Born In Light, Forged In Darkness

by Jest

Trial Five: Gifts Unbidden

“Damn right we are,” Velvet declared with a sly grin before shucking off her armor and placing it and her mace on a hook near the door. “Now are you going to take a seat or what?”

Kanathara took one look at the two empty chairs and seated herself closest to the bald cultist, noting that the mare in question had just pulled a teapot from under a pile of papers. “Thank you for your hospitality by the way. I know this situation is a little awkward,” Kanathara remarked.

The pony nodded and lit her strange, curving horn, illuminating her scarred features as she began to fill the teapot with water which she had summoned with another spell. “Of course. I always knew this day would be a strange one, but I’m just glad it’s finally come to pass,” Velvet replied.

Rainbow Dash plunked down across from the mare while eying her curiously. “What do you hope to gain, anyway?”

“Dash, that's a little rude, don't you think?” Kanathara hissed.

“No no, that's quite alright,” Velvet quickly replied, the pony pulling down a bag of tea from an unseen shelf and placing it in the pot before beginning to heat it with her magic. “I expected such a response.”

“Still. There was no reason to come right out like that,” Kanathara muttered, only to sniff the air when a tantalizing smell crossed her nose. “What is that scent? It's… amazing.”

Rainbow Dash sniffed the air as well and found herself both surprised and intrigued. “Is that tea? It actually smells kind of good.”

The mare smiled as she set out a trio of cups which she cleaned the dust off of with a spare rag. “It was a gift from Xana. This tea is her favorite, and before she left, she made me promise to only drink it after I had brought you home.”

Kanathara sniffed the air and sighed, her body relaxing already. “Well whoever this Xana is, she has a good nose for tea.”

Velvet smiled and nodded, her magic swirling the contents of the pot. “It is bloodroot infused with jasmine and vinegar. I know it seems like an odd combination, but trust me, to those with our… unique palate, it is quite delicious.”

Kanathara raised an eyebrow as Velvet poured them all a cup. “What do you mean by ‘our palate’?” she asked.

“Between being infused with demonic energy and making a contract with a powerful succubus, I’ve gained a few traits unique to demons,” Velvet admitted before sipping her tea and sighing contentedly.

“What exactly-” Kanathara began, only to be cut off by a startled gasp coming from her left.

“Woah, you have got to try this, boss,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed before all but chugging the rest of her tea.

Kanathara frowned and took a short, tentative sip of the brownish-red liquid. Blinking, the demon’s eyes went wide and she gulped down a mouthful, and then a second before managing to stop herself. “That is amazing. I don't know if I can even describe the flavor. It's like, meaty almost, only sweet and spicy at the same time?” Kanathara muttered while staring at the cup in shock.

Velvet smiled. “It is quite delicious, isn't it? Now, I don't suppose you would mind telling me what I walked into a minute ago?”

Kanathara nodded and gulped the last of her drink, ignoring Rainbow Dash who was already pouring herself another cup of the stuff. “We are sort of dating? It's a little odd given the fact that she is my familiar, but we make it work.”

“Damn right we do,” Rainbow Dash declared with a grin.

Kanathara sighed and used her magic to wipe away some of the tea which clung to the vengant’s upper lip. “Once you become linked with someone as deeply as we are, it's hard for things not to go in that direction,” Kanathara added.

“I know what you mean, but you must beware. The power imbalance in your relationship will become a sticking point, sooner or later,” Velvet warned.

Kanathara frowned. “I know, but there isn't a way to get around it, so we just have to adapt.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I don't see what the big deal is? So she can boss me around, she does that anyway and I kinda like it.”

The keeper frowned and punched her familiar in the shoulder. “Rainbow Dash, she did not need to know that.”

Velvet coughed and quickly wiped the blush from her face. “Yes, well. Just know that in time this issue will become apparent.”

“We’ll get through it,” Kanathara stated.

