• Published 23rd Sep 2012
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Decretum - BlackRoseRaven



Realities, worlds, and good and evil collide, and Luna fights one last struggle to save Equestria.

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Illusions Of Disaster

Chapter Sixty Four: Illusions Of Disaster
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener and Luna, much as both of them wanted to deny it, had come to enjoy their time at Canterlot: almost every weekend they returned to Ponyville, as they did when classes were on break... but Antares had made quite a few friends around the castle and the surrounding area.

Antares also adored sitting in on his father's classes, and since the colt was quiet and adorable, no one had really complained about it. Well, somepony had – Scrivener was willing to bet that it was Bitchy Britches – but not even the sternest of administrators was immune to Antares' charm. The foal was allowed to sit in as long as he behaved himself, and it was clear to anypony who met Antares that he would.

Luna, meanwhile, was working hard beside Celestia to train the division of Starlit Knights in Canterlot, and she took a deep, strangely-tender joy when Applejack, Big Mac, Rainbow Dash, and Soarin' all temporarily transferred themselves during the cold winter months from the Ponyville Division to the Canterlot Division so they could be better trained. Sometimes other former Knights would come visit for short periods as well,to take part in training exercises or just to experience Luna's tutelage all over again: her training was nasty, sometimes showy, but always effective.

Luna and Celestia also had another project going, that only a few knew about: members of Canterlot's Starlit Knights who could be trusted to keep a secret and the demon Amdusias, who had found out anyway with his ability to sniff out other supernatural entities. In the catacombs and ruins inside the hollows of the mountain, they were steadily building a larger and larger hive: one that was already filled with industrious Nightmares and Phooka, the Nibelung Architect Illyria aiding in the construction and Tenochtitlan the design of some of the equipment they had asked for, despite the worries both he and Greece had.

But Celestia knew that they needed their own army to battle Clockwork World: they needed their own special forces to counter the mechanical order and complexity being brought against them, and she trusted Luna's judgment and Luna's word... and even more, had come to trust many of the denizens of the night, and even respect them. And that was why she had worked alongside the Nibelung to craft special armor and gear to better outfit their supernatural forces.

For now, they had only crafted five suits of special golden armor, that included heavy face-masks and thin but strong gold and steel plating. Iron and silver couldn't be used because it would be toxic to the Nightmares, and while the heavy armor plating would nullify some of their powers – turning invisible, for one, as well as becoming insubstantial – the armor did permit them to leave their realm of the night and walk in the sunlight.

The hive beneath Canterlot fed off the emotional and spiritual energies that filtered down from the city above and a diet of food provided from farms: Phooka enjoyed milk and berries as well as meat, while the Nightmares were content to eat fish as well as flesh, as were the few demons that had taken up residence in Canterlot's underbelly. It was on its way to becoming a subterranean city in its own right: a city of dark creatures, in Canterlot's shadow.

It did have effects on the population above, however: emotions ran hotter, crime rates rose, especially in the lower sections of Canterlot: not economically, but physically. All the same, it was less damaging than Celestia had expected, and she thought that there was likely a way to balance feeding the darker residents that lived beneath the city and keeping the streets above as peaceful as possible... it was just a matter of figuring it out.

Canterlot wasn't the only place with strange projects running, either: in Ponyville, Cowlick had been working excitedly away on a variety of projects with Ross, running her staff ragged as she pulled apart and examined the remains of the Clockwork Ponies and 59133, trying to reverse engineer what she could and otherwise studying the technology compulsively, amazed by the level of it and the way that magic had been weaved in to power and protect the synthetics.

One thing she was working on in particular were how to create and interrupt electrical discharges: after witnessing what had happened when she'd hot-wired the speaker's electrical grid and Luna had then blasted it to create an electromagnetic pulse – something she'd read about, never before tried, and was just now understanding how damned useful something like that could be when they were faced with opponents who seemed to favor advanced technology even more than she did – she was determined to replicate the effect without the use of magic. Not that it had ever been done outside of a lab setting, particularly not in this world, but she was damned determined to figure it out one way or another.

She had also partly dismantled 59133's golem body, realizing that it was more of an exoskeleton around the 'core' that had been formed by the dragon's corpse than an actual golem. Like a suit of armor... and she planned to take advantage of this once she figured out how it all worked and whether or not she could bring her crazy ideas to life.

Of course, at the moment, Cowlick was also powering herself mainly through coffee and the occasional amphetamine, and it took Celestia herself visiting and telling Cowlick soothingly to slow down to finally get the engineer to relax a little. During this visit, Celestia had also retrieved the one remaining tube of corruption to examine herself at Canterlot, with the help of both Odin and Kvasir.

Odin himself was tired and weakening: not even Luna had hostility for him when she saw the state he was in, and Kvasir had become very quiet, lost much of his edge and treated the old once-god with gentility, like he was not just fading friend, but fading father. Not that Odin would likely die any time soon: he was still holding on, still had good days where he only carried his walking stick... but the bad days were more common, and more pronounced. Yet still, he was determined to do everything he could to help... he was determined to stop Clockwork World, even if it was the last thing he did before he passed on to wherever it was that gods went when they died.

Yet things were peaceful through the winter, and it allowed them to get a lot of things done, to help friends and family both, to clear up old grudges. And as the term began to wind down, Scrivener found himself sitting in his Writer's Craft class, looking over these ponies he all knew by name, these students he all respected and who he felt all respected him to one degree or another, and he smiled despite himself, saying quietly: “Your final assignment is to write me a story, and I'm not going to make it easy on you. No minimum length, no maximum length... grammar and spelling and mechanics are only worth, let's say...”

He looked up thoughtfully. “Eleven percent. That's a nice, frustrating, arbitrary number. Also means all of you will try to get at least one percent because a ninety looks so much better than an eighty nine, right?” He smiled over the group, and there were both laughs and a few glares at him. “The meat of your marks is going to come from whether or not you evoke an emotional response, however. I know, completely unfair, but that's exactly why I'm doing it. I want you all to try your damnedest to see if you can get me to laugh, or smile, or cry... but please don't just write me something to make me angry, I'll likely only pass you if you do that.

“Let's toss in a few other arbitrary rules, though, to see what you've learned. I don't care about the... perspective you... Antares?” Scrivener turned his attention away from the class as he caught a movement in the corner of his eye, and then he frowned as Antares began to look wildly back and forth, turning towards him as a mumble ran through the class. “Kiddo, hey, what is it?”

Antares started whimpering, and Scrivener hurried over to him before he reached forwards to grasp the foal, but it was like Antares didn't even feel his hooves, couldn't even see him as the foal asked clearly: “Daddy? Where did you go? D-Dad! Dad, where am I... I...”

“He's hallucinating... okay Antares, I...” Scrivener leaned forwards, trying to pick his son up, and he gritted his teeth in surprise at how heavy he felt before Antares yelled and began to struggle violently, knocking Scrivener sprawling in surprise before the foal ran forwards, stumbling over his father's body and making Scrivener curse in shock and pain before Antares fell over with a shriek of fear-

And a cut appeared on his cheek, ripping viciously enough to send blood spraying back into Scrivener's face as the stallion almost fell over in horror, his eyes widening as other ponies began to scramble up from their seats, but Scrivener rose a hoof as Antares shouted desperately: “Help me! Help me, Dad, they're all around me! Help me!”

“Antares!” Scrivener shouted, rolling over, and then he leapt to his hooves and ran forwards as Antares bolted towards the doors. The foal ran out into the hall, yelling and shouting and panicking, and Scrivener followed, cursing as ponies stared in surprise and Antares ran into them every now and then, not seeing them but crying out as he bounced off them, looking terrified as he gazed back and forth and Scrivener yelled, feeling Luna beginning to panic in his mind: “Antares, stop, you're hallucinating! Antares, they're not real!”

