Born In Light, Forged In Darkness

by Jest

Trial Six: A Job Well Done

Both demons charged into the gaping hole left behind by Kanathara’s spell, flying straight towards the distant golden dome which housed their target. Trailing behind them was Fluttershy, the nervous pony doing her best to avoid getting the attention of anyone who may happen upon her. Thankfully between the demonic incursion, paladin crack down, and spreading fire, what few ponies noticed them didn't give chase.

Most seemed intent on simply sprinting towards the nearest exit, while their slaves simply stood there, wide-eyed and unmoving. With so little focus on the part of the guards, Kanathara and Rainbow Dash didn't even bother attacking any of the panicked ponies, merely flying deeper into the castle, eyes glued on their prize and only giving anyone else the briefest of glances.

That was until they reached the large central room, where a dozen pegasi were waiting for them, all but one of whom were airborne. The lone robed pony stood next to the dais, a hoof pressed against the golden shield as she sneered at the demons. Though only her mouth was visible, Kanathara could already tell who it was they were now facing off against.

“You can lose the hood, Mrs Shy!” Kanathara exclaimed, landing a dozen feet from the edge of the golden shield.

Rainbow Dash hit the ground next to her mistress a second later, her gaze lingering on the eleven well-armored guards hovering above them. Their armor was obviously enchanted, the glowing copper-colored metal absolutely humming with energy. Not only that, but the room itself was heavily warded, with the high walls and nearly thirty foot ceiling dotted with magical circles.

“I suppose it was obvious, wasn't it?” replied the robed pony, who pulled back her hood to reveal a short, cropped crimson mane and well-kept yellow fur. “Then again, it wasn't like we were hiding.”

“Mom, is that you?” asked a nervous Fluttershy who stepped up next to the two demons.

The robed pony’s expression twisted, becoming strained for a moment before morphing back into a look of mild disdain once again. “So you’ve managed to beguile my daughter into helping you. No matter. Soon you will all be under my control.”

“We didn't use any freaky mind magic on her, if that's what you mean,” Rainbow Dash spat. “She just knows that you’re doing some seriously evil shit.”

“What do you know of righteousness? You’re a demon for crying out loud!” shouted the mare, who scoffed. “The only evil here are those toothless fools who control this debauched city.”

“Stealing away their minds and making ponies prisoners in their own bodies is not the way to make the world a better place,” Fluttershy proclaimed. “In fact, it was you who always told me that two wrongs don't make a right.”

“I am righting the wrongs our weak society has wrought!” yelled the older mare, stomping her hoof in emphasis. “Once I use the paladins to take control of the city, I will ensure that no one has to go through what you did.”

Then, before anyone could get a word in edgewise, the pegasus pressed a glowing feather tip against the golden shield. Which then turned from a sickly green to a vibrant pink the energy visibly building within the confines of the artifact. Above her, the previously silent pegasus guards burst into motion, each one surging towards the Tartarus spawn.

“Focus the demons and keep them away from the Element! In minutes they will be under our control!” shouted the robed mare.

Please tell me you have a plan, thought Rainbow Dash as she leapt towards her first opponent, hoof raised and ready to strike.

I need to probe the shield’s weaknesses. Just try to deal with as many of them as you can, Kanathara replied, snapping a quick mana bolt before rolling out of the way of a shard of conjured ice.

Fluttershy scrambled out of the way of the fighting, terrified of getting struck by a wayward attack, only to find that she was being completely ignored. The armored pegasi weaved and struck at her demonic friends, bolts of lightning, shards of ice, and sharp gusts of wind being launched at the two powerful demons. The guards themselves seemed to be a step above the rest they had fought until this point.
Their helmets offered far more protection then the others, though the face remained open, and a strip of colored hair ran down the length of their helmets. Each one was a different color starting with four who had a light teal, another four were deep blue, and the last three were a pearlescent white. Their under armour seemed to be a simple cloth at first glance, though Fluttershy could tell that the heavy tunic offered more protection than one may assume.

It also allowed the guards a wide range of motion, as the thick copper-colored plates covered only their shoulders and barrel. Overlapping layers of metal helped to cover most of their weak spots while thick leg guards covered just about everything else. In their hooves were two different weapons, one being a simple short sword meant for stabbing, the other being a long, pointed spear.

