SMITE- Of Gods and Poniesby Guy who Buried his HeadChaptersChapter IChapter IIChapter IIIChapter IVChapter VChapter INothing. That's usually how most things seem to begin. From emptiness. But something always comes forth, something from nothing. Twilight Sparkle never believed such a thing was possible. To her, everything is made from something else. Nothing just appears. As she looked up at the cloudy sky, her mind wandered like usual. Thinking. Examining. Pondering. She was in one of her 'trances'. Where she would simply stare out the window, thinking of things bigger than herself. Bigger than ponykind. "How did we get here?": the question rattling around in her brain for the past half hour. "More cocoa, Twilight?" A voice asked, breaking the stillness of the library. The mare looked to her side, only to see Spike handing her a mug of a steaming hot brew. "Thank you, Spike." Twilight responded, lifting the mug and returning to gaze out the window. "You've got that look again." Spike noted. "What look?" "That thinking look. You're thinking real hard, aren't you?" "I guess I am." Twilight smirked, taking a gentle sip. "Where do you think we came from?" "Our... parents?" Spike replied, unsure. "No. I mean... everything." Twilight followed up. "What made Equestria, no, the world?" "It's not like I could tell you. Your guess is probably better than mine." "Aren't you curious? Wouldn't it be simply amazing to know how things like ponies and dragons came to be?" "Nah." Twilight's eyebrow twitched, turning to the little dragon. "'Nah'?" She repeated. "Maybe we weren't meant to know." "Humor me, Spike. Make a guess." "Fine. Maybe... some big super pony?" Twilight chuckled, nearly scalding her tongue as she drank. "You don't actually believe a god is responsible, do you? Besides, the Princesses are the only thing closest to gods." "Well... something had to be before them, right?" Spike asked. Twilight paused. He had her stumped. She gazed out the window again. "Gods are impossible. If they really did exist, they'd prove their existence." Her tone sounded serious. "You asked." Spike replied, making his way out of her room. The harder Twilight thought, the more she stared into space. And the more she stared, the less she noticed her body growing lighter... Spike heard a mug shatter on the floor, and he quickly turned around. The cocoa was spilled over the floor, the mug in pieces, and Twilight... wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Twilight!" Twilight hardly felt any change. She felt like she was still sitting in her room. Except instead of her bed, she rested upon a stone tile floor. Instead of a cloudy sky, she looked at well sculpted white marble columns decorated with blue tapestries. And instead of her faithful Spike, she was in the company of several... things. "You are not Nu Wa." An angry voice growled, grabbing her attention. Twilight turned toward the speaker. A reddish-pale creature, standing on two legs. It was covered in another beast's pelt, a jaguar that draped over his shoulders and head. On one arm was a round stone disc, and white feathers on the same arm, on his shoulder and elbow. The other hand carried a small bola, and a long blowgun rested upon his back. Twilight was roughly at its knee height. "What are you?" Twilight backed away in fear. "W-what's going on? What's a 'New-Wah'?" She stammered, only to back into another beast. A monkey. A large ape with a large, wooden staff. It looked like it weighed a ton, but he carried it on his shoulder like it was nothing. It's hairless body was still big and muscular, only his head and tail seemed primate-like. And even more oddly, it wore pants. "Now I've seen everything." The monkey chuckled, picking Twilight up by the head, and scanning over her relatively small stature. "Are you some kind of new minion?" "I am nopony's minion! Let me go!" Twilight cried, flailing her hooves in the air. The monkey dropped her, causing Twilight to land on her hooves. "Enough, you two! You're scaring it." A third voice answered. Twilight wasn't too enthusiastic about this one, either. She'd seen cats like Rarity's Opalescence, but at least those kind were small and fluffy. Twilight started at a tall, lanky, black cat. A similar shape as the other two, except... different. While the monkey and the pelt-wearer had thick arms and broad shoulders, this cat's body was thin at the waist, and... shapely at the chest and hips. It's face was certainly cat-like, along with a tail and claws to match. In one hand rested a golden whip, split into several other ropes. She knelt down gently to Twilight. "You'll have to excuse my partners here. They haven't... well, none of us have ever seen anything like you. What is your name?" Twilight took a deep breath. The first step towards any explanation. "My name is Twilight Sparkle." She said calmly. "Element of Magic, subject of Princess Celestia." The pelt-wearer scoffed. "Royalty." He sneered, disgusted. "Lighten up, X-Ball." The