Born In Light, Forged In Darkness

by Jest

Trial Ten: The Grootslang

“Can you handle this creature on your own?” Kanathara asked, gesturing to the grootslang which was rapidly surging in their direction.

“I mean… probably,” Daisy muttered. “Why?”

“Because we have a small horde of eels that are about to make things way more complicated,” Kanathara replied.

A high-pitched roar stopped all conversation. The pair turned towards the serpentine beast as it clawed its way towards them. Already the diamond dog soldiers were growing nervous, and that sense of unease only grew when they heard a second series of cries. Originating in the opposite direction, these bellowed challenges were far more numerous and heralded the imminent arrival of a small horde of quarry eels.

Daisy bit her lip and glanced between the approaching grootslang and the more distant eels.

“Do it. But be ready to lend what help you can if I call you,” Daisy exclaimed.

Kanathara was tempted to give the dogs some manner of additional aid, like the boon of a powerful enchantment. She thought better of this, figuring that the grootslang’s natural chaos magic would render any such enhancements moot. That, and Kanathara didn't want to waste her magic on a bunch of only partially trained militia that weren't worth the effort in the first place.

The demon’s form rippled briefly before a pair of wings burst from her shadowy back. The leathery appendages flapped once, then twice, their form solidifying by the third and final test. Now capable of flight, Kanathara leapt from the ground just as the grootslang was upon the small group of diamond dogs.

Who had formed into a tight wedge directly between the beast and their still vomiting, incpacitated companion. Their defensive wall proved strong and adaptable, flexing as the serpent swung one of its massive claws at them. This attack was dodged with ease, and Daisy even managed to smash her mace into one of the beast’s fingers.

The counter strike did little, though it did draw a smile to Kanathara’s face, her respect for the dogs rising ever so slightly. That respect grew as the ragtag militia continued to do well against their much larger, much stronger foe. They bent, moved, and struck back when given the chance, casting large, weighted nets at the monster.

These attempts to bind the beast did little, though they had yet to land anything considerable. As Kanathara flew towards the oncoming eels, she glanced briefly over her shoulder, watching as the dogs fought. Sure enough, they were continuing to hold their own, with their formation remaining solid despite having to constantly shift position.

Turning away from the dogs, Kanathara took stock of the situation directly before her.

Dozens of eels the size of small houses and as long as the average oak tree was tall charged at her, slithering over the rocky landscape with ease. Their bright red scales shone in the moonlight, reflecting off the frost which clung to nearly every surface. The creatures’ passage disturbed the earth and caused minor avalanches of rock to tumble down the sides of the crevice.

Kanathara was unbothered and merely lit her horn while hovering in mid-air. Wings flapping languidly, Kanathara weaved a potent spell, observing the unrushing horde as it drew ever closer. She could see that foam dripped from the creatures’ numerous maws, and a dark, cold light emanated from their eyes.

They must be frenzied for some reason, Kanathara reasoned.

Regardless as to why, they were here, and they were going to make a mess of things if they were allowed to get past her. That was all the justification Kanathara needed to destroy these simple beasts and paint the ground red in their blood. To that end Kanathara finished the final preparations for her spell, multiple glowing runes sparking into existence and twisting as energy was pumped into them.

Her magic churned as it was held tight in her grip, the barely controlled mass of power becoming increasingly unwieldy. Until at long last it was nearly impossible to control, and Kanathara pointed her sharpened horn skyward. She unleashed all that pent up energy into a single massive purple orb which shot up into the air, arcing higher until it was over the central mass of eels.

There it exploded, turning into innumerable black shards which shot down at the swarming host of eels. Each as thick and as heavy as a boulder, these hunks of solid magic cut through the horde like a hot knife through butter. The chorus of hungry wails turned into a pained scream shared across a hundred mouths all at once.

Dozens died in an instant, their bodies pinned to the rock by the shards piercing their forms. More still were rendered immobile, locked in place, but not mortally wounded by the demon’s magical assault. A surprising number slithered onwards, sporting only shallow cuts from the black hail which had briefly blotted out the moon.

“Huh,” Kanathara muttered. “That chaos spell must have taken more out of me. Oh well, that just means I get to have even more fun.”

With a smile on her face, the keeper of secrets lit her horn once more before throwing herself into the fray. Though the majority of her mind was devoted to strategy and magic, a small part of the demon couldn't help but wonder how Rainbow Dash was doing.

---

“Well, at least the door wasn't locked,” Rainbow Dash remarked as she pushed open the heavy door with a grunt.

“Maybe you should go back. If it's just me, then the cave might reset back to its previous mode,” Rarity offered as she trotted in after the demon.

“Is that guaranteed though?” Rainbow Dash asked, glancing over her shoulder.

Rarity shrugged. “Is anything?”

“Then you’re stuck with me,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Now then, where do we… start?”

The demon looked up to find that she was at the entrance of what looked like a maze. The walls of which were straight and clean, the stone having been cut into symmetrical lines. So smooth and perfect were every surface that Rarity nearly slipped after setting hoof into the strange new area.

“Interesting. We never found this place during our travels,” Rarity muttered. “It looks like minotaurs made this.”

“I don't care who made it. Is our target at the end of it or not?” Rainbow Dash demanded.

Rarity nodded. “Though the structure itself may change, the end goal will be the same. The egg lies at the end of this maze.”