Their movements were graceful as well as lightning fast, the guards somehow able to hound the demons closely without getting in each other’s way. It would have been impressive had they not been seeking to murder Fluttershy’s friends and ultimately enslave hundreds of ponies through cruel magic. Confused and with little idea of what she could even do to help, Fluttershy merely hid as best as she could near the entrance to the room, looking on with wide-eyed terror.

Kanathara jerked to the right, dodging a lightning bolt before leaping over a fan of ice that would have cut her legs off at the knees. Yet somehow, she had just enough focus left over to fire off a bolt of charged energy at the golden shield, her spell reflecting off the side and shooting off into the ceiling. Making a note that it was extremely resistant to concussive force, Kanathara deflected the blow of a spear with a conjured shield but couldn't follow up due to a sword being thrust towards her midsection.

Rising onto her back hooves, Kanathara swatted aside the attack before smacking another guard in the face with her wing. She fired off another spell in the opening, this one being a twinned bolt of fire and lightning which intertwined before slamming into the shield. Unlike her first spell, this attack simply vanished the second it hit its target, fading into nothing and leaving behind not even a mark.

A thunderclap followed by a wave of lightning forced Kanathara airborne and to abandon her attempts at figuring out how to bypass the shield. Rainbow Dash was right there, however, the vengant swooping in and releasing a great fan of flames at Kanathara’s attackers. A spray of icy wind stopped the hellfire dead in its tracks, though Rainbow Dash had assumed that would happen and had already moved on to her next attack.

There were simply too many of them however, and a second later the chaotic melee became even more confusing when the two demons were swarmed from seemingly all sides at once. Now nearly back to back, Kanathara and Rainbow Dash ducked, weaved, blocked and otherwise stuck purely in defence, unable to offer any manner of counterattack. This continued for several seconds, with both demons having to focus all their energy on merely not getting skewered.

Shock and awe? Rainbow Dash thought, deflecting a swordstrike with one forehoof before decking her attacker with the other.

Low area of effect, high damage, Kanathara replied, leaping over a trio of ice crystals before swooping low under a crisscross of cutting wind.

Snapping off a quick spell, Kanathara aimed her horn at her familiar’s wings just as the vengant had opened them as wide as they could go. Then, before anyone could strike her while in such a vulnerable position, Rainbow Dash flapped as hard as she could. Bright purple fire exploded from her leathery appendages, bathing the area in a thick blanket of enchanted hellfire and knocking back the guards.

Though they suffered only minor burns thanks to the enchantments on their armor, it gave the two demons just enough time to recover. Kanathara reached out with her magic and yanked an unfortunate soldier towards Rainbow Dash who had already filled her lungs with fire. Just as he was about to get his head melted off his shoulders, a sudden pressure change around Rainbow Dash’s head left the demon reeling and confused.

Flames sputtered from the vengant’s grille at random, scorching the guard’s helm but doing little else. Spinning on her heel, Kanthara glared at the robed pony who had spent most of combat merely focusing on the Element. Seeing the grim look on her face, as well as her glowing primaries, Kanathara knew she had been responsible for what had just happened.

Thankfully it seemed as though the corrupted Element of Harmony took most of her focus as she quickly turned away from the fight. Unfortunately for the demons, however, the guards had gathered themselves once more and had relaunched their assault. Aggravated by their rapidly shifting fortunates, Kanathara had just enough time to brace herself before the next pink pulse washed over them.

Demon and pony alike either hovered in place or fell to the ground, standing perfectly still or remaining in place.

All save for Fluttershy’s mother who shouted over the din of battle, “Attack while they are disoriented!”

Like a spell being broken, the guards leapt back into action, though their eyes seemed partially glazed over, as if they were not wholly in control of their actions anymore. Kanathara was just as quick though and fired off a twisting miasma of energy at the shield while at the same time sprinting over to Rainbow Dash. Her spell dissipated the second it touched the golden barrier, turning into a kaleidoscope of colors which vanished in an instant.

“Rainbow Dash, with me!” Kanathara shouted just as the raging vengeant had been about to throw herself into several spears.

Twisting in mid-air, the winged demon quickly regained her senses, though her thoughts remained turbulent for several seconds afterward.

Negative energy and hellfire both do nothing. Who cast this bloody shield? Celestia herself? Kanathara thought to herself.

Rainbow Dash grunted, a spear bouncing off her breastplate with enough force to leave a bruise. I don't know who cast it, but we need to figure out a way to get through it and fast. That last one was strong. Maybe we should-

Whatever the vengant had been about to say was cut off when a howl echoed from down the hole they had created in the cloud castle. A second later a dozen demons poured in through the gap, forcing several of the guards to split off in order to defend their rear. Even with the addition of some help, both Rainbow Dash and Kanathara were still unable to land a meaningful hit on the guards.

