Ascendant Shadows 4
The three of us stood in stunned silence as the enormity of our problem slowly sank in. We had just challenged the Avatar of Nightmare Moon to a duel. Bright Charger had already been the greatest living duelist in Pegasopolis before she had been empowered by a mad alicorn. Now... “This could be a problem.”
“I thank thee for informing us of that,” Sunbeam snapped at me. “If not for thy wise counsel, I ne’er would have guessed that facing a demigod in single combat was a less than ideal situation. Truly, thou art most blessed with the famed tactical insight of the Ephors of Pegasopolis. I can only pray thou wilt share further revelations with us.”
I spared an annoyed glare for the Archmagus. “Becoming wroth with me will hardly improve our circumstances, Sunbeam.”
“I told thee that this was a terrible plan that would only end badly for us,” she groused.
“This was not the plan,” Greenwall grunted. “No point blaming each other. Best just figure out how to win.”
Sunbeam grimaced, but nodded sharply. Her horn lit up, and a privacy spell settled over us. For a moment I feared the spellwork might prompt the Avatar to attack, but she smirked and waved for us to proceed. ‘Twould seem she had no fear of whate’er we might be planning.
Sunbeam wasted no time. “We have come too far to simply withdraw. Not without looking the craven fools before our own forces and the enemy, at best. At worst, the Avatar will simply order her troops to cut us down if we withdraw from the challenge. And of course, the same goes for any violation of the expected rules. Not that I expect the Nightmare to be nearly so honor-bound as Lance Charger was.” She was silent for several seconds, then shifted so that she was almost but not quite looking at Greenwall. “Our only hope is that she plays out the farce so long as we stay on script. Whoever faces her will die, but we can still slay Hidden and Swift, then withdraw once the duel is over.”
The earth pony grasped what she implied quickly. “So one of us must die. I suppose an earth pony militia captain is more easily replaced than an Archmagus or an Ephor.”
I gripped his shoulder and shook my head. “We may find another captain, yes. But not one of your quality. I do not care for this plan.”
“I like it even less, Honored Shadow,” Greenwall replied with a grim smile. “I would welcome an alternative, but if none shows itself...”
That damnable title again. And the stallion seemed determined to give up his life to save mine. Most vexing. I quickly put a stop to it. “The Avatar will not let us walk away after she wins her duel with you. I slew her favored daughter, and Sunbeam struck down one of her sons. She will likely challenge myself or Sunbeam within an instant of the duel’s completion, and should we refuse, she will set her forces upon us.”
“A mad quest for vengeance need not e’en be in her mind,” Sunbeam’s eyes flicked over to Bright and her fellow duelists. “We sought to behead the rebels’ leadership. Do you think she does not see the chance to do the same to our own forces? The rebels would benefit greatly by removing Celestia’s best battlefield leader and warmage. Such a blow might well win the war in a single stroke.”
Sunbeam’s eyes raked over me, lingering on my armor. She let out an angry snort and waved towards me. “‘Twould seem there is nothing else for it. I would have preferred far better circumstances, but ‘tis time to see exactly what thine armor can do. Loath as I am to suggest the risk, I prefer a risk to the certainty of death.”
Greenwall nodded, a grim smile spreading across his lips. “Whate’er the dangers, I like this plan far better than the one where I nobly sacrifice my life.”
“Quite so,” I agreed. “I much prefer to make the enemy nobly lay down their lives, while we survive to enjoy our victory.” I shifted my attention to Sunbeam. “What canst thou tell me of mine armor and how it functions?”
“A great deal, but little of it would be of immediate use to you.” Sunbeam tapped her chin. “Trust to thine instincts. Remember that thou art bound to the armor, and it to thee. ‘Tis an extension of thy very being, no more separate from thee than a leg or wing. Using it should come as naturally as any part of thy fleshly body.”
Though she did not say as much before Greenwall, I could guess at the true reason behind her explanation. With my essence contained within the armor, it truly was a part of my body; arguably moreso than mine actual flesh. Howe’er, Sunbeam’s explanation did not ring true to me. If an earth pony were suddenly granted wings, they would not be able to fly simply because the new limbs were a part of their body.
I was sorely tempted to press Sunbeam for specifics, but soon realized that this would be a poor time for it. ‘Twould be all too easy for the Avatar to subtly pierce Sunbeam’s privacy spell and learn everything that Sunbeam told me of mine armor’s abilities. E’en if she did not, I suspected that ‘twould take some time for Sunbeam to fully explain all that the armor forged by Celestia herself may be capable of. Not to mention any practice I might require to master the armor’s abilities. The Avatar was unlikely to allow me a week’s peace to familiarize myself with mine armor ere the duel began.
A troubling thought sprang to mind: I might have spent the last day familiarizing myself with the armor and its abilities, instead of vainly standing watch o’er an empty cave in the hope that I might find some sign of my daughter’s fate. I could only hope that mine error would not cost myself and mine allies too badly.
“‘Twould seem we have a plan, then,” I concluded. “Unless either of you have any further insight to offer?” When neither of them spoke, I nodded to Sunbeam, and she removed the spell granting us privacy. Swift Blade gazed at us with carefully studied disinterest, while Hidden Facts had stepped aside to speak to his acolytes. The Avatar herself had her eyes firmly fixed upon me, a faint smirk creasing her lips. “We have reached a decision,” I announced, meeting her eyes. “If none of you object, I will meet Bright in combat, Sunbeam shall face Hidden Facts, and Swift shall battle Greenwall.”
The Avatar’s answering smile would have better suited a hungry predator than a pony. “I gladly accept thy challenge, Shadow. ‘Twill be a rare pleasure to slay the same pony twice.”
“Do not count your pleasures ere you have earned them.” I smiled, though ‘twas a cold and mocking thing lacking all warmth. “We shall see how the battle goes when you cannot strike me down treacherously 'neath a truce flag. You will find I am a far stronger foe when I am granted the chance to defend myself.”
The Avatar’s answering scowl was fearsome indeed, and her snarl bared teeth that included a pair of slightly pointed, elongated canines. “Thou speakest as if thou didst have any right to be offended by mine actions. Didst thou not strike down my beloved daughter in an act of foulest treachery? And yet thou dost dare to speak to me of honor? Neigh, thou hast no honor left. And if I was treacherous in thine execution, ‘twas only because I chose to pay thee in the very same coin thou didst use so readily. A traitor slain by treason. A trucebreaker cut down in a broken truce. I thought ‘twas most fitting.”
“You are right in one regard,” I conceded. “There was no honor in Lance’s passing. Had I known what fate would befall her, I would have done all that I could have to prevent her demise. I will regret until my last day that I did not choose a better means of restraining her.”