“Then we move,” Rainbow Dash declared.

The demon strode confidently into the maze’s entrance, her gaze sweeping across the flat brownish grey floors and walls. Seconds ticked by without any change, that was until they hit a turn and were forced to make a left. Then something clicked, and Rainbow Dash felt the floor give out from under her hooves, dropping her into the dark.

Reacting instinctually, the vengant shot her hooves out to the sides, ramming the steel clad appendages into the stone walls. Screeching to an abrupt halt, Rainbow Dash calmly took a breath and extended her wings before sparing a curious glance below her. To where a pit of sharp, barbed spikes waited patiently for her to fall into it.

“Are you okay?” Rarity shouted, peeking nervously over the side.

“Just fine,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Now I should try not to use too many of my abilities, right? That would be bad?”

“It would,” replied Rarity.

Rainbow Dash grunted. “Guess I’ll do this the hard way then.”

Before Rarity could ask what she meant, Rainbow Dash lurched towards one side of the pit and rammed her forehooves into the wall. She then plunged her back legs into the stone, creating hoof holds which she used to climb up the side. In no time at all Rainbow Dash had escaped the trap, crawling over the side and standing upright once more.

“Now then, let's continue,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, unshaken by the near impalement she might have suffered.

“I’ll, uh, be right behind you,” Rarity muttered.

“Figured as much,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a snicker.

Rarity snorted, and was about to make a comment about Rainbow Dash’s poor attitude, only to be interrupted when a pair of axes emerged from the walls. The demon rolled forward, dodging the traps, only to immediately spring another one, which caused a flurry of darts to shoot from the walls. The projectiles peppered Rainbow Dash’s armored exterior and simply bounced off, landing with a clack on the cold ground.

“That's not good. The maze will probably make things more difficult now,” Rarity remarked.

“Pfft, this is amatuer league stuff anyway,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I used to run labyrinths like this for fun back in the day.”

“Yes, well. Your masochism aside, I don't think we should test the maze anymore than necessary,” Rarity offered.

“Spoilsport,” Rainbow Dash muttered disinterestedly.

Rarity sighed as she weaved through the now inert axes and the piles of darts lying on the ground, half convinced that more would emerge. When that didn't happen, she joined Rainbow Dash at another turn and peered over the vengant’s shoulder curiously.

“Huh, a dead end,” Rarity muttered.

“It isn't a complete dead end. See the mirror?” Rainbow Dash pointed out, gesturing to the lone hunk of glass hanging from the wall about thirty feet away from them.

“I guess?” Rarity answered. “But what does that have to do with anything?”

“It's a classic doppelganger trap. We need to go in there and trigger it, defeat our twisted inversions, and then a door will open.” Rainbow Dash flashed the mare a smirk. “I’ve seen this plenty of times before.”

“Well if you’re certain,” Rarity muttered.

“I’ve done this before. It will be easy,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

---

Kanathara gnashed her teeth angrily as she was forced to dodge the bite of a particularly bold eel who had leapt up at her. The creature never got the chance to hit the ground however, as Kanathara used a beam of concentrated magic to bisect it. The splatter of gore and blood did nothing to slow down the others though, who continued past Kanathara towards the diamond dogs.

With a grunt, the keeper of secrets conjured a wall of blackened flames across the canyon, hoping to stop the dead in their tracks. The eels, however, showed no fear and simply leapt through the scorching barrier, emerging out the other side with numerous, visible wounds. Now forced to retreat, Kanathara spun around and conjured a storm of lightning bolts which she unleashed on the swarm.

Though more of the beasts were felled, the rest continued on, pausing only briefly as their muscles twitched uncontrollably. As Kanathara passed over her barrier, she poured more magic into the wall, creating a raging inferno that rendered all who passed through it to ash. Unfortunately that still left over a dozen slightly charred eels who were making their way towards the diamond dogs’ undefended backside.

For a moment Kanathara considered shouting a warning, but thought better of it given how close the fight with the grootslang was. The great serpent was no ordinary monster, and despite the dogs’ tenacity, the creature refused to be felled so easily. Dodging every net and continuing to strike back, it was quickly proving too great an enemy for the ragtag militia.

Seeing that her help would be needed eventually, Kanathara focused on finishing off the eels. To this end Kanathara used her magic to dice, slice, and otherwise massacre the odd-looking creatures in droves. Such a show of force would have broken the morale of any normal foe, though the eels seemed unbothered by the losses.

They merely continued to twist their way through the canyon, rapidly bearing down on the gathered dogs. Cursing her own foul luck, Kanathara prepared a chain lightning spell which should deal with them all in one foul stroke. That was until she heard the distinct woosh of something large, heavy, and fast, heading straight for her.

Spinning around, Kanathara found that an eel had burst from a hidden hole in the wall and was now mere moments from biting her in half. Kanathara wasn't about to let that happen though, and gripping her grimoire tight in her forehooves, she backhanded the creature with it with all her might. The magic book held firm, its shimmering chains clinking as Kanathara dropped it, allowing the tome to dangle from her neck once more.

The eel, now missing a half dozen teeth and sporting an incredibly large, rapidly forming bruise on its face, hung lifelessly in its burrow. Confusion was not a common experience for the creature, though it ended up being baffled for the rest of its life. Which turned out to be not very long, as Kanathara used a scorching ray of hellfire to burn a hole straight through its skull.

