Born In Light, Forged In Darkness

by Jest

Trial Fifteen: Push

Kanathara frowned, glaring down at the large scroll splayed on the table before her. It was incredibly complex and required power most mortals would find impossible to wield. She could cast such magic, but would find herself winded afterward, and there seemed to be no way around this requirement.

The possibility of being knocked out of the fight for a few hours while she recovered was an unpleasant one. Still, it was unavoidable, so she would simply have to deal with it and thank her lucky stars that she could cast it at all. With that rather grim thought rolling around in her mind, she gazed out over the warm bakery she was using as a temporary base.

The front windows had been barricaded in order to better support the windows and keep out the mountain of snow. The rest of the eatery had been converted into a magical research facility, complete with a number of unique staff. A few paladins, a ranger, some cultists, and even a diamond dog were working away in relative quiet.

“Perhaps we could use some stored mana, or tie into a ley line,” offered a gruff older unicorn who had been a noble at some time, but had likely lost it all by that point.

“No,” stated the paladin he was speaking to. “The matrices are all too specific and require that all energy come from the creature casting the spell. If there is even a slight fluctuation, then it will collapse.”

“Hmm, perhaps we should-”

Kanathara tuned out the rest of the conversation and glanced over to where Velvet was chewing on her lip. The older mare had a cup of black coffee levitating nearby, the glassware hovering far away from the table. Her expression was one of concentration, and she peered intently down at the scroll sitting before her.

Behind the pony was the succubus she had apparently managed to seduce and was now dating. Though that whole thing still left an odd taste in Kanathara’s mouth, she didn't think about it for long. She merely continued to look out over the various creatures she had gathered to aid her in her attempt to breach the barrier.

The motley assortment of entities was still arguing over the fine details or trying to find a way to lessen the power requirement. Despite their eagerness, it was clear that exhaustion was beginning to set in on them all. Yawns were had, coffee distributed, and the occasional shake of the head was used in an attempt to dismiss the desire for sleep.

It was clear that they wouldn't last much longer, with or without Pinkie Pie’s freakishly caffeinated beverages.

“We have done enough,” Kanathara declared suddenly. “I will cast the spell.”

“But the power requirements… You will have to rest for some time after you cast it,” Velvet offered.

“You may be strong, but are you sure you can manage it on your own?” asked the succubus who was currently giving Velvet a shoulder massage.

“I have enough mana stored to manage it,” Kanathara confidently declared. “It is well within my ability and my reserves.”

“Still…” Velvet murmured.

“I can do this,” Kanathara stated.

“I think she can manage this one, babe,” added Naamah.

“Alright, alright,” Velvet conceded. “Expect to get doted on the entire time you are resting though.”

Kanathara chuckled. “Fine by me, but no vegetable soup. If you want to get me something, find a soul or at least something with meat.”

“Already done,” Velvet declared.

Naamah giggled and bumped her hip against Velvet’s side. “You better not fatten her up now. We still have a long march ahead of us, you know.”

“I won't,” Velvet dismissed.

“I need to go prepare the casting site,” Kanathara proclaimed, rising from her seat, and made her way to the exit. “Thank you all for your assistance.”

Velvet watched as her daughter departed, pushing through the snowdrift which had built up on the other side of the door. From there the demon departed in a flash of magic, vanishing into the windswept city without another word. Left with the confused, but a relieved staff of magic users, Velvet smiled faintly before taking a sip of her beverage.

“Do you really think she can do it?” whispered Naamah.

“Without a doubt,” Velvet replied. “I just wish that things were peaceful. If they were, this would be a moment of great celebration where we would all congratulate her for her skill.”

“You will have to hold a party for her after everything,” Naamah offered, planting a kiss on Velvet’s cheek.

“We will, and not only because I have so many birthdays to catch up on,” Velvet agreed.

Naamah giggled. “That is an excellent idea, my dear.”

---

Kanathara let her horn dull as she looked out over the city square she had magically cleared. Above her, a defensive dome kept out the snow and warded against any enemy attacks. Which were becoming more and more likely as the cultists posted atop the wall had been cycled out for demons.

Numerous and varied, these hellish creatures seemed ready for a fight, unlike the ponies they had replaced. The message was clear: Blood Tithe had retreated and allowed his post to be filled by those who he wanted to die. In response, the opposing army of survivors had assembled before the gatehouse and constructed their own defenses.

