Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Nineteen
This wasn't the same place you left on bad terms with Celestia. Everything felt so hollow and dreadful. The unnatural light outside mixed with the stained glass along the outer walls causing a muddy mess of colors to be displayed along the carpet and marble that lined the ground of the hallways.
Everyone else besides you seemed to know the way from past experiences, but you were hopelessly directionless in this place. You looked around nervously, waiting for any sort of ambush.
You occasionally gasped from the pain that ran down your back. The only thing that was good about this was that you weren't focused on the pain in your shoulder anymore. Actually no, pain anywhere was bad and this was even worse than your shoulder. You bit on your lip and tried to keep it out of your direct thought, focusing on what was currently happening around you.
The occasional whisper took place between you all, either commenting on how bad this place had gotten or how much of a chance there still was. You could tell that everyone still thought they could make it, you believe you could too, if you didn't collapse from the pain that was making you sick to your stomach.
“Thoughtless... how could I be so thoughtless...” A whisper carried all the way down the hall you were traveling through.
You stopped, the voice was indeed a whisper but how could it have carried all the way down to you? “Did you hear that?” You asked them.
“Hear what?” Rainbow asked, looking around cautiously.
“It sounded like... a whisper.” You said weakly.
“You ain't going all 'loopy' on us, are ya?” Applejack asked you playfully.
“No, I just thought...”
“An auditory hallucination? That isn't good..” Twilight circled around you, gasping slightly at the sight of your back. “Are you sure you’re okay with those lacerations on your back?”
“I'll be fine, I promise.” You put a hand on your shoulder, taking a deep breath. “There's more important things than me.”
“So modest...” Twilight said quietly, finally ceasing the examination and pressing on.
You grumbled and began to worry about the state of your mental self. What you had heard wasn't the hellspawn, the voice was too emotional and light for that. It sounded more feminine than menacing.
It only got darker from there on out, the feeling that everything was empty, dead and gone was being amplified by the second as you soon began to hear the voice again.
“I shouldn't have... I never should have... I failed them all...” You tried to ignore the voice, thinking that it would just go away like how the hellspawn had eventually stopped their constant torrent of information, but with this voice, it only got worse.
With each few steps, another phrase was uttered, the voice becoming more choked with emotion as you continued on. It also continued to grow in volume, only dying down when the sound of sobbing could be heard around a corner.
“We're getting close to the elements..” Twilight muttered to you. “Who's crying, though?”
You sighed in relief, realizing that it wasn't just you hearing all these things again. “I'm not sure, but more than likely we're going to find out.” You said dully.
“Just around this corner...” Twilight's pace picked up just a bit, leaving you and the rest behind. You quickly followed after her and stopped, your eyes trying to take in everything.
The entire hallway leading down to Canterlot tower, where the elements laid behind locked doors, was in such a state of atrophy, that it made the damage you had all seen before seem feeble and incomparable to the destruction before you all.
The red carpet that once ran down the hallway was burned and torn, nothing but unconnected bits laid about in patches, a skeleton of what was once there. The painted glass depicting the mane six's exploits throughout their time together where shattered and only shards remained in their frames. The rest of the glass was strewn across the tiled ground, forcing you all to be cautious with where you put your feet, lest you wished to be placed in an uncomfortable predicament.
Tapestries that hung from in between each window were now barely there, showing burnt tips and corners. Ivory pillars were scratched and chipped at, showing conflict. The sight before you told you way more than you needed to know, but the evidence was all right there: the hellspawn had made their way through here with no consideration to what and whom they crossed paths with.
You found the source of the sobbing and sniffling, which caused Twilight to once again leave you and the others, this time with a haste that almost made you feel like all that affection she had been showing you was being pushed aside. What a strange thought for you to have.
Who she was running too should have been cause enough for relief, but instead filled you with uneasiness. Celestia stared out of the shattered window that had once detailed the mane six's victory over Discord, a rather mischievous and chaotic being.
“Princess Celestia! Are you okay? I can't believe we found you!” Twilight shouted with relief stopping at her side and waiting for a reply.