Now unburdened by any surprise foes attempting to make a meal out of her, Kanathara turned towards her other enemies. Only to immediately curse when she discovered that they were nearing the dogs’ location and seemed intent on attacking them. Kanathara had hoped that they would be at least partially interested in the grootslang, though that hope turned out to be in vain.

The strange red creatures, despite having been frenzied due to reasons beyond Kanathara’s comprehension, apparently retained some manner of intelligence. For instead of assaulting the much larger foe, they seemed intent on trying to rob the larger beast of its meal. Whatever their intentions, Kanathara’s path was clear.

Or was it?

The demon briefly considered allowing the dogs to be eaten, though she quickly thought better of it. Rarity would be difficult to control if she lost her partner and was robbed of the company of the other dogs. Losing soldiers and potentially her ace in the hole was unacceptable to the demon. She set off, intent on saving the militia.

With horn bright with gathered magic, Kanathara swooped down from on high, blasting the first eel she saw with a powerful concussive wave. Its organs and muscles now liquified, the eel fell to the ground, twitching as its brains started to leak from its ear holes. There were more still however, leaving Kanathara with only a few seconds before she would have to conjure a barrier of magic.

Before that happened, Kanathara landed at the dogs’ backside, her horn flashing briefly before producing the desired effect. A semi-circular wall of purplish black magic ensured that no eels could attack the dogs, who could now focus entirely on the grootslang. In response, the remaining bright red creatures roared and bashed their heads against the shield, though none could pierce it.

Stupid animals, Kanatahra thought to herself.

The demon’s thoughts were abruptly cut off when she felt the ground shift beneath her hooves. A second later, the earth fell out from under her, revealing the snarling face of an eel coming right at her.

Cursing her own temptation of fate, Kanathara created a barrier at the back of the eel’s throat and extended its sharpened edges outwards. The beast stopped a second later, its skull split in twain by the rapidly spreading shield which Kanathara then used to spring off in order to return to ground level. Once there, she found that the situation had begun to devolve even further, with eels ambushing the dogs from all sides.

Of course it would get worse. Hopefully Rainbow Dash is doing better than I am, Kanathara thought to herself.

---

“So it creates twisted replicas of us? How do you know for sure?” Rarity inquired.

“It always does,” Rainbow Dash replied, tapping her hoof. “Mirrors make evil clones, mysterious rooms fill up with sand, narrow corridors crush you, and the statues are always alive. It's dungeoneering 101.”

“Uh, okay then. So what do we do to trig-” Rarity’s question abruptly ended when the mirror began to swirl, and dark green smoke began to billow across the ground.

“See? All you gotta do is get in range, just like I said. Now remember, they are evil and not actually alive, so don't hesitate to kill them,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“But I didn't bring any weapons!” Rarity hissed.

“Then punch ‘em or something,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a shrug. “Not like it matters, as I should be able to kill them both just fine. These mirror thingies aren't strong enough to create a true immortal, so it won't be able to copy me anyway.”

Rarity’s next question also died before it could be uttered, the unicorn’s attention gripped by a mass of black smoke bubbling up from within the mirror. The vaguely equine-shaped entity reached outwards with aethereal hooves, gripping the floor in front of it and pulling itself forward. With a heave, the creature emerged into the world, its body quickly taking shape as it stepped towards the duo.

The creature appeared to be an earth pony, but was so large that it looked more like some manner of mutant. Muscles rippled beneath its midnight black coat, and its sickly yellow eyes glowed with incredible violence just waiting to be unleashed. Its mane and tail were an odd, orangey-green color, resembling the unpleasant sight one only sees when they have contracted a particularly nasty stomach virus.

The creature’s size was so great that it was hard to tell for certain, and its features were mostly masculine, yet the creature still seemed to be female. Its immaculately coiffed mane hung down elegantly one side of its face, twisted into a perfect copy of Rarity’s signature style. The rest of the abomination was unpleasant on the eyes to say the least, its rugged and exaggerated features the exact opposite of Rarity’s quiet elegance.

“How vile,” Rarity muttered, holding up her nose.

“I don't know. At least it got your mane right,” Rainbow Dash retorted.

Rarity scoffed. “It feels more like I am being mocked.”

“Abundance want pretty little pony,” rumbled the creature. It immediately lurched forward, its gaze locked on Rarity. “Come to Abundance, pony!”

“Eek, get away from me, you vile brute!” Rarity shrieked.

“You’d think this was your first time fighting off an evil doppelganger,” Rainbow Dash remarked, watching as both the copy and the pristine original began to run around the room. “I guess it's up to me to finish this before it gets out of hoof.”

“Come here, little pony. Abundance just wants to hug you and kiss you and squeeze you forever and ever,” droned the abomination in a deep, rumbling voice.

“Begone, you monster! I am nopony's pet!” Rarity screamed.

“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

The vengant broke into a sprint, building hellfire as she did so, hooves emitting a near constant stream of dark red flames. The joints of her armor spat a similarly colored inferno, and smoke began to billow out through the grille of her helmet. That was until Rainbow Dash slammed into Abundance’s side and emitted everything she had built directly into the abomination’s torso.