Hastily put together trebuchets, ballistae, as well as magical artillery were all aimed at the wall. Down the street, a block from the gatehouse, stood Kanathara, frowning deeply. Her circle was perfect, the braziers around her burned brightly despite the cold air, and her assistants were in place.

A few of whom were busy inspecting the runework they had used on the ground, careful not to touch it. Kanathara had no such doubt in her work and merely went over the spell in her mind for what felt like the hundredth time. It may have been redundant at this point, but the action assuaged a few of the demon’s worries, allowing her to focus.

A hoof banging on the barrier prompted Kanathara to turn around and look over to where Rainbow Dash stood. She was joined by a grinning Pinkie Pie who was hopping up and down while waving excitedly.

Pinkie wants to wish you luck, as do I, Rainbow Dash’s mental voice exclaimed.

Kanathara nodded to her familiar. Thanks, but I would ask that you not contact me until after the ritual is complete.

Rainbow Dash made a show of rolling her eyes. I know what to do, and I know you haven't started yet.

Sorry. This is just going to be the biggest spell I’ve ever attempted, and I’m a bit worried, is all, Kanathara admitted.

I forgive you, now go knock 'em dead, babe! Rainbow Dash declared, pumping a hoof in the air.

Kanathara smiled faintly and glanced back down to the array waiting before her. Immaculate and complex, it would be an insurmountable obstacle for most, but not for her. Though still intimidating, it was within the realm of possibility for the accomplished mage.

“Alright, clear the area. I’m about to begin,” Kanathara ordered.

Immediately the other casters all took a step back, trotting away from the circle until their backs were against the protective barrier. With them out of the way, Kanathara looked over the matrix one final time before shaking her head firmly. With her worries and fears pushed from her mind, the keeper of secrets lit her horn.

For several seconds nothing happened as Kanathara stood stock still, the power coursing through the sharp appendage atop her head. After nearly a minute of no one moving a muscle, the keeper of secrets suddenly reared up, her eyes opening wide. The unnerving glow that encapsulated her horn surged outward, becoming so bright that those closest had to avert their gaze.

As it surged, the circle ignited, starting as a faint blue color, but quickly shifting and matching Kanathara’s magical aura. Line after line filled with energy, starting where Kanathara stood on one side and proceeding across to the other end. When finally every last bit of the matrix was saturated with power, the demon’s aura grew brighter still.

With a grunt, the keeper of secrets started the third phase of the spell, creating a second illusionary copy of the runic array above the first. This duplicate tightened slightly, shrinking down before turning slowly until its center was right over the top of Kanathara’s horn. This second part drew power from the first, quickly becoming just as incandescent as the original.

When this happened, Kanathara’s horn flared a third time, creating a triple corona around the bladed appendage. This time it didn't last long, as with a heave, she pointed her head at the guardhouse and released it all in a single titanic eruption. A second before this happened, the defensive barrier keeping out the snow fell, allowing the spell a clear path to its target.

Faster than anyone could see, the beam traveled the distance and slammed into the magical wall. Upon impact, a spiderweb of perfectly square cracks spread from the central point. It continued to cascade across the entirety of the barrier until the entire thing seemed ready to collapse.

Which it did a moment later, falling away into a million cubes of magic barely held together by the spell that once bound them. They disintegrated further, breaking into smaller and smaller blocks until they were finally too tiny to see with the naked eye. It was only then that both sides seemed to realize what had just happened, and opened fire upon one another.

Trebuchets and catapults unleashed their payloads while crossbows and ballistae spat death at one another. Magic whizzed, and aerial forces took to the sky while soldiers began their march up to the wall. A few stray attacks were even fired at Kanathara’s position, though they were either blocked or went so wide that they weren't a concern.

Towering paladins wielding huge shields had moved in to protect the casters, and a second later, a barrier was erected across the buildings. Kanathara saw none of this, the keeper of secrets having collapsed to the ground with a smoking horn. Her loved ones were swift to move in, with Velvet somehow managing to beat Rainbow Dash to the downed demon.

“Does anything hurt?” Velvet gently asked, lifting Kanathara’s head from the ground.

“No,” Kanathara croaked. “Just sore. Felt like I ran for a year.”

“Maybe now those stubborn love handles of yours will be gone,” Rainbow Dash added.

Kanathara chuckled, the laugh coming out more like a series of short coughs. “Good one.”