Rainbow dash nodded. “Don't suppose you got some meat lying around, do ya?”

“I am rather hungry,” Kanathara admitted.

“I’ll show you guys to the cafeteria tomorrow, for now I’ve placed an order with the kitchen. It should be here in about an hour or so. Just long enough for us to catch up,” Velvet declared.

“I suppose,” Kanathara reluctantly admitted as she sipped her second cup of tea.

“So are we going to talk about that freaky demon alicorn yet?” Rainbow Dash blurted out. “‘Cause that was weird, right?”

Kanathara shivered. “She certainly was strange, though I wonder if she truly is Celestia’s sister.”

Velvet frowned as she sipped on her tea. “My contact in the guard says it's possible, but unlikely. She’s supposed to be sealed within the moon for another year or so, though that date could not be confirmed.”

“She has evidently been planning for this moment for a decade at the bare minimum,” Kanathara added.

“So she’s managed to break this seal thingy and gotten out early. What's the big deal?” Rainbow Dash asked while reclining in her chair.

Velvet shook her head. “That was a seal placed by the Elements of Harmony, and was cast by Celestia herself. Nothing can break it, not even a prime evil.”

“Is it possible that someone is merely using her appearance? Like a shapeshifter of some kind?” Kanathara offered.

“I doubt it,” Velvet replied. “I’ve felt the effects of an irritated alicorn more than a few times and I get that same feeling when Nightmare Moon is around. Whoever she is, she's definitely no mere pony or demon for that matter.”

“Perhaps this is due to her being a prime evil and she’s merely replicating the look of some fabled lost alicorn?” Kanathara offered.

The pony tapped her chin thoughtfully. “It's possible, but the effect she has is uncanny. She has to have been an alicorn at one point in her life or at least consumed the soul of one.”

“What if she is Celestia’s sister and she hasn't broken the seal?” Rainbow Dash offered suddenly. “I mean, think about it. She didn't touch anything when we were in that room. She could be a projection or something.”

Kanathara blinked. “Now that I think about it, you are right. Velvet, do you remember her ever interacting physically with anything?”

“No. Never.” Velvet muttered.

Rainbow Dash grinned. “So she uses some sort of projection spell but is still stuck in the moon. That explains everything, right?”

“That it does,” Kanathara admitted. “Good thinking, Rainbow Dash. You're on a roll today.”

The vengant smirked and brushed some invisible dirt from her shoulder. “Pretty soon they’ll be calling me the brains of this operation.”

The keeper chuckled. “Keep it up and I might have to start taking my physical training more seriously.”

“You know, your theory really does explain quite a bit,” Velvet remarked. “Her minions are likely moving things into position in preparation for her arrival.”

“I’m assuming you are making inquiries into just what kind of prime evil she is?” Kanathara asked, turning to Velvet.

Who nodded. “I am, but things are slow on that front as her past is shrouded in mystery as you may have already guessed. Other than that, her minions are also tight-lipped and obedient, each one being either a thestral or a demon, or both.”

“Strange…” Kanathara murmured, the demon staring off into space as she contemplated the strange alicorn.

“So what are we going to do in the meantime?” Rainbow Dash asked, interrupting Kanathara’s train of thought. “We are after all, only going to get the details of where the Elements are tomorrow.”

“I will be training you in the interim,” Velvet offered.

Kanathara raised an eyebrow. “I know you have unique skills, but I’ve been fighting demons and monsters for nearly twenty years now. What do you hope to bring to the table that we don't already know?”

Velvet smirked. “You’ve fought demons, yes, but you haven't fought ponies, and probably haven't even had to worry about fighting an alicorn or someone who specializes in fighting your kind.”

“I don't know, annihilation demons and arbiters are both pretty terrifying to the average demon,” Kanathara replied.

“Yes, but can either of them use holy magic?” Velvet asked.

“Hmm, I see what you mean,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “These paladins will be much different than any demon we’ve fought before.”

