I look around as I make my walk home. People all around smile and play outside, as if it was a normal day. But today is a lot more important than they know.
It’s the last day of school! Freshman year thought it could kick me in my ass, and now I’m kicking it back!
I look at my friend as I walk home. He does live two houses down from me, and we have been friends for the better part of a decade. Ever since middle school, I would say. I smile, “So, what’re you doing this summer?”
He shrugs, “No idea, haven’t put much thought into it. You?”
I nod, “My family was planning on going to China, but seeing the current political climate, it’s not the best idea. We decided to go to Scandinavia instead. Hey, if the world ends up on fire, at least we’ll have snow to put it out.”
He smiles, “China does a lot of posturing, but I doubt they will actually do anything. It’s just like in the Sixties.”
I smile, “Who knows. The whole world could go New Vegas at any moment these days.”
He shakes his head, “Eh, not anything we can do about it.”
I nod, “You got that right. I’ll just worry myself about who is the next DLC character for Smash. E3 is right around the corner. I still say that Courier could make an excellent character.”
We stop on my driveway, and he looks around, “Look around at the modern life suburbia. You ask anyone around here about what China is doing and they probably won’t care. They don’t even care that a political civil war is happening.”
I shrug, “They can’t do anything to change it, so why should they care? It’s better to put effort into things that you can change.”
He smiles, “Maybe you’re right. If the world goes in flames, what could two kids in the middle of Florida do about it? Nothing. We aren’t superhumans who can shoot without missing and take almost any hit.” He sighs, “We aren’t all Kendrick.”
I shake my head, “No, he saved many lives at the cost of his own. I don’t know if I could do the same.”
He pats me on the shoulder, having to stretch to reach it, “I’m sure you would. See you later.”
I smile and nod, “Make sure to message me on Discord if you’re available for Smash.”
I march into my house, and place my backpack in the chair it always sits in. I take my tablet out from the inside, and go on to my bedroom upstairs, careful not to walk too loudly lest I wake my mom from her sleep.
As I enter my bedroom, I see the closed door at the end of the hallway, and shake my head sadly. Kendrick would be in university around now.
I walk into my room, collapse on my bed, and reflect upon the stuff within. My Airsoft MP40, honestly a bit trash as far as Airsoft goes. I got it after a friend wanted me to come to a field with him, and it did not go good. Some ammo still is within the clip, and unused pellet containers lay next to it on a desk. Within my closet is my previous Halloween costume, dark mail with a black overcoat, that reaches down most my legs, and symbol of a gold lion on the front. The sword that we bought to go with it is almost four feet tall, but sadly made of wood. I remember sitting out in the muggy Florida weather next to Kendrick, and at how we had sword fights with our friends. His calvary saber from a Civil War reenactment was sharp, but he dared not unsheathe it. I won, surprisingly, against Kendrick, his senior friend with a sword of his own, and my friend with a crusader costume and a flail. Even when all three went up against me at once, I won.
Managing not to get hit by them was a challenge, I must admit. My six foot and bulky frame makes me a large target. However, JROTC made it so that my frame has muscle, and not just fat. I’ve also always been unnaturally strong, even before I started exercising and weighed over two hundred pounds. But strength is not all. My legs make up most of my height, so I am able to run faster than most, and I am the most flexible person in class. I have managed to learn how to be graceful through one of my friends, who is a neckbeard, that decided to teach me how to use a sword.
My hair falls into my eyes, and I have to knock it back up. It’s wild and uncontrolled most of the time, but still good enough to be acceptable. Black and long enough to tickle my nose if I want it to. It needs to be that long so that I don’t feel my glasses sitting on my ears. My vision is trash, as I have an astigmatism in my left eye that causes it to not be able to focus without glasses. Not to mention my right eye just sorta giving up and going along with the bandwagon of being trash. I can still see without them, but good luck trying to get me to read anything more than ten feet away.
Sitting on a desk next to my bed are two items. A wooden knife and a metal noisemaker revolver. The knife has a sheathe I made at summer camp, and the revolver has a black ‘U.S Marshals’ holster from when I bought it. Both were from a Civil War Reenactment, the same one which Kendrick bought his sword at.
I am interrupted from my memories by a echoing voice, “Hello.”
I look up, and see a strange figure standing within the light. He is a average sized man, who wears purple robes that cover all but the barest impression of his face. His robe blows in a nonexistent wind, and his eyes are emotionless. I quickly pick up the noisemaker revolver and point it at him, hoping it would look real enough, “Who are you?”
He smiles, a meaningless gesture with no emotion, “I think that within your limited language and brain, you would say I am Edis, God of Endings. Please, put down your fake gun. I have come to explain something very simple to you.”
I sigh, and lower the revolver, “What?”
He nods, “I simply come to say good luck. Trump really enjoyed my visit to him, and the big red button I presented him. Xi also loved it. Now, with the ending secured, you have been granted my blessing until you meet the one under the name of Discord.” He starts to fade away, “I would check your friend’s message.”
A message pops up, and I quickly click on it. It simply says, “Check the news.”
I rush downstairs, and quickly flip on the television. It automatically opens to the BBC. A news reporter sits on there, head in her hands, “America and China have launched nuclear missiles. Now, every country is launching at every country. Welcome to World War Three. Welcome to the end of the world.”
I sigh, and look at the wall behind the television. I could wake up my mom and tell her, but what is the point?
I walk into the kitchen, grab a coke, and go back to the couch. I open up my tablet, and start playing whatever song comes on first.
I crack open the coke as it starts.
“I was walking down the street...”
I take a sip, and look out a nearby window. I see the missile approaching ground, and it is clear that even my speed can’t get me out of here.
Then it goes off in the distance.
Mom is dead. The wall broke itself open, and I can see her bed is empty, and on fire. All that is left is a skeleton laying on top, with sheets that don’t exist anymore.
Dad is dead as well. He works in town, so he was definitely hit straight on.
Everyone is dead.
Everyone except for me.
I sit there, taking a sip from my drink, when I see him. He wears a brown cloak, and his smile is crooked and twisted. I shake my head, “World ends, yet you still smile? Heh, weak, you should be laughing.”
He stops in front of me, and he smiles genuinely, “I would never laugh at this absolute destruction of Chaos. But I can smile about finding a survivor to carry on the Chaos of humanity. I could only save one, and I chose you.” He pulls out two items. A plague doctor mask with it’s back open, and a silenced repeater rife, “Put this mask on, and you shall have a second chance.”
I put on the mask, “Who are you anyway?”
He starts to open a portal beneath me, “I have many names. Spirit of Disharmony, God of Chaos, King of Equestria, Brother of Ordirus, and the Father of Mischief are among many of them. But there is one name that I will always say I am...”
I then start to fall down the portal. I feel myself be transported far away, and I don’t hear his last word.
He doesn’t care. He looks around at the destruction, and smiles, “Discord.”
I feel myself fall onto some soft grass. The mask is still on my face, and I seem to be heavier than I was before.
I look at my body, and see the cause of the new weight. My old, black trench coat firmly buttoned and zippered. I never got to wear this thing much, seeing as Florida rarely gets cold, but I still had it. It seems to be lighter than it should be, the thing feeling like a backpack for your entire body before.
I open up my coat, and looks at the metal chain within. I reach in and touch it, surprised to feel real metal in response. It seems as if my costume has been made into real armor.
My legs seem to be covered by some dark jeans, a pair that I don’t remember owning. And my feet seem to be encased in some black military boots that I definitely do not own. Both seem to fit me perfectly and comfortably, making it so it feels like I’m wearing almost nothing.
I look on the ground around me, and see a sheet of paper. I stand up, only to have some stuff get in the way. I reach to my waist, only for my hand to hit against something. I look at my hand, only to see a dark glove on over it, yet one that doesn’t seem to limit my flexibility.
I pull out the thing my hand hit against, only to have it revealed that it is my civil war revolver. I try to flick out the side, but the chamber doesn’t come out. So, I decide to pull the trigger. Doing that reveals to me that this is a real gun, as I can tell by the new dent in a nearby tree.
I return it to it’s holster, and reach for the sheathe on the other side of my waist. I pull on the handle of the object within, and draw a knife from within. I look at it in surprise, for the blade seems to glow in the light, yet it is obviously the wooden one I bought. A Bowie knife, and it seems to be very, very sharp.
