through the air and collided with the support leg of the palace, crashing back down to the floor.

Kyle whipped his maces this way and that, the twin hammers finding their mark time and time again. He carved a path through the battle, slowly but surely making his way towards the center of the arena.

As Kyle’s maces sent yet another Changeling flying, Kyle caught a glimpse of a familiar orange shape in the midst of the battle. Scootaloo was on the ground, ducking and dancing around as a Changeling lashed out at her. This Changeling was armored, and sported several decorations that labelled him as a commander of some sorts. The smaller Pegasus weaved in and out of its strikes, never letting a single blow touch her.

As Kyle looked on, the Changeling snarled in fury and raised both forelegs up in the air, ready to slam them down. Kyle watched as Scootaloo crouched down, her eyes narrowed in focus. The Changeling slammed its scythe-legs onto the cobblestone road, narrowly missing the Pegasus as she lightly hopped backwards.

Scootaloo then pushed herself onto her rear hooves. She whipped herself around and lashed out with one rear hoof, using her wings to keep her balanced on the other. The Blackout Kick caught the Changeling squarely on its unarmored jaw. Even from a distance, Kyle could see the fracture-lines erupt across its cheek as it spiraled to the ground, roaring in pain.

Scootaloo was on top of the Changeling in an instant. Her face held no anger, no fear, no hatred - just a grim determination, a knowledge of what had to be done. She raised her hoof and slammed it into the Changeling’s exposed neck. This blow proved just as powerful as the first, shattering the chitin protecting the Changeling’s neck and crushing its windpipe.

Scootaloo’s head turned as she examined the battlefield. She froze as she saw Kyle staring at her. Kyle couldn’t help himself. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. She returned the grin and leaped off into the battle once more.

The battle raged on around Kyle, and he flung himself into it. His next target was already staring right at him, its sword-shaped foreleg poised and ready to strike. Kyle ducked down as the leg whistled over his head. He stuck his leg outward and swept it in a large arc, catching the Changeling’s other foreleg and knocking it to the ground. His mace swung downward, ending the Changeling’s life with a loud crack as its skull split open under the blow.

And suddenly, it was over. The Changelings were pulling back to the west, leaving scores of their dead behind. Kyle watched as Scootaloo shocked the final remaining Changeling into submission before crushing its throat as well. She began to make her way over to Kyle, who was now headed towards the center of the arena once more.

“Good job out there,” Kyle praised as she fell into step beside him. “The way you handled that commander made it look easy.”

“He wasn’t expecting me to be able to defend myself,” Scootaloo replied. Her expression grew somber. “It wasn’t easy, you know. My first… kill…”

“Besides the Sha?”

“Those don’t really count… they’re monsters,” Scootaloo countered. “But Changelings -” Kyle’s quick intake of air cut Scootaloo short. He took off at a full sprint towards the center of the area, directly underneath the castle, with Scootaloo running after him.

He slowed to a stop as they approached the stalactite and stalagmite that lay in the very center of the area. Normally, the Crystal Heart would be floating in between the two crystalline pillars, and that is what Kyle had been expecting.

But instead, there was only empty air.

“Son of a bitch!” Kyle swore violently as the other defenders gathered around as well, muttering amongst themselves. “That’s why they pulled back! They have the heart!”

As if fate itself decided to punctuate Kyle’s statement, the sunlight above them flickered dangerously. Every head snapped upwards as the shield surrounding the Crystal Empire began to disappear, revealing a powerful snowstorm on the otherside.. Seconds later, it faded entirely, unleashing the full power of the raging blizzard upon the city.

A loud moan echoed through the city, sending shivers through Kyle’s body that had nothing to do with the sudden cold. He turned his gaze outwards, looking around at the gathered defenders. “Everyone, back to the courtyard,” he ordered. “We failed. They have the heart. You there!” he pointed at a Pegasus, who jumped slightly. “Inform the Princesses and King Varian that Kyle Slater is going after the Crystal Heart. Tell them to send the Element bearers and any troops they can spare to help.”

