> The World After > by CloverStarshine > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Part 1, Ch1: The Beginning of the End > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End The wind was bitter and filled with ash and smoke. The sun hadn't risen and when it did no one knew due to the darkness that clouded the skies. The air in the forest was bitter as two draconequuses ran through the woods, in escape of Lord Tirek's guards. It hadn't been too long since the Bearers fell and the villains sought the chance to take over Equestria. Discord and Akiko Draconequus, the only two powerful enough to stop this couldn't because Tirek had manage to create a weapon and spell to make him immune to their magic and a way to manage to hurt them. After the battle Akiko was injured badly and in attempt to save himself and his sister, Discord teleported them away, but didn't know of a shadow that was watching them. Now they both ran since Akiko was still injured, her eye had been cut off and Discord couldn't just leave without her. "We can't keep going on like this and my damn magic won't heal this!," yelled Akiko. "And whatever shit Tirek had apperanlty paralyzed my magic!" Discord turned and blasted a few who were about to strike. He got hit but not as bad as his sister. She had jumped in the way and he had fired his blaster when they reflected onto her. Maybe they should face Tirek again when they thought of a better plan. The air was bitter and ash burned against their eyes. They just had to keep on running, running till they could teleport once more. Akiko turned and blasted some who were planning to hit them from the air. They ran then skidded towards a stop, almost colliding to a dead end. "Fuck! Can one thing come out good today?!," snaps Akiko. "Curse later we got company..," said Discord and Akiko snaps around, only to be met with an army of Tirek's soldiers. "Can I swear now?," said Akiko unamused. Discord rolled his eyes and blasted the soldiers but it deflected. "Now their armor is chaos proofed?!," yelled Discord. "But we just blasted the ones above us and-" "Shut it Princess Rant and fight!," said Akiko as she summoned her sword and slashed the soldier. He blocked it but she attacked again. Discord tried to blast the soldiers he could since he wasn't that affected by Tirek's hex. Akiko flipped to dodge the soldiers coming to her then she jumped as the two soldiers collided and crashed against each other, one of them unleashing his small harpoon hitting another soldier. "Three for the price of one, beat that!" said Akiko smirking at Discord. He rolled his eyes and blasted them all with light, blinding them so he made a giant bat appear and slammed them into the distance. "I think that was, hmm maybe 30 for the price of one," said Discord as he smirked back. Akiko rolled her only eye and jumped when Discord yelled "Watch out!" and blasted a backstabbing soldier. She smiled and said "Thanks." Discord smiled back. "Hey what are sibling for?" However their little happy moment was cut short when they realized reinforcements were coming. "Shit..." said Akiko. "No worries I think we can teleport now!," said Discord. "D wai-" started Akiko but before she could finish she and her brother were teleported somewhere else and tumbled down and slammed into the ground. They groaned and rubbed their heads as they got up. "How many times did I tell you to be careful when using your magic after a period of time of not using it?" scolded Akiko. Discord chuckled nervously. "Sorry." Akiko just scoffed but smiled. They were safe, for now. She looked around, not seeing any castle or anything. Wherever Discord teleported them must be very far from Tirek's castle. Akiko smiled knowing that wherever they were was far from Tirek's clutches. She was happy, knowing that her little brother and she were far away from that lunatic and didn't have to worry. She may have lost her right eye and half her hair but they were safe. She smiled, a feeling she hadn't felt ever since the world went to Tartarus. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all, she and her brother had each other and that was all they needed. That feeling of the weight on her shoulders being lifted was like being finally put to rest on the finest and comfiest mattress in the universe. She turned, wanting to tackle her brother in a hug, but when she saw him something was... Off.... "Discord?," asked Akiko. She approached him, seeing him standing still, looking towards nothing. She sensed something wrong... But what could it be..? Suddenly Akiko was blasted to her right, her blind side. She tumbled on the ground and looked up, fear filled her eyes at seeing who was standing her. She forced herself not to believe it, but her mind, heart, and consience all knew that Discord was really standing there, a glare in his eyes with his crimson eyes that couldn't belong to him. "D-,D-,Discord..?," said Akiko, shaking as she saw her little brother like this. Discord sneered and blasted Akiko again, however this time the female draconequus was able to dodge it. Why was Discord acting like this? She knew her little brother would never fight or try to harm her. Yet Discord smiled as he blasted her again, only for Akiko to dodge it. "What's wrong dear sister? Too afraid to fight?," asked Discord with a sneer on his face. "Discord snap outta this!," said Akiko. "What's going on?! Why are you doing this?" She dodged, refusing to fight the one being she still cared for. She could