monkey snickered, nudging his shoulder. "Alright, 'Twilight Sparkle'." He said, letting the name roll off his tongue for the first time. "Why are you here instead of Nu Wa?" There was that name again. "Um... I'm sorry. I don't know how I got here. I don't even know what Nu Wa is." "Not what. Who." The cat corrected. "She's the goddess who's supposed to be here." Twilight's mind came to a screeching halt. "Woah, woah, woah. Goddess." She said, trying to confirm the situation. "Yes, that's correct." The cat answered. "A goddess is supposed to be here instead of me." Twilight continued. "Are you dense? Of course she is." The pelt-wearer sneered. "First off, gods cannot exist. There are no deities, spirits, demons, or whatever you wish to call them." She said sternly. "Second, I'm not taking her place, am I?" "You may want to rethink that first statement." The monkey replied. "Because you're looking at gods, in the flesh." Twilight's eyes widened. "Y-you're gods?" She stammered, her knees shaking. "All of you?" "Oh, how could I be so rude?" The cat asked. "I forgot to introduce ourselves. This is Sun Wukong, the Monkey King." She said, and the tall primate smiled as he balanced on the edge of his cudgel. "Xbalanque, the Hidden Jaguar." She continued, gesturing towards the pelt-wearer. "And I am Bastet, the Cat Goddess." "One moment." Sun Wukong noted. "Where's Athena?" "Oh, I nearly forgot. Come, Twilight Sparkle. I'll introduce you to her." Bastet said. Twilight didn't respond. She kept staring up at the three, her body twitching at the revelation of real gods in front of her. "I-I-I-'m gonna need a m-m-m-minute." She stuttered, before her vision grew hazy, and her throat felt dry. Her head spun and spun, until she could take no more. Right then and there, Twilight fainted. Chapter II"Wake up... come now. Wake up!" Twilight heard voices shouting. The darkness in her eyes lifted. She stared up at the sky, and white columns stretching upward. She hadn't left this strange place. She wasn't dreaming. "Rouse yourself, young one." The voice beckoned. This one was new. Twilight sat up. Sure enough, the three from earlier were still here. A fourth god joined them. She looked like another human. Clad in armor, with a bronze spear and shield in hand. Olive colored hair, and scrolls at her belt. Her appearance was less intimidating than that of the others. Twilight was glad to see another lenient face. "You're Athena, aren't you?" Twilight asked. The woman smiled. "You're correct. And you must be Twilight Sparkle." Twilight stood up. "So, what am I doing here? If Nu Wa was supposed to be here, what was she going to do?" She asked. Athena's smile diminished. She turned away from Twilight, and toward the exit of the white room. "To fight a war." Twilight trembled. "War!?" "Afraid so." Sun Wukong answered. "And we're one team member short. Without Nu Wa, our team is sure to fall." "Don't say that." Bastet said. "We still have a chance." "I'd like to see it, then." Xbalanque scowled. "Four against five isn't exactly an even battle." "But we do have five. We have Twilight Sparkle here." Bastet replied. "Wait, me? I can't fight in a war!" "You said you were good with magic, no?" Athena asked. Twilight paused. "Well, yes. But hardly for combat." Athena took a steady look at the mare. "Follow me." She instructed, and Twilight did so. She was led out of the white room, into a much larger pavilion. In the center was a pair of women, towering over both of them. They glowed a divine blue, and each held a gold spear in their hands, while the other hands were bound to each other. "Do you know how we win these kind of wars?" Athena asked. Twilight shook her head. "This is the Titan." Athena explained. "It is the entire source of power for this base. If the Titan falls, we loose." Twilight gulped, and by averting her eyes from the Titan, she looked around the rest of the pavilion. Beyond the Titan were three exits, each met with a round alter near the arch of each exit. Athena set her spear and shield down, and pulled a scroll from her belt. She knelt down, and unfurled it on the floor. It showed an oval shape, with three wide strips stretching from the oblong ends. Two along the edges, one straight down the center. All three met at each end of the oval. "We are here." Athena began, pointing to one end of the shape. "And our enemy is here." She said, pointing at the other end. "These are the lanes, and the area between is the jungle. Each lane has two towers and a phoenix for each side. Behind the phoenixes, lies each side's Titan." Twilight looked up. Sure enough, each alter leading to the exits were set aflame with bright a bright blue pyre. Wings flapped from the fire and with a screech, three cerulean phoenixes rose in front of the Titan. "Now, our goal, along with the enemy's, is to destroy the towers, the phoenix, and then the Titan. The towers must be destroyed first, since everything else behind them is indestructible. The