“Y-yes sir,” The pegasus saluted, teeth chattering against the snow that now swirled around them. The group turned and ran towards the south, eager to reach the relative shelter of the courtyard to the south. Only Kyle and Scootaloo remained behind, along with a pair of Dwarves and a pure-white polar bear. One Dwarf bore a rifle, while the other had glowing blue eyes and wielded a pair of one-handed war axes.

“I thought I told you two to go south,” Kyle scowled at the two Dwarves.

“All due respect, sir, ye’r gonna need more ‘n just one tiny winged horse t’ back ye up,” The hunter replied, priming his rifle. “Me brother ‘n I are comin’ wit’ ye.”

“Be careful what you say, soldier,” Kyle warned. “That’s my apprentice you’re bad-mouthing.”

There was a short pause as the Dwarves processed this latest bit of information. “Be that as it is, sir,” The Death Knight replied, his voice echoed by some unknown power, “One Monk and one Pony cannot hope t’ take on these beasts alone. Yer’ gonna need us,”

Kyle sighed. He didn’t have time for this. “Fine. But you do what i say, when I say,” he ordered. "And my first order - after those Changelings. Kill them all.” Without waiting for a response, he took off down the road, with Scootaloo, the bear, and the Dwarves right behind him.

The group moved as fast as possible, determined to catch up the Changelings. Kyle refused to allow the cold to slow him down, thanking the Light for his armor - the leather, while not well insulated, provided some protection against the bite of the wind. Scootaloo and the bear were likewise protected by their fur, and the Dwarves were both doubly-protected - Dwarves were naturally resistant to the cold, The hunter had padded leather-and-fur armor, and the Death Knight’s undead status dulled him from the cold even further. At some point, The group pushed through the battle line, moving into territory controlled by the Changelings.

A few minutes later, Kyle spotted a flash of movement ahead of him. He surged onwards, ignoring the chill that was spreading through his body as the blizzard raged around him. Sure enough, as he drew closer he saw a small group of Changelings bolting away. They were moving as fast as they could, but they had no resistance to the cold as the defenders did. The blizzard was working against them, slowing their movement.

The Alliance fell upon the rear of the group. The Hunter pointed at one Changeling, and the bear lunged forward, mauling her target and spilling green blood across the growing layer of snow. Kyle likewise brought his maces down upon a Changeling, sending it plunging into the snow, while the Death Knight reached forward with one hand. A Howling Blast of freezing wind erupted from his hand, ripping through the fleeing Changelings. As Kyle watched, their legs began to turn a deep blue as the Frost Fever took hold of them, chilling their muscles and slowing their movements further.

As the Changelings stumbled through the snow, Kyle saw a small green glow coming from one of their horns. Squinting against the blizzard, he could just barely make out an object levitating beside the Changeling at the front of the pack, which was enveloped in the same green glow as the Changeling’s horn.

The Crystal Heart.

The Hunter hadd apparently noticed this as well, for he loaded his rifle and primed it. He stopped for a split second before pulling the trigger, unleashing a loud blast. the bullet found its mark, and the lead Changeling fell to the side, its head leaking blood. The Crystal heart fell into the snow, and Kyle rushed for it, but it flew back out as another Changeling picked it up with its magical grip.

A loud moan pierced through the howl of the blizzard, causing Kyle’s heart to stop for a split second. On instinct, he spun around and lashed out with one of his maces. It crashed into something solid, something that shattered like glass under his blow. As Kyle realized what exactly he had hit, the remains of the Windigo showered down around him, burying itself deep in the snow.

A second Windigo swooped down, unleashing a torrent of ice from its maw. The assault spared no one as it passed over the Changeling group, freezing two of the Changelings into solid ice. Kyle leaped upwards, over the frozen blast, and then brought himself back down to the ground. His foot slammed through the Windigo, snapping it in half like a pane of glass. A sharp, freezing chill shot up his leg for a split second, causing him to gasp in pain. Just as quickly, the pain receded, and he continued his pursuit of the Changelings.