The rest of you got closer at a much more unhurried pace. The closer you got, the more it seemed that your sense of alarm seemed justified. Were those tears? Were they 'black' tears running down the princess' face? Her eyes were red with agitation as the black liquid continued to well from her eyes.
“I was careless... so careless..” She muttered over and over again. Was it her you had been hearing this whole time?
“Princess? Are you okay?” Twilight tried to get her mentor's attention, but she didn't acknowledge her existence until several long moments.
“My most faithful student... what brings you here...?” Her eyes never left their spot and continued to watch the city of Canterlot from the shattered glass.
“We've come to use the elements of harmony, we can still get through this and defeat these... things.”
“Quite fortuitous that I would just happen to be on the way to the elements of harmony. It seems you've forgotten that I am the only one that can get to them... not that it matters anymore.” Celestia finally turned to look at you all, her face covered in dark lines from where the tears had slid down her face.
“What happened to you?!” Twilight asked in horror.
“Realization, and other things...” She frowned and looked at you, an anger burning within them that you had never seen in your entire life.
“What is causing all this? Why haven't you fought back?!” Twilight catechized.
Celestia's eyes left you and you were able to relax again. What was that all about? Surely now was not the time to worry about mistakes in the past! “I am... partly to blame for the barrier around Canterlot.”
“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, confused.
“My grief and despair is what is feeding the swirling darkness...” A new collection of black tears rolled down her face, landing upon the scorned ground.
“You've... given.. up?” Twilight asking, her voice choking up.
“I don't want to say it... but.. there's little I can do... there's little anypony can do against such... execrable beings. I've never seen anything like them...”
You could feel the optimism draining away from all of you as each word Celestia said only added to the hopelessness that your surroundings had already provided for you. She was the princess and the ruler, and to think that there was no way out? Why, that was one of the most demoralizing things that could have happened to your group here.
“Where is everypony else?” Applejack spoke up, wanting to break the parasitic mood that had befallen all of you.
“I don't know. I don't know where anypony is, not even my own sister. Do you see now? Do you see how hopeless it is?” The princess was practically having a mental breakdown right in front of you all.
“No. No I don't and I don't think anypony else here does either.” Twilight said bluntly. “We need the elements, we need you to open up the door to the chamber where they're held.”
Celestia's mouth was agape and her face truly shocked at the way Twilight had just spoken to her. “Such perseverance, what has gotten into you, my little pony?” She laughed ravingly, gesturing to you. “Is it him? Is he what pushes you to keep going?”
“N-no!” Twilight shouted, obviously perturbed that the princess had brought up the article of her clandestine affection.
“You can't lie, I saw the way you acted around him. What has he done to earn your affection?”
“Stop! It's not like that!” Her face was growing red with both anger and embarrassment.
“He's the cause of all of this!” She focused back onto you, who was watching the whole thing with dread. “You're the reason they're all here...”
“It wasn't intentional! I didn't even know I was going to be brought here!” You argued. You weren't going to just have people talking about you like you were the bane of world, even if it was Celestia saying this.
“Just because you did not intend to bring darkness upon Equestria, doesn't justify or make anything better. You caused all of this, human.”
You were beginning to get frustrated. It wasn't fair the way you were being treated right now. “I'm sorry! I've been doing everything I can to right what I wronged!”
“Everything you can isn't going to be enough.” Celestia returned, countering your own anger. “You're just one. Useless. Human.”
You couldn't believe what you were hearing. This wasn't Celestia, something had to be corrupting her to speak to you like this. Even after what you had done to irritate her previously, she wasn't one just to cut down a person verbally.
“You aren't yourself right now. We can still fix this.” You took a step back to show that you weren't going to be confrontational.
“Not myself? Not myself?! Human, I've never been more in tune with myself, and I see you for what you are: the source and cause of all our suffering.” She took a menacing step towards you, causing you to question whether or not you were about to be attacked by the ruler of this kingdom.