never bring herself to harm Discord. No matter what. "Oh don't you see?," said Discord with a smirk. "I need to end you so that I won't be held back from taking my throne as the Lord of Chaos. I would offer for you to join me but, oh well I can't have you around knowing that you would try to stop me with your tricks." Akiko dodged another attack. She didn't understand! Why was Discord acting like she was his enemy. Like he was the Lord of Chaos again. But even if Discord was evil, he would never attack or hurt her. She just knew it. She knew that this wasn't her brother and she would free him of whatever spell he was under. But, what if it wasn't a spell. What if he was truly acting like this... What if all that "under a spell" talk was just her heart saying that because she refused to believe her sweet little brother would revert to his old self again. Distracted by her thoughts she didn't see Discord sending a huge blast at her, hurling her towards a cave wall and smashing into it, a bit of debris falling on her. Discord pounced on her, a boast forming between his paw and claw as his eyes glowed a bloodshot red, a color Akiko knew would never belong to her brother. "It's over sister," said Discord. Akiko growled and brother or not she just couldn't let him kill her. She needed to end this and bring peace back to Equestria. She blasted Discord off her, sending him crashing towards trees. She got up and charged at where she blasted Discord. Her eyes widened when she saw that the being he blasted was actually King Sombra. "You?! But how are you-," started Akiko. "Heh, that doesn't really matter does it?," said Sombra. Akiko growled. "Where's my brother?!" "Oh I think he's pretty much gone by now...," said Sombra with a sneer. "Oh the look of terror and lost of fate that his sister would save him was so enjoyed." Akiko froze, feeling darkness closing in on her. How could this have happened?! Discord was right beside her. Unless...that wasn't Discord... No! She refused to believe Discord was dead! But what was she suppose to believe then. Her eyes aimed at Sombra and she sent him a deathly glare. She summoned her sword, using up the magic she had recently just got back and pierced Sombra right in the chest. But, instead of seeing Sombra quiver in pain, he chuckled and laughed. "Oh Akiko, you really are stubborn aren't you?," said Sombra as he cackled. Akiko blinked with confusion, but as her eyes opened she realized the figure in front of her gasping in pain wasn't Sombra. It was... Discord. Discord gasped in pain as blood fell down from his chest. He looked down and touched his chest where the sword was still pierced in, touching it too see if it wasn't a nightmare and sensing the touch of blood and metal. He looked up at his sister, who was still frozen with fear and disbelief. Discord knew something was wrong with her. He realized after seeing her eyes turn green and purple shadows coming out of them. He tried shaking her out of it but she blasted him back. He called out for her, trying so hard to bring her back, only to be pierced by her sword. Akiko shook then took out her sword and caught Discord as he fell. "No no no no no! Don't worry you're gonna be okay!," said Akiko in fear. Tears filled her eyes as she tried to heal him, but nothing. She tried and tried, using all her strengths but nothing happened. Her sword had the ability to kill mortals and immortals alike and she had just been tricked by Sombra. They did this to break her, so that they could take over Equestria... Uggh she should've seen this coming! "Sis...it's.... It's okay...," said Discord, gasping with every breath. "Discord come on!," said Akiko. "I can't loose you! Come on you gotta help me out here!" She tried. Tried with all her might to heal, but her magic wasn't enough to heal the damage inside. Discord smiled, even with blood coming out of his mouth her still smiled. "Hey sis..," said Discord, weakly looking up at his sister. Akiko looked down, tears filling up in her eyes, as of her aqua pupils became a lake of tears. "Y-,Y-,Yeah bud..," answered Akiko. "Don't cry... I hate seeing you cry..," said Discord. "Why won't you smile for me?" Akiko smiled, tears streaming down her cheeks. It was a rare sight to see Akiko cry, as she normally wouldn't care or would hide her feelings. Discord smiled at her. "Sis... Don't stop...fighting. Please, promise...promise me you won't...stop....fighting..." Akiko hated making promises. But, she smiled and said. "I promise." Discord then closed his eyes, and Akiko whispered a lullaby, even though she knew that her little brother would never open his eyes again. Never smile or cause mischief. Still, she wanted him to go to sleep and rest peacefully, even as she felt his body go limp and lifeless, even as her never ending tears fell to the ground and her brother's body like rain. Still Akiko rocked him, even as the blood stained her hands, reminding her that she had been the one to do this. She, because she was so stubborn and stupid and that mistake cost her the one being who made her want to move forward. Then, something happened. She felt the weight on her arms decrease. Felt a bright light shinning on her eyes. She opened them, and looked down, her eyes widening at what they saw. Could this be a dream? It couldn't be real...right? But her eyes truly weren't playing tricks on her. For what she saw down where her brother's dead body would be, was her baby brother sleeping soundly as if nothing had happened.