The Ultimate Sacrifice

by DarkWolf

Chapter 29: Then You Will Know The Truth...

Chapter 29: Then You Will Know The Truth...

What Alexander saw on the other side was not exactly what he had anticipated. Before him, numerous guards clad with much thicker armor and brighter colors stood before him. Each had their crossbows, swords, spears, and magic all pointing directly at him. In the air, dark bat like creatures circled him, obsidian colored weapons gleaming with magical energy as they took aim. However, what he focused on most was directly in front of him. Behind the veritable army stood a tall and imposing figure.

Princess Luna stood at the rear of the guard. Gone was her normal regalia, instead replaced by thick, dark armor encrusted with magic imbued gemstones that twinkled like the night sky. Held within her magical grip was an onyx halberd, magical energy practically seeping off of it from its gemstones. Luna herself stood calm and collected, yet her eyes showed an unbridled fury waiting to let loose.

"WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE?!" Luna boomed, shaking the very foundations of the castle with her voice. Even so, the guards remained stalwart in their positions despite the outburst.

Alexander merely chuckled.

"I take it you are Princess Luna?" He stated, performing a mock bow. "I am honored." He slurred sarcastically as he stood back up.

""I WILL ASK YOU ONCE MORE! WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE?!"

"Why, Princess, I have come for you!" Alexander yelled back, gesturing at her and the guards. "As I have come for all of you as well!" He began pacing around the small space not occupied by bodies. "I have come for everyone..." He added, barely audible to those in attendance.

There was a awkward pause between the two forces. Gracefully, Princess Luna leaped from the raised platform that the thrones stood on. She slowly walked forward through the sea of guards, eventually making it so that she and the lone human stood face to face.

"What is your name?" The Princess asked calmly, her booming voice instead replaced by a quiet, almost hushed tone.

"My name is of little importance..." Alexander seethed.

"You obviously have some sort of grudge against me and my ponies...." Luna began, slowly pacing, making sure to keep her halberd at the ready. "Am I to give up all hope of knowing why?"

"My reasons are my own, pony!" He spat. "You would never understand them..."

"And why is...?" Luna inquired, but was cut off by the human.

"Tell me, where is your sister? Hmmm?" He asked, glancing around the room. "Last I heard, there were two Princesses."

"I have no sister. She died long ago." Luna retorted, not missing a beat. A few guards glanced quizzically at the Princess, but none showed nor voiced their confusion. Alexander merely continued, either not hearing her or not caring what she said.

"Oh, what was her name... Celestia I believe." He stated, glaring back at Luna.

"That was her name, yes." Luna softly replied.

After a long pause, Alexander stepped forward cautiously, raising an eyebrow.

"What game are you playing?" He asked, magic slowly beginning to form in his palm. Luna merely shrugged, a small smirk appearing on her face.

"Misdirection...." She smiled before turning around. "DOWN!" She called to the guards in attendance, raising a magical shield between her and the human.

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15 Minutes Earlier

"Where is Grinch?" Truck questioned.

"I sent two of my guards to fetch him. However, we have little time to lose." Celestia started, sighing as she paced in front of the small group amassed in front of her. "The human you encountered down in the ruins?"

"Yes?"

"He is here..." She announced. Sending mixed reactions throughout those in attendance.

"Holy shit..." Truck murmured to himself while Andrei did the same.

"That son of a bitch!" Sandman weezed, banging his hand on a desk that sat nearby, only to elicit a pained groan from himself. "I guess the fucker came to finish the job..."

"What would bring him here?" Luna asked quizzically. "Would he indeed be seeking further harm to you and your comrades?"

"All I know is that he killed Frost. I intend to make him pay in kind..." Sandman responded coldly.

"Unfortunately, I doubt any of you are in the physical condition to fight this monster, especially if your accounts of your first meeting were accurate." Celestia stated, instead turning towards Haybrun.

"Is my guard in position?" Celestia asked him.

"Yes, Princess." He responded, leaning on the nearby wall for support. "They have detected no intrusions as of yet."

"I doubt they would be able to do anything about it even if they did find him..." Sandman cut in.

"Sadly, I would have to agree." Haybrun added. "We lacked the strength to do anything against him when we met in the ruins, and we lack numbers here as well."

"Magic couldn't touch him." Sandman said, pacing over towards a nearby window. "Spears, arrows, swords... even our weapons did nothing. Shields merely slowed him down."

"Nothing worked?" Luna questioned. "He had no weakness whatsoever?"

