The Tyrant Within

by Impossible Numbers

Duel for the Equestrian Fate

Equestria didn’t see them coming till the shadows fell.

In Star Swirl’s school, Master Jove – Sensei having been replaced long ago, and her line of successors too – was showing his class proper lightning conduction and explaining how it could solve all their magical problems. He noticed students clamouring and peering out the windows, then wondered why it was getting so dark and went to look.

In the Alikondo Dojo – now renamed the Star Swirl Memorial Duelling Chamber – two students were mastering the art of telekinetic grappling, and the surrounding crowd were yawning and chatting amongst themselves. Then someone burst in screaming. As one, the audience and both grapplers broke off to investigate.

The ponies of the estates beyond had already noticed the shadows. They now gathered, the farmers in the fields putting down tools and wandering as though hypnotized. Unicorns gathered at the edge of the city. Horns began to glow defensively.

The Dukes and Duchesses, the Marquesses and Marchionesses, the Earls and Countesses, the Viscounts and Viscountesses, the Barons and Baronesses, and all the lesser lords and ladies hurried out of their towers to the edge of Everfree City.

A shriek: the Blizzard of Paradise swooped once over the gathering crowd. In the bird’s wake, shards of ice settled on the ponies, freezing several, frightening the rest. Ponies fled or fought to get out of the way.

The Blizzard of Paradise swung round, hovered briefly, then landed on her master’s stationary shoulder.

Behind Princess Abacus Cinch, the entire army loomed. It covered the hill. It closed in on the city. It blocked out the setting sun.

---

Celestia’s wings fought against the pain. She’d been poisoned, she knew. Too much experience had taught her how it felt, but her muscles fought for every beat of the wing. She fought just to stay in the air.

Sparks and embers fell behind her. She had to use a spell to keep herself airborne, and already she sensed the fizzing of struggling magic.

Although she felt the urgency, it wasn’t what drove her on. This wasn’t about nations anymore. Now it was personal.

---

Cinch stood some way from the huts and hovels and humbler abodes that marked the edge of the city. Her expression was empty.

Her voice magically echoed across the city, but in dead, mechanical tones: “I am Princess Abacus Cinch of the Dressage Downs. At first, I believed it was my duty to subdue them for the greater realm of Equestria, and I alone have succeeded where others failed. It has become clear to me, however, that while the Dressage Downs prosper and thrive, Equestria remains as it always has, a threadbare backwater rendered slow and incompetent by infighting.”

With a lazy wave, she signalled the Captain of the Sidesaddle Soldiers. He swung something tantalizingly overhead. Within the ice block, two frightened eyes stared out.

“I am not interested in waging war. My goals are simpler: I will annexe Equestria peacefully to the Dressage Downs and give you the harmony and stability you so desperately crave.”

In the crowd, ponies suddenly had to hold back an elderly stallion screaming and fighting his way through. The captain’s horn raised the frozen Luna higher.

“I also have a hostage. It pains me to use such crude methods, but I wish to impress upon you my utter commitment to this goal. Stand down and bow to me, or be crushed. Starting with young Luna here.”

Uncertainly, the crowd stayed put. The elderly stallion froze, eyes wide with terror.

After a full minute, Cinch waved a hoof idly. The front ranks of the army surged forward. The captain’s horn flared. Luna’s ice cracked. Inside, Luna closed her eyes –

“STOP!”

It wasn’t Cinch. She looked up.

Between the army and the city, Celestia streaked like a comet and landed with a small crater. The impact made her stumble, sent shockwaves through their hooves, but she struggled and stood upright.

Cinch waved another hoof. The army stopped. The ice stopped cracking.

Now a change crept over Cinch. Where she’d looked listless and immobile before, her lips parted to reveal clenched teeth like glaciers melting to reveal diamonds. She leaned forwards eagerly.

“Ah,” she murmured. “Excellent. Finally, a challenge worthy of my skills.”

“Your Highness?”

“A moment, Captain. We have an audience… yes…” Coughing, Cinch projected her voice again. “Citizens of Equestria! On my honour as a princess, I will spare your nation… if a champion can be found to defeat me in one-on-one combat.”

“Your Highness!” cried out the captain over the surprised chatter of the crowds. “What are you doing?”

“Hush, Captain.”

Still struggling, Celestia stumbled forwards, breathing heavily. Her wings looked crumpled, her lips and cheeks twitched at stings of agony, but she refused to cower.

“Well, my friend?” bellowed Cinch, grinning like a gash. “Will you represent Equestria?”

Celestia’s horn sparked gold. “I will.”

Consternation rippled through the crowd. And through Cinch. Something about the way Celestia moved, the way she’d just clutched her stomach… here and now, that couldn’t possibly be influenced by the Sea of Self-Hatred… she’d used the technique often enough herself…

Fury snarled; Cinch rounded on her captain. “She’s been poisoned!”