The Avatar cocked her head to the side. “Is that so? Curious, then, that the bards of Canterlot sing thy praises for cutting her down, praising thy nobility while casting aspersions upon my daughter’s memory ere her corpse had e’en grown cold.”
“The truth will have its day,” I answered levelly, not rising to the bait. “Mayhaps I shall e’en face a reckoning for the fate that Lance suffered at my hooves. In all honesty, there is a part of me that believes you deserve your vengeance. ‘Twould not be unjust if I were to die today, on this battlefield.” My eyes hardened, and I shook off any hint of melancholy. “But if we are to speak of justice, let us not stop at Lance. What of Copper Spark? A good stallion, a noble husband and father, who your servants sacrificed to fuel an act of dark magic. Does he not deserve justice too?”
“His death and the deaths of his fellow prisoners were necessary,” she answered coldly, glaring down at me. “An archmage’s blood is a potent catalyst, and Hidden’s ritual required power of the highest order. Their blood was the price for my life. I am sure thou wouldst have preferred that I die, and thy former lover yet lived, e’en though he had long since abandoned thee for another. But he made himself an enemy of the true and rightful ruler of Equestria. I would have been fully within my rights to execute him for such a crime. Thou shouldst be grateful: at least this way, his death served a higher purpose.”
“Grateful,” I repeated incredulously, staring at what could only be a madmare. I could barely restrain mine own fury when next I spoke. “Grateful?! I will show thee the depths of my gratitude when we battle, Bright.”
The Avatar showed me her fangs once more. “I look forward to it.”
Sunbeam’s eyes fell upon her own foe. “As I will enjoy facing you, Hidden. It has been too long since I faced a true warlock.”
“Indeed it has,” he answered with a smug grin. “For so many years I operated right under your nose, gathering followers and winning magi to my cause. You were content to rest on your laurels and play the endless games of court politics, seeking Celestia’s favor while I became the true master of the magi. Today, the great Sunbeam Sparkle will fall, and I shall take my rightful place as the true leader of Equestria’s mages.”
Sunbeam answered his grin with a smirk. “It is unwise to begin planning your victory celebration before the battle is won. In my time I have slain dozens of warlocks.”
“But this is the end of your era, and the beginning of mine.” Hidden drew himself up to his full height. “It is past time the world learned it need not fear you, Sunbeam Sparkle.”
“Your skull will make a fine addition to my daughter’s collection,” she countered.
Swift, meanwhile, looked o’er his foe with a sort of arrogant pride that his poor skills hardly warranted. “So I am to face a mere militia pony? I suppose I should be insulted, but at least ‘twill be a short duel. I can finish the match, then watch as Shadow and Sunbeam are slain by my companions.”
Greenwall met his gaze flatly, then cracked his neck. “Aye, ‘twill be short. For you.”
The Avatar spared a quick glance back at her servants, and they both fell silent. She then turned her attention to all three of us. There was a shift in her demeanour, the barely restrained fury over her daughter’s death fading to the background and something else taking its place. Her face became an unreadable mask; cold, distant, and alien. “Hold a moment. Let us not rush to battle ere the formalities are observed. I know the traditions, ‘tis only proper that I offer thee the chance to end our dispute without bloodshed. I shall make mine offer soon enough, but first I would ask a question of each of thee.”
I did not think her questions likely to be innocent, but ‘twas indeed tradition for the participants in a formal duel to offer their foes the chance to concede without bloodshed. We could hardly violate protocol now, and in any case we were hardly obligated to answer a question we did not care for. Indeed, her questions might reveal more of herself than our answers. “So be it, then. Ask what you will.”
“‘Tis simple enough.” Her gaze swept over me. “I know Archmagus Sparkle’s reasons for serving my sister. Both the ones she would proudly declare to the world, and the secret festering in her heart that she has not e’en allowed herself to see.” She turned a mocking smile on the Archmagus. “Thou canst lie to thyself, but not to thy dreams.” Her attention shifted to Greenwall. “I am sure the militiapony’s reasons for fighting are dull and simple. No doubt ‘tis simply a matter of Canterlot being his home, and our armies are attacking it. But thou...” Her eyes locked onto me. “Thou art the greater mystery to mine eyes. It is one thing to defend one’s home, and quite another to betray it. Tell me then, Shadow, why didst thou betray Pegasopolis to fight at my sister's side? Didst thou not love thy precious honor?”
‘Twas a question I had reflected upon many times in the past and knew the answer to. “Celestia is the rightful and righteous leader of Equestria. Her removal, though legal, was improper and unwise. The Ephorate’s war is not to the benefit of either Equestria as a whole or ponykind in general. Had peace prevailed, I would gladly have continued to serve despite my misgivings. But I could not ask my clanponies to die for a cause I did not believe in.” I met the Avatar’s gaze, frankly and challengingly. “For all her flaws, Celestia’s vision will lead to a better world. What would you create with the throne you seek, Bright?”
“The same, but instead of having grand dreams while Equestria falls to pieces around me, I would actually bring my desires to fruition.” She waved towards the hole her forces had blasted through the wall, and the corpses carefully piled to the side. “Dost thou see what a hundred years of my sister's rule has wrought? Ponies killing ponies in a civil war that need not happen if she were a stronger ruler. It is one thing to have a vision, and quite another to have the strength of will to seize it. For all the supposed beauty of her dreams, she lacks the strength to make them into reality.”
“She is stronger than you credit her for being,” I countered. “And if that is not enough, then I shall be her strength. Not even the greatest queens truly rule alone. As her subordinate, ‘tis my duty to aid her in whate’er way I can. When a leader stumbles one should help her back to her hooves, not fall upon her like a jackal.”
I turned mine own eyes to the fallen. Ponies who had been under my command, and who might have lived had I chosen another course of action. I was surprised yet also heartened to see that Stalwart was not among their number. “You speak of needless deaths, yet ‘tis your army that is the aggressor here. You have the power to end this war whene’er you wish. All the bloodshed here sullies your hooves, not mine or your sister’s.”
The Avatar’s head cocked to the side, a gesture that was curiously similar to one I had seen from young Midnight. “And I would say the same to thee. I have won the war. Only Canterlot stands defiant against mine armies. End this stubborn and doomed resistance, and we can at last have peace again. I am prepared to offer reasonable terms. Surrender the city, and I shall give my word of honor that its civilian populace will be treated well.” She glanced up the tunnels, then spoke with feigned indifference. “Surely thou knowest the horrors that await any city that falls after a long and difficult siege. Soldiers who have endured months of hardship and lost close companions will lose all sense of discipline when presented a chance to avenge themselves on their foes. If I take the city by storm, half of it will burn to the ground, and a year later most of the surviving mares shall have new pegasus foals. Spare them that, and surrender the city now.”
I met her eyes levelly, refusing to show any reaction to her threats. “If you take the city.”