Rainbow Dash managed to burn one poor fool, but the damage was surface level, and the guard herself backed off before the vengant could continue. A flurry of stabs and quick thrusts from two other pegasi kept Rainbow Dash back, and she cursed her luck as several swordstrikes bounced off her armor. Though they had yet to find a chink in her defences, they were dangerously close to her joints and one had nearly slipped through her grille.

Kanathara chuckled as she watched the imps and low level demons throw themselves at the guards. Though most of them were cut down in seconds, the keeper was suddenly quite glad that a more intelligent monster had come through. Otherwise she doubted the demonic creatures would have even understood what had happened when the pink wave had washed over them.

She knew their little distraction wouldn't last long, however, and rather than continue probing the shield, Kanathara fired off a ray of absolute darkness at the robed pony standing next to it. The older mare easily sidestepped the attack, slipping through the barrier and onto the dais itself, as if the shield didn't even exist. The demon’s eyes went wide, and she frantically began to formulate a more complicated probing spell.

Get their attention, I have an idea! Kanathara exclaimed.

Right. I’m on it, boss lady, Rainbow Dash replied, already regretting what she planned on doing.

Leaping to the side, Rainbow Dash put herself between her mistress and the guard who had been trying to impale her on a spear. Instead of striking home, the pony’s weapon slammed into Rainbow Dash’s breast plate, their eyes meeting for a single moment. That turned out to be all the vengant needed however, as her own eyes glowed, and a portion of her rage passed into the pony.

Who screamed incoherently before throwing her spear as hard as she could at the vengant. This seemed to disrupt her closest allies' attacks, forcing them to leap aside lest they end up on the business end of the raging pony’s weapon. The attack was easily telegraphed however, and Rainbow Dash used her magic to harden her wing before using the appendage to knock aside the spear, shattering the tip.

Now thrown into disarray by their screaming ally, the six guards struggled to regain a single cohesive focus. In the meantime, Kanathara fired off her spell, only to suddenly get knocked off her hooves by a sudden burst of low pressure directly under her. This sudden shock garbled her diagnostic spell’s response somewhat and forced the demon to turn to mist in order to avoid being impaled by a summoned shard of ice.

Kanathara wanted to scream in frustrated rage, but instead forced herself to simply reform out of harm's way, casting a scorching ray in order to keep her enemies at bay. A powerful gust knocked the spell aside however, sending it into an unfortunate imp who was incinerated in an instant. The deflection enraged Kanathara even more, but the demon kept her temper in check, as she could tell that the Element was building energy once more.

Knowing full well that this may be her last chance to stop herself from becoming a pawn of the houses, Kanathara began to desperately look for Fluttershy. Finding the pegasus cowering in the corner of the room, Kanathara breathed a sigh of relief, before muttering an even briefer apology. Then, with a heave, Kanathara used her magic to throw the now defenceless pegasus at the shield, hurling her at the dias as if she was a spear.

The yellow pegasus had just enough time to let out a terrified screech before she hit the barrier, only to pass right through. Landing in a heap before the Element and her surprised mother, Fluttershy stumbled back into a stand, still reeling from her impromptu flight. For a moment it seemed as though the older pony was going to attack her own daughter, only to refocus on the Element at the last minute.

Why would you do that? Rainbow Dash thought, her anger palpable even in her thoughts.

It's keyed to their genetics. I knew she was going to be fine, Kanathara retorted, gritting her teeth as a sword nicked her side, drawing a thin line of blood.

And if you were wrong? Rainbow Dash thought back, bucking a guard hard enough to send him flying.

Then she’d be dead, and we’d be slaves, Kanathara exclaimed, ignoring her familiar’s response. “Knock the element away, hurry!” She shouted.

Fluttershy looked from the glowing pink jewelry to her mother who stood next to it, her forehooves pressed against the artifact. “Don't do it, Fluttershy, this is for your own good!” shouted the older mare.

Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed. “Well, I’m tired of other people deciding what is and isn't good for me, especially you!”

The butter pegasus raised her own forehooves and brought them down on the Element just as the energy had reached its zenith. When the energy was released, instead of flooding the area with another explosion of pink magic, the light flowed into Fluttershy. The greenish remnants within the jewel withered and vanished, washed away by the wave of light which left behind no trace of corruption.