“Er… yes, Your Highness?”

Cinch’s mind needed a few seconds to join the dots. Back at the antechamber, the captain had been there when she’d served the drinks…

“You poisoned her!?”

“I thought you wanted me to! You said she was the enemy! And we’ve always –”

Cinch struck a blow that sent him spinning and crashing to the ground. His spell cut out. Luna’s ice block crashed to the ground and fell over.

“You fool! This was supposed to be a fair match! As of now, you are dishonourably discharged!”

The captain lay where he’d fallen. At her approach, he yelped and scrambled backwards.

Yet she paused, ripped his chest plate aside, levitated a vial from his secret pouch. She held it up for all to see, Equestrian citizens included.

“Your Duchess has been poisoned! In the name of a fair fight, I shall now level the playing field!”

And to the horror of her own soldiers, she drank the vial.

Silence, except for the gulp, gulp, gulp of Cinch’s throat. Then she gasped, threw it aside, ignored the crash of glass, swayed where she stood, groaned her way forwards.

A demented smirk seized her muzzle. Curling strands of mane bounced off her eyes without them even blinking.

“First, Princess Alicorn. Then the founders of Equestria. Then the Pillars of Star Swirl. All miracles. All peacemakers. All failed. Because it’s not about complacency, or ‘talent’, or ‘gifts’!” she bellowed. “All these millennia, and yet we come back to the same single principle, the only one that ever works: hard work.”

Celestia stood still and regal as a queen’s statue. Cinch, however, stumbled and tottered her way to the clear arena between army and city, grunting in pain one second, suppressing a snigger the next.

“Well, Celestia?” continued Cinch. “Now it’s just you and me.”

“Like old times,” said Celestia.

Cinch stopped. They stood, staring at each other with undisguised loathing: Celestia’s face a sleek sword, Cinch’s a twisted monster.

Celestia’s horn glowed. “Alikondo?”

“Nothing would give me greater pleasure.”

Celestia’s spell levitated the captain’s sword, brought it forth, and sent it digging into the ground. Slowly, in utter silence, Celestia dragged it along one edge, then turned to drag it another. As the crowd backed off hurriedly, the edges of the arena – the “moat” – completed their square circuit.

Cinch’s horn flashed once. Out of thin air, a square river of water dropped down and splashed into the gap. Bamboo stalks sprouted around the edges.

Celestia’s horn glowed once. Sword slid into levitating scabbard, which she carefully slung over Cinch’s saddle.

Arena complete.

Both horns glowed.

Above Celestia, the sun rose, struggling against the purple clouds and dusty orange sky. Above Cinch, the moon rose, dragging out the stars. Half-moon: half-light, half-darkness.

They waited.

“So it comes to this,” muttered Cinch. “My discipline versus yours.”

Celestia said nothing.

Outside the arena, some enterprising colt dragged out a gong and struck once, twice, three times.

Silence.

Then…

Celestia cast the first spell. She didn’t bother with subtlety. Eighteen fireballs burst out of her horn and streaked over to Cinch.

Who responded instantly.

Blocks of earth slid out of the ground like titanic teeth. Several fireballs smashed into them and burst into nothingness. A few curved round, only to meet whips of water which stabbed through their hearts, cut off their supply, and disintegrated them. The last fireball met the flat of Cinch’s sword, swung, was batted up and over, back at Celestia.

In the second Celestia focused on redirecting it, Cinch’s ice gripped her hooves. Shocked, she barely had time to look down when the lot spiked up, throwing her back.

Out of the arena.

Celestia landed hard on her side. She wheezed. Equestrians gasped, nervously began to surge forwards.

Cinch stood there, mane starting to stream out of her tight bun. She allowed herself a small giggle, then invited a harsh laugh, then couldn’t help herself. She cackled at the top of her lungs and danced on the spot.

“Again!” she cried.

Confusion held both sides at bay.

“I will allow a rematch!” Cinch beckoned Celestia forwards.

Hesitant, Celestia staggered to her hooves. Then she stepped forth, back into the arena, back into position.

“What are you doing?” she whispered when their bowed heads were close enough.

“I have a point to make.” Cinch didn’t even seem to notice the voice-enhancement spell was still active. Or else she didn’t care. “Again!”

After the colt unfroze, the gong rang.

Celestia went for a subtler attack. Swirling around the arena, the hurricane she conjured ripped armour from unsuspecting soldiers and fluttered rags and robes among the citizens. Viciously, the winds struck like claws.

Cinch’s water shield rushed as a sphere around her, deflected the winds, sent back spiralled tendrils to shape the currents. Then the whirling armour glowed under Cinch’s next spell. The metal chunks were cast against the wind, shot back, closed in on Celestia, and struck her as a massive fist.

She crashed outside the arena.

Cackling, Cinch crumpled the armour and waited for the wind and water to die down. “Again! And as a generous gesture, if you defeat me even once, the challenge is yours!”