She smiled coldly, waving once more to the fallen walls. “Twice now I have breached thy defenses, once before mine apotheosis and now today. More will follow. All Equestria answers to me, not my sister. There is no hope of relief for Canterlot. No outside force will rescue your city. Your defeat is as inevitable as the changing of the seasons or the rising of the moon. Attempting to deny this reality and continue your pointless resistance is an exercise in futility, and will only prolong the death and suffering of your forces.”
“Curious,” Sunbeam cut in. “You say that all Equestria outside Canterlot is loyal to you, yet I have heard many reports of resistance. Have you captured and slain Mossy Banks recently? Or the many others inspired by his example?”
The Avatar scowled hatefully at Sunbeam, her lips pulling back in a hateful snarl. “His death is as inevitable as your own. It is simply a matter of time and resources, both of which I have in abundance. I offer you the following terms. Surrender the city to me, and swear fealty. Shadow and Sunbeam will both face fair and open trials for the deaths of my children, but all others shall be granted amnesty for their actions, provided they offer their loyalty to me.”
Though I said nothing, I shared a brief glance with Sunbeam. We both knew there would only be one outcome to the supposedly fair trial the Avatar offered: our executions. Nothing less would sate Bright’s lust for vengeance. She had given herself o’er to the darkness to avenge Lance, she would not give us our lives.
Having no doubt realized we would grasp her hidden meaning, the Avatar continued. “Thou dost claim to be so noble and righteous, Shadow. Surely this must appeal to thee. For the good of all Equestria, lay down thy life. ‘Tis a small price to pay for peace. Gale can rule the clan in thy stead, provided she swears loyalty. I shall e’en grant my son permission to wed her, as he so plainly desires. (1) Thy clan and legacy shall be preserved. What is a single life against that?”
1: While it’s an easy point to overlook, I will note that she doesn’t make any mention of Gale’s desires. Unfortunately, there was precedent for forcing captured enemies into political marriages. Though I suspect that would not have ended well for Dusk; even if Gale is clearly growing fond of him by this point, she would not react well to being forced into a marriage.
“You are a fool if you think I would willingly go to mine own execution,” Sunbeam scoffed, echoing mine own thoughts on the matter. She boldly stepped towards the Avatar, her choler rising with each moment. “Take the city by force, if you can. If you do, I will not be there when the palace falls. I assure you, I shall flee the city and take to the hills and forests. Mossy Banks has been a thorn in your side. If I must fight alone, I shall be the hidden knife in the dark, haunting you until the end of your days. You will ne’er know a moment’s peace, for always you will wonder where I will strike next. I would burn all Equestria to the ground before I let you have it.”
“And what of Commander Celestia?” I demanded. “You have not spoken of your plans for her. Is she to join us upon the gallows?”
“That is entirely at her discretion.” Her eyes fixed upon me, and a hint of scorn entered her voice. “Unlike some of the ponies present, I would prefer to avoid slaying mine own kin. Should she surrender peaceably, then I will make her my captive in relative comfort. There will be no need to slay or exile her if she gives me my rightful crown, and I will not taint my hooves with her blood. For all her crimes, she is still my sister.” She sighed and shook her head, but for all her efforts to seem resigned to it I could not help but note the faint smile upon her lips as she continued. “But if she fights, then I will smite her. There can be no half measures between beings such as us once weapons are drawn and blood is to be shed.”
She paused for a long moment, perhaps to visibly restrain her rising bloodlust. “Howe’er, my sister’s fate rests in thy hooves. If her generals swear fealty to me and march upon the palace at my side, my weak-willed sister will assuredly surrender. She lacks the strength to truly rule on her own, and only resists because there are others to fight on her behalf. As with an end to the war, the preservation of my sister’s life is within thy grasp. Should all proceed well, I might e’en chose to grant thee life at her side rather than the execution thy crimes deserve.”
“Oh, so now we might be spared if we betray our own and grovel prettily enough to suit you?” Sunbeam snapped, her voice thick with mocking contempt. “A fine incentive indeed. I am sorely tempted to surrender myself to likely execution, reliant solely on the mercy of a mare whose child I slew.”
“And so the both of thee will serve my sister instead, e’en thou ‘twill only lead to thy doom and further pointless deaths.” She turned a haughty glare upon the both of us. “Tell me, if thou art the victors in this, how dost thou expect my sister will reward thee? A few empty honors and meaningless titles? Her gratitude, so long as thou dost not have the temerity to expect anything of substance from her? It cannot be something so prosaic as mere wealth. And please, do not delude thyselves that she might offer thee anything greater than that. She cast me aside to take the throne for herself alone. She will not deign to share it with a mere mortal, nor sully her precious royal body with a lover. For all thy sacrifices, she will give thee nothing of substance as thanks. At best, she will say a few kind words before asking thee to resume thy previous duties. That is her way. She expects her servants to act righteously for no other reason than because ‘tis righteous. There are no rewards waiting for thee. No grateful queen to shower thee with gifts. Merely the cold knowledge that all the deaths thou hast caused served no purpose beyond being able to tell thyself that thou didst the right thing, and my sister approved. Does that truly seem like a wise path? For all that thou wouldst claim ‘tis noble, I find it pathetic.”
“Fine words,” Sunbeam snarled back. “Tell me, how many times did you dream of delivering that very speech in your century of exile on the moon? An exile you earned after going mad with jealousy because your subjects did not shamelessly fawn upon you often enough? Or let us speak of your other self: the mare who was shocked and offended that her children might die after she pushed them onto the battlefield. Did you expect that none would dare raise a hoof ‘gainst your brood, simply because they were your precious little foals? Did you expect us to lie down and die rather than defend ourselves when they attacked?”
The Avatar glared poisonously at her. “I pray that thou dost survive thy duel with Hidden, worm. I would dearly love to rip thy heart out and make thee watch its last beats. Perhaps with thy daughter at thy side, so that she might watch the light fade from thine eyes.”
“Enough talk,” I growled, stepping between the two. “I tire of your words, and your forked tongue. Is this to be a duel, or a debate? You cannot strike my friend down until you have slain me. A task you have already failed at once.”
The Avatar’s eyes narrowed, fixing me with a focused glare as she hefted her lance. A light dueling weapon, much like the one Bright had nearly slain me with. “So be it then. Let it not be said that I did not give thee the chance to join me before I struck thee down.” She bared her teeth in a savage, bloodthirsty parody of a smile. “I admit, I am going to enjoy slaying thee again. ‘Tis almost worth the consternation thy survival has caused me.”
Sunbeam smirked triumphantly, her eyes shifting to Hidden Facts. “I will enjoy destroying one of your most devoted followers, abomination. Today the madness he has wrought ends.”
Hidden shook his head, a faint smile contorting his face to make it resemble a skull’s rictus. “No, today is when it truly begins.”