Pony and demon alike were struck by the sheer power of the Element, forcing all to shield their eyes lest they be blinded by its light. When the dust cleared, and Kanathara concluded that she was not under the control of some cultist, the demon stood slowly. Looking around, she noticed that the pegasus guards had been knocked to the ground, and the sole remaining imp was struggling back to its feet.

A quick flick of Kanathara’s horn and the creature’s head was lopped off its body, and a second, slightly longer spell ensured that the guards would not rise again. Heavy magical chains bound their limbs against their bodies, though for a moment Kanathara considered simply killing them and being done with it. That idea was quickly pushed aside however, and the keeper gathered the guards together in the center of the room.

Magical muzzles were placed over their mouths, and bindings along their wings secured the feathered appendages. Most were too dazed to offer any manner of resistance, and Kanathara overpowered the two who were, securing them to the floor. Confident that they wouldn't be a problem anymore, she turned towards her familiar who was now upright and was trying to shake the stars from her eyes.

Stepping past her, Kanathara walked up to the raised platform to where Fluttershy stood staring at the Element in confusion.

“What happened?” she asked, looking up at Kanathara expectantly.

“I think you cleansed the Element. Though I’m afraid I’m going to have to take it from you,” Kanathara replied, holding out her hoof.

Fluttershy hesitated for a moment before dropping the piece of jewelry into the demon’s outstretched limb. The second it was in her grasp, Kanathara tore open a small hole in reality before tossing the Element into it. With her prize now secure in a pocket dimension, Kanathara looked down to where Fluttershy’s mother lay sprawled out on the ground, her robe smoking and hair singed.

“Now then, what to do with you…” Kanathara murmured.

“I know what she did was wrong, but please don't kill her,” Fluttershy pleaded, quickly stepping between them.

“You have no idea what you have done, child,” Mrs Shy whispered hoarsely. “All of this was meant to ensure that what happened to you would not happen to anyone else. We were building a better, kinder world!”

“And you thought you would get there by committing some of the worst atrocities Cloudsdale had ever seen,” Rainbow Dash added, stepping up next to her mistress.

The older mare ground her teeth together. “It was the only way to gain control without having to fight our own citizens. It may not look like it, but this was the most bloodless solution available.”

Fluttershy held up a hoof, silencing the retort she knew was about to come from the keeper. “It doesn't matter. What matters now is that you release those poor ponies from your control. Do that, and I promise you will live to see another day,” Fluttershy declared.

“I…” The older mare looked up into Fluttershy’s eyes and all at once her shoulders fell slack. “I suppose you're right. There is no point in keeping them anymore.”

The pegasus hesitated before reaching into her robes, prompting Kanathara to light her horn, only for a simple reddish gem to emerge.

“I suppose keeping them as they are would be unnecessarily cruel, especially since we have been defeated,” whispered the mare, lifting the redish orb. “This is the binding stone. Simply will them free, and it will be done.”

Before anyone could move Rainbow Dash grabbed it and raised it into the air, closing her eyes as she did so. Immediately, numerous different colored lights began to emerge from deep within the stone, coalescing into two orbs of rainbow light. The spheres twisted and spun around one another, growing brighter and brighter before pulsing and sending out a rainbow-colored ring in all directions.

In the wake of the wave two vague, pony-like shapes could be seen standing on either side of the vengant. They resembled two adult pegasi, and they simply smiled at the demon for several seconds before vanishing. Their bodies dissipated, leaving behind a confused and startled Rainbow Dash who stood in awe at what she had just witnessed.

“Was that my…” she murmured, gaze lingering on the spot where the more feminine shape had stood a moment earlier.

“We can discuss this later. Right now we need to worry about the paladins kicking down the door and capturing us both,” Kanathara stated evenly, her voice firm but gentle.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “R-right. What do we do with her?”

The robed pony stumbled into a stand. “I don't care what you plan to do with me, just please leave my daughter out of whatever machinations you have in mind for Equestria. She has gone through enough torment because of a demon.”

“I had no intention of involving Fluttershy in the first place,” Kanathara retorted, smiling faintly as she glanced at the yellow pegasus. “Though I’m glad things turned out that way in the end.”

“Thank you both for your kindness and mercy,” Fluttershy replied, bowing her head slightly.

“I wouldn't say that just yet,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed before winding up and sucker punching Fluttershy’s mom right in the muzzle.

The mare flew backwards, landing with her legs splayed in all directions, clearly unconscious and sporting a shattered nose.

