Hearts of Ice, Death by Fire
The gala hall was full of cheerful ponies and great music at the peak of its glory. The white marble halls were decorated with many festive decorations, with banners of the three tribes hanging down from the ceiling.
Rarity stood-wide eyed at the hall. “By the goddess, look at this decor. It’s marvellous!”
“It’s incredible, I’ll say,” commented Twilight as she and the rest of the mares entered. “Hey, look! It’s the Princesses!”
Standing at the north end of the hall, at the top of the marble staircase, were the three alicorn princesses: Princess Celestia, proud and fair ruler of Equestria and goddess of the sun; Princess Luna, her younger sister and keeper of the night, and their niece Princess Mi Amore Cadenza; an alicorn of love, and devoted wife of Captain Armour.
The six of them crossed the dance floor and up the stairs to see the princesses, who greeted them warmly.
“Twilight!” cheered Cadence, running up to the purple mare as they exchanged hugs.
“Twilight Sparkle, I’m so glad you and your friends were able to come on such short notice,” the sun princess said, greeting the mares as they approached.
“Well shoot, Princess, we couldn’t very well miss a fancy event like this,” said Applejack. “Though I can’t stay too long; catching a three a.m. train back to Ponyville.”
“Well, we hope that you can you enjoy the night, little ponies!” said the strong voiced Luna. “And I must say your dresses are quite commendable!”
“Thanks,” perked Rainbow, “but they’re just the same dresses that we wore to the Grand Galloping Gala. They still fit perfectly.”
“I told you Rainbow, I would have been more than happy to make you all new dresses,” said Rarity. “This is a special occasion.”
“Oh, that’s okay Rarity,” whispered Fluttershy from the back of the group. “We didn’t want to overwork you…”
“Nonsense darling!” the white unicorn said, “When have I ever been overworked?”
“Well, there was that one time…”
“Never mind,” shushed Rarity. “At least I was able to whip something together, last minute of course.”
“And when do we get to see this ‘last minute’ dress?” asked Twilight, noting that Rarity still had her dress concealed in her puffy jacket.
“When Spike shows up,” teased Rarity, giving her friend a little wink. “Speaking of…where is he anyway?”
“Right behind you, my love.”
For the second time that night, Spike had managed to sneak up on them. This time he wasn’t adorned in winter armour, rather he wore a red dress coat with golden trim.
“So, can we see this dress now?” he asked, offering his love a claw.
The white mare smiled. “Of course darling, but could you get my jacket?” she asked as she stood on her hind legs and let her coat slide off her shoulders.
“My goddess…” gasped Spike as he gazed at the beautiful mare. Rarity had on a dress the colour of a clear midnight sky. The gown of the dress had large snowflakes patterned on the edges, the tips studded with diamonds that sparkled like her eyes. The corset was white as fresh snow, forming as the top half of a snowflake to cover up the bust, with a translucent lace scarf that wrapped around her shoulders and forelegs.
“So what do you think?” she asked, giving a few twirls. “Do you think it’s a bit too much? I felt like I was just adding gems for the sake of adding them. I was terribly rushed, you know.”
“I think you look beautiful,” the dragon sighed lovingly.
The mare blushed at the comment. Suddenly the music that was playing stopped, as the band started to play a different song.
“Oh Spike, I love this song!” Rarity moaned. “It’s so romantic, is it not?”
“It is. Would you care to dance?” asked the smiling dragon, holding a claw out for his mare.
“Nothing would make me happier,” she smiled, looking at her friends and the princesses. “Your highnesses, if you would excuse me.”
“Not at all!” Celestia smiled. “In fact, all of you go and have fun!”
The rest of the mares smiled as they went running and flying down the steps and onto the dance floor, grabbing random stallions for dance partners as they danced to the steady pace of the music, leaving Rarity and her dragon at the top steps.
Spike gave a little bow, his hand waiting for her hoof. She gently placed her hoof in it, giving a little curtsy. The two slowly made their way down the marble stairs, stepping in the tempo of the music.