Swift gave his foe a final contemptuous glance, then sniffed haughtily. “So it seems I have no better foe than an arrogant little dirt farmer. A poor match for the skills of an Ephor of Pegasopolis, but if ‘tis my duty to slay him, then so be it. If this is the best the Sun Tyrant’s minions can spare to face me, then I shall try to at least give him a warrior’s death. My companions will have to see to providing worthy entertainment to the troops with grand battles ‘gainst worthy foes.”
Greenwall snorted. “You talk a lot. Like the sound of your voice, or just scared?”
Swift snarled wordlessly, readying his wing blades. Or at least dropping himself into something that bore a passing resemblance to the proper stance for a bladewielder. I was sorely tempted to take him aside and explain that his knees were so stiff that a single low strike would topple him, and his blades were angled in such a way that they would deflect blows towards his body rather than away from it. As unwise as ‘twould be to advise an enemy, it irked me to see an Ephor of Pegasopolis give such a shameful performance. Especially when he wielded my chosen weapons.
I averted my eyes from him lest I see anything more that might so offend me. I had far greater concerns than Swift’s appalling lack of a true warrior’s skills. I would need every portion of mine own talents to survive the coming battle. Bright Charger was a foe I had feared might prove beyond my skill when she was a mere mortal. Indeed, her child Lance had proven to be my better in a purely physical confrontation.
Howe’er, I was committed to the battle now. “Shall we dance, Bright?”
A smile that for once was entirely Bright Charger spread across her lips. “Oh yes.” She began her approach slowly, with carefully measured steps, but I could already see the battle lust building within her. The eager light of her eyes, the quickening of her breath, and an extra hint of tension in her limbs. She spun her lance through a few light motions. “So tell me, dost thou wish for me to run the same lung through, or shall I wound the other?”
“The other,” I answered with forced cheer. “‘Twould be unbearably dull to suffer the same wound I have only just healed from.”
“Ah, and I would hate to bore thee.” She stalked in, slowly circling while I matched her movements. I noted another change in her fighting style almost at once. While she still bore her lance in a traditional Pegasopolan war harness, there was a faint blood-red glow about it that matched her eyes. No doubt some product of her new form’s magic. “In any case, I see no reason to replicate a wound that failed to slay thee the last time I inflicted it. I expect I shall be quite thorough in slaying thee this time. I doubt e’en my sister’s arts could replace a torn out heart, a severed head, and the immolation of thy corpse.”
I privately wondered at that. If my essence yet remained within mine armor rather than my flesh, would the destruction of my body truly slay me? Or might I live on as naught but a formless wraith, bound to my armor long into the future? (2)
2: Considering Shadow’s Armor still exists and there is a spiritual remnant of her inside it, she was right to worry. Though from what I have been told, the spirit in the armor is merely an echo of her former self left behind due to her soul residing in the armor for so long. I really, really hope that they told me the truth, because the idea that Shadow’s spent the last eight centuries trapped in a suit of armor is incredibly depressing.
Not that I had any intention of letting her slay me to test the theory. “I shall have to test the limits of thine endurance as well. ‘Twas said you were also near death when Hidden’s black rites restored you. Mayhaps ‘twill be I who severs your head and removes your heart.”
“Bold words, but we both know ‘twill not end that way.” She cautiously jabbed at me with her lance, remaining well out of mine own striking range. “Thou knowest how thy mettle measures 'gainst mine own. This battle can only end one way.” She feinted at the side she had wounded me upon, but I saw through the ruse and did not take her bait.
No doubt she sought to take my measure, and see if my long convalescence had weakened me. A tactically sound choice, but one I had no intention of allowing her to execute. The more she learned of me, the better she would be able to exploit any weakness I showed. Something dangerous indeed, given what I knew of Bright’s combat style. She would search for my weakness, then attempt to strike with at it with decisive force, ending the clash at a single stroke. If she found an opening, I would likely only learn of it when her lance pierced me.
I avoided her probing strikes with ease, but slowed my reactions to make my avoidance as narrow as possible. If she sought to gauge my reactions, I saw no reason to provide her with any more information than I must. “Much has changed since the last time we met. Neither of us are the mares we were before.”
I continued maintaining my distance, waiting for her to commit. Her longer weapon would make it difficult to close in and strike her; the best tactical choice would be to dodge her own attack, then close in and counter. A fact she was undoubtedly aware of, given her own reluctance to do more than probe my defenses.
I spared a quick look for the other ongoing battles, to check upon my companions. Swift Blade closed upon Greenwall, his stance arrogantly confident, and launched a single poorly executed strike at the militia captain. Greenwall batted the clumsy strike aside with an armored hoof, then closed in and struck Swift’s muzzle. Blood spurted out of the Ephor’s newly broken nose, and he stumbled back. Ere Greenwall could follow up with another strike, Swift blindly lashed out with his blades, scoring no hits but at least forcing the militia captain to step away. Swift used the space to take wing, flitting up into the stalactites dotting the cavern’s ceilings.
Sunbeam and Hidden’s conflict was a far different matter. Though in truth, I could hardly imagine what was happening or who held the advantage. The entire area designated for their duel had been swallowed up by the warlock’s illusions. The world around them shimmered like air distorted by fire, and queer, half-solid things floated of their own accord within, guided by some breeze unfelt to those outside. Colors and shapes alien to sanity coalesced and swirled, and mine eyes burned after a mere glance. E’en from this distance, mine armor hummed in protest against the wrongness of the scene.
I could only pray that Sunbeam would hold her own in the midst of that unfolding madness. Strange though it was to think it, I had somehow become friends with the mare.
The Avatar followed my gaze, though her own eyes rested more upon Swift, still hiding from his opponent. No doubt he would claim that he was simply maneuvering for position, but I knew the truth. For all his talents in logistics, he was no warrior. The Avatar seemed to share my opinion, snorting contemptuously and turning her eyes back to me. “I suppose ‘tis true. Both of us have changed. I have become Luna’s will made flesh, and thou dost look quite well for a mare dealt a mortal wound but a month ago.”
“And you look quite well for an abomination,” I countered.
Her lips curled in a contemptuous snarl, and her next probe was far more aggressive, the head of her lance scraping off my chestplate. “I am no abomination. I am an alicorn, a higher state of being. I am faster, stronger, smarter, and simply better in every conceivable way. I am Luna reborn, her will made flesh and Equestria’s liberation.” Her horn lit up showing the same blood red aura I had seen before. “And I have learned quite a few new tricks.”
Then the Avatar vanished from my sight.
I had faced invisible foes in my time as a mage hunter, and found them difficult but not insurmountable. E’en if mine eyes could not find her, I was blessed with other senses that could accomplish the task. I might smell her sweat and the oil of her armor, hear her hooves scuffing across the cave floor, feel the movement of the air if she took wing, or simply rely upon my keenly honed instincts.