“And that's assuming you don't run into something else entirel,.” Velvet added. “There are other far more destructive cults out there, and Equestria is home to monsters that make even demons seem harmless.”

“True,” Kanathara admitted with a sigh. “I assume you have some manner of regimen in mind? Perhaps even some study material I can go over?”

“Or some live testing?” Rainbow Dash excitedly asked. “We’ve only ever gone over the theory of holy magic. We’ve never trained with someone who can use it before."

Velvet raised her hooves. “Relax girls, we can get onto that tomorrow. Right now, I would really like to catch up with my long lost daughter.”

Kanathara shuffled awkwardly in her chair, the wood creaking under her weight as she looked down on the mare. “I’m not so sure I like where this is going. I know how it must feel to have me back, but I don't think I’ll ever consider you my mother.”

Velvet pushed down her sadness and smiled despite it. “That's fine. Honestly, I’ve long since accepted that you won't ever be my little Twilight again, but I’d still like to get to know you. Maybe in time you could even consider me a friend.”

Kanathara nodded slowly. “I suppose that's fair, and I am curious about my past. The memory spells I’ve tried have brought back bits and pieces, but the majority of it is just… empty.”

Rainbow Dash frowned. “Great. I guess I’ll go pass out then.”

A firm magical aura kept the demon seated however. “I heard about what happened, and before I go, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss,” Velvet interrupted, the magic vanishing a second later. “I know this may be a bit presumptuous of me, but if you need to talk about it, we’ll be here.”

“Sorry, Rainbow Dash, but I really have to know,” Kanathara added with an apologetic frown.

The winged demon sighed. “I know, but I think I just need some time alone for now. All of this emotional stuff is making me queasy.”

Kanathara chuckled. “I’ll call you when the food is here. I love you.”

Rainbow Dash blushed hotly and looked away. “I love you too.”

Velvet and Kanathara watched as the large, scaled demon sprinted out of the room, the door to the bedroom shutting firmly behind her.

“You two are adorable,” Velvet mused.

“Augh, not again. Pear Butter was the worst for this kind of teasing,” Kanathara groaned and dropped her chin against the table.

Velvet chuckled. “Oh really? Why don't you start with talking about her? I’m curious and the only thing I know of her is that she is one of Tirek’s most trusted underlings, plus a few other basic facts.”

“Are you sure you want to start with her?” Kanathara asked hesitantly. “I mean, in some ways she is the person who replaced you.”

The pony winced slightly, but quickly buried any outward display of her inner pain. “I think it would be best to rip that bandage off first,” Velvet declared.

Kanathara sat back up and looked down at the pony curiously. “First, I am curious about what your plan is. Do you intend to just talk to me or is there something else going on?”

Velvet shook her head. “For now I just want to talk and get to know you. Once you know your past, and I get to know you for who you are now, then I was hoping we could visit the old family home. Maybe spark a few more memories.”

The keeper of secrets stared down at the mortal mare for several minutes before sighing and nodding. “That is understandable. So, Pear Butter… where to start?”

“Why don't you begin with your oldest memory of her,” Velvet offered.

Kanathara blushed and chuckled awkwardly, the demon rubbing the back of her neck. “That's funny you would suggest that. The first time I met her I punched her and then we fought. Well, more like I fought a brick wall while she stood there.”

Velvet raised an eyebrow. “Now that sounds like a story. Do go on,” the pony remarked as she pulled down another bag of tea.

Kanathara smiled faintly, watching as Velvet began to heat up the pot once more. “Sure, why not.” She cleared her throat. “It all started when I was training with Cervantes when Tirek and Pear Butter walked in…”

---

“That was quite something,” Kanathara muttered while lying on her back, the demon panting hard as inky sweat covered her naked form.

Rainbow Dash fell to her knees next to the other demon. “No kidding. How in the heck did you even manage to cast all of those holy spells one after another like that?”