They stepped onto the dance floor, claw in hoof, as she wrapped her free hoof around his side, and he around her waist. Their bodies pressed close together as they entered the dance floor together, easily entering the rhythm of the dance around them.
“Spike, when did you learn how to dance so well?” giggled the unicorn as the dragon span her around.
“I’ve found time to practice shamefully, with a broom stick I borrowed from Lyra and Bon-Bon. They seemed a little too eager to get rid of it. Said that it wasn’t getting the job done anymore. Wonder what they meant...”
“I’m sure it’s nothing dear,” she said as the music changed pace, going from slow and loving to loud and passionate. “I miss you so much. I feel so alone without you, Spike.”
“I know, milady, but I had duties to attend to here. You’re sure that you wouldn’t reconsider moving here to Canterlot?” he asked. “I thought you wanted to live here.”
“Believe me, I do,” she moaned, as they started to spin faster. “And you living here now only makes me desire it that much more. It’s just that I can’t afford to move here. And then there are all of our friends to consider.” She clung tighter to him. “But all I want is to just be with you. For you to hold me forever.”
“I know, which is why I have one more surprise for you,” he smiled, as he gave her a dip. “I’m moving back to Ponyville.”
“What? But Spike, what about your job? I can’t let you just abandon your responsibilities, just for me,” she gasped. “As romantic as that is, I won’t let you do that.”
“That’s the best part of it all!” he grinned. “I would still carry out my duties, as Ponyville’s new guard dragon!”
“Spike, that’s wonderful!” she cooed. “But where would you be staying? Will you move back in with Twilight?”
“I’m a little too old for that. Besides, I saved enough bits to buy a nice place close to the boutique,” he smiled.
“Well, I’ll make sure to come over often,” the sultry unicorn said, dragging a hoof down his chest.
“Actually….” he said as he parted away from the unicorn. “I had another idea in mind….”
“What do you mean?”
He reached into his suit’s pocket, pulling out a small black box, falling to one of his knees. “Rarity, you are the most remarkable, beautiful, and caring mare I’ve ever met. I can’t think of anypony else to spend the rest of my life with. I love you, Rarity.” He cracked open the box, revealing a stunningly beautiful diamond ring.
“Oh my…” the now exhilarated unicorn gasped. “Spike, a-a-are you asking me to-”
“Yes, my love,” he smiled as he slipped the ring over her horn. “Will you make me the happiest dragon in all of Equestria, and be my wife?”
The music had gone soft for this intimate moment, only a gentle harmony playing in the background. The white mare, beautiful as a fair snowflake, bent down to eye level with the dragon, staring into his enticing green eyes, the eyes she loved.
“I do,” she whispered. “I do I do I do I do!” she screamed, wrapping herself around her fiancé as the two shared their first kiss as an engaged couple.
The lights of the gala hall suddenly went out, leaving the entire room filled with darkness and shocked ponies.
“Spike, what happened?” trembled Rarity, being held in the safe embrace of her dragon.
“I don’t know,” he admitted, staying perfectly calm. “Probably just a magic surge with the lights is all.”
Suddenly, the whole room began to shake, the tiles of the floor started to crack, and pulsing a red light emanated from the middle. In the center of the room, the floor caved in, leaving a glowing red hole in the ground. From this new crater, a pony slowly emerged.
Its mane was like fire, covering his face, flickering and crackling like the flame it was, yet not burning its coat which burnt like the flames of a thousand embers. His legs were as muscularly thick as tree trunks and he was as big and as imposing as an alicorn. The stallion took a few steps forwards, each step leaving a smouldering hoof print that lit ablaze.
“Well, what do we have here?” he asked, his voice was like a whisper, slithering into the mind like a snake as every syllable he spoke sent an unholy shiver down their spines. “Throwing a party and not inviting me? That wasn’t very nice of you…”
Celestia teleported up to the fiery stallion, giving him a death gaze as she tried to see his face behind his fiery mane. “Who are you, demon, and why you terrorize my subjects?!” she demanded.
“Ah Celestia, proud ruler of Equestria, and princess to the ponies,” the stranger hissed. “Of course in your ignorance you would not know me, but you will soon.” He grumbled. “But out of common courtesy, you may call me Hellfire, not that most of you will live long enough for it to be useful.”