I put it back, and reach to my back. My hand hits against a hilt, and I draw whatever it is. Within my hands now is a four foot long sword. I swing it around, and it takes barely any effort. I smile, and put it back into it’s sheathe on my back.
I move my hand next to it, and grab one of two weapons slinged against my back. It looks like the silenced repeater the guy handed me. It also seems not to weigh that much as well.
I move to the final weapon, and draw a MP40. I look at it, and see that it is also like the one I had back at home. Only this isn’t airsoft, this is a real gun.
I put it back, and pick up the paper on the ground. I give it a look, and read.
’MP40: Autogenerating ammo. Fourty bullets per day. No recoil, no weight, no need to reload.
Repeater: Infinite ammo, makes absolutely no noise, no recoil, and no weight. Still have to lever, but not reload.
Chain: Mithrel, magic resistant, weightless.
Coat/boots/gloves/pants: Repair automatically, weightless, and will adapt to wearer.
Sword/knife: Mithrel, weightless to user, sharpened at all times.
Revolver: Infinite ammo, no recoil, weightless. Cannot be reloaded, doesn’t need to be reloaded.
Mask: Unbreakable, sharp, able to produce cures, able to switch lenses, able to make any air fresh and breathable.’
I look in the forest around me, and think.
I am obviously on a planet other than Earth, made obvious by fact that there is still plant life.
This is also a planet with animals on it, as is made clear by the chirping of birds and the rustles of the bushes. However, intelligent life is not a certainty.
Anyway, I need to think about the here and now. If there is intelligent life, then I have no idea how far away it is. If there isn’t, then I have to survive alone. The solution is the same for both.
I draw my sword, and walk towards the tree.
Time to put my Boy Scout years to use.
However, as I walk over to the tree, I notice something else. I do not have on my glasses, and I can still see perfectly. However, I then also notice the glass lenses within my new mask. The mask probably, somehow, has my prescription lenses in it.
I smile, and raise my sword near the tree. It is then that my mask decides to switch it’s lenses.
Now, a few spots start to glow all over the tree, and I assume that they are weak spots.
It seems I am right as the tree falls after only a few stabs and cuts.
I take my sword, and cut it up, perfect for a lean-to.
We actually went on a field trip in elementary school, and learned how to build shelters. Now, when my group made ours, we didn’t do a predictable lean-to. We were one of the three groups who built something different. This was a type of... well, logs hanging from a tree with leaves patching the parts in between. There was enough space for three people, and even if we would have slept sitting up on the ground, we still would have been dry. But the point is, I learned how to make a lean-to from that.
My mask switches lenses, picking up on my intentions. It highlights spots on the ground for me to put logs in order to get the best shelter.
So, I listen to the mask’s advice, and end up making a serviceable shelter for one big boy.
I smile and stand back, admiring my hard work. I am interrupted, however, by growling from behind me.
I grab the revolver from my side, and level it at the woods as I spin around. I see a wooden wolf emerge from the wilderness, glaring not at me, but at my shelter. I quickly connect the dots, and realize it probably didn’t like me chopping down the tree, considering the fact that it is made out of wood.
I set the lever on my revolver, and my mask switches lenses once more. Now, my vision seems to be filled with a type of aimbot, telling me exactly where to aim for different effects. At the same time, it seems like the mask injects my mind with knowledge on the revolver.
I’ve not shot many guns, but now I feel like an expert on all the ones I carry. I feel every gear and pin within the three guns, and I know how to operate each with maximum efficiency.
Paired with my sword and knife skills, this makes me proficient with all my weapons.
I aim at the wolf, and speak a warning, “Stay back or I will make you.”
The wolf looks at me, growls, and tries to charge me. I shoot it in the leg, causing it to stop right in front of me.
I move my revolver down, right against it’s head, “Back off.”
It lunges at me, knocking my revolver aside. It pounces on me, and I can barely keep it back with my arm. As it tries to chew through my chain, I grab the knife from my side. I stab it into the wolf’s neck, and it collapses down.
I stand as the wolf collapses into a pile of sticks, and pick up my fallen revolver.
I decide to gather all the sticks in the middle of my camp, and place a wheel of stones around it.
I pulls out the revolver, stick it into the pile, and fire. The sparks barely catch the sticks, causing it to go up in flames.
I smile and flip my revolver back into it’s holster.
I sit down, ready to enjoy the warm fire.
But I am interrupted by the sounds of howling, and of children screaming.
I look into the distance, and my mask switches lenses once more. I see the sounds made in the distance, and it allows me to hear three sets of feet running from a pack of wolves.
I draw my revolver, and rush into the forest after them.
He rushes through the Forest, dodging every tree in his way, stomping down every bush, and keeping a close eye on the ground.
He can hear the screaming more and more clear, and can similarly hear the howls of Timberwolves.
He suddenly stumbles into a clearing, and instantly sees the wolves surrounded three horse creatures. He quickly raises his revolver, and points it at the wolves, “I recommend you retreat now, or I will kill you.”
The wolves quickly wheel around to see me, and begin to growl and approach. One of them lunges, only to have the green light leave it’s eyes with a revolver blast.
The Survivor levels the gun at another wolf, only to feel a new weight on his backside. He falls down, planting his mask through the dirt, sending his guns flying, and a wolf begins to tear through his trench coat and get to his chain. He shoves his elbow up, hitting the wolf in the neck, but to no avail.
He looks all around him, and sees his MP40 laying slightly in front of him. He grabs it quickly, and shoots wildly above him.
It takes too many shots, but he eventually feels the weight leave, and be replace with regular wood as sap runs through his mail.
He looks up, and sees the other three wolves approaching as a pack. He springs to his feet, and draws his sword from his back.
One of the wolves charges him, and he swings at it. In the middle of his swing, his mask switches lenses, and he can quickly see that his current swing is not a good one.
He hits inside the wolf’s mouth, and quickly tries to pry it out. Yet the wolf slams it’s mouth shut, and the blade stays locked within. The wolf instead turns it’s head, and tosses his sword away.
He quickly reaches down, and draws his knife from his pocket. He stabs the wolf, and ends up killing it with that stab. Yet, as he tries to withdraw the knife, he his hit from the side by yet another wolf.
He stumbles to the side, leaving the knife within the wolf. He reaches all around his body, only to find no weapon left.
He looks back at the wolf, who is now slowly approaching him with the other wolf.
Survivor holds up his fists, both reinforced by his new gloves.
The wolves charge him, growling.
He quickly lashed out at one with a jab, hitting it on the forehead, yet not leaving more than a barely noticeable dent that grows back immediately.
The other wolf charges into him, and tries to bite through the mail on his arm. He shakes his arm, yet the wolf doesn’t get off.
He thinks quickly, and kicks the wolf in the gut. It lets out a whine of pain, and slightly loosens it’s hold.
He can’t do anymore, as the other wolf pounces him. He falls to the ground, the two wolves pinning him down and tearing through his coat.
He struggles to move, yet finds the weight of the two wolves to be too much. He continues to struggle, yet his muscles seem to have given up strength.
He lets all his strength go, clearly seeing that there is no way he wins this situation.
Could survive a nuclear war, but apparently some odd looking wolves are enough to do him in. It’ll all be over once they find a way to loosen his chainmail.
Yet then he sees one of the wolves collapse, and hears a loud bang. The sap from the wolf leaks all over him, but the death gives him back a final push of strength.
He surges up, pushing the wolf off him. He quickly follows it up, delivering a kick to it’s front leg, and an uppercut to it’s jaw.
The wolf retaliates by jumping up in him. They look at each other, face to face, as the wolf growls once more.
Survivor finally notices the large beak protruding from his mask.
He smiles, and headbutts the wolf, the beak piercing through it’s skull. He quickly leans back as the wolf collapses into wood.
He wipes the sap from his mask, and looks towards the three fillies.
He sees the yellow one of them holding up his revolver. He smiles, “Ah, you saved me, interesting.” He starts to wobble, “Sorry, but I think I’m about to pass out.”
He stops wobbling, and falls to the ground, out cold.
He slowly begins to regain feeling. Instantly, he feels a softness under him, and a missing coat on top of him.
He opens his eyes, and takes in a wooden roof above him. He slowly leans himself up, looking to see that he is in a bed.
His mask is still securely attached to his face, but everything else, minus his chainmail, lay on a nearby table.
