Seeing Yellow, The Return

A few minutes later, a booming female voice was heard. Chrysalis. Our small group of 11 moved, and faced the army over a massive grassy field. Queen Chrysalis was laughing at us.

"How can you think to stop me. There are a few of you. You can't expect to win. While I hold the Elements of Harmony, you are useless!" I could see her. She was wearing the Elements of Harmony. All of them.

I used some magic to amplify my own voice and I stepped forward. "That's where you're wrong, Chrysalis!" I shouted.

Chrysalis spoke again, and her voice was no longer laced with cockiness.

"Oh! A human? Celestia, you don't think that bringing a human here was help your chances, do you? He is just as weak as the others of his pathetic species. Easily controlled. Watch as your human is controlled just as simply."

My mind was assaulted once more. I expected this. I broke out of the mental link within 10 seconds. Chrysalis was surprised, but hid it very quickly.

"Oh, so you want to play, do you, human? Come play then."

Her army charged. I yelled. "Stop!"

My powerful voice rang out over the field. The charging army halted. I yelled to Chrysalis. "Ms. Chrysalis, I doubt your power. Why are you not just destroying us yourself? I think you are scared of me."

"Scared?" her sneering voice yelled. "Scared of a petty human? Never."

"Then prove it. You and me. One on one, no magical forcefield."

She considered this. "Fine! Come to me. Let us duel."

Just as planned. Sometimes, cliché sayings can really help.

"I'll be there in a second." I yelled before I cut my loud voice off. I turned to the group. "Don't follow me." I smiled at them. I took off my hoodie, throwing it behind me. I concentrated for a bit and then I doubled over in pain, as my back seemed to rip open, as something pulled itself out. After a few seconds, I felt the pain recede, as I outstretched my wings. My large white feathered wings. I heard the group behind me gasp. I looked over my shoulder and smiled at them. Then I launched myself into the air, the wind rushing against my face.

I had learned of the 'Wings' spell in the spellbook, and in the three years Fluttershy had not been around, I had practised flying. It was more difficult than it looked. It took me a while just to learn how to control them, but finally, after almost a year of practise, I could fly around competently. Having wings was fun, and an upside to them was that I could retract them into myself... very painfully. But, it was worth it to be able to fly. That freedom of being able to soar in the sky was unimaginable. I didn't tell Fluttershy about my wings. I was going to show them to her in the 2 weeks we were going spend together, but that was cut short.

I landed in front of the empty space in front of Queen Chrysalis. She was exactly the same as I remembered her from the show. A jet-black, pony-like creature, with a twisted unicorn horn, hiding a small black and blue crown. Her insectoid wings were tattered and filled with holes, just like her legs, which had similar holes in them. Her messy teal tail was about the same length as her equally as messy mane, which was draped in front of her face. Her large green eyes gleamed at me. Unlike Fluttershy, these eyes showed no warmth or love. I saw that she was wearing the Elements of Harmony. The necklaces were on various parts on her body. There was one on her throat, next to a small tablet I had never seen before, and the rest of the necklaces were on her legs. The crown was perched on her head, slightly lopsided. The Elements of Harmony resonated a power of evil. The original bright colours they usually had were replaced with a shade of green. I looked into Chrysalis's face and she fluttered her large eyes with at me.

"Oooooh! You have wings too?! Aren't you just cute?! I might just spare you so I can have you around. Then I'll slowly rip your skin off. Won't that be fun?"

"I'll pass on the skin-ripping. You are going to fight without your magic barrier, correct?"

"Of course. I don't intend to lose."

She flashed a grin at me. I could see fangs. I didn't know if they injected poison into those they bit into, but I didn't want to stick out my arm and allow her to try it.

Without warning, she fired a bolt of energy at me, which I deflected easily into the air. Firing my own bolt of energy at her, the two of us started to attack. Magic flew through the air. It was either sent spiralling off somewhere or it was simply dodged. We started to move ever closer, the spells becoming ever harder to deflect as the gap closed between us. Without warning, she lunged at me. Dodging to the right, I brought my fist around and slammed against the changeling's flank. She fell but instantly got back up and lunged again. This time, we collided and I fell to the ground, Chrysalis on top of me. Her head lunged for my throat, mouth open wide. I pushed her head to the side and threw her away, but I couldn't avoid her sharp teeth which ripped some skin off my throat. I gasped as the cool air rushed against the wound as I stood up.