The Changeling group had been cut in half by this point, with only half a dozen remaining. Kyle pulled one mace back and hurled it forwards. It slammed into the back of one of the Changelings’ heads, sending it skidding to the ground in a shower of snow. He reached down and grabbed the mace out of the snow as he ran past it. As he grabbed it, Scootaloo unleashed a surge of lightning, sending another Changeling to the ground. the Death Knight unleashed another Howling Blast, and a third Changeling collapsed.

By now, the cold was catching up to Kyle. The hammers, previously light enough to swing with great speed, now felt like lead weights in his arms. he felt himself falling behind as the others surged forward. “To hell with these things,” he growled, releasing his grip on his weapons once more. The two hammers fell to the ground, and Kyle found himself far less burdened than before, easily keeping pace with his allies. The bear pounced on top of another Changeling, and the Hunter took aim once more, shooting yet another down.

Now there was only one Changeling left, running with renewed vigor. The Death Knight unleashed another Howling Blast, but by now the Changeling was out of range. It weaved and dodged all over the road, causing the Hunter’s next two shots to both miss. Scootaloo and the Bear could not keep up, the snow finally reaching high enough to hamper their movements.

Kyle realized that, if they didn’t catch it soon, the Changeling would escape, and the Crystal Heart would be lost to the Sha. He snarled and pushed himself harder, churning up snow behind him as he sprinted down the road. He took a deep breath and launched himself into a Flying Serpent Kick. As he landed, he launched himself into a roll, covering himself with snow. He refused to give in to the cold as he drew his dagger, now only a few paces behind the Changeling.

With a final howl of defiance, he lunged forward, launching himself at the Changeling. He came down hard on the Changeling, ramming his dagger repeatedly through its heart as the pair slammed into the snow. the Crystal heart flew forward as the magical grip on it faded. Kyle looked up from the snow as it soared through the air and landed in the snow.

Right at the hooves of another Changeling.

Kyle looked up at the Changeling. This one looked almost identical to Venoxys, identifying her as a queen, but there was something… else. A sense of darkness, of evil beyond measure radiating outwards from this creature. Hatred burned in her eyes as she stared at Kyle, nothing short of contempt upon her face.

“At last, Monk,” She hissed, her voice horribly familiar. “We meet face to face.”

“Chrysalis.”

“Grand Empress Chrysalis to you, worm,” Chrysalis spat, placing her hoof on the Crystal Heart. “It is over. You have lost. The Crystal Heart is mine.”

Kyle pushed himself back to his feet, ignoring the snow that clung to his armor. “Not until you walk out of this city over my dead body, it’s not,” he replied calmly, gripping his dagger tightly.

“And mine!” Scootaloo’s voice called out from behind Kyle. he glance over his shoulder as Scootaloo stopped beside him, wings flared out.

“And ours,” the Dwarves snarled in unison, brandishing their weapons threateningly.

“You have found new allies, I see,” Chrysalis chuckled darkly. “Lot of good they did you, though. I have the Heart. If you want it back… you’ll have to come and get it!”

“Not a problem,” The Hunter sneered, pointing his rifle at Chrysalis’ head. Before anyone could react, a bullet blasted out of the rifle towards Chrysalis.

But rather than piercing her skull, a small flash of energy erupted about half a foot away from her, stopping the bullet dead in its tracks. The small metal bit fell uselessly to the snow, with Chrysalis left completely unharmed.

“What the - Sasha, get ‘er!” The Hunter yelled, pointing at Chrysalis. The bear roared and surged forward, fangs bared as it leaped at the Changeling Empress.

Chrysalis took a step backwards as the bear landed in the snow in front of her. One of her hooves shifted into a wicked-looking sickle, glowing with Sha energy. She lashed out at the bear, sending it flying to the side. It slammed into the wall of a nearby building and slumped to the ground, its chest completely eviscerated.

“NO!” The hunter screamed. He dropped his gun and ran at Chrysalis, his face red in fury. Chrysalis smirked and opened her mouth

“Get back!” Kyle bellowed, reaching out towards the Hunter. But it was too late. Black flames erupted from Chrysalis’s mouth, washing over the Hunter like a wave of death. A horrible, ear-splitting scream rang out as the flames rushed forward, melting the snow and revealing multiple corpses - some Changelings - all horribly burnt and disfigured.