Though tough, the creature’s hide posed little challenge to the hellfire-infused demon who hit the beast with the force of a freight train. Blood, pulped viscera, and charred skin flew in every direction, the doppelganger’s form utterly ruined in an instant. Rainbow Dash was unbothered by this and simply slid to a stop, gore covering nearly every inch of her body.

Rarity came to a halt the moment she heard the dull boom followed by the prompt end of her evil clone’s half-babbled demands. She immediately regretted her curiosity and nearly threw up when she saw what had become of her pursuer.

“Huh. Usually they turn to smoke when you kill them,” Rainbow Dash remarked, picking a liver from her shoulder spike and tossing it into her mouth. “Kinda chewy though.”

“Please stop,” muttered Rarity, her eyes shut tightly.

“What? You don't want any free organs? But they're so fresh they are still twitching!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed between bites.

“I’m going to throw up,” Rarity muttered before doing just that.

Rainbow Dash chuckled at her companion’s discomfort, the demon swallowing the first morsel and digging around for the fairly small brain she saw a moment earlier. As she did so, the mirror began to glow once more, heralding the arrival of a great tide of golden smoke which poured out of it and cascaded across the ground. The sheer scale of the smog prompted Rainbow Dash to stop her grisly search for a snack and turn towards the fog’s source. There she saw that the light had become much brighter, almost blindingly so, though a creature had yet to emerge.

“So, what usually happens now?” whispered Rarity.

“Most of the time it just makes some random pony, but other times it's merely an imp,” Rainbow Dash explained. “I don't think this time will be any diff--”

Her explanation fell away the second she noticed that not only had something begun to emerge, but that something’s head was adorned with a halo.

“Oh no,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

---

“Gods above, what a pain in the butt,” Kanathara muttered, her magic turning an eel inside out before pulling the flailing dog it had tried to eat out of its inverted mouth. “Be aware of your surroundings, you dunderhead!”

The dog stumbled back into position, his entire body covered in a thick layer of slime.

Daisy gave the demon an appreciative nod, though the keeper cared very little for any goodwill she may have earned. The simple matter was that she needed the dogs to keep their other foe busy, lest the grootslang’s tactics shift after being exposed to the demon’s magic.

Anything fueled by chaos was to be feared and respected in equal measure, and the serpent was no different. Keeping this in mind, Kanathara focused once again on the remaining eels.

Ignoring the continued failings of her companions, Kanathara used a spell to form a rock wall directly in front of herself. The eel which had been mere seconds from biting her in half hit the barrier with a satisfying thump. Its angry cry of indignation didn't last long, as Kanathara made the stone barrier suddenly grow spikes and impale the beast.

A sudden masculine cry brought Kanathara’s attention to her companions, and a now one-legged companion in particular. The eel which had been assaulting him a moment earlier pulled back, swallowing the limb with a satisfied gulp. Kanathara gritted her teeth, her annoyance growing as the number of capable allies shrunk by the minute. Already several of the dogs had been placed at the center of their group, missing arms, legs, or sporting other large injuries.

With a bitter grunt, Kanathara conjured a spike of pure magic and rammed it through the offending eel’s eye. The demon didn't even look to make sure it was dead, merely trusting in the force she had put behind the strike. Instead, she turned and prepared to deal with another eel burrowing up underneath her.

“Incoming!” shouted Daisy

Reacting on instinct, Kanathara turned to mist, passing through the grootslang’s clawed fingers a second before they would have torn her to ribbons. Reforming after the swipe had passed her by, Kanathara found herself noticeably winded from the brief transformation. Her magic was considerably drained, even more so than from the large spell she had used to wipe out a good chunk of the eels several minutes earlier.

Guess I won't be doing that very much. At least not anymore, Kanathara thought to herself.

Kanathara looked around, utilizing the brief lull in combat to get a bearing on her foes once more. The first thing she realized was just how numerous the injured were, and how warped the diamond dog’s formation had become. Forced to defend their fallen friends while also maintaining a front line, the small group strained just to stay together.

Gods dammit, Kanathara cursed, her mind already running through the necessary spell to negate this little problem, though she did not wish to cast it.

Despite her trepidations on the subject, Kanathara gave in and cast the invocation. Immediately upon completion, a fiery circle surrounded the injured or unconscious dogs. A second later, the stone beneath them vanished completely, replaced by the inside of Rarity’s domicile.

The circle faded a second after the dogs contained within had dropped through to the other side. Daisy saw this, and gave Kanathara another brief nod of thanks, though she was forced to turn back around almost immediately. The grootslang was already bearing down on her, its maw open wide, intent on swallowing the diamond dog leader whole.

She was too slow, Kanathara realized, forcing herself to reluctantly use her magic to pull the other female out of harm's way. The serpent was faster still and pressed on, following after Daisy as she was tossed unceremoniously to the side. Kanathara sighed and brought her magic to bear once more, pushing past the slight discomfort of using so much of it in such a short time.

Despite this, she pushed on, and threw a hunk of broken stone into the beast’s mouth, making it recoil as it started to choke. With the largest enemy now occupied, Kanathara turned her attention to the eels and were surprised to find that they weren't a big problem. The five remaining dogs had split up between the two living eels and were swiftly beating them back.

