Lyra - Unleashed

The slug hit my chest and the whole world exploded in pain. I lost my vision and couldn’t move, but I wasn’t dead. Somehow I survived Sunset’s attack, and she didn’t even notice it. They called two servants who carried my body out of the castle, even out of the city and threw me into a trench near the street. I lay there for a few hours, unable to move or open my eyes. When I already gave up hope, I heard something next to me. Thinking of all the creatures that live in the Badlands I prepared for the worst, but I suddenly felt a lot better. I even could stand up, though a bit ditzy, but I managed not to fall.

What happened? How did I survive that? - Guess who’s back, Lyra!

Could that be? My human half returned to me and saved my life, after it fought willing against me three years ago, trying to kill me?

What do you want? Being parted from you was the best thing that happened to me since this all began! - I know, we had some trouble in the past. But I realized that you were right all the time. It’s not about being human again or have all the might that Sunset promised us. When she handed me to Chrysalis I knew that I’d made a terrible mistake. This damn parasite fed off me the whole time, nourished from my feelings towards Bons. Even though I never wanted to be a pony, those weren’t fake. And Sunset knew that when she showed up here. She never wanted to rule together with me, she had this plan the whole time after you defeated us. I… I’m so sorry for what happened. I flew from the castle after I heard that you’ve been there and looked for you all around the city. And now, I finally found you. I almost thought you’d be dead, so I merged with you instantly. I’m glad it’s not too late.

Even though I wasn’t sure that being complete again was a real benefit, after all I couldn’t trust myself, I was happy to not be dead.

If you’re truly on my side now- I totally am. That bitch will pay for what she did to us and Bon Bon. - Then I guess it’s payback time. Finally.

I smirked. It was time to mount the heavy guns.

____________________________________________

During my time in the Gryphon Empire I met another unicorn, Trixie Lulamoon. I can’t say we became the best friends, but we had an helpful relationship since. And she had something that I could use for my final victory; the Alicorn Amulet. It was time to take a visit.

I had to be extremely careful when I left the Badlands. Sunset and Chrysalis already prepared their attack against Canterlot and there were changeling soldiers everywhere. With my human part at my side, I was even more vengeful and stronger than I could ever have been without her. One time I accidentally got right into an entire battalion of changelings, at least 20 soldiers. They had no chance against the combined powers of me and my human double. We both used the same magic, but we knew everything the other thought, so we were able to attack multiple enemies at the same time. After not even a minute no single changeling was left. The only remains that testified the fight that just happened where some pools of dark blood and a few black pieces that covered the ground.

We’re getting good at this. Maybe we should have a dead changeling as our cutie mark. - No. We shouldn’t have fun in killing. Even though I have to admit it’s satisfying to see the fear in their eyes every time, right before they get dismembered. - Of course it is! Don’t ever forget what they did and what they’re going to do if we don’t stop them!

Actually, the changelings hadn’t harmed me at all. I just hated them for standing in my way and allying with Sunset, but that was enough to get an adrenalin kick every time I ended one of their miserable lives. I wasn’t at my maximum power, still injured from Sunset’s spell, and my human part was weakened from Chrysalis‘ parasitism, too, but even now we felt like we could strike down the entire changeling army. The only two threats were Sunset and Queen Chrysalis, but once I recovered and had the Alicorn Amulet, nothing could stop me from finally ripping them into pieces like every other opponent that faced me so far.

Due to the fact that the Gryphon Empire is just next to the Badlands, it wasn’t a long trip there. After about two days I arrived at the border, and after one more day we entered Clawdor, the capitol. It didn’t take long to find Trixie as she was one of the few magical creatures there, and I knew her magic print. I entered the little shop in which she sold some worthless ‘artifacts’ to unknowing tourists. It was totally stuffed inside, every wall was covered with huge shelves, overloaded with useless crap. Behind a small counter I spotted Trixie; Blue coat, light blue mane with even lighter stripes, purple eyes and a magic wand as cutie mark.

“Lyra? It’s been a while. I thought you were in the Badlands?”

“Yes, I was there. Listen, I need something from your… ‘personal’ stock.”

“You know, everything here can be bought for a few bits. But you also know, that nothing of this is really worth the price.” She laughed, as if we were best friends that just hadn’t seen each other for a time.