Velvet wiped the sweat from her brow and grinned. “Time moves differently in the dome, and this allows me to recover from casting faster than what should be possible.”

The two demons glanced up at the enormous black metal dome which loomed over them ominously. Its utterly smooth, featureless interior was strangely alien given its sheer size. Though the space inside of it was large enough to fit a small stadium, it felt much smaller, its actual size somehow fluctuating whenever needed.

Within the dome there were no light sources, though it was clear that both the demons and the pony didn't require any to see perfectly fine. To make matters even more unpleasant, the air was thick, filling the nostrils of any who entered with the scent of cinder and smoke. It also made their skin tingle and their spines itch in a way that was far more uncomfortable than could be described.

“How much time has passed in here?” Kanathara asked, the demon struggling to light her horn long enough to cast a quick self-cleaning spell.

“Just two days,” Velvet declared.

“And out there?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“Eight hours or so.” Velvet shrugged. “It's not exact though. Time manipulation is a fuzzy thing unfortunately.”

“Either way I feel like I have a good handle on how to deal with those heavy metal assholes,” Rainbow Dash declared, thumping her chest in emphasis. “Ow.”

Kanathara smiled. “Thank you, Velvet. This will definitely help should we ever run into them again.”

The pony bowed slightly, a grin spreading across her face. “Of course. You may not consider yourself my daughter, but I still do. Now let's get back to my quarters. You two deserve a long break and some good food.”

Kanathara and Rainbow Dash nodded, the two demons lagging behind as Velvet walked over to a seemingly random part of the wall. Lighting her horn caused a three-foot wide by eight-foot tall section of metal to part like a set of curtains, revealing a hall and a shadowy figure. Upon seeing the familiar yet nondescript face, Velvet sighed and stopped, turning to her two temporary students.

“Give me a moment. I have to speak to someone,” Velvet declared.

“You're not going to leave us in here, are you?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Velvet shook her head. “The door will remain open, just stay where you are. I’ll be right back.”

“Let's do as she says. I need a breather anyway,” Kanathara muttered.

Velvet turned back to face the shadowed stallion and fixed him with a glare. “What do you want?” she demanded.

The stallion oozed an aura of distaste, though that couldn't be discerned from his expression or facial features as both remained cloaked in shadow. “I see that you are training the demons to not only take on the paladins, but our own soldiers. Who authorized this?” he demanded.

“I did,” Velvet shot back, the mare taking a step closer to the stallion. “I need no one’s permission, least of all yours.”

“They may be bound by the patron’s bargain, but that agreement does not stop them from turning against us once they have fulfilled their end of the deal. Do you really think it is wise to give them the necessary skills to destroy the very organization you have spent the last ten years working for?” challenged the stallion, who took a step forward as well.

“I do indeed think that such an act is a wise one,” Velvet retorted. “They will likely be facing smaller and less organized groups than our own while on their little adventure. Besides, we only trained for forty-eight hours and I gave them only the basics necessary to survive against paladins and ponies in general.”

“And how to escape the grasp of the black hunger,” growled the shadowy stallion.

“I taught them only how to recognize its presence, that was it,” explained the mare.

“Still, that information was restricted for a reason. I don't know how you even managed to get ahold of it in the first place,” grumbled the male.

“You’ll find that keeping your underlings alive for longer than a month breeds loyalty that remains for longer than they would have lived.” Velvet smirked. “Furthermore, Blackguard and, by extension, Nightmare Moon knew of my plan to educate these two as best as possible before their outing, yet no one attempted to stop me.”

“That is not the same as permission,” refuted the male.

“Then it's a good thing I don't need permission,” Velvet replied. “Come on, girls, we’re leaving.”

“This is not over,” declared the stallion.

“Your little vendetta likely isn't, but this conversation definitely is,” Velvet stated before turning and leaving, two slightly confused and amused demons in her wake.