structures attack anything that gets within its range, but targets minions first." Athena went on. "Minions?" Twilight asked. "Mortal men who fight for us." The armor-clad woman clarified. "They're only job is to march down the lanes, and help damage the towers and other minions. Early on, our powers are weak, so its best to stay behind the minions and let them die to the tower." "That sounds like an awful way to go..." Twilight murmured. "Its for our cause. They do not die in vain." "So, where do I come in? What am I supposed to do?" "Again, you use magic, yes?" "Yeah..." "You will go down the middle lane. All you have to do is slay minions, and stay stronger than the opposing god. When you get the chance, follow the minions into the tower, and attack it before it targets you." "Wait, I have to fight a god!?" Twilight cried. "I could get slaughtered!" "Remain calm. When the battle begins, he too will be weak. The more you progress by slaying minions and towers, you will become stronger too. Gods can be slain as well." "You can die?" Twilight asked. "B-B-But how?" "It is simple. Gods assume physical forms, and everything has a limit." Athena went on. "It is not permanent. Gods reappear at the base after a short time." Twilight looked down at the map some more. "What if I need help?" She asked. "Will someone be there to back me up?" "If you need to, you can return to the base and heal. Or simply speak to us. We will hear you." Athena smiled. "One last thing to take care of." She said, pointing to two circles in the middle of each jungle. "The Fire Giant and the Gold Fury. Neutral monsters. Defeating either of them is an advantage." "What will you be doing, then?" "Xbalanque and I will guard the left lane. You take the middle, and Sun Wukong takes the right. Bastet will be jungling." "Jungling?" Twilight asked. "She will venture the jungle killing the monsters within. It is a safe way to become stronger. If needed, she ganks the lanes to help out." Athena said, noticing Twilight raised an eyebrow at the word 'gank'. "Ambush." "Ah." Twilight said. "Kill the minions. Destroy the towers." She said to herself. "And most importantly:..." Athena added. "Do not die." Twilight gulped. She hadn't face anything like this. "If we win... will I go home?" Athena smiled. "I promise." Twilight felt weight lift from her shoulders. "Now, follow me. Time for our first step in this battle." She said, directing Twilight down the middle lane. Chapter IIIThe cobblestone lane was barely quiet. Wind blew through the branches of the jungle, torches crackled lightly with dim fire. Even the sounds of Twilight and Athena's footsteps were audible. As the unicorn walked down the crooked path, she saw the enemy base not to far away. A red fort made of wooden logs, some filed into points. An orange banner hung from the side, bearing an odd symbol: Omega. "We need every advantage we can get." Athena said, turning right into the jungle after they passed the second tower. "Go in there." "I thought you said monsters were in that jungle..." Twilight said nervously. "Yes. You will slay a few monsters together. It will make you stronger." Athena answered. She then made her way to the other jungle, toward the left lane. Twilight faltered, hearing calls of strange creatures from inside. Trusting her companion, she made her way in. Not too deep into the forest was Sun Wukong and Bastet, waiting by a small clearing. "So you are fighting for us." Wukong smirked. "Let's see what you got. Help us take down these furies." "Furies? What's a f-" Twilight was cut off as a screeching pierced the air. Two tall, winged monsters emerged from the brush. They looked like enormous women, covered in blue feathers and taloned feet. Anypony Twilight knew of would probably run screaming at the sight of these beasts. But then again, she wasn't with anypony she knew. The two gods jumped into the fray, Bastet raking her claws against them, and Sun Wukong bashing them with his cudgel. As the furies lashed at them, the gods lashed back. "Well? Do something!" The monkey shouted to Twilight. The unicorn blinked. She was here to fight, so she could take on a few jungle beasts, right? Twilight summoned something to well inside her. She closed her eyes, and clenched her teeth and focused. Her horn buzzed with an untapped power. One she hasn't used in a while... As the energy built up, Twilight released, and sent a surge of purple light barreling toward the target. She opened her eyes, hoping to see the raw power she unleashed, but her blast flew straight over the bodies of the two. The furies lie dead on the forest floor. "Sorry about that. We might've gotten ahead of you." Bastet apologized. "Oh... I-I should've been faster." Twilight sighed. "Don't worry about it, young one." Wukong added. "Just land that blast of yours a little quicker on those minions and you'll be fine." He said, dashing deeper into the jungle. Twilight approached Bastet. "I'm not sure If I'm cut out for this... what