Two larger members of the militia who wielded halberds were chopping away at one of the snake-like creatures. Each time their foe tried to snap at one of them, the other drove forward, hacking off chunks of it and forcing it to turn its attention. Their teamwork was praiseworthy, though not quite as good as the other three who were expertly picking away at their chosen enemy.

Each one of them were relatively small, fast, and wielded either a dagger, short spear, or longsword. Their movements were lightning quick, the three crawling all over the eel and stabbing it repeatedly. Though not as hard-hitting as the halberd-wielding dogs, the trio were able to keep up the pressure constantly.

Sure enough, it was only mere moments before the eels were brought down, and the dogs could focus on their sole remaining enemy. Who, with a throaty gurgle, coughed up the boulder which had been lodged in its throat until that moment. Obviously enraged, the serpent roared so loud that the ground shook, and Kanathara’s horn vibrated uncomfortably.

Okay, that might not have been the best idea ever, Kanathara thought to herself.

---

“Holy shit,” muttered Rainbow Dash.

“Is that… what I think it is?” Rarity whispered.

“It seems like it,” Rainbow Dash replied.

Before them strode a creature of such grace and elegance that all who viewed it felt an undeniable urge to kneel before it. Clothed in a loose white dress that hung off its ethereal body in a gentle curtain, the angelic being stood taller than even Rainbow Dash. That was in part due to its mode of locomotion, as it had only two legs which ended in hooves that it used to stand upright.

Its skin was a soft, almost metallic white, and its golden hair flowed gracefully down its humanoid face. Though it still had the features of an equine and looked vaguely like Rainbow Dash, those features were mixed with that of a bipedal creature, creating a harmonious blend between the two. Its hands extended forward, clutching a spear which it drew from seemingly nowhere, its golden eyes flashing dangerously.

In an instant the angelic being had lurched across the entire room and nearly impaled Rainbow Dash. The demon barely managed to dodge out of the way at the last second, only to be forced to repeat this action two more times in rapid succession. Despite how slow the angel beat its large fluffy white wings, it managed to easily keep pace with its foe, the feathered appendages seemingly not involved in keeping it in flight.

Constantly being harried by short, rapid strikes, Rainbow Dash struggled to even stay ahead of her remarkably quick foe. That was until the angel suddenly conjured a beam of concentrated holy magic and nearly cut Rainbow Dash in half. Forced to turn to mist and split herself in two, the demon quickly came back together, her entire body aching from the short transformation.

This is bad, Rainbow Dash thought to herself.

“Stay back, you ruffian!” Rarity shouted, having launched into a flying kick aimed at the angel’s midsection.

Rainbow Dash winced, her mind already running through how best to resurrect the mare after she was killed. That turned out to be unnecessary, as the angelic creature simply plucked Rarity from the air and set her back down away from the fighting. Confused, and slightly put off by the sudden shift in position, Rarity merely stood there, unsure of what she should do.

The demon, however, already had an idea, and with a smirk on her face, she sprinted towards Rarity. Their foe seemed to realize what Rainbow Dash had in mind, and moved to stop her. The vengant had a moment’s head start though, and that was all she needed in order to get to the pony first.

“What are you- hey, whoah!” Rarity shouted as she was unceremoniously held up in front of Rainbow Dash like a shield.

The angel’s spear stopped a millimeter from Rarity’s chest, recoiling and striking again only to pull back after nearly hitting the pony’s neck. Rainbow Dash ignored Rarity’s indignant shouting and continued to use her like a shield, building demonic power as she did so. Hellfire coursed through her body, causing the angel to start attacking faster and faster, hoping to end the fight before Rainbow Dash could strike back.

“Unhand me, you barbarian!” Rarity shrieked.

Rainbow Dash would have laughed, had she not been holding down the largest mass of hellfire she had ever gathered. The angel saw her own end approaching, and tried to put an end to it by attacking with spear and magic at the same time. Holy light poured down from above her, while a firm thrust had been aimed at Rainbow Dash’s head.

The demon was the fastest thing one four legs and not even her angelic copy could match her speed.

Crouching down low, Rainbow Dash used Rarity in order to shield herself from both of the angel’s strikes. Then, before the divine creature had a chance to launch another strike, Rainbow Dash counterattacked. Lurching forward and dropping Rarity in the process, Rainbow Dash grappled the angel, both sets of her hooves wrapping about the creature’s body.

Her angelic counterpart could only flail in wordless panic as Rainbow Dash unleashed an explosion of black-red fire. In an instant its entire body was burnt away, its spear melting into sunlight as its owner’s form was consumed in a hellish conflagration, leaving behind only the dull chime of a distant church bell and the smell of burnt incense lingering in the air.

“Ha, that wasn't so difficult,” Rainbow Dash muttered, only to catch a hoof to the face.

“You uncouth ruffian!” Rarity shrieked. “How dare you treat me like a shield!”

“It was either that or get killed by the an--Would you stop hitting me? You’re just hurting yourself,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

Rarity recoiled her now bruised hoof. “How is your face so hard? It felt like I was slapping stone.”

“I’m a demon,” Rainbow Dash deadpanned.

“Oh, uh, right. So…” Rarity cleared her throat. “Where to now?”

“Right through there,” Rainbow Dash replied, pointing to the hallway which had opened up where the mirror had stood a moment earlier.

“Oh, would you look at that,” Rarity muttered. “It seems like there are a few more challenges awaiting us.”