“This is a private event!” she scowled. “If you don’t leave immediately, I will personally dispose of you!”
“Trust me, Princess,” he mumbled. “If I could, I’d be shivering.”
“I’ll tell you one more time,” she growled, her horn glowing with golden energy, “leave now, or I will remove you.”
“You bore me,” he yawned, flicking his flaming mane out of his face, revealing a pair of fiery eyes that burned like lava. He opened his mouth, a rush of hot magma blasting out and scorching the princess, propelling her to the other side of the room.
“Princess!” cried Twilight, as she ran up to her burnt mentor, followed by Pinkie, Rainbow, Fluttershy and Applejack. “Are you all right?! What is that thing?”
The princess tried to speak but couldn’t. The fire that had burnt her was still eating away at her skin, turning the once great white mare into a smouldering black heap of burnt flesh.
“My faithful student…” the princess said weakly. “Get the others to safety….” she said, right before closing her big, beautiful eyes.
“No!” cried the violet mare, trying to use her magic to heal the fallen princess, but it was to no avail. “Nononononononononononono! You can’t die! You’re Celestia, goddess of the sun!”
“And yet she burns,” hissed the crimson pony, everypony looked towards him, captivated by his glowing yellow eyes. “Now, listen to me ponies, you’re princess seemed to be no fun at all and I find that to be unacceptable. So I suppose it is my duty to liven things up, because what’s a party without a little… entertainment?”
Tendrils of heat and fire burst from the chest of the demon pony, whipping and lashing out in an uncontrolled chaos. The ponies around the hall started to run in terror away from the flames and the tendrils that reached out for them. Any pony that was unfortunate to come into contact with these hellish coils instantly burst into a screaming ball of flames before decaying into nothing but black ash.
Rarity watched in repulsion as one by one the party guests were whipped up into the air before being impaled with flaming stakes. The pegesus ponies tried to fly away, but they would be swatted down like flies and squashed like them too.
“Come on Twilight!” shouted Applejack, trying to pry the crying mare from the dead alicorn. “She’s dead! We have to get out of here!”
“No! I won’t leave her!” sobbed the unicorn, refusing to let go. “She can’t be dead… she’s Celestia!”
“Misery loves company,” said Hellfire as his mouth started to drip with a fresh bask of lava. “Why not join her?”
He spat a glob of the glowing red magma on the crying Twilight and Applejack. There were no screams as their flesh was melted within the lava, leaving no trace that they have ever existed.
“Twilight! Applejack!” screamed Pinkie Pie, who was hiding under a table with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. “Oh no, what are we going to do?”
“Hide!” squeaked Fluttershy, and pray he doesn’t find us!”
“A little late for that, girls,” droned Hellfire as he readied another blast of flames. “But you could prove to be entertaining.”
Within moments the two mares were trapped under the table in a fiery inferno and were soon consumed in the flames.
“Boring, uneventful, and disappointing,” yawned the fiery pony. “Isn’t there one of you who could prove to be entertaining?” he scanned the room, looking at what few survivors were left. “How about… you?” he said, pointing to the petrified Rarity. “My, my, my… don’t we think we’re lovely?” he asked, his face curled up into a smile as he exploded in a fit of flames.
“Rarity, look out!” Spike yelled, grabbing his mare and turning his back to flames, wrapping her in his extended wings as the fire broke around him. Rarity tucked tightly into the chest of the dragon, being spared the horrors of the flames.
“So, a dragon can withstand the fires of hell. Quite commendable,” commented Hellfire.
Rarity felt Spike’s grip loosen as she slipped out and saw the horrors that had befallen the room. The south wall had been destroyed, pillars had been knocked over, and the roof had collapsed. That wasn’t the worst thing that she saw. The explosion had killed everypony. They just disappeared into dust and ash. The party guests, the princesses, her friends…
“T-t-they’re all dead!” the horror-struck mare stammered, tears flowing from her eyes. “All my friends are dead….”
