Worst Night Ever
She would not be held back. Not after all those years at the academy. Not after so many sleepless nights spent in the archives. Not after dozens of fruitless endeavours all over the world. Academic immortality was within her grasp, some paltry royal decree could not stop her.
She waited for the changing of the guards to slip in. Entry was forbidden by order of Princess Celestia. What was that pompous mule thinking?! A literal hoard of pristine-quality crystals, most of them undoubtedly possessing arcane qualities, and she just closed it off without waiting for any input from the academic community?! Blind arrogance.
Carefully, the foolish pony crept through the darkness, making sure not to accidentally crush any of the beautiful little stones. They were all so beautiful, so finely cut! A fortune just waiting to be exploited! She just had to prove it. All she needed was a sample to study. The deeper she went to obtain a pure sample, the better.
She left small signs behind with a bit of chalk, so she could find her way back, and kept descending. After what felt like ages, she finally reached what had to be the bottom. An especially large formation rested there, its surface so smooth, as if it was polished!
A small arcane tool blinked to life in her hooves. An expensive purchase, but a worthwhile one. Just one small cut and…
As arcane energy struck the crystal, it did not slice it, as was the intention, instead, it seemed to crackle along the surface. At first, the pony rejoiced. Surely, this meant its magical properties were all but confirmed.
It danced upwards and her smile began to fade. It was no simple mound or hill. This formation had a distinct shape to it, very pronounced, very… organic. The energy gathered in front of her in a glowing mark on the surface of the crystal, emerald green. It moved for a few seconds and then…
She froze as she identified the iris of a colossal, serpentine eye.
Trixie was nervous. They were going to be late. Even if they made a run for it, which they couldn’t, lateness was on the table. All because of some delayed deliveries and miscellaneous wardrobe malfunctions.
Except this wasn’t just ‘late’ late. This was ‘late to that one place which every damned Equestrian princess is currently attending’ late. Talk about a faux pas. For the umpteenth time, she checked her wonderful dress for any blemish. Nope, still as perfect as the day it had been sewn together. With a sigh, she called out:
“Sunset, come on!”
“I know, I know, just one more moment!”
“You claimed that fifteen moments ago!”
“Don’t get your tail in a bunch,” a moment of annoyed grunting ensued, “there, done.”
“Good because I-” the showpony finally laid eyes on the dimensional visitor and just stared slack-jawed.
Sunset strode forth, wrapped in an elegant, emerald green ensemble. The fabrics themselves shone with a faint light, illuminating their quarters, reserved for them by Twilight months beforehand. Her flaming mane was tied into a stylish bun, a large pin which mimicked her cutie mark keeping it restrained. All in all, Trixie thought she looked stunning. Literally so, perhaps.
The yellow mare regarded her with a smirk:
“I guess I don’t have to ask whether I look good, then.”
“Y-you do,” Trixie blurted out, blushing, but regained her composure in record time, “now, come on! We need to get there pronto!”
Their lovingly crafted dresses were rigorously tested as the two made their way through Canterlot at a light jog. Anything more and they risked damaging their beautiful clothes. Anything less and they’d probably miss the whole thing. At least, Trixie insisted that would have been the case.
Finally, the massive structure was in sight. A mighty fortress by most standards, yet also a luxurious residence. A monarch deserved no less, she reckoned, and Canterlot’s castle was home to two of them. The entrance was flanked by armed guards, but most importantly, there were two friendly faces waiting for them.
Of all ponies, or well, creatures, Discord looked absolutely smashing in a suit. Was it the rather adventurous orange-white colour scheme? Was it the alluring moustache? Was it the horn-friendly top hat and cane combo? Probably all of the above.
And then there was Twilight Sparkle, standing in a magnificent ensemble, undoubtedly designed by Equestria’s premiere fashionista. With a smile as wide as a mile, she waved at the late-comers and they sped up just a little bit, reaching the checkpoint in record time. The alicorn opened her mouth to speak.
Her words turned into a scream as all hell broke loose.
The entirety of Canterlot shook violently in several waves, its citizens scrambling away from collapsing lamp posts and other objects in panic. Trixie and Twilight met gazes, moments before a jagged shape burst from the ground . A crystalline wall grew between the two ponies and spread at an impossible speed. In mere moments, the entire castle was encased in a dome of solid crystal. Its edges were sharp, harmful, and it was impossible to see through.
Trixie, in panic, bashed on it with her hooves, earning herself a few scratches she didn’t care about in the moment, and screamed:
“Twilight!”
Without a second thought, she charged an offensive spell and tried to blast the wretched crystal apart with an arcane bolt. To her surprise, the material not only resisted the attack, but seemed to absorb it completely, leaving behind little more than crackles of energy. Trixie’s frustrated scream was drowned out by another voice entirely, this one only in her mind:
“Trixie?”
She calmed down for a moment and replied to her friend and tutor:
“Twilight! Are you alright?”
“Yes, just stuck here for now. Not even Discord can scratch this stuff. He tried to ram through and he now looks like a pancake. I tried to teleport, but no dice, either. Good thing this spell seems to work. You two stay safe, I need to consult with Celestia.”
With an unheard, physical whimper, Trixie’s mind replied:
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
The showpony stared at her own reflection within the crystal. Somehow, it seemed much more wicked than the original. A friendly hoof patted her on the back and she turned to Sunset, who was somehow managing a reassuring smile. She smiled back meekly.
What in the hay was happening?
Princess and draconequus rushed to the banquet hall, where all the Gala attendees were concentrated. Her first concern was finding the others, then Princess Celestia. Her friends were, fortunately, keeping together like one big unit, unlike last time. Her number one assistant was the first to spot her and call out, looking quite dashing in his custom-made suit:
“Twilight, what’s goin on?!”
“I don’t know yet, Spike.”
“More importantly,” the colourful daredevil chimed in, “who do I have to kick to fix it?”
“Hopefully, no one,” came a new voice, though one that was quite familiar.
