Mortal Coil

by Reeve

XLVII - Champion Of The Coliseum

The mood in the apartment when we returned was very tense, Fluttershy and I watched anxiously as Rainbow Dash paced back and forth, reading the letter for possibly the dozenth time since we returned. We had escaped from Iron Sights’ house easily enough, right after I foolishly uttered the word ‘Terrorstone’ and Rainbow Dash clamped her hoof over my mouth, there was a knock on the front door. While Iron Sights threw on a tunic and went to see who it was, Rainbow Dash and I sneaked out the window. We got to a safe distance and were able to see that it was Fleetfoot who had come to visit. She was most likely there to tell him we remained at large, because he was already shouting at her while we escaped into the night.

Once back at the apartment, Rainbow demanded to know what I meant when I said she should read the letter. I gave it over to her and she read it… she then reread it, over and over again, slowly getting angrier each time.

“I… don’t… believe this,” she began at last, seething with rage as she crumpled the letter in her hooves. “That liar! That cheater!”

“I don’t understand,” Fluttershy whispered to me, looking fearfully up at Rainbow Dash who seemed lost in her fury. “What did the letter say? Does it explain what Arcana was up to?”

“No,” I admitted sadly. “But it confirms that whatever it was, Iron Sights helped.”

“Oh, he helped alright,” Rainbow cut in, resuming her stomping around. “And in return, Arcana sent him a little present!”

“Present?” Fluttershy repeated, sinking into her seat.

“The Terrorstone,” I told her. “That’s what Arcana called it at least. It’s an orb, placed within Iron Sight’s chest; it’s the secret to his immense strength.”

“It’s how he tricked us!” Rainbow snapped, kicking her coffee table into the wall. “He used the Dragoon rule and that bloody stone to guarantee he would always rule over us.”

“Rainbow, I know you’re angry,” I began in a panicked voice. “But you need to calm down, if somepony hears the racket and calls the guards…”

“You’re damn right I’m angry!” Rainbow interrupted. “I thought the Dragoons were bad before, when I thought it was just an ineffective system, but now I know it’s corrupt as well. It’s only purpose was to brainwash us into believing that the strong should lead, so nopony could ever challenge his authority.”

“But I don’t understand,” Fluttershy said quickly. “What does the Terrorstone do?”

“It feeds off fear,” I explained. “Arcana’s letter detailed instruction for how to use it. It draws from a pony’s natural magic to turn the fear of your enemies into physical strength, it’s why Iron Sights is able to look so normal and still be able to pack such a strong punch.”

“So that’s how he did it,” Fluttershy murmured thoughtfully. “That mare he fought in the arena looked terrified as she walked out.”

“The stone can turn even the smallest amount of fear into great strength,” I continued. “The kind of fear a pony would feel going up against a pony as legendarily powerful as Iron Sights… the power it would give the user would be phenomenal.”

“He’s evil…” Rainbow muttered as she crouched down. “During his fights, everything he does is so… deliberate. His calm movements, never looking aggressive, getting the crowd to laugh and jeer at his opponent… it’s all intended to make him look superior and inspire as much fear in them as he can, it’s obvious now.”

Fluttershy stood up and tentatively walked over to Rainbow Dash where she draped wing over her back.

“Is there really nothing in the letter that tells us what he did for Arcana or why?” Fluttershy asked, looking back up at me.

“Nothing I’m afraid,” I replied, shaking my head. “Like I said, the letter confirms that Iron Sights was helping Arcana do whatever it was he was doing, but it never expressly says what that was. It says the Terrorstone was intended as payment for his services, as well as his silence, and how Arcana appreciated his lack of questions, which makes me think that he never confided in Iron Sights why he was moving troops or doing whatever. Most likely Arcana saw him as a tool, he was after all a pegasus, and I doubt Iron Sights cared what Arcana was up to if it meant getting the power he needed to carry out his own plans.”

“So Iron Sights can possibly tell us what all Arcana was doing behind the Rebellion’s back,” Fluttershy summarised. “But he can’t tell us why, or what the robed ponies have to do with it.”

“I doubt it,” I stated firmly. “But we aren’t going to be able to get any information out of Iron Sights. We need to get back to Maverick and tell him what we discovered, he can figure out a way to stop Iron Sights and learn his secrets.”