"None that I...."

"Wait, your friend's bomb!" Haybrun added, causing the group to all turn and face him.

"What bomb?" Celestia inquired.

"The uhh... flash... bomb." Haybrun stuttered.

"The flashbangs?" Truck corrected, turning to Sandman. "Did those work?"

"It slowed him down... hell, maybe even stunned him." Sandman sighed. "It wasn't exactly lethal though."

"Perhaps it doesn't have to be lethal..." Princess Luna stated. The group glanced quizzically at her.

"What do you mean? Do you suggest we trap him?" Celestia asked.

"In a way yes." She responded as she levitated the charred tome into the center of the group and setting it down.

"Sister..." Celestia started, gazing nervously at the book. "You can't possibly be suggesting that..."

"I know." Luna interrupted. "However, it may be our only choice."

"Sister, have you gone mad!? The two of us can barely decipher it! Casting a spell that we can't even read nor understand could be devastating!" Celestia shouted. "No, I refuse to attempt such a thing!"

"If we do nothing, the consequences will be even dire!" Luna retorted. "This is our only chance to stop this monster and bring our guests home at the same time!"

"Wait wait wait wait..." Andrei cut in. "Are you ponies suggesting we teleport that thing back with us!?" He shouted, disbelief etched across his face.

"You humans do not have magic in your world, correct?" Luna asked.

"Yes, but...!"

"Then it stands to reason that if he is sent to your world, he would lose his power."

"That is one hell of a gamble..." Truck interjected. "One that I am not keen on taking."

"I have to agree, Luna." Celestia added. "If we were to attempt such a thing..."

"It can work!" Luna shouted. "I know it can!"

"But what if you are wrong?" Celestia questioned.

"I am not wrong."

"But what if you are? You would be condemning their world! They do not have a defense against a creature such as this. We do." Celestia turned to a group of mares sitting quietly behind the Princess. "Twilight... I fear we will need to use the Elements of Harmony."

Twilight stepped forward, her element already adorned on her head.

"Don't worry Princess, we have faced worse things! We won't let you down." She stated confidently. The five mares behind her cheered in agreement.

"And if the elements should fail?" Luna asked. Celestia sighed, turning slowly.

"Luna... if the elements do indeed fail..." She sighed once more. "We will follow through with your plan as a last resort. Do you understand?"

There was a tense pause between the two rulers. Finally, Luna sighed.

"Yes, I understand."

"Wait..." Truck interjected. "Can't you just use the tome on him, and once he is gone, then use it on us?"

"Sadly not. Tome's like this one usually only last once, especially in the condition this one is in." Luna answered, gesturing at the burnt and brittle book.

"Great..." Truck muttered as he sat down in a nearby chair.

"Hopefully, it will not come to that. Now..." Celestia started, turning back to the group. "How to execute this plan of ours...."

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Two Minutes Earlier

A large group of ponies and humans marched down the spacious corridors of Canterlot castle. The three humans, Sandman, Truck, and Andrei led the group alongside Princess Celestia. Behind them trotted around a dozen guards, all surrounding the six element bearers in a defensive formation. They slowly made their way to the throne room doors, making sure to be quiet on their approach. All of a sudden, a booming voice shot out across the castle, shaking the walls.

"WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE?! Luna bellowed from down the hall.

"Looks like he has fallen for the trap." Celestia whispered, the group slowing as they rounded the last corner. The sight they saw brought Sandman and Truck to a dead stop. Lying next to the partially open throne doors were two royal guards next to a familiar looking human, blood pooling beneath them. Some small gasps came from behind them.

"Oh fuck..." Truck whispered.

""I WILL ASK YOU ONCE MORE! WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE?!" Luna roared once more, but nobody paid it any mind.

"I guess we know why they never made it to the meeting..." Andrei stated, keeping pace with the group.

"That motherfucker..." Sandman seethed, clenching his fist angrily.

"I am sorry for your loss." Celestia whispered. "But you must stick to the plan... do not do anything rash, or his death will be in vain."

Shaking with uncontrollable rage, Sandman and Truck made their way to the edge of the doors, flashbangs at the ready. The few guards that accompanied them continued to stand in a defensive posture around the elements, while Celestia stood alongside the two humans.

"Wait for her signal..." Celestia whispered to the group as they listened in.

"My reasons are my own, pony!" They heard the human yell. "You would never understand them..."

"And why is...?" Luna tried to question back.

"Tell me, where is your sister? Hmmm? Last I heard, there were two Princesses."