The unicorn was indeed correct, as there were a couple chambers visible beyond the hole which the mirror had occupied. The first were a set of three doors, the center of which was open, and revealed a larger area with several pipes dangling from the ceiling. After that they could see that there was a room filled with statues, and one final one which was a long narrow hallway lit by small shafts of light coming from various angles.

“The first one you have to walk backwards through the middle door. The second has a puzzle, and will slowly fill up with water while we figure it out. The statues will come alive, and if you enter the light, you’ll get hit by a dart. Easy,” Rainbow Dash proclaimed.

“Well, alright then,” Rarity muttered. “Lead the way.”

“Gladly,” Rainbow Dash proclaimed.

---

“Damn,” Kanathara cursed as she ducked under a swipe from the grootslang.

The creature’s great size didn't seem to slow it down, in fact it was remarkably fast, and continued to keep the demon on the tips of her hooves. Over and over Kanathara was pushed to her limit, dodging, teleporting, and generally spending every moment avoiding its attacks. This only seemed to empower the creature even more, as the grootslang adapted to her powers.

Its arms began to glow with magical runes, speeding it up even more and turning its claws into twin blurs aimed perpetually at Kanathara’s head. The diamond dogs seemed to be almost completely forgotten and just stood off to the side, unsure of what they should do. The only one who had managed to gather together enough bravery to do so was now crumpled into a heap, having been backhanded into the stone wall.

The message was clear, this was a fight between the keeper and serpent, and woe be to those who dared interfere. Kanathara had mixed feelings on this, as on one hoof she had no pawns on the board, but that also meant she didn't have to worry about collateral damage quite as much. Regardless, she could at least unleash her magic without fear, though she was hesitant to do so.

Remember, focus on non-magical magic. Kanathara reminded herself.

Backflipping over the grootlsang’s bite, Kanathara brought forth a wall of thick stone from the ground and blocked it off. The demon hoped this would give her enough time to teleport the beast away, but was surprised when the serpent was unimpeded by the barrier. Simply crashing through it, the grootslang attempted to grab Kanathara out of mid-air, but the keeper dimension doored away.

She then pulled open a small portal and commanded every demon who heard her voice to heed her call. The surge of imps was instantaneous and considerable, a small horde of the flying creatures leaping into the real world. Only for the grootslang to immediately cut their number in half by breathing a cone of acidic slime onto the centralmost mass of imps.

With the majority of their number now half-melted and screaming in pain, the demonic creatures hesitated. That hesitation proved to be their downfall, as the serpent caught and crushed them in its large scaled hands. The distraction had worked though, and Kanathara released her spell with a triumphant smirk.

The grootslang vanished in a puff of smoke, reappearing hundreds of feet above the ground. Her confidence spread to the dogs who shouted in unison, pumping their weapons into the air. Together they watched as the grootslang flailed around in the air, unable to arrest its fall no matter how hard it tried.

In only a few seconds, it had reached terminal velocity, and for a moment Kanathara wondered if she had gone overboard. After all, the point wasn't to kill the beast, but turn it to their side by tricking the beast into protecting Rarity’s little town. That plan was changed when the grootslang sprouted a pair of leathery wings from its back and began to glide down towards her.

“Damn,” Kanathara cursed. You better hurry up, Rainbow Dash!

---

“We gotta move, the boss is in trouble,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed while looking around the mass of treasure and other valuables piled all around her.

“Then help me look!” Rarity retorted.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as Rarity traveled around the exterior of the hoard, inspecting it closely. The demon wasn't patient enough for that, however, and licked her lips before leaping into the golden mound like a kid into a pile of leaves. Using her considerable weight and a hint of demonic power, Rainbow Dash dug through the hoard like a mole, sending gold flying everywhere.

“Wait, there is another dan-”

Rainbow Dash ignored Rarity and continued to dig her way into the mound, tossing dozens of items with little care for any potential damage. Ancient swords, large jewels, and bags of gold were ignored and brushed aside during the demon’s mad search for the egg. Her journey wasn't long, as at the center of the mass was exactly what she was looking for.

With a smirk on her face, Rainbow Dash grabbed the large, spiral-shaped purple egg and surged upwards. Breaking free from the pressing weight of so many valuables, Rainbow Dash raised the egg high into the air.

“Got it!” Rainbow Dash proclaimed, the grille of her helmet pulling back to reveal her smiling face.

“Watch out! The egg is enchanted and will cause harm to befall any who distu--” Rarity’s warning was cut off by a dull thwip followed by a wet thunk as an arrow slammed into the demon’s face.

“Ow,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“That's going to keep happening until it's either dropped or returned to its mother,” Rarity explained.

“Why didn't you tell me that--” Rainbow Dash’s angry response was cut off when a second arrow shot through one cheek and out the other side. “Godsh damnshit.”

“We better get moving!” Rarity shouted, sprinting up to the demon.

“Thash wensh righsh throughsh my tongsh,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“And the next one is going to go through your head if you don't get going!” Rarity shouted, hopping atop the demon’s back.

“Right, lets-” Rainbow Dash began, only to be interrupted when an arrow slammed into her throat. Gods dammit.

---

Dammit dammit dammit. I can't believe I did that, Kanathara thought, mentally berating herself for her poor choices.