Many claimed she was the most regal of all ponies and a mere look in the monarch’s direction lent credence to such claims. Her walk was an absolutely impeccable gait, practiced over millennia. Her mane and tail flowed on their own accord, filled with vibrant colours of several hues. Physically, she was quite large, but toned. A regular training regimen kept Princess Celestia as fit as a fiddle.
She walked side-by-side with the pony she undoubtedly loved the most in the world. Her sister, the Princess of Dreams. Those guests that were not busy panicking bowed as the two approached. The six chosen ponies, the baby dragon and one mischievous draconequus, closed the gap. Twilight said0:
“I know that tone, princess. You know something that we do not.”
“We both do,” Luna replied, “we still hope this is just some mishap.”
“Mishap?! Horseapples, yer entire castle is encased in a dome of weird crystal. Ah think ‘mishap’ don’t cover this situation anymore.”
As Celestia tried to reply, a new voice beat her to it. It was male, energetic and seemed to emanate from everywhere, yet nowhere:
“I agree wholeheartedly!”
Maniacal laughter was accompanied by more violent quakes. Soon enough, the floor started cracking and ponies ran for cover. More foul crystals burst from the ground like massive spears, reaching several metres before stopping. Twilight swiftly calculated a rough estimate of the force necessary to pierce the ground in such a manner, then compared it to the energy required to crack every bone in her body.
As soon as she realised the odds were not in her favour, she tripped and fell. She could hear several ponies scream her name, but was too preoccupied by the cracks spreading under her hooves. She wanted to scream, but only managed to yelp as she was suddenly lifted and carried to safety in the nick of time.
She looked up into the utterly worried expression of an extremely handsome young stallion with snow-white fur. Her BBBFF spoke, the concern in his voice practically tangible:
“Twily, are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, just… shaken.”
He put her down just in time for the bookworm to receive a crushing embrace. The perpetrator of this assault was none other than, in her opinion, the best babysitter in the world, managing a smile despite the turmoil around them:
“Twilight, it would seem our curse continues.”
“At this rate, separating us will become necessary to ensure national safety.”
The Crystal Princess giggled. The pink pony knew how to be regal, and was more than capable of making others forget to breathe if she truly wanted to. But there was always that spark of excitement in her eyes. That drive to entertain, make sure everyone was feeling peachy-keen. In short, Cadance was just like her hair. Well-groomed and expertly styled, yet bristling with a playful display of colour. A wonderful trait for a ruler to have.
The maniacal laughter died down for a few seconds, replaced by something akin to monstrous wheezing. Two emerald lights suddenly appeared on one of the crystals and grew, both in size and in detail. Soon, two terrifying eyes stared at the Gala attendees, who were both frightened and defiant. The entity spoke again, overly-enthusiastic:
“Ahaaa! A celebration in honour of my rebirth? Why, only the most loyal of subjects would have organised such an event! Which is why I find it strange you are here,” his gaze narrowed on the reigning monarchs, “chieftains Luna and Celestia!”
And while most were preoccupied by the word ‘chieftains’, Twilight’s mind zeroed in on a much more important word, which Celestia uttered under her breath:
“Traxex.”
In but a few heartbeats, her catalogue of a brain found this word popping up in a few different contexts, though no further research had been conducted on the subject. All leads pointed to the same tome. With that information at hoof, she formed a single, straightforward message and sent it to a certain showpony:
“Go to the Archives. Find Lucretia Stargazer’s Almanac. Traxex.”
The creature continued its rant:
“Oh, how kind the years are to thieving scum! Not only did you take my riches, you built your filthy streets on their polished perfection! After I raze your pathetic little pony town to the ground, the world will tremble before me once more!”
“Not if we have a say about it, fiend!”
Twilight earned herself both a gasp from the audience and the tyrant’s gaze. The serpentine eyes blinked and she endured their stare. Traxex began:
“Who do you think you are to address me, little,” suddenly those eyes grew wide. He breathed in heavily, then continued, “uncanny. Magic,” Twilight’s expression grew unsure, while the ancient one’s gaze looked over the remainder of the entourage, “honesty. Loyalty. Kindness. Generosity. Laughter. The six foul Elements, made flesh. Fascinating. Dangerous. This changes our dynamic, somewhat. You get to die first,” his speech turned to a rousing shout, “rise, my warriors! Assemble, my legion!”
The crystals shifted and cracked into segments. Those rearranged themselves into roughly humanoid forms, their limbs more akin to spears than proper appendages. Several dozen of these monsters formed up and stood at the ready, waiting for further instructions like the soulless husks they were.
Meanwhile, Twilight commenced an emergency combat briefing:
“We need to stall these things for as long as possible! Trixie and Sunset can find a way, I’m sure of it!”
“A bold plan,” Celestia commented, “but I do not doubt their abilities, either. It shall be so."
The rest of the group, princesses included, nodded. Shining Armour turned to a nearby palace guard, who seemed ready to jump into action:
“Round up the guards, move civilians to a different area and protect them.”
There was no doubt, no objections or second thoughts. Shining’s authority, even though he technically wasn’t captain anymore, was absolute:
“Yes, sir!”
Siblings shared nods and everyone else assembled into an orderly line, putting on their most determined expressions and, in Pinkie’s case, a cute little helmet with tiny horns on it. Where she had procured such an item, no one could say. Their captor spoke once more:
“Any last words, ponies?”
United, the assembled heroines and heroes shouted:
“Do your worst!”
“As you wish. Attack!”
The menacing constructs moved forward, unfeeling, unwavering, unavoidable. The ponies met them halfway.
The instructions had been precise and to the point. After ditching their splendid dresses, may Rarity have mercy on their souls, they galloped straight to the Archives. Namely, the forbidden section. There, they now sat, frantically looking through the bookshelves that housed the works of Starswirl’s students.
It amazed her how many she had never heard about in the slightest. Even then, Lucretia Stargazer’s collection was by far the smallest, caused by her sudden disappearance and her habit of keeping information in her head, rather than on paper. It did, however, let them locate the required tome in record time.