"I have no sister. She died long ago." Luna answered back. The guards and element bearers glanced at Celestia in confusion. She merely shrugged.

"She is meant to stall him..." She said to nobody in particular.

"...her name... Celestia I believe." He stated.

"That was her name, yes." Luna softly replied, barely audible from the groups position.

There was a long pause before someone spoke again.

"What game are you playing?" The human asked.

"Misdirection...." Luna retorted. Celestia nodded to the group, the two humans readying their flashbangs as they glanced inside the throne room.

"DOWN!" Luna called to the guards in attendance, raising a magical shield between her and the human. Unicorns did the same while ducking behind front line guards who hid behind their large ornate shields. Pegasi and bat ponies alike flew up as far as the roof would allow, covering their ears and closing their eyes. In panic, Alexander threw a fireball at the Princess, only for it to dissipate upon connecting with her magical shield.

"What nonsense is this?" He screamed, readying another fireball. The sounds of metal clinking from behind drew his attention as he turned around, only to be met with two large metal cylinders being thrown his way.

BANG

"AHHH!" He screamed as the first flashbang hit him. He hobbled backwards, covering his eyes.

BANG

The second detonated, forcing the human to keel over, clutching his head in pain.

Within a second, Celestia had marched in, horn charged, and launched a searing hot blast of raw magic straight at the reeling human. The blast found its mark, searing the ground around him but injuring him little. Small burns etched themselves into his arms and legs as his clothing caught alight.

In the next second, the element bearers shot out from the group of guards, elements glowing with harmonic energy.

"Ok, girls!" Twilight shouted about the clamor of the throne room. "Now!" In a flash, beams of harmonic energy shot out of the group, arcing high into the air until they crashed back down onto the lone human. Shouts could be heard from inside the blinding light, but were quickly silenced as the spell took effect. The element bearers continued to channel their power for a few more seconds, until finally they spell ran its course. They all dropped back down to the ground, utterly exhausted.

"Did we get em'?" Applejack called out from the group, holding her head.

"I think so..." Twilight responded, standing up on wobbly legs.

At the center of the room, a lone figure stood encased in stone, its features forever struck in anger and rage.

"It worked...." Celestia muttered under her breath, slowly approaching the statue, followed close behind by the trio of humans.

"Not so tough now, are ya you little shit..." Truck sneered, spitting onto the stone coffin.

"Good job, sister." Celestia shouted, walking across the throne room.

"As to you." She responded, glancing over at the element bearers. "Although I think they deserve much of the praise."

"Indeed." Celestia sighed, gazing at the group. After a brief pause, she turned towards the collective group of guards.

"You all may stand down!" She ordered. "The threat is dealt with."

CRACK!

Chunks of the stone statue broke off, littering the ground with rock. The entire throne room turned at once, aiming their weapons back at the lone human. Another crack rung out, sending another plume of dust into the air. Small bouts of flame erupted from where the cracks had formed.

"I... I don't understand!" Twilight stammered. "How... is he...?"

"Son of a bitch!" Sandman shouted, slowly backing from the figure. "I knew that was too damn easy!"

"Just so you all know..." Truck called out. "I am out of flashbangs..."

"I have the nine-banger on me." Sandman shouted, pulling it out and readying it in his hand. Meanwhile, Andrei readied his AK-47, taking aim.

"Is it time for the 'last resort'?" Luna whispered, leaning towards Celestia.

"Maybe..." She whispered back, readying her magic.

Spider-web cracks spread across the entire surface, small gusts of flame dancing across the statue.

BOOM!

The stone effigy exploded, sending chunks of searing hot rock whizzing through the air. Unicorn guards quickly raised walls of magic around themselves. A few guards fell, clutching gaping wounds left by the stone projectiles. Where the statue once stood, Alexander now stood, waves of fire dancing across his body. He turned towards the element bearers, his face contorted into pure, unbridled rage. In an instant, a veritable hurricane of flames swept towards them. Just as it neared...

Princess Luna dived in front of the group, mustering as much magic as she could into a shield. The flames smashed into the shield, sending vibrations throughout the entire castle. Windows shattered and marble columns cracked and collapsed from the sheer force. Many present in the throne room stumbled and fell as the flames danced backwards towards them. Celestia, copying what he sister had done, jumped and raised her own shield, trapping the flames inside with the human.

The room remained still for a moment as the flames faded. Just as a few guards began to lower their weapons, another bout of flame launched itself outwards in all directions, engulfing many of those nearby.