Survivor lifts a blanket off of himself, and looks down the side of the bed.
There are a pair of socks, and his boots. He quickly slips both of them on, and they instantly meld themselves to him so he can barely feel them.
With boots firmly on, he stands up. His boots clank against the wooden floor, creating a creaking sound that fills his mind with memories of home. He quickly pushes the memories out, and instead begins to put on everything else.
He straps on his gloves, throws on his trench coat, puts his knife into it’s sheathe, and every gun into it’s proper holster.
He looks outside, seeing the sun barely peeking over a nearby hill. Very early. Although it might be later than he thinks, there are no hills to obscure the sun back in Florida anyway.
He quickly turns to the nearby door, and exits into a long hallway.
He moves down a staircase, quick, yet making sure not to make too much noise. He can hear clinking, and a slight conversation, from a kitchen connected to the main room.
He gets all the way down, and flings open the door to leave.
Yet, on the other side of the door, stands an orange, fully grown horse with a hat on.
The two stare at each other for a second. Then, the orange one slightly tilts her hat, “Uh, howdy. Didn’t know you were awake.”
Survivor takes a step back, “You can talk?”
A green, old mare pokes her head out of the kitchen, “Oh, is our guest awake?”
A young voice comes from up the stairs, “He’s awake?!”
Survivor looks up the stairs, only to see the same foal he rescued earlier. The yellow one of the bunch, the one that saved him. He lightens up immediately, “Oh, it’s you!”
She smiles, and almost hops down the stairs with joy, “You’re awake, you’re awake! Oh, we were so scared, with-“
The orange mare interrupts her as she finishes her hops down the stairs, “Apple Bloom, don’t hop down those stairs. I swear, I tell you this every time.”
Survivor glares at her for a second, his mind once again filled with memories. He banishes them, and turns to Apple Bloom, “Apple Bloom, huh? An odd name, but who am I to judge the names of an alien species with an entirely different culture. Heh, not like I’ve got a normal name myself.”
The orange mare tilts her hat once again, “Well, I’m Applejack, what might your name be?”
He looks back over to her, “Survivor. Not much of a name, but, heh, it’s all I am now.”
Apple Bloom speaks up, “Now? Does that mean you had a different name before?”
He begins to speak, only to be cut off by Applejack, “Now, Apple Bloom, that’s rude to ask of someone. I’m sure if he wanted us to know, he would’ve mentioned it.”
He glares at Applejack some more, but she doesn’t notice as she stares at Apple Bloom. He clears his throat, “Actually, Applejack, I am absolutely fine with that question. Yes, I had a different name before, now I am just Survivor. Although it’s more of a title than a name.”
Apple Bloom smiles, “Well, glad to meet you, Survivor! You saved us, and even though you were quite heavy to drag back home, we’re glad you were there. And I bet you’re probably glad I could use that explosion device.”
Applejack speaks once more, right before Survivor could respond. She shakes her head, “Apple Bloom, stop telling stories, we’ve already been over this before. Survivor here passed out, and rightly forgot some of that incident. Your filling of his head with this story of you using some explosion to kill a Timberwolf ain’t gonna help him remember proper.”
Survivor glares at her again, memories flooding his head too much. He stomps towards the door, “I need some fresh air.”
He can barely hear Applejack from behind him, “Now look what you’ve done, making him storm off like that. I’ll go make sure he ain’t offended by anything you said.”
He stops on a front porch, and decides to lean against the outer railing. He looks out into the Apple orchard as the morning sun rises. He looks off into the distance, where a mountain seems to raise out of nothing. A giant city is planted on the side, and something seems to be calling Survivor over there.
But then he hears hooves behind him. Applejack moves up, staying right behind him, “Listen, Survivor, I’m sorry if anything Bloom said may have offended you. She’s a good foal, but don’t exactly think through her actions or listen.”
He looks over the orchard some more, “Nothing she said offended me, Applejack. That conversation just filled me with... memories.”
Applejack speaks, “How so?”
He looks back into his memories, “You know she looks up to you, right?”
Applejack takes a step back from the question, “Well, she sure don’t act like it.”
He reflects upon himself, “She does look up to you... I know the feeling. Yet, you constantly kept shutting her down throughout that entire conversation. That hurts so much... I know the feeling.”
Applejack raises an eyebrow, “Shutting her down? All I did was tell her not to lie, to be more careful.”
He glances back at her, “She didn’t lie, Applejack. She saved me from a Timberwolf with my revolver. And then she and her three friends dragged me to your house.”
Applejack stops, “Well... I didn’t know. She just lies so much, I felt like this one was for sure. I just don’t get it.. if she looks up to me, why would she lie?”
He looks back to the orchard, “Sometimes, we fall from our ideals just to avoid punishment. Lying about every trivial thing just in the fear it might get someone to look at you in a negative light, or that it might’ve broken a rule you didn’t know existed. I’m a younger brother, Applejack... was a younger brother. And I looked up to my elder my whole life. He seemed so brave, so nice, so cool. He was popular, everyone loved him, and I did as well. We argued, we lied, we cheated each other. Every sibling does. It takes someone truly brave to be the bigger man. You never know when... when they won’t come home from school. And you don’t want your final interaction to be something dumb.” He takes a shuddering breath as tears begin to form in his eyes, “Because you’ll feel guilty all of your life... because you let down the one you looked up to.”
Applejack places a hoof on his shoulder, “I’m sorry, Survivor.”
He fights back all the sadness, “Then don’t do it, Applejack. Put faith in Apple Bloom, trust her a little bit. And if she messes up, don’t scold her, but just teach her.”
Applejack nods, “I’ll try, Survivor. Now come on, breakfast is almost ready.”
Survivor walks through the town, Apple Bloom at his side. She jumps along, “This is the marketplace, so you can get some good food.” She then looks ahead, “And there’s the schoolhouse. That’s where we’re going.”
He looks at the red building, and nods, “Quaint and rustic, like something from the past. Looks like the type of place I would expect my great grandparents to go to.”
Apple Bloom looks over at him, “Well, what’re your schools like?”
He looks over at her, “Bigger, more uniform. If you wanted to get the size of a single building at my school, you’d have to place at least three of that house side by side, and there are ten buildings. Buildings one hundred to nine hundred, because our school only measured by hundreds. Than the tenth, the Kendrick building.”
Apple Bloom tilts her head, “Kendrick building?”
He nods, “Yes, it is... my brother’s memorial. There was a bad guy, and he stopped the bad guy.”
Apple Bloom smiles, “Hey, that sounds a lot like what Applejack does! She and her friends go out and defeat bad ponies all the time! She don’t have a building named after her, though.”
Survivor looks away, collecting himself. He looks back, nothing but his piercing green eyes peering out at Apple Bloom, “Applejack came back from her fights, Bloom. Kendrick did not. He left the world doing something so... uniquely human. I feel it is the truest destiny of humans, the purest goal, to reach that point. To show such great compassion, whilst also pummeling in somebody else’s face. Tell me, Bloom, do ponies have that?”
Apple Bloom thinks for a quick second, “Compassion, nah. Violence ain’t well liked by ponies, I mean, we haven’t had a war in a thousand years.”
Survivor nods, “A thousand years of peace, an impossible goal for humans. The longest we lasted was two hundred. We aren’t exactly united like you, though. Well, considering I’m the only one left, I suppose we are.”
Apple Bloom loses her smile, “Wait, you’re the only one left?”
He looks up, “Yeah, at least, I think. The one who brought me here said so, Spirit of Disharmony or something like that. Told me I was the only one, that he chose me to survive. I am the Survivor for a reason. Seven billion or so, and, well, it’s now one.”
Apple Bloom pauses, “...How?”
He points at the mountain in the distance, a great city hanging off the edge, “Bombs, explosions so big. That entire city could be gone, like that.” He snaps.
It’s then that he feels a rat climb onto his shoulder. He looks over at the creature.
Apple Bloom notices it as well, “Whoa, how’d you do that?”
He reaches over with his finger, and slightly scratches the thing under it’s chin. As his finger connects, a sickly green light begins to travel out of his finger and into the rat.
The rat leans back, squealing slightly. But, it stops all of a sudden. The rat looks at Survivor, it’s eyes now glowing the same sickly green. It jumps from his shoulder to the ground, green aura surrounding itself as it rushes into a nearby building.
