23: The Power of the Night and The King of The Dead
Azrael was watching the battle with a more relaxed look. The situation was no longer as desperate, and the number of the fallen warriors had diminished greatly since the changelings’ change of sides. The undead army seemed in trouble.
Maybe, he thought, there was still a chance to save the rest of them. Then he noticed how Luna was no longer seen in the battlefield. At the beginning he had just thought that she was lost in the middle of the fight, but even when he focused his eyes he couldn’t see her anywhere.
“Where is Princess Luna?” asked the angel of death, worried.
“Right here,” Life said, moving the image of the sphere, showing a bold Luna facing Sombra.
At that view Azrael felt his fear coming back stronger than ever. He grabbed the sphere and started shouting at it, in a desperate attempt to be heard by the last ruler of Equestria.
“What are you doing?! Get out of there before you get yourself killed!” cried the angel of death.
“Hush, Azrael, and listen,” said Life calmly.
Azrael did not like what she said, and he couldn’t help but feel his heart beat in dread at the thought of what the dark tyrant would do to Luna.
*
“Well well, who we have here! The small and troubled Princess Luna herself,” said Sombra with mocking tone. The dark tyrant laughed at foolishness of the brat. How could she think to be a challenge for a being capable to take down with no effort Discord himself!
Luna ignored the sarcastic tone of self-made alicorn. There was such calmness in her… more than she had ever felt before.
“Did you came here to join your sister and servants in the eternal torments that I have in store for them?” asked Sombra with an evil grin. “And where is that bug queen?” he added, only then noticing the lack of that treacherous insect.
“She has joined the battle down there to help defeat your army,” said Luna with composure.
Sombra was not impressed. “Oh really? And you think that she and her army of bugs alone will make the difference against my army of zombie alicorns and crystal soldiers?”
“Not by themselves. But we are not alone,” replied the princess of the night, watching towards the sky. Sombra, actually confused, followed her stare.
*
Shining had no idea of how much time has passed since the beginning of this fight. He had also lost the count of how many undead alicorns he had managed to take down. Now the battle was in impasse, with the army of livings tired. Sombra’s zombie servants—the ones who couldn’t getting up— were easily reduced to dust.
The changelings’ intervention was fought back by the crystal monsters. The crystal monster at the same time was forced down by Chrysalis’s forces. The captain of the guards and the queen of the changelings exchanged a few glares at each others; neither especially enjoyed having to work together. Not that that stopped them to watch each other back.
Suddenly, in a short break from the battle, Shining felt his senses tell him to rise his eyes to the sky. And there, near the blue moon lighting up the heavens, he noticed someone standing on a cloud. A griffon. He recognized him instantly: Gyps Fulvus.
“Our friends are in danger,” commented the ruler of the griffin nation, his silver armor shined under the moonlight.
“Not for long,” said a female griffon appearing at his side. “Ready?!” she shouted, raising a sword.
At that signal from the cloud showed up a huge army of griffons.
“Charge!” she shouted, beginning the assault.
Like a heavenly vision the newcomers flew in the sky in flock so big that would have made even the changelings army look tiny by comparison. They looked like angels, descending, armed by swords, spears, and even their bare claws and peaks, tearing to shreds the undead army.
Shining Armor smiled at the scene. Like a dream come true he saw the annihilation of Sombra’s forces, then the rest of his forces joined in, completing their victory. Once that the last crystal creature went destroyed and the all the zombies were sent back in to where they belonged, only then did he sit down, letting his body rest. But despite enjoying the well deserved triumph he knew that this story was not over yet. With worried look he stared at the tower of the dark tyrant.
*
“You lost, Sombra, let the Seal go and give up,” ordered Princess Luna.
Sombra, who had witnessed the end of his supposedly unstoppable army without showing much other than irritation, let out a creepy cackle.
“No. My army lost, that’s quite different. And I sure don’t need those sack of bones and dust to get what I want. I just wanted to satisfy that arrogant fool that is Azrael. But now the time of play games is OVER!” said Sombra, his cackle turning into a growl.
“So be it,” said Luna, without looking a bit terrified.
Sombra laughed again. A mix of irritation, hilarity and incredulity. “Are you serious? What are you going to do? Throwing at me that piece of rock that is so insignificant compared to the sun?”