Howe’er, another thought sprang to mind: in the earlier assault upon the southern gate, the enemy had seemed shrouded beneath some concealing magic. Yet, with a moment’s concentration, I had managed to pierce the veil and see them. I concentrated again, focusing all my thoughts upon my need to see the Avatar.
And then I did. As with the earlier attacking troops, she was shrouded and half-visible, but still plainly there. She had prudently already moved from her prior position, slowly and carefully moving to my flank. Not the obvious strike from directly behind, which I might have anticipated, but at an angle I would be hard pressed to predict. I hid my smile and continued blindly looking about as though I had not seen her. “Invisibility? An amateur’s trick, Bright. Strike me, if you can. I will hear you long before your blow lands.”
The Avatar did not rise to my bait, remaining perfectly silent. So silent, in fact, that I wondered if she might be using magic for that purpose as well. (3) Once she had obtained the field position she desired she struck swiftly and without warning, charging forward and leveling her lance so that ‘twould pierce through my heart and both lungs, using her magic to subtly adjust her aim as she closed with me.
3: Silence spells work by creating a barrier sound cannot penetrate, so any spell that would completely cut off any sound she might make would also deafen her to anything outside the spell’s area of effect. Whether the Avatar would have judged that a worthwhile tradeoff in this case is hard to say.
As she closed, I waited until the last possible moment before making mine own move. I wanted her fully committed to the attack, with no hope of falling back or avoiding my counterstroke. Howe’er, her speed caught me by surprise; she truly was e’en faster than she had been as a mortal. My dodge nearly came too late, and if not for my armor’s fine craftsmareship, her lance might have struck my flank properly instead of merely leaving behind a dent in the plate and bruise on the flesh beneath.
My counterstroke came in the instant after she struck me. Though her lance unbalanced me, I managed to turn much of the momentum from her strike into a swift turn that brought me within her weapon’s reach. My blades caught flame as Sunbeam’s magic within them stirred to life, and I slashed at her neck, seeking the gap where her peytral met her crinnet. While my blade struck home, she was moving too quickly for it to bite deeply ere her momentum took her past me.
She continued forward for some time, buying herself space from me and angling her lance to intercept me should I approach before bringing a hoof to her wound. ‘Twas plain I had failed to strike anything vital: had I severed an artery or her throat I would already know it. Howe’er the wound clearly pained her, and I judged it a victory. I allowed myself a faint smile and saluted her with a freshly bloodied blade. “First blood goes to me.”
Her teeth clenched and she all but growled out, “We both know that first blood is meaningless in a duel to the death. This is not some petty honor spar o’er a meaningless slight. 'Tis last blood that decides the day, and that shall be mine.”
She charged again, all subtle maneuvering cast aside in favor of raw aggression. An untrained observer might have called the attack reckless, but in truth ‘twas carefully measured aggression. Her attacks left holes in her defenses, but came so swiftly and furiously that I had not opportunity to exploit the openings. ‘Twas all I could just to survive.
Yet survive I did. Though her speed and strength seemed beyond anything a pony could naturally wield, I could match it, or was at least close enough to hold mine own. While her weapon struck several times, none of the blows connected solidly enough to pierce mine armor. Though I had to wonder what would happen if she did succeed in damaging it. Would the wound to my body pain me, or the damage to the container of my essence?
The passing thought distracted me at a critical moment, and the Avatar succeeded in capturing both my wing blades and forcing them high above my head where I could not bring them to bear against her. She then closed in, slamming her shoulder into my chest and leveling her horn at my eye. A triumphant grin flashed across her face, and a spark of energy popped off her horn. “And so it ends.”
Lightning erupted from her horn, and my eye reflexively clamped shut. Not that I expected my eyelid would be any protection ‘gainst a bolt of electricity. Howe’er, instead of striking my flesh the lightning arced away, splashing harmlessly ‘gainst my helmet and armor instead.
Of course. Sunbeam had mentioned that mine armor would absorb any magical energies directed at me.
As the Avatar stood in stunned disbelief at the failure of her attack, I took swift advantage of the opening, slamming my helm’s forehead into her muzzle. The Avatar staggered back in shock, but quickly recovered her footing. “What is this?! That is no mere talisman! How didst thou block my spell?!”
I smiled coldly as I felt the energy swirling within myself. “I did warn you that I had learned a few new tricks.” I extended a hoof towards her and with a push of will the very lightning she had unleashed upon me turned against its mistress.
The sheer impossibility of the attack seemed to catch the Avatar by surprise, and she wasted her chance to block or avoid my counterstrike. In fairness, I might have had the very same reaction to seeing a pegasus turn an alicorn’s magic ‘gainst her. The blast knocked Bright back into the cavern’s wall, and when she fell to the ground, smoke and the acrid stench of ozone drifted from her body.
I did not waste my advantage, charging in to finish her ere she could recover her wits. Howe’er, as my blade descended towards her vulnerable head she took in a sharp breath, and in the very moment my blade would have taken her head, her body dissipated into a cloud of dark blue smoke. I tried to touch my armor to the cloud and rob the magic from it, but ‘twas like ... well, like trying to capture smoke with one’s hooves.
She reformed well away from me, her lance leveled protectively ‘gainst my approach. There she reformed in a battle stance. Her eyes locked upon me, glaring with such intense hatred that ‘twas nearly a physical force. For a moment I felt a strange sort of pressure upon my thoughts, but then my helmet warmed and the pressure instantly vanished. Her eyes narrowed, then focused upon mine armor. “Aaah, I see how it is. My sister has been very busy. I must say, I am impressed. She truly has outdone herself with this craftsmareship.” Her eyes flicked o’er me, and she smirked. “I confess myself disappointed. ‘Tis not the pony I must overcome, but the armor. E’en Swift could be a formidable foe wearing that.”
“Swift,” I repeated incredulously. “Come now, we both know the answer to the riddle of steel. A fine suit of armor is nothing compared to the pony who wields it. If you truly saw as much as you would have me believe, you would know that Swift would not e’en be able to use the armor as I do.” I spared a contemptuous glance for my fellow pegasus, still hiding in the stalactites rather than face his foe,
The Avatar responded by showing me her fangs. “Oh yes, I see now. He could no more use your armor than he could fight with your wings. I am surprised my sister was willing to go so far as to transform thee so. ‘Twas exceedingly clever of her, but more than a little ruthless. E’en after all the years I have known her, she can still surprise me. Has she finally realized that rulers must do unpleasant but necessary things to retain their crowns, or did she simply allow Sunbeam to bear the burden once again?” Her smile turned cold and mocking. “Or mayhaps ‘twas something far less impressive: mere weakness of character. She so feared to lose her precious champion that she would cross the line of decency to preserve thy life. How ... mundane.”