“Thanks, now let's get you somewhere safe where you can rest,” Rainbow Dash offered, extending her hooves, intent on picking the keeper up.

“No,” Kanathara interjected. “Velvet can handle it. I want you to help the push. They’ll need you.”

“You’ve gotten soft,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“Probably,” Kanathara admitted. “Ponies will do that.”

“That we do!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed, stepping up next to Rainbow Dash. “Oh, and don't worry, Kathy, I’ll keep a sharp eye on your girlfriend for ya.”

“I’d appreciate it,” Kanathara muttered before erupting into a series of harsh coughs. “Now let's get inside before I somehow manage to catch a cold.”

“I got you,” Velvet whispered.

The older mare leaned down and gently scooped up the downed demon, then placed her atop her back. Naamah was quick to add a steadying hoof, keeping Kanathara from toppling off the side. The trio then swiftly made their way over to a nearby store that had been refitted as a barracks for the army and their attendants. A few changelings rushed out to help, aiding Velvet as she brought her daughter to somewhere warmer.

“Whelp, we better get movin’,” Pinkie Pie offered.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Yeah. Just… wait a second.”

Pinkie Pie sat quietly next to Rainbow Dash, merely observing as the vengant watched her mistress be placed in a bed. Only after a blanket was pulled up to Kanathara’s chin, and Velvet uncorked a soul jar, did Rainbow Dash relax.

“Alright, we can go,” murmured the vengant.

“You know, you two are really cute together,” Pinkie Pie added.

Rainbow Dash snorted. “We are not. Now let's go kill some demons.”

Pinkie Pie grinned. “Whatever you say.”

---

“The lines are crumbling, push up!” shouted a voice.

A hundred cries of agreement echoed, and the soldiers surged forward, pushing back against the disorganized mass of demons. Though not as numerous as their demonic foes, the cultists under Velvet’s command were expert killers and brutal fighters. Wielding wicked weapons and using tactics none else would dare to employ, they crushed the enemy with ease.

A towering greed demon who resembled a green dragon turned and attempted to flee, crushing his allies with each step. He barely made it more than a dozen meters before a bolt flew through his hand, opened up, and then yanked his arm backward. The draconic monster attempted to remove the painful mass, only for another spear to fly through his upper arm.

With a cry of rage and pain, he fell and was beset upon by a trio of pegasi wielding long, barbed whips. Within seconds, they had managed to flay the majority of the beast’s scales, his screams reaching a new height. The rest of his kin didn't fare much better, as they were crushed beneath the demonically enhanced might of a towering earth pony. Unicorns bound those demons too slow to escape, bending the will of the weak and banishing the strong to whence they came.

Despite their clear lack of standardization, the cultist horde was perfectly disciplined and never went far from the front. In one hoof they wielded demonic weapons, while in the other they held aloft the most powerful tool of all, fear. Fear that the dark creatures may be banished, enslaved, or simply killed in a manner that even they would balk at.

The grim-faced and dark-robed creatures were not limited to ponies though, as dragons, minotaurs, and other races joined them. Griffon demon hunters, empowered by the chained souls of Tartarus, swept aside any meager resistance their targets put up. Minotaurs wielding weapons forged in the blood of their enemies bolstered the line and served as anchor points. Alongside their scaled draconic allies, the bipedal creatures were unbreakable, putting up considerable resistance even against the Tartarus spawn.

“Stay together!” Velvet bellowed over the din of battle. “They flee before us, but it may be a trap. Remember your squads!”

Bolstered by the words of their leader, the cultist mass reformed, tightening a thin line across the entire city street. As one, they pushed forward, hewing down demon after demon as they made their way towards a distant city square. The fighting wasn't bound only to the streets, however, as they were also clearing each house and business they passed.

Backed up by Pear Butter’s small army on one side, and the rangers on the other, they were able to make swift work of their foes. And when they couldn't, when things got dicey, the necromancers walking behind them lent their aid. The citizens of Canterlot were not yet defeated, and whether alive or dead, they resisted the demons even still.

“Do you wish to fight the demons once more?” Aloe whispered, the pony cupping the chin of a disemboweled stallion.

The dead unicorn’s eyes twisted in their sockets until they locked onto the necromancer before him. For a moment there was confusion, though it was quickly exchanged for fury, and he nodded confidently.

“Then rise, son of Canterlot. Rise and defend your home once more,” Aloe exclaimed.