There was a demonic laugh that echoed through the shallow halls. She turned around to see the devil pony standing over her, his mouth drooling molten saliva, the expression on his face stripped of all emotions. No happiness, sadness, anger, boredom, or humour.
She shrieked as she tried to scramble away from the pony, which slowly followed her, each step he took leaving a fiery hoof print in the marble floor.
“Where do you think you’re going, love?” he asked, stepping on her tail, the flames of his hoof, burning the tip of it to ashes.
“Get off of her!” roared Spike, coming out of nowhere and tackling the pony off of the mare.
Spike on top, he began clawing at the demon pony, tearing it apart its flesh and skin. The dragon snarled and grunted as he tore way at Hellfire, who didn’t say a word. He didn’t even scream.
Soon there was a nothing left but a glowing yellow pile of steaming magma and a ripped up skin. Spike got up from the ground, panting heavily. He was covered in the burning liquid, and quickly wiped it all off.
He turned to Rarity, who was lying on the ground crying, her singed tail being stroked in her hooves. “Are you okay, love?”
“Oh Spike, look what that monster did to my tail!” she bawled, wiping her tears away.
“Hey, hey,” the dragon said, trying to comfort her, “it’ll grow back.”
“I’m not worried about the tail darling!” she sniffed, her crying staring to die down. “He was so close to me, he could have killed me and I wouldn’t have been able to do anything!” she cried. “I’m just a damsel, incapable to defending myself. If you hadn’t tackled him, I would be dead.”
“You’re not a damsel,” said Spike, pulling the mare into his arms. “You are the strongest and bravest mare I know, and just because I will always be here to protect you doesn’t make you weak.”
“I know Spike…” she sighed. “I know.”
“How very touching this all is…” a voice droned behind them. “This would make me hurl if I still had a stomach.”
“What?”
The two turned around to see that Hellfire was standing right behind them, his body perfectly intact, with all of his flaming and crimson features.
“How are you still alive?!” Spike snarled, pushing Rarity aside as he flexed his claws. “Am I going to have tear you up again?”
“A dragon of all creatures should know that you can’t dismantle a flame,” he moaned, standing up on his hind legs as he stretched his forelegs to his sides, “without getting burned.”
His stretched out hooves started to shift, mutating several small appendages at the tip, the hoof completely disappearing in place of five skeletal digits. The newly grown fingers then started to sprout long yellow claws, each of them growing to about three inches in length. The finished product was a new pair of new claws that could rend metal, flesh and bone with ease.
“You wish to play with fire?” the demon pony asked. “Then you will burn like the rest.”
“Hate to break it to you, but I’m completely fireproof!” he yelled as he charged the pony. Hellfire didn’t budge. He easily grabbed the dragon when he tried to slash at him, holding him by his neck and wrist, holding him as he tried to squirm out of his grip.
“Yes, you are fireproof dragon, but there are other ways to put you down,” Hellfire muttered, squeezing tightly around his neck. “I could gut you… Strangle you…. Eat you, if I desired…. But I prefer a simpler way, still just as effective….” He placed his other claw on the top of the drake’s head, his yellow claws digging into his skull as he spun Spike’s head around.
There was a brief snap, followed by a wave of hysterical screaming as the broken dragon fell lifelessly to the floor.
“No!” screamed the mare, running and dropping to her knees next to the fallen dragon, desperately shaking him to get him to move, speak, anything. But she received nothing from the dragon except a blank, dead stare.
The flaming pony walked up next to the crying mare, stroking her mane with his claws, his hands were as cold as ice. "It wouldn't have worked out anyway; do you really think ponies beyond your friends would have accepted your forbidden romance, your sin against nature?" he said. “And trust me, I know sin…”
“J-just make it quick,” she muttered. “Kill me so I can be with my loved ones.”
“No.”
“No?” she barked. “You kill all these ponies, the princesses, my friends, but killing me is crossing the line?! What kind of sick pony are you?”
“You could say I'm a bit of a rebel without a cause. Besides causing misery, of course.” he looked at the dragon, “Besides I have done what I came here to do, nothing more, nothing less. Unlike my siblings, I believe in self-control and standards.”
