Chapter 57: Magic
Ranger
Chapter 57: Magic
By Wanderer D
Kevin grunted, shifting and moaning in the bed.
"You have to treat him," Twilight said, her voice cold at the… female outside.
"I don't have to do a thing," The Assassin said, frowning at something on a screen. "You could always use magic to heal him."
Twilight looked away. "I can't."
The assassin chuckled. "Why not? The Blood Witch can."
Twilight closed her mouth and looked away.
"Aww, did I hit a nerve?" The Assassin turned to look at her. "Too bad, pony. You're now my prisoner, and no amount of begging for that idiot's life is going to do anything for you. ADVENT already healed him some. He now has a chance to live."
"He has a fever."
"So, cure him."
Twilight bit her lip, and The Assassin snorted, walking up to the clear-glass wall. "Are those tears?"
"He's my friend!" Twilight said forcibly. "I don't want him to die!"
"So, heal him!" The Assassin insisted. "What? Is it really beyond you?"
"My magic doesn't work, or I would—"
"You would what, exactly, pony?" The Assassin asked, tilting her head. "You're not the Blood Witch. You don't have the stomach for this." She laughed. "Ponies never do. The best you can do is send your problems away… is that what you would do? Teleport me somewhere else?"
Twilight turned away, hands clenched tight. That had been what she had been thinking. "You're a monster."
"Funny how things never change," The Assassin said. "That's why you've always been, and always will be prey."
"What would you know," Twilight snapped. "I don't know how you know about Equestria, but some random assumptions don't make you an expert."
The Assassin extended her hand, letting her long, red nails scrape the glass as she paced from one side to the other. "Tell me… how is Starswirl doing?"
Eyes wide, Twilight spun around, gaping at the creature. "What?!"
"You hear me. How is the old fool doing? Is he here? I would love to thank him personally for sending us here… it allowed me to find my true calling."
"Who… what are you?" Twilight whispered. "Starswirl died centuries ago!"
The Assassin paused, then walked to the open window, where several buildings could be seen. She kept her eyes on the city outside. "So… a comparable amount of time has passed in Equestria too? Figures he wouldn't tell anyone about his special dumping ground."
Twilight gazed at the Assassin in confusion. "You mean to tell me you've been here for centuries? That you knew Starswirl?!"
The Assassin laughed. "How little do you know, little pony."
The door opened and an ADVENT Priest stepped into the room, saluting The Assassin. He (or she?) said something to the Chosen in that strange language of theirs. The Assassin replied in the same gibberish language and then turned to smile that disturbing serrated smile at Twilight.
"It seems you have a guest… usually I would advise you to comply, little pony, but I want to see you suffer… so by all means, fight it."
Twilight's eyes widened as the Priest lifted its psychic device and started projecting mental energy at her. "No wait!"
"No use begging, pony!"
She felt the intrusion in her mind. The priest was trying to probe first, but he had immediately found a barrier. It said something the Assassin.
"I don't care if you fry her brain!" The Assassin replied. "Break through it!"
"No!" Twilight wailed just as she felt the powerful wave of psychic energy hitting her.
The Assassin grinned until the Priest shuddered in place, blood trickling down his nose and vomiting blood before collapsing in a twitching heap. The tall alien woman slowly made her way to the corpse and prodded it with her foot. "Huh."
Twilight had her hands covering her mouth, looking at the dead ADVENT in horror. 'Oh no! I didn't want that to happen!'
The Assassin gave her a slightly amused look. "Oh. I like you."
Twilight sat miserably in the corner of her prison cell. Kevin had been moved into another cell after he had started spitting blood, and now she was alone.
She could hear him coughing from time to time, so at least he was alive. Unlike everyone else.
She had thought she understood what Sunset and the others had gone through when their friends had died… to an extent, at least.
'Celestia, what a fool I was.'
"I should have listened to Sunset…" Twilight muttered, leaning her head on her knees. "I should've listened to Tygan. I should have listened to Michael."
She shook her head, fighting more tears. She had already cried enough. And she could already hear Galahad's voice in her head, making a clucking noise and poking her forehead.
"So you're in a pickle, duckie, you have two options: feel sorry for yourself, or do something about it. The type of decision you make when you find yourself in a situation like you're in right now is what's going to dictate how you act the rest of your life. So what's it gonna be, duckie?"
Twilight slowly tightened her hands. Panic was her go-to action ever since she was a filly, as proven by her overreaction to the lack of Friendship Lessons that one time. What sort of lessons could she tell now if she let herself be a useless victim?
She raised her head a little. The room outside the cell was dark, and there was no sign of the Assassin. After clearing up the body and taking Kevin into the other cell, they had turned off the lights in the facility and left.
There had been a discussion in their alien language, but given the Assassin's grin and her luck, it was likely that it wasn't a good thing for her or Kevin.
'Think, Twilight! Think!' What were her current options? Hacking the door was out of the question. Even if she had the tools, her classes had been too basic to be able to put them to use from within the cell. There were no obvious vents that she could sneak into, and the cell gates were hydraulic, so she couldn't dismantle them.
Could she wait and overpower a guard? She had combat training, but the chances of them risking a single guard when moving her or bringing food were slim… especially after what had happened to the Priest earlier.
Magic… she had managed to levitate small things, but even if she used all of her accumulated magic in a single strike, it wouldn't be strong enough to blast through the cell and free her… and even if it were, she'd be completely exhausted.
Twilight bit her lip. But… that wasn't the only thing she could do… a plan started forming in her mind. Magic wasn't just her passion, or just her element or even just her talent. It was, in many ways, the definition of who she was. Her link to it and to her Element wasn't something that would waver even in this world where Magic was quieted to the point of almost stagnation.
But… there was magic.
Michael Cruz sat on a chair, his hands secured behind him, his legs attached to the floor with solid clasps.
Across from him, stood Chrysalis, Annette Durand and Sunset Shimmer. To his side was Bradford, and on the other, Tygan.
"We have examined his bags, Commander, and found the communicator he used earlier to transmit our plans." Tygan paced around the prisoner. "He had little to no security clearance past what the other Rookies had at the time. There is no evidence of any valuable information having been stolen or transmitted. It seems the only information he sent was the Rookie mission's whereabouts, their objective, and the time of the mission."
"Which begs the question," Chrysalis said, "Of why use that for the Rookie team." She centered a look on Michael. "There was literally no benefit in this for ADVENT or you, traitor. Except the possibility of Twilight Sparkle being captured."
"I told her not to go!" Michael hissed. "I warned her, I didn't want anything to happen to her!"
Chrysalis tilted her head and glanced at Annette.
"He's telling the truth," Annette confirmed, "He did warn Twilight Sparkle not to go… he knew they were going to get killed."
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Chrysalis hissed. "You guaranteed the death of your team?! For what?!"
"My life, alright?!" Michael spat. "If I gave ADVENT a win like that they'd let me go into one of the cities and just live the rest of my long life away from firefights!" He looked away. "I would have rather it was one of your other teams than my fr—my companions. But that's the lot we got."
Sunset's voice was low. "You were about to call them friends, weren't you?"
Michael looked away.
"You would dare use that word," Sunset hissed, "to describe those that you betrayed?"
"I didn't want them to die…"
"What, in the name of all that's stupid, did you think would happen?" Chrysalis asked.
"Twilight would beg to let you live…" Sunset said, ignoring Chrysalis. She extended her senses, reaching out to the powerful artifact that was hidden in the Commander's Quarters. "Do you understand what your betrayal could cost us?" Sunset took a step forward. "Do you understand… do you have any idea who you have slighted with your actions?!"
She felt the connection. Through the many layers of the Avenger, her magic was being replenished. Not as fast as it would have been in Equestria without the Element… but here… "Death is too good for you… I am going to rip your soul out of you!" She roared.
Chrysalis and the others were forced back by red flame-like energy enveloping Sunset.
"Tell me where she is!" Sunset shouted, eyes glowing red with energy.
Michael's eyes were wide, and he was staring in horror at Sunset, whose teeth were becoming elongated, like fangs.
"I don't know, you freak!"
"He's telling the truth," Annette said, taking a step back. "He actually thought ADVENT was just going to let him go free after this."
"Naive…" Tygan muttered.
"If you don't know... " Sunset hissed, raising her hand. "Then there is no reason for you to remain in one piece!"
Michael screamed as his arms and legs slumped, unmoving and turning an unhealthy black color.
"Sunset! That's enough!" Chrysalis shouted.
"Sunset! We still need him!" Bradford shouted.
"He deserves to suffer!" Sunset growled back, her voice echoing in the room. They could see her ears slowly elongating and becoming pointy. Tygan, who was across from her saw her eyes go completely black, like a shark.
Michael screamed again.
The others tried to move, but with a wave of her hand, their muscles clamped into position, and they all were unable to move, save for Annette, who was moving slowly away, eyes steady on Sunset.
Sunset seemed to increase in size with each step until she was towering over Michael. She bend down so that her face was inches from him. He looked at her, eyes wide, in too much pain to even scream. "I'm going to take your soul… I'm going to use it to feed one of the artifacts I learned to create.. it will be glorious… and very painful for all eternity!"
"S-sunset!" Chrysalis gasped. "Stop!"
Sunset raised a hand, which slowly transformed into a longer, thinner version of itself, with deep black claws. She grinned, a vicious smile that showed all the contempt she felt for the creature in front of her, then stabbed forward.
"Sunset!"
Her claws stopped, mere inches from his eyes.
"Sunset! Please tell me you can hear me!"
Sunset gasped, taking a step back in surprise. Chrysalis, Bradford and Tygan were suddenly able to move again and stumbled forward.
"Sunset! Please! I need to know this works!"
"T-twilight?" Sunset asked, her voice thin as her eyes and body returned to normal. She gasped, looking down at her hands and moved back and away from Michael who had slumped forward, only held in place by the bindings.
His arms had returned to a normal coloration, and he was covered in sweat and breathing desperately—almost hyperventilating.
Sunset shook her head, horrified at her actions. "Oh no… what was I doing?"
"Sunset!"
She closed her eyes and touched her forehead. How was Twilight doing this? There was no way she was using Psychic energy… it had to be magic but how—Sunset's eyes snapped open. "The Element…" she whispered. She closed her eyes, turned away from the others, and focused on the Element. "Twilight?"
For a moment she thought she had it wrong.Then...
"Eeeeeeee! Oh, Celestia, it worked! I can't believe it! Sunset, can you imagine the possibilities for research?!"
"Twilight, calm down!" Sunset said, just realizing that she was speaking aloud, since the others now had their eyes fixed on her. "Tell me… do you know where you are?"
"I'm… in a cell block of some sort… Kevin is also here, but he's really hurt… the others…"
"Alejandra made it out alive," Sunset said soothingly. "We're glad that you and Kevin are too… but you need to concentrate, Twilight… give me information. What do you know?"
Twilight took a moment to answer, no doubt trying to figure out as much as she could. "I was… walked into a building… it didn't appear to be a prison. It was really, really tall. We didn't leave the city… the Assassin wanted me interrogated here, but… well…"
Her hesitation came with a sudden image of a Priest vomiting blood. "It didn't go well,"
"Okay, so they tried to scan you but the priest died in the attempt… that's good, I'm sorry you had to see that, but you're not someone we want them mind-reading. And you said that you're in a tall building in the same city? That's very helpful Twilight."
Chrysalis' eyes were wide, but she nodded. Tygan was already looking something up in his tablet, and quickly passed it on to Bradford, who nodded and showed Sunset the pictures the scientist had summoned.
"Do you remember if the top of the building was… pointy or square?
"Um… pointy, with a large statue at the front. It also had columns."
Sunset nodded. "Good… good…" she scanned the pictures, then selected one, spinning it for an aerial view. She saw the statue. "Twilight… I think we found you."
"The Assassin talked to me, Sunset… she knows about Equestria! She knew Starswirl the Bearded!"
"You don't say…" Sunset muttered. "Adagio… Sonata… could they be Equestrian monsters that were exiled to this world?"
"Um… if one of them is the Assassin, that certainly appears to be the case. I… don't know what else to tell you…"
"Don't worry." Sunset looked at Chrysalis, who nodded. "We'll think of a plan."
o.0.o End Chapter 57 o.0.o
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So, demon sunset made her first, if brief, appearance. This... will have consequences.
Prey not pray
8849706 Thanks! Fixed... and I even recall trying to make sure not to mess that one up XP
Oh, I like this direction. Keep up the good work on the story.
8849691
Consequences for sure. But the question is, will they be consequences for XCOM/The Resistance, or consequences for Advent/The Elders?
So Sunset knows how to create magic artifacts using souls that suffer for eternity as a result, I wonder if this is going to come into play at any point in the future.
8849822
what if thats what the chosen are in?
8849722
an event like this.... the answer is most likely "all of the above"
8849848
. . .Normally I'd say that I'd be scared to see the type of power Demonset has fall into the hands of beings such as The Elders, but given how big of a point has been made about how. . .volatile. . .mixing Psionics and Magic is, an Elder trying to control Demonset would only backfire in a glorious explosion of fire and mind energy.
Okay, so no master plan. He's just a complete and utter idiot who didn't realize what he was getting into until it was too late to back out. I'd love to know what his answer to this question was.
And Sunset's starting to realize that blood magic comes with a cost, even on earth.
Oh shit son. Sunset almost went full demon there. I wonder if the element will jumpstart the magic field on Earth? That'd be bad news if the sirens find out.
8849869
I shall prepare popcorn and fetch drinks to observe the spectacle.
So is XCOM high command just gonna gloss over Sunset's insubordination and murder attempt right before their eyes? Or her little transformation?
8850013
What exactly can they do?
One, they need their best team to go raid the Chosen stronghold, of which Sunset is the leader. Two, there was evidence at the end of her little 'stunt' that she wasn't aware of what was happening. And finally, Three, they have no idea what the trigger is for Demonset to come out, and until they find out what that is they have a ticking time bomb that threatened to rip out and torture someone's soul.
The only thing that they can do right now is wait for a calm moment to study what's happened, and then make a judgment.
8849869
I'm afraid of what the monsters the Elders are running from would do with her. And if you look at all the hints they drop in the games, they are running, and that makes their actions a little more understandable.
actually surprised chrysalis called sunset off, you realize Micheal dies right? thats what military standard demands, if chrysalis is the commander at all she'll have him in a firing squad.
It said something the Assassin
She bend down so that her face was
1. It said something to the Assassin.
2. Bent.
Is it wrong for me to hope that Sunset will request to carry the Element of Magic into this fight? For one, she can use it to communicate with Twilight. Second would be the obvious power boost/replenish. Third would be the fact they're going in to a highly probable secure location with high threats confirmed in the area. They're going to need to bring out the big guns if they want to make things safer. Technically.
8850207
That would be amazing.
That was a very close call. Sunset was right, there's no way she could ever return to stay in Equestria...
Well nice to see that another one of the rookies is still alive if barely.
And this is our Twilight, once she overcome her panic or grievance she's using her noggin to formulate a plan.
Also Demon Sunset decided she has waited enough and taking matters into action by ripping the soul of the traitor, bond it to an artefact and have it tortured for all eternity.
Eh, pretty much what happens to a traitor's soul in the ninth circle of Hell in Dante's Inferno.
8850168
True, but aside from not being done with him yet (probably more information to wring out of him like who gave him the signaling device and how he and ADVENT made contact to set up this offer in the first place), there's a difference between a proper execution in front of the assembled troops and someone just losing control in the interrogation room.
8850111
Yeah, it's a hivemind psionic bacterial colony, you'll get to meet them in March 2084...
Now we have demon Sunset, this is gonna be good. And I actually can’t blame Michael now that I know why he did that, sometimes the pressure is too much and you just want to have it end peacefully for you.
OK
, that allmost whent how I thought it would.
Now rescue op.
Scratch one Advent priest at least.
I'm guessing that this experience is going to force Twilight to make a better connection to the local magic field. That's likely to go badly for the Advent forces keeping her prisoner.
Well now, there's some blood magic side effects.
Oh, so maybe just a long distance connection to the Element?
Oh my god, Twilight, priorities!
8850168
Waste of ammo. Rope out the back of the Avenger is free.
8850774
"Back in the old days, they used to keel-haul traitors. I don't have a keel to haul you on, so..."
8850418
I can still blame him. Deciding to end many lives to better your own is still murder.
8851024
Yes, but those who betrayl for money are the worst.
Well, that's a situation narrowly averted. Though everyone involved is going to give further thought to the whole "side effects of blood magic" thing. Still, they have a location for Twilight. Rescue is a possibility. Maybe even a feasibility. Good to see she didn't succumb to damsel distress.
And Cruz? You're an imbecile. You'd probably do more good in one of those soul-powered artifacts.
Demon Shimmer gave me chills. Keep up the good work!
I kinda wanna see God-Mode Shimmer in the coming op, maybe a few Scanners references too.
8850168
our 1st president did that too when it was fighting the uk empire
8984648
No.
Just no.
Cruz ... you know not what you have done! You have roused the demon! Now we shall see I something can rouse the Daydream ...
bent
The emphasis on the red gem every time they show up, you literally gave us the name Aria on our first encounter with them, there are exactly three of them, and them knowing about Equestrians/Equestria. I'm surprised it took me this long to figure out they were the Sirens, really, but the aliens using them as weapons makes way too much sense - they feed on strife, and what better place to find it than the middle of a warzone?
This has to be the dumbest reason to betray XCOM, it doesn't matter if he started living in the city or not, there will always be conflict and war even if XCOM and the other resistance factions were to be defeated, someone will still fight back. I mean the Skirmashers were ex-Advent, meaning that even Advent forces are fighting back against their own, so in the end if all the resistant parts of humanity were gone, the aliens themselves will start to fight back for their own independence... and this dumb little bastard caused all this so he could live a cushy life in one of their cities.
The most likely results will either be he'd be executed or used as an experiment, and even if they accepted him back, we already know what happens in the cities and how Advent forces are made so he'd either be forced to join Advent became one of them or work in the city and would end up in a firefight but not as a resistant fighter or soldier of XCOM but as a civilian.
HE LITERALLY HAS ZERO WAYS OF GETTING OUT OF ANY BATTLES, HE ONLY MADE THE SITUATION WORSE FOR HIM! I hope he gets scarred after that incident with Sunset, he may not be dead but I want his mind and soul destroyed,
...I mean unless you find some way to release the Pony of Shadows... Unless this story didn't exist before then... Great, now that the show's progressed, it's hard to keep track of what elements I have to prepare for / pretend like they don't exist.
Also I noticed Kevin isn't Just Kevin. That's how you know it's serious.
-GM, master of pray prey.
I think I'm a bit slow on the uptake for this, but I just realised. The three chosen are the Sirens, right?
9570491
When people start getting scared enough they start getting desperate. And when people get desperate enough, you would be amazed (and not in a good way) what can suddenly seem like a really good idea if it sounds like something that will make the fear go away.
Irrespective of whether or not is ever was a good idea. The human mind can be disturbingly good at deceiving itself like that sometimes.
Sweet... Sunset Demon form could be useful if used in restrain...
So the question is:
Twilight will be rescued before or after torture?
Kevin is probably the most lucky non main or side character ever, he is right beside a high value member. If he stays calm and survives interrogation than he is going to have a good chance.
Unless the escape has him forced to pull a grenade and Geronimo the shit out of the Assassin to save Twilight...