Another rat runs out of an alleyway, it’s form and eyes glowing a similar green. It passes right under Apple Bloom, taking a nip out the back of her leg before scampering away.
Apple Bloom jumps in pain, and looks at her leg, “That rat bit me!”
Survivor gets on his knee, and begins to examine the wound. It isn’t deep, only just barely far enough to draw blood. Yet, something seems to be off about the bite.
The mask changes lenses suddenly, filling his vision with a sterile white color. It focuses in on the wound, one lens zooming in to a scale as to be able to see the cells themselves.
Something seems off, yet it isn’t able to be identified. The mask pops a warning up in Survivor’s vision, telling him on how to garner further information.
He looks at Apple Bloom, “Bloom, it looks like that rat was carrying something. I’m going to have to cure it, but I need to cut a bit of the skin off. I need you to say if you want me to or not. You saved my life, I’m planning on potentially saving yours.”
She nods, “You saved me first. I trust you, just do it quickly.”
He draws his knife, and cuts a chunk out of Bloom’s leg, getting all of the bite. She yells, but it is stopped as the mask takes out a syringe. It injects her with the liquid inside, and she instantly calms down.
She looks at it, “Huh, it doesn’t even hurt.”
His mask exchanges the syringe with a petri dish, and he puts the bit of skin in there. He smiles, “There you go, you should be all good. Now, don’t you have school?”
The bell goes off right after he says this, and Bloom sighs.
Survivor looks up, reading the sign above the door. He nods, and pushes open the door to the treehouse.
He walks in, and smiles upon sight of the books. He quickly picks up a history book, and opens it up. ‘A Historical Overview of Equestria’. It begins at Year Zero.
He becomes so engaged with reading that he doesn’t even hear the feet scampering away from him.
He absorbs the knowledge quickly.
The world supposedly began with only three creatures alive. Ordirus, first alicorn, King of Ponies, and Spirit of Order. Discord, first Draconequis, King of Ponies, and Spirit of Disharmony. Sombra, first Umbra, King of Crystal, and Spirit of Darkness. They then created the multiple races of Equestria with their great magical power, and shaped the world with the same magic. Mountains created by a single wing flap, tundra created with a single breath, oceans made with a single snap. They eventually learned to control their powers, and ruled over the world for millennia. Celestia and Luna were born from Ordirus.
Their peace was ruined when a mysterious sickness spread through the land, killing every creature it touched. Sombra turned to dark magic in order to keep him and his people safe, becoming cruel because of it. Ordirus caught the sickness, and was almost killed by it. If not for his alicorn blood, he would have. Discord, not having blood or stable organs anyway, couldn’t get sick.
They eventually tracked down the one who caused all of it, a fourth being that was one of the original. Plague, first biped, Lord of Sickness, Spirit of Death. He used rats to spread the sickness, and for punishment, Ordirus and Discord banished him into another realm. Yet, in his final moments, Plague managed to slay Ordirus.
Discord went mad after the death of his brother, his mind thrown completely into chaos. In his grief, he decided to lead the world in his chaos. He was eventually defeated by six artifacts, the Elements of Harmony, which sealed him in stone.
However, his reading becomes interrupted when a voice speaks out to him, “Hello?”
He looks to his side, seeing a purple unicorn there, “Hello. I take it you are the librarian?”
She smiles upon hearing him speak, “Ah, good, you aren’t a monster. I am Twilight Sparkle.”
He nods, “Survivor.”
She looks at him again, “I must say, your form is quite interesting. You manage to stand on those legs without bending over, unlike Minotaurs. For such long legs, that is quite odd. Would you mind if i studied you for a bit?”
He looks her in the eyes, “None of my clothes are to come off, and I am not to be injured in any way unless if I agree.”
She nods, “Of course, I wouldn’t plan to do that anyway. Here, follow me, my lab is in the basement.” She looks up, “Spike, get my supplies!”
He looks after her as she walks to a door, and draws his revolver, “Just a warning if you try any funny business, I am able to kill you in a second.”
She looks back at him, seeing the revolver in his hands, “Wait, what’s that?” She shakes her head, “Never mind. What do you mean by funny business?”
He shakes his head, “What do you think? Telling the person you just met to come into your basement.”
Twilight smiles, and laughs, “Oh, I am so sorry, I didn’t realize how odd that sounded! No, of course not, I’m not kidding when I said I had a lab. Oh, wait, you might not know who I am. Princess Celestia’s personal protege, Element of Magic, Twilight Sparkle.”
He tilts his head, “Element of Magic? Huh, Applejack said she was the Element of Honesty.” He flips the revolver back into it’s holster, “Sorry, I am just a bit cautious. I can’t afford to die, not yet. Too much on my shoulders... a legacy to uphold.”
Twilight raises an eyebrow, “Legacy? Is the Survivor family a bunch of demon hunters or something like that?”
He shakes his head, “No, they were humans, and he was a hero. Perhaps a bit of explanation might help. Well, my entire species and planet I am from is dead. The planet might be alright, but I’m the only one of my species.”
Twilight leans in, “Wait, you’re an alien?” She shakes her head, “Sorry, sorry, my curiosity gets the best of me. I’m sorry for your loss, I’m sure it’s hard on you.”
He smiles slightly, “Don’t worry, curiosity is good. Humans were curious creatures, almost to a fault. And yeah, I suppose I am an alien.”
She smiles, “That thing you pulled out, was that a disintegration ray?”
He shakes his head, “No, we sadly never got that advanced. It’s called a gun, or a firearm. That, specifically was a revolver. Imagine it like a very effective crossbow. There’s this thing called a bullet, the back of it filled with very explosive powder. You pull this lever here, a pin hits that powder, and ignites it. A small projectile comes out the end, flying at very high speeds.”
Twilight gasps, “Can you show me?!”
He nods, and looks around, “I suppose I’ll test it on the floor.” He points his revolver, and fires.
Twilight flinches from the loud bang, and her eyes fail to see the projectile no matter how hard she looks. Then, she looks at the floor, and sees a hole already there.
He smiles, “The bullet travels at eight hundred and thirty three yards per second, impossible to see by any regular creature.”
She looks at the hole in awe, “That must have taken a very special magic to make.”
He shakes his head, “No magic, science. Magic doesn’t exist on our world, outside of fairy tales.”
She looks up at him, “Really? Let’s get you into the magic scanner, perhaps you’ve gotten some upon entry to our world.”
She rushes down into the basement, and he follows. She rushes up to a box shaped machine, and turns it on. She motions him to an open door.
He steps in the machine, and the door closes behind him. It lights up in a purple aura. Suddenly, a bright blue aura appears around Survivor. It grows in intensity, until it and the purple aura fade.
Twilight stares in awe, “That’s nearly impossible! Your magic is almost stronger than Celestia! Chaos magic as well?! There must be a mistake!”
He steps out, and shrugs, “I didn’t know I had any magic, let alone strong, or chaos.”
She looks at him, “Do something to cast the magic.”
He raises his hand, doing the first thing he thinks of. He snaps.
The sound reverberates around the room, echoing off the walls. Then, a book appears in his hand. He smiles upon sight of it, and hands it to Twilight, “Here, Twilight, a gift. It is a book on human history.”
She looks at it, and accepts it, “You... created a gift for me?”
He smiles, “Hey, if I have magic, I’m going to make people happy.”
She places it on a table, “Well, thank you. That’s very compassionate of you. Now, come on, we have more tests.”
A rat sneaks up to the pair, and slightly bites on Twilight’s hoof. Not enough for her to feel pain, but enough to get inside of her.
It then scampers up the stairs, where another rat waits. The second rat carries a gem in it’s mouth, coating it in germs. It then spits the gem on the ground, and the two run out the building.
Survivor raises his hand again, and snaps. Yet another book appears in his hands, one dedicated to explaining physics. Then, with another snap, he summons up a chemistry textbook. He places both books on a nearby table, “This is the basics of human understanding in our most advanced, non-violent fields. Mathematical formulas, chemical formulas, lot of very complex words. Never really memorized it all.”
Twilight raises an eyebrow, “Really? You sound quite smart, very educated. I mean, you seem to have more scientific knowledge than I do.”
He smiles, “Ah, I have a scientific mind, yes, but not of formulas. I much more prefer the science of people. Psychology, metal illness, theory on how the mind works. Not the most popular field back home.”