“I am sure her reasons are many, and complicated.” I flicked a wing, dismissing the matter from my mind. “Her reasons matter little to us. ‘Tis done. Perhaps ‘twas simply a matter of balance. Each side has their abomination now.”
“If that is how thou wouldst see it.” Her eyes raked o’er me. “I think we are something far grander. Thou art no alicorn, but certainly not a mere mortal either. If I am Luna’s will made flesh, then surely thou art my sister’s. A subtler sort of avatar, but she was never one to move in straight lines. She ne’er tries to win the game, she merely changes it to make her triumph inevitable.” Her lips curled up in a feral snarl. “‘Twas how she arranged mine own exile. We could have spent ages going back and forth as equal sisters, each with our own agenda. Instead, she arranged to make me hated and unloved by the common pony, until she could claim I had gone mad when I uncovered her scheme and tried to put an end to it.
“Neigh, ‘twas not I who was jealous of her,” the Avatar continued. “‘Twas she who envied me. The armies of Pegasopolis loved me far better than her. She envied the primal strength and freedom of the moon, while she was bound to the strict sun. Aye, ‘twas my freedom that made her hate me. A festering darkness in her heart that drove her to evil.”
She shook her head, then turned an almost congenial smile upon me. “But I shall settle mine accounts with her another day. For now ... I do feel the winds of destiny blowing us together. 'Tis like a siren's call that sings through my very blood. I will not face my sister until thou art slain, or agree to stand aside. That is no doubt why she put thee in thy current state.” She stepped forward, her eyes lingering on mine armor. “So how long did it take for my sister to tell thee the truth? She likes to keep her secrets, no?”
“She told me the truth as soon as I was capable of hearing it,” I answered tersely.
“Did she now?” the Avatar asked with a mocking trill. “That would be very unlike her. Mayhaps she revealed a few things thou wouldst inevitably have learned soon enough, but there is always more with her. Truths not yet revealed.”
I was ashamed to say that I suspected she might be correct in that. Though if Celestia was hiding further truths from me, ‘twas likely for good cause. She would not lie to me for no reason. Rather than linger on such uncomfortable thoughts, I turned the question back upon her. “While I am sure you are entirely honest with all your own followers. How much have you told them about why and how you were created? Do they e’en know what you truly are? Do you? What did the warlocks create from Copper’s life? Are you Bright, or the Nightmare?”
She scoffed. “That is as foolish of a question as asking whether thou art Shadow Kicker or an animate suit of armor. I am Bright Charger, yet Luna’s spirit guides and directs me now. We work together to achieve a common goal: the liberation of all ponykind from the tyranny of my foul sister. And of course, I also aim to avenge myself on those who have wronged me. ‘Twould have been wise to accept my offer of peace, Shadow. I think I shall pull the entire city, and mayhaps e’en the mountain itself down once this war is at an end. A fitting cairn for a child as perfect as my Lance, wouldst thou not agree?”
“After your death, I will see to it you are both buried with honor,” I answered levelly, ignoring her taunts. “Whate’er you might have become now, you were once a good and noble servant of Equestria. I will honor the mare that you were.”
“How arrogant,” she snarled, showing a remarkable lack of self-awareness. “Thou dost presume that thy victory will be—”
Once ‘twas plain she intended to continue speaking for some time, I made my strike. Once more, I dipped into the armor’s well of power, shutting mine own eyes ere I produced a blinding flash of bright light. The Avatar let out a surprised squawk at the sudden interruption, and I closed in.
While she might have been blinded, she was no fool. She lashed about with her lance, hoping to at least slow my approach enough to buy her eyes time to recover. Howe’er, I simply accepted a blow to the head from the side of her lance, the strike glancing off my helmet without e’en causing significant pain. I followed with a wing blade strike that reduced her weapon to kindling, then struck at the mare herself.
Her vision must have somewhat recovered, because she succeeded in catching my attack with one of her armored hooves. Howe’er, rather than stop my wing blade, that merely altered its course, and instead of taking her head I got a long furrow along her barrel, my red hot blade parting her armor like a knife through butter.
The Avatar let out an ear-piercing shriek as the smell of her sizzling flesh assaulted my nostrils, and one of her hooves lashed out in a desperate strike. The blow slammed into my chest, feeling more akin to the impact of a battering ram than a mere hoof. I fell away from her, raising my blades defensively to ward off another strike.
Howe’er, further assaults were not her intention. Instead she used the momentum of her strike against me to add further force as she flapped her wings, gaining distance from me once more. Her reasons were plain enough as her armor lit up with a blood red glow, then shifted aside to reveal the wound. ‘Twas a long, ugly thing, the flesh bright red from the freshly inflicted burns my blades had left behind. I could e’en see specks of molten metal from her ruined armor resting within the flesh itself.
She turned back to me, attempting a haughty smile that was somewhat ruined by the way she favored her freshly wounded side. “I have uncovered a flaw with thy weapons, Shadow. They cauterize the wounds they cause, rather than allow the blood to flow freely. Thou wilt not slay me the same way twice.”
I answered with a cold smile. “As with your own statements, ‘twas plain that your first death proved ineffective. Far better to slay you differently, and more thoroughly.” I readied my blades and resumed my approach. “Face me, then. Let us learn how you will die today.”
“I think not.” She drew herself to her full height, but did not ready her defenses. “I am disarmed and wounded. I cannot deny that you have won the advantage in this match. ‘Twould seem my sister gave thee some nasty surprises. Surprises thou hast now revealed and will not be able to use a second time.” She smirked and ran a hoof o’er her wounded side. “My wounds will heal far faster than my sister can forge new armor equal to what thou wearest now. If she could e’en replicate the feat at all.”
“You would flee a righteous duel?” I challenged. “Before all your soldiers? Do so then, and show yourself an honorless coward.”
“What righteousness, when thou art clearly wielding powers no ordinary pegasus could? Plainly thou art violating the terms of our engagement.” She shrugged, brushing aside my words. “There is one secret that I learned long ago that most of thy kin are far too honor-bound to e’er grasp. Sometimes one must make a tactical retreat today so that they may gain victory tomorrow. Why allow thee to slay me today when my victory is so near?”
I scoffed at her. “Is that what you will tell yourself as your forces fall back, demoralized by your cowardice? You will lose all you have gained today.”
“Take thy sundered wall back, if it pleases thee,” she answered with an uncaring wave. “Which of our armies owns a few tunnels changes nothing. Someday soon, I will strike thee down, sack Canterlot, and defeat my sister. Know that thy last opportunity to prevent it passed when thou didst refuse my generous offer. Your seeming victory today merely delays your own doom.”