“No,” Rainbow Dash said in an unwavering voice as she stood up. “No, Iron Sights has to be stopped today… this must end today!”

“Rainbow Dash, we can’t…” I began to no avail.

“I’m not asking you to stay and help,” she said quickly. “I’ll take you both to the gate and help you get out of here, but I’m staying. I know I said I would go with you, and I’m sorry I have to retract my offer, but I can’t leave here until he’s made to pay for what he’s done.”

“Rainbow Dash, we understand that,” Fluttershy said sympathetically. “But what can you do? He’ll never let you live long enough to reveal the truth to anypony.”

“Not if I challenge him,” Rainbow argued, making us both gawk in disbelief. “If I can publically challenge him, he must accept. If he doesn’t and tries to have me killed, he’ll lose all credibility.”

“But you can’t beat him!” I exclaimed. “Nopony can, not so long as he has the Terrorstone.”

“I can try,” Rainbow replied stubbornly. “And I’ll reveal the truth to the entire Coliseum, even if I die in the process. Like I said, I’m not asking you to help me; you’ve done enough by helping me uncover this information.”

“Rainbow, we aren’t going to leave you here,” I told her. “If you’re so determined to bring Iron Sights down, we aren’t about to let you do it alone.”

“That’s right,” Fluttershy agreed. “We’ll figure out a way of putting a stop to him together.”

“You would really stay and help me?” Rainbow asked, trying to hide the hope building in her voice.

“Of course,” I confirmed as an idea sparked to life in my head. “And what’s more, I think I have an idea how we can accomplish it.”

We talked nonstop for a good hour, reading over the letter together and ironing out the plan I had begun to develop. Once it was finalised and we were all fully prepared to be slaughtered come morning, Rainbow Dash retired to her bedroom to get a few hours of sleep, for the energy she would desperately need. The sun had risen high in the sky by the time we left the house, Rainbow Dash was once again wearing her full Dragoon armour, her helmet with the rainbow plume sitting proudly atop her head.

We marched confidently through the streets, even Fluttershy managed to quell her fear and appear confident as we made our way up through the city, our minds focused on the Pantheon where our target waited for us. Needless to say we attracted a number of Dragoon soldiers, but unlike the guards in Port Mule who simply followed me curiously when I walked brazenly through the streets to the Fort, these ones dived upon us immediately, fully intend on either arresting or killing us. They never made it far however, as Rainbow Dash simply had to say one line for them to back off.

As we marched up to the front of the Pantheon, we had a whole battalion of Dragoon soldiers following us, all eager to see what came of our venture. As we neared the pillars, I recognised the same two guards posted in the centre, and they seemed to recognise us with the way they lowered their halberds to point at us. Before Rainbow Dash could speak however, a pair of figures stormed out of the Pantheon, pushing right past the guards and making their way straight towards us. Fleetfoot did most of the storming, while Iron Sights approached us as he always did, slow and deliberate, his every movement radiating power and authority.

“Come to die?” Fleetfoot asked as she whipped out her baton and her blades snapped out.

“Not quite,” Rainbow replied coolly.

“And what are you idiots doing?!” Fleetfoot snapped at all the soldiers following us. “You had explicit orders to kill these cretins on sight.”

“They can’t kill me,” Rainbow stated, her voice loud enough to carry across the entire are and be heard by every pony in sight.

“And why not?” Iron Sights asked in a dull tone as he stepped past his second to face us.

“Because Iron Sights…” Rainbow began in a dangerous tone, intentionally leaving out his title.

Rainbow too pulled out her baton and extended her spear to point at him from across the gulf between us.

“I’ve come to challenge you.”

It took a couple hours, but before long, the entire Coliseum was packed with ponies from all across Olympus. As I glanced out over the stadium, I wondered if the entire city was present, the news that the Marshal would be facing off against a traitor seemed to have sparked the interests of everypony. I stood at the entrance of the Coliseum, fiddling with my cloud walker amulet while I waited for my friends to arrive on the scene. While I waited, I noticed a familiar mare among the crowd funnelling into the stadium, I waved to get her attention and she squeezed her way over to me.

“How are you feeling?” I asked the hotel receptionist, casting a concerned look over her bruises.

“I’ll be okay,” she muttered in an unconvincing voice. “What about you? What did those soldiers want with you?”

“Just a misunderstanding,” I lied easily. “My friend is actually fighting the Marshal today.”