Twilight floats the books over to an empty shelf, “Why was it not popular?”
He looks over at her, “A lot of people would prefer not to know how their mind works. They slightly fear psychology, because they think it has the answers to the mind. In the end, and in all truthfulness, we don’t know shit. The entire field is filled with conflicting theories, ideals, and people so arrogant that they think all human minds are like their’s. The only part of the field I can believe in is the research on mental illness. I can’t really subscribe to most theories, they all assume some inner darkness.”
Twilight smiles, “Oh, maybe you can tell me some of these theories?”
He nods, “Hypotheses, really. The most popular is the theory of Freud, which relies upon splitting the mind into three. The Superego, which leads the body in the greater good. The Id, which is the more primal and selfish part. The Ego, which is the mind in control. As a basic idea, it isn’t that bad. But then the details really make it trash. Some odd shit about all females secretly wanting to be males, and other such shit.” He snaps his fingers, and another book appears, “Here, this should explain all of it. Just don’t buy into it that much.”
She levitates the book over to the shelf, “This is absolutely amazing. Your magic, that is. By all known laws of magic, it makes no sense.”
He shrugs, “I don’t know the first thing about magic, so... okay.”
She smiles, “Oh, I can explain this. See, magic all works using an energy called Mana from within us. Little particles, also called Mana, float through the air, waiting to be commanded. The Mana from within us travels out, and convinces it’s fellow Mana to work together. For example, a unicorn tells it’s own Mana to levitate something. The other Mana would all come together to do that. Well, it’s a lot more complicated than that, but you wouldn’t understand it. Convincing other Mana to help uses up our own Mana, which is why unicorns can’t do everything forever. Now, Mana also creates a type of energy known as a Thaum. A Thaum is the average Mana put out by an Earth Pony every hour. Unicorns average around fifty Thaums, which means their magic could go for fifty minutes before running out, using a levitation spell. A unicorn like myself has two hundred Thaums, which means I could technically levitate something forever and still not lose any Mana, because the counter resets every sixty minutes.”
Survivor nods, “So, if you can do something forever, why don’t you?”
She looks over at him, “Well, it would be mentally exhausting. Yeah, I may not lose any Mana, but I wouldn’t have as much as my body wants. Plus, concentrating on floating something forever just doesn’t seem that interesting. If I were to ever do a more complicated spell, as well, I might run out of Mana completely. That is very, very dangerous and I do not recommend it ever. I only ever came close to it when I battled Nightmare Moon, but I stopped myself before I went too far. Being comatose for a week isn’t that fun, especially when you’ll be in excruciating pain during it. It can even lead to death.”
He smiles, holding up his hand, “Alright, I get it, don’t run out of Mana. I wouldn’t want to worry you by doing that, Twilight.”
She shakes her head, “Well, that’s the point, you don’t have to worry about it. Firstly, you don’t seem to use Mana. What you wish to happen just happens, without Mana doing a single thing. Number two, each thread of your coat is exuding a Thaumatic reading at the level of Celestia, every second. That means that your coat, per square inch, is exuding five hundred Thaums a second, compared to Celestia at five hundred an hour! It doesn’t make sense!” She turns around, “But, it gave me an idea. What if I were to cut off a piece of your coat, and stick it in my generator? It could very well create near infinite energy!”
Survivor flicks out his knife, taking a large chunk out of his coat. It grows back immediately, and he hands Twilight the piece, “No point in not trying.”
She takes the chunk, eager smile on her face. She rushes down into her basement, Survivor following right after her.
She walks up to a machine with a open door, and places the piece within. She closes it, and pushes a few buttons on the machine. Then, with a final lever switch, the machine bursts to life.
It begins to whirr loudly, and glows a bright purple color. It begins to move quicker and quicker, until it suddenly slows down.
The purple glow fades for a bit, and a different glow appears. A purple portal, one able to be seen through. On the other side, Survivor can see nothing but destruction.
He takes a step back from the portal, looking away as quick as he can. He refuses to look down the street within. Not to where the bus would pull up... not where he should be.
Yet, just as quick as it appeared, the portal disappears. It’s purple energy flows towards Survivor, and surrounds him. It begins to pull at him.
Twilight looks over at him, “Survivor! What’s going on?!”
He tries to stumble back, only to find his boots encased in stone. He yells out at Twilight, “Twilight, please, stop this! Please, I don’t want to go!”
The stone crawls up him, encasing his chest completely. Twilight lights up her horn, only to find it encased within a foam finger. Despite all attempts, she can’t cast her magic through it. She rushes up to Survivor, and tries to break him out with her own hooves, “Survivor!”
He raises his head higher and higher, his eyes the only things Twilight can see out his mask. His eyes are filled with fear.
He shouts one final time, “Please, they can use my knowledge! Don’t do this!”
A dark laugh fills the basement, and the stone completely encases Survivor, punctuated by a snap.
Twilight paws at his statue, trying with all her might to get him free, “Survivor, I’ll get you out! Please, whoever’s doing this, stop!”
The voice laughs again, “Not so pleasant when you get a taste of your own medicine, is it?”
A second voice joins it, one a lot more scratchy, like sandpaper across granite, “A good vessel, nary anything more. Thou’s kind shalt face the wrath thine companion hath.”
———
A black void, that is all that can be seen. No, not seen. It is simply there. A feeling of nothingness, yet still numb and restricting.
There is no truer Hell than a place where one can do nothing but comprehend the nothingness presented to them.
Yet, something odd happens. Something that hasn’t happened in a thousand years.
The black void lights up with a purple star. It glows down upon it’s new prisoner, and stays that way for a minute.
Then, something new fills the space. A pony body, a unicorn mare. It’s features all are average, except for the eyes. Said eyes have been replaced with the same purple star.
It looks at Survivor, and opens it’s mouth, “You are not our prisoner. Survivor, Earth, possible future. Stand, Bearer Survivor. We have much to speak about.”
“Welcome, to the Prison of Chaos. It is not... pleasant, any more.”
Survivor looks around into the empty void, before snapping his eyes back to the light, “It once was?”
The pony shrugs, “We have no morals, technically, so we can only speak on what our mission was. For our mission, yes. There was the whip collection, the stretcher, the knives, all of our tools. They found good use, as well. But, Chaos doesn’t respond to pain. They faded over the millennia.”
Survivor holds up a hand, “Wait, you tortured the person here?!”
The pony nods, “Yes. We had deemed it necessary for Chaos to experience the pain he accidentally brought upon ponies. His name was Discord, but if he calls us Harmony, than we shall call him Chaos. Forgive us, Bearer Survivor, we haven’t introduced ourself, as physical creatures such as yourself like to do. We are Magic, best known by the Element named after us. It is pleasant to meet you.”
Survivor glares at the pony, “No, it really isn’t. You tortured someone!”
The pony tilts it’s head, “Tortured? We punished, as we were commanded. Chaos was to face justice for his century of Unrule. We punished through pony fears, that of pain and death.”
He looks away, eyes glaring into his own mask, “That... what did he do?”
The pony smiles, “Chaos led the world in anarchy for one hundred years. During that period, he threw all semblance of Order out. Flowers tasted like bacon, licorice tasted like steak, trumpets sung opera, and bees were black with yellow stripes. Ponies lived through his chaos.”
Survivor looks back at them, “That isn’t a fitting punishment! One hundred years of what is pretty much a paradise is not worth one thousand years of torture!”
The pony loses the smile, “We didn’t torture him, after the first century. Not in the normal sense. We had finally found his weak point, and we decided to turn his punishment into pure Order. No color, no noise, no sensation other than the crushing weight of not being able to move. For Chaos, there was nothing worse.”
Survivor floats closer, not even noticing the blue light coming off him as he does so, “That is even worse than torture, that is pure hell! You did that to him, and claim you are justified!?”
The pony form looks at the blue glow, and actually takes a nervous step back, “We are not in control, our Bearers are! We couldn’t kill him with kindness, we weren’t told to! We-we left it for you, Compassion!”
Survivor floats a bit closer, causing the pony to stumble back onto their flank, “I don’t care what excuse you have. You tortured a living creature in a specialty made hell for a thousand years! You do not deserve to claim you are Harmony, you are not!”