The keeper flew high above the ground, the strength of her wings boosted by a constant flow of magic. Yet even though the leathery appendages were buzzing with the speed of a hummingbird, Kanathara could feel the grootslang gaining on her. The creature’s chaotic magic continued to keep it in the fight, altering its body and granting it abilities that it didn't have a minute ago.

Another wave of acidic slime shot from its maw, the glob narrowly missing the keeper’s right wing. A tiny bit did hit her cheek, burning her hardened skin and making the demon wince in pain. She would have normally healed the damage by misty stepping or using a spell, but just keeping the creature at bay took all her focus.

You better hurry up, Rainbow Dash! I don't know how long I’m going to be able to resist killing this stupid thing! Kanathara mentally shouted.

We’re almost there, bring it in close! Rainbow Dash replied immediately.

A wave of relief washed over the keeper of secrets, and she banked hard, gliding towards the ground as well as the diamond dogs waiting for her. Upon seeing the demon’s approach, they sprinted to the safety of a low overhang, avoiding the shadow cast by the serpentine beast. As Kanathara neared the ground, she felt her familiar’s presence rocketing towards her with all the speed she could muster.

The feeling was a welcome one, and it took all of Kanathara’s willpower not to shout in joy. Instead she focused her energy on landing and immediately creating a barrier between herself and the grootslang. Bracing for impact, Kanathara sensed Rainbow Dash draw near, though she assumed the vengant would be too late.

When no blow came, Kanathara stopped her next spell and looked up to find the beast looming over her. Yet in spite of just how easily it could swipe at the demon, it chose not to and simply stood there, staring. Not at Kanathara, but Rarity, who was shakily dismounting from an arrow-riddled Rainbow Dash.

Though it would be more appropriate to say that it was what Rarity held that gripped the chaotic beast’s attention. Which was an odd, spiral-shaped egg that had become the color of rust and was the size of an average pony’s head. It didn't seem heavy, though it did give off an odd odour of paint fumes and cinnamon that could be smelled even at a great distance.

“I got your egg!” Rarity shouted, raising the object into the air. “Now you have to see me as your family, okay?”

The grootslang didn't move, its entire body tense, as if it was waiting to strike at any moment.

“I don't--Ww, think that--Ow, it is--Ow, working… ow,” Rainbow Dash offered while plucking arrows from the joints of her armor.

“I can see that,” hissed Rarity.

“Maybe you should sit on it!” shouted Daisy from the sidelines.

“Why would I do that?” Rarity replied, glaring at the diamond dog.

Who merely shrugged.

Rarity sighed. “Fine, but if it eats me, I am haunting you for the rest of your days.”

“I can live with that!” Daisy yelled.

“I’d hurry up if I were you. I think we are wearing on its patience,” Kanathara offered.

Rarity took one glance up at the grootslang and gulped.

Very carefully, she placed the egg on the ground before gingerly resting her posterior atop it. Now seated atop its egg, Rarity looked up at the grootslang and smiled awkwardly, hoping to put it at ease with a bit of charm. Charm which she was one hundred percent lacking at the moment. Surprisingly, it seemed to work, and the grootslang visibly relaxed, its claws falling to its side as its wings folded back up against its body.

“It's working, keep sitting,” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“What do you think I was going to do, stop?” Rarity shot back.

A sudden crack made all eyes turn towards the egg resting beneath Rarity’s butt. Where they beheld a fissure running down its entire length, splitting it in two equal halves. Immediately the mood plummeted, and Rarity gaped in silent horror as more cracks joined the first. Until within a few seconds, the entire thing was completely covered in them.

“Oh no,” Rarity muttered.

A second later, the unicorn tumbled backwards, landing on the ground behind what looked like a small baby snake. The only difference between a garden variety reptile and the one sitting before Rarity was that this one had the same head frills as the grootslang. It also had a similar overall coloration, only slightly whiter, its eyes were also larger, more expressive, and immediately latched onto Rarity.

It then cocked its head to the side and emitted a low whistling noise.

“What does that mean?” Rainbow Dash whispered, having subtly snuck over to Kanathara’s side now that she was free of arrows.

“I have no idea,” muttered the keeper of secrets.

“Aww, aren't you just the cutest?” blubbered Rarity, her fear forgotten as she grabbed hold of the snake creature and rubbed its chubby cheeks. “And my, what big eyes you have.”

“Rarity, are you sure that's a good idea?” hissed Daisy as loud as she dared.

Rarity was busy making baby noises at the newly hatched grootslang, and didn't even notice that its mother was directly over her. That was until a scaled hand wrapped around both Rarity and the child, shocking the mare from her baby hypnosis.

“Oh no,” muttered the pony.

Yet Rarity was not immediately eaten or killed by the grootslang, who instead licked the top of her head before doing the same to its baby. It then gave them both a short visual inspection before placing them under the large red scale which covered the top half of its torso.

“What is it… are those teats?” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“Huh. Who would have thought that it lactated… and that it seemed so intent on feeding Rarity as well,” Kanathara muttered. “That is so weird. I really need to read more about these odd creatures.”

“No kidding. I’m not sure how I feel about this,” Daisy remarked. “Rarity doesn't seem to be enjoying it very much.”