“You mean the one who came in to rescue you?” the mare recalled, raising an eyebrow in surprise. “My condolences.”

“Actually…” I began with an enigmatic smirk. “I think she has a better chance than you might think, or more accurately, than the banker you owe money to might think.”

“What do you mean?” the mare asked curiously.

“You said you wanted to clear up your debt and get out the city, didn’t you?” I asked. “Well I think I might have a way in which you can do that without paying a single bit.”

“You do?!” the mare responded eagerly.

“It’s simple, find whoever you owe money to and bet on the upcoming match,” I instructed her. “Double or nothing on Rainbow Dash winning.”

“But that’s insane!” the mare argued. “Nopony beats the Marshal.”

“Well today his winning streak is about to come to an end,” I told her confidently. “Look, I know it’s a big risk, but really, what have you got left to lose?”

“I guess…” the mare muttered in an uncertain voice. “I just hope you’re right about this.”

“I am, now you’d better hurry before the match starts,” I said hurriedly, only stopping her as she turned to leave. “Hang on; I never did get your name.”

“It’s Golden Belle,” she replied, looking back over her shoulder before slipping back into the crowd.

“Are we good to go?” Rainbow asked from behind me.

“Should be,” I replied before looking to Fluttershy who was at her side. “You know what to do right?”

“Keep him distracted,” Fluttershy stated with a nod.

“Twenty minutes should be enough time,” I told her before giving a little nod to the pair of them and turning to leave.

Rather than mingle with the crowd and enter the stands, I turned right through a narrow doorway that led into a long, darkened tunnel that curved around the entire circumference of the Coliseum. As I walked, I passed by a number of heavy dungeon like doors, each of which would lead me into an individual armoury and one of the numerous portcullis gates beyond. I counted my way along, remembering which gate Iron Sights had first walked out of and returned into when I saw him in the arena that first night. Of course, it was a bit of a gamble that he would be entering from the same one again, but it was my best bet and we didn’t have time to search them all.

I counted my way to the sixth door, if the Coliseum was a clock and the entrance was number six, that made this room number three. I took one breath before pushing it open, marching right on in, only to freeze when I came face to face with a pony I was hoping to avoid.

“Oh…” I uttered. “Hello Fleetfoot.”

Fleetfoot was staring at me, her helmet switched out for her purple sunglasses. When I walked in, she was looking over a set of armour that was mounted on a dummy in the centre of the room, but now she was turning away from it to face me instead.

“Rarity,” she muttered in a slightly amused voice. “You do realise Rainbow Dash’s room is on the other side of the Coliseum, right? Or maybe… you’re exactly where you intended to be.”

“Maybe I am,” I replied casually. “What about you? Preparing the Marshal’s armour are you?”

“I am indeed,” Fleetfoot replied. “I do so before every match, to make sure nopony… tampers with it.”

“Yes, that would be a real shame if somepony were to come here with the intention of doing that,” I agreed, nodding sagely. “On a slightly related note, would you mind stepping away for a few minutes while I tamper with that armour?”

“I would mind,” Fleetfoot stated as her grin grew. “You know, I just knew that you would try something sneaky. Even Rainbow Dash isn’t stupid enough to fight the Marshal without first getting her lackeys to help her cheat.”

“Funny, I was going to say the same thing about Iron Sights,” I responded in a cool tone.

“Excuse me?” Fleetfoot questioned, her grin vanishing as her eyebrows crinkled into a frown. “Are you accusing the Marshal of cheating?”

“Yes, I am,” I stated simply. “But what I don’t know, is whether you’re helping him do so, or if he’s been tricking you as well.”

“You know, I’m not allowed to hurt you until after Rainbow Dash is dead,” Fleetfoot spat at me. “But you’re really trying my patience with your baseless accusations.”

“There’s nothing baseless about a letter that explicitly reveals the true nature of Iron Sight’s strength,” I revealed in a triumphant voice.

Fleetfoot stared at me in silence, no longer smiling, but no longer frowning either. Finally she placed one hoof into her face and let out a loud groan.

“That moron,” she gave off in a frustrated tone, more talking to herself than to me. “I just knew this would happen someday. I told him to burn the letter, but like an idiot he refused to, said he might need it in case he forgot. Who forgets how to use an artefact like the Terrorstone?! It’s not a bloody combustion engine!”