“Siblings?” she asked.
“Tell me, what is your name?”
“R-Rarity.”
“Are you mad, Rarity?” he asked, “Do you hate me for what I have done to you?”
The mare was cautious as she slowly nodded her head.
“Are you upset that I’ve taken everything you hold dear to you? Left you with nothing but the ashes of your friends and the body of a dragon?”
“Y-yes…”
Hellfire gave the mare a smile. A terrible, terrible smile. “What if I told you that you could save one?” The unicorn gasped at the statement, turning her head slowly towards Hellfire’s, staring into his fiery eyes. “I will give you a chance. A flip of the coin, a roll of the dice, but that’s it. One chance to save one of your friends’ souls.”
“Are…. Are you lying, is this some sort of cruel joke? A way to torture me with the idea that I could save them?”
“Not them, just one,” he said, holding up one bony finger. “The rest of the souls are mine. So what do you say? Will you play my little game?”
“I…I don’t know” she moaned.
“Well, I’ll give you a year to think about it,” Hellfire said, getting up from the ground to leave. “Come back here, in December with a single rose. Cut through the castle and into the southern courtyard. There you will find six tombstones, each marked with the symbol of one of your lost friends. Place the rose on the grave of the one you wish to save, further instructions will await you when this is all done,” he said, as he started to walk away. “Oh, and let me make this clear, this is a one-time offer. If you’re not here next December, then they will be gone forever, and it will be your fault.”
“Why are you doing this?” she asked. “Why spare me over my friends?”
The fiery stallion looked back at the mare. “Because you’re the only one I ever needed.”
The ground below him started to crack, and he fell through the floor, which quickly fixed itself, leaving Rarity alone with her thoughts.
Or rather a thought.
*****
It had been the only thought on her mind for the past year. It had consumed her to the point of near insanity. To save one but only one, even in his gift he had managed to cause her nothing but pain. She had weighed all the options of who she would choose, and it had been hell, but she finally decided who she was going to save.
She walked to the courtyard that Hellfire had told her to go to. Just like he promised, there were six graves sitting in the field. She walked up to them, looking them over, she saw that each one had a symbol on the tomb. A butterfly for Fluttershy, an apple for Applejack, balloons for Pinkie, a star for Twilight, a lightning bolt for Rainbow Dash, and a dragon’s head for Spike.
She examined all six graves and pulled out her rose, the one rose that would be able to save one friend. She had considered not doing it at all, but the thought of not saving any of them was selfish. Just as selfish as choosing to save only one.
This was it though, she had made her decision, and she hoped that the others would be able to forgive her for making this impossible choice, but it was what her heart thought was best. She looked at each tomb one more time, making sure she had her decision made.
Rarity let one tear drop fall from her face, the tear quickly freezing up in the cold weather. The snow blew harder, her cloak blowing in the wind, the very elements pressing her on to make her decision, and she did.
She let the rose drop from her hoof, and fall on Spike’s grave.
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I said this when I was editing, and it bears repeating:
savethedaylight.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/say-what-118749-463-700.jpg
And... right in the feels. Good god man, what the hell...
My one complaint so far is that Hellfire seems... pointless. He doesn't seem to have a REASON. He's like Discord, only with an innate need to murder and kill and destroy instead of just be confusing and random. It's terrifying, but I can't get behind it.
Also I totally pictured him looking like a Badass Fire Skag, a la Borderlands. Been playing a lot of that recently, I have. I look forward to what is to come.
SHIT! Forgot to do this earlier! Hellfire is a baddy on fire, and browniepoints for those of you who got the broomstick joke! (don't feel bad if you didn't)
A thanks to Bunsen and LDSocrates, particularly LD for kicking my ass straight and helping me get Hellfire right, before is was a bit too Mary sue... now he's a mary sue lit on fire!
Also, about Rarity and why she's miserable...
What happened to Luna and Cadence?
1761614 you'll find out
1761617
okay
Ya know, seems a little strange that Rarity isn't suffering from survivor's guilt.