The gong rang a third time.

Celestia’s sun seemed to flare for a second. She lowered her horn to the ground. Around them, the bamboo stalks snapped off, swung through the air like helicopter blades.

Cinch’s army cried out as their swords were levitated up, shot forwards, and sliced decisively through the bamboo.

Roots burst out of the ground and wrapped around Cinch’s legs, ready to propel her out of –

A crackle of ice. The stalks spiked, were punctured, fell to pieces. Flashes of metal destroyed the rest. Then jets of water spiralled around Celestia. She smashed one aside with a flare, deflected another with a gust, but the third hit her belly with an uppercut and allowed the forth to punch her out of the arena.

“Again!” Cinch’s mane was a complete mess. She burst with life, light on her hooves, weaving her horn back and forth like a boxer. “How about this: if you win, the Dressage Downs will never attack Equestria!? Think you can achieve that!?”

The gong rang a fourth time.

“Fire, air, ‘wood’… classic solar spells! So predictable, Celestia! I am the better learner, you are aware!? I know every move you’re going to make! I know you!”

Celestia’s lightning struck.

Vanished down the planted swords to earth harmlessly into the ground.

Cinch’s grin could have sliced better than any sword. Her levitated boulder was her answer, knocking Celestia out of the arena, sending her tumbling and crumpled into the groaning citizens.

Then Cinch and Celestia groaned. The poison refused to be forgotten, clawing and slicing at their insides.

A shriek, overhead.

Brighter than the sun, flapping wings of pure red, the phoenix burst forth from the tallest tower. Cinch, the soldiers, the crowd of citizens: they could only stare.

Celestia squinted, ached at the spasms claiming her. “Philomena…”

“A phoenix?” Cinch glowered at Celestia. “So the stories were true.”

The phoenix dived towards Cinch, made her duck at the last second, flew right on trailing flaming feathers. It curved round for a second attack. It did, however, find the time mid-curve to blow a raspberry.

Cinch leaped back to her hooves in fury. “Oh no, you don’t!”

Gave a whistle.

Just as Philomena the Phoenix came down for a second attack, Bludnox the Blizzard of Paradise rammed into her. Both birds broke off from each other. Philomena waggled her tailfeathers mockingly. Squawking with affront, then screeching with rage, Bludnox gave chase over the towers.

Growling, Cinch hurried back into position. “There will be no cheating here! One more round! See if you can get lucky!” She spat.

Slowly, Celestia rose to her hooves. Parts of her spasmed and twitched under the strengthening poison, but she barely cared. A small smile graced her lips.

Whereas Cinch breathed heavily, offended and poisoned, Celestia didn’t seem to need mortal breath at all. Something divine kept her aloft, something calm reassured all who gazed upon her.

This, more than anything, contorted and pressured Cinch’s rictus further. Demented. Frustrated. Unrestrained.

Barely had the gong struck for the last time when Cinch’s crystals of spearing ice stabbed up from the ground to meet Celestia…

…whose horn turned black.

Purple streams trailed from her eyes. Green lit up her gaze. Flat bubbles of violent pink and purest darkness boiled along her horn. And ponies all around swore, for a moment, that the moon’s light and dark halves gave a single pulse.

The crystals of spearing ice turned black, cracked, shattered. Celestia’s tide of shadow – the escaping poison – sizzled over the grass and rushed down to Cinch, who didn’t have a chance to gasp when it struck.

She tumbled, grunting, out of the arena.

No one – soldier, citizen, Celestia – moved for a minute. Cinch just lay there, too stunned to respond.

Not for much longer, though: she practically teleported to her hooves. Her rictus, already monstrous, now invoked the pale horrors of the eldritch realm, where despair and pain were but drops in an agonizing ocean.

Celestia regarded her coolly. No gloating. No triumph. No joy.

Eventually, Cinch’s face returned to something mortal. She merely scowled.

Yet she signalled, waited for her army to turn and start the long, clanking trek back home. Then, with the greatest and most obviously strained reluctance, she forced herself to look away from Celestia.

In passing, Cinch melted Luna’s ice block. Luna gasped, fell over, coughed, and spat water onto the grass. Celestia hurried over to help.

They both stared downhill, watching the retreat of the Dressage Downs. As the moon set, the blue comet of the Blizzard of Paradise swooped down to join her defeated master.

---

Comments

[SparklingTwilight]

“Your Duchess has been poisoned! In the name of a fair fight, I shall now level the playing field!”

Did not see that coming! Certainly playing the part of the arrogant antagonist! It seems she didn't really want to win... I guess she had quite an inferiority complex as a result of the socioeconomic factors mentioned in the previous chapters? I get that she wanted to prove that she was definitely the best, but she certainly went too far. Even a chess grandmaster might lose a fluke game to an unpredictable ranked player now and again.