Born In Light, Forged In Darkness

by Jest

Trial Two: Confrontation (R)

Twilight and Rainbow Dash exchanged a desperate look, both panting with exertion, their bodies heavy and their limbs slow to respond.

“R-ready?” Kanathara asked.

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash replied breathlessly, pushing herself into a standing position and forcing herself to prepare for what was coming next. “I’m ready.”

“Alright, this time fan wide, stay high,” Kanathara commanded, hefting her cleaver up and readying herself. “On three.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, testing her wings, and flexing her limbs one at a time. “One.”

Kanathara shook each leg at a time, working out the kinks she could feel growing in her joints. “Two.”

Cervantes spun his spear in one hand, striking a battle-ready pose with one foot out front and his spear held tight at the ready.

“Three!” Kanathara shouted.

The two smaller demons jumped into position, with the winged one of the pair leaping into the air and flying to the left, while the imp remained low, moving to the right. Cervantes wasn't about to let them get away with such a maneuver though, and at the last second shifted to the right, forcing the two former ponies to change position lest they run into one another.

While Rainbow Dash swooped in a different direction, trying to maintain her flanking maneuver, Twilight was driven back by a series of lightning-fast thrusts she was only barely able to keep out of the way of. The harsh clack of spear tip against cleaver was near constant, forcing the filly to wield the large, bladed weapon more as a shield than as a knife. Rainbow Dash poured on the speed, zipping around the armored demon and moving to kick at his exposed head.

Only for the demon to surprise everyone when one hand let go of the spear and formed a fist, knocking aside the vengeant’s hoof with a simple motion. For a moment both assaulting demons sat there stunned, neither moving to attack or gain a better position, merely watching as the armored demon shifted his grip to the midway point of the spear and gripped it tightly.

The pair exchanged a look of shock before Kanathara gritted her teeth and nodded, signaling that they weren't done yet. The imp started her assault by delivering an overhand chop, not aiming for the demon’s body but rather his weapon, hoping that the loss of his other hand would enable her to knock the spear out of his grip. A thought that was proven wrong when he hardly even flinched, blocking just as easily with one hand as he had with two.

Rainbow Dash was trying something similar, using her wings to hover while her forehooves delivered a series of rapid punches aimed at Cervantes’ helmeted head. Once more the vengeant found her attacks blocked with such speed that the flying demon was almost convinced he had a third, hidden arm that he had only just now decided to use.

Both minor demons took a step back, with the vengeant flying out of reach and shooting her mistress a confused look as if asking for direction. Kanathara, to her credit, wasn't overly shaken, and she knew that this was just another part of the test, one that she also knew she had little chance of passing.

With a resigned sigh, she clenched her jaw and cleaver tightly.

“Keep trying to flank, strain his reach," Kanathara ordered.

Rainbow Dash nodded, her friend’s dour mood rubbing off on her.

“Alright, boss,” Rainbow Dash tiredly muttered, raising her hooves and eying the confident armor demon cautiously. “This time for sure.”

“This time for sure,” Kanathara repeated with even less enthusiasm.

---

“Augh,” Rainbow Dash groaned, gripping her bruised foreleg tightly. “I could have sworn that was going to work.”

“Every time you try that bicycle kick thing he just punches your legs out from under you,” Kanathara admonished.

“Yeah, but that was when he was using two hands,” Rainbow Dash shot back.

The glow of Kanathara’s magic faded as the last of Rainbow Dash’s wounds closed.

“Just give it a rest already,” Kanathara remarked with a tired sigh.

“Oh, cut it out with that quitter talk,” Rainbow Dash retorted. “My dad always told me that you only lose when you quit, until that happens you are still in it.”

Kanathara growled in irritation, exposing her sharp teeth.

“And my dad always said that if you don't make any progress, you should focus your effort in other directions," Kanathara shot back.

“Hey, you are totally getting better!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, turning to Cervantes. “Right, dude?”

The armor demon stopped mid-stride, turning back to the pair and looking down at them in silence. He raised a hand, palm down, and shook it back and forth, indicating that his opinion was about the same as Kanathara’s.

“See?” The imp groaned. “Why even bother?”

“Where did the ‘we need to get stronger Kanathara’ go?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, opening her hooves wide. “‘Cause I want her back, not this whiny sad sack.”

The imp growled, crossing her hooves over her chest.