The flames faded, and the Hunter collapsed to the ground. The Death Knight stared as his brother let out one final gasp before falling backwards, dead.

“May you find peace in the next world,” The Death Knight murmured, turning his attention back to Chrysalis.

“My name is Aradun Copperbeard,” he announced, raising his hand over his head.

“You killed my brother.” Bolts of purple energy energy shot out of his hand, sizzling into the bodies of the Changelings that had been exposed by the Sha Flame. Kyle watched as the Changeling corpses - about a dozen in all - slowly got back to their hooves, their eyes glowing with the same eerie blue light that the Death Knight’s did.

“Prepare to die.”

The Army of the Dead swarmed forward, attacking Chrysalis from all sides. She lashed out viciously at the undead Changelings who, not long before, had served her. Her scythe-shaped forelegs made quick work of the Army of the Dead

Aradun had not been sitting idly by. He picked up his brother’s gun, loaded it, and unleashed another round at Chrysalis. Chrysalis had been distracted for just long enough, and though Aradun was not as good a shot as his brother, the bullet hit home, striking Chrysalis’s left foreleg. She screeched as her leg collapsed under her, unable to support her weight. Aradun dropped the gun and drew his axes, charging forward with hatred in his eyes.

Chrysalis snarled in anger and unleashed another wave of Sha Flames. Aradun charged right through it, a shield of green energy parting the flames around him. He reached the Empress just as his Anti-Magic Shell faded, bringing both axes whistling down at Chrysalis’s neck with a fearsome battle cry.

Chrysalis barely managed to draw herself back in time to avoid decapitation. As Aradun landed, she smirked triumphantly and lunged forward. Aradun’s battle shout turned into a howl of pain as he was lifted into the air, impaled by Chrysalis’ jagged horn.

Scootaloo gasped, and even Kyle’s eyes went wide in horror as blood spilled over Chrysalis’s horn and down her face. Her horn lit up, and a surge of Sha energy burst forth. The Death knight was subjected to the full force of Chrysalis’s hatred and was blasted off of her head, flying into the snow behind Kyle. He tumbled to a stop and collapsed in the snow, joining his brother in death.

Chrysalis cackled triumphantly and stood back up. Her laughter turned into a snarl as her leg gave out underneath her again,sending her to the snow. “Curse that creature!” she growled, reaching out with her good leg to scoop up the Crystal Heart. “Greed! Come to my aid! Kill the Monk and his pet pony!”

The ground rumbled, and Kyle took a step backwards, holding his arm out in front of Scootaloo. Chrysalis smirked as her horn lit up. Kyle snarled in frustration as she disappeared in a flash of green light.

The Crystal heart was gone.

The ground just below where Chrysalis had been lying erupted, knocking Kyle and Scootaloo backwards with the force of the blast. Dark smoke billowed out of the crater, coalescing into a solid shape. Within a minute, the towering form of the Sha formed in the street, glaring own at the two Monks.

So, we meet again,” The Sha of Greed rumbled. “Did you enjoy our last encounter, Monk? I know I did.

"Did you?" Kyle asked nonchalantly. "Including the part where I ran you through with my spear?"

The Sha hissed quietly. "This will not be a repeat of last time, Monk."

“Indeed it will not be,” Kyle replied calmly. “We are now two. Last time, you escaped. Today, you will fall.”

The Sha laughed, a dark laugh the caused the ground to tremble. “Two Monks are no threat to the Sha!” it announced. “A thousand Monks are no threat to me! Not when the greed of a thousand thousand Changelings hungering for food feeds me! You have slain many of them today, yes, but it matters not. The Crystal Heart is ours. No matter the outcome of this battle, we have already won.

Kyle glanced over at Scootaloo. The filly was now trembling from the cold, but her face betrayed no fear, no anger. Only pure calm. “We’ll see about that,” she declared, unleashing a burst of lightning at the Sha.