“Don’t think I’m silly, Trixie. You know what I’m talking about. I need the amulet.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Trixie… I’m getting really tired of your shit. Hand me this goddamn amulet!” The last sentence sounded more threatening than I wanted it to be, it somehow sounded like it was spoken by two persons at the same time. In a way, it was.

“Lyra, you start to scare me! I don’t have whatever you want from me! Now leave the shop or I’ll have to call the guards!”

Rage seized my body. I lifted in the air.

“One last time. GIVE ME THE AMULET!”

My mane fluttered like in a storm and behind me some of the shelves wavered alarming.

“DO WHAT I TELL YOU, YOU STUPID FILLY!”

Trixie went pale like a corpse and started rummaging under her desk.

“Ok, Ok! I’ll give you your damn necklace! I can’t use it anyway, this prick Twilight Sparkle would find me, so take it!”

I calmed down and stored the amulet in a saddlebag that I grabbed from one of the shelves. Would be better if nobody sees this thing.

What did she mean with that, Twilight would find her if she uses it? - Does that really matter? If Twilight tries to stop us, she’ll be crushed like all the other insects in our way.

I left the messy shop and walked towards the edge of the town. When I arrived there, three little sparkling stars appeared a few steps in front of me and grew bigger, until Twilight, Luna and Celestia faced me.

Great.. “What do you want? Shouldn’t you be in the castle and defend it against the changelings?”

“Lyra, we’re in serious trouble. Chrysalis has become more powerful then ever before and Sunset regained all of her strength. We fought to the last pony, but they just overran us. I’ve never seen such might… and now that they have the portal, they’re even stronger! We know you want to fight against Sunset, and we’ll help you.”

“I don’t need your help anymore. If I go there with you on our side, Sunset will never receive what she deserves for her actions. I will defeat both of them, and I don’t care what happens to Chrysalis, but Sunset will be mine. And if any of you try to stop me… I advise you to not find out what will happen. I have more power than I could have ever imagine. With my human part I’m finally strong enough to bring justice to this place!”

Celestia and Luna looked at me with a mix of skepticism and aversion, but Twilight suddenly stared at my saddlebag.

“No, Lyra, no! She’s got the Alicorn Amulet! Lyra, you mustn’t use this! It obscures your conscience and turns you into a mare of darkness!”

“Twilight… I’ll use whatever the fuck I want. Now leave, all of you, and don’t dare coming back before I finished what I began in the Badlands.”

The three princesses looked at me angry and took on an attacking pose. They really wanted to take the amulet, no matter the costs.

They are weak. We should just get rid of them before they deal some serious damage. - No, we won’t kill them, after all they’re the rulers of Equestria. The only person we want to get our hooves on, is Sunset. If they want to fight, we’ll knock them out, but we won’t kill them!

“Is this some kind of joke? You’re no enemy for me. Let me pass, or you’ll regret it.”

“Lyra…” Celestia had a sad expression on her face. “Just give us the amulet and nopony will get hurt. This artifact is too powerful for a single unicorn.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“Then you give us no options. I’m sorry about that.”

Luna lowered her head and threw a black ball at me, which I dodged without a problem. Celestia and Twilight held their horns together and began to cast a spell that surely would end me, but they took long enough to give me time and get out of the death-zone.

“This is your last chance, get away or I’ll fight back!”

As respond some more deadly spells were thrown at me.

You’ve warned them, no let’s bring this to an end.

My horn glowed and I levitated the amulet out of my bag. I buckled it on and pure might filled my body, a might that I could never have imagined. My hole body began to shake and on my front hooves a pair of red and black claws appeared, made out of pure energy. Without thinking about it I raised and stood on my two back hooves now, just like a human.

“This is my final warning! Back up, or you force me to fight you!”

The princesses solidified for a moment, but they didn’t give up. They continued casting spells at me, but I didn’t care about that anymore. Every single one of their pathetic magics bounced off me, like a ball from the ground. I began to use my own magic and my horn lightened in the same black-red my claws were.

“You leave me no choice. I won’t enjoy this, but you will hate it.

I grabbed the three and hold them up in the air, crushing their throats until they coughed, but I wouldn’t kill them. I smashed them on the ground several times till they were unconscious, then I let them go. They hit the ground and my rage tailed off. My claws disappeared and I was back on all four hooves.

We shouldn’t have done that. We have to get sure to never again loose control like that! - It was necessary, you know that. We can’t afford having to worry about them falling in our back when we fight against Chrysalis and Sunset. - I guess you’re right…