“Oh, she's here alright. I just don't think there is a point to this whole thing. I mean can you honestly say we've gotten better, like at all?” Kanathara bitterly declared.

Rainbow Dash turned to Cervantes once more, only to notice he had made his way over to the door and was ignoring them completely.

“Hey, Cervy! Get back here and help me cheer up the boss!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

The armor demon didn't even turn, merely opening the door and stepping through.

“Aw fiddlesticks,” Rainbow Dash cursed.

“Give it a rest, Rainbow Dash,” Kanathara remarked with a sigh, looking down at her cleaver. “I’m never going to be useful.”

“That is so not true!” Rainbow Dash proclaimed, leaping into a battle stance, hooves ready. “Come on, I’ll prove it to you!”

“If you think punching me in the face is going to help my self-esteem then you are sorely mistaken," Kanathara whined.

The vengeant’s eyes narrowed.

“I wouldn't do that," Rainbow Dash muttered. "Now come on, get up and show me the stances you learned. I saw you studying that dusty old book last night, I know you got the last ones memorized.”

“Fine,” Kanathara muttered, standing up. “But only because I want to show you just how worthless I am so we can settle this argument once and for all.”

“Augh, whatever, just fight me already,” Rainbow Dash complained.

The imp placed her cleaver aside and stepped forward, her hooves glowing as magic flowed through them.

“Alright just go slow, I’m even more useless with my hooves than I am with my cleaver," Kanathara muttered.

“Just follow my lead and watch what I do. Fighting without a weapon really isn't that difficult, just imagine that your hooves are your weapons," Rainbow Dash declared.

The imp looked down at her comparatively smaller limbs with disdain.

“Fine," Kanathara spat.

Rainbow Dash jumped up onto her back hooves, using her wings to help her stay balanced.

“I’ll start slow and go faster, alright?” Rainbow Dash offered.

“Yeah, whatever, let's just do this already,” Kanathara replied dismissively.

Without waiting a second longer the winged demon surged forward, throwing a right cross aimed at Kanathara’s head. The strike was a slow one, giving the imp ample time to duck to the right and swing her own hoof in an identical attack. Which was followed up by a nearly identical dodge that saw Rainbow Dash hop out of the way of the attack before kicking with her back hoof.

Blocking that strike wasn't difficult, but even though it was slow and obvious, the larger demon had more power than anticipated and Kanathara was knocked back under the force of the blow. Now no doubt sporting a bruise, the imp began to get angry, throwing a haymaker aimed for the other demon’s midsection, intent on knocking the wind out of her.

Rainbow Dash was no slouch and despite the filly throwing everything she had into the punch, she easily sidestepped it, slapping the back of the imp’s hoof and sending her careening off balance. Unable to stop herself, Kanathara tried to land with as much grace as possible, something rendered more or less moot when she got a kick to the midsection. Which made her reflexively curl up into a ball, her forehooves covering her head.

The vengeant however, did not follow up the strike, and instead returned to all four hooves, shooting her mistress a disappointed look.

“You know if you are that easy to rile up, you are going to be at a real disadvantage in a fight," Rainbow Dash pointed out.

Uncurling from her position and standing up, Kanathara merely threw up her hooves in exasperation.

“What else am I supposed to do? I don't know how to fight!" Kanathara shouted in frustration.

“What, why not? We trained together all the time. I even watched you fight with the cleaver a bunch,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“Well, why don't we fight with cleavers then? If you're so good at everything!” Kanathara yelled, walking up to the other demon’s face.

“It's not my fault I’m good at stuff!” Rainbow Dash yelled back. “Fine! You wanna fight with cleavers, let's fight with cleavers!”

“Okay!” Kanathara exclaimed.

Kanathara took a step back, giving Rainbow Dash one last glare before turning and walking towards the weapon room, intent on following up on her half-threat. The imp angrily stomped all the way over to the storage area before throwing open the door like a petulant child and vanishing within.

Rainbow Dash’s expression fell and she glanced down at the entropy cleaver still lying on the ground.

“Okay, she's gone," Rainbow Dash whispered.

A light green mist began to seep from the blade, slowly growing into a miniature entropy demon roughly six inches in height. His small, smokey stature walked down the end of the blade before looking up at the vengeant, spreading his long, taloned hands wide.

“Hello again, Rainbow Dash. I hope you gave my offer some thought. I can't keep hiding our little conversations forever, you know," teased the entropy demon.

