Twilight's Inferno: A Brony Comedy

by The Young and Free Dragon

Canto III: The Gatkeeper

TWILIGHT'S INFERNO
BY THE YOUNG AND FREE DRAGON

There is no greater wealth than family

THROUGH ME THE ROAD TO THE CITY OF DESOLATION,
THROUGH ME THE ROAD TO SORROWS DIUTURNAL,
THROUGH ME THE ROAD AMONG THE LOST CREATION.

~Dante: The Divine Comedy 1: Hell, Canto III, Lines 1-3

CANTO III: THE GATEKEEPER

Descending, ever falling until she reached the ground
The stairs felt like thin air, and she couldn't see a thing
There was nothing here, nothing except the tortured sound

And the sound, so silent in its hideous cry
And yet so loud that her ears bled, turning her fur
The color of tears, of all those who die

But whether blood actually dripped from her drums
Was unclear to her, for what logic is there, down here?
None but pain, and the burning heat when Lucifer comes

How now, she was barely in Limbo, and already she felt
The heavy cries weighing her down, and the fire burning
So hot that she could feel her very heart begin to melt

“Celestia, where, where there simply must be,
“Some peace of mind for these sinners,
“Surely they deserve some serenity?”

But no voice answered her, so she touched the floor
Which began to glow and the path was lit, not stretching far
At the very end was the great and massive door

But this door, was only a part of something larger
A giant serpent like creature that commanded smaller
Creatures on the ground to charge her

Summoning magic upon the small figures
They were revealed as twisted ponies, made up
Of everything that bends or disfigures

Their eyes were dark, their eyes playing out a haywire bouffe
Their intentions reflected in their harrowed faces
Beaten, it seemed, by the the thick nail of Celestia's hoof

Twilight's eyes had never before beheld such piteous whelps
And her mind did not spare a thought, as her blade cut the air
And then their hides, releasing their screams for help

Torn from his neck, was one lost soul's head
A flick of the blade, and to the ground he fell
Soon to be followed by the rest of the dead

Each slice took limbs, heads, and tails
Drawing simple blood to flow like Celestia's
Hooves, from those crooked and wicked nails

Sparklingly dull coats, now tarnished with blood
Splattered with internal livings, scattered by
Hides that were stripped and became part of the mud

Their screams melted to dust as did their bodies
They're crushed hopes and sorrows part of the ground
Left to suffer and die with what each embodies

As the last headless corpse, met with the ground
Twilight Sparkle turned to the gate, which did now move
Its hoof to its ear to harken the distant sound

“Do you hear that?” It called, its voice a rough rasp,
“That's the sound of the sinners, so numerous they are.”
He recalled a number, one too large for Twilight to grasp

But her mind was trying harder to take in the creature
A serpent body, a massive door upon its stomach, a stallion's
Upper body, hollow eyes, and the voice of a preacher

Its call rang around the emptiness of Limbo
And was followed by its movement, as its hooves
Drew large knives, and held them akimbo

“Beast!” Twilight shouted, and dropped to the ground
As a giant knife stabbed the earth where she was
The weapon weighted on many thousands of pounds

“Hmm...missed,” The monster murmured to itself,
“No matter. Where do you hide brave little one?
“Come forth, stand where I can hear, and assert yourself.”

“How is one to assert one's self, when you strike at the very sound?”
Twilight cried, and moved again as the blade sheathed the earth
“Will you not give me a chance, to explain from whence I am bound?”

Striking with the other blade, the creature shook its head and sighed
“Anypony who wishes to enter Hell has no reason to talk,
“Stand on your hooves, and allow your sins to be tried.”

“Tried by the end of your blade, or by the blunt of your brand?
“I've sinned; yes. But my concern lies not with you,
“But with Lucifer, and his accursed promise land.”

“All those who wish to enter Hell,
“Must pass through my sea,
“Swam by small Sweetie Belle.”

“Sweetie Belle? “Twilight cried. “What nonsense is this?
“She waits at home for her dear Rarity, ever searching,
“For her Cutie Mark, in harmony, safety, and bliss.”

The creature laughed; “And what a fool you are!
“To believe that she was not swallowed by your sins,
“Taken too early, bidding life a silent au revior.”