“You don't mean that. Please, stop.” You tried to sound as confident as you could, but it was hard when an alicorn had you right in her sights.
“Why should I? Why should you walk away from your crimes?” She asked, shaking from the anger that was coursing through every fiber of her body. It seemed like your time left here was about to become a known margin.
“Stop! Don't hurt him!” Twilight said, jumping in between you two. Her horn was glowing, ready for confrontation. Was she really willing to confront her mentor to protect you? You felt a wave of adulation build up within you in response to this. Still, this wasn't how you wanted it to be, her feelings for you were starting to interfere with her other relationships.
“Even against me?” Celestia asked with hurt in her voice. “You'd stand against me to protect him?”
“Y-yes. He didn't do anything wrong, you are blinded by hurt and anger.” She was conflicted, but seemed confident in the choice she had made.
“I'm not blinded! You're all the ones, accompanying the one that ruined it all!” Her horn began to glow, intent on smiting you.
You braced for the blow, but it never came, Twilight had knocked her mentor off her hooves with a sudden bolt of magic, nothing harmful, but enough to prevent Celestia from harming you.
“Twilight Sparkle, you are committing treason, are you not aware?!” Celestia called out from her place on the tiled ground, trying to prop herself up frantically.
“I am fully aware, princess, I don't need to be reminded.” She gave the princess a plain look. “Now stop this. I don't know what's wrong with you, but you definitely aren't the princess I know, something's changed you.”
“You don't speak to me like that, you understand? You don't!” Celestia fired a bolt in everyone's general direction, you were all defenseless, or so you had thought.
Twilight fired a counter spell which canceled out Celestia's attack. “You aren't this weak, I know you aren't. You're not you, don't you see?” She stepped towards the panicking Celestia, who was becoming more unstable by the second.
“I'm fine! You're all traitors! Leave me be! I'm not corrupt! Not corrupt!!!” She began firing off in all directions, causing everyone but Twilight to duck onto the ground for cover. You were lucky that you didn't land on glass and that nopony else did as you hit the ground.
“Get down!” You called out to Twilight, but she stood her ground with a knowing look.
“It's okay, really.” She said to you, taking a step towards the crazed princess. “I can handle this.”
“You're going to get killed!” The tables had been turned, and now you were the one worried for her safety and not the other way around. Maybe you two really had something here.
That didn't matter now as the unicorn stepped closer to her mentor who seemed to be in a different world entirely now. “They've gotten to you, you need to see this. You need to fight their influence.”
“Nopony controls me! Nopony!” A bolt was sent out straight in Twilight's direction, but again, she rendered it harmless.
“Listen to yourself!” Twilight said with finality. “Fight it!”
Celestia didn't say anything else. She just laid her head low in the air. She was going to say something, but thought better of it, instead turning towards Canterlot tower, and heading towards the doors that held the elements. Had Twilight gotten through to her? You weren't sure, but you slowly picked yourself up off the ground, moving over to her.
“What happened to her?” You asked.
“Well you should know that better than anypony else here, you saw it happen, after all.”
“What do you mean?” You asked, befuddled by what she had just said.
“Remember the dream you had, silly? The one that lead us all the way up to Celestia's chambers?”
You scratched your chin. “Oh.. yeah.” You gestured down towards the hall Celestia had went. “What do you think she's doing?”
“If we're lucky.. then she's getting the elements of harmony... if not.. well, at least we're all still okay.”
“Yeah, sure... okay.” You reached an arm around your back, hovering it above where you had sustained the cuts.
“You'll be okay, you said you would be.”
“I hope...” You began walking with her, the others behind were still getting to their hooves and trying to catch up with you.
As you ended the hall, it was no surprise to find that the door leading to the elements of harmony was desecrated as well. The two unicorn statues that stood guard were tipped over on their side and chipped apart, showing that they were nothing special compared to the rest of Canterlot.
The gems that were encrusted near the lower half of the door were either plucked right out of the place, or were scratched until the point where their luster no longer existed. There was one thing that cause you all to breathe a sigh of relief though: the door was slightly opened, meaning that Celestia had, in fact, retreated back here to open the door. There was, however, no sign of her.