The attack surged into the Sha, causing it to rumble softly. “That almost tickled,” it mocked.

Kyle sheathed his dagger and stepped backwards until he reached Aradun’s corpse. “I’m sorry, but I have greater need of these than you now,” Kyle murmured quietly, bending down and picking up the Dwarf’s axes. The heads were covered in powerful runes that had fueled the Death Knight’s abilities, but Kyle dared not tap into the unholy energy surging through the runes as he stood back up. “Can you keep that thing busy for a minute?” he asked Scootaloo.

“No problem.”

Kyle clambered up onto one of the roofs as Scootaloo unleashed yet another surge of lightning, more powerful than the first. This one caused the Sha to grunt irritably. “Your attacks are futile. I am stronger,” it said coldly, slamming its claws down towards the filly. Scootaloo rolled to the side as the claws plowed into the snow where she had just been standing.

Kyle grimaced as he reached the roof of the building. He squinted, trying to see further into the city, trying to see if reinforcements were coming. More specifically he was looking for Rarity, the one who could come and finish off this Sha. The blizzard howled around him, limiting his view to a few dozen meters in each direction.

Kyle snarled in frustration. Without reinforcements, all he could hope to do was stall for time. He gripped one axe tightly and spun around, letting the axe go. he watched as it flew off towards the Sha, on a crash course with one of its eyes.

A set of claws intercepted the weapon, sending it plummeting to the ground. “I see you, Human,” The Sha hissed. “You cannot blindside me so easily.”

Kyle watched as the Sha lashed out at the building he was standing on. Suddenly, he got an idea. A awful, suicidal, wonderful idea. His hands glowed green as he channeled Chi energy through his body. They flashed, and… Nothing happened.

Kyle yelped as the Sha’s claws slammed through the building. He was forced to leap from the roof into a snowdrift as the building fell to the ground in a heap of rubble, spewing dust and debris everywhere. In the confusion, Kyle scrambled to his feet and darted underneath the Sha, running to the other side of the road. He watched as Scootaloo sent two more bolts of lightning into the Sha. She was forced to jump aside as the Sha attacked her yet again.

Kyle ran around to the backside of the building across the street from the one he had just leaped from. He ascended as quickly as he could, starting to feel the burn of fatigue in his arms and legs. He scrambled to the top and fell to his knees for a moment, breathing heavily.

The crackle of lightning brought Kyle back to his senses as Scootaloo attacked once more. by now, the Sha was getting quite angry at her and her ability to avoid its attacks. It lashed out repeatedly, each strike coming close to the filly but never quite hitting her. A particularly harsh burst of lightning caused the Sha to reel backwards, snarling. “You little runt! I’ll crush you to a pulp! I will destroy everything you have ever loved! I will -

“Hey ugly!” Kyle yelled, drawing the Sha’s attention. The Sha roared in anger and lashed out again, its claws connecting with the building Kyle was standing on.

As the building collapsed forward, Kyle crouched down on the roof. the building tipped forward, leaning into the street. Kyle channeled Chi into his feet and leaped forward, his second remaining axe at the ready.

The Sha saw this, and cackled in triumph. Black flames erupted from its mouth, pouring down towards Kyle. Kyle narrowed his eyes in focus, brought the axe over his head…

And vanished.

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Scootaloo stared in shock as Kyle disappeared into thin air, the flames passing through the space where he had once been. For a horrifying moment, her heart stopped. Could he.... could he have been… killed?

And just as suddenly, her heart soared as a bright flash of jade green energy burst into existence behind the Sha, right where the roof of the first building had been. Kyle erupted from the swirl of energy, flying forward towards the Sha’s exposed back. His axe came down and connected, sinking deep into the Sha’s neck.

The Sha roared in pain as Kyle landed, keeping a hold of the axe as he braced himself against the Sha’s back. His hands glowed green, and the Sha screeched again, lightning sparking out of the axe embedded in its spine. Kyle’s mouth was set in a hard grimace, channeling as much Chi into the Sha as he could.