“You’re right. The moon is smaller than the sun… but it’s still capable to eclipse it,” said Luna with solemnity. As on cue, a aura dark as the night and white as the stars surrounded her, Sombra looked at her, taken aback from this event.
“And the night is not made of only of the moon, but by all the stars that surrounded the galaxies! And I have that POWER!” concluded the ruler of the night with echoing voice. The aura caused a explosion which shook the foundation of Sombra’s lair. When the flash was gone he watched the being who stood before him with shock. Princess Luna had grown, becoming as tall as her elder sister. Her mare was longer and it looked both darker and lighter, her fur a mix of blue and black, her eyes shimmered like she had stars inside of them. In a way she looked like Nightmare Moon, only that instead of being a demonic entity of darkness this one was a perfect amalgamation of light and shadow.
“What the!?” muttered the dark tyrant before this power up. “How can this be!? Where did you get all that power!?”
“I always had it inside of me,” answered the princess of the night, her voice sounding more adult-like. “But since my transformation in Nightmare Moon I have always been afraid that this power that I felt inside of me was the one of my evil side. But thanks to a dear friend of mine I know that my power does not reside in the dark, nor to the moon, but instead to anything linked to the night,” declared Luna.
“Nice speech. I will have it written on your grave,” said Sombra with a low growl, before charging at her as she did the same. But at the last second, right before clashing with the taller alicorn, she teleported away, leaving her opponent confused. Before he could turn around he was hit by a magic ray of incredible more powerful than Sombra had predicted, making him crash against the walls. This new Luna seemed even more powerful than Celestia herself!
But then the dark tyrant cursed himself to allow that particular to scare him. He had nothing to fear because he had the power to end all life! He could have taken her life with a thought! But he couldn’t do it because of its pride.
Roaring, he charged her once again.
*
Azrael stared at the image before him with pure amazement. He had heard her speech, witnessed her evolution, suppressing her fears through her courage feeling his blood chill with emotion.
“It’s…incredible,” muttered the angel of death, staring at the new and powerful princess of the night—an angel arriving from the stars.
“Indeed,” agreed Life. “It would seem like that despite your long exile you still know to talk to ponies souls,” it added with a warm smile.
Azrael stared at the abstract and made to reply, but fell silent, pondering while watching the battle.
“Do you really believe that?” he asked in the end, his voice a whisper.
“Yes. I know that you see yourself like a failure, but you have done some good… as I’m sure the Mane 6 said to you.”
Azrael remained silent, but in this light the sorrow that seemed always to linger in his eyes was gone. Strong determination took its place while he watched the fight between Sombra and Luna. Life knew what he was thinking.
“If you want to go helping her, feel free to do so.”
“What about the spell?”
“I will keep it up and no, is not going to be a problem. Now go!”
Azrael nodded, but first to go back in the world of the living he turned to Life.
“I want to thank you, Life… of everything.”
The abstract nodded her head while giving him a warm smile. And then he was gone.
*
Discord couldn’t believe how unlucky he was. First he got beaten up by that shallow excuse for a villain, then he got imprisoned inside a cage for days and when he had finally managed to get out and join the fight he got himself dragged in another dimension.
“Seems like this writer has no idea of how to use me,” commented the draconequus, while taking a look around.
This world was all the opposite of the land of Equestria and beyond. It was completely lacking of any kind of life. One big barren wasteland made of sand and rocks as far as his eyes could see. Sure, in his long life and with his powers he had already seen other worlds which had similar looks, but this one was… off. He tasted the grayish sand and figure it that it wasn’t sand but a strange mix of dust and ashes.
And then there was the colors. For the most part where the most grimiest kind of shades of green, grey and white, giving the already dark place a creepy vibe. The light didn’t seemed to arrive from the sky, but it was part of that world. He thought so because it seemed impossible to see anything above him, cause the sky was so foggy that it made impossible to see if there was a sun or anything up there. And the wind which blow sounded like wails of ghosts. This place looked like the definition of death.
And he didn’t like it.
But before he could teleport himself back where his presence was needed he felt a teleportation spell being casted on him and he disappeared in a flash of light. When the blinding effect was done he noticed to not be anymore outside but inside some construction. But it wasn’t an improvement. The place looked build on stone and… something that looked like organic material, which reminded him of the Soul Eater. It was pretty much without any kind of furniture, with only two brazier which pale green giving an unsettling light. And a throne, which looked like it was made of bone and had many insignia showing skulls… and somepony was sitting on it.