“So you did know,” I muttered, slightly surprised after all.

“Of course I knew!” Fleetfoot spat. “You think that dim-witted fool could have pulled off any scheme that required a modicum of intelligence? He was nothing more than a figure head for the Dragoons; it was I who conceived them. I was the one who realised how the Terrorstone could be used to rule over others, I was the one who figured out how to turn his failures and demotion into the foundation for something much greater.”

“Should have realised somepony like him wasn’t capable of puling all this off,” I stated as I started edging around the room, trying to get a better angle at Fleetfoot. “He didn’t seem to be the brightest bulb.”

“You’re damn right he isn’t,” Fleetfoot agreed with a sour laugh. “But idiots are easily manipulated, which suited me just fine… or at least it would have, if he hadn’t been so stupid that he insisted on keeping solid evidence of his deceit underneath his bloody sock drawer!”

Fleetfoot snapped around to face me; clearly my creeping hadn’t gone unnoticed. I froze as she apparently glared at me from behind her sunglasses, readying herself for an attack.

“So you figured it out,” she continued. “Iron Sights is an idiot and a cheater, big whoop! What now, you sabotage his armour and that in some way gives Rainbow Dash an edge over him? Get real; she was dead the moment she issued that challenge.”

“Not necessarily,” I argued, conscious that Fluttershy’s distraction probably wouldn’t buy me much more time. “I have faith that our plan will succeed.”

“Well I’m afraid your plan stops now,” Fleetfoot hissed as she lowered herself, getting ready to leap at me. “I’ve worked too hard to build the Dragoons up, I’m not about to let you ruin things before I can put my final plans into action.”

With that she spread her wings and dived at me, spiralling through the air. I ducked down and rolled out from under her, but as I did, I felt a searing pain run across my back. Once I stopped rolling, I saw that Fleetfoot had brought out her double ended sword as she flew at me, and what I had felt was it raking across my back. Fleetfoot didn’t let up for a second, leaping forward a second time, swishing her blades all around her. To get caught in it would mean instant death, so I just stumbled back further and further until I hit up against the wall.

Fleetfoot was still coming, I began drawing my own sword, but I knew I would never get it out and ready in time to save me. As she neared, I did the one thing I could think of and lashed out with my magic, catching her in the face and sending her sunglasses flying off. To my utter amazement, Fleetfoot stopped her pursuit, stumbling and crying out as her eyes were exposed. It was only then I saw that her eyes were extremely bloodshot looking, the blood vessels in them dark and unhealthy looking. With no better tactics in mind, I clustered all my magic into my horn and released it as pure light, filling the small, enclosed armoury.

Fleetfoot screeched in agony as she dropped her sword and collapsed to her knees, clenching her eyes shut in agony. Seeing my opening, I rushed forward to take it, kicking her squarely in the jaw and cutting out her screaming and snivelling instantly. I stood for a moment, catching my breath and cringing as the pain from my back suddenly flooded through my body. I wanted desperately to lie down, but I knew I still had a job to do, and my encounter with Fleetfoot had taken up enough time as it was. As quick as I could, I levitated Fleetfoot’s body and weapon out of the armoury, hiding them in the next one along.

I then hurried back into the first room and set about modifying Iron Sight’s armour. I had intended taking the full twenty minutes to do this and make sure it was done right, but I estimated I had only five at the very most, and that was including the time it would take for Iron Sights to reach the armoury. However, I was sure I could pull it off; working with clothing was my special talent after all. Opening my satchels, I pulled out a sewing needle and thread that Dew Drop had been able to fetch for me before I went to the Coliseum, as well as the magic bindings that Twilight had used on me after I attacked Typhoon.

The Terrorstone drew its power from the natural magic of its host, so by stitching the straps to the inside of the armour where Iron Sights was unlikely to see them, they should drain his pegasus magic and make the Terrorstone completely useless. I was certainly able to pull off the task within the short time limit I had left, but I was cutting it fine as I slipped out of the armoury and heard the sound of heavy hoof steps approaching. I hid myself inside the same room I had stashed Fleetfoot’s still unconscious body until I heard the door to Iron Sight’s armour open and close, and the sound of his hoof steps quieten.