The pony crawls back, yet Survivor gets closer and closer, “Please, if we didn’t do this, the world would have been doomed! Edis told us!”
He floats closer, the blue glow keeping the Element in place, “How do you know him? Who is he?”
The Element looks up at Survivor, it’s pony form slowly fading away, “Edis, God of Endings! He carries the Book, we had to trust him! He told us, we couldn’t use kindness, it would lead to our defeat and the Destruction! We had to, for the greater good!”
Survivor looks at the rapidly fading pony, “What book?”
The Element shouts out in a panic, “Book of Endings! It sees the end of everything! Thousands, thousands of Destructions! You need to be there for the victory, if we wish to live! Discord needed to bring you here to release him, we had to do it!”
The pony becomes nothing more than a head, the blue glow growing stronger, “Really? He wouldn’t have saved us if he was made better?”
The Element begins to tear up, “He would have rescued all of you! Every human, he would have brought to Equestria!”
Survivor looks at the Element, his eyes numb, “What?”
The Element stares back, fear evident within, “He would have saved every human. Every man, woman, and child. We couldn’t allow that to happen! You-“
Survivor draws his revolver, and points it at the Element. His eyes are filled with tears, “Seven billion people! Seven billion killed, all because you couldn’t stop torturing a creature!”
The Element begins to cry tears of pure energy, “You wouldn’t-“
The blue glow quickly begins to fill the void, replacing the darkness, “I don’t give a shit about me! I couldn’t give a shit if I were to have died! I couldn’t give a shit it I was tortured for all eternity, I would save them! You would dare to sentence them all to death because of me!? You- you-“ he fires his revolver, “bastard!”
The bullet cuts through the metaphysical form of the Element, reducing it back to it’s gem.
Survivor looks away from the star shaped gem, now with a bullet hole in it. He looks outward, where the void has now become a calm blue.
He collapses onto his knees, and screams into his blue void.
His scream turns into crying, and then into wailing and sobbing. He collapses onto the metaphysical floor, his black wear cloaking him like a smudge in the calm blue. Yet, his form still glows the same blue.
He continues for what feels like an eternity, so overcome in his despair that he doesn’t even notice the void around him turning more crystalline.
Then, suddenly, he feels a comforting feeling around him. His crying slowly slows down, and his mind starts to pay attention more.
At that moment, he realizes he is being hugged.
The crystalline figure that was doing it feels his shock, and takes a few steps back, “You aren’t the only one, Survivor.”
He instantly snaps his head to her. A crystalline woman, glowing a similarly crystalline blue. She wears a long dress, one that reflects the glow back in, thus making seeing her easier.
His mind clears, and he pushes himself back to his feet, “What do you mean?”
She smiles, a kind and motherly smile, “You are not the only human, let alone the only one left in your family. Heh, perhaps I’m being a bit too mysterious.” She giggles a bit, “Your brother, Kendrick, is alive.”
Survivor shakes his head, “How is that possible? These ponies haven’t seen a human before.”
She nods, “You are correct, the ponies of this Equestria haven’t seen one. Let me introduce myself. I am Karma, Kendrick is my Champion. I do not technically fall under a universe, with how I travel around them. But, I care fondly for Universe Three, where Kendrick is. You are in Universe Four. I... need help. Kendrick has split in two, the pacifist, and the bloodthirsty.”
Survivor looks at her, “Why are you telling me this?”
She looks into his eyes, “Because you are so sad... because you are just a child. Because you deserve to know your brother is alive, and you deserve to speak to him. Even if not for long. You can also reach to him, and I need him to do this.” She extends a hand, “Please, Survivor, can you spare the time?”
He looks at her hand, the calm blue around him fading down.
He grabs her hand, and the blue flairs back up to an almost blinding degree.
The six Elements stand in the middle of chaos, Elements around their necks. They stand off against Discord, as he laughs away on his throne of chaos.
He looks down at them, and at their colorful gems, “Ah, you Six again? You’re in the way of the show!”
Twilight glares at him, “What did you do to Survivor?!”
He shakes his head, “The human? He was simply a pawn, a conduit of Chaos. I decided it would be funny if he were to go through the same fate as I.”
Twilight snorts, “We’ll send you back to that stone and free him!”
Discord laughs, “Oh, do you truly believe that, my dear? You really believe your Elements could work together? They have to agree to work, and Kindness is one of them. And I know, from personal experience, the demon in that purple gem lacks any and all Kindness! Tell me, how could you Bearers possibly hope to use artifacts that don’t even agree with each other? Do you think Harmony is a power to be bent to your will, like Mana? Feh, no reason to even try and tell you this.” He leans back, and smiles, “Fire when ready, they won’t work!”
The six all begin to levitate, their Elements connecting in a rainbow beam. Then, after all unite in the Element of Magic, sending the beam towards Discord.
He looks at the beam again, only for his face to fall as he realizes it is still working. The Elements paralyze him in place, and he turns his head away, “No, no, please! I don’t want to go back!”
The beam approaches closer, and his eyes contract in fear. His screams and yells are plainly heard, yet the beam approaches all the same.
Then, something jumps in front of Discord, and the beam impacts against it. Discord suddenly can move, and he flees behind his throne in terror of the Elements.
The rainbow beam surrounds the figure, hiding him away behind the multitude of colors. Yet, his tall form still makes it obvious of who he is.
Twilight squints her eyes against the bright glow, “Survivor? That’s the enemy, what are you doing!?”
Discord looks at Survivor from behind his throne, “She has a point. I didn’t tell you to do that, I didn’t even know you were free. Did someone else mind control you?”
Survivor looks at the rainbow arcing around his body, and looks up at Twilight, “Twilight, you have no idea what he’s been through. He doesn’t deserve that, I will not allow him to go back there! He is right when he says your Element lacks any and all Kindness. It is a monster in gem form. It takes something truly heartless to do what it did to him.”
Discord leans out a bit more, “Wait, you... are mad at the Element? But, I’m the one who trapped you there!”
He looks back at Discord, “Yes, I am mad at the Element. I saw what it did to you, how could I not be mad?!” He snaps back towards Twilight, “Your Element has been torturing Discord for a millennia! It doomed the human race to death by not treating him with decency!”
Twilight takes a step back, “What?”
Discord pulls himself all the way back into the throne, “I echo her!”
Survivor looks between the two, “The Element told me itself, if it treated you with kindness, you would have saved the entire human race instead of just me. It... tortured you because you would have saved humanity!”
Discord looks down, “I would? I...”
Twilight speaks up as he processes the information, “Your... people? But... it wouldn’t? It... oh Celestia.”
He nods, “Yes, Twilight. It willingly killed eight billion people just so it could continue it’s torture of Discord. But, that is the past. I will not look into the past, but into the future! If Discord could have once saved all of humanity, than he can still do similarly heroic actions.”
Twilight looks down, “Eight billion... and Discord could have saved them all.”
Survivor looks down, observing the rainbow still surrounding him. He shakes his head, and looks towards Discord, “I know you are lashing out, Discord. Your pain, you want these ponies to feel it. But these ponies are not to blame.”
He looks at Survivor, and shakes his head, “Not to blame?! They are the ones who locked me up!”
Survivor looks right back, “That was the past, Discord. These ponies have done nothing to you. We need to stop looking back. All that anger you feel? I’m feeling it, and it’s burning my soul into ash. You lost one thousand years to boredom, because of those ponies. Well, I lost my entire race to the same thing! A race of people that could have been saved! My friends, my parents, everyone I have ever known all killed because of a heartless bastard! So, I know what you are feeling, Discord.” He offers forth a hand, “We need to move on from that rage. We need Compassion.”
The rainbow around him all concentrates around his face, until it begins to merge in.
Discord stares in awe as the magic absorbs itself into his mask. The mask changes, glowing a calming blue, and with a symbol on the forehead. A symbol of an extended hand.
Discord looks at the Element, and reaches out. His eagle talons grasp his hand, and he feels like a weight has been lifted off him.
Discord smiles, “We... can be friends. You are the only creature to do this in two thousand years, I hope you know. Sir Survivor, Element of Compassion.”
Twilight focuses on Discord, trying to see any dishonesty in his voice or form. She focuses so much, that she doesn’t see the rat jumping at her.
The Element of Magic is ripped from Twilight’s neck, and a rat runs further away with it.
More rats come out of the nearby alleyways, congregating within a writhing mass of fur and flesh.