But no hallucination could cause the cut on Antares' cheek, and Scrivener was terrified of what that meant, of what Antares was seeing, before his eyes widened when a pony ahead tried to grab the foal and Antares went into a screaming frenzy, the charcoal stallion catching the words: 'they're getting closer' amidst the desperate babbling, enough for him to shout: “Let my son go!”

“I'm just-” the pony began, and then Antares lashed his horn up as it gave a pulse: the telekinetic blast he emitted wasn't very strong, but it was powerful enough to dislodge him from the pony and let him leap forwards before Scrivener shot around him, shadowing his colt as Antares sobbed and cried out in terror and he began to focus his eyes, only hoping he would be able to see what Antares was seeing...

And to Antares, the building had become a nightmare: behind him, there were terrible monsters dressed only in chains, nails and spikes and arrows sticking out of their bodies as they dragged themselves after him, slowly advancing as they whispered horrible things to him, as they moaned and pleaded and rasped.

The halls were red and rust-covered, and chains and cobwebs hung from the ancient ceiling overhead: the floor was smeared with goo and blood and living shadows that humped up occasionally in front of him, clawing at him, as he felt invisible presences all around him, trying to grab him, trying to hurt him; he saw their eyes, staring eyes, flickering open in the midair to glare at him, heard the echo of voices coming from them. It was terrifying and mind-numbing... but worst of all, even worse somehow than the things crawling behind him, because they at least were slow... were the churning, violently spinning sawblades that covered the walls, walls that all around him were slowly, slowly closing in...

Antares yelled again for his father, crying as he ran through the corridor, feeling like he was being herded onwards by some evil force before he hit something invisible again, felt something seizing, grabbing at him, bruising him before it was knocked off and he shook free. He ran forwards again, crying out in fear and desperation...

And in reality, Scrivener was slowed as two security guards grabbed him, shouting at him to calm down and stop as a third lay prone on the floor, clutching at his stomach. He had tried to grab Antares and stop him, but Scrivener's eyes were almost glowing as auras and illusions flickered in and out of reality around him, before the earth pony snarled and suddenly let himself drop down.

Immediately, one of the earth ponies leapt on top of him to try and pin him... and Scrivener bucked hard forwards as he leapt back to his hooves, sending the guard flying before he simply seized the second guard, slammed him back into a wall, and bared his sharp teeth as he snarled in his face: “Stay out of my way.”

The guard trembled at Scrivener's glowing eyes, going limp at the determination and the aggression and the raw animal he saw in them, and the strength he felt in the earth pony's hooves that was driven further by desperation. Scrivener breathed hard for a moment, then he threw the guard aside and turned, running quickly after his son and then wincing as Antares skidded suddenly to halt, screaming and covering his face...

...as blades of metal shot up in front of him and down from the ceiling, sending down a hail of cobwebs and dried blood as the spikes gnashed together like teeth, and a female voice laughed mockingly at him. Antares screamed, almost falling over and dragging himself backwards as another set of spikes ripped up from the ground and tore down from the roof, forcing him backwards as he looked desperately back and forth, then shrieked as he gazed over his shoulder, saw the ghosts and undead things dragging themselves faster, more eagerly, as the sawblades closed in on either side...

And then he realized that amidst the roaring blades was an ajar door, and Antares yanked himself to his hooves and bolted for it, spikes ripping out of the ground behind the foal as his wings flapped before he screamed as a spike ripped out of the ground and tore through the edge of one of these, making him stumble in pain before he turned and lunged between the sawblades and into the door...

A professor looked up dumbly as Antares staggered into the lecture hall... followed a moment later by Scrivener Blooms, breathing raggedly, looking desperate before he ran towards his son and swept him up in his forelegs, hugging him fiercely against his chest as Antares screamed. Ponies stared in shock, but Scrivener ignored them, ignored them all as he hugged his son close and whispered into Antares' ear: “It's not real... it feels real, and it looks real, but it's not real, I need you to believe it's not real...”

Antares sobbed hard as he felt himself hefted into the air by some invisible force, feeling helpless: there was no way out of this room. There was no way out: the hall was filled with blades and dead things and monsters, and from their rows of seats, countless dead ponies stared down at him coldly, cruelly, without compassion or emotion. The floors were covered in blood and bile, and there was no ceiling above, only a thousand staring eyes of all shape and size...

And then he closed his eyes, curling up, and he felt it: he felt his father's warm embrace, felt himself being cradled and rocked, felt wetness pattering down his features. He reached up, grabbing at the stallion, burying his face against the comfort of his chest...

He opened his teary eyes, and looked up to see his father holding him close, rocking silently with him tight in his forelegs as Antares breathed hard in and out, trembling weakly. Scrivener's eyes were glowing faintly as he gazed down at his son, black tears streaming down his cheeks as he held him close... and Antares whimpered before he buried his face against his father's chest, clinging to him as he whispered: “It was so real...”

“I know.” Scrivener replied quietly, stroking soothingly through his mane, gazing silently at his son: it hurt his eyes, but the pain was welcome, and he envied the radiant aura that surrounded his child... an aura run through with streaks of red and black from the terror and the pain he had suffered... before Scrivener looked up sharply as he heard a loud scream that wasn't from his mind or generated by the illusion.

The still-stunned professor looked up... and then cried out in fear and stumbled backwards, a yell going through the crowd and the gathered students as the door leading into the lecture hall was shoved open and an enormous monster dragged itself through, breathing heavily through its gaping mouths. Scrivener looked over his shoulder, eyes widening, and Antares whimpered before the charcoal stallion put his son down and turned around, shouting: “Get to safety, Antares! Go, hurry, hide!”

The monster looked slowly up, lion's head snarling... before it was joined by a goat's head and a hissing, red-scaled dragon's. The three-headed monster shivered once, spreading enormous wings as clawed, mismatched but powerful limbs tore against the ground. It dragged itself to face Scrivener, breathing heavily and still looking lethargic, almost drugged as its eyes glowed... and the stallion didn't need to have his strange visions activated to be able to clearly see that this monster was under the control of someone.

A Chimera... a rarer Equestrian monster, big brother to the Manticore, sharing many similarities: from the powerful wings to the deadly, long scorpion tail that slowly rose into a stinging position, as a second, reptilian tail that was covered in spikes and ended in a nasty bone club snapped back and forth behind it. Scrivener gritted his teeth: Manticore were bad enough, but nine times out of ten, a fully-grown Chimera would eat a Manticore for breakfast when it came to a fight between them.

The students were already flocking up the stairs to the back of the lecture hall, and the professor was hiding in a corner. Antares had run up to the first row of seats, and was hiding behind them, staring desperately as the Chimera visibly began to shake off its lethargy, lion head snarling, dragon head twisting back and forth as it belched red flames, goat's head almost barking, revealing sharp fangs that didn't belong in any goat's jaws. The six eyes of the monster lost their glow, and it leaned forwards and roared furiously in an echoing cacophony before Scrivener leaned forwards and roared back, keeping the beast's attention focused on him: he couldn't let it turn its attention on anypony else.

The monster snarled, and the aura Scrivener could see around it changed, darkened into what he recognized as fury and hunger. He cursed under his breath, knowing that his strange vision would be both helpful and hindering: it distracted him, but it also let him get an idea of what-

The Chimera ran forwards, attempting to simply pounce on the smaller pony, and Scrivener dove and slid beneath the beast. It crashed into the carpeted floor, skidding on its face towards the wall even as its clawed forelegs and rear hooves tried quickly to lever itself up, tails snapping back and forth as Scrivener kept himself low and crawled hurriedly away before it snarled over its shoulder with its dragon's head.