Leaving the armoury and Fleetfoot, I galloped down the curving corridor to find where Rainbow Dash was getting ready; I wanted to wish her luck before the match started. Luckily her door was lying open, which made it easy to identify, I cantered straight in to find Rainbow and Fluttershy waiting. They both looked up to see me, first in surprise, then in shock and panic when they saw my injury. Fluttershy rushed over to me, but I remained composed as best I could.

“I’ll be fine for a bit,” I assured her before looking to Rainbow Dash. “It’s done.”

“Forget that,” Rainbow cut in. “What happened to you?”

“Fleetfoot,” I replied in a disgruntled tone. “Turns out she knew about the Terrorstone all along, she was even manipulating Iron Sights as part of some plan.”

“What plan?” Fluttershy asked.

“Don’t know, but I took care of her,” I stated. “We can deal with her later; right now we have to focus on this stage of the plan. How are you feeling Rainbow Dash?”

“I’m good,” Rainbow replied casually. “I knew you’d come through, so what was there to worry about? I’m a little annoyed about the aftermath of all this…”

“Rainbow, I know you don’t want to lead the Dragoons,” I began as I walked over and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “But you know we can’t just dissolve them immediately, it has to be gradual or else ponies will get angry.”

“I know, I just wish there was somepony else who could do it,” Rainbow mumbled.

“There’s nopony else we can trust to do the right thing,” I reminded her. “Don’t worry, after this we’ll be going straight to Pivot to tell Maverick the good news. Then we can begin merging our forces together, and in the meantime, all you have to do it assign a few soldiers to the nearby towns.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Rainbow agreed. “And don’t worry your pretty little heads, I’m not about to leave those towns hanging like Iron Sights would have. If I have to do one thing as a leader, I’m glad it will be that.”

I opened my mouth to reply, mostly just to thank her for what she was doing, but I was drowned out by the sound of clanging. We all looked to the end of the armoury, down the dark tunnel to the portcullis gate which was slowly rising up.

“You better get to the stands,” Rainbow instructed in a smooth voice as she stood up, putting on her helmet and picking up her baton as she did. “I want you two to have to best view in the house when I win!”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at that, but Fluttershy and I obeyed, leaving the armoury and taking a shortcut up to the stands where Dew Drop was saving us a pair of seats on the front row.

“Looks like it’s about to kick off,” Dew Drop commented as we sat down, I could hear the nervousness in her voice.

“She’ll be fine,” I assured her. “Iron Sights is powerless.”

“If you say so,” Dew Drop replied, although she didn’t sound convinced.

Rainbow Dash had only been able to fill her in briefly on what was going on, the soldiers had been keeping a close eye on us even after the challenge was issued, that made revealing the whole truth of the matter to her difficult. Once we were settled, we fixed our gazes to the open gateway on the far side of the Coliseum where Iron Sights was just beginning to march out from. It was just like the match we had seen on our first night in Olympus, when we got our first glimpses of the Dragoon leader. He marched out into the arena slowly and confidently, his Warhammer harnessed on his back.

I smiled as I realised he was indeed wearing the armour Fleetfoot had been preparing for him when I encountered her. Just as Dew Drop had told us, both challengers had to wear the same class of equipment, and since Iron Sights generally wore the highest class of armour, we knew he would have to accept a downgrade if he was to meet Rainbow Dash in her regular soldier set. The crowd cheered for Iron Sights as he strode out to the very centre of the arena, but the cheers quickly died down when he stopped in the middle and Rainbow Dash still hadn’t appeared.

I could hear whispering all around us, ponies wondering if the challenger had scarpered rather than face the Marshal after all. I wasn’t worried however; I knew Rainbow Dash was just looking to make an entrance. Indeed, as soon as Iron Sights slammed his hammer into the ground, Rainbow shot out of her gateway, wings spread wide as she flew around the entire arena, a far sight from the mare who had walked out trembling. The crowd erupted into cheers once more when it was obvious that there would indeed be a fight.

Rainbow Dash did several laps of the arena, not hesitating to perform some aerial acrobatics and even flashing winning smiles and winks into the audience. The crowd were absolutely lapping it up, I imagined it had been sometime since they saw somepony go up against Iron Sights and display this level of confidence. Rainbow finally slowed and made her descent, landing perfectly before the Marshal, only a dozen metres separating them. The crowd quietened slightly as they waited to see how it would all begin, and it did with Rainbow Dash reaching up and removing her rainbow plumed helmet, shaking her mane out before casting it to the ground.