Twisting magic extended from the mare’s bandaged hooves, slipping beneath the half-frozen half-rotted flesh of the stallion. Who rose on unsteady hooves, an unnatural vigor filling his empty form until it spilled out of his eyes in an unearthly green glow. Then, without a command having to be uttered, the stallion lurched forward, a wail of anguish on his broken lips.

He sprinted faster than most living were capable of, shouldering his way through Velvet’s forces until he reached the front line. There he leaped upon the first demon he could find, sinking his teeth into the imp’s neck and shaking his head like a wild dog. The demonic entity screamed and tried to remove the zombie biting down on his throat, but there was little he could do.

“Another blasphemy, and another kill,” Aloe whispered.

“We gave him revenge,” Lotus added.

“We gave him damnation,” Aloe countered.

“We gave him a choice,” Lotus corrected.

Many such choices were made that night, with the majority of those brought back eagerly throwing themselves into the fray. Managed by those necromancers with a talent for the task, the dead moved to wherever they were needed. And when they weren't required, they sated their rage upon any of the opposing demons they could find.

Friendly fire was not a worry for them, as the dead understood instinctively who was a friend and who was foe. Those Canterlot citizens who still lived did not have that knowledge and occasionally fought their saviors. For when a towering minotaur covered from head to hoof in spiked mail crushed the head of the demon battering down the door, it was hard to tell whose side he was on.

Thankfully that was where the rangers came in, quickly intervening whenever a Canterlot native found themselves saved by someone as intimidating as the foe they slew. Wearing the easily recognizable garb of their order, they interjected when needed, and retreated when they weren't required. When their skills as diplomats were not vital, they supported the opposite flank of Velvet’s army.

Bows twanged, and swords flashed, while demons died by the cartload. Expert tacticians and skilled fighters, the rangers found their skills at hunting in the Everfree were easily transferable to the stony jungle. Their quarry made no attempt to stay elusive and continued to push hard even while being decimated.

When not facing down Velvet’s cultists, the demonic horde was ruthless and relentless, attacking until they achieved victory or death. Not unlike Pear Butter’s cadre of well-drilled imps and other Tartarus-spawned ‘volunteers’.

“Steve, eyes forward. Lemon Scent, keep that shield up!” Pear Butter bellowed from her position at the back.

“Aye, boss!” the two yelled back.

The mass of imps pushed forward, driving a swarm of conjured elementals and their summoners further down the side street. With shields interlocked and weapons always at the ready, they were an implacable force that none could break. Even when aerial reinforcements came in the form of ice mephits, Pear Butter’s group remained firm.

“Crossbows, up, fire!” yelled Pear Butter.

A flurry of bolts flew out from around her, shooting down the majority of the mephits before they could reach them. What few survived found themselves bathing in hellfire conjured by their target, Pear Butter. With the distraction dealt with, the wrath demon’s forces pushed once more towards the cultist casters hiding further down the street.

Only for their targets to vanish, hit by a hellfire-infused meteor named Rainbow Dash. Crashing amidst the mages, the vengant tore into the survivors with ruthless efficiency, cutting them down in seconds. Now without their summoners, the frost elementals crumbled or went wild, vanishing amidst the flurry of snow that fell around them.

The cheer that went up was brief but heartfelt, then the imps were quickly brought back into line by a single shout.

“Eyes forward!” Pear Butter commanded.

As one, the unit of demons directed their attention frontward and began to push down the alleyway. Ahead of them, Rainbow Dash was mopping up the casters’ guards that had failed to defend their charges. Once the last of the cultists were crushed beneath her hooves, Rainbow Dash flexed her muscles and leaped into the sky.

Wings pumping hard, she soared above the battlefield, ignoring the small fry that fled from the sight of her. She was looking for bigger foes to fell, not imps and moon-mad pegasi wielding kitchen knives. A challenge was what she sought, and she found it in the shape of a massive, towering demon that emerged from the mists.

Snow scorched by hellfire created a veil that obscured the backlines of the army, centering on the necromancers. It billowed out from a side street thought cleared. Screams erupted a moment before a titanic shape stepped fully from the mists. Standing nearly three stories tall and emitting enough Tartarus-infused flames to wipe away the snow, it was an intimidating sight.

Four-clawed and spike-covered arms extended from its body and back, each one long enough to touch the ground. Its feet were hooved, and turned backward at the knee, giving it a surprisingly quick, loping gait. Atop its massive shoulders was an enormous head upon which rested hooked horns that were nearly one-third its total height. Crimson spines, blackened scales, and jagged spikes protruded from its body haphazardly, adding to its fearsome appearance.