Lucretia Stargazer’s Comprehensive Almanac of Myths and Unconfirmed Tales. The book's cover portrayed a small legion of various creatures and beasts, some mere fiction, others the horrid truth. Quickly, but carefully, she turned to the index. Luckily for her, T did not seem to be a popular letter. There it was, right under Tiamath!
“I’ve got it!” the showpony exclaimed excitedly.
“Great. Now, what does it say?”
“Let’s see.”
Traxex: Draconite, Folk myth / Possible historical fact. See also: Tiamath, Equinox, Ebon.
Equinox immediately caught her attention and she made a mental note to read that section later. For now, she delved deep into the book and finally found the relevant pages.
The Cautionary Tale of Traxex
I find our lack of knowledge on the various draconite species a criminal offence. Such majestic beings, powerful and wise beyond even their long years, yet superstition and fear keep us blinded to their workings. Such emotions are not wholly unwarranted, I will admit, especially when it comes to dealing with certain temperamental, extremely protective individuals.
We do know, however, that they are in some way fuelled by their greed, or more precisely, their bodies undergo vast, potentially rapid changes based on the size of their hoard. If left to their own devices, one would think draconites would wage wars over the world as we know it, consuming everything in a never-ending hunt for treasure, growing ever larger in the process.
Yet, this is not the case. During the course of my travels, I have seen my fair share of large draconites. I could not describe any of them as being ‘uncannily large’ for their kind, however. They all seemed to grow to roughly the same maximum size, give or take a few metres, then simply become satisfied with the size of their coffers. How was this possible? I needed to know.
Over several months, I managed to gradually form a relationship with a young draconite. In exchange for baubles and tales of the world, I was granted many interesting facts about draconite physique and culture, which I hope to compile in a future work. None of these factoids was as interesting, however, as the tale of Traxex.
This dragon was supposedly one of those born directly from the mythical mother of all draconites, Tiamath. The mightiest even from his kin, Traxex easily asserted his dominance, be it through brute force or ruthless displays of cunning. Considering himself a king, he demanded tribute from all creatures, small and large. A tribute in the form of crystals.
These pretty baubles obsessed the dragon. Time passed and his hoard grew and grew. It was like an infinite loop. The more it grew, the less likely it was anyone could challenge his rule. But, as he would find out, greed was a double-edged sword.
Paranoia plagued him. He feared for his hoard above all else and refused to let it out of sight. He moved these riches deep into the earth, allowing fewer and fewer to even enter his presence, lest they try to burgle his coveted crystals. Eventually, he could no longer assert his dominion and his reign was challenged.
When a united force of his former subjects descended into his caverns, hoping to enact revenge and pilfer his riches, they never found the dragon. Only a mountain of crystal, shaped in his image like some nightmarish effigy. His cursed treasure was left alone, along with this twisted mockery of life he had become. The location of this tomb was, perhaps fortunately, lost to even the draconites over the long millennia.
From then on, the tale of Traxex has been told to all young dragons, lest they succumb to their urges and eventually share his horrid fate. For no matter how powerful, none can allow their greed to grow unchecked.
Trixie finally finished reading and looked towards Sunset, who was nodding with her eyes closed. Finally, the fiery mare spoke:
“Okay. So, let’s assume absolutely everything in there is at least partially true and jot down what we know.”
“Ancient dragon that seems to have somehow turned to crystal, maybe even through his own magic. He seems to possess some form of control over the crystal in the mines below. This makes me believe that the entire place is his vast hoard from ages past. That’s where we can hopefully find his weakness, if he has any.”
“Probably in the deepest depths. Now we just need a way to fight him.”
“How exactly do we oppose a creature forged from what seems to be magic-resistant crystal?”
“Hmmmm,” Shimmy walked over to the premier bookshelf within the archive’s depths, the one dedicated to Starswirl himself, “I do recall something, oh what was it called,” her eyes scoured the area and after a few moments, she almost screamed, “got it!”
The tome was so large Sunset had to use her magic to move it. Gently, she levitated it to a nearby table. It was in pristine condition, no doubt thanks to several runes etched into its surface. ‘Combating the Arcane: The Traveller’s Comprehensive Companion Against Danger’. The title was especially strange due to the fact that an actual traveller would not have been able to carry the tome without great difficulties. Old wizards invariably grew out of touch with the common folk, but Starswirl had tried, at least.
“Woaaah, this is the original, isn’t it?”
“Yup. And if we don’t find an answer here, we’ll need to start forming pacts with demons, because I don’t see any other options.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Now, what do we look for?”
A brief search through the index revealed a few potential leads. After skipping through the sections dedicated to creatures that fed on crystals, they finally found something promising.
Golems
Golem is a word that is inherently wide in scope, covering a vast quantity of various constructs, anima and other entities. Often mistaken for statues at a distance, the various types of golem vary in their capabilities and role, though they all share several unifying traits.
Invariably, a golem is created by applying magic to inanimate objects, bringing them together into bodies capable of movement and other tasks, depending on the ‘ingredients’ used. Whether it be random boulders found in the wild or precisely crafted parts designed to stick together is irrelevant in this case, affecting only capabilities of the resulting whole.
Often used as guardians, golems possess only a minimal level of intelligence, which allows them to carry out instructions to the letter. Incapable of detecting nuance, metaphors or other such verbal cues, golems are driven by their orders and will do all in their power to fulfil them.
This limited mental capacity is why they are rather commonly found in the world, roaming alone without a master, trying to complete some obscure final task which has long ago become impossible. They are at their most dangerous when assigned to guard certain areas or ruins and this is when you are most likely to come into conflict with them.
While avoiding combat is preferable, sometimes this is not possible. In such scenarios, it is imperative that you identify the material these golems are made of, as all of their strengths are inevitably connected to weaknesses. Other than some obvious interaction, like being able to set fire to a wooden golem, there do exist some more exotic combinations, which I will briefly address before discussing the nuances of the various golem types and their use.