He looked like an alicorn… or, to say it better, a corpse of an alicorn. Skeleton-like, the little skin it had looked dry and fragile like the oldest stroll and in some points it seemed like it had been sewn together. His mane and tail looked like webs. He was taller than Celestia, but not as tall as empowered Sombra. The cherry on the cake were his eyes: empty orbits made exception for some faint light. It looked far stronger and much more scary than the undead alicorns that Sombra used as an army.
“Let me guess… you’re the boss around here,” commented the draconequus, “Mind presenting yourself?”
“I’m the Lich King, Lord of the dead and ruler of this world,” said the undead alicorn, his voice as welcoming as his looks. “And the living are not welcome in my lands,” he added, his icy and raspy tone getting even more colder than before, while his eyes glared at the spirit of chaos.
There was something in that stare. There was no anger in it, nor annoyance. There was only cold, chilling hate. Something that Discord never thought possible. How can you hate something or someone without feeling angry at it? But now it wasn’t time to ask himself this questions.
“Well, if I’m not welcomed here, then I’m going to leave,” said the spirit of chaos, snapping its fingers. But nothing happened. “What?” said Discord in a flat tone. “Just give me a sec.”
He snapped it again.
Nothing.
“Seriously?”
He snapped them again and again, adding more force to it, but the result was always the same. What was going on here? His power had never let him down before! The answer came from the Lich King.
“You may be one of the most powerful beings in that world where you come from but here, in my kingdom, your powers means nothing.”
“Well, in that case, why don’t you beam me up, Leachy? Didn’t you just said that you don’t like us living? Then let me leave!”
The Lich King ignored the nickname that the draconequus had just chosen for him, his horn lighten up and Discord found himself surrounded by sickly green flames.
“You’re not going to interfere in my plan,” said the lord of the dead.
“Your plan?” said Discord, then he got it. “You… you are the responsible for Sombra’s return!”
“Indeed I am. But that’s the only thing you will get,” he said as the flames gotten closer to the spirit of chaos.
“Oh come on! You cannot just kill me! You’re the big bad, the mind behind this operation. I’m sure you want to brag of how your plan is flawless, of how we have no chance to win and etcetera. The last wish of a condemned to death,” pleaded Discord, trying to find something that could grant him some time. But the Lich King remained dead silent, watching him with those creepy eyes. But he didn’t gave up. He may be powerless, but he wasn’t brainless.
“Ah, I get it,” he said then with a wily smile. “Probably this isn’t completely a plan made by you, but by Sombra, because I doubt that you could come up with an idea like his with that head of yours (Which is certainly filled with cobwebs). You were just there to give him a free pass to the world of the living.” His mocking tone and a challenging stare at first didn’t seemed to have worked. But then…
“You are good at entering in the people’s mind” conceded the Lich King, while lowering the flames. “But don’t think for one second that I will spare your chaotic life.”
“No doubt about it.”
“To answer to your questions. From a long time I have been waiting for someone strong, smart and cruel to be killed; Sombra was the perfect choice. Right before he passed away I used my power to transport his spirit here. Then I gave him all the information that he need it to find the Seal of Death and bring it back to me.”
“Yeah he did that… except the last part,” snickered Discord, “You and Chrysalis would make a nice pair you know? You two would complete the neurons that are missing. Did you seriously thought that somepony like him would keep his word?”
The humor of the draconequus vanished when the Lich King gave him what seemed like a emotionless grin.
“Oh, but I was completely expecting that…”
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Hmm...
DEATH NEXT CHAPTER, HELL YEAH
6544863 Noticed the new callback to LOTR?
6545734 You mean the charge of the Rohirrim at Helm's Deep/Pelennor Fields?
Then most assuredly yes.
6546194 I knew you would notice it
6546226 Thanks. Your referencing is quite excellent.
6546238 Thanks, im always afraid to cross the line between callbacks and copy-cat.
Ok people I want to assure you that the next chapter of Seal of Death is on his way (Or, to be more precisly, at the half of it). I hope to post it for the next weekend. In the meantime I will post the proof-readed version made by Jarvy.