“Look at her face. It can't taste that bad,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“That mama grootslang sure isn't letting them off with just a cup of the stuff though,” Kanathara added.

“Yeah, she's really filling them up,” Daisy muttered. “Oh look, I think they're done.”

The small group watched as a slightly bloated, baffled, and blushing Rarity was dropped in their midst, a now very full and sleeping snake held in her forehooves.

“I did it,” Rarity murmured.

“You sure did, Rarity,” Kanathara exclaimed.

“So does that thing think it's your mom? ‘Cause I’m kind of jealous at the moment, and I don't know how to feel about that,” Daisy stated uncomfortably.

“I think it thinks that I’m its baby,” Rarity muttered. “It also seems to have put me in charge of caring for the little one.”

The grootslang lay down behind Rarity, watching proudly as the unicorn robotically rocked the newborn.

“Are you okay?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Just… give me a minute,” Rarity replied, her gaze distant and unfocused.

The group remained quiet as the unicorn gathered herself and, after ensuring the baby was asleep, placed it gently on the ground. Then, after checking that the grootslang had not moved, Rarity reached out and gently pulled Daisy into a tight hug.

“Please tell me grootslang milk is not poisonous,” whispered Rarity.

“Noone actually knows, because it's not like we can go up and ask.” Daisy winced as Rarity’s grip tightened. “I mean, it should be fine.”

“Good, because… Ow, these boots are so tight,” Rarity murmured.

Pulling back form the hug, the unicorn quickly tore off the armor covering the bottom half of her forelegs, revealing that she did not in fact have hooves anymore, and instead sported two paws covered in hair of the same color as her fur. After a moment of shock, it was revealed that she also had long claws shooting out from her toes.

“That is… new,” Rarity remarked in a cold, robotic tone.

“Are you doing okay, dear?” Daisy asked gently.

“I believe I’ve gone into shock,” Rarity replied. “I would appreciate it if you carried me home so I may lay in my bed and reevaluate my entire life.”

“Sure thing, dear,” Daisy replied, picking the unicorn up and carrying her back towards their settlement bridal style.

“Wait. Our deal is done, right?” Kanathara interrupted.

Daisy looked over to the grootslang who had picked up its young and placed it on Rarity’s stomach. The young snake slithered into a tight ball all without waking up, its mother smiling proudly down on them.

“I guess so,” Daisy replied.

“And your people will be at the meeting point as agreed?” Rainbow Dash pressed.

“Just as soon as Rarity is up and moving again, yes,” Daisy answered.

“Then we’ll see you soon,” Kanathara offered.

“You have my thanks, and I’m sure you also have Rarity’s. Which she will give when she gathers her bearings,” Daisy declared.

“Well then, off to Cloudsdale, I suppose?” Kanathara half asked, half offered.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I guess so.”

Together the duo watched as the diamond dogs, Rarity, and the grootslang all made their way back towards their new town.

“That was weirder than normal,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“Agreed.”

Author's Note:

If you want to read the next updates for my biggest stories at the begining of the month rather at the end, or want to get a commission from me as well as access to patreon exclusive content, and the chance to submit story requests every month, head over to my patreon!

Join me over on patreon and get instant access to exclusive content and early looks at new stories, patreon only stories and other great stuff! Check it out!
Or just join the discord to ensure that you dont miss an update.
This update was made possible by the wonderful support of readers like you: John, MestreJ, Starless, Gear Change, DioKyo, Tacocat598, Canary in The Coal Mine, Ceepert, Doomgoey, Tiwake, Vigilant Watch, Joshua, Nfreak, Facinus, M, John, Rhys, Corey, Blade Tech, Mephia, Peter, Apollyon, Nightwing, 浩民 簡, Hannibal, Dragon's Sheperd, BeenMcsqueen, Mop Hop, Dale, Xvos, Nathan, Octavia and Lowbar, Lich lord krosis, Prysm, Mike, Astor, Travis, Soundtea, Menthol Qtip, Craig, Mirvra, Ivar, Pacsik, Kali, Makani, Steven, Fiamgoku, free, GruB, Todd, Megatyrant.

Comments

[Jest]

Sorry for the accidental update on this story. Fimfiction was bugging out and I tried to fix it. I made it worse, then I fixed it in the end though! XD

Updating 404ed the site, thought I lost the chapter. Turned out I published it twice so I deleted the old one.

[YsmirDragon]

What just happened? In the story. Not the random update.

[Jest]

11044883
Look down 2 inches.

[Styx01]

11044883
The demon duo are trying to recruit the rest of the main six to blast NM out of luna. More specifically getting a guardian for Rarity's new settlement and in the process becoming a caretaker of its children. And due to that ingesting a large amount of chaos magic via milk and thus mutated.

[Love able chaos]

So rarity has paws now.

[Jest]

11044924
This.

[Bones_]

11044727
Seems like some weird shit has gone on around now, a story I've had on my read list has disappeared.

[Jest]

11044977
Was it one of mine? Because I had to delete a whole bunch of em awhile ago.

[Bones_]

11044980
Okay scratch that it just popped back into existence. No, it wasn't one of yours.

[Jest]

11044981
Odd.

[shirotora]

Holy shit! 666 likes! How fitting.

[Pensive]

Huh… fighting an angel. That was interesting. I almost want to know more about that, though I do feel bad for it. Getting burnt to a crisp.