“Well, that's good enough I guess.” You said, looking at the slightly opened chamber doors You could see the chest in there, the gems upon it were still just as magnificent as when they had first been cut and you were almost ecstatic to see this conflict almost over. Surely, the elements would end all of this pain, it was the only chance you had yet.
Twilight pushed the doors further to their sides with her magic, while the rest of you slowly watched as the chest containing them grew less and less obscured by the second.
“Almost there...” Twilight gritted her teeth as the doors slid as far as they could go to the side. She exhaled a large breath. “Why don't you do the honors?” She pointed for to go and retrieve the chest, which you were more than happy to do at this point.
You neared the container, each breath you took was noted here, for you were in the presence of raw power. You reached carefully and brought the chest up off the ground and against your chest. Now you just had to bring it over to them so they could adorn each element and end this misery.
“They're useless, I warn you.”
You whirled around, nearly falling over from the weight being shifted along with the chest you were holding. “Who's that?”
Standing behind the pedestal that the container had laid upon, was Celestia, her face not angry, but very serious. “The elements, they're useless. They won't be enough against something like this. But-” she smiled slyly, indicating that there was something within the princess that had not been there moments ago, “you're the key to all of this. There will be a time when you have to make a sacrifice. The question is though: Are you willing to see this through, no matter what?”
You gulped and nodded. What kind of sacrifice was she talking about? Were you really going to have die to end all of this? Was that it? It had to be.
Celestia nodded. “You'll know what I speak of when the time passes. If all you said was true, if you've been doing everything you can, then your path will be clear.”
“What about you, then?” You asked nervously.
“As for me, I will leave this land for a while. I am a construct of corruption, these 'hellspawn' have cast a dark influence over me, forcing all that was bad in me to the surface.”
“What about your sister? What about the ponies you rule over?”
“I leave their fates in the capable hooves of my most faithful student, and consequently, yours as well.”
“But-”
“Stop. You won't see me again until this is done, and you won't see the darkness surrounding Canterlot as a result soon enough as well.” She gently pushed you further and further back with her magic. “Please keep this to yourself, nopony else can see or hear me right now. Just.. stay true to yourself and everypony around you. Good luck.” You were pushed further back and the chamber doors were slammed shut in front of you with a thundering sound.
“What was that all about?” Twilight asked, running up to you, who was standing there staring at the shut doors to the chamber.
“I don't know.” You breathed out. Did that just happen? Or was this yourself losing it?
“Well open it already!” Rainbow ordered from the group of others.
You placed the chest on the ground, waiting for someone to open it. Twilight, of course took the initiative and flung it open. You were half expecting nothing to be in there, but no, they were all there and intact.
Twilight distributed each element to their respective bearer. They all looked down in fascination of them as if this was the first time they had laid eyes upon them.
After that was done, everyone seemed to have a look of accomplishment on their faces. They thought they had already won it, but if what Celestia had said was true, then it would only delay the inevitable. You were the one that was going to have to make the final push.
“We can finish this!” Twilight exclaimed.
“Then lets!” Rainbow said, hovering off the ground excitingly.
“The last stand, the most enjoyable time of our conquest. Let's see what your race has to offer us in their final hours...” In just a few seconds, hellspawn were pouring in through the shattered windows, their faces showing not fear for the power they were facing, but eagerness. They loved a challenge.
“With the power of friendship, your invasion will be over!” Twilight said triumphantly.
“Friendship, what an empty word. No matter, everyone dies alone. Always.”
Now was the time to see if everything Celestia had said was true. The hellspawn were closing in quickly.
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Sorry for the extra long delay.
1721176 it's no biggie :P, it was worth the wait! I think I know what will become of our protagonist though.
1721578
lol
I'm trying to be deceptive here, shh...
1721694 lol, I caught one of the subtle hints, I don't know if anyone else did though. I can't wait for the next chapter!