“I did,” Rainbow Dash muttered, tucking her demonic wings away from sight. “And I’m not sure I could do that to Kanathara. She's my friend, and I can't just turn my back on her like this.”

“Oh, Rainbow Dash, it's not a betrayal,” the entropy demon replied, running his hand through the long goatee growing from the end of his chin. “It's just a temporary leave of absence that will see you carrying me out of this horrid place.”

“I don't know…” Rainbow Dash muttered.

The vengeant rubbed the back of her neck and eyed the open door cautiously, catching the sound of cursing and falling weapons from within the room.

“I still think I should talk to her about this…” Rainbow Dash murmured halfheartedly.

The entropy demon stepped forward, his legs vanishing as his form flowed down the blade and up into the air, allowing him to look the other demon in the eye.

“Remember what I offered you. Freedom from her control, a return to the material plane, and most importantly, your old body back,” the creature of entropy repeated.

The green, smokey construct cracked a wide smile, his eyes glinting in the low light.

“Do you really think she's just going to give you all these things or even let you go back?” Clausius mocked.

“N-no,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“So, make a choice,” the entropy demon declared, extending his hands. “Help me do one little thing and get your old life back, or spend eternity chained to this wretched imp.”

The vengeant nervously bit her hoof, glancing from the cleaver to the door and back again.

“I can't, she saved me and-” Rainbow Dash began.

“Do you really think that was anything less than a setup? I mean come on, Rainbow Dash, you’re dumb but not that dumb,” Clausius remarked.

“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked.

In the distance the sound of clattering weapons returned, only this time it was punctuated by an excited “aha!” from within.

“She just happens to show up right as the attack is happening, happens to not know the limits of the contract, that boulder happens to knock your cage into the lava and free her at the same time,” the entropy demon continued, shaking his head. “Down here there are no coincidences, only schemes. Now choose or I am retracting my offer.”

“I-”

“Shatter the blade and free me, or I am going to tell that wretch about our conversations!” Clausius all but shouted, gesturing to the door to the armory. “You don't have much time left!”

Rainbow Dash hesitated, a hoof raised over the blade, her gaze flickering from the door, to the weapon and back again. Thoughts of her old life, of her family, friends, and loved ones flashed before her eyes. She missed them so much, and though that feeling had dulled somewhat since her months spent in Tartarus they were still poignant memories. Down here she had nothing but Kanathara, no family or loved ones save for the imp, all while trapped in a body that would no doubt make the former pony’s mother scream in terror.

With hope welling in her chest, the vengeant raised her hoof high in the air before plunging it down against the flat of the cleaver. The force of the blow was powerful, and with the entropy demon actively weakening the cage that bound his soul, it was enough to shatter the metal weapon, sending shards careening across the floor.

In the distance, Kanathara dropped the weapon she had been carrying, her jaw falling slack as she witnessed what had just occurred.

“What have you done?” she whispered.

“I’m sorry, boss, but I’m not like you. I’m not a demon, I’m a pony and Clausius is going to help me get that back,” Rainbow Dash stated.

“N-no,” Kanathara stuttered, stumbling back as the small smokey being began to cackle, his form shifting and growing as green smog billowed out from the broken remnants of the cleaver.

“Yes, yes!” the entropy demon cried, his form becoming more and more solid by the second.

Thick corded arms emerged from the flowing mass of green vapor, followed closely by a muscled chest and two powerful legs. Last but not least was the goatlike face of the goatee-sporting demon, twin ram’s horns growing from either side of his head.

“Finally, I am free!” he shouted, raising his hands into the air and laughing madly.

“No, this can't be happening,” Kanathara stuttered, stumbling back as the entropy demon’s form began to grow more solid, losing some of his smokey appearance.

A change that was halted midway up his torso, drawing a snarl from the demon, whose solid legs and torso quickly reverted back to their smokey form, the demon unable to hold a physical body completely.

“Damn, that fool imp has consumed more of my essence than I thought,” Clausius growled, pointing down at the vengeant. “Rainbow Dash, it is time for you to sign the contract with me, serve as my vessel, and smuggle me out of this hell hole and all of your petty little dreams will be realized.”

Rainbow Dash gaped, her gaze drawn to the heartbroken look on her former friend’s face.

“I-I,” she stuttered, unable to look away.