Before Rainbow Dash even had a chance to launch her attack, the great demon swiped down at the necromancers. Undead flesh, though strong, was no match for the beast, and dozens of zombies were killed in defense of their masters. Even with the rotting bodies being used to block the strike, a few of the dark mages were either killed or sent flying.

Rainbow Dash recognized one of the unfortunate souls as the one called Aloe, but didn't watch her land. The vengant was already in motion, her wings pumping and her hooves outstretched, ready to strike at her titanic foe. Her plan had been to bowl the giant over by hitting it like a meteor, but that didn't end up working.

For when she hit the demon, it raised one arm and simply took the blow, skidding back slightly from the impact. Rainbow Dash attempted to roll away before it could counterattack, but for once she was too slow. So instead of slipping away, she found herself grabbed by her foe and unexpectedly thrown through the air.

Through the wall of an apartment and what had once been someone’s living room went the vengant. She only stopped when her body hit the refrigerator, and slumped to the ground, a grunt slipping past her grille. The extra plating her armor had generated retracted, the bent metal groaning audibly as it was pulled back.

She stood slowly, shaking her body and stomping her hooves in an effort to get her senses to return to her. After a few seconds, it worked, and with her jaw set firmly, Rainbow Dash launched herself into the air once more. Flying directly at the towering demon, the vengant noticed that her foe had conjured minions of its own.

Screaming balls of semi-sentient hellfire stalked the battlefield, leaping atop any creature not fast enough to escape. Upon latching onto something, these burning orbs with legs combusted violently, disintegrating whomever they had grabbed. Thankfully the majority of their victims were already corpses, though several cultists and necromancers had gotten caught in the chaos.

Velvet and some of her more elite forces had turned around and were attempting to help their allies. However, their efforts were largely focused on simply keeping the balls of fire from claiming more of the support group. Leaving only a couple of rangers to actually attack the towering demon in their midst, peppering it with arrows and bolts.

As the great fiery demon attempted to swat at the squad closest to it, Rainbow Dash pumped her wings hard. Slamming into the top of the great beast’s head, Rainbow Dash unleashed the most concentrated beam of hellfire she had ever conjured. Only to find that her foe burnt hotter still and was completely unaffected by the attack.

“What the hell,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

Confused, the vengant was an easy target for the demon, who gripped her around the midsection. Swung around the front of the hulking Tartarus spawn’s front, Rainbow Dash found all four of her limbs gripped. She tried to turn to smoke, but found that ability cut off her somehow.

“Die, fool,” muttered the demon.

It then pulled and pulled hard, attempting to brutally quarter the vengant. For a moment Rainbow Dash was able to resist, though thankfully that was all the time she needed. A great bolt, big enough to have been fired from a ballista, shot down from above and slammed into the towering demon’s right eye.

Screaming in rage and pain, the Tartarus-spawned titan released its hold on the vengant, giving Rainbow Dash just enough time to slip away and fly back above the low-lying buildings to regain her bearings. While she searched for a weakness, the bolts and arrows continued to fly, distracting the pained beast as it stumbled around half blind.

Rainbow Dash found what she was looking for when another huge bolt hit the enormous demon’s other eye. Now thoroughly enraged, the creature spat hellfire in all directions while swiping randomly at anything it could reach. It managed only a couple of these attacks before Rainbow Dash hit it at the base of its right horn.

Temporarily off balance from the sudden removal of the hooked hunk of bone, the demon stumbled to the side, inadvertently giving Rainbow Dash all the time she needed to grip her impromptu weapon and heft it above her head. As if sensing its coming demise, the great demon turned to look up at the vengant, hellfire building in its throat.

“Die, fool,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

The swift descent of the demon’s great horn ended with a horrifying crunch. Piercing straight through the demon’s scaled flesh and iron-hard skull, the horn plunged deep into its owner’s brain. For a moment the beast continued to swipe blindly, though its attacks were lazy and sluggish.

It then fell suddenly to its knees and reached up, gripping the hunk of bone sticking out of its head. The creature managed to tug at it once before falling forward, its entire body going limp. It never hit the ground, however, as within the span of a heartbeat, it turned to ash and was blown away by the cold wind.

“Ha ha, suck it, loser!” shouted a familiar voice.