“Woah, that was metal. Who was that guy?” Rainbow Dash asked after she jogged up beside the pony.

“An asshole who thinks he owns the place just because he's one of Nightmare Moon’s lieutenants,” Velvet replied before turning down a side hallway and leaving the aforementioned stallion far behind them.

“He was there when we were captured. What do you know of him?” Kanathara asked in a low tone, her gaze fixed on the hallway behind them.

“Nothing, I’m afraid. His anonymity spell is too personalized to see through using the normal means, and he has never given anyone a name.” Velvet sighed as they stopped in front of a pair of large steel doors. “We don't even know if he is indeed a he for that matter.”

A rectangular hole opened up in the right door, revealing a pair of piercing blue eyes. “Password?” demanded a rough, female voice.

“Vostok,” stated Velvet.

The slit closed and the steel doors opened, a hooded unicorn bowing slightly. “I assume your time in the void was pleasant.”

Velvet snorted. “Tell Quark Gluon to lower the frequency of the argent energy he uses to feed the dome. It felt like my skull was going to rattle out of my head.”

The unicorn chuckled. “It will be done, mistress.”

Velvet nodded and strode forward, passing through a second pair of steel doors and past a few other cultists, and a pair of stone golems all with Rainbow Dash and Kanathara still in tow. By then the hall had become much busier, robed figures running too and fro, with even the odd demon carrying supplies, or simply passing by. Without any privacy to discuss the mystery stallion, Kanathara and Rainbow Dash fell back and had their own silent, mental discussion on the topic.

It didn't take long for them to leave the labs behind though, and after a brief conversation with Oluuraal, they were back in the more prestigious dormitories. There the traffic was almost non-existent, with only a few ponies and a single tall, lanky skeletal demon trodding the halls. Other than that, there was also a copper-furred earth pony stallion who stood outside of Velvet’s residence, the pony singing a strange tune in a language Kanathara didn't understand.

Upon nearing the stallion, he perked up and turned to them, a grin already forming on his face, his sky blue eyes twinkling with excitement. “Ahh, the prodigious daughter returns. Welcome to Equestria by the way,” announced the male, who bowed deeply, his auburn mane nearly brushing the stone floor.

“Thank you. I think?” Kanathara muttered.

Velvet snorted irritably. “What is it, Copper Coin? Don't tell me you are here just to hit on my daughter. Because if that's your plan, then I hope you updated your will.”

The brown-haired cultist stood, a grin still plastered firmly to his face. “Oh, that wasn't the only reason I came by. It seems as though one of your away teams has found something interesting and they were hoping to deliver a message.”

Velvet sighed. “Go on in, girls. I’ll be there in a second.”

Kanathara stopped in front of the stallion and looked him up and down before coldly stating, “Don't bother,” and walking inside.

“You heard the lady,” added Rainbow Dash as she passed him by, the demon blowing a puff of black soot in his face before following after her mistress and closing the door behind them.

“Hmm males,” Kanathara muttered before sitting in her spot and retrieving the tea pot and the rest of the objects necessary for her and Rainbow Dash to enjoy some relaxing leaf water together.

“Stupid useless assholes,” Rainbow Dash mumbled before sitting next to the keeper.

After the tea was brewed, and the first batch thoroughly enjoyed, a weary Velvet entered the room with a sigh. “Well, I have good news and bad news,” she announced.

“And I have just good news,” Kanathara interrupted with a smirk. “The tea is ready.”

The mare smiled and trotted over to the small table in the corner of the room before taking a sip and sighing again, only this time in relief. “Much better. Now then, bad news first. The Elements are all either guarded or lost,” Velvet exclaimed.

“I don't think anyone expected anything less,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“And the good news?” inquired Kanathara.

“We’ve either located them or have a solid lead on their location,” Velvet answered before the mare downed the last of her tea.

“That could be… worse,” Kanathara muttered.