“Quickly now, before that armored moron comes back and kills us both,” Clausius pushed, stepping close to the smaller demon and glowering down at her. “We have no time for your blithering, you must sign or your betrayal won't mean anything.”

“No, wait!” Kanathara exclaimed. “You can't trust him! He's just using you!”

“Like you are using her?” The entropy demon shot back, rolling his eyes. “I am offering her something you cannot and would not give her.”

“I didn't know she wanted any of that,” Kanathara muttered weakly.

“Because you were too busy with your own obsession to notice,” Clausius remarked with a sneer. “You and Tirek truly are two peas in the same pod. So single-minded that you don't notice what's happening right in front of you.”

“I’m sorry, Kanathara,” Rainbow Dash muttered, taking a step forward. “I can't stay here.”

“Rainbow Dash, you idiot, there is no going back!” Kanathara yelled, stopping the other demon as she reached for the entropy demon’s outstretched hand. “Your soul cannot be changed back to the way it was, he may give you the body you want, but you will always be a demon.”

“W-what?” Rainbow Dash stuttered, looking up at Clausius. “Is this true?”

“Of course, it's true, you idiot,” Clausius sneered. “A soul cannot be uncorrupted, demonhood is a one-way street. Not that it matters, as I can still give you back your old body and that is what you care about most isn't it?”

“I-I don't know.” Rainbow Dash hesitated, pulling her hoof back.

“He's just using you!” Kanathara shouted, taking a brave step forward. “I can't promise your old body or life back, but I can promise to try and bring you back to Equestria!”

“R-really?” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“Yes, really! Father is sending me back there after my training is completed and you will be coming along!” Kanathara shouted, stomping her hoof. “So put down that contract and step away from him!”

Clausius growled, gripping the vengeant’s hoof in his hand.

“Listen here, you little worm. She is using you as a tool, that is it. What part of binding your soul to her service for all eternity don't you understand?” Clausius pressed.

“It was the only way to save you!” Kanathara replied. “I didn't know it would be forever! Please, Rainbow Dash, don't do this. Don't leave me alone.”

“Alone,” Rainbow Dash muttered weekly, looking down at the contract before her. “I-I can't sign this.”

“Fool!” Clausius boomed. “Then I will simply tear out your soul and use this husk as my vehicle to escape!”

The entropy demon’s hand began to glow with cruel intent, magic pouring down his arm and into the fingers that still gripped Rainbow Dash’s foreleg. Instantly a sharp stabbing pain equivalent to thousands of needles suddenly jammed into the vengeant’s limb, making her cry out in pain and terror. Her one remaining free foreleg punched forward over and over, passing through the green ghostly form and doing nothing to stop the continued pain that coursed up her limb.

The winged demon was dimly aware of the feeling quickly disappearing from her hoof and a glance down at the limb nearly made her stomach turn in revulsion. Skin, muscle, and tendon were now sloughing off her body, the ghostly green smoke pouring into the opening her flesh left behind. Only a panicked flapping of her wings was enough to free her from Clausius’ grip, saving the last meager scraps of flesh still clinging to the leg.

Rainbow Dash didn't make it far before she tumbled to the ground, crying and bleeding as she gripped the limb in a panic.

“Oh no, please Celestia no, this can't be happening,” she muttered, tears running down her face.

“Rainbow Dash!” Kanathara yelled, sprinting over to the fallen demon and erecting a barrier over them both. “I can't heal this, you need to return to me.”

“Fool! Nothing can stop me for long!” Clausius yelled, his smokey form crashing into the shimmering barrier, and making Kanathara wince in pain.

“W-what?” the vengeant muttered, looking up at her former friend in shock. “B-but I-”

“We can talk about that later, quick, before the injury becomes permanent!” Kanathara ordered.

Rainbow Dash nodded, her form quickly losing all definition until all at once, her body became not but smoke, which flowed into the imp’s body, filling her with vigor and pain in equal measure.

I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash whispered.

I forgive you, now rest while I deal with this jerk, Kanathara shot back, her body rising back into a standing position.

“Alright, you sentient fart, prepare to die!” Kanathara shouted.

The entropy demon pulled back, gazing down at the imp with naked amusement.

“Oh, that's rich coming from the powerless imp," Clausius mocked.

“I am not powerless!” Kanathara shot back, only for the words to ring hollow as she said them.