A table was located below the paragraph, cataloguing practically every conceivable material a golem could be made of. None could claim Starswirl hadn't been a dedicated pony. She looked through the list. Much to her annoyance, the list was not ordered alphabetically, but rather according to relative danger the resulting golem posed. Stardust, glass, caviar... there it was, crystal! She read it out loud:
"Crystal is a rather uncommon element used in golem construction, usually due to its poor defensive qualities when matched against steel or stone. However, certain crystals have been noted to possess hidden properties tied to magic in some way. Whether it be amplifying or even nullifying arcane energies, they are always a potent force to be reckoned with. I have had only brief meetings with such golems, and I have always bested such creatures in the same fashion. Violent vibrations or powerful strikes are very likely to shatter the crystal, rendering the construct itself powerless."
The two ponies sat in silence for a few moments, considering their options. Limited, bordering on practically suicidal. And yet, when the two looked up, when they met gazes, their expressions mimicked each other. A stern, determined look, immovable by anything short of the Apocalypse itself.. No words needed to be said. The unicorns nodded at each other and then rose to their hooves.
They darted into the night, their destination clear as day.
The battle had been a fairly simple affair. After cleverly deducing that direct magical assault was not exactly an effective combat method, the party turned to a more hooves-on approach. Hooves-on might have been inaccurate when it came to most of the heroines, however.
The princesses, along with Shining Armour and no-less-noble Rarity, for example, simply used their magic in more creative ways. Grabbing surrounding objects or even conjuring weaponry out of thin air proved most effective, especially when one looked to the two monarchs in the room. Celestia and Luna dashed against the crystalline horde, clearly used to fighting side-by-side. They covered each other's blind spots and fought like a single warrior, battering the enemy into submission. Rarity, Twilight and Spike fought in a similar manner, though they weren’t quite as practiced. Sadly for the draconite, he was relegated mostly to the spotting role.
Rainbow and Applejack took a more straight-forward approach. Using dizzying speed and colossal strength, respectively, the duo was a veritable menace. The constructs could not hope to catch one, yet found themselves outmatched by the other and both ponies delivered a truly impressive bashing to the enemy.
Fluttershy mostly just yelped and squealed as Discord took the lead. Morphed into what could only be considered a giant wrecking ball, the draconequus swung from the ceiling and shattered the opposition as easily as a house of cards. The graceful pony, meanwhile, held on for dear life, yet did not seem too displeased. The excitement was getting to her.
Finally, there was Pinkie Pie, doing... her thing, really. Changing positions so rapidly that she gave the concept of physics a headache, the bubbly mare giggled, snortled and chortled her way through the golems, causing the warriors to strike each other in confusion. And with a few touches of her one-of-a-kind party cannon, things got decorated and shattered at the same time!
The combatants stood among the ruined remains of the crystalline horde, panting. The enemy was beaten and they allowed themselves just a smidge of relief, before the dragon's voice came again:
"Quite impressive. No wonder the Elements chose you."
Equestria's most radical flyer looped around the room in a second flat, then shouted at nothing in particular:
"Darn right! Come on, I didn't even break a sweat."
"Such bravado and arrogance," a single eye appeared on one of the shattered crystals, startling the pegasus, "they will not last. Unlike me."
Much to Rainbow's surprise, the chunks flew back into the air and flew together, soon reforming and mending themselves. In no time at all, the golems stood before them once again, good as new. The heroes readied themselves and waited for the monsters to make the first move.
Twilight's mind produced a single stray thought as the golems charged:
"Please hurry, you two."
The darkness was everywhere. Without a bit of magic, the two would have had a hard time seeing the tip of their muzzle, let alone the path ahead. The caves were impossibly vast, probably stretching beneath the entirety of Canterlot. Everywhere she looked, large crystals dotted the surface, reflecting her horn's light. It was a maze of corridors, each the same as the last one. Trixie thought out loud:
"There is no end to these paths!"
"I hear you. I don't think it would be easy to navigate even if we had a map."
Worst of all was the silence, broken only by the echoes of their hoofsteps. This was taking too long. By the time they found their way, everyone else could be... her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she spotted a blue mark drawn on the ground with chalk, in front of the entrance to a corridor. The two unicorns shared a look and nodded.
It was a steady trail, with a new mark appearing within a fairy regular distance from the last. It was not easy walking, however, as the ground was uneven and treacherous. This proved to be problematic, as Sunset tripped and lost balance, ramming into one of the nearby omnipresent crystals. She yelped as Trixie rushed over:
"Sunset, are you alright?!"
"Yes, just a scratch. Come on, we need to keep..."
It was then that the entire area shook.
A third wave of constructs lay shattered and beaten, at least for the moment. Had it not been a war of attrition, the heroes would have rejoiced. For the fourth time, the crystalline army reformed at its master's bidding. Traxex sounded triumphant:
"Look at you. Bruised and exhausted. One, maybe two more. That's all it'll take, yeeessss."
Celestia took a few deep breaths and finally replied:
"Just as before, hah, we will stand against your tyranny, Traxex."
Luna stepped up, as well:
"Don't you dare doubt that, even for a moment."
"Aaaah, yes, still the instigators. The symbols of a rebellion, a disease allowed to fester because my poor pretties needed my protection. A weed permitted to take root because of my love," he emitted something akin to a distorted roar, "to think it only took a brief slumber to be able to crush it beneath my claws. My legion, I command you to," he stopped mid-sentence as his eyes flashed, "what?! Trespassers, interlopers?! No, my hoard!"
The dragon's eyes vanished without a trace. His army stood motionless, still diligently awaiting orders. And while most of the heroes allowed themselves a sigh of relief, the assembled princesses' expressions were worried. It was up to them now.
Mid-quake, a monstrous eye appeared on the crystal's surface and the two ponies yelped. The lord of the underworld roared:
"Thieves! Burglars! Robbers! Here to pilfer my riches! These catacombs shall be your grave!"
