The Castle

by Discombobulated Soul

Time To End This

It wasn't long before the hordes of creatures shuffled out of the throne room.

The princess swept the ghastly remains of her wings in a grand, soundless command that they seemed to understand perfectly. As one, they exited through the various doors in as orderly a fashion as could be expected of rabid, animalistic monsters. I tensed even farther when some of them came within feet of me, quivering with adrenaline and no longer feeling tired in the slightest, but they left without incident.

It was a full minute before their ambiance faded away, but the two of us were finally left in silence.

Without my armor's muffling effect, I would surely have been discovered immediately; my heart pounded against the jail bars of my ribcage, trying desperately to escape while my breathing became heavier than I ever remembered it being. Still, I was certain that I made no sound during my observation.

The ragged form of the princess was just standing there, as if waiting for something. The only motion she produced was the flickering green flame of her mane and tail, as entrancing as it was dreadful.

"I know you're here."

I ducked down against the floor, clutching at my ears as they were assaulted by a thunderous sound that echoed throughout the vast chamber. Celestia's voice alone demonstrated her incredible power, and my terror grew even stronger as she swept her regal, ragged head in a grand gesture.

"Twilight Sparkle. I chose you. Don't you wish to know why?"

The once-alicorn began pacing, the walls themselves shuddering as she let out a deep chuckle. Every fiber of my being was screaming at me to run, to leave back down the hall that led here, to follow the creatures if I had to. Those things I at least knew how to handle, but her? What even was my plan!? Charge in, swinging some toothpick of a sword?

"It is because you need me. Oh, you may deny it. You may hide away in your fantasy land with your fake friends, but deep down, you know it too."

This was no time for plans, I realized: This was the time for action. If I had any hope of getting out of here, I needed to go. To stop her from spouting her wicked lies. To shut her up before she did something.

I waited until her back was turned before I charged, gripping the knife in my mouth and the sword in my magic. I saw red, entering a blind fury that consumed every sensical thought in my mind, replacing them with white-hot rage.

Who was she to say I needed her!? I might not remember much about what came before, but I know for certain that it was better than this!

"Ah, there you are."

I didn't have time. To think, to calculate, to react.

There was no moment of opening. Nothing I could have done.

The princess launched her hind hoof out in a single-legged buck. With a great clang that dented the surface of my chestplate, I was suddenly flying backwards at speeds I could barely comprehend.

I hit the floor rolling, tumbling across the marble for countless feet before I slammed into the wall. I was only able to let out a pained wheeze after the fact, my numerous injuries all but torn open from the strike alone. Without the armor, I'd have died on the spot without question, but I was kind of expecting it to do better than this.

If Celestia could take me out with one buck, even while wearing the Alicorn's Bane, what hope did I have!?

I realized I was clenching my eyes shut from the pain, which was not a good thing to do when one's life was on the line. With a soft whimper, I tore my lids open and noticed with dull dread that the princess was heading straight for me.

"Now, now, there's no need to run off."

Her voice alone rattled my armor, exacerbating my wounds and making me grit my teeth all the harder. She was just so casual about all of this, not looking concerned or even enervated in the slightest.

I was just an inconvenience to her. An annoying pest that could be dealt with, but didn't have to be.

I was nothing. I'd always been nothing, and this proved it.

"Oh, did you hurt yourself? Here, let me help you with that."

Now she was just mocking me. As if this wasn't humiliating enough. Celestia stopped in place about three feet away from my battered form and lit her horn in a ghostly green glow.

I shuddered, feeling her vile magic invading every surface of my body with its chilling presence. My muscles cooled and stiffened in response to its intoxicating power, as if preparing for the grave itself. Slowly, my opened gashes stitched themselves together, aided by the princess' horrid spellwork.

She was toying with me. Showing me just how helpless I was by thoughtlessly hurting me beyond my ability to recover and then effortlessly healing me.

I glared up at her, subdued rage covering my face as I realized that was all I could do.

"YOU'RE HORRIBLE!!" I screamed, tears streaking down my face from under the helmet visor's dented surface. Celestia sighed in response, rolling her lifeless grey eyes as she plodded over to me.

"Well, now. That's not very nice, Twilight."

Her forehoof shot out in a vicious slap and I watched disbelievingly as the shredded remains of my once-helmet flew across the room, strands of torn violet mane following them.

"I believe that's enough dilly-dally. It's time to get to business."

The rage left my system in one instantaneous rush as I realized just how right she was. I was indeed helpless. I should never have come here.

"I have plans for you, Twilight."

Fearfully, I stared up at the alicorn, shaking in terror.

The dead husk of a vicious smirk greeted my gaze.

Blackness.

Comments

[Venerable Ro]

Well that went swimmingly. Great success.