“Not even you believe what you say,” Clausius replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “Just think about what you’re doing. I am a fully-fledged entropy demon with thousands of years of experience manipulating fools like you. Do you really think you even have a snowball’s chance in Tartarus to defeat me?”

“I do!” Kanathara yelled back, but yet again her words sounded more like an empty gesture.

The entropy demon merely shook his head.

“Look at you, I’m not even trying, and you are already struggling to maintain your silly defense,” he prodded, a cruel smile spreading across his face as he leaned in close to the imp’s shield. “How about I make you the same deal I made her? Simply get me out of here, and you can have it all back, no strings attached, no ownership of anyone’s soul.”

“Never!” Kanathara shouted.

The entropy demon merely rolled his eyes.

“Think about this for more than two seconds," Clausius retorted. "I am offering you the chance to not have your shield broken and your body hollowed out in order for me to wear it like an undersized suit. I feel like I’m being more than generous here.”

“And once I have this new body of yours what's stopping you from simply killing me then?” Kanathara shot back. “You aren't nearly as smart as you think you are.”

“True, I could simply kill you then,” the smokey demon muttered. “I’m honestly bouncing between destroying you and then devouring your soul and enslaving you for a couple of millennia.”

Clausius leaned down, poking a finger against the shield.

“I think I’ll just turn you into a lamp or something, that way you can show off that bright mind of yours forever," Clausius mocked.

“Fuck you!” the imp yelled.

Clausius recoiled, blinking.

“Wow, I didn't even think you knew that word. Such a naughty little demon," Clausius teased.

“Aaaaa!” Kanathara cried, dropping her shield and charging the demon, horn alight with power.

Before he had a chance to move, the entropy demon found a wall of ice shards shooting at him, piercing his form and flying straight through, having accomplished nothing.

“Really? That's the best you got?” he remarked with a tired sigh. “Killing you is going to be a mercy.”

Clausius’ hand grew in size, and he moved to grab the charging filly, intent on simply squeezing the life out of her. Kanathara was not so easily caught however and just when the fist closed down around her she vanished in a flash of magic, reappearing behind the entropy demon, horns still glowing.

“Hey, jerkface, over here!” Kanathara yelled, loosing another spell with destructive intent.

A searing ray of fire erupted from the filly’s outstretched hoof, shooting straight through the smoke demon and shooting across the room before finally fizzling when it hit the wall. Her opponent cried in pain, his body contorting as he twisted around to look at his target.

“That actually hurt," Clausius exclaimed. "You will pay for that!”

The imp’s eyes went wide as the demon surged forward, his movements nearly twice as fast as a moment ago. He was toying with me! Kanathara realized, narrowly managing to leap out of the way of the enormous demon’s grasping hand.

Her small hooves clattered across the ground, sprinting hard to dodge the repeated attempts to grab her. Knowing she couldn't do this forever, she conjured her magic once more and shot another ray of fire at the entropy demon, only for her attack to pass harmlessly through a hole that appeared mere milliseconds before.

“You may have found an attack that works against me, but you and I both know that won’t help you,” he confidently announced, slowly floating towards the smaller imp. “You don't know any other fire spells, and everything else you have will do nothing to slow me down.”

His body grew and grew as more and more smoke seemed to billow from his chest, making him rise until such a point that his height eclipsed hers several times over, his head cresting the eight-foot mark.

“Oh no,” Kanathara muttered weakly.

“Every second spent free of that weapon is another second spent regaining my power,” he announced, laughing madly. “Soon it won't matter how fast you can run as I will simply be everywhere.”

The imp stumbled back, raising her hoof and firing ray after ray of heat, each one passing harmlessly through a hole that opened up on the entropy demon’s body. Her magic waning, Kanathara turned and ran, looking towards the exit, which was unfortunately blocked by the now massive form of her opponent.

“There is nothing you can do,” he declared.

Kanathara stumbled backward, her mind searching for any solution to the problem now towering over her.

Fight on! Dont give up!Rainbow Dash yelled within their shared mind.

“I can't, he's too powerful,” Kanathara muttered, falling to the ground.

Augh, why do you always think of power like that? Use that big brain of yours for once and think outside the box! Rainbow Dash replied.

Kanathara’s eyes went wide as she realized just how narrow her thoughts had been. She had assumed mastering some weapon would be the only way to get stronger, but that wasn't who she was. At the end of the day, her two greatest strengths were not her strength and speed but rather her wits and magic.