The walls themselves started moving, as his coveted crystals morphed into vigilant warriors. Sunset had only thing to say:
"Run!"
They dashed as the entire area came to life around them. At every step, they were met by more and more of Traxex's golems. Slow and cumber some as they were, it wasn't too difficult to run between the monsters, but as their numbers grew, it was only a matter of time before the two were caught. Desperately, they looked for the next blue marker, and there it was, on a wall!
They accelerated towards it like madmares. Just a few more steps, just a few more seconds. Then, Trixie heard a rumbling from above and looked up. Part of the ceiling was collapsing, with several golems acting like giant spears. Before the showpony could react, she was shoved out of harm's way and fell onto the ground.
When she looked up, her view was dominated by an especially hulking crystalline soldier, though she could still make out her friend behind it. She shouted:
"Sunset!"
"Go," came a stern, commanding reply, "I'll keep 'em busy!"
"But..."
"Go!" even louder than before.
Without another word, she galloped deeper, one last shout echoing throughout the corridors as a fiery blaze illuminated her surroundings:
"Oh, you think you can take me on?! Fat chance! If you want a beatdown, you came to the right place!"
And then, she was alone, with only the horrid silence as her companion. She cntinued to follow the blue marks, hoping they weren't just some foul trick the creature had duped them with. Suddenly, the two large, serpentine eyes appeared just ahead of her and she froze for a moment, before once again running forward. The dragon easily matched her speed, his gaze fixated on the small pony:
"Look at you. Scampering through my domain, alone and forgotten."
She retorted:
"And I suppose you're fulfilling your gloating quota?"
"Feisty, just like the other. I came to the realisation that you were no simple thieves, but assassins, hoping to end my rule once and for all. How precious."
"You think a bit of pompous dialogue is going to make me reconsider?"
"Oh no," he emitted a maddened cackle, which steadily rose to uncanny tonal heights, "if I wanted to stop you, I would need only a single thought. Truthfully, the two of you intrigue me."
"I'll have you know I'm not looking for a date."
This seemed to strike a chord as the dragon erupted in laughter. She accelerated further, hoping to exploit his lapse in attention. She did not expect it to actually work. The emerald gaze was gone, replaced by her old companions, silence and loneliness. Immediately, she felt uneasy. Deep down, she knew it was just the calm before the storm.
A few more twisting turns and the claustrophobic tunnels gave way to a truly massive chamber. The ceiling alone was dozens of metres above. Several large mounds or hills of crystal rested within the chamber. A quick glance at her immediate surroundings revealed what looked like prison bars. And appropriately, there was also a prisoner.
The young mare's coat was a dark shade of orange, her mane a charcoal black. Eyes of an eerily familiar emerald shade gazed at the showpony pleadingly. Her clothes were made for hiking or, perhaps, cave exploration, with leather and practicality as the main themes. She looked briefly into the chamber, visibly terrified, then whispered:
"Thank Celestia! Please, you have to get me out of here!"
"Calm down! Who are you?"
"Geodesia. I came here to prove these crystals were valuable and then... by the gods, I was so stupid!"
"Okay, hold still, I think I can..."
The mare's gaze shifted over Trixie's shoulder and she froze on the spot. Trixie followed it, reluctantly. One of the crystalline hills was moving. The tyrant slowly rose, stretching out his gargantuan body in every direction. No scales, no skin, no fur. Just pure, polished crystal, reflecting her light at his surroundings. He could have easily dwarfed a small town. Powerful claws pierced the bedrock as if it was mud and the dragon's mighty jaws parted for a horrific roar.
Finally, two emerald eyes formed on its head and gazed down at the hoofed ants below. Another light caught Trixie's attention, however. Matching his eyes, it emanated from within the titan's chest. Where the heart would have been.
Traxex cackled once more, then addressed her:
"Aaaah, the assassin arrives," she could actually feel the sound waves of his voice, "I apologise if I seem disappointed. Despite your qualities, I expected something more impressive."
She had to shout for the sound to spread properly:
"Don't judge books by their cover! Besides, what could you know about my 'qualities'?"
"Oh, just enough," he stepped forward and lowered his monstrous head, creating a quake in the process, "you two are special, just like the ones up there. Yet you carry a different sort of mark. A peculiar one, considering your heritage."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, I could grant you illumination," the dragon's voice was like honey, "as well as what you crave. You have both tasted it before, I am sure. Power enough to make all shudder in your presence."
"And you would grant it to me? I find that hard to believe."
"Oh, it is simple. I have had time to reflect on past mistakes. I had no one to rely on. No one to enforce my dominion," those serpentine eyes flashed, "I offer you a chance to obtain power that your kind could only dream of. In return, become my enforcer! The first of many iron fists that will enforce my dominion once this world is once again rightfully mine!"
She stared at the oversized draconite with a pronounced frown as she replied to the enticing offer:
"Sadly, I must decline."
"Is that so? Unfortunate. Your friend proved to be the reasonable one, at least."
Again, she did not waver:
"You lie."
A cackle escaped his maw:
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because she is Sunset Shimmer," a hint of anger could be heard in her voice, "proud unicorn and trusted friend. And most certainly not fit to be a servant of some obese, oversized lizard!"
The titan roared in fury, obviously offended, and its eyes narrowed on her:
"Fine then, pony! You have signed your death warrant! Face the wrath of Traxex, Firstborn of Tiamath, Overlord of Water, Land and Air!"
"It is you who shall face the wrath of the Great and Powerful Trixie," after her brief bravado, she turned to the imprisoned Geodesia with a nervous smile, "wish me luck."
A flash of light erupted from the unicorn and when it faded, a whole host of Trixies stood there, each more defiant than the last. With a nod at each other, they dispersed in every direction with a quick gallop.