Fluttershy sighed irritably and trotted over to the fallen pony. “You didn't need to do that,” she muttered, turning the bloody mare onto her side.

“She's a vengant. Getting revenge is kind of her thing,” Kanathara pointed out.

Fluttershy grumbled as she wiped the blood from her mother’s nose. “So what will you do now?”

“Simple. We make our getaway,” Kanathara replied, her horn glowing and her wounds closing one by one.

Rainbow Dash shook herself violently, the dents in her armor fixing themselves and what few injuries she had healing rapidly. “Ahh, much better. So what's the plan then? Are we teleporting out of here or what? 'Cause that sounds boring.”

Kanathara chuckled. “Don't worry. I have something suitably flashy in mind.”

---

Shining Armor tapped his hoof impatiently on the lip of his personal sky carriage. His brow was furrowed, and his attention was fixated on the very one-sided battle happening below him. Though the fight looked almost even at first, after a rainbow wave emerged from somewhere above them, the tides had quickly turned.

With the majority of the earth ponies and unicorns they had been fighting suddenly collapsing like puppets with their strings cut, over half of the houses’ soldiers were out of commission. Some even turned on their former allies, bellowing angrily as they shot down or trampled pegasi they had been fighting alongside only moments earlier. On top of all that there was also a fire growing rapidly out of control and there happened to be a small imp infestation his paladins were only just barely containing.

To say it was a mess would be an understatement, and already Shining Armor could tell that he was going to have a very long day ahead of him. The paperwork alone would take his assistants weeks to get in order, and then would come the hearings and inquiries that local governments would demand. Nevermind the report he would have to write to the princess detailing all that had occurred in only a matter of hours.

The stallion sighed, glad that at least his soldiers were carrying out their orders to the letter, making him more or less irrelevant. With little to do, the commander was about to join the fight personally when he heard a sudden shout from beside him. Spinning towards his second-in-command, Shining Armor followed the mare’s gaze above them, where a flaming armored pony was falling from the sky.

No, not falling, flying directly down, their trajectory putting them just out of range of Shining Armor and his paladins but close enough to tease them.

“What in the hell is that?” Shining Armor shouted, gripping the edge of the carriage.

“I don't know, sir, but it appears demonic,” replied his lieutenant.

“I can see that, soldier. Wait, I think I know who that is. Let our ponies know that, unless they attack, I want you to ignore them. Celestia has plans for-” Whatever else he had been about to say was rendered impossible to hear due to a large explosion.

Which came from just above them, originating from the flaming demon and rippling outwards in a blood-red ring. A millisecond later the armored form zipped past his position, plummeting out of the sky so fast that it had become a reddish-black blur. The flaming wake it left behind knocked pegasi out of the sky and rattled the unicorn’s carriage so bad Shining Armor thought he would be flung off.

Rising quickly, the stallion quickly checked his surroundings, and after ascertaining that none of his soldiers were falling to their deaths, breathed a sigh of relief.

“Cocky bastard,” he muttered.

His second-in-command lifted an eyebrow. “Sir?”

Shining Armor snorted. “Like I was going to say, they aren't a problem. Celestia and I have plans for them. Besides, in a twisted way they sort of helped us out.”

“I mean I guess, but they also made a pretty big mess of the entire place,” offered the mare, gesturing to the battlefield below them.

Shining Armor glanced back over the demonically infested, flaming, and utterly chaotic fight and sighed. “Yes, lieutenant. That they did.”

Author's Note:

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Comments

[Noobblue]

Indeed, that was very flashy.

[Alchemik]

Plans huh? Hmmm, standard Elements plans or something else? Ah, can't wait to find out. Not to mention the question of where the other Elements (the artifacts, not the ponies) are and what they might be being used for. Curiouser and curiouser.

[Backlash91]

I can't wait to read more. I hope twilight gets her element.

[Love able chaos]

Now that's how you exit an area.
I'm also all caught up with both stories.

[The Weaver]

In the wake of the wave two vague, pony-like shapes could be seen standing on either side of the vengant. They resembled two adult pegasi, and they simply smiled at the demon for several seconds before vanishing. Their bodies dissipated, leaving behind a confused and startled Rainbow Dash who stood in awe at what she had just witnessed.

I'm surprised they recognize her. From the descriptions none of them should be. Yet again with Applejack and Pear Butter. It's not like they hide their inner beauty. That is the soul you are looking at. More naked than any pony.