“Quite. We’ll deal with that later though,” Velvet declared, turning towards a seemingly random bookshelf. “For now, I need to give you a few things.”

Rainbow Dash smirked as the pony began to flip through the many books on the shelf, evidently looking for something in particular. “Thanks, but we don't exactly have a place to put any books right now,” Rainbow Dash replied.

The bookshelf suddenly swung inward, revealing a hidden chamber just beyond, one that resembled a workshop more than a laboratory or library like the rest of Velvet’s quarters. The area itself was nearly twice the size of the living room they currently stood in and like that one, this new space had black stone walls and grey stone floors. The bleak aesthetic of the walls, floor and roof aside, the second room couldn't have been more different.

A large forge sat in one corner, the bellows of which were attached to a series of gears and crystals which continually filled it with air. The furnace itself was remarkable in itself, as it contained a fire that resembled the deepest pits of Tartarus rather than any mundane flame. Aside from that the room also contained numerous sets of armor in various states of completion, as well as weapons both great and small as well as other gadgets neither demon could identify. In addition, tools both large and small covered one wall while the rest of the floor space was given over to a workbench and a grinding wheel.

“What? You thought that was as big as my quarters was?” Velvet stated with a smirk.

“You really are the boss’ mom,” Rainbow Dash muttered while shaking her head.

“Why do you say that?” Kanathara demanded.

“She couldn't resist building a secret room behind a bookshelf. Just like you and our last three rooms,” Rainbow Dash replied with a chuckle.

Velvet smirked. “Yes well, our family’s idiosyncrasies aside, I was hoping to give you a few items I’ve been working on if you'll follow me.”

Kanthara nodded and did just that, with Rainbow Dash staying close behind her. “That lab, your quarters, those books, is there something you haven't studied?” Kanathara inquired with a smile.

Velvet’s smirk grew and she tapped her chin, pretending to be deep in thought. “Art. I’m not a big fan of it to be honest.”

Kanathara chuckled. “We really are related. Now, what were these items you had mentioned? ‘Cause I can tell you right now there is a good chance we won't be using them anyway as it's hard to find something that works with our fluid fighting style.”

“I noticed as much and don't worry, I’ve taken that into consideration,” Velvet declared as she pulled open a chest and began to dig through its contents. “Most demons do not have the ability to become intangible like you two do, and even then they usually reserve such an ability for simple escape.”

“We’ve noticed,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a snort. “It makes keeping equipment a recurring issue and is one reason that we’ve trained so hard with nothing but our hooves and natural abilities.”

“That won't be a problem with my armor, trust me,” Velvet exclaimed, only to grin. “Aha, there they are.”

The pony pulled out two pairs of greaves, and a large rather grisly set of plate mail armor, dumping them all on a table. The greaves only covered from hoof to knee and unfortunetly the metal was thin, seeming to serve mainly as decoration more then anything. Black roses crisscrossed the four metal pieces of armor, and though they all seemed magical to Twilight, they did not seem very powerful.

Unlike the plate mail which covered just about every inch of the wearer save for the head and neck, as it lacked an accompanying helmet. The armor itself was immensely thick, and seemed to be made from the scales of some great wyrm, the various plates interlocking so perfectly that there did not appear to be any seems. Yet it was also able to move surprisingly well, bending and flexing even though the large spikes which sprouted from the shoulder pad and leg guards should render such movement difficult or impossible.

“Well, one of these certainly looks like it would protect the wearer,” Kanathara remarked.

“Allow me to explain before you judge them too harshly.” Velvet pointed to the shin guards. “These used to be owned by an eccentric countess here in Equestria. She was something of a warrior, though she was also an accomplished poet, diplomat, and business owner. She made these in order to go from the front lines to her business without having to change out of her armor,” Velvet explained.

“So they are fancy, but effective,” Rainbow Dash deadpanned. “Is that it?”

“I was about to get to that,” Velvet grumbled. “They remain affixed to your legs no matter what happens and can only be removed if you actively focus on doing so.”