How amusing. A few illusions for him to play with. A futile attempt, only delaying his inevitable victory. With an errant thought, the chamber shifted. Crystals shifted, sprouted and shot rapidly in several places at once. As soon as the images were struck, they dispersed with a puff of smoke. It would not take long.
A few dozen was soon reduced to only a few. With a triumphant roar, he slammed the ground with his claw. The very floor of the chamber rose up violently, with excellent results. A scream. He looked down at the only remaining trickster as she flew through the air and impacted the ground with a satisfying thump, a cloud of dust rising around her. She coughed and squirmed, but could not seem to rise. Perfect.
As the obvious victor, Traxex called out, even as one of his mighty claws rose into the air:
"Great and Powerful, eh? Almost makes me laugh. Make your final prayers, pony. And while you're at it, pray that your friend proves wiser than you."
He brought his claw down like the blade of an angry god which it was. The ground parted as he dug into the earth and listened for a final, pathetic gurgle. No sound came and he looked down. Nothing but smoke could be seen, rising around the impact zone. The titan exclaimed:
"What?!"
At that moment, he could feel something land on his tail. Instinctively, he swished it upward.
A masterful performance, worthy of the Canterlot Royal Theatre! Now as the adventure reached its closing act, with her sliding down towards the giant's back, she only hoped that there would be no need for an encore performance. One mare could only take so much excitement in one life, you know?
Her landing was painful, but she got up without a hitch, fuelled by a mix of raw determination and adrenaline. She galloped as the dragon somehow morphed its entire body around so that he could look at her. Her goal stayed in place, however, even as the dethroned screamed:
"You little bug! I tire of your nonsense!"
She ignored his roars and wails, still concentrating on her goal. Even then, she didn't have everything quite figured out, seeking just a dash of inspiration. A shape moved into her cone of vision, one of the dragon's limbs coming for vengeance. The showpony blinked out of existence, dodging the blow as the titan's claws scraped along the surface, leaving behind cracks. Inspiration.
Traxex reared for another attack, furious. She reached her goal and stood still, warping out of the way at the very last moment. Same as before, there was a crack in his outer 'hide', a mere chip considering the dragon's sheer size, but just enough. She glanced into it, noting just how deep it went. The crystal on the inside seemed to be somewhat different to the rest, not just because of the innate, green glow. She had one shot.
"Enough! This ends now!"
Traxex opened his maw, revealing what appeared to be emerald flame building up within. She could actually see the substance travel through his body as it shone through. He was readying a veritable firestorm. Now or never.
She approached the crack, noticing it was already beginning to mend itself, and readied her spell. An old favourite, often used for some pranks or jests, yet quite dangerous as it was fuelled by more arcane power. And in that moment, Trixie gave it her all and unleashed it right into the weak point.
At its basic, the spell was a simple transfer of energy. Rather than a gradual, even build-up, however, it was a rapid, chaotic burst. Traxex's flame died down in his maw as he felt a terrifying sensation. Violent vibrations rocked his core and did not show any signs of dying down. Instead, like a set of dominoes, each quake served only to create more unease. For the second time in his timeless existence, the dragon felt an emotion. A primal, powerful emotion. Fear.
He roared and thrashed, knocking the exhausted unicorn off and sending her to the ground. He could feel his insides shiver and crumble, piece by piece, brick by brick. Yet the inevitability of his demise was not the worst thought. Even gods could perish. But they were supposed to perish in titanic battle, in a clash of equals! Not to some... some damned pony!
The titan's wails could be heard far and wide, his final, defiant sounds. Traxex realised he could no longer feel his tail. A brief look confirmed it had simply snapped off, no longer held in place by his fading power. It was all over. No. No! He would have the last say! He always had the last say! One last defiant command.
Trixie shakily rose, her gaze glued to the beaten dragon. Then, she received a message of common sense, turned and tried to run. It turned into more of a swift walk than anything else, her body finally at its limit. The ground under her hooves suddenly shook. A crystal burst upwards, before promptly exploding into a shower of shrapnel.
She fell. As she tried to rise again, agony stopped her. Worse yet was when the pain faded and was replaced by... cold. An icy worm that burrowed itself through her veins and into her soul. Gasping unevenly, she looked down and saw a small puddle on the ground, the liquid within a dark shade of crimson.
Her vision faded and her mind followed suite.
She woke, of all things, to the sound of snoring. Ordinarily, this would have annoyed Trixie, but the act of waking up in itself was much too good, considering the circumstances. She tried to move a little and winced as a dagger of pain cut through her entire side. She sighed and decided to only observe.
The room was just right. Just large enough, with a few well-placed decorations and a relaxing dark blue colour on the walls. The last rays of daylight streamed in through a generously-sized window. The bed she was in was quite comfy, the sheets had a strawberry smell to them. The most telling, however, was a small sign on the nearby wall. Squinting, she could make out:
"Patient's Ward C, Room 115."
Below were scribbles and notes that she would have had trouble deciphering with a magnifying glass. Finally, she tried to find the source of the, she realised, very adorable, feminine snoring. Luckily, the mare in question was in sight, nestled on a small sofa in the room.
She had obviously fallen asleep mid-reading, her book laying on the ground in a shocking display of mishandling. At least, shocking for the alicorn princess in question. Her purple wings twitched now and again in her dream. Suddenly, she frowned, one of her front hooves kicking in her dream. She muttered:
"Trixie... no, she can't be... no!"
With a final grunt, she woke from her apparent nightmare. Twilight was a mess, her mane unkempt, messy, her eyes bloodshot from sleepless nights. And yet, when she looked over to the bed and their gazes met, she shot from the sofa as if she was overdosed on coffee. Somehow containing her excitement, she gently hugged the showpony and spoke:
"Oh, thank Celestia! They said that you would maybe never... that you wouldn't..."