Once more the Avatar transformed to mist and smoke, but this time she fled the field rather than reposition herself. Swift, spotting her withdrawal, wasted no time in further displaying the cowardice he had already shown by hiding from Greenwall and followed her example.
Hidden was slower to withdraw, though mayhaps that was on account of the riotous illusion covering his area of the battlefield. When he abandoned his duel and his spells faded, it revealed a score of shattered skeletons in full battle gear, the charred remnants of a tentacled horror, and several acolytes who seemed to have fallen o’er dead on the sidelines of the battle. Sunbeam stood triumphant on the dueling ground, her mane in disarray, her cloak a shredded mess, and sporting a dozen superficial but undoubtedly painful wounds. Though ‘twas hard to judge when she was covered in a good deal of soot, and undoubtedly not all of the blood I saw upon her was her own.
The rebels forces milled about in disarray, undoubtedly surprised by their leaders’ sudden turn to cowardice. I was quick to seize the moment. “Soldiers of rebellion! Thy leaders have shown themselves as cowards without honor. If thou wouldst serve with a noble army, then join us. Otherwise, show more honor than them, and withdraw from the field. I grant safe conduct and an hour’s truce to any who would depart from the Southern Gates. Use this time wisely, for at the hour’s end we will be enemies once more.”
After several moments of hesitation, the mass of rebel soldiers began to shift. To my immense relief, they began exiting the gates, heading back to their own battle camp. Had they discarded all sense of decency, they might well have managed to slay us by sheer weight of numbers. Howe’er, not all went as I had hoped. They might not have turned on us, but neither did any of the rebels come o’er to our side.
Sunbeam approached me, a vicious scowl on her lips. “They made their escape. We barely avoided a disaster that would have slain us all, and we have nothing to show for it. Not e’en Swift Blade was cut down.”
“Hard to kill him when he ran as soon as I got one good hit in,” Greenwall grunted out. “Short duel. Easy too. I suffered no wounds.” He pointedly looked to each of us in turn. “Suppose that makes me the best duelist here.”
“Perhaps it does, at that,” I answered with a wry grin. “Though neither of us suffered a telling wound, so thine advantage is not so great as that.”
To my surprise, Greenwall answered my jest with a skeptical frown. “That so? Surprised you are still standing.”
“What?” I glanced down at myself, and discovered a large and very deep dent in the shape of the Avatar’s hoof on my chestplate. When I attempted to take a deep breath, I discovered that ‘twas quite impossible to actually manage, and the sounds from my chest were distinctly unhealthy. Yet curiously, there was no pain.
Sunbeam hastily approached my side, her horn lighting up. “It looks far worse than it is, I am sure. As thou didst say, captain, she would not be standing if her wounds were so terrible.”
Howe’er, the moment he seemed satisfied, she turned to me, her voice dropping to a fierce whisper. “Do not remove thy helm until we are out of the public eye. I suspect her blow to thy head was badly damaging. ‘Twould be difficult to explain why thou art not dead when half thy brain spills out of thy helm.”
“I confess some curiosity on that point myself,” I rumbled.
“A useful side effect of thy current condition, ‘twould seem,” she murmured. “Thy body is merely a means of physically conveying thy true self. Damage to it is of far less consequence. Given the lack of screaming and writhing, ‘tis likely thou canst no longer feel pain. Another useful advantage, as ‘twill make the healing far easier.”
“I am glad my status as a crime against nature has made thy life slightly more convenient,” I groused, uncertainly touching my damaged plate. “How soon will I inhabit my flesh again?”
“I would not be so hasty to make the change,” Sunbeam cautioned. “Wert thou a being of flesh, the Avatar likely would have slain thee. For all thy many complaints, thine unnatural state has turned what might have been a disaster into a victory.”
It truly irked me that I could not refute her.
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Fantastic chapter once again, though I'm a little disappointed that no one died... That's a little dark, now that I think about it.
But they were there to hold the line, so I suppose everything worked out!
It does my heart good to see that she considers Sunbeam a friend. It's nice, and goes to show how well the pacing of this story is going. It doesn't feel like this is coming out of nowhere, so it seems much more genuine.
Sweet chapter! Shadow totally solo'd the Brightmare and lived to tell about it.
I will admit that Avatar has a point. The one thing I questioned in this universe was why Luna went Nightmare. She had the love and respect of the pegasi that should be enough to prevent it.
So an echo of Shadow is still in her armor. I wonder what would happen if somepony put on that armor, perhaps Rainbow. HHHMMM there's a story there.
6897456
Do you not read Chengar's other stories in this 'verse? The armor's been put on at least twice now. Once successfully.
6897612
Which chapter was that in?
This chapter...
This entire chapter was a tease. Nopony important died.
6897456 Did she, though? The rebel ephors say she did but they're looking at it from a hundred years later when they have a clear agenda against Celestia. It's probably hindsight bias and/or propaganda. The only other testimony we have is from the Avatar, who can't really be trusted on account of being insane. Anything Hidden Facts says can, of course, be immediately dismissed as he's a murderous warlock with delusions of power.
Wow, Swift sucks.
Then again, what else is new?
Awesome chapter as always!! Can't wait until Ascendant Shadows 5/the next interlude!!
6897612 I think that was talking about the first time she died. Remember? She got nicked, or something like that, and it got infected.
6897612 It didn't have to be Bright! My bloodlust doesn't require divine blood.
6897948 maybe, maybe not. She was repected. Frankly we need more clarification on this. Granted this rebellion is nothing more then a power grab.
Also Swift's clan. is pro Luna even before all of this.
6897534 No I haven't
6897693 A thousand thumbs up to you.
Shadow's soul may reside in her armor, but she still fights like when she was a normal pegasus. She is simply enhanced, while Bright has been corrupted. It's actually kind of sad to see how Bright/Luna (is there even a difference at this point?) views her downfall into Nightmare Moon. Was she overcome by jealousy that she wasn't praised like the sun? No, of course not, her sister was just conspiring against her.
I really have to commend this story. Even without having read Winning Pony, the conclusion has been set in stone since the show premiered: at some point, the rebels will fall and the Pegasi will rejoin Equestria, and Nightmare Moon will return herself in an additional 900 years rather than through an Avatar. But even with all that, the story is still incredible. The characters are great, and the plot itself is intriguing.
Everyone talks a lot, the status quo remains, and nothing of importance happens.
Another fantastic chapter, Chengar. Some might have an issue, but I got more of the entertainment and immersion I wanted. I am mighty pleased. Looking forward to the next!
6898179
The thing to remember about jealousy is that it can quickly turn the people feeling it into less than rational thinkers. It doesn't matter that plenty of ponies liked Luna, what mattered that she believed they liked her sister more. Once the jealousy started really festering, I expect she found plenty of ways to feed it and believe that even her supporters were being turned against her.