I have to agree a bit on Hellfire. It seems (so far) like he showed up to a party, murdered everybody, and then invited Rarity back for seconds all just to fuck with her. She's the element of Generosity, but is otherwise just a fashion-designer from a small town. What's the point? Why go to all the trouble just to mess with her head? Three demi-deities murdered, an entire castle destroyed and hundreds of innocents murdered to get at one single pony.
It just feels contrived, I guess.
I just know that this guy's gonna cheat.
I like the direction that this is going, but I think the pacing in this chapter seemed somewhat rushed. I mean, it took like 8 short paragraphs for Hellfire to arrive and kill Celestia, the others not far after.
Wrote 'our' instead of 'out'
Still, I'm excited to see what comes next.
Spike comes back as a vegetable. I called it!
This reminds me of my favorite show "Supernatural", when they do a Crossroad's Demon pact. Even if he is brought back; he is completely different person. He is just a Shell without a soul. Emotionless and ruthless.
So this random demon guy just appeared out of nowhere and OHK'd Princess Celestia... who you know... is BASICALLY A GOD
Yeah, I know not everyone thinks she's powerful but I'm sorry. That just... she should of put up more fight than Spike
*cries forever* This mother bucker is gonna cheat, I just know it! *hides in the emo corner*
Once again, I'm astonished at how this is not in the featured box.
Great as always!
Oh my... then all they died? and well, I think we still don't know what the heck wants Hellfire to do. I mean we still don't know anything, so we will withing the next chapters I guess, and I can smell is not that easy as Rarity will just save one of her friends and that's all. HellFire killed Celestia, after all! so We'll see what's what he wants I guess.
Oh my... then all they died? and well, I think we still don't know what the heck wants Hellfire to do. I mean we still don't know anything, so we will withing the next chapters I guess, and I can smell is not that easy as Rarity will just save one of her friends and that's all. HellFire killed Celestia, after all! so We'll see what's what he wants I guess.1761646
because she's the best pony?
There was a demonic that echoed through the shallow halls.
...
A demonic what? Bowel movement?
1762840 yes chain, there was a demonic bowel movement that echoed through the halls.... i'll fix that.
1762641 it actaully was in the repeat feature box all night last night. must have missed it!
1763112 Happy to help!
Well shit, things got dark really quick!
At least we know it wasn't Spike that torched the place.
Murder and mayhem, is it Christmas already!
There are times when I wish stories like this were mature for the sake of rape, but not every story has to match my sick fuck tendencies.
This was nice.
Well, I was having a good day *points at Hellfire* and then this mother bucker showed up!
1763112 WOOHOO! /)
Yup, I'm betting that this guy isn't exactly telling the truth.
But seriously, one guy pops out of nowhere and kills Celestia, Luna, AND Twilight just to go back to where he came? WTF is there any other higher power to balance his? That was totally unexpected.
Seriously that guy is like the final boss.
Poor Rarity though...
Ten to one Spike comes back as some soulless demon... 
1764767 indeed.
1766960 will fix. and no, I'm Canadian.
1761642 She is, she didn't really leave her house very often nor did she take as much care in her appearance afterwards.
Oh god why....
Well, that was totally unexpected
poor Rarity, I know hellfire is going to trick her and make something worse happen to her.
My one gripe about the whole chapter is Hellfire itself. While I do love totally awesome villains with power, I don't understand his point to all of this, not to mention his completely OP status. Unless I'm getting ahead of the story and more will be explained on his reasoning, I don't understand why he comes randomly and kills everyone without even trying, and then he just leaves. (not to mention he has siblings.)
By the way, love the broom comment hahaha
Wow, talk about cruel and I can almost tell that this punk's going to be pulling a fast one on Rarity at the last second.
I also wonder where's
in this tale ?
Still, interesting update and yet, I do wonder what will happen now. I mean what if she chosed Twilight and then maybe the two unicorns would work together to fix this mess ?
Nice update overall as I cannot wait to see what happens next.
So Celestia died, what happened to Luna and Cadence
1761642 I would have said she is considering she is all
1767802 Same here
Well he was......... Op
well this is disappointing. And why the fuck didn't she save Celestia?
5244958 Because she's not in love with Celestia!