are we fighting, anyway?" "We'll find out soon enough. We'll communicate once we learn who our adversaries. Do be careful." She said, prowling away from the lane. Twilight shyly made her way out. Something she hadn't noticed before filled up the lane. Humans, clanging swords and shields in a brutal brawl. Some wore blue, the others orange. "Minions..." Twilight noted. Making her best assumption, the blue ones were her allies. Twilight didn't have enough strength to summon another burst of magic so soon, but smaller beams were manageable. Lucky for her, the unicorn, her beams harmlessly phased through the blue soldiers, and soon the orange minions were all defeated. Twilight's minions trekked down the lane, eager to advance on the tower ahead. A wooden pillar with a crossbow mounted on top. However, before they stepped into the range of the tower, a blazing fire swept out from the jungle, roasting the minions in their tracks. Dumbfounded, the purple mare stepped back, blinking furiously to comprehend what she just saw. They just... burned! Twilight smelled the undeniable smell of smoke, and her eyes stung a little. Out of the forest walked a two-headed god. His skin was black and charred, like he was composed of ash. His legs were covered in red silken pants, and a string of beads draped under his arm, and into his chest. And of course, two heads resting on the same pair of shoulders. Two bald heads, made of the same ash. One set of eyes blazed with a searing anger, the other of elation and crazed joy. He turned toward Twilight, his hands igniting once more. "Twilight, what do you see?" Athena's voice said in Twilight's mind. "Who's in the middle lane?" "Where are you?" Twilight asked, looking around in vain for the source of her voice. "I'm in the left lane. I said you can hear us, and we can hear you. Now, what do you see?" Twilight focused on the foe in front of her. "Uh... two heads... shoots fire?" "That's Agni." Sun Wukong chimed in. "I got Odin in the right lane. "I think Thanatos is in the Jungle. Who's in left?" Bastet added. "Bacchus and Neith." Athena answered. "What?! No! I can't fight against Neith!" Bastet cried out. With all these voices in Twilight's head, and names she didn't recognize, she grew confused. "I don't understand... what's going on?" Twilight was snapped out of her daze by the smell of smoke... no... methane? Either way, it smelled dangerous. Coughing, she backed over to her tower, before the gas was set aflame, burning up in a flash. Agni wandered toward her, stopping at the tower's range. "What's this?" He asked, both mouths speaking at once. "A horse on the battlefield? Shouldn't you be for the cavalry?" He mocked. At this remark, Twilight stood her ground. She had faced countless villains and monsters before, some all on her own, and this guy was going to just put her down like that? No. Twilight was not going to take it. "I don't know why you think you can be so cocky, but it's not going to help!" She shouted, concentrating another burst. She fired it straight at Agni with greater reflex than before, surging right onto him. He skidded a good distance back, the pink energy crackling off him. Agni glared at Twilight. His palms filled with fire, embers trailing off his ashen body. "Maybe I have underestimated you. Just maybe." He growled. "Are you going to hide at your tower like a coward, or are you going to come out and fight?" Twilight stepped forward. She prepared a different blast, one that buzzed the air around her. She couldn't channel it like before... not in a concentrated burst. But... it resonated out from Twilight's horn, with no boundaries, in a wide dome around her. The pink field surrounded herself and Agni. Agni's twin heads swiveled, looking around the dome. It didn't seem to hurt him in any way. "Pitiful." He scoffed. "My turn." He rushed towards her, but much slower. Agni looked at his own feet in shocked as he was slowed, and continued to move forward. Twilight used his brief distraction to sidestep, and readied a quick burst of energy, shooting them rapidly at Agni. With the arrows of pink light pelting Agni, he reared his head back, and inhaled a vast amount of air. He leaned back forward, breathing a wall of fire toward the unicorn. It washed over Twilight in a violent wave of scorching heat, knocking her to her hooves and forcing a painful scream from her. The pink dome faded, and Agni resumed to move normally. Twilight lay on the ground, her coat smoldering and her throat to dry to shout. Everything burned... it hurt so much. Her muscles were too far in pain to lift herself up. The tall fiery being loomed over her, a flame burning in his palm. "See you around..." He cackled, before everything turned red. Chapter IVTwilight felt pain and emptiness since the burning began. Once she stopped feeling anything else, she finally opened her eyes. It no longer hurt to move, or to breathe. Twilight felt cooler, juxtaposed to the searing agony she felt a minute