Kanathara leaned closer and lit her horn. “They also have a resizing spell placed upon them as well as a great many enchantments. Quite impressive.”

“I modified them so that they are able to shield the wearer’s entire body from not only the usual things like blunt force but they will also have a good chance of causing any spells directed at the wearer to fizzle,” Velvet continued. “And they are all yours.”

Kanathara nodded and grabbed one, only to notice something out of the ordinary. “There are no straps,” she pointed out.

“Just place it against your leg as if you were putting it on and the greaves will stick until you try to take them off,” Velvet replied.

The keeper did just that, though only after casting another scanning spell and finding out for herself that such a thing would indeed happen. “Huh, you don't even notice them,” Kanathara remarked as she waved her leg around.

“Comfortable?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“Very. They feel like I’m wearing a fuzzy boot or something,” Kanathara exclaimed, the demon hastily putting on the other three and sighing contentedly. “Ohh, now that's nice. I could get used to this.”

“And what does this ridiculous thing do?” Rainbow Dash asked, gesturing to the black-plated armor with a dismissive wave of her hoof.

“The appearance of this set of armor changes based on who wears it, so ignore that part for now,” Velvet began. “It has a vast array of spells placed upon it by its former owner. I needed to only tweak it a little in order to make it more suitable. It's also very cursed.”

Rainbow Dash instantly pulled back her hoof. “Woah, what the hay, lady? I thought you said these things were supposed to help us.”

“Oh it will, you just won't be able to take it off after you’ve put it on,” Velvet explained while patting the back of the armor.

“Not even to… ya know?” Rainbow Dash lifted her back leg in emphasis.

Velvet chuckled. “Oh no. I’ve solved that issue by ensuring the armor will shift according to the wearer’s urge, allowing it to shrink down to nothing but a breastplate.”

“That would still be a bit cumbersome, wouldn't it?” Kanathara asked while eying the armor carefully.

“Oh, it wouldn't be that bad,” Velvet declared with a mischievous smirk. “Besides, this armor is incredibly resilient, and to the wearer it will be as light as a feather, despite its appearance.”

That seemed to get Rainbow Dash’s attention and she eyed the suit in a new light. “You don't say...” muttered the vengant.

“Really stop and think about this, Rainbow Dash. You won't ever be able to take it off.” Kanathara declared, a frown slowly crossing her face. “Plus I can feel the presence of an evil spirit bound within the armor.”

“A mere mortal’s spirit? Give me a second,” Rainbow Dash remarked before placing her hoof against the chest piece of the armor and closing her eyes.

For a second nothing happened, and Kanathara was about to ask her familiar what was happening when the armor seemed to shriek, its scales twisting as if recoiling from some manner of attack. Rainbow Dash’s hoof began to glow, growing brighter and hotter until it could have single handedly lit up the room. All while the armor continued to twist and writhe until it finally finished changing into a much, much different arrangement.

The spikes were mostly gone, though three bonelike protrusions now extended near the hoof of both foreleg guards. It was also sleeker, with two long extensions sprouting from the back, each one evidently designed to guard the delicate bones of a wing, with thin black blades extending from the end of each. Grinning from ear to ear, Rainbow Dash recoiled her hoof and gave the armor a pat.

“That's a good pet,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Velvet raised an eyebrow. “I assume you have tamed this spirit?”

“You could say that,” Rainbow Dash remarked. “Give me a second.”

Velvet and Kanathara took a step back, allowing the vengant to begin sliding into the armor, the demon apparently knowing instinctively how to do so, despite the suit being unlike any she had seen before.

“Did you have any other items you wanted to give us?” Kanathara asked.

Velvet shook her head. “I have some that are nearly complete, but they need testing and some final tweaks to be done to them as there were some unexpected issues that cropped up at the last second.”