A green glow comes from the rats, and they form a type of blob. Two holes in the mass glow brighter, looking like eyes. One rat rushes to the top of the mass, and holds the Element of Magic up high.
A voice comes from the rats, laughing sickeningly, “Thou hast not vanquished thine true enemy. Thou shalt nary get close to mine defeat again. For I hath claimed the Element of Magic for mine. Thou hast no chance of winning, Lady Sparkle, Survivor.”
Survivor looks over at him, “What the hell are you?”
The mass looks over to him, “Plague, Lord of Sickness, Spirit of Death!” The Element of Magic glows in his grasp, “Fall!”
Twilight is overtaken with a green glow first, and then the other five. They all begin to cough roughly, and collapse onto the ground. They spasm and seize as buboes break out across their body. Even Discord is overtaken by the green glow, and begins to spasm himself.
Plague then looks at Survivor, “Of course thou would adopt the form of my greatest foe. Thine mask won’t protect thou. Sickness take you!”
A green glow surrounds Survivor, trying to make him collapse as well.
Only, the glow catch fire. A blue fire burns away the green, until it begins it’s calm burn on the surface of his coat. Yet, with a single wave, the fire disappears.
Plague moves forward, “Thou art immune. Feh, thou still cannot defeat me. Sickness is unstoppable.”
Survivor doesn’t even look at his weapons. He keeps his eye on Plague, and draws his revolver, “What makes you so confident? What makes you believe I’ll have compassion to you? Didn’t you kill one third of Europe?”
Plague laughs, “Wonderful, thou know of my exploits. Yes, the Black Death was me. I am not looking for thine compassion, I am looking for thine surrender before I kill thou. I am Sickness, Rats are Sickness... I am Rats. If thou cannot kill every rat, thou cannot kill me.”
Survivor glares at him, “You don’t think I could?” He shakes his head, and smiles. He offers a hand, “There’s no need for us to be enemies.”
Plague looks at the hand, and growls in his raspy voice, “Thou art a fool if thou think thine hand will change me. I am Plague, and I shall not stop until every creature is dead!”
Survivor loses his smile, “Than I shall stop you.”
Plague moves closer, “Thou cannot defeat me! My form is too strong!”
Suddenly, the mark of an extended hand on Survivor’s mask lights up. The rest of the mask begins to shine bright blue, lighting up the area in front of him with it’s brightness. His form soon is surrounded by this blue glow, with the extended hand glowing the brightest.
Soon, the glow is bright enough to make Plague back away a bit.
Survivor smiles, raising his hand into the sky. He nods, and snaps.
Plague is instantly consumed with pain, and the writhing mass begins to writhe even more. Raspy screams come from within, and the screech of rats fills the air.
A blue form appears next to the mass, holding out it’s hand.
Green begins to flow from the rats into the form. It moves like a bolt of lightning, arcing between the two points.
The blue form begins to fill with the green energy, until the last bit of green absorbs inside.
The rats all begin to scatter, returned to their natural forms.
The blue form steps back, and clutches at it’s head. It collapses to it’s knees, screaming loudly as it’s face begins to warp.
It’s skin begins to rip away from it’s body, until the bottom of it billows out.
It’s face bends and warps until it looks like the shape of a bird.
Then, the magic begins to change everything.
Turning skin into coat, face into mask, using all magic available for it.
In the end, what is there is someone that looks like Survivor. Except his mask glows a slight green, and he lacks any face behind the mask. It is a sentient version of Survivor’s clothes, basically.
Plague looks at his form, made up completely of magic. He snaps his head to Survivor, and raises a hand.
He screams out as green energy travels to the gloves, but the mask glows blue, and cuts off the magic before it can be used.
Plague falls onto his back, looking at his hands in horror. He screams out, his voice now absolutely clear and without the rasp he once had.
He begins to wail in a odd mix of indignation, sadness, and horror. He screams in between his wails, his childlike and now high pitched voice breaking in, “What have you done to me!?”
Survivor looks at his form, slight pity in his gaze, “I made you mortal. You have stolen the lives of so many, perhaps it’s time you feel like them. Pain, you can feel that now. You can become sick. You have no body, because you are just a husk of a true person. If you wish to escape, the only way is through Compassion.”
The child-like voice yells once again, “I’ll kill you!”
Plague jumps at Survivor, hands outstretched, planning on grabbing and wringing his neck.
But, before he can wrap his hands around Survivor’s neck, he is blasted back with a purple beam.
Discord points a finger gun at him, twirling the Element of Magic absentmindedly in his other hand, “You won’t lay a hand on him.”
Survivor smiles, “Thank you, Discord.”
He smiles back, and tosses the Element back to the recovering Twilight, “I’m not going to let this murderer kill the one nice creature in a millennia.”
Plague rolls over onto his knees, panting from the sudden lance of pain, “I shall not be defeated!”
Survivor cocks an eyebrow, “You already are.”
Plague looks into the sky, and screams with all his breath, “I am willing to serve!”
Black fire breaks out across his form, slowly burning him away.
He laughs out loud, glaring at Survivor as he disappears into the black flames.
“For thine service to our fair nation of Equestria, including the reformation of Discord and the defeat of the one known as Plague, we doth declare thee citizen and Lord of Equestria.”
Celestia smiles, looking at the man kneeling before them, “Do you, Survivor, promise to uphold the will of your Princesses?”
He nods, “I do.”
Luna looks down at him, “Doth thou vow to put peace, Harmony, and the common good above all else, including thine own safety?”
He nods, “I do.”
Celestia nods, “Will you stand firm against the enemies of Equestria, no matter who they might be?”
He nods, “I will.”
Luna looks at him, “And will thou use thine power with responsibility?”
He nods, “I shall.”
Celestia taps her horn on each of his shoulders, “Then we proclaim you Lord Survivor of Equestria.”
Luna taps her horn the same, “And we doth bequeath upon you the Blackrock Desert that doth border Equestria and Griffonia, for thine use.”
He looks up, and rises, “Thank you, Princess Luna, and thank you, Princess Celestia.”
Celestia smiles, “I hope you aren’t afraid of speaking in front of crowds, Lord Survivor. Ponies have come from all over to listen to the one who redeemed Discord.”
He nods, “Don’t worry, I know what I’m going to say.”
Luna smiles as well, “We wish thee luck, Lord Survivor. Thou art the first Lord we hath given lordship to since our banishment.”
“Don’t worry, Princess Luna, I’ll make sure this doesn’t end in embarrassment.”
She nods, “We thank thee, and hope thou art correct.”
He turns to the nearby balcony, and steps out onto it.
The ground below him is filled with ponies and creatures of all different types. Griffons, Yaks, Minotaurs, even a few Dragons. They all look up at him, expectingly.
He looks down at the gathered crowds, putting his hands on the edge of the balcony. He takes a deep breath, and mutters, “Just think like a Lord.”
The crowd quiets down.
He looks at them once more, “Hello, everyone. Forgive me if I’m being a bit more casual than you expected, but I won’t keep this long. Firstly, I want to thank Princess Celestia and Luna for giving me this title. I am honored to have even be considered for becoming a Lord, much less actually becoming one. Secondly, I want to thank all of you for coming to hear me speak. Really, it means a lot to me. Now, onto what you’re all here for. What shall I do with my newfound Lord powers? Well, it’s rather simple. I shall work alongside Twilight Sparkle in order to create technology and bring knowledge to this nation and this world, such that it may help every creature live a better and more complete life.”
He pauses, looking down to see the crowd’s reaction.
He takes a deep breath, “Well, that’s all. Have a wonderful day.”
———
Plague growls at the much larger man in front of him, “Thou shalt assist us in getting our power back!”
The man looks down at Plague, “And why the fuck would I do that? I don’t give a shit about you.”
Plague pauses, “There shalt be blood, Khorn, gallons of it spilt by thine axe. Assist us, and thou shalt get the blood thy so want.”
Khorn smirks, “Blood? Really? That’s all? Sorry, but I don’t feel like doing the fucking legwork for you. You want help, ask somebody else. Otherwise, fuck off.”
Khorn walks off, and Plauge growls, punching the nearest object.
His fist crashes into the fleshy Tree of Destruction, getting blood over his gloves.
Leaning against the tree is an alicorn with a golden mane and crown, with rotting flesh and a golden necklace around his neck.