But it was a losing battle, and Scootaloo knew it. Even from this distance, she could see his skin losing its color, his breathing becoming more labored. His contact with the Sha was draining him rapidly, and he would not be able to hold on for much longer.

The Sha jerked backwards, trying to throw Kyle from its back. Scootaloo watched as Kyle lost his footing and fell backwards, now only holding onto the axe as his only means of staying on the Sha. And still he poured lightning into the Sha. Smoke started to leak from the Sha’s eyes as it continued to roar in agony.

As the Sha threw itself backwards again, Scootaloo narrowed her eyes dangerously. Kyle was risking his life to stall the Sha as much as he could. She had to help him. She had to! She pawed the ground and spread her wings, launching into the air towards the Sha. She watched as the Sha jerked once more, finally throwing Kyle into the snow. It spun around just as Scootaloo flipped onto her back, her momentum still sending her on a collision course with its chest. Her rear hoof glowed with green energy, and she rocketed forward in a Flying Serpent Kick.

Her blow hit home, and she slammed into the Sha. Cold beyond cold enveloped her as she plunged into the Sha’s chest cavity, her kick blasting a hole right through the Sha. She erupted out the other side, having sailed clear through the Sha.

Every window on the street shattered as the Sha screamed in pain. Scootaloo’s hoof stopped glowing, and she fell towards the ground. She barely managed to spread her wings in time to catch her fall. As it was, she tumbled into the snow, right next to Kyle. Her eyes grew heavy as she shakily pushed herself to her hooves.

The Sha was glaring venomously at her, all humor gone from its stance. “YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!” It roared angrily, stumbling towards her. Dark energy crackled to life in its claws, and twin orbs formed. The spheres grew larger and larger, soon dwarfing the Sha’s claws in size.

Give my regards to Cerberus!” the Sha cackled. “Now, d-

The Sha’s final word was cut short as it screamed in agony once more. The orbs of energy vanished as the Sha writhed back and forth, its legs dissolving into a fine mist. It reared upwards and screamed again as the rest of its body vanished as well, swirling in on itself to form a small, black crystal. The crystal fell from the sky and landed in the snow.

Right in front of a set of hooves as white as the snow itself.

“Not today, darling,” Rarity smirked, picking up the crystal in her magical grip. She levitated it behind her, where it landed in the outstretched hand of King Varian Wrynn. Behind him, the Princesses were running forwards, with multiple Ponies and armored soldiers right behind them.

Scootaloo rolled over to find Kyle staring at her. “Hey… good job squirt,” he said weakly, smiling.

“How… did you do that?” Scootaloo asked. She tried to push herself to her hooves, but found that she couldn’t - her legs were too weak.

“Transcendance,” Kyle murmured quietly. “Maybe I’ll teach it to you one day…”

“Just… just don’t move,” Scootaloo told him, looking Kyle over. His assault on the Sha had taken a terrible toll on his body. His skin was deathly pale, and his breathing ragged and uneven.

“Hey… hey squirt” Kyle said quietly, drawing her attention. He slowly raised one arm and pointed at her flank. “I think… you should see this,”

“What?” Scootaloo asked, turning her head. As she saw what Kyle was staring at, her eyes went wide. Her flank, previously bare, now displayed a mark.

It was a circle with five smaller circles stationed inside it. The top circle showed the head of a tiger. The circle on the left showed the head of an ox, the one of the right the head of a serpent, and the one on the bottom the head of a crane. In the center was a circle with a picture of a hoof. Behind the larger circle, two staffs crossed each other. One bore a bottle on either end, while the other bore two scrolls.

Her cutie mark. The symbol of the Monk.

“I… I got… my cutie mark…” Scootaloo said quietly, turning her head back to Kyle. he had already collapsed back to the ground, his eyes closed. His breathing was light and shallow as the Princesses galloped up next to them, speaking to each other quickly.

Scootaloo’s own vision grew cloudy as exhaustion caught up to her. she laid her head down in the snow and her eyes grew heavy. They closed shut, and darkness took her as she too lost consciousness

Author's Note:

This is a picture of Scootaloo's cutie mark