“You yield?” Iron Sights questions in his booming voice, although I could detect the hint of confusion behind it.

“No I do not,” Rainbow replied, her own voice equally loud and clear for everypony to hear. “I just figured we should fight without helmets… that way everypony in Olympus can see your face when I defeat you!”

The stands exploded with screams of jubilation, I couldn’t help but grin widely at Fluttershy who, despite the worry in her face, also looked pleased at how well Rainbow Dash was handling herself. Iron Sights hesitated for only a moment before giving a curt nod and reaching up to remove his helmet. I hadn’t bothered to put any of the binds inside the helmet, as it was always a possibility that it would get knocked off during the battle anyway. Once his helmet was off, revealing his motley face to the audience, he addressed Rainbow Dash once more.

“Yield?” he uttered.

His offer didn’t get nearly as many laughs as it had in his last match, I wondered if maybe the crowd were actually supporting Rainbow Dash slightly.

“Funny…” Rainbow replied as she whipped out her baton and extended her spear to point at her opponent. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

Now that got considerably more laughs, I was particularly pleased when I saw Iron Sights’ eyes narrow ever so slightly. His hoof twitched around his hammer, but it remained planted firmly in the ground, he still believed he had the upper hand. Rainbow Dash began circling him, spinning her spear as she did, for no reason other than to show off I imagined. She walked all the way around until she was directly behind him, the crowd watched with baited breath to see what she would do.

“Nah!” she declared, continuing her walk until she was once again facing him head on.

I could see Iron Sights really assessing her now, he knew something was up, but he hadn’t lost his cool just yet, that wouldn’t come until after he discovered his secret weapon was no longer working. Rainbow Dash took a few strides back, widening the gap between them, she kicked her hooves off the ground, stretched her neck and shoulders. Once she was ready, she drove her spear into the ground, abandoning it as she bolted forwards.

She didn’t fly, simply ran at amazing speeds as she closed the gap, her head low, her teeth bared in a wide grin. Iron Sights simply pulled back with his hoof, ready to strike her as he had done to the mare, but as he swung forward, ready to catch her in the side of the head, Rainbow swept out and knocked his hoof away before retaliating instantly with an uppercut of her own. Iron Sights was sent flying… literally, Rainbow Dash knocked him so hard he was chucked into the air where he was forced to use his wings to catch himself.

The crowd was deathly silent as the unstoppable Iron Sights flapped desperately to right himself in the air. I looked around and saw hundreds of gaping faces, unable to comprehend what just happened before their eyes. Iron Sights was panting hard as he rubbed his chin, staring down at Rainbow Dash with barely disguised fury. Rainbow Dash just grinned back up before slowly walking back to where her spear was, pulling it out and spinning it as she waited for her opponent to come back down.

Iron Sights descended slowly, I could see his eyes moving rapidly, his mind was most likely hard at work, trying to deduce what went wrong. Once he was on his hooves again, he reached down and picked up his fallen hammer, I knew after that initial hit he wouldn’t be going easy. Iron Sights took the initiative this time, flying high in the air before swooping down, his hammer sweeping through where Rainbow Dash had been mere milliseconds ago, before she became a multi-coloured blur and sped around behind him, slashing out with her spear.

He jumped forward at the last moment, but the spear head still nicked him by cutting through the small gap between his body armour and his gauntlet. The crowd saw the speck of blood on the tip of Rainbow Dash’s spear and they were deafening in their cheers. Dew Drop was joining in next to me, and Fluttershy too was trying to shout something, but her light voice couldn’t hope to be heard over the tumultuous audience. Iron Sights quickly became savage after that, his attacks became relentless, no more waiting between each strike.

Rainbow Dash didn’t panic however, she dodged every attack he threw her way, deflected the few that she couldn’t. Her spear was not capable of blocking his hammer, but she could knock it away before responding with her own swift attacks. Iron Sights was less lucky with his dodging, his wings helped him for the most part, but he was clearly the slower of the two, and Rainbow Dash was exploiting that to the best of her abilities. At one point she slashed her spear through the air, searing right across the top of Iron Sights’ head and giving him a very asymmetrical mane cut.