Hellspawn killing spree!!!!
then the stop and the human has to kill himself and the leaders to end it by jumping off a cliff onto sharp and pointy rocks while the rest try to stop him and as he's falling a single tear flies out before he dies
1722150
You guys and your crazy assumptions!
Twilight and guy (Forgot his name) FUSION! Becomes alicorn!! And...then...they...kissed
He's connected to the consciousness of the leaders. If he dies. they die. that is the sacrifice he will have to make and he will make it and clingly twilight will be all like "nuuuuuuuuu!" and I'll be all like "erhmahgerhd this is arwsoem!" and he'll be like "nu! Twilight stahp! it murst be durne!"
and then the ending will give me a sad and i will cry myself to sleep for the rest of my life.
Or maybe Luna charges in on a mechanised bear with a flamethrower for a mouth and save the day while shouting "The powers of chaos cannot stand before us!"
1722774
I am taking that Luna ending into note...
meh
1722899
bleh
1722846
I should probably mention that the bear also has VTOL engines for legs then
1722908Gak
1722910
Noted.. yes noted... genius... pure genius...
1722918
I counter with... Floam!
1722924 takes -32 damage. Equips GAKVAC +54 damage
1722952
Did I take damage? Ah jeez ..
1722975 i counter your floam with... ICECREAM !!!!!!!!!INSTANLY FREEZES ALL OPPONENTS SO I CAN RAPE THEM FOR THREE TURNS
1723005
That sounds overpowered...
I thought we were playing tournament rules here?!?!
1723019there are no rules because pinkie is here. *points to here as she waves at us*TOUGUYSAREAWSOMEANDROCKANDIWONDERIFTHERESROCKFLAVOIREDICECREAMOOOOOOOHHHHHHHIWONDERIFTHECAKESHAVEIT*dashes out the door* OW! mybrain
1723034chzbronies.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-brony-how-bout-no.jpg
1723066 how come you can post pictures and i don't know how? Just...just leave me be! *sniffle*go away! I HAVE AWSOME PICTURES BUT THEY ARE DOWNLOADED SO I CANT POST THEM!.
1723089
Just gotta get the url of the image and then link it into the prompt of the insert button in the add comment box, nothing to it.
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc9dr6Brlg1r1s7izo1_400.gif
Now you have the power.
I liked this chapter a lot.
1723636
Glad to hear!
1723831
Seems likes an ending draws near... Or does it?
I have a feeling this won't be exactly a happy ending though...
Only time will tell...
DON'T YOU DARE KILL THE HERO OF THIS STORY, ELSE, I WILL FIND WHERE YOU LIVE, AND I WILL... HUG YOU AND CRY ON YOUR SHOULDER
1724688
You guys will just have to wait and see!
Awww... I was hoping for a Gurren Lagann punch. "Lets see you grit those teeth!" to Celestia. For the 'sacrifice' make him have to give up on returning to earth or something simple like that. Just don't have him die or return to earth please.
1737883
I'll take everything you said into note, bud.
1738200 k ty
i stalled way to long to read this, well done again nobrains! also i think "you" should die. if he returns to earth then it will all have been for nothing. or even if "you" somehow lives, then that means everypony lives happily ever after! or you could make a sequel brought on by the new season?.....
sorry it took me so long to read it
Oh don't worry about it!
I'm still mulling over how to proceed, I hope with whatever decision I make, however, it will leave everyone walking away satisfied! I never expected my story to stir up so many emotions from my readers! It makes me feel like I've been writing this the right way!
Thanks man!
I've decided that, as I wait for future updates, I will reread and review the past chapters of the story, making note of anything that stands out to me or simply strikes my fancy.
At the moment, I feel like observing how the things that characters say are not always what they are really thinking. Today, our character of interest is Twilight Sparkle.
Translation: Yes, he is what is pushing me to keep going.
Translation: Yes, it is like that. But please change the subject, Princess Celestia, I'm not ready to let him or anypony else know yet.
P.S. Out of curiosity, how many arcs is the story going to be divided into?
I remember this, I read this when I didn't have an account!