Sobbing reached Trixie's ears. That would not do. She raised her hooves and returned the bookworm's embrace, finally realising just how tired she still felt. Even speaking was a bit tiring:
"It's okay, it's okay. It'll take more than that to beat the Great and-"
She never finished the sentence due to a sudden coughing fit. While Twilight fetched her a glass of water, Trixie was able to ponder two things. First, coughing hurt right now. Second, life was a frail, fickle thing, with many potentially fatal twists. Many didn't even involve dragons. As soon as she downed the water, she spoke again:
"Twilight, can I...?"
"Yes?"
Even bloodshot, those lavender eyes were so beautiful. Now or never.
"Twilight Sparkle, I... I..."
"She's awake," came an unfamiliar, excited voice from the entrance. A nurse, undoubtedly one of many, "she's awake, everyone!"
As she ran off to spread the news, the two ponies met gazes once again and Twilight asked:
"What is it you wanted, Trix?"
The words stopped in her throat and she instead said:
"I'm glad I can see you again," the alicorn smiled, "down there, I thought that we'd never," her eyes shot open as she realised, "wait, Sunset, is she?!"
"She's alright. A bit bruised, but otherwise fine."
"That is good to hear."
That damned smile. These damned feelings.
All things considered, the Canterlot Royal Hospital was an amazing place. Being in the capital and under the wings of several rich local sponsors, who just so happened to be hypochondriacs, probably helped. Most breathtaking of it all was the small forest on the building’s roof. A garden housing flowers of all colours and shapes, it was a great place for rest, surrounded by a hint of nature while gazing at the majestic city below.
Trixie’s eyes followed a crimson butterfly as it tasted the garden’s nectar, turning her head slowly, lest she feel pain. Her wounds were mostly healed, and she was assured there would be no scars after a few arcane procedures. Free of charge for the ‘Crystal Crusher’. Somehow, she didn’t think the title fit, though it did roll off the tongue nicely. A familiar voice suddenly came from behind her:
“What a beautiful day we have been graced with, would you not agree?”
A brief glance at the night sky in her mane made her consider whether the evening would be even more beautiful. The alicorn princess sat down next to her and took a few deep breaths before speaking once more:
“The contained breeze combined with the flowers is lovely, as well. Many say that patients do not start to truly recover until they spend some time here.”
“I can see why, truly,” she turned to the Princess of Night with a quizzical look, “I assume, however, that you did not come here to admire the garden.”
“Perceptive as always. I am here on a formal errand, though being able to check up on one of our heroines is an added bonus.”
“Blech. We’re going to get swarmed by paparazzi the moment we walk out, aren’t we?”
“Such is life in the spotlight, I am afraid,” she chuckled, then met gazes with the showpony, “truthfully, I wished to speak to you. I understand if you would rather relax for a while longer, however.”
Trixie smiled:
“Oh, no, no, it is quite alright. A few scratches won’t dampen my spirits.”
“It would seem so. Allow me to elaborate. Ever since my... return to my sister’s side, I have steadily taken on more and more responsibilities, slowly retaining my status prior to the whole lunar debacle,” such a nice way of summing it up, “I have recently, however, persuaded my sister that I am ready to take on new challenges. Namely, tutelage.”
“Tutelage?” her eyes grew wide as her mind raced.
“Yes. It is a custom that we, as alicorns skilled in the arcane arts, take promising individuals under our wing in order to help them reach new heights. I also believe you are intelligent enough to decipher where this exchange is headed.”
“Oh, gosh.”
Luna rose, assuming her default regal pose. She was so majestic as she recite a learned formula:
“Trixie Lulamoon. In the name of Royal Housesof Canterlot, We would hereby wish to offer you the opportunity of becoming Our personal student, in arts both magical and mundane. We have chosen you and you alone, for your demonstrations of skill, bravery and wit. It would be Our honour to teach you and We are able to create a schedule that would accommodate your theatrical performances, as well. You need not answer immediately, We can give you...”
“Yes,” she blurted out, before remembering her manners, “my apologies. I would be honoured to...”
“Shhhhhh,” with a playful smile, the princess continued, “no need for even more formalities, dear Trixie.”
“It is still a tremendous honour, princess.”
“Then know that you have earned it.”
“I am at a loss for words. Though, perhaps,” with a mischievous grin, she shouted, “Pinkieeeee!”
Without warning, a nearby flower pot burst asunder, revealing a mare of the pink persuasion. The party pony’s eyes were literally glowing with excitement as she hopped closer to the two:
“I knew hanging around was a good idea! Now I get to be helpful, maybe make someone smile and...”
Her barrage of words was halted by a blue hoof on her muzzle and Trixie said:
“We get the idea, you whirlwind of laughter. I have a mission for you, Pinkie. The fate of the world hinges on its completion.”
Somehow, a helmet and combat camo appeared on her head. The showpony didn’t even try to explain how that worked as the baker saluted:
“I’m two big ears, ma’am!”
“Excellent! I am in possession of saved up bits that may or may not be obsolete now. As soon as my health improves, I will need you to throw me the biggest party you’ve ever thrown.”
“Wowie zowie, biggest ever?!”
“Biggest. Ever.”
“Oh my goooooosh! You got it! It will be the bestest, most amazing, fantabular, spectastic thing in Equestria! You can count on it!”
“I know I can count on you, cadet. Dismissed!”
“Roger, roger,” a strange, brick-like device appeared near her ear, “cadet Gummy, evac, evac!”
A thousand balloons suddenly rose into the air, held in the mouth of an especially tiny alligator. The pink mare jumped on and let the wind carry her to new destinations.
Princess Luna looked at her with a perplexed expression and Trixie just commented:
“When you are around that one for a while, her antics stop phasing you.”
“I shall take your word for it, dear Trixie.”
They remained calm for a few moments. Then, they burst out laughing.
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So Trixie becomes Luna's student. There are many fanfiction written about. Heck there are even entire alternate universes where Trixie is Luna's student. Lunaverse for example. I just hope you will finish the entire arc rather then stop half way as there are too many stories never finished with that thrope.
6408099 Why, it would be a crime not to explore such a plot point, my good draconite! Do not worry, we have such plans!
And thank you for your patronage.