The crowd burst into hysterics at that, and Iron Sighs was no longer able to hide his fury any longer. He was seething with rage, every step he took and every attack he made carried all his anger behind it. it was getting harder for Rainbow Dash to keep avoiding the attacks, and she had given up trying to knock them off course altogether, after trying to do so disarmed her and she was forced to act quickly before Iron Sights crushed her spear beneath his hammer. Rainbow Dash had clearly become the favourite to win however, her own successes earning cheers and applause, while booing could be heard any time Iron Sights made any good moves.

“Why isn’t this working?!” Iron Sights screamed after he successfully punched Rainbow in the stomach, but all it accomplished was knocking her off balance.

“Y… yield?” Rainbow asked, sounding slightly breathless after the blow she had just taken.

The crowd began laughing once more, but they were silenced by Iron Sights who screamed with incredible fury. The crowd began to die down, and my own smile faded as I saw the ominous red glow surrounding Iron Sights. Then my eyes widened in horror as Iron Sights reached up to his chest and began tearing his armour off. I don’t know if he figured out what we had done, or if he was simply doing it out of frustration, but soon he was ripping all his armour from his body, and with every piece that came off, the glow grew more intense.

Finally he shredded his crimson tunic as he tore that off too, then he was simply flapping in the air, naked and defenceless but for the Warhammer still clutched in her foreleg, the Terrorstone shining brightly in his chest.

“You… dare mock me!” Iron Sights bellowed, any semblance of calm having long gone. “I will destroy you Rainbow Dash! I will flay you alive and slaughter your pathetic friends! I will devour your fear!”

Iron Sights slammed down upon Rainbow Dash, his hammer held high above his head as he brought it crashing down onto her… but it was useless. Rainbow Dash raised her spear horizontally to block the blow, and despite how much her weapon warped and bent under the pressure of the hammer, it remained firm. But more importantly, Rainbow Dash remained standing. Iron Sights stared wide eyed down at Rainbow Dash, who looked back up at him, still as calm and confident as ever.

“I don’t… fear you,” Rainbow stated in a voice that echoed across the Coliseum.

She pushed back against Iron Sights; in his shock he was easily unbalanced, and toppled to the ground. His hammer fell from his grip, but he didn’t try to retrieve it, he simply stared up at Rainbow as she stood over him, his body paralysed by fear.

“I don’t fear anything!” Rainbow Declared as she raised her spear, bringing it down upon Iron Sights.

The crowd was silent as Rainbow pulled her spear out of Iron Sights' eye socket, it dripped with blood, but she wasn’t done yet. Rainbow turned her attention to Iron Sights’ chest, angling her deformed spear down; she jammed the spear head into the pit and wedged the orb out. Dropping her spear, she reached down and scooped up the orb, staring into it as she stood up. For a brief second I felt a pang of fear in my own chest, an image of Rainbow Dash taking that power for herself swimming to the surface of my mind.

Rainbow turned to look directly up at where Fluttershy and I sat in the stands, our eyes met and for a few seconds all was still… before Rainbow Dash dropped the orb onto the ground and brought her hoof crashing down upon it. The orb shattered and the crowd erupted into life once more, everypony was on their hooves, screaming and cheering, stomping their hooves in applause, Rainbow Dash’s name chanted loud enough to be heard across the entire city. Rainbow Dash shot one last grin towards Fluttershy and myself before shooting up into the air, flying circles around the stadium in victory.

I couldn’t help but stand up and join in the applause, even Fluttershy was jumping up and down beside me, her screams of delight drowning out those of everypony else. I stopped cheering briefly as I noticed a flash of purple, looking down, I saw a figure standing in the tunnel that led to Iron Sights’ armoury. Even from the huge distance, I could tell Fleetfoot was furious as she skulked in the shadows, slipping away before I could think to point her out to Fluttershy. Rainbow swooped into the centre of the stadium, touching down in the exact spot where Iron Sights had walked out to. An armoured Dragoon soldier flew out to meet her, presenting her with a crimson cape embroidered in gold.

Rainbow Dash took the cape, but rather than put it on, she simply bunched it up in her hoof and held it into the air. A trophy to her great success, for all of Olympus to see.

Author's Note:

End of Part 6

Comments

[Elsaack]

Rares, I think you maybe should have killed Fleetfoot when you had the chance.
Also, what was up with her eyes? I feel like that was probably important.
Marshal Rainbow Dash, sounds good actually, even if it likely won't be held for long. Awesome fight there.