Twilight could not argue the fact that she had not checked
She found herself slowing as she dodged the attacks
Feeling her heart swell with the pain of all the lives she had wrecked

“You've gone silent!” The gatekeeper said,
“Have you lost your nerve, but not your will to live?
“Feeling guilty for the all the lives you misled?”

Twilight bit her tongue and kept it still
She would gain nothing by talking to the gatekeeper
Death she plotted silently, silent until

He let out a roar that rocked her bones
Breaking the very air around here
And casting about many thousands of stones

She looked up, upon his brow, and found the source of his anguish
Celestia's golden hooves touched his forehead and shone on his flesh
The gatekeeper roared again, his strength fading from languish

“Strike, Twilight Sparkle!” Celestia shouted over the screams
Twilight Sparkle slashed the blade across the arm of the gate
And the flesh parted like a sea, and created multiple light beams

He began cursing them, shouting obscenities that only Hell could produce
But Twilight ignored him, mounting his arm and stabbing her blade deep
She drug it up his arm to his neck, and light poured as it from a sluice

Drawing from his hide and hopping into the air, using the Limbo's gravity
She flew through the air, slashing his throat, releasing more illumination
And pushed the blade into the key hole of the gate, his very chest cavity

His screams became more pained and blood spilled from the wards
She then used her entire body to turn the key, stifling her horror, as it
Felt like flesh. Hard and faster, turning the makeshift key towards...

With a final declaration of hatred, he threw his hooves to the sky
Addressing Lucifer last, and then as though controlled by clockwork,
Pried open the doors of hell, which spread like the lids of an eye

Twilight retrieved her blade and stood in awe
Of the eye which burned bright red and white
Drenching everything in fear that it saw

“Enter!” Celestia shouted. “Before it is too late!”
And so tossing away her fear, she tossed herself
Into the shining iris, without further debate.

Comments

[FireFlash13231]

627033>>652069 totally agree. AWESOMENESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[torrentialCAM]

I don't know what's more remarkable, that you've put action scenes into poetry or that it actually works. Another fine chapter!

[Thespurgin]

I must say, that's one thing that never made sense to me about the Dante's inferno game. Everything in Hell/Tartarus is dead right? Therefore, you cannot kill it, therefore, Death's Scythe is absolutely friggin' USELESS.

Why is she hauling that thing around?

[That_one_guy]

Holy fucking shit. You're writing prose... With badass action scenes.

669156

Death is just an abstract. It's more of a force of destruction in general.

[Thespurgin]

669236 Noted, and yes he's really good at prose combat. Does that make this Purple Prose?

I am just sad that that banner I made for this didn't take. Granted it was only a couple hours of shopping, but it just makes me so sad...

[burning-ruin-666]

O.o ''bloody'' perfect but... how do sompony kills what has been dead already where is it going if dead drags the body to limbo???

[Elitist Scum]

At first I thought this was going to be a half assed attempt at crossing Ponies with that horrid Dante's Inferno game. I'm going to assume you've read the actual Dante's Inferno. I'm interested to see as to how faithful this will be to the actual thing. Anyway, you have my interest.
Oh, and what was your favorite punishment from the Inferno?

[The Young and Free Dragon]

670456

To be perfectly honest, it's been quite a long time since I read; "Hell" so I'm actually rereading each Canto as I write it. I believe my favorite punishment was... I think the Lustful were set on fire and unable to put themselves out? That's the only thing I really remember, so the fact that it stayed with me is why I think it might've been my favorite. In any case I'll go ahead and warn that the river that comes before Limbo in the poem, is after the gate in my story and is a little different. I realize this, and I meant for it to be that way.

[Elitist Scum]

670780 No problem. A good crossover should be familiar to those who like it, but different enough that it's not boring, and that's what you have here. (in my opinion). Anyway, the lustful are tossed around in a giant whirlwind.

[The Young and Free Dragon]

670861

Ah, well yeah that's about how well I remember it. Anyway, I'll most certainly know it as I write so...

Anyway, thanks for the compliment, and I hope you'll enjoy the future of it.

[Inferno demon Dash]

This is going to be badass, but then again it's Free writing so of course that's a given. Damn, I can't wait for more...wonder who will be her guide through hell? I think it would be cool if AppleJack was it, or maybe even Derpy LOL. Cannot wait for more. Also, Free, I know every circle so I should be able to help you if you need it.

[Midnight Calm]

You magnificent bastard, this is amazing.

[PhoKingAzn]

Amazing