Sure, the pegasi claim they like Luna, but most of them still sleep during her nights and are awake during Celestia's days. Clearly Celestia is conspiring to steal Luna's rightful subjects away from her!
6898344 Okay that does help.
love that dark humor... so very delicious, like a rich and powerful espresso. Personally, my favorite line in the chapter. Also, that her daughter would have a collection of skulls... that is Wednesday Addams type of adorable
Chen said it best:
badbooksgoodtimes.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/incredibles-got-me-monologuing.gif?w=350&h=200&crop=1
Palpatine: [cackles] "Good... gooood."
6897456 There is this particular story?
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/179064/the-shadowborne-rampage-of-a-winning-pony
6898474
Glad I'm not the only one who thought that...
6898102 Nope. Shadow cut deep into an artery, and Bright bled out without even realizing how much she'd been bleeding. It was the only hit Shadow landed, and it was fatal.
So, in the end this is Robocop versus demigod.
6898263 The thing is about Shadow being made into an abomination is that dark magic is a slippery very slope. That's why it's banned. There are plenty of good arguments warlocks have about how dark magic has plenty of useful purposes, like contacting dead relatives or interrogating prisoners, but it leads to morally wrong uses 99% of the time. It seems unlikely that the use of dark magic to enhance Shadow will lead to anything morally wrong, but it could, and it likely would if Sunbeam was a bit more in charge and Celestia was a bit less in charge. If you haven't read them, the Sunset Shimmer stories cover dark magic in a bit more depth, and are also among Chengar's best stories.
6899116 Talking about "The Freeport Venture" and its sequels/side stories? Yeah, I've read them. Personally, this is my favorite of Chengar's stories, but those are great stories as well.
Another chapter. I hoped that some of the soldiers would defect to Celestia's side after NMM et al. ran away, but apparently either loyalty or fear of recrimination kept them back.
BTW, a few errors.
Comma needed after "stumbles".
That would should be "though."
There should be a comma after "Howe'er".
That comma at the end should be a period.
Either delete the S after "rebels" or add an apostrophe: "the rebel forces" or "the rebels' forces".
Fantastic chapter, I love that reveal at the end, that if Shadow removed her helmet, her head might just straight up fall off.
It was definitely cool to see some canon fighting with the armor, though. She just used sheer force of will to deflect that lightning back! Super cool.
why is swift crying?
cause he just got dunked
I ain't even lying, mare
he just got dunked on
yep yep he challenged me to my face so i stepped up to him and put that ephor in his place
Can't wait to hear what damage Hidden took.
Swift fleeing the moment he got hit. Not a bit surprise at all.
Well, the duel between Shadow and the Avatar went better than expected.
Then again, it was all only thanks to the armor, as she was able to shrug off fatal wounds like they were nothing.
Still though, the chapter was written really well (as usual), making it another great read.
So, now Shadow's strengths were displayed (or at least partially), so the next fight won't be nearly as easy.
Oh Harmony, Sunbeam, I have missed you.
6899053 ah
A shame one cannot like and favor' multiple times.
It seems mere trifling comments of your storytelling prowess will have to do.
"Good job. I quite enjoyed that chapter. I wish for another."
In for a penny, in for your entire body weight.
Yeah, it was pretty much the straw that drove the camel mad. So many things would have turned out differently had Lance lived, especially if she had lived to ascend and everything.
Geeze, Sunbeam, Midnight.
Mages, I swear. Sometimes you can't help but wonder if everyone would be better off without any at all.
Oh hell yeah.
That's what you get for monologuing, Bright.
Talk about three very inconclusive fights to the death.
Dang, Shadow really is an unholy abomination.
I knew there was a reason I liked Greenwall.
Credit to Swift, I guess, for actually taking a hit to the face and not going down like a sack of potatoes.
And I find it unreasonably amusing to think of Shadow just standing there, nonchalantly looking down and going "Oh hey, my chest is caved in. How about that."
6899053
EDIT:
t
Shadow clearly got more hits in this time.
6915462 Well, as she said, she was actually prepared to fight this time, whereas previously Bright stabbed her in the chest under a flag of parley.
6915728 That doesn't change the fact that the editor's note/footnote said that Bright's death was caused by a "minor" injury on the back of her right foreleg, and Shadow's "death" scene has her barely nicking Bright's leg, as Bright knocked her wingblade away). Also, that was when a major artery was pierced).
6916058 I'm not entirely sure what point you're trying to make, as you seem to be supporting my original statement instead of refuting it. The injury wasn't exactly a reveal, or if it was, it was a reveal from very early in the story. The only mystery was who delivered the cut, and under what circumstances.
Oh wow, they actually made it! Although I am pretty dissapointed they didn't manage to kill any of them. At the same time, it doesn't surprise me, since any death would have huge consecuences.
OOOOOOOH! Burn!
What in the deep pools of Tartarus are you saying?
6925347
Let's just say that just because nobody died doesn't mean there won't be huge consequences. Might take a few chapters for you guys to see everything that'll happen, though. Suffice to say, hiding like a coward during an honor duel does not look good in front of the Proud Warrior Race.
6925884 I would expect so. Although is not like that is new, is it?
What pisses me off the most about that guy is how cocky he is...although that's prooooobably intentional.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, that was fun. Some good old fashioned dueling, I love it. Although there were really only two good fights, and only one of which we got to follow (not that that's Greenwall's fault
). Though I'm not entirely sure sane minds would've been able to follow whatever Eldritch horrors Sunbeam and Hidden were unleashing upon one another.
img.memecdn.com/please-die-in-a-fire_o_854450.jpg
Nah, we can't have that, now, can we? After all, Swift would be doing something useful then, for once. Though going out that way would be delightfully ironic considering his most infamous act to date, at least as far as body count goes. But yeah, Swift's the worse. Could this whole chapter possibly be renamed "Ascendant Shadows: Swift's a P*ssy?"
Also, as a final note, there was some delightful imagery in this chapter. The fact that you have such a solid grasp on vividly describing such complicated movements and actions being committed by these individual characters is something to be lauded. In many ways, I've found in my own writing that it's sometimes harder to describe the actions of one character in a way that hooks a reader and is engaging than it is to describe an entire setting, even one as large as a mountain range. Wonderful work, as always.
How did Brightmare know about Shadow and Copper's history?
I wish I could've seen Sunbeam and Hidden fighting without the illusions and distractions of Shadow's fight with Brightmare Marger, as I call her in my head.
Says the mare who, in the Prologue of Ascendant Shadows, said this:
I think the Avatar is a shitter fighter, technically, than Bright herself. It is certainly more powerful, but it got caught monologuing!
I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise that Nightmare Moon would have a weakness for vanity.
7130097 why did you do that? Now she has Marge Simpson's voice in my head.