The mace-ended, barbed tail slammed fiercely down, and Scrivener howled in pain as it caught his back leg before he could throw himself clear, ripping a wound in the hind limb before he scrambled to his hooves as the Chimera hurriedly spun itself around. The charcoal pony winced, staggering to the side as it clawed at him, then ducking beneath a sharp, thankfully high sting of the scorpion's tail as he threw himself to the side and stumbled into the professor's podium.

The tail stabbed fiercely down again, and Scrivener threw himself backwards, the tail ripping only into the base of the podium and the floor. It ripped backwards, sending up a burst of wooden splinters before the dragon's jaws lunged forwards, biting savagely, and Scrivener half fell around the podium before he snarled and leapt up, ramming against the heavy rectangular block of wood and knocking it over to smash down on the coiling neck of the dragon's head.

It gasped in surprise as the lion's head roared in frustration, shoving at the heavy wooden podium with one claw as its rear hooves tried to drag it backwards and free, but the red dragon's horns caught against the other side of the wood. It gave Scrivener all the time he needed to leap forwards, slamming all four hooves down into the heavy wooden block, and there was a sickening crunch as several vertebrae along the dragon's neck snapped loudly.

The head screamed once before falling still and lifeless, and the Chimera roared as it leapt forwards, ignoring the way its dragon's head bent and twisted as it clawed savagely at Scrivener. The charcoal stallion barely managed to stagger out of the way before the goat's head slammed forwards, butting into his side and cracking his ribs as he was sent flying.

The charcoal stallion crashed on his side, skidding backwards with a curse of pain before he rolled up to his hooves as the Chimera reared back and shoved the podium forwards, dislodging its dead dragon's head before it roared fiercely at him, but Scrivener only snarled in response before the wounded monster charged, trying to leap forwards to pin him; the last thing it expected was for Scrivener to leap forwards as well, smashing his hooves against its leonine skull and kicking off it as he propelled himself over its broad back and past its scorpion's tail.

The Chimera crashed to the ground and stumbled, tripping over its own dead head and rolling once to flop heavily on its back as Scrivener landed on his hooves, spinning around and breathing hard. The monster roared furiously at him, and the charcoal stallion grimaced: all he'd managed to do was piss it off. As it yanked itself back to its claws, he prepared himself, tensing his body: Chimera were plenty savage and vicious, but they were intelligent enough to problem solve, too... meaning in all likelihood, it wouldn't simply let him charge over its body again without retaliation.

The monster hauled itself up, roared, and charged forwards, and Scrivener tensed himself before leaping up, clearing its skull this time to land on its back before the Chimera snarled and landed smoothly this time on all fours, trying to buck Scrivener off. The earth pony dropped down, bracing himself against its skull and wings, and the Chimera roared in frustration before its scorpion tail rose and then stabbed viciously downwards-

Scrivener slipped out of the way, the stinger ripping a shallow cut just past him, making him howl in pain at the feeling of acidic toxin spilling into the wound and over his skin from contact alone... before the Chimera screamed as its own stinger plunged into its back. It hurriedly yanked it back, but Scrivener leapt up, seizing the large, rotund stinger and yanking it down to force the monster to sting itself again, hitting its spine this time.

He barely had the strength to make it do so before it flicked its tail savagely backwards, and Scrivener was yanked into the air and thrown behind the Chimera, crashing to the ground and rolling several times before he cursed under his breath. It was way too strong... and he snarled as he hauled himself to his hooves as the Chimera roared at him, then charged eagerly even though its back was already reeking of burning, rotting flesh-

A fireball shot out, smashing into the Chimera's face, and it was knocked staggering before Luna shot into the room, snarling in fury. As the beast staggered backwards, Luna slammed into its features, knocking it sprawling with a senseless howl as she kicked off the leonine center head before flicking her horn upwards, and a blast of lightning erupted from the air, crashing into the monster's cracked skull.

The Chimera screamed and staggered backwards, electricity tearing back and forth over it in broad arcs before Luna and Scrivener both shot forwards as the wounded, distracted beast gargled and spasmed... and then they both smashed straight into it, ramming directly into its head with a loud crunch and both wincing at the electricity that sparked from its body over theirs before the Chimera was knocked sprawling backwards.

For a moment, it only shivered on the ground, the arcs of electricity fading as the goat's head bleated weakly... and then this too dropped flat as the lion's head exhaled a weak, broken moan. Scrivener and Luna both looked down at the broken beast, either dead or very close to it from the state of its crushed-in central head: the head in the center was the one that had the brain and controlled the rest of the body, and once it was destroyed, the Chimera tended to die out before very long.

There was silence... and then Scrivener dropped his head forwards with a sigh of relief as Antares ran hurriedly down from the first row, charging over to his parents. Luna leapt forwards, picking him up in a tight embrace, her armor glinting over her body as she looked worriedly over at Scrivener. “By Mimir's head, what... what happened, Scrivy? And had I not been close by...”

“I know. I know, but you were and...” Scrivener gritted his teeth, shaking his head slowly and disbelievingly as he looked down at the crushed Chimera. “Antares was... was seeing things, and then this monster attacked us... it was being controlled by something...”

He closed his eyes for a moment, visions still flickering through his mind before he looked across at Luna... then frowned and shivered a bit as he saw Nightmare Moon: not in Luna, whose aura was radiant and yet dark, but standing behind her, snarling silently. Scrivener could only stare, even as students began to nervously filter down the lecture hall and the professor pushed herself to her hooves, before the dark entity leaned slowly forwards and whispered something into Luna's ear.

The sapphire mare's eyes widened in shock... and then a snarl slowly spread over her face as she squeezed Antares closer, saying coldly: “It looks as if thou shall be taking the rest of the day off work, Scrivener Blooms. We have some old friends to pay a visit to.”

And without another word, Luna quickly put Antares on Scrivener's back before she turned and led him out, neither answering any more questions as they hurried out into the hall and ran through the panicked university corridors, the only things either of them aware of being Antares still whimpering on Scrivener's back... and Nightmare Moon swearing terrible, bitter vengeance against the Norns for daring to hurt their poor, sweet Antares Mīrus.

Scrivener grimaced and rubbed at his side through his armor: it didn't hurt, and the cut had long been healed, but his side was still numb from the toxin of the Chimera spreading through his nerves. It was a strange feeling... made more annoying when Luna had jabbed him in the side with her horn and he hadn't felt it, which had just led Luna to poking him harder until she'd managed to dig her horn half an inch into his side. Finally, at this point she had started complaining about the pain she was now in herself, and he had realized what she was doing and shoved her grumpily away.

All the same, it was a sign that they had calmed themselves down: much of that, however, had to do with the fact that Twilight and Kvasir were both looking after Antares. It was strange for Luna to think of how they were trusting the homunculus god with her son... but at the same time, she felt strangely confident in him, as she traded a look with Scrivener Blooms and he smiled a bit, telling her that he felt the same way.

Above their heads was only darkness, and all around them, they could hear things shifting through the shadows, watching them intently and curiously: they were standing in Subterra, the supernatural den beneath Canterlot, in one of the enormous, half-constructed halls. It was going on late evening now, and they had only recently finished preparations for what they were about to do: take a trip to Asgard to force their way into a meeting with the Norns.

There was no doubt any longer that it had been the Fates, playing a sick game with Antares' head... perhaps even trying to kill him. Odin had recognized Antares' description of what had been chasing him as damned souls, tortured for going against the laws of life and death, and the magic that had been employed: illusions so powerful they became real, a favorite of the Norns. Even the Chimera: an animal, twisted to the will of a greater force, sent in as a last resort when Antares had broken through the illusionary world and returned to reality.

Odin himself now stood quietly at one side of the hall, giving them time: they were only waiting on Celestia. She wanted to go with them, but they needed her here, in case something happened... here, or in Asgard. But she could at least help send them off... and Luna hesitated before she sighed as she looked towards Odin, saying quietly: “I appreciate that thou art here to aid us. That thou... helped us calm down, and convinced us to take some time to both rest and prepare ourselves for what is to come. And that thou... believes in us.”