Queen Chrysalis lowered her head so her sharp horn was aiming at me. She galloped towards me. I dodged out of the way, but Queen Chrysalis turned extremely quickly and galloped towards me once more. This time I wasn't fast enough. The twisted black horn stabbed me in the lower chest and Chrysalis lifted me up with it, while I slowly got more and more impaled on the horn. Blood was falling onto the horn, slowly moving down it. Chrysalis grinned with malice. I grinned back at her, and her smile faltered. I grabbed the changeling and pulled myself down further into the horn. With the horn now stabbed completely through my chest, the point slightly protruding out of my back, I reached forward and ripped the tablet off her neck. I winked at her shocked face and I teleported away from the scene.

I reappeared back in front of the 10 ponies, who hadn't moved from where I had left them. They all stared at me. All of their eyes were at the wound in my chest. I placed my hand against the wound and used my magic to heal it. It sapped quite a bit of my strength, but it was all worth it. I presented the tablet to Princess Celestia which she levitated. She studied it for a moment then destroyed it with a small explosion.

Instantly, the air around the enemy force began to shimmer. It pulsed with light a few times. Then something broke in the air. I raised my hand and fired a bolt of energy at the nearest monster. It was enveloped by the light and was gone. I swept my hand in a wide arc, and the ponies and humans alike collapsed and were swept to one side, out of the way. Drained of energy, I instantly fell to one knee and I could hear a loud female voice yelling something.

The monsters charged towards us. Even though the magic barrier had gone, they still had an advantage due to numbers. Above me, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia were casting spell after spell at the incoming army. Monster after monster dissipated in front of me. I could only watch as monsters came ever closer.

My field of vision was obscured by yellow as Fluttershy trotted in front of me.

"Please! You have to do something!" she yelled at me.

"I can't... I'm too weak." I replied.

"My love will give your strength."

Fluttershy lent in and kissed me. As she did, new, unfamiliar strength rushed into me. I broke the kiss and Fluttershy collapsed into my arms. I laid the mare on the ground and, with a gentle touch across her sleeping face, I rushed over to the princess's of the sun and moon, who were valiantly defending the mane 6, but they were slowly losing ground. Every time a monster disappeared, another one took it's place as the endless horde charged. I raised my hand, ready to cast a spell, but then my logical brain engaged so I could face a very real truth.

There was no way out of this.

That much was certain.

But... there was one thing...

One thing that would save us...

The trouble is... actually doing it...

And god... what I would do would be so cliché...

I lowered my hand and walked back to Fluttershy. I knelt down next to her and fed a bit of my energy to her, making her wake with a start. Without speaking, I hugged her. I moved my mouth close to her ear.

"Goodbye."

I moved my face in front of hers. She lent in to kiss me, but I placed a finger against her lips and I released her. I saw tears fall down her face before I turned and walked back to the god ponies. I spread my white wings wide and launched myself into the air. I looked down and blasted a small hole within the mass of enemies. I flew towards the ground, landing with an audible thump, which impossibly was heard throughout the roar of battle, which ceased immediately. Every monster in Chrysalis's army turned to face me.

Then they charged. I held both of my hands out, for one final spell. I started glowing. The monsters grew ever closer. Wait for it...

The first monster lunged at me, and that's when all hell broke loose. With a burst of light and a boom louder than anything even heard before, the monsters were obliterated. I stood, in the middle of a destroyed field. I saw that the pile of humans and ponies alike were untouched. I glanced over my shoulder and saw the 9 ponies standing up on a hill, all unharmed. The last pony was flying towards me as fast as she could go.

I smiled as I started to glow again. I, myself, slowly disintegrated. White light flowed from my body as gaps in my skin appeared. I sighed. The price for giving everything you have and more to a spell. The price of excessive magic. The price for saving your friends.

And to everyone out there who thinks 'Hey, he will be fine. He's narrating this story, right?" You can't be more wrong. I won't be fine. This story will never be narrated be me again.

I turned and saw Fluttershy racing towards me, only meters away. I smiled at her. Then, I disappeared, into the brightness of freedom.