Rainbow Dash looked over to the top of a nearby building, where Pinkie Pie stood, making rude gestures at where the demon had died.

“Dammit,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

What happened? Kanathara questioned, her mental voice bleary, as if she had just risen from a deep sleep.

I kinda like Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash admitted.

“That's for messing with my friends!” Pinkie Pie shouted before spitting over the side of the apartment building.

Okay, I really like her, Rainbow Dash thought.

What happened? Kanathara asked.

I’ll tell you in a sec. I’m going to clean up these little bomb guys, Rainbow Dash replied.

Alright, Kanathara conceded.

---

Lotus fell to her knees and reached forward, gently picking up the broken form of her sister. Blood leaked from her mouth, and more than one of her limbs was turned in directions they wouldn't normally be. Already her body heat had been sapped by the cold, turning her skin to ice.

“Aloe…” Lotus murmured.

She didn't need to use a spell to figure out if her sister was alive or not, she knew instinctively that she had already passed. Being surrounded by death for as long as she had gave Lotus a sense of these things. Though she hated that ability, for it stripped away any doubt that her sibling was still alive.

Frigid tears ran down her face and froze the moment they fell from her cheek. For several minutes, she knelt there as the snow slowly buried both her and her sister. Then a thought occurred to the young necromancer and with a ragged sigh, she set about calling her magic.

“Come, dear sister. Answer the call,” Lotus whispered.

Instantly, the dead mare’s eyes opened and latched onto her sister’s. Though no life remained in those fiery orbs, her passion remained.

“I accept,” Aloe declared before Lotus had a chance to ask.

“Then rise and stay with me until the moment I join you in death,” Lotus replied.

Aloe nodded and closed her eyes while magic coursed through her ragged body. Bones snapped back into their proper directions, and limbs twisted in order to function properly once more. So much unnatural vigor flowed into the undead mare that it leaked from her eyes like a pair of bright green headlights.

Aloe gasped and spat out a semi-congealed mass of blood that had gotten caught in her throat. She then gently, but firmly, pushed herself away from her sister’s embrace and rose up on her own four hooves.

“Come, sister,” Aloe bade. “We still have work that needs to be done.”

“Y-yes. Just…” Lotus paused, placed a hoof on her chest, and breathed deeply several times. “Alright, I’m ready.”

---

Kanathara stomped a forehoof and shook her head vigorously. Rainbow Dash glanced over to her mistress and raised an eyebrow curiously.

“Are you okay?” asked the worried vengant as she reclined in an expensive-looking rocking chair.

“I’m fine,” Kanathara replied. “Just, trying to wake up, you know. That second nap was surprisingly deep.”

“You weren't assailed by any nightmares?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“Nah,” Kanathara answered, waving a hoof. “The wards did their job.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and looked back out over the battlefield that lay just beyond the third-story window. The actual fighting was scarce, with the majority of the Nightmare’s forces having retreated or simply ran away in a panic. Either way, there were only the brave or stupid left behind to slow down the gathered forces of the ragtag army.

Pear Butter’s imps, Velvet’s cultists, and the rangers were still fighting strong, but the frequent battles were weighing on them. They would need to take a break, recoup their losses, and tend to their wounded. With the final push in sight, however, they shouldered their exhaustion and pushed onwards without complaint.

Beyond the magical barrier and atop the wall stood a veritable swarm of heavily armed demons ready for a siege. Backed up by moon-mad ponies and the odd cultist, they were clearly prepared for the eventual fall of the dome that protected them. They even had a good number of armor demons that stood at the forefront, their shining armor reflecting the moonlight.

“Wait, what is that?” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“What is…” Kanathara trailed off.

The pair focused on the distant shape who stood at the center of the small group of armor demons. Clad in midnight black mail and standing a full head taller than the others in its group, this particular demon stuck out. Clearly marked by Nightmare Moon, he wielded two silver scimitars that glowed faintly in the low light.

Kanathara gritted her teeth. “Nightmare Moon brought Cervantes back.”

“What do we do?” Rainbow Dash muttered.

Kanathara sighed. “We relegate casting the spell to someone else and prepare to capture him ourselves.”

“It won't be easy,” Rainbow Dash warned.

“Nothing worth doing ever is,” Kanathara replied.

Author's Note:

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Comments

[Bones_]

Cervantes... That was their training instructor or something along those lines, right?

[Jest]

11349007
Yup.

[DingoAte]

This story will be undying:D