ago. "What were you thinking?" An hostile voice growled at the mare on the floor, bringing Twilight's attention into focus. She was back at the fountain, with Xbalanque leaning over her. "Wha-... what do you mean?" Twilight asked, getting to her hooves. "What happened?" "You insolent mule!" Xbalanque barked. "You got yourself killed! Now Agni is stronger and he's been attacking the middle tower since you were gone!" Twilight flinched at his words. "I-I-I'm sorry! I could just go back and fight again, right?" But... what was that part about her dying? "He's stronger than you now! He'll have the power to kill you again, and again. Soon, you'll be too weak for us." "Hey!" Twilight remarked. "I might've made a mistake, but that's no reason to be so angry! Aren't I part of your team?" "You are." Bastet answered, from behind Xbalanque. "And teammates don't scold other teammates." She hissed at the jaguar. "Don't look at me like that! It's not my fault she died!" "And it's not her fault either. Go back to help Athena." Bastet continued. "Of course it's her fault! She should have known better!" "I told you it was a mistake!" Twilight fired back "It's not like you don't mistakes either!" "Of course I don't! If I did, I wouldn't be here!" Xbalanque snarled. "Are you quite certain? No mistakes whatsoever?" Bastet asked. With that question, Xbalanque looked puzzled, then sneered. "Go back to Athena." Bastet repeated. Xbalanque's fists balled up, before he turned, and continued back to the left lane. "What was that about?" Twilight asked. "Is something wrong?" Bastet sighed. "I suppose that's safe to say. He hasn't exactly been a well-rounded when it comes to being a teammate." "He seems so angry... what happened to him?" Bastet paused for a short time. "It's rather personal for him. But I can tell you that before he joined us, his brother was severely injured, and Xbalanque blamed himself. Why he's so cold now, I'm unsure." She looked back down at Twilight. "We should get going. We need to focus on the task at hand." "But he said Agni was stronger than me. How can I hope to beat him?" Twilight asked. "Don't initiate him alone. Kill minions on your own, use your skills to keep him at bay. And if he becomes to much, just call for me. I'll help you." Bastet said, dashing out for the jungle. "Hey, wait!" Twilight called. "Can I ask you one more thing?" Bastet stopped and turned. "What is it?" Twilight recalled one name from earlier. One that seemed to stand out to Bastet. "Who's Neith?" She asked. Bastet held her tongue. An odd expression came over her, and she slowly walked into the jungle. "It's nothing. Do not worry." Within seconds, she was gone. Twilight made her way back to the middle lane. She didn't understand what was going on, but she did know she was needed. Reluctantly, she wandered back to the middle lane, armed with new knowledge. When she approached the front lines, the tower was cracked and singed, the telltale sign that Agni began his attack on it. He was actually closer to his own tower, following another platoon of minions. "Ah, you're back." Agni's heads chuckled. "I suppose you can't teach an old horse new tricks." Twilight had to remain vigilant. Her anger got the better of her last time. She needed a plan... her burst of energy and slowing sphere seemed to help her a lot. Maybe something else could finish this. Minions trailed beside her, who would soon clash with Agni's minions. Twilight attempted to take down as much of the soldiers as possible, but something caught her eye. Agni violently dashed through the minions, setting them ablaze. He reared his head back, ready to send another wave of fire at her. Now was the time to act. She needed someway to get out of his target. She braced herself... Agni spat the surge of flame, only to see it blast into thin air. "What?! Where di-" Agni stuttered. He spun around to look behind him, only to have Twilight appear behind him and ram two purple hooves into his two faces. The fire god buckled back, his flames searing with rage. He shot one ball of fire straight into the air, returning to the ground seconds later. Twilight barley got of its radius, but she could still feel the heat. "He has all these strong skills... I can hardly keep my distance. Do I have anything that strong?" Twilight thought. She racked her brain for spells that would work. "Of course!" Twilight's horn crackled violently with purple arcs of power, causing the very ground around her to vibrate. The air grew hot as space itself was being ripped apart. Agni only watched in shock as a rift opened between them, and a large beast lumbered out. It was big, blue, and would've made a lesser being tremble in fear. It reared on it's hind legs and bellowed at the sky, before slamming it's massive claws on the ground. Twilight had summoned an Ursa Minor. The mare herself was astonished she pulled off such a feat. Agni threw fireball after fireball at the beast, but the giant bear shrugged it off, making headