Knowledge Brings Change

by hydra30

24 Heart of the issue

The Equestrians held their breath.

This was it, the battle that would decide the fates of both worlds was about to begin.

All that was left now was for Sarian to take the first shot... a spell consisting of several varieties of destruction came sailing at Sarian. She dove to the side to avoid the deadly projectile, leaving the invisible group behind her to dodge the pulsating orb of electricity and fire themselves. Dagoth Ur then readied another spell.

Thinking fast, Sarian reached into her armor and withdrew a steel, four pointed star, took aim, and threw it. It hit Dagoth Ur in the center of the chest, erupting into a wave of electricity that coursed through every inch of the Mad God's body. Dagoth Ur screamed in pain, his voice sounding almost beastial, his latest spell petering out as his concentration was broken.

Sarian acted fast, springing to her feet with lightning speed and charging forward with her weapon held high. With a downwards thrust, the wet sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed through the room. All was silent, Dagoth Ur and Sarian stood still, mere feet from each other.

Then Dagoth Ur struggled to turn his head to his right to the arched blade that bit into his flesh were his shoulder met his neck. Then he was gone, the Daedric Crescent now piercing nothing but air. Bringing her arms to her side, Sarian just stood there, staring at the spot where Morrowind's most feared enemy once stood.

"That no good varmint," said Applejack as she and the girls appeared in the cavern. "He said he was going to let you have the first blow."

"What a meanie," said Pinkie, shaking her head. "With an attitude like that it's no wonder his only friends are disease ridden zombies."

"Is that it?" asked Rainbow, looking around the room like she was expecting something else to happen. "Is that all it took to take the chump down? How pathetic. We had much tougher times with villains from Equestria."

"Do not let how swiftly this battle went lull you into dropping your guard Rainbow," said Sarian, her tone growing more serious. "This is far from over."

"But how?" asked Rarity, her voice carrying a tone that said she had been more than hoping it was over. "You struck such a devastating blow to him, and he just vanished."

"I merely drove him off," said Sarian, "he most likely fled to the Heart chamber to gain more power. Now that he knows he isn't a match for my skills with a blade, he will most likely try to overwhelm me with sheer power." She turned to all of them. "The only way this is going to end is if we sever Dagoth Ur's connection to the Heart of Lorkhan, because until we do, he's just as immortal as the Gods themselves."

The Equestrian party looked to each other and after a second to steel themselves, turned to Sarian with a determined look.

"We are with you," said Luna, walking to the head of the group. "Where is this Heart Chamber?"

Nodding in understanding and gratitude, Sarian pointed to the left of the room. There another dome gate identical to the one outside was slowly opening to reveal a door. But this one didn't simultaneously open and close. It revolved just enough to expose the door, then stood frozen in place.

It was like it was beckoning them to enter.

Sticking with the original strategy, the Equestrians shrouded themselves in invisibility again and followed Sarian through the ancient doors, and to whatever lay beyond.

---

Akulakhan's Chamber

The Equestrians just managed to hold in their gasps of shock.

They now stood upon a steel plateau that overlooked an expansive smoldering chamber that dropped into a huge lake of lava. Standing in this molten pool stood the largest bipedal figure they had ever seen. From their vantage point upon the plateau they saw its chest, shoulders, and sinister face whose open mouth produced an endless stream of smoke, revealing its height to be at least several stories.

This... was the artificial god Akulakhan.

Though they didn't see the artificial part. Though obviously incomplete, with several pulleys and conveyors lifting and placing new parts, each piece looked fleshy and bone could be seen upon parts of the huge behemoth that were still exposed. But its appearance aside, the sheer size of Akulakhan was enough to prove to the Equestrians that if this monstrous being were ever to be completed, it would spell doom for all.

"What a fool you are," the voice of Dagoth Ur brought their attention away from Akulakhan to the said Mad God, who was standing at the opposite end of the plateau, now sporting a transparent, orange force field. "I'm a god. How can you kill a god? What a grand and intoxicating innocence. How could you be so naive? There is no escape. No Recall or Intervention can work in this place. Come. Lay down your weapons. It is not too late for my mercy."

"Sweet Celestia, this no good snake in the grass likes to toot his own horn," said Applejack.

"Mercy?" said Sarian, seemingly unfazed by the incomplete god across the room. "What mercy could you possibly have for me? You didn't show Nerevar mercy the last time you met, in this very place, why would you show me, Nerevar supposedly reborn, mercy now?"

Dagoth Ur lifted up his hand, a spiral of orange light appearing in his grip. "You always were astute, my old friend."

The spiral of light expanded over the whole plateau, and once it faded, Sarian found it was no longer just the two of them. Over a dozen Ash Creatures now took up the entire plateau, Ascended Sleepers, Ash Ghouls, Ash Slaves, Corprus Stalkers, Lame Corpruses and even Ash Vampires now stood alongside Dagoth Ur, their eyes fixed on Sarian. Sarian didn't back down though, holding the Daedric Crescent up in defense.

"I have come too far, am too close to achieving my noble goals to risk it all on sentiment," said Dagoth Ur, "and though it greatly pains me that we will not be engaging in one on one combat, like in times of old, I will not allow things to end the way they did so long ago. No, Moon-and-Star, one way or another, I will succeed in liberating Morrowind."

The small army of Ash Creatures began to close in on their target, several of them readying spells.

"No good varmint," said Applejack, "how low can you get?"

"Girls," Twilight's voice was full of determination. "I believe now is the time. Dagoth Ur hopes to overwhelm Sarian by outnumbering her, let's show him she isn't alone."

There was a brief pause, one where the more sensitive of Twilight's friends did their best to beat down their nervousness now that the time for them to join the fray had come, but they all became just as determined as her. Now was the time to defend their home and families from this monster.

"RIGHT," all seven of Twilight's friends said at once.

Still under the cover of invisibility, the seven equines and baby dragon took up positions beside Sarian.

"Good luck everyone," said the Dark Elf maiden, regretful that they were going to have to get involved, but thankful for their support.

"All together, girls," said Twilight, scraping the ground. "Unrelenting Force!"

Dagoth Ur watched as his minions moved in on their foe. He was legitimately regretful to have to resort to such tactics, but he could not allow the Nerevarine to live any longer. And even one so skilled would be overwhelmed against the number of opponents he had summoned forth.

'FUS RO DAH'

A great cloud of blue light suddenly erupted from the plateau, and every Ash Creature Dagoth Ur summoned but a moment ago were thrown over the edge and into the bubbling lava below. Staggering, Dagoth Ur watched as all of his aid suddenly vanished into the glow of Red Mountain crater, looking up just in time to see that his adversary no longer stood alone. Eight figures clad in different sets of armor suddenly flashed onto the plateau, seven of them equine, while one was small and reptilian.

"What is the meaning of this Moon-and-star?" demanded the Mad God, only for realization to come over him a second later. "You! You are all denizens of that other world."

"That's right, Dagoth Ur," said Twilight, blowing steam from her nostrils.

"And we have come to put a stop to your vile schemes," said Rarity, her elegant face twisted into a hateful scowl.

"It's not possible!" Said Dagoth Ur, disbelief in his voice. "You have no knowledge of the existence of me or my world. I know this!"

"That's where you're wrong, buddy," said Rainbow Dash, a determined smirk on her face as she faced down Dagoth Ur. "We know all about you and your plans for our home, and we aren't going to let you get away with it."

"Like we would let a meanie like you turn everypony we love into mindless zombies," said Pinkie.

Dagoth Ur clenched his fists, his bafflement at their sudden appearance overtaken by anger. "You would defy your new God?"

"You are no god," said Fluttershy, surprising everyone, even herself, when she spoke up.

"I have the power to shape the world as I see fit, you should be wary of inspiring my wrath," said Dagoth Ur, the disrespectful attitude of these creatures really starting to annoy him. "Yet you would side with the Nerevarine against me?"

"Sarian is a way better ally than you are, you maniac," said Spike.

The insult actually seemed to have an effect on Dagoth Ur. "You dare insult me? You should hold a being of my abilities in reverence."

"It takes more than sheer power to gain the reverence of the ponies of Equestria," said Luna, "it takes more than might to rule, and that is why we will never bow to a being such as you. We would never follow something that believes only in themselves."

Dagoth Ur seemed to have had enough of this defiance. "You will pay for this treachery."

With a wave of his hand, Dagoth Ur once again summoned his hoard of Ash Creatures.

"Oh, like that's going to work," said Rainbow:

'FUS RO DAH'

Her lone Shout did not have the desired effect. The Ash Creatures only staggered briefly, just as Dagoth Ur had, but nothing more. Concerned, they all tried at the same time again, only to get the same result.

"Ugh, Twilight," said Rarity nervously, backing away from the advancing monsters. "Why isn't it working?"

Looking closer, Twilight discovered to her horror that the Ash Creatures now possessed a shield just like their Masters. That was why he didn't go over the first time. Whatever that shield was, it could even guard against the Thu'um.

"We're in trouble girls," said Twilight, looking at all them worriedly, "that shield, it would seem, is protecting them."

This unexpected turn was more than unsettling.

But they didn't have time to dwell on it, for at that moment an Ash Ghoul closed in on them, readying a spell. Rainbow acted fast, flying to meet the monster, and while the shield prevented her from touching the thing physically, she struck the shield itself hard enough to send it and the one wearing it back amongst the hoard.

"Twilight, what do we do?" asked Rainbow as she rejoined them, trying hard to keep up her tough demeanor. "Those shields prevent us from being able to do any real damage."

Twilight began racking her mind for a solution, but didn't have time to get even close to coming up with something. The surrounding Ash Creatures sent a barrage of deadly spells toward them, impacting the group in a cloud of explosions and dust. All was silent, the Ash Creatures waiting to see if their combined attacks had succeeded.

The smoke cleared, and Dagoth Ur groaned in annoyance to see a dome of magic projected over those who would dare challenge him.

"Smash through their defenses!" He ordered his minions, "you all are empowered by my Divine essence, whatever they have thrown against you is no match!"

At the will of their master, the Ash Creatures began bombarding the shield with a relentless stream of destruction magic.

Luna and Twilight cringed as their combined shield was assaulted from all sides.

"Twilight, what do we do?" asked Rarity frantically. "We are the only ones who can stop that brute from reducing Equestria to a wasteland, but everything we have tried so far hasn't had an effect on him, or his ruffian friends."

Twilight was splitting her focus between maintaining the shield with Princess Luna and trying to come up with a plan to get them out of this. They were Equestria's only hope, but it would seem even their power over the Thu'um was no match for the power of the Heart of Lorkhan, despite her original theory to the contrary. Try as she might, Twilight could not come up with anything that could get them around Dagoth Ur's Divine power.

So that just meant one thing.

"We have to sever Dagoth Ur from the Heart," Twilight strained to say. "It's the only way."

"But Twi, he has us pinned," said Applejack, "and as Rainbow said, those shields protecting Dagoth Ur's lackies prevent us from doing anything against them."

Twilight looked up at the army bombarding the shield. They could not fight them while they had those shields, but maybe they could get past them somehow. Beyond the spell blasts Twilight could make out a path that spiraled along the wall of the chamber, dropping down and out of sight. She then looked up at Princess Luna, who was showing signs of strain.

With her fast wit, Twilight formulated a plan. It was risky, but it was the best she could come up with, and with time against them, she was doubtful she could come up with something else, let alone something less risky.

"I have an idea," said Twilight, all of them giving her their undivided attention. "It will be risky, but I believe it's our only option."

"Do not doubt yourself, Twilight," said Sarian supportingly. "If you have a solution you believe can work, it's the best we can hope for."

The others agreed.

Grateful that they had such faith in her, Twilight began to explain to them what she had come up with. With each part of the plan explained they all became more and more nervous, but continued to listen. They all agreed that despite the risk it was, in fact, the only apparent option.

The shield around them fractured just as Twilight finished, making them all jump for a second.

"You weren't kidding, Twilight," said Applejack, eyes wide with concern. "If we follow this plan, an awful lot can go wrong."

"There isn't anything that doesn't involve risk at this point," said Rainbow, flexing her muscles in preparation before adopting her trademark daredevil smirk. "Plus, this sounds challenging, and I love a challenge."

"I don't like it," said Luna, gritting her teeth. "I came on this voyage to protect you all, I can't do that if I follow through with this plan of Twilight's."

But nobody had a chance to either argue or agree with her, for multiple fractures then spread across their only protection against the constant wave of magic.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I feel we have no choice," said Rarity, trembling in fear, "the barrier won't hold for much longer, so if we are going through with Twilight's plan, we need to do it now."

Luna's expression became strained that was more than her trying to keep up the shield, but she couldn't argue anymore. It was obvious that time was up, and if they were going to act, it had to be now. With a regretful scowl, Luna nodded, agreeing to go through with what Twilight had in mind.

Twilight walked up next to her, nodding in turn, and the two channeled a new spell.

The forcefield expanded out in a wave of magic seconds before it shattered, impacting the shields of Dagoth Ur and his Ash Creatures and staggering them slightly as the two magic barriers collided and produced effect similar when two glasses are banged into each other. With the hoard of monsters disoriented, the nine companions charged forward, into the fray and dispersing into its numbers.

It was pandemonium.

They could not damage the Ash Creatures because of the shields, so they settled for weaving and dodging, becoming targets that were impossible to hit. The Ash Creatures had a more difficult time using spells at such close range, and those that were able to get a bead found their aim altered at the last second by one of the winged ponies, who would spring out of nowhere and impact their shield. So far, none had been able to score a hit on the strange group from Equestria and their Dunmer ally.

But Dagoth Ur wasn't concerned as he watched from the sidelines.

All mortals had limited strength, and eventually it would wane. All he had to do was wait for his minions to outlast the Nerevarine and her allies.

"NOW, PRINCESS," came the voice of that violet colored equine.

A spark of blue light went off in the distance, and Dagoth Ur saw that dark pony with both wings and a horn appear a great distance away from the scuffle and head down the path along the chamber wall.

"IMPOSSIBLE, NO FORM OF TELEPORTATION CAN WORK IN THIS PLACE!" he shouted in frustration, sprinting along the edge of the plateau to pursue, but soon found his path blocked by a purple unicorn.

"You wanna get to them, you gotta go through me first," she said with a scowl.

---

Twilight had been right.

Same with the mananite being unable to absorb magicka from Mundus back in the Equestrian Badlands, whatever hinders teleportation in this place could not interfere with Equestrian teleportation. Free of obstacles, Princess Luna and Sarian sprinted down the spiraling path.

"We must hurry," said the Princess as she sped beside Sarian. "Twilight said that Dagoth Ur intends to use the Heart of Lorkhan to power Akulakhan, so it must be inside the thing somewhere. This path must lead to something that allows access to that unfinished monster until it is complete."

She could have teleported them directly over to Akulakhan, but with how all this Divine power had been interfering with their magic, like with Twilight's clairvoyance, it wasn't worth the risk. Flying was out of the question due to the misfired spells that filled the air from the Ash Creatures' continued assault on their allies, so that left them with following this path in the hopes that they found a way to cross over to Akulakhan. And they had better find it soon.

For the others sake.

---

"This is getting tiresome," said Dagoth Ur as he held Twilight up by her throat. "Did you honestly think you could challenge a God?"

Twilight's only response was to blast him in the face with her magic.

"Persistent, aren't you."

Effortlessly, Dagoth Ur tossed Twilight back into the fray with her friends, deciding that the disposal of such a lowly creature was better left to his subordinates.

He had more pressing concerns.

"TWILIGHT!"

Rainbow snatched her unicorn friend out of the air before she could hit the ground.

"I'm okay, Rainbow," reassured Twilight as Rainbow settled her to her hooves, bringing her attention to how far Princess Luna and Sarian had made it. "I hope I bought them enough time."

The answer came in the form of Dagoth Ur's next move.

With seemingly no effort, he leaped off the plateau and sailed over the chamber, landing down on the spiral path about a yard away from Sarian and Luna's location.

"OH NO!" shouted Twilight.

"NOT GOOD, THAT IS SO NOT GOOD!" shouted Rainbow.

The whole strategy was to allow Luna to get Sarian to the Heart as quickly as possible, and if Dagoth Ur caught up with them the chances of them even getting to the Heart were slim. They too set off in pursuit, but they were forced to rejoin the battle when more Ash Creatures intercepted them, same as the rest of their friends. They all were stuck in this one sided brawl.

Except for one.

Spike watched Dagoth Ur bound across the chamber like it was nothing, coming very close to the location of the allies they had allowed a window of opportunity. He knew himself that if those two didn't find the Heart of Lorkhan, they would stand no chance against Dagoth Ur, and with said villain in pursuit, the chances were becoming slimmer by the second. Someone had to do something.

Do to his short stature the Ash Creatures barely took notice of him, stumbling around like they were unaware of his existence. If he was able to give them the slip, he might be able to break free of the battle and try to intercept Dagoth Ur before he caught up to Sarian and Princess Luna. But what could he do?

He was small, no denying that, so what could he hope to accomplish against something like Dagoth Ur?

But then he saw all his friends trying desperately to battle the hoard of monsters, trying to keep their attention solely on them instead of the two who were their only chance to come out of this. A chance that was now in jeopardy. He had to do something. Not just for his friends, but for everything that was at stake because of Dagoth Ur.

Weaving through a sea of legs, Spike managed to wiggle past all the Ash Creatures unnoticed and sprinted down the spiral path, dropping onto all fours to increase his speed.

Twilight had been throwing worried looks across the chamber at the shrinking distance between Dagoth Ur and her cohorts, and that is when she saw Spike sprint off in pursuit.

"SPIKE!" She made to teleport after him, but an Ash Ghoul almost struck her with a spell, leaving her with no choice but to defend herself.

---

"You're beaten!"

The Dark Elf that was obviously in league with Dagoth Ur fired a spell at Sarian and Princess Luna. They dodged and Princess Luna blasted him into one of the stalagmites that dotted the path, while Sarian sprinted forward and dispatched him with a slash to the chest. Not wasting any time, they continued down the path.

They saw below a rope bridge that connected to Akulakhan's belly, and it was there that they spotted their goal.

A gigantic object in the shape of a heart was attached to Akulakhan by means of a network of pipes, a pulsating aura of color identical to Dagoth Ur's shield surrounding it. That had to be the Heart of Lorkhan, and after everything that happened, getting to it was their only chance. There were still too many random spells going off for flight so that left hoofing it as still the only available option.

"You are a stubborn thing, Nerevar."

A multicolored spell impacted the wall they had just passed, and turning to its source, Luna and Sarian were horrified to see Dagoth Ur closing in on them fast.

"How did he catch up with us so fast?" asked Sarian.

"No time to dwell on it, run!" was Luna's response.

---

Spike was sprinting after Sarian and Luna and their pursuer as fast as his little legs could carry him. He was surprisingly swift, despite his pudge, and was actually closing in on them. He still had no clue how he was going to hold back Dagoth Ur, but he was determined to do something.

"Aaaagh!" Said a pained voice.

Turning to the right, Spike saw a Dark Elf with a profoundly bleeding gash across his chest launch a lightning bolt at him before keeling over and lying motionless on the ground.

Spike screamed in terror, for the spell was too quick for him to dodge:

'MUL QAH DIIV'

He had acted on pure instinct, and was now covered in the luminous dragon armor of his Nirn counterparts. The spell struck home, but Spike wasn't even slowed, his endurance increased by the power of Dragon Aspect. Undaunted, he continued his pursuit of the three up ahead, now clad in Ebony armor and magic Draconian armor.

But Dagoth Ur was closing the distance between himself and his quarry faster then Spike was his and at this rate wouldn't reach them first. He had just used a Thu'um, so could not increase his speed with Whirlwind Sprint, and his legs were carrying him as fast as they could already.

'I have to do something, I can't let him reach the Princess and Sarian.'

Spike grit his teeth in frustration, trying to will himself to go faster by any means. Suddenly his next bound didn't land him on any ground to spring from again, and when he looked down, the ground was speeding under him, just out of reach of his claws. Perplexed, Spike looked around for an explanation, and what he saw baffled him.

His Dragon Aspect now sported a pair of translucent wings, his speed increasing as their flapping grew in strength. He felt pure euphoria wash over him. For all his encounters with other dragons, he had always been disappointed at his lack of wings.

Even though these were obviously just some extension of the Dragon Aspect, Spike felt like a true dragon for the first time in his life.

Grinning with newfound resolve, Spike thrusted his claws forward and willed himself to go faster. The Dragon Aspect obeyed, and soon Spike was streaking down the spiral path. Before long he actually had Dagoth Ur in his sights up ahead. This time Spike was the one closing in on his quarry at a faster rate.

He still did not know what he was going to do to stall the maniac so he decided to go with the first thing that came to mind, his sights honing in on Dagoth Ur's feet, not even aware of the slight tingling sensation the scales of his neck were producing in response to such danger.

---

Hah-hah-hah-hah. Oh, dear me. Forgive me, but I am enjoying this."

The taunting voice was growing unsteadily closer.

Turning around, Sarian and Princess Luna were regretful to find out that Dagoth Ur was not twenty feet from them, swerving to run along the outer edge of the path so as to cut them off when they came within range.

"He's going to overtake us before we even get close to that bridge," said Luna, looking up at Sarian next to her. "We have no choice but to split up. You continue to make for the Heart, I'll try and stall him."

"Your courage is admirable, Princess, but you know as well as I do that such an effort would be in vain," replied Sarian, her voice steady, despite the situation. "With Dagoth Ur's power, you most likely won't be able to buy enough time for it to make a difference."

"Then I will buy you as much time as I can," said Luna, flaring her wings in a battle stance. "At this point, even a little more time might just be enough."

"Farewell, sweet Nerevar. Better luck on your next incarnation." Dagoth Ur readied his next attack, and with how much closer he was now, there was a good chance that his aim would be true.

But suddenly his legs locked up, his forward momentum so strong it sent him along for quite a bit of distance. Sarian and Princess Luna watched from their vantage point a small orange blur came streaking down the path and latched onto Dagoth Ur's feet. The Mad God stumbled, sailing through the air, towards the ledge of the path.

Growling in aggravation, Dagoth Ur looked down to see why his feet had locked up, only to come face to face with the tiny reptilian creature the Nerevarine had arrived with clinging to his ankles, said face was twisted into a mocking grin.

Spike wasn't one to be corny, but he just could not help himself this time. "Buckle up pal, you and me are going on a 'trip'."

Dagoth Ur could do nothing as he and the little lizard plunged over the side and into the lava below.

"SPIKE!" shouted Luna frantically as she watched Twilight's baby dragon cohort plunge off the platform and into the lava pit below.

"He was so brave," said Sarian respectfully as her and Luna looked over the side to see no trace of either of them, her voice laced with pity. "To throw himself into fire to aid us. To confront Dagoth Ur on his own like that."

"Then it is even more imperative we get to the Heart of Lorkhan and put an end to this madness," said Luna determinedly, once again heading to the rope bridge.

"Yes, your comrade shall not have given his life in vain," said Sarian as she caught up.

"Spike is not dead!"

Sarian looked at Princess Luna sceptically, "I am all for optimism, but if the fall didn't kill him, then the lava..."

"Dragons are fireproof," explained Luna quickly, "but now he is trapped down there with that monster. If he is to have a chance, we must strip Dagoth Ur of his power source now!"

---

"Spike!"

Twilight could do nothing but watch from above as her number one assistant tumbled over the ledge into the lava, interlocked in Dagoth Ur's legs. But, to her immense relief, the detect life ability of the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal revealed to her that he was still alive below, and not only that, but her analysing mind had noticed something. Spike had passed through Dagoth Ur's shield.

"GIRLS!" she shouted to her friends, who were still struggling to fight off the Ash Creatures. "USE DRAGON ASPECT!"

Most were too preoccupied to respond, but one pony skilled in multitasking managed it.

"But we've already found out even Shouts don't do squat," said Rainbow as she pushed an Ascended Sleeper off herself and Rarity.

"No time to explain, just trust me."

They didn't understand, but Twilight had their trust, so they complied.

'MUL QAH DIIV'

The effect was instantaneous.

The ponies' attacks now passed through the Ash Creatures' shields with no effort, physically or magically. Now, one by one, the Ash Creatures numbers were thinning. It would seem Twilight and the others finally got the edge they were hoping for.

---

A gleaming gold mask breached the surface of the bubbling lava, followed by the rest of the thing that wore it as it sat up.

Dagoth Ur looked up and realized he had fallen clear to the bottom of Red Mountain crater, the massive form of Akulakhan looming above. He was unharmed, thanks to his godhood, but it was no less irritating to be stuck at the bottom of a hole for him then it would be for anyone else. That lizard who had tripped him was lucky to already be dead.

"Ha," the small reptilian erupted from the lava with a tiny splash and hovered up on it's transparent wings. "Bet you didn't see that coming, did you."

Dagoth Ur felt rage burn through him at the creatures complete lack of respect, and to make matters worse, the youth in its voice signified that it was nothing more than a child. He had just been sent tumbling into the heart of Red Mountain by a child. It was enraging and humiliating.

"You wretched Argonian spawn of Black Marsh," seethed Dagoth Ur, pointing a spindly finger at Spike. "You and your people will pay for the indignity you have brought upon the great Dagoth Ur of the Great Sixth House."

"Yeah, yeah, monologue, monologue," said Spike, rubbing his temple in irritation. "As I have told countless people, I am not an Argonian. I am a dragon."

Dagoth Ur seemed taken aback, "Impossible, dragons no longer exist!"

"Yeah, so I heard," said Spike, crossing his arms. He didn't know what he was doing per se, but if he kept Dagoth Ur distracted long enough, maybe Sarian and the Princess could find the Heart of Lorkhan. "But there are a lot of things in Equestria you ain't got a clue about, buddy. Dragons may not exist here anymore, but Equestria is full of them." He stared down Dagoth Ur with a glare. "And you can bet your pretty mask that they will be no more inclined to bow down to you than my friends are willing to. And neither will I."

Spike may feel no connection to his dragon kin back home, but he was fairly certain that they would not submit to Dagoth Ur, as he said.

Dagoth Ur was about to say something, but looked off into the distance, seemingly distracted by something only he could see.

"The Heart of Lorkhan speaks to me," he said, turning his attention to Spike once more. "The power you and your comrades wield is the power of Akotosh, the Thu'um."

Spike was slightly surprised that Dagoth Ur had surmised such so soon, but Twilight had forewarned them that the power of the Divine was limitless, so to expect anything.

"That's right," said Spike, steeling his nerves and actually fluttering up into Dagoth Ur's mask. "It would seem that you aren't the only one who can utilize the power of the Divine..."

A multi-colored spell passed by Spike's face, missing his scales by mere inches.

"Blasphemy!" shouted Dagoth Ur, his voice dangerous. "Only I am worthy to wield the power of the Gods. You and your friends will pay dearly for this impudence."

It would seem that the time of distraction through talking was over, so Spike was going to have to change tactics. Carried by his new, luminescent wings, Spike swerved and twirled in the air, the magical attacks passing by him, blowing holes in the nearby walls, but never getting anywhere near the airborne baby dragon. It was surprisingly easy to dodge Dagoth Ur's attacks.

"Is this the best you can do?" taunted Spike, though he knew it was a bad idea. But he was going to do whatever it takes to keep Dagoth Ur distracted as long as he could. "If your skills are so mediocre, it's no wonder that the Sixth House fell."

He might have taken it a bit too far.

Dagoth Ur paused his assault, his body going rigid. His three luminous eyes increased in intensity until it was like three miniature suns stood suspended above the lava, a low growl emanating from between them. An inexplicable wind began to blow.

Suddenly, a wave of red light spread throughout the entire lava pit. Spike lifted his claws up to shield his eyes from the intense light, and when it finally passed he found himself once again susceptible to gravity, falling towards the lava. All he had time to do was scream briefly, before face planting into the molten rock, lingering on the surface for a second before sinking beneath the surface.

A hand plunged into the lava, grabbing a small scaly neck and lifting it up.

Spike sputtered to clear his mouth of lava, and when he looked up, he found himself face to face with a three eyed nightmare. He gasped and thrusted his claws up to try and cast one of the spells he learned in Apocrypha, but for the first time since he left Twilight's enchanted book his claws produced nothing. He gasped in shock and tried another Thu'um, but once again produced no results.

"Your magic has been silenced, Dragonling," hissed Dagoth Ur. "Even your mastery of the Thu'um is now nullified."

Spike gasped.

He knew about silencing spells, and that until they wore off no magic can be used. But it should not have an effect on the ability to use the Thu'um.

"How?" was all Spike managed to say passed his fear.

"The Thu'um may have originated from the Gods, but my power is derived from the Gods themselves," explained Dagoth Ur, his voice full of barely restrained rage. "Nothing is beyond my power."

Without another word, Dagoth Ur tossed Spike into the far wall. He scampered for purchase, and when he managed to cling to a couple of protruding stones he turned towards Dagoth Ur... just in time to see a huge ball of magic sailing towards him. He had no chance of getting out of the way.

Dagoth Ur watched as the annoying dragon was engulfed in an explosion powerful enough to blow a sizable hole in the wall, which was then filled in with collapsing rock. But he spared this slight distraction no further thought, looking up to the looming chamber above. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

---

After subduing another Dreamer, Luna and Sarian finally made it to the final stretch of the winding path.

The rope bridge was just up ahead, the Heart of Lorkhan glistening under its barrier on the other side. But just before Sarian and Princess Luna could set foot (or hoof) upon the first plank, the entire thing exploded in flames, the force of the blast knocking them to the stone floor, wooden shrapnel raining down around them. Shaken, but otherwise unharmed, Sarian and Luna staggered up and looked themselves over for damage.

"You okay, your Majesty?" asked Sarian.

"I'm fine, but there's a more pressing matter," said Luna, looking to the destroyed bridge.

"Princess Luna."

Taking up fighting stances, Luna and Sarian turned to see Dagoth Ur walking out of the curtain of flames that had once been the only access to the Heart of Lorkhan.

"Don't be alarmed that I know who you are," said the tall humanoid as he stood before them. "I am a God."

"Don't flatter yourself!" shouted Princess Luna. "You only know about me because of your presence in the mind of one of my subjects."

Dagoth Ur didn't seem affected by her rebuttal, he just gave a brief glance over to Sarian before bringing his attention to Princess Luna again.

"I may have no choice but to destroy the Nerevarine, but you," he began, his voice full of intrigue. "You and your sister fascinate me. I feel in the very near future we will consider each other valuable allies."

"If you think my sister and I would ever join you, you are even more delusional than I was led to believe," was Luna's response.

"It's foolish to resist the will of a God," said Dagoth Ur calmly, as if Princess Luna's claim was of no consequence. "And why would you deny yourselves such an opportunity? Morrowind and Equestria united would be a formidable force, and with my Divine power, we could shape our kingdoms however we see fit."

"Even if we were inclined to accept such an offer, it is an empty promise coming from the likes of you," said Luna, projecting a force field around her and Sarian for protection, as futile as it may be. "I have seen what you have done with this 'divine power', and the only thing you intend to use it for is your own selfish ambitions."

"How peculiar," said Dagoth Ur as he continued to move closer to the two. "From all the knowledge that I have gathered from your world, I was certain that you would be the easiest to persuade."

Princess Luna didn't like the way he said that. "What do you mean?"

She was trying to come up with a solution to get to the Heart while they were carrying on this conversation, racking her brain for anything that might help.

"You and I are not so different," said Dagoth Ur. Princess Luna actually gasped in shock and disgust.

"I am nothing like you!" she rebutted with a snarl.

"Do you think so?" said Dagoth Ur as he began circling Sarian and Luna from outside the magic force field, the two rotating to keep him in their sights. "We are both timeless beyond measure, have abilities unparalleled when compared to those of our peers, and unlike any other individual, you share my kinship with dreams, an ability even your sister doesn't have. And more importantly, you and I have the same ambitions."

"NEVER!" denied Luna, her anger flaring up with every one of Dagoth Ur's comparisons.

"Like me, you were presented with the opportunity to make your world better," said Dagoth Ur with a slight chuckle. "And like me, rather then being thanked for your devotion and dedication, your closest allies rebelled against you, your own sister banishing you for a thousand years. And when you finally return from you unwarranted imprisonment, your people once again resist you, until finally, they strip you of the power that is rightfully yours.

"I to was betrayed by my allies, but unlike you, they failed in stripping me of my power. Join me, Princess Luna, and the power you once wielded can be yours again."

Luna was trembling.

She could not deny that there were similarities between her and Dagoth Ur. Her actions as Nightmare Moon were self serving and apathetic, and to this day the guilt was almost unbearable, and being reminded like this was only twisting the knife. But she knew something Dagoth Ur didn't.

"You're right," she said, trying to focus on her breath to calm her nerves. "There are undeniable similarities between us." She scowled right into the three eyed gold mask upon Dagoth Ur's face. "But unlike you, I have come to accept the fact that what I did was wrong, that I had no right to try to dominate all of Equestria! And my allies didn't rebel against me, it was me who betrayed them. My sister had no choice but to do what she did."

She spread her wings. "And when I returned from my imprisonment I wasn't stripped of my power, I was restored to my proper place. I am Princess Luna. Equestrian Monarch of the Moon, and guardian of dreams. It is my sacred duty to defend Equestria from danger and..."

She squinted her eyes at Dagoth Ur. "From nightmares like you."

Dagoth Ur put his hands to his hips and shook his head in what appeared to be pity. "So misguided, so foolish to think you could ever deny a God." He walked up to the force field and stared at the Lunar Matriarch beyond. "Let me show you how vastly superior my abilities over dreams are as compared to yours."

Without another word, and seemingly without effort, Dagoth Ur reached through Luna's force field as if it wasn't there and grasped the base of her horn. Luna immediately went as stiff as a statue, her force field fading away as her magic died.

---

Princess Luna suddenly found herself sitting on a throne of dark midnight blue, the throne room itself decorated with tapestries of the same color, all depicting different landscapes silhouetted against an expansive night sky. But despite the beauty of the room Luna had only one thought. How did she get here?

She remembered that she was in Akulakhan's Chamber, facing down an ancient evil that was threatening both her kingdom and another world. She tried to move, but she found her body unresponsive, she was unable to even turn her head.

'This has to be Dagoth Ur's doing."

"SISTER!"

Suddenly, the doors of the throne room burst open, and Princess Celestia hurried inside, and following her was Twilight and her friends.

'Sister, thank goodness you're here,' thought Luna, her body miraculously turning its neck slightly downwards so as to get a better look at her opalescent sibling. 'We have confronted the being responsible for all the calamity...'

Her thoughts derailed as the new position of her neck allowed her a slight glimpse of her own body.

Her chest was adorned with a midnight breastplate sporting a crescent moon insignia, and her fur was a jet black, rather than her normal dark blue. She also appeared to be a great deal taller. It didn't take long for Luna to realize what was going on.

'NO!'

"I welcomed you back with open wings, sister," said Celestia, Luna now noticing the dangerous scowl she wore. "I trusted you. Yet you betrayed that trust to once again pursue this dark path of treachery."

'No, sister, I would never betray you again."

"Did you honestly think I would settle for ruling half a kingdom that should be mine to rule alone?" Luna felt the body she was in say, its voice all too familiar. "Equestria should be ruled by a single Princess. Not shared with a spineless coward unfit to rule."

"Princess Celestia is not a coward," said Rainbow angrily. "She stood up to you before and won."

"Yeah, a meanie like you is the coward," said Pinkie with a frown.

"You miserable ponies are just as pathetic as your precious Princess," Luna heard herself say. "And foolish if you think you can defeat me."

"Equestria cannot linger in eternal night," said Twilight. "We have to stop you."

'No, no,' thought Luna frantically, 'I no longer desire eternal night. I have changed, I have.'

"As if mere ponies could deny my whims," said Nightmare Moon, standing from her throne so that she towered above them all. "I am Equestria's sole ruler, and I decree that from this day forward... the night... shall last… FOREVER!"

A sinister laugh echoed through the throne room, Nightmare Moon's wavy, star riddled mane and tail shooting up into a massive spiraling cloud that produced arcs of lightning.

"Then you leave me no choice, sister," Luna heard Celestia say.

Celestia's horn glowed, and suddenly the Elements of Harmony appeared on Twilight and the others. They then rose into the air, multicolored electricity pulsing through their bodies. A ribbon of rainbow coiled out of Twilight's element, and slithered to the others one by one, an aura of colors growing around the six mares.

'No, no please... not again.'

Once the ribbon formed a full circle back to the Element of Magic Twilight's eyes flew open to reveal two luminous pools of white light. Two much larger ribbons of rainbow shot up and spiraled around each other, meeting in mid air to form a single ribbon that arched forward. Straight for a tall, black alicorn.

'NNNOOO!'

Luna could do nothing as the power of the Elements of Harmony washed over her in a great luminous wave.

---

"PRINCESS!" shouted Sarian as she thrusted the Daedric Crescent at Dagoth Ur, only for his shield to deflect her attack.

Dagoth Ur held a limp Princess Luna up by her horn, her blank stare and shallow breathing her only signs of life.

"Pitiful," he mumbled, looking the limp alicorn up and down. "But still, you're too valuable to outright slay, for once I begin my conquest of your world, I will need a mighty steed to carry me into battle."

As easily as if she weighed nothing, Dagoth Ur tossed Princess Luna into a cluster of stalagmites in the distance, the stone protrusions crumbling under the force of the impact. Scraping his hands against each other, Dagoth Ur then turned to Sarian, who held up the Daedric Crescent in preparation.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me, Moon-and-Star."

---

Princess Luna struggled out of the rubble of the stalagmites, gasping for breath as she shook her head to clear her thoughts. Her heart beat intensely in her chest, the emotional pain of the vision she had been forced to endure just as excruciating as the physical pain of being tossed like a rag doll, if not more so. Looking up, she saw Dagoth Ur and Sarian engaged in one on one combat, Dagoth Ur using his magic, Sarian her weapon.

Sarian was too swift for Dagoth Ur to land a hit so far, and Dagoth Ur's force field prevented Sarian from even touching him, thus, so far, the duel was a draw.

But that wasn't going to last.

Eventually Sarian would tire.

But despite the dire situation, Luna could not help but chuckle. For all his boasting, for all his claims of superiority, Luna had been more impressed by the fact that Dagoth Ur had breached her force field so easily, rather then the vision he subjected her to. As emotionally and physically painful as it had been, Dagoth Ur's performance with that dream was amateurish.

She had dealt with nightmares all her life, and what Dagoth Ur had concocted was little more than a bad dream compared to her experience.

"I am... not impressed," she moaned, trying to rise to her hooves but failing. Her body had apparently taken quite the beating, the pain so intense that it was an effort just to lift her head. If she hadn't been wearing her alicorn armor she most likely wouldn't have survived.

She had to do something, she couldn't just sit here and watch.

But she was too wounded to even move, and even if she wasn't, it was obvious she was more than powerless against Dagoth Ur, for nothing she had thrown forth had even fazed him. Her alicorn magic was useless. But she had to do something.

And on a personal note, she was determined not to yield to this dream lord pretender.

But she needed to be stronger.

Luna's eyes widened as an idea came to her. She had been stronger, at one point in her life. Even her beloved older sister hadn't been able to defeat her then, having to resort to the Elements of Harmony themselves just to have a chance. Just like in Dagoth Ur's vision.

If she could access the power she had once wielded as Nightmare Moon, she may just have a chance to accomplish something, anything, against Dagoth Ur. She had been cleansed if the dark magic by the Elements for good, but maybe, just maybe, she could recall it to herself temporarily. Even though the thought repulsed her to her core, it was her only choice.

Focusing all the will she could muster, a section of her mane began to flow differently than the rest of it. With a flourish, the section of mane morphed into the shape of a double edged sword and plunged forward, sliding into the open space before Luna and vanishing from sight as if it became embedded in something. Luna winced, the action sending a wave of pain through her temple, even though the slice wasn't even on her body.

Pushing past the pain, Luna willed her mane to move, dragging the ethereal blade through the punctured space and leaving a glowing crevice. Withdrawing the blade, which then morphed back into a normal part of her mane, Luna focused on the rift in the physical realm she had created, hoping what lay beyond would help. But she also realized that it was entirely possible that it might become an enemy just as well.

But it was still her best option.

Channeling her magic, Luna scraped through her own body, gathering every trace of guilt and shame brought on by Dagoth Ur's vision and focused it to the tip of her horn in the form of a pulsating red orb. It was going to take bait for her plan to work, and with what she had laid out, what she sought was sure to come. Even though it was greatly risky.

The crevice pulsed, and Princess Luna felt something coming, like a great white shark closing in on its prey.

Suddenly, a tuft of pulsating smoke identical in appearance to Luna's mane and tail erupted from the crevice and surrounded the star above Luna's horn and began feeding on the raw suffering and misery. Her task complete, Luna sealed the tear in reality, hoping against hope that it wouldn't be needed to cast what she had just summoned back to whence it came should it prove to be uncooperative. But a second after the rift closed the strange being drifted off her horn and floated before her, similar in appearance to a candle's flame, flexing in one direction or another as if looking around.

"It is true, Tantabus," said Luna to her creation. "You have left the dream realm and entered the real world."

The being called Tantabus drifted closer to Princess Luna's muzzle and floated directly between her eyes. This creature was a magical construction of Princess Luna designed as a means of self punishment for all she did as Nightmare Moon. Built with an unquenchable hunger for pain, fear, and other such emotion, the Tantabus had the ability to make any dream into a dreadful nightmare to satisfy its appetite, and now that it was in the physical world it could make those nightmares reality.

Though for what Luna had in mind, she had to persuade it to fight by her side, and not go forth and turn the entire world into a living nightmare.

Like it was currently trying to do by fleeing into the distance.

"No!" Said Luna, calling the little cluster of wispy magic back with her telekinesis. "You will listen to what I have to say."

The Tantabus was designed specifically to antagonize her, so it was unlikely that she could persuade it to cooperate by asking nicely, but she had used her own ego in constructing it, so if she appealed to that part of it she might just succeed.

"You see him, the one wearing the golden mask?" asked Luna, pointing to Dagoth Ur and Sarian engaged in combat. "He has claimed to be the master of dreams."

Whether or not the Tantabus was listening before Luna said that wasn't entirely clear, but once she said 'master of dreams' it immediately stopped struggling in Luna's magic and focused purely on what she had pointed at.

"I see that has got your attention," said Luna, some of her apprehension from her resorting to this diminishing. "That creature, Dagoth Ur, claims to be the master of dreams. He believes that his abilities with dreams are unmatched by anyone."

Two holes opened upon the Tantabus's body to resemble eyes, gazing at Princess Luna in what could only be outrage. It would appear her earlier suspicion was correct, the Tantabus didn't take learning that someone else was staking claim on dreams lightly. Her ego was part of it after all, and she was the Princess of Dreams.

"I say he's wrong," said Luna with a smirk. "I say he doesn't understand the first thing about what it means to walk through dreams, to bend them to your will." Luna leaned closer to the Tantabus and smirked, "what do you say we teach him a lesson. How about you and I show him who the real master of dreams is." She leaned back and spread her wings, despite the great effort it took.

"Let us show him a nightmare."

Luna released the Tantabus from her magic, praying under her bravado that she had succeeded. The cloud of glistening blue hung in the air for a second longer before suddenly circling Luna's body so fast it became an indistinctive blur. Luna smiled and laid her head on the stone as the mass circling her grew in size until it encompassed her.

"Thank you, Tantabus," was the only thing Princess Luna said, her eyes becoming teal, with slitted pupils, and her teeth becoming as sharp as a dragon's.

---

Sarian's next assault bounced as ineffectively off of Dagoth Ur's shield as any other, her reaction to his counter attacks growing more sluggish.

"You can not defeat me Moon-and-Star," said Dagoth Ur, weaving his arms in preparation of another spell. "Admit defeat."

"NEVER!" hissed Sarian through her panting breaths. "I will not allow this world to be subjugated to your evil will."

"My goals are for the good of all of Morrowind, Moon-and-Star," said Dagoth Ur, launching his spell, which Sarian barely managed to dodge. "Surely you must see that."

"All I see are the delusions of a mad man," said Sarian.

Dagoth Ur just sighed, readying his next spell.

But before he could launch it a powerful gust of wind slammed into both of them, staggering them almost off their feet.

Comments

[Herald of Opera]

Well, that's one future problem nipped in the bud as an incidental part of a plan to deal with the current one. That's my favorite way of doing things in an AU.

[Kichi]

Surprised no one commented something like

"You are not a god... Sure, you have power, but compared to Hemaeus Mora or the other Daedra, your power is just a pale imitation"

[hydra30]

10049916
I'm surprised no one has committed on what happened to Spike yet.

[Kichi]

10049951
Spike screentime was away from them, and they are busy in the battle, so they didn't see him too much

[hydra30]

10050138
I meant the readers

[Xaldon Ajide]

10049951
if the wall has any crystals to eat spike will be back on his feet in no time.
unlike the skyrim dragons spike is about as durable as a tank, if not more so. it would take a lot more than getting blasted into a wall to fully injure him.

[HB_DS2013]

Oh yeah, Spike's lavaproof.

[Sarraceno]

Amazing chapter!

I always love when Spike is given the chance to show his concentrated badassery and his swift brain

[Sarraceno]

10049916
Actually in that moment what came to my head in that moment was Bill Murray in Ghostbusters

[Asolem2]

He knew about silencing spells, and that until they wore off no magic can be used. But it should not have an effect on the ability to use the Thu'um.

Spike, you can still breath fire... Melt. His. Face

[ShadwSonic]

10049916
That would rather weaken the "takes more than power" point, and would do no better to dissuade the madman (not that they thought they could do it at all, though). Besides, their relationship with Hermy is more along the lines of that with Discord when he's newly reformed, but with the added caveat of HIM being the one effectively in charge.

[Wild Stallion]

"He was so brave," said Sarian respectfullyas her and Luna looked over the side to see no trace of either of them, her voice laced with pity. "To throw himself into fire to aid us. To confront Dagoth Ur on his own like that."

I think there are two words here that you'll probably want to separate.

[Vigriff]

Teach this puny god his place, Luna!

[Slendrake]

Dagoth Ur screamed in pain, his voice sounding almost beastial, his latest spell petering out as his conversation was broken.

Conversation should probably be concentration.

[Zavex Capricious]

He still did not know what he was going to do to stall the maniac so he decided to go with the first thing that came to mind, his sights honing in on Dagoth Ur's feet, not even aware of the slight tingling sensation the scales of his neck were producing in response to such danger.

welp, I think spike is turning into a vampire, and I like it!