Halfway through this chapter I was thinking, "If Trixie beats an immortal god-beast from the beginning of creation, she had better get Alicorn and/or Princess status, or else she's gonna have to slap some mares around."
Being made an apprentice of Luna is a good substitute, I guess.
So I assume Geodosia got interrogated pretty hard afterwards by the Princesses?
Also, something funky happened with your updates where the new chapter didn't show up at first. I didn't even notice until a week later again going through my tracking lists since it didn't display as a new unread chapter.
(but seriously, Princess of the Everfree, maybe? Just fix up the existing castle there!)
6432666 If we go by the show, she'd maybe need to actually create new magic... whatever that means, confound these convenient plot devices!
And hey, this way We get to write about the best princess (subjective opinion pending) in her element!
Geodesia's fate may be explored in the future, in one form or another, friend.
And yes, I noticed that, for some reason, after clicking 'Publish' on the chapter, it seemed to register and even shot the story onto the frontpage in the update section, yet for some reason did not actually publish the chapter immediately. How that happened, I have no idea, but even I only noticed after a few hours. It was a bit annoying, truthfully.
And lastly, thank you for your patronage, friend!
6432825 Starswirl created 200(!) new spells according to Luna Eclipsed, and he befriended Scorpan which is one more villain than Twilight managed (Since Fluttershy was the one who did it for Discord), and he's certainly not an alicorn.
I don't hate MMC or anything, but it's the whole 'Starswirl did a hell of a lot more than Twilight and isn't an alicorn' angle that bothered me
6433703 Clearly, it was because he was male and unable to therefore be a princess!
In all seriousness, though, I agree. It is strange how they build him up to be pretty much the most amazing unicorn ever, yet only a unicorn nonetheless. We should perhaps stray away from raw power, if you ask me, and take a more hybrid approach.
Raw arcane skill, coupled with the character traits of the pony in question. And while I can understand some of the mixed reactions towards Twilight's rather abrupt 'ascension', I must say her character traits do make her a pretty good leader.
At the end of the day, it was pushed so that Hasbro could sell overpriced purple plastic again, but with wings attached!
I say we are fortunate they stopped there!
Talk about David vs Goliath battle, folks. Mm-mm. I've seen a few fanfics where Trixie faces off against powerful - even very powerful - opponents, and manages to win with a combination of wits, skill, guts and luck. As a rule, she manages to look very good when she wins, because - surprise, surprise! - everyone wants to root for the underdog. It worked well here, too.
I do approve of Twilight and friends putting up a spirited fight on their own. Too often in cases like this the writer has the main heroes just keel over and give up so the new hero can shine. Here, they looked like they were fighting about as well as they should (except the villain cheesed out with immunity). It's good.
The only complaint I could make is that Sunset sort of vanishes with no explanation and just sort of becomes irrelevant. (Unless I managed to miss her mentions completely, which could happen because I'm not fully awake here.)
As for why Starswirl wasn't an alicorn, my own take is that it takes more to qualify than lots of magical power and a great accomplishment. Leadership ability, etc. Twilight has the strength of character to do it, he didn't. (Neither did Sunset, which is why Celestia turned her down and that all ended badly. With her reformed, might be different.) Trixie, I'm really not sure, but I'd think she's okay with being who she is. Certainly in this story she's awesome enough as she is.
6436085 The underdog tale is hard to pass up, it is!
I must say that is a trope that often irks me. "Oh, no, this convenient plot device suddenly ensures I am unable to fight!"/"For some reason, I am uncharacteristically incapable of battle!", just for some new guy/gal to be able to prove their worth.
As for Sunset, I was afraid of breaking the flow near the end, with the buildup to Trixie VS Dragon, by inserting more about Sunset. I had hoped the dragon's dialogue and a few mentions in the hospital scene would keep her 'in the loop', as it were, though the results may be mixed. And of course Trixie is awesome, she is Great and Powerful, after all!
And that may just be it, I agree. Twilight proved she was a good leader, and I do think she continues to prove it. Still, though, you'd think a beard as mighty as Starswirl's would command respect!
And thank you, for commenting and critique as always. We do love our adoring public.
Well, maybe that was what happened. Maybe The Power Cosmic or whatever it is that turns worthy ponies into alicorns took one look at that beard and said, "Yeah, pack it up, lads, there's no way we can top that beard. What were we going to do? Stick a pair of wings on him? Like anypony will even notice with that beard. I bet he can even fly with that beard. No, we can't improve perfection."
(My alternate headcanon regarding Starswirl is that he was actually a mare forced to pretend to be a stallion in order to gain favor with the male-centric hegemony of the magical community; once she was established as a genius, though, she was untouchable and took to wearing a clearly fake beard in order to maintain the technicality while flaunting her true gender. After her death, though, her detractors altered the records to make future ponies believe she had been an actual stallion all along, while unaware that her reforms had laid the groundwork for an inevitable shift towards matrocracy. She was also Trixie's direct ancestor and both looked and acted like her, including having a massive crush on Twilight's direct ancestor, Clover the Clever.)
A short time later they appeared on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise where they surprised the heck out of Jean Luc Picard. "What the devil are a pack of ponies doing on my bridge!" the captain shouted.
"I believe the appropriate designation of a group of diminutive equines would be a 'herd', Captain," spoke Lt. Commander Data.
"No time for exposition!" Trixie declared. "We've got a pesky crystalline entity and you guys know just how to deal with those things!"
Back in Equestria, the the crystal snakie dragon thing was suddenly blasted by a harmonic resonance wave from the Enterprise's main deflector dish, and then it shattered into a zillion pieces.
The day was saved once again!
Picard, sharing tea with Celestia, raised an eyebrow at Discord, "Why does a creature like you seem so oddly familiar?"
"Not a clue, mon capitain!" DisQord laughed as he popped out with a flash.
And so ended another bizarre random crossover.
6485565 Your deviations into the non-canonical never cease to amuse me, friend.