"Agh!" Sandman shouted as he was flung to the ground, the nine banger still firmly held in his grip.

"SISTER!" Celestia shouted above the roar of flame.

"GET THE BOOK!" Luna shouted back, launching a beam of magic into the flames. "I WILL DELAY HIM!"

Numerous unicorn guards launched their magic into the fray as well. Spears and arrows flew in soon after, none seeming to have an effect. Alexander allowed a deep red magic form in his palm as he aimed it towards a group of guards. In a flash, a searing red stream of magic shot out, blowing a hole clean through everything in its path, including the wall.

The entire castle shook as another column fell from the force, various minerals raining upon those within the castle walls. Screams could be heard throughout the halls, numerous ponies not clad in armor fleeing for their lives. Celestia magically pulled the book from where it sat behind the dual thrones, flipping it open to what she hoped was the desired page. With a heavy breath, she began muttering the words on the page, the book glowing a faint yellow.

"HUMANS!" Luna shouted towards the group behind her. "YOU NEED TO GET CLOSE TO HIM IF YOU WISH TO GO HOME!"

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?" Truck screamed. "WE WILL BE BURNED ALIVE!"

"I CAN KEEP YOU SAFE, BUT YOU MUST GO NOW!" She retorted, glancing over at her sister. The book was glowing brighter and brighter. Another red beam shot from Alexander, blowing a massive hole into the ceiling, bringing down large chunks of rock. A third flew by, shot low to the ground, blasting through the floor and knocking out multiple columns beneath them. The whole floor shook as the castle slowly started to become unstable.

"I DO BELIEVE SHE IS TRYING TO KILL US ALL!" Andrei shouted, laughing as he emptied another magazine into the red glow.

"WE HAVE NO CHOICE!" Sandman yelled. "I CAN USE THE NINE-BANGER TO DISTRACT HIM FOR US!"

"THEN DO IT!" Luna answered, launching more beams into the fray. She ducked as another beam shot back, piercing right through her shield and collapsing the two large doors behind them. "BUT IT HAS TO BE NOW!"

"Sumptus per interitum uiam unde venerunt." Celestia finished, the tome glowing a bright yellow just as Sandman threw the grenade towards the center of the room.

BANG! BANG! BA-BANG! BANG! BA-BA-BANG! BANG!

A scream came from inside the storm of fire and magic, the hurricane slowing slightly. Luna quickly cast a shield around the three humans who gathered behind her.

"GO! NOW!" She shouted. The trio, steeling themselves, dived headlong into the fray. The others still in the room backtrotted quickly as the tome took effect. Yellow tendrils shot out, engulfing a large majority of the room. Guards galloped away to safety, as did the two Alicorns. In a blink, the tome had disintegrated in front of Celestia's eyes. A horrendous roar broke out through the castle, echoing for miles in every direction. A great flash erupted from the center of the room, blinding everyone looking its way. Then, in the same moment, it ended.

Screams sounded out across the landscape as Celestia opened her eyes to the destruction before her. The entirety of the throne room was gone, along with many of the floors above and below, seemingly sucked away. Towers on the outside of the castle collapsed from the shock. Large chunks of the castle rolled down the side of the mountain, many of which crashed into the town below.

However, the four humans were nowhere to be seen.

Instead, something much more horrifying had taken their place.

A dark, almost incorporeal figure hovered at the center of what used to be the throne room. Black tendrils of magic wafted around it. It turned slowly, gazing directly at Celestia. Two blood red eyes caught hers, and a wicked smile spread across its face.

Comments

[Wise2Fox]

......... .....what just happen?

[chrisharte97]

Interesting chapter.

[pootdispencer]

so this story isnt dead anymore?

[DarkWolf]

6988085

I guess you could say that. After seeing that it has been nearly four years since I first started writing, I got off my lazy bum and decided to see it through to the end.

[Admiral_Gravleos]

Element of freedom needs to be unleashed :)

[Derek Watterson]

Has the author returned to the aether for another year or so again? Or is it actually dead this time around? I've been following this story since like mid 2013... and I'd love to see that conclusion come around.
This is one of the reasons I've had a hard time with reading new incomplete stories though. This and like 200 of the 450ish stories I've followed since I joined this site...

[carrs88]

Is this story dead?

[dereturd]

This was cool as shit. Regardless of the bad parts, this was cool in it’s own right.

I really wish to have seen more.

[Alexthereader]

Please continue the story

[AmlpfanREADER]

10328791
Lmfao