The alicorn laughs haughtily, “As I expected, Khorn is far from a team player.”
Plague turns to look at him, “Art thou a team player, then?”
He shakes his head, “Not for you, I’m not. Your previous form was made of rats, and rats are a problem for lesser creatures than I.”
Another alicorn trots over, towering over the rotting alicorn, and even being a bit taller than Plague, “You speak as if you are royalty, Blueblood, and not just a foal wearing a stolen crown.”
Blueblood scoffs, “As if you’re one to speak, Ordirus. You were beaten by a drunk alien in a pony’s body.”
Ordirus stares down Blueblood, “Harmonikus is a better king than you ever will be, Blueblood.”
Plague steps forward, “Ordirus, wouldst thou help me?”
Ordirus looks over at him, “No. You killed your version of me, and thus I will not help you.”
Plague shakes his head, and walks away from the Tree of Destruction. Standing in the dark of the Void, he sees two glowing red eyes.
The eyes look at him, unblinking, as the sound of odd breathing fills the air.
Keeeee...sssseeeeerrrrr
Plague looks into the eyes, “Please, we beg thee, we need thine help. We doth not know thine name, nor thine power, but we request assistance. What is thine name?”
Keeeee...sssseeeeerrrrr
Plague nods, “Emperor Keeser, we ask for thine assistance. We art Plague, Lord of Sickness. Thou art the only one left for us to go to. We seek revenge.”
The eyes stare at Plague, and the darkness somehow intensify around them.
The moon shines down upon a large city, casting the place into darkness. Men walk the streets, carrying torches and watching.
One such man looks down a stone road, pausing and drawing his sword as he sees a shadowy figure down it.
He walks down the road, his armor clinking against itself. He pauses about halfway down the road, “Show yourself. You are breaking curfew.”
The form slowly turns around, glowing a slight green light, “Centurion, thou art the one we seek. Lay down thine blade, and surrender, and it shalt be quick.”
The centurion looks at the figure, and holds his sword out, “Mars help me. You are not welcome here, barbarian!”
The figure laughs, “Thou know not what thine words mean. We don’t care. Keeser, eviscerate him.”
A dark mist comes out of nowhere, surrounding the centurion and snuffing out his torch.
The only light in this darkness are two red dots, staring into the soul of the centurion. The sound of breathing fills the air.
Keeeee...sssseeeeerrrrr
———
The galloping of a horse comes to a stop outside of a dark cave.
The armored knight on top of the horse slowly gets off, and pats the horse’s head, “Good job. Thou shalt wait for mine return.”
The horse whinnies in response.
The knight chuckles, “Thou shouldn’t worry, friend. ‘Tis but a drake, naught but a fly to a knight like myself. Thou might get some scale armor from this fight, but be ready to gallop.”
The horse paws at the ground.
The knight draws a longsword from his waist, and marches into the cave.
Inside of the cave is a giant red dragon, which glares down at the approaching man.
The knight holds his sword up, “Drake, thou shalt listen to mine command! Thou hath kidnapped mine wife, and art a villain to the King of England! Surrender thine life with peace, and thine death shall be quick.”
The dragon chuckles, filling the cave with black smoke, “Thou art a fool, Prince. Mine flames shalt roast thee in thine armor, and I shalt feast on thy flesh. Thou can flee, but thou nary stand a chance against me.”
A green glow fills the cavern, and the dragon’s chuckles slowly turn into gasps for air. The dragon reaches up to it’s throat, as it struggles to breathe. Before the minute’s end, the dragon collapses to the ground, not breathing anymore.
A woman slowly walks to the prince.
The prince looks at the dragon, and smiles, “Aha, I hath slain the drake!”
The woman points behind him, “Nay, you fool. It ‘twas him.”
The prince turns around, seeing the figure of a plauge doctor before him.
He smiles wider, “Ah, good doctor, I thank thee for thine assistance.”
The figure tilts his head, “Thou thank us? Thou art foolish indeed.”
The prince frowns, “He has insulted me!” He charges, swinging his sword down, “Take this, scoundrel!”
A curved sword comes out of nowhere, blocking the blow. Darkness begins to surround the prince, red eyes staring at him, as the sound of breathing fills the air.
Keeeee...sssseeeeerrrrr
———
Two men rush through a forest, coming to a stop right before a clearing.
The two men, wearing grey coats and carrying rifles, peek their head into the clearing.
Within, they see the remains of a camp. Bodies are laid everywhere, wearing blue jackets and caps. Horses are the only things left alive, trying to break from their posts.
One of the men look to the other, “It looks like we had a FOB here.”
The other nods, “Something killed all of them, and it certainly ain’t anything I’ve seen before. What do you think did it, John?”
John looks back to the clearing, “It looks like something precise, to be sure. Killed all the people without damaging the tents or anything. Fire is out, but that might just be time. I can’t say how old it is, though, so it might still be around.”
The other man frowns, “God protect us, and may he help them find place in Heaven. Looks like a demon went through there. Should we investigate?”
John pauses, “We need to report it back to Corporal, but we need to get a closer look.” He slowly stands up, “Keep an eye out, and watch my ass. Make sure your rifle is ready to fire in an instant.”
The man nods, clicking his rifle’s safety off.
John moves into the camp, and his presence seems to calm the horses down.
He walks up to one of the bodies, kneeling down and examining the damage to the body.
A slash through the back implies that the man was struck by a sword, struck hard enough to cut all the way through his pack.
John shakes his head, “God have mercy on your soul. I’ll come back, and make sure you get a proper Christian burial.”
He pauses as he hears the horses begin to panic again.
He quickly stands up, scanning the area with his rifle at the ready.
A shot rings out from behind him, followed by screams which are quickly cut off.
John looks back where his comrade was, only to see a head rolling on the ground. The body of the man collapses after a second, staining his grey coat with red.
He spins around, keeping his rifle trained on the woods.
A dark mist begins to seep out of the forest, eating the light the sun shines upon it. Red eyes stare out of the darkness.
John takes aim, and fires. His bullet disappears into the darkness, not doing anything.
John takes a step back, reaching up to his neck, grabbing the cross on his necklace. He mutters, “Lord God who looks down on me, grant me strength against this evil force so I may vanquish it in your name.”
The mist approaches ever closer, enveloping John as he continues to mutter his prayers. He begins to shout over the sound of breathing.
Keeeee...sssseeeeerrrrr
———
The door to a house bursts open, as a man rushes inside, “Eva! The Soviets are near!”
A bomb explodes outside, and a little girl rushes to the door. She has a bag in her hands, and looks at the man, “Where do I go, papa?”
He motions for her to follow, “The 12th Army is helping evacuate. Find Machenstien, he will smuggle you to America. We have family there, and I know you can find them.”
She nods, and follows him as he walks out into the streets, “Where will you go, papa?”
He draws his pistol, “I shall find you, Eva. Or I shall die before I can.”
He pauses as he hears Russian from down the street. He pulls the girl into an alley.
He kneels down, taking out a knife and placing it in her hands, “Eva, dear, listen to me. Take this knife, and run. Do not let the Soviets get you. If you must, you are to die before they get you. It is a more merciful fate then they would grant you.”
She takes the knife, and gives him a hug, “Okay, papa.”
He breaks up the hug, “Run, Eva, and don’t ever look back.”
The girl nods, and runs to a nearby alley, before disappearing into the darkness.
The man raises his pistol, peaking around the corner of the alley. A Soviet walks down the street towards him. He raises his pistol, and fires. The Soviet collapses, causing his comrades to begin to shout Russian.
The man takes cover in the alley as the Soviets begin to shoot at him. He shouts, “You Russian dogs shall not step down this street! The Reich might fall! Germany might fall! But Egbert Schmidt will not!”
The shooting suddenly stops, and Egbert pauses.
After a few seconds, he slowly peeks his head around the corner, his pistol at the ready. His eyes widen as he sees the dead bodies of the Soviets down the street.
Before he can celebrate his victory, he hears a whistling sound from next to him.
An artillery shell hits the alleyway, sending him flying out into the street. He coughs blood up onto the street, and barely manages to grab his pistol again.
He sees boots fill his vision, and mutters, “What happened to my legs?”
“What a cruel fate for thou. Keeser, surround him.”
Darkness begins to surround him, filling the air with the sound of breathing.