Clausius reached down, his great hand gripping the imp tightly and bringing her up to his grinning face.

“Good, you have come to your senses at last. So tell me, little filly, how does it feel to lose, yet again?” Clausius mocked.

“I don't know. Why don't you tell me!” Kanathara shouted, her forehoof wiggling out of his grip and glowing with magic.

Magic that the entropy demon recognized right away.

“Really? You are going to try and use a memory spell at a time like this?” He scoffed. “Or do you wish to simply die thinking of your mother?”

“No, not my mother,” Kanthara remarked with a smirk. “Yours!”

“What?” Was all the entropy demon could mutter before the imp’s hoof suddenly pressed against his nose, his mind instantly being flung back deep into his memories.

His form rippled, losing its consistency and allowing the imp to escape his grasp and land back on the ground. Gritting her teeth, Kanathara pushed on, shoving him deeper and deeper into his own millennia worth of memories, miring his thoughts in the deepest, darkest reaches of his psyche.

Yeah, that's it! Rainbow Dash yelled encouragingly.

The distant gaze of the entropy demon flickered for a moment.

“How did you do that?” he muttered weakly. “That spell isn't supposed to work like that.”

Kanathara smirked, watching as his body shrunk and shrunk until he was the same size she was.

“It wasn't supposed to work that way until I changed it!” Kanathara proclaimed, her smirk growing. “All it took was a friend to remind me of the value of lateral thinking.”

The demon muttered incoherently, his eyes glazing over as his body fell to the ground, only barely able to keep a semi-stable physical form.

Kanathara grinned and summoned her magic into her forehoof, willing another beam of fire that would surely destroy the weakened demon. Energy gathered power flowed through her, and then when the spell was nearly completed it fizzled out, the last of the imp’s magical reserves now gone.

“Oh no,” she muttered, shaking her hoof. “Come on! Just a little bit more!”

Raising her hooves over her head, Kanathara brought her forelegs down on the wispy demon several times, only to once more find that her attacks had no visible effects.

“Thats not fair!” Kanathara shouted.

Clausius twitched, his body growing larger by the second as he slowly pulled himself from the depths of his memories, an angry grimace slowly crossing his face.

“What do I do?” cried the imp in desperation.

Eat it! Rainbow Dash replied.

“But Father said not to eat the souls of fully-fledged demons!” Kanathara yelled back.

Do you have a better idea? Rainbow Dash deadpanned.

The imp bit her lip, looking down to the pained, and angry expression on the entropy demon’s face, watching as it grew more angry by the second, his body becoming larger and more intimidating. If she waited any longer he may well regain his strength and with little other option Kanathara glanced over her shoulder, considering the possibility of just running away. The exit was nearly across the room, however, and her logical mind easily figured out that the demon would be back to full strength by then.

Leaving her only option being one of the few things Tirek had expressly told her never to do.

“Fuck it,” Kanathara muttered.

Pressing forward, the imp opened her mouth wide, the depths of her throat glowing with a faint purple light that grew with each passing second. Wispy tendrils of green smoke were pulled into the filly’s maw and were quickly swallowed. The entropy demon seemed to sense this change, however, and he began to twitch with increased fervor, his body trying to pull itself away from the soul-devouring imp.

Summoning the last dregs of her magic, Kanathara pushed everything she had into the act of stealing the other demon’s soul, the glow in her mouth growing brighter and brighter. Large swaths of the green energy vanished down the filly’s throat, making her guts turn as her body rebelled against the action she was taking. Hooves gripped the cold floor and the filly braced herself, fighting against the will of the other demon, who was now gaining awareness, an arm scrabbling randomly on the floor.

By then the entire bottom half of the entropy demon was gone, with his left arm swiftly being sucked into the tiny imp’s belly, making his body twist to the right, desperate to escape.

Come on, boss, you can do it! Rainbow Dash cheered, looking through her master’s eyes.

“Don't do it you fool,” Clausius mumbled, his lone hand scratching along the ground. “You’ll destroy us both!”

Undeterred, Kanathara pushed on, knowing full well that anything less would mean death for both herself and her only friend. The other demon’s arm vanished into the filly’s mouth, his body now beginning to lose nearly all consistency and disintegrate before being swallowed almost completely.

The entropy demon’s eyes suddenly snapped open, awareness clear in the strange orange orbs. Reaching with his only remaining hand he gripped the filly’s jaw, trying to close it, when that failed he summoned his own infernal magic, which promptly petered out as his fingers vanished into Kanathara’s maw. A second later the rest of the limb joined them, leaving the entropy demon as little more than a writhing torso and head.

“Stop, dammit stop. Our souls will be obliterated!” he cried, desperately shaking himself this way and that. “You… bastard.”

And with that final, half-whispered curse, the last of the demon vanished into Kanathara’s mouth.

“I… did it,” the imp muttered, raising a weak hoof into the air and shaking it victoriously. “Yay me.”

You alright, boss? Rainbow Dash asked, a hint of nervousness worming into her voice. Something doesn't quite feel right.

“Yeah, totally!” Kanathara announced suddenly.

After several agonizing seconds, her limbs stopped their incessant shaking and allowed her to rise to a standing position once more.

“I feel great!” Kanathara declared.

Really? ‘Cause something definitely doesn't feel right here, Rainbow Dash groaned. I don't even have a mouth and I feel like I’m gonna toss my cookies.

“No way, we’re totally fine!” Kanathara exclaimed, taking an awkward step forward. “See? Totally fine."

The second step turned out fine as well, however the third did not and she toppled to the ground.

“Oh, hello floor,” the imp muttered, rubbing the cold ground with a hoof. “I haven't seen you in a while.”

We are so fucked, Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Chill out, Rainbow Dash, we’re gonna be fine,” Kanathara replied, gaining a wide, dopey grin. “See? Cervantes is right over there.”

Sure enough, the armor demon was, sprinting across the gym with such speed that he nearly crossed the entire room in a heartbeat. A heartbeat that quickly vanished. The imp’s face once more met the floor, and the twin souls fell silent with their body following suit a moment later.

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Comments

[DNC]

[Khanathara]

Clausius leaned down, poking a finger against the shield. “I think I’ll just turn you into a lamp or something, that way you can show off that bright mind of yours forever.”

“Fuck you!” the imp yelled.

Clausius recoiled, blinking. “Wow, I didn't even think you knew that word. Such a naughty little demon.”

[Kichi]

And of course, they hide the demon that almost make things go bad from Tirek. I wonder if the little 'imp' is going to remember more.

[Direct Access]

Oh, c'mon! Such a moment!

[G33kySt3v3]

Well that was a ... I didn't think anything would happen with the Clausius dude until much later.

[Jest]

9489357
That was the plan but it was too easy to see coming and I love a twist

[Makuta]

What is the difference between a corrupted and a uncorrupted soul?

[Jest]

9491049
Sin

[Ze1a7in]

9491505
Now did I ever say it had to be against Kanathra? Let's see him in a duel against the champion of one of Tirek's rivals, eh? See just how efficient and ruthless he is when he doesn't have to hold back!

[Jest]

9491510
Eventually.

[Mahtan]

9491510
Yeah but then you would be forgetting his function. He seens to be a trainer for Tireks minions but Tirek doesn't seen teh type to take aprentices and Cervantes is likely only training Kanathara at the moment so if we ever see him fighting at full force will be against Kana and Dash and not in some great scale battle or some other oponent.

[C0de]

Shit! Was hoping there would be more while reading this, until i saw no next chapter. This is a super interesting idea, one i would love to see more of when you have the time

[Jest]

9499645
It gets 2 updates a month. And I havent updated this month, so look forward to that soon.

[yellowbastion]

truly are two pees in the same pod

peas

[Warrior Kitten]

Twilight and Rainbow Dash exchanged a desperate look, both panting with exertion, their bodies heavy and their limbs slow to respond. “R-ready?” Kanathara asked.

Who is this "Twilight"?

“Because you were too busy with your own obsession to notice,” Clausius remarked with a sneer. “You and Tirek truly are two pees in the same pod, so single-minded that you don't notice what's happening right in front of you.”

"Pees", lel

[Warrior Kitten]

Sure enough, the armor demon was right there, sprinting across the gym with such speed that he nearly crossed the entire room in a heartbeat. A heartbeat that quickly vanished, as the imp’s face once more met the floor, and the twin souls fell silent with their body following suit a moment later.

I'm imagining this:

[Devonlui]

“Give it a rest, Rainbow Dash,” Kanathara remarked with a sigh, looking down at her cleaver. “I’m never going to be useful.”

Thats just stupid