Kanathara hummed thoughtfully as she watched Rainbow Dash slide her large leathery wings through the holes of her armor. “This is all quite generous of you. Thank you very much.”

“Don't mention it. Besides, I have like twenty years worth of birthday presents to catch up on,” Velvet replied with a grin.

Kanathara couldn't help but smile, the bit of awkwardness she had felt already vanishing due to the pony’s good humour. “Still, thank you,” she whispered.

“Oh yeah, I am awesome,” Rainbow Dash declared while flexing her wings and stomping a hoof. “Tingles a little, but that's no big deal.”

Kanathara watched as the armor shifted, and moved until it fit the vengant perfectly, leaving behind several small openings at what seemed to be random locations on her body. “Hey Rainbow, what's with the holes?” Kanathara inquired.

“Oh that? It's so I can do this.” Rainbow Dash breathed deeply and instead of releasing a blast of firebreath, the flames erupted from the holes near her joints and hooves.

“Watch it, I got a lot of flammable stuff in here,” Velvet warned.

“I’m sure Rainbow Dash was paying attention,” Kanathara declared with a smile.

“Of course! I may be a demon, but that doesn't mean I’m a jerk,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Why don't you try making it shrink?” Kanathara offered.

Rainbow Dash nodded and closed her eyes, only for a gorget to sprout from the neck piece of the armor, followed by a skull-like helmet which grew over the vengant’s head. Two long horns sprouted from the back of the helmet, each one bone white, and stretching back a good two feet before stopping.

“Huh, didn't mean for that to happen,” Rainbow Dash murmured, only to turn her head left and right. “Feels good though.”

Closing her eyes once more, the armor shuddered and began to recede, the helmet and gorget folding into the central mass of armor. The legs, wings and back half of the armor quickly followed suit until there was nothing left than a solid black and silver breastplate. A red heart with a stake through it was emblazoned upon it, but other than that it was fairly featureless and looked surprisingly normal.

“Ha, I knew a real demon could bend the spirit’s will,” Velvet declared triumphantly.

“So what's next?” Rainbow Dash asked, the demon tapping her chestplate idly.

Velvet sighed. “Next we are going to have to plan on how you are going to steal the Elements. Come on, I’ve got a map in the other room somewhere that we can use.”

The pony turned and left, with Kanathara about to follow only to be stopped by Rainbow Dash. “Hey, boss, are we going to find some time to relax sometime soon? ‘Cause I kinda wanna talk to you a bit more and well… you know.”

Kanathara rolled her eyes, the keeper ignoring the wiggling eyebrows of her familiar. “Yes yes. I’ll find the time to head back and talk to father sometime soon. Then we can have a little alone time.”

“Hell yeah,” Rainbow Dash declared with a grin.

“You girls coming?” shouted Velvet from the other room.

“We’ll be right there!” Kanathara replied, only to sigh. “I guess it's right back to work after all.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “It's not so bad. Besides, I’ve been itching to blow off some steam ever since we got our butt kicked.”

“Right, well. Let's hope this doesn't end up like last time…” Kanathara muttered.

Author's Note:

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Comments

[shirotora]

We’ve never even seen a holy spell cast in person before.

Kanathara cast holy magic against Stygian

[Jest]

10111051
I messed up the wording here. Will fix soon.

[Jest]

10120382
Nope. fixed now.

[FlyingMushroomxii]

I love this fic and I love the route you've taken with velvet. I hope she stays nice. Also Tirek is a DILF.

[Jest]

10149752
Hey thanks. I think you'll enjoy where she goes in the coming chapters.

[Love able chaos]

Cool armor

[Zarc2003]

“I’m assuming you are making inquiries into just what kind of prime evil she is?” Kanathara asked, turning to Velvet.

I assume that she might Me the 1th betrayal or something like that

“Augh, not again. Pear Butter was the worst for this kind of teasing,” Kanathara groaned and dropped her chin against the table.

I wish we got to see that

I Really love your stories