Odin only smiled, however, shrugging and gesturing quietly towards a pair of large staves that had been set into the ground, topped with glowing, thrumming gemstones. “All I'm doing is helping turn that on... and showing faith in a Valkyrie who has earned that and more long ago. Besides, you and Scrivener Bloom have a score to settle with the Norns... and it's not as if I'm going to complain if something happens to them.”

“Aye, true. 'Tis amusing all the same for me, though, Odin... I must admit that I enjoy it, though, I do.” Luna replied softly, shaking her head and smiling a little as she looked at the aging, falcon-headed god. “To be... aligned against something, aye. But... but thou shall help keep watch over Antares, aye?”

“Of course, Brynhild.” Odin said softly, bowing his head as he smiled a little, then he glanced up with surprise at the sight of Celestia striding calmly into the room: not at the sight of her in her battle armor, but instead because both Amdusias and Pinkamena were flanking her. “I didn't expect you to bring friends.”

“Amdusias can lend some of his power to opening the portal... he's still a strong, knowledgeable demon.” Celestia said softly, and Amdusias looked pleased with himself as he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back a bit before the ivory winged unicorn added quietly: “Pinkamena, on the other hoof, wanted to wish you well-”

“I wanted to tell you to kick their asses, that's all.” Pinkamena interrupted moodily, rubbing absently at her tattooed breast, and Luna and Scrivener both looked at the demon curiously, at the way she seemed both pleased about something and yet furious, her eyes dark and glaring. “Your kid wasn't the only one the Norns decided to play a trick on. They tricked Sleipnir into thinking I was a goddamn monster or something. Nimrod attacked me until I slapped some sense back into him, and then he went ballistic until I slapped him again. Cute seeing him getting so worked up but... ain't worth it. Think it was just 'cause I'm carrying his kid.”

She glanced absently to the side, even as a faint blush rose in her cheeks, and Luna's jaw dropped as Scrivener leaned forwards in amazement, before Pinkamena huffed and glared at them, snapping: “What? You got a problem?”

“That's it.” Odin said softly, and Pinkamena glared at him before the once-god said slowly: “That's why the Norns attacked you, Pinkamena, why they attacked Antares... children, born of those who don't bow to Fate. The Norns have no say, no control, in the lives of your children... that's why they didn't simply kill Antares: they couldn't. They cannot write his story... any more than they can write the story of a child born to a demon and a reborn god...”

“I knew it!” Pinkamena stomped a hoof, snarling, and then she grinned widely, her eyes blazing. “No wonder, I just found out yesterday that I've got a tumor in my womb and today Sleipnir tries to play redneck hoedown with me? I knew the goddamn Norns had to have something to do with it!”

Scrivener and Luna traded looks, and then the sapphire mare rose a hoof, saying awkwardly: “Pinkamena, 'tis... 'tis hard to be vengeful and murderous when I also desire to celebrate with thee thy... well, this unexpected blessing. 'Tis-”

“Ain't important. Not right now, anyway and right now this thing in my belly ain't even a proper fetus. So who cares?” Pinkamena retorted sharply, and then she winced when Celestia smiled and reached a hoof up to rest on her back. “Oh screw you, Princess Sunshine.”

Celestia only sighed softly, and Luna rolled her eyes before she softened as Scrivener said quietly: “Then we do have another reason to be vengeful. Every kid deserves a chance, right? And the Norns are trying to take your kid away before he can even... become a kid. And when we get back... we can celebrate properly. All together.”

Pinkamena grumbled, but then she nodded before looking up and saying quietly: “I wish I could come with you losers.”

“Well, worry not, Gluttony, I'm sure you can drown your sorrows in ice cream and cake and cake.” Amdusias said dryly, and then he winced and shrank back as Pinkamena glared at him with a growl from Celestia's other side. “What? The Draconequus told me to say it.”

“And since when do you listen to him?” Celestia asked, and Amdusias shrugged moodily before the ivory winged unicorn sighed and shook her head slowly, looking forwards and saying quietly: “But we shouldn't delay. I'm glad to see you both ready...” She paused, studying Luna and Scrivener, from polished and embossed armor to the telescopic spear resting in the holster on Luna's back. “But every moment we delay now is another the Norns have to prepare for your arrival. They will not make getting to them easy.”

“And we shall not make their punishment for overstepping their bounds slight.” Luna replied calmly, rolling her shoulders and shaking herself briskly out. “'Twill most certainly be more than a lecture they receive this time from us.”

“Just be careful. And do not underestimate them, Luna, they are extremely dangerous. I would not even permit you to go, except...” Celestia closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. “They can't be allowed to think that they can do anything they please, without repercussions. Especially if they are trying to harm Antares and Pinkamena's unborn, simply because... their stories cannot be modified by the Fates. Simply because as Fate, they think they deserve to control the outcome of all things.”

Scrivener nodded slowly in agreement, swallowing slowly as he thought of what they were going up against... but he felt Luna's confidence, Luna's courage, and Luna's determination. Gods, Fates, Jötnar... it didn't matter to her. All that mattered was that these beings had dared to try and harm Antares, and now she would teach them why no one, mortal or otherwise, tried to harm her beloved son.

“Be careful, Brynhild. And remember, head straight through Asgard... you won't have many friends in Valhalla, and my more unpleasant allies may be bolder knowing that I am not around to keep them in line.” Odin advised quietly, and Luna nodded firmly once before the once-god turned towards the staves, adding softly: “Good luck, my friend.”

The sapphire mare smiled faintly, nodding a little at this as Celestia and Amdusias both turned towards the staves as well, and Pinkamena grumbled as she backed up a few paces, watching moodily as Celestia's horn glowed and both demon and once-god rose a hand.

Luna watched as the crystalline heads of the staves lit up, and eerie lightning began to spark between them, rumbling loudly as the force of energy grew between the focal conductors. And, slowly, the lightning twisted, then grew and formed into a wide, broad rip in reality that Scrivener and Luna both hurried towards, the crystal-tipped staves already shivering violently, already starting to crack as the two ponies rushed through the portal and down a tunnel of light.

They ripped out the other side a moment before the portal shut behind them in a crackle of lightning, staggering into the sunlit road in front of the enormous castle of Valhalla. The two looked quickly back and forth, Luna grinning despite herself as Scrivener rolled his shoulders slowly, and then her eyes flashed as she looked over at him and said easily: “'Tis funny, isn't it, Scrivy? I have to wonder whether or not our friends and family secretly desire us dead or if they truly believe in us.”

“You saw how furious even Twilight was, when we explained what happened... besides, who else has that level of power? Not even Clockwork World would do something so cowardly, either... they've always come right after us, never after our kids.” Scrivener replied quietly, and Luna grunted before the two ponies turned towards the castle and ran forwards, the earth pony grimacing after a moment and muttering: “I just hope that we don't end up dying of unknown or irrational causes before we even reach the Norns...”

“Oh, fear not, Scrivener. I think they expect us. I think they are well aware that whether their trap failed or succeeded, we would lay blame upon them first: I think 'twas their sick way of requesting another meeting with us, but this time the meeting shall go according to our terms.” Luna said grimly, and Scrivener grunted and nodded firmly in agreement as the two ran across the immense drawbridge and through the enormous, open gates of the castle. “Let us trigger their trap, let us 'cordially accept' their 'request' to meet... and let us show them why they should not dare to tamper with the foals and family and friends of ponies such as ourselves.”

“Pinkamena...” Scrivener murmured softly, and Luna smiled a little despite herself before Scrivener laughed a bit even as they ran through an open door, and began to hurry down the halls past curious Nibelung and other entities that gazed at them with surprise: less because of who and what they were and more because of the rush they were in. “I'm happy as hell for her. But her foal is going to make Avalon look like Fluttershy.”

“'Twill be amazing. I am surprised that Sleipnir didn't rush over to tell us the moment he found out... but perhaps Pinkamena has not yet told him, or been too subtle about it. Or perhaps he meant to, but then the trick of the Norns...” Luna gritted her teeth. “Clockwork World has no honor, but at least they are not skulking cowards! Just thinking of that wretched trickery... 'tis enough to make my blood boil, Scrivener Blooms!”

Scrivener grunted in agreement, nodding as they hurried onwards through the maze of corridors. Only one Knight of Valhalla tried to stop them, and when Luna simply smashed through him and continued on her way, the other Knights hurriedly made a big show of carefully helping their stunned comrade to his feet instead of chasing after the two ponies, and Luna grinned sourly over her shoulder before they finally made their way through an open set of double doors and out onto the long, winding bridge over the river.

They galloped down to the maw of the cavern that would take them to the Norns... and then a wave of vertigo passed over both ponies, knocking them stumbling before Scrivener's hoof caught against a rock and he spilled forwards, falling and skidding painfully as Luna cursed and ground to a stop to drop against the side of the rocky tunnel. The vertigo sensation only worsened for a moment if anything, however, before a voice said coldly in their minds: This is not an intelligent course of action, Luna Brynhild. Turn back immediately ,or face the consequences.

“Oh, I am so terrified! Damnation, Norns, thou art only making this worse for thyselves!” Luna raged, glaring upwards furiously before there was a sharp, short laugh in their minds as the disorientation faded, and the winged unicorn looked back and forth before she called sharply: “So thee and thine take responsibility for that which was done to my beloved son?”

And to the Devourer demon and fallen-so-low Thor. And to a few others, as well... pity you won't figure out who until later... retorted another icy voice, and Scrivener gritted his teeth as he stood up, before the voice added disgustedly: Vile filth. You are not welcome here...

But all the same, come to us, and we shall welcome you... added a third voice, and both ponies thought this time it was Urd speaking despite how hard it was to tell the Norns apart. Assuming, of course, you pass our trials.

“What a sick, pedantic game... art thou not the Fates, does thou not already know whether or not we are deemed 'worthy?'” Luna shouted mockingly, but frustration tinged her voice as well before she looked over at Scrivener Blooms, and the earth pony nodded quickly. A moment later, the two were sprinting ahead again as the only response to Luna's question was quiet laughter.

They shot through the tunnel and out onto the slope... but this time, there was no beautiful vale waiting for them as they stumbled to a halt in front of a stone staircase that led down into what looked like a deep, terrible trench in the earth, guarded by an archway inscribed with the words: 'Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here.'

“Oh, how cute.” Scrivener said moodily, gazing at the floes of magma pouring from the cliff walls and down into the scarred trench as he realized the steam and smog venting out of it were making it hard to tell exactly what was down there. And then he grimaced as he looked up at the sky above, at how blue and beautiful it was, as he muttered: “More illusions.”

Not illusions. Simply... alterations, that is all... murmured one of the Norns, and there was a pause before it began in slow, mocking tones: Our story begins with two little dogs seeking redemption. And like all who seek redemption... first they must wade through the valley of punishment and face their sins. One is a dishonored Berserk, the other, a lowly, craven Witch.

“Oh look, Scrivener Blooms, thou gets to be a witch because clearly I am the Berserk.” Luna muttered, and Scrivener grunted moodily. “Can thou not cast a spell to get us past this impediment?”

“Aren't you supposed to be descending into battle rage and charging headlong into Hell?” Scrivener asked flatly, and Luna grunted grumpily in return before the two ponies faced forwards and strode quickly down the steps, grimacing as they passed through the archway and a strange, painful tingling spread across both their bodies, the winged unicorn cursing under her breath, mane sparking as it flicked backwards and Nightmare Moon hissed. “The air... 'tis hostile.”

“The whole environment is hostile.” Scrivener muttered, looking back and forth with a wince down the length of the trench: there was only one clear path ahead, a cracked highway of blackened basalt that curled back and forth down the long stretch of the trench. Otherwise, the ground looked hostile... and Scrivener looked slowly down at the dark stone beneath his hooves before he rose his eyes up, noting the crimson swirl of the sky above, streaks of lightning and fire shooting through the poisoned air.

Luna nodded with a grunt, looking moodily back and forth before she strode quickly out onto the dark stone path, grimacing a bit as she muttered: “Then let us pass quickly. It feels as if it is eating at my skin beneath my armor, Scrivener, and my mind beneath my skull. Let us hurry forwards.”

Scrivener nodded in agreement, falling into pace beside her as they stuck to the dark stone highway, following its warped twists and wincing at the occasional burst of steam that vomited out of the cracked, poisoned earth that made up the floor of this long, death-filled ravine.

As they continued down the twisting, curling stone road, the air began to grow more oppressive, darkening deeper and further around them as worse things that smoke and steam wafted by. Scrivener kept his eyes averted from the shapes of aphotic specters, and Luna glared ahead, her starry locks pulsing faintly, the blue glow emanating from them like a faint, peaceful beacon in this poisoned crimson world.

But more and more, it grew heavier, more dangerous, even as the black road ramped upwards and became a relatively-straight, clunky and wide black bridge of stone. Slowly, the cliffs to either side faded, and the light brightened beneath them as a chilly, awful humidity filled the air. Wet and cold... and yet all the same, the black stone pathway felt hot.

Scrivener stopped to look over the edge of the bridge, leaning over the thin steel railing... and he grimaced at what he saw below. Ugly, poisonous flames, vomiting noxious fumes into the air as they burned over alien monuments that floated in a massive lake of magma. They were walking along a dark highway, in a dark world... and in the distance all around them, there was only smoke and mist, the actual scope made all the harder to judge by the ghostly, misshapen spirits that floated silently here and there through the red skies.

It felt like hours since they had begun their journey before they finally saw something ahead... and Scrivener and Luna slowed to a halt in front of three grinning, monsters statues of Luna, Sleipnir, and Celestia, each in a battle pose, each with emaciated, demonized bodies and shark-like jaws. Luna shivered at this despite it being the same trick the Norns had played on them before, before the monstrous Luna leaned forwards and spread her bat-like wings, mocking in a rasp that startled both the ponies: “Are you prepared to face your sins?”

“You destroyed us all, little sister. You were why I died.” Sleipnir's statue whispered, as drool and bile spilled from his jaws, and the monument shivered before it tore itself free from its base, leaving jagged spikes of concrete sticking out of its detailed, large hooves.

“Why couldn't you just swallow your pride, for once?” The vile Celestia murmured, looking slowly up as red flames burst from her bald scalp, dripping down her features like oil. “It was you... you who are responsible for the division of the Aesir... you, who gave the opening, the weakness, the vulnerability...”

The statue yanked itself free of its base, and Luna and Scrivener both readied themselves before their eyes widened as they heard a rumbling from behind them, and Scrivener looked quickly back as Luna kept her eyes forwards and on the three monsters in front of them as they formed a loose semicircle.

And behind them, two more stone monstrosities now stood: one of Twilight with a broken horn and no wings, and the other of Scrivener, with a body overgrown with poisonous thorns and brambles and empty sockets dripping teary trails of black corruption. It only chuckled weakly, jaws falling open and more black poison dripping from them as Twilight whispered: “Why didn't you truly ever care about me... you only used me... we were supposed to be together forever, Luna...”

Both Luna and Scrivener resisted the urge to respond to any of the monstrosities, looking back and forth before the charcoal stallion closed his eyes, dropping his head forwards and murmuring: “We all have to face our own sins, don't we? Otherwise, they come back to haunt us... we all have our burdens to bear, our regrets, and our mistakes...”

“Thou art saying this is a riddle. A puzzle, not a confrontation.” Luna said slowly, and Scrivener nodded hesitantly before Luna slowly loosened her ready stance... and as the statues made no move to attack them, she grimaced in disgust, whispering: “But why...”

“Because the Norns love to feel superior, don't they?” Scrivener said quietly, turning silently around and striding towards the grinning statue of Luna, and he reached up to gently touch it, looking fearlessly up at its facade as he said softly: “In their eyes, my greatest sin is you. It's funny, because they're right... just for all the wrong reasons.”

There was a moment of silence... and then the statue of Luna dissolved slowly, fading into dark smoke. Luna snorted in disgust, and then she looked moodily across at the statue of Scrivener, murmuring: “Then my greatest sin was thee... in their eyes. But can we not just pummel these things and be on our way?”

There was silence for a moment... and then the four remaining statues simply dissolved into smoke and steam as well, and Scrivener smiled faintly over his shoulder as he said quietly: “You already know the answer. Hell, you knew the answer before me, you just... like to act like you don't.”

Luna closed her eyes, smiling faintly as she murmured: “What can I say, Scrivener Blooms? I enjoy being seen as a simple creature... aye, we must play their game for now. But thou may rest assured upon one account: when I say I intend to pummel the Norns, I mean very clearly that I am going to beat them senseless with my hooves.”

Scrivener smiled after a moment at this, nodding slowly before Luna strode quickly back into the lead again, adding moodily: “But until then, we shall do the best to follow thy wisdom and save our strength to better beat the Norns.”

The stallion grunted in agreement as they continued onwards, through smog and the oppressive mix of wetness and cold and burning-hot-stone beneath their hooves. The atmosphere still pressed in on them, even as they pushed onwards, the world around them becoming darker and deeper as they passed through a half-broken archway and into-

Blankness. All around them, there was nothing but dead nothingness, and Scrivener and Luna both looked wildly back and forth. It was impossible to describe, everything around them blank and clean and empty, not dark, but not light either... because there was just... nothing there. No color, no texture, no feel of anything, and yet they could still breathe even as they both turned around... but whatever had once been behind them was gone, too. As a matter of fact, it was impossible to tell what was up or down, what was left or right, forwards or backwards... there was just... space.

They looked at one another, but before either pony could speak, a cold, sharp voice said distastefully in their minds: The Berserk and the Witch faced their sins, and now needed to pass through Purgatory. Through the purifying climb to the Gates of Paradise itself... but in order to reach there, they had to be cleansed and purged... in a world where oblivion is law.

“I do not like their interpretation of Purgatory.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna opened her mouth before she stared ahead as bizarre chalk outlines began to form in reality, rapidly drawing three-dimensional set of steps in midair as more chalk lines spread through the air: childish scribbles of green grass and neater outlines of green plants, brown trees that rumbled quietly as they swayed back and forth as if in a compelling wind, a blue pond that splashed once before settling...

Luna's mouth was still hanging open, and now so was Scrivener's, as they stared disbelievingly at the chalk outlines... and then Luna shook her head out before she slowly approached and brought a hoof gingerly up, then set it on one of the chalk steps. And a moment later, she shook her head in slow amazement as she set her weight down against it... and it felt as clearly real as if it were truly made of heavy stone and not simply a childish chalk drawing, as she murmured: “Incredible...”

Carefully, Luna began to ascend the chalk outline of steps, striding into the chalk grass and shivering at the feel of it under her hooves: as soft and pliable as real grass was, tickling against her ankles as she stared down at this and shook her head in slow disbelief again. Then she turned her eyes to Scrivener, smiling after a moment and calling clearly: “Come, writer. This may be an artists' world but I dare not travel it without my trusty bard at my side.”

Scrivener grunted and shook his head quickly after a moment before he followed after her, grimacing a bit as he noted the chalk outlines had been smudged by Luna's hoof-prints before he hesitantly reached forwards, carefully scrubbing at the first step with his hoof.

He managed to brush away a good amount of the chalk outline, then reached his hoof forwards... and it went straight through the white space he had rubbed into the center of the brick, Scrivener grimacing a bit as he muttered: “That's certainly something to keep in mind. I think this world may be more complicated than we think...”

“I do not like it when thou says things like that, Scrivener Blooms. Thy gloom-and-doom predictions have a nasty tendency of coming true.” the sapphire mare muttered, and she glanced moodily back and forth as more chalk outlines rapidly formed, sketching out a gray, steep cliff and a set of stone steps 'carved' along the face, leading up past white, fluffy clouds that outlined themselves quickly over the sky high up above.

Luna waited for Scrivener to reach the field, and they both gazed up at these steps before the earth pony shook his head slowly and said moodily: “I have a bad feeling that we're going to be doing quite a lot of climbing. Paradise at the top of the mountain...”

Luna grimaced, then she spread her wings and leapt into the air, flapping them hard... but as she had half-expected, she only dropped back to the ground, landing with a grunt and sending up a puff of chalk dust as she muttered: “And of course I cannot fly. Damnation, Scrivener Blooms... but somehow I expected it. The air does not feel as hostile but it simply feels... empty.”

“I know what you mean.” Scrivener muttered, and the winged unicorn grunted before she turned and headed to the chalk stairs lining the way up the cliff, beginning up them as Scrivener followed past the blue, rippling pool after her. He hesitated for a moment as Luna began to climb higher, however, staying at the bottom of the steps... before his eyes widened as the chalk outlines below began to vanish, the blue 'water' pouring down out of the pool as the 'ground' around it faded from sight to splash over the unseen bottom of this hollow world. “Oh crap.”

The earth pony turned and hurried after Luna, who frowned over her shoulder before her eyes widened as Scrivener winced up at her, and she spun around to begin running herself: after all, if her wings couldn't catch the air of this world, it meant a fall would be as bad for her as it would for Scrivener Blooms... and she had a feeling that magic wouldn't help them much, either.

Behind them, the world continued to dissolve at a slow but steady rate... while in front of them, the rest of the cliff face continued to sketch itself rapidly out, along with stairs and the occasional strange detail they couldn't keep track of with how quickly they were hurrying up the steps. Steps of a stairway that seemed almost endless, but Scrivener had already realized exactly why it was such a simple, easy climb: the stairs were leading up and up and up, after all, through endless whiteness, and that meant that below the unseeable ground was getting further and further away...

“Oh damnation, poet, keep those thoughts out of thy mind!” Luna snapped in a strangled voice, glaring over her shoulder at him for a moment before she looked back ahead as she half-stumbled off the steps and onto a grass-green plateau, wincing as she looked out over the chalk lines and watched as the ground rapidly sketched itself out as brown trees and a flowing river and waterfall rapidly drew themselves into existence: a particularly incredible sight due to the fact that the sketch drew rapidly upwards as the blue 'water' fell downwards, sending up a spray of white chalk foam where it hit the azure chalk river.

Luna could barely believe what she was seeing as the cliffs grew higher and thick green vines began to sketch themselves rapidly over the steep rock wall, tracing a checkerboard-like pattern as Luna stepped slowly over the plateau and muttered: “By Mimir's head...”

A moment later, Scrivener stumbled out onto the plateau, then he quickly leaned back and looked down at the slowly-fading chalk outlines beneath them before returning his eyes to the cliff wall, his eyes locking on the checkerboard of vines before Luna pointed suddenly upwards: “Nay, Scrivener, we do not climb to the top... we climb to there, see?”

Scrivener followed the direction Luna had pointed in, and his eyes locked on what she had indicated: the waterfall was pouring out from a gaping cavern, spilling down a chalk ramp of stone, but after a moment Scrivener noted what Luna was looking at: not just that the cavern was large enough to enter easily, but that it looked as if on either side there was some kind of stone walkway... Scrivener was almost tempted to say 'natural' stone, but... everything's made out of chalk, and that kind of ruins the whole 'natural' part. “Which side, though?”

“I take the left, thou takes the right, if one of us is on the wrong side we shall simply help the other over.” Luna replied quickly, and when Scrivener gave her an amused look, the winged unicorn glowered at him before she hurriedly ran across a set of 'stepping stones' chalked over the river, while Scrivener ran forwards and alongside the bank of the blue chalk stream. “Well, now that I cannot save myself should I fall, the fall is admittedly that much scarier, Scrivener Blooms.”

“And now you understand my fear of heights.” Scrivener muttered, and then he skidded to a halt with a wince before staring as Luna simply leapt up and began to wildly scramble up the vine 'netting' covering the chalk mountainside, and the charcoal earth pony stared for a moment before grunting and quickly rearing up, grabbing at the crisscrossing vines and beginning to haul himself up by his hooves.

It wasn't as hard as he'd expected it to be, and the spaces between the green chalk vines fit his hooves almost perfectly, letting him all-but-walk up the wall. Luna was already waiting impatiently for him at the mouth of the cavern the 'waterfall' was spilling from, and Scrivener gave her a grumpy look before he finally managed to haul himself up and into the cavern maw, gazing down the rising tunnel of chalk as Luna leaned out and muttered: “I cannot see the world disintegrating behind us, and yet I know all the same it continues its ponderous but lethal climb. Come, Scrivy, let us hurry onwards.”

Scrivener nodded with a grunt, and both he and Luna began to hurry down the paralleled walkways of stone, a grimace on the earth pony's features as blue 'water' splashed up now and then, leaving chalky mars over the stone paths. Thankfully, the river itself wasn't very wide: if anything, it grew a little narrower as they continued up the ramping tunnel until...

“Oh, damnation!” Luna cursed as they hit a dead end: the walkways both ran straight into a stone wall, and the blue 'water' was pouring of a narrow crack in the bottom of this gray, chalky stone. “And we had come so far...”

“I don't think turning back is an option, either...” Scrivener winced as he looked down the tunnel, sure that by now, the chalk had likely begun to erase itself along the cliff-side, and Luna paled a little as she stared over at him desperately before the earth pony said hurriedly: “I'll come over to you, and-”

As Scrivener turned towards Luna, he tripped over the edge of the chalk pathway and fell forwards, splashing down into the river with a curse of pain and sending up a blast of blue chalk... before his eyes widened in surprise as he laid flat on the surface of the blue river. Luna stared with amazement, and then she carefully stepped forwards... and while she could feel the blue chalk moving beneath her hoof, could feel a distinct, chilly wetness... it also felt solid, and Scrivener grimaced a bit as he carefully pushed himself up and rubbed at the underside of his jaw, muttering: “Great. But how is that useful in a world of chalk, Luna?”

“I... oh, damnation!” Luna cursed again, then she turned towards the rear wall, reaching a hoof up and violently beginning to rub at the gray stone wall. Scrivener realized what she was doing after a moment, and he hurriedly sat forwards, reaching his own hoof up to begin mirroring her.

Within a minute, the two had 'cut' a large circle in the gray chalk wall in front of them, and for a moment, nothing happened before the smeared and erased chalk puffed up like smoke, and the circle of gray toppled forwards, chalk 'stone' splashing and sinking into the river to reveal a long tunnel. Immediately, Luna leapt into this, and Scrivener hurriedly followed her, the two charging along the cylindrical corridor.

Then Luna skidded to a halt with a wince, sending gray chalk pebbles flying out of the other side of the tunnel to fall into nothingness as she stared desperately at a pair of open golden gates in the distance, sitting in thin air, as if inviting them, mocking them. Luna cursed under her breath and Scrivener gritted his teeth before the sapphire mare stared as a few clouds began to float by... and in a wild gambit, she leapt out and winced as she landed on one of the fluffy clouds... and it held under her weight.

Scrivener gaped for a moment... then cursed and scrambled forwards, leaping onto another cloud and wincing... but nothing happened. He sighed in relief as the clouds slowly floated higher, before frowning a bit as he looked up and noted the cloud Luna was standing on was beginning to turn blue.

Slowly, he looked down at his own cloud, and saw the way the blue from his own hooves was spreading through it, as Luna gazed ahead with a curse, trying to figure out how to reach the archway. The clouds they were on were floating higher and higher, past the gateway now, and Luna wondered morbidly if they were going to be forced to simply jump and risk landing in nothingness... before her eyes roved slowly, curiously downwards, past her now-blue cloud, to watch as Scrivener Blooms carefully began to stomp over his own fluffy nimbus before the earth pony jumped up and landed on one side of it...

And he yelped as the cloud tilted to one side, scrambling madly up the now-tilted cloud to leap forwards and grab the edge of it as it began to float a bit higher and drops of blue began to spill out from it... except the rain falling from the bottom of the cloud didn't drop down, but instead fell in a straight line, ignoring the laws of gravity and physics as long lines of blue streaked outwards on a forty-five degree angle.

Luna stared at this as Scrivener hauled himself hurriedly up to avoid falling, and he awkwardly stepped onto the rain itself... before looking stupidly down as he realized he was no longer standing on the cloud, but instead on the flowing 'rain' of blue chalk. It was angled down so it formed a long slide past the bottom of the gate... and Luna's eyes widened before she suddenly half-spun, running to the edge of her own cloud as she said sharply: “That is it, that is the answer, poet!”

She leapt upwards, slamming her hooves into the edge of the cloud, and rain began to pour out of it as it tilted quickly, Luna wincing and spreading her wings for balance as she ran quickly up the white-blue, fluffy chalk nimbus before leaping over the edge of it and onto the stream of rain. Then she grinned widely, looking down and ahead: the stream of chalk-water from her cloud was pouring just beneath the gate now, forming an impossible bridge as Scrivener looked dumbly up at her before Luna began to hurry down the slope, calling: “Tilt thy cloud a little further, Scrivy!”

Scrivener grunted, understanding as he grinned despite himself, and then he kicked both rear legs back into the edge of the fluffy chalk cloud behind him. It sent up a puff of chalk dust but also knocked the cloud to an almost vertical position, the rain now forming a straight bridge as Scrivener winced before he began to run forwards alongside Luna and her angled slope.

At the first chance he had, he quickly leapt off his own straight bridge to land on the sloped rain falling from Luna's cloud, following hurriedly after her towards the open, golden gates in the distance as they charged along the blue stream of chalk rain.

Luna grinned widely as they drew closer, closer to the gates, before she leapt up towards them with a grunt of exertion, passing into the golden archway before there was a bright flash... and a moment later, she crashed down in soft grasses, Scrivener stumbling stupidly at her side as he stared wildly back and forth at the rolling fields surrounding them.

For a few moments, there was silence as Luna carefully picked herself up and Scrivener tried to process what was going on... and then a soft laugh filled the air before a voice said quietly in their minds: At last, the Berserk and the Witch reached Heaven. They had been cleansed by their trials, but they were still not worthy, not blessed, not redeemed: that atonement could only come by reaching the heart of Paradise, and praying for forgiveness.

Scrivener snorted as he looked up at the blue sky overhead, and Luna glared back and forth before both ponies winced as the grasses in front of them violently parted, flakes of ground and field bursting upwards to reveal a golden, cobblestone path. It led through the field, past a set of trees, towards what looked like some kind of enormous temple in the distance of gleaming marble, and Luna couldn't help but snort in disgust at this as she muttered: “I tire of these games, Scrivener Blooms...”

“I do too, Luna. But we're almost there.” Scrivener glanced over at the winged unicorn, and she gave a single short nod before the two began to follow along the path, the earth pony hesitating for a moment before he lowered his head and added moodily: “And besides. Just think of it this way. Every step we take is one step closer to getting our hooves on them.”

“Aye, that does help. Every step worsens my fury at them and makes me all the more eager for the pummeling they shall receive as well.” Luna muttered, and Scrivener grunted in agreement before the two fell silent, trading glances and sharing emotions and thoughts and worries. And chief amongst them was the fact that the atmosphere here was different: it was beautiful, and harmonious, and filled them both up with pleasure and relaxation... the only thing that kept them both focused was their disgust and fury at the Norns, but even that they could feel being chipped slowly away.

Their pace slowed as they strode along the path, despite their best efforts... but everything felt... good. Soporific and quiet, peaceful... and it was maddening. Luna and Scrivener both lowered their heads, feeling dazed, feeling like something was trying to force-feed them happiness. Feeling... good, despite knowing they shouldn't...

They reached the temple steps, and both ponies gazed slowly, wonderingly over it: it was an immense step pyramid of gorgeous marble and beautiful silver, surrounded by statues of gold. Statues of old gods, older perhaps than even Odin, and Luna gazed at the artistic detail, the life that they held as Scrivener carefully, almost-reverently placed a hoof on one of the large, wide stairs leading to the top of the pyramid, whispering: “We're not... I mean... no, no...”

Scrivener closed his eyes tightly, breathing hard and shaking his head quickly before he glanced at Luna, and she frowned at him for a moment before clenching her eyes shut and hissing through her teeth with a nod and a curse. Both ponies hurriedly fought back the hypnotizing pleasures surrounding them, hooves pounding against the steps of the temple as they began to stagger up towards the open archway at the top... but the stairs seemed endless as the sense of majesty and respect and adoration grew greater and higher in their minds...

Luna and Scrivener looked at each other as they breathed hard, and then Luna whispered: “It can't be real. It can't be Heaven for us, Scrivy... we...” She trembled, tears filling her eyes as she rasped: “We don't deserve Heaven.”

“We don't. We don't deserve this pleasure... and this is not our Heaven.” Scrivener looked up as he nodded in agreement, and faces flashed through his mind: Celestia, Twilight... Antares. “We can't go to Paradise... we can't be happy like this, we can't... experience this...”

“Our life will be pain and suffering...” Luna gritted her teeth, as the ponies hauled themselves up step after step, as despair and pain slowly began to fight back the pleasure and joy and rapture. “We are damned and monstrous... we are the darkness... but our life will have meaning, will it not?”

“In the blood and the mire, we'll make meaning... not because we seek war, but because we seek to protect our friends, our family... we can't go to Heaven because our meaning, our reason to exist... will come from keeping Hell away from the innocent...” Scrivener gritted his teeth, clenching his eyes shut as he dragged himself upwards and Luna snarled beside him, nodding sharply. “We can't let ourselves rest... we can't let ourselves stop, not when we're already soaked in blood and sin and we can save... we can stop...”

“You can stop.” said a soft voice, and Scrivener and Luna both stared up weakly at the sight of Celestia standing above them at the top of the steps, Twilight Sparkle beside her, both smiling benevolently down at them, their bodies radiating pure, beautiful light. “Come with us. Come back with us... turn back. Stay here with us, forever, to be tended to, to be given your every pleasure. To never have to fight again. To never have to feel pain again. Come with us, and we'll indulge your every whim, your every desire. Be free of worry, and responsibility, and petty ideas of good and evil...”

Scrivener and Luna both stared, mouths dry, feeling weak... before Luna shivered, then leaned forwards as she felt Nightmare Moon rising up through her. She felt knives filling her mind, saw visions of blood, of death, of destruction, saw the chains and the battlefield and heard screams as the monster inside her poisoned her passions and her emotions with excitement... before slowly, Luna looked up as her eyes glowed and she licked her sharp teeth, whispering: “And why, pray tell, would I want that?”

Celestia and Twilight both looked almost disappointed as Scrivener breathed hard, feeling more than seeing the images spilling through Luna's mind and Nightmare Moon's influence... but he readily embraced the darkness, gladly soaked himself in it as he slowly shoved himself up to his hooves as Luna did the same... and then both ponies snarled before simply charging forwards up the last of the steps, ripping through Celestia and Twilight as they became static-riddled illusions and sprinting into the archway leading into the temple...

And both Luna and Scrivener felt a shock rip through their minds that drove back Nightmare Moon before they staggered stupidly out of a narrow ravine and into a field. A field at which the center was the Well of Urd, bordered by enormous roots, as Yggdrasil stood proud and tall in the distance... and Scrivener and Luna slowly traded looks as they both breathed hard, the last of the illusion's effects fading from their minds before they both looked over their shoulders to realize they had passed through the tests, the valleys of the Norns, and neither knew how much of it had been real, and how much had only been in their minds.

For a few moments, they stood silently, both breathing hard as they gazed back and forth around the field... but the Norns weren't here. Nothing was here, except the simple stone well, and Luna and Scrivener both took the moment to sit back and catch their breath as silence rang across the area.

They traded looks that were almost embarrassed as emotions and wild thoughts settled slowly in their minds, and then Scrivener glanced up at the cloudy blue sky above, imagining silently what the top of Yggdrasil must look like, and whether or not all the creatures of legend were really coiled throughout the massive tree. That led to wondering if the roots really did stretch throughout the worlds... and buried in the mist that filled the massive crater where the impossibly-enormous tree had sprung up, it was easy to imagine and believe anything his mind desired about mighty Yggdrasil.

Then Luna looked slowly to the side, and her eyes locked on a half-hidden pathway, gesturing to it quietly as her starry locks swayed slowly backwards. “There, Scrivy, look.”

The winged unicorn stood and strode quickly towards the large, deep bend in one of the roots bordering the field, forming a low step. Scrivener followed behind her as he felt a twinge of nervousness run through his gut, like they were stepping into something worse than an ambush, shivering a little at the heat, the strange power radiating through the root as they strode over it and then past, stepping onto a smooth dirt path.

They followed the trail to a gray stone ruin that had likely once been some kind of arena, and Luna fearlessly strode up the half-collapsed steps at the end, Scrivener following slowly after her as he looked back and forth at the rotted and broken pillars surrounding the circular structure. And as Luna stepped out onto the round, flat floor of the ruin, the eyes of both ponies locked on the sight of the Norns.

Urd and Verdandi were sitting back in wooden chairs on either side of a pedestal topped with a crystalline orb... but Skuld was standing, her cowl pushed back just enough to reveal not only the eager gleam of her eyes, but rosy lips twisted into a wide grin that revealed needle-like teeth. Her silver breastplate gleamed as her cape swayed behind her, and she grasped her golden short sword tightly in one hand, the blade seeming to glow as she said coldly: “Oh, how I have waited for this day, little Brynhild...”

Luna snarled as Scrivener readied himself as well, and then Skuld pointed her sword forwards with a wide grin, stepping forwards and into the center of the round arena as she declared coldly: “Luna Brynhild, for the insult you bring before the Norns, in disgust of your unworthy blood, I challenge you to single combat!”

The winged unicorn stared in shock for a moment... and then she snarled, leaning forwards as her eyes blazed and she flicked her horn, and immediately her spear shot out of its holster and snapped up to full nine foot length, spinning violently around her before it settled into a ready position as she replied sharply: “How dare thou, after I come to punish thee! Thou art not the offended party, Skuld, 'tis I whom the Norns have trifled with... but if thou art so eager, then let it be so! I accept, Skuld... to the death!”

“Foolish Brynhild... I am the Watcher of the Future. And I've already seen your defeat and your death.” Skuld replied coldly, and she set herself in a ready position as she laughed sharply. “Prepare to die, Luna Brynhild!”

Luna only glared furiously, anchoring herself as her mane sizzled with electricity and snapped backwards like a whip, her eyes glowing with fury as Scrivener Blooms could only sit back and stare with shock, outrage, and a gleaming, passionate pride for his wife... and fear of what the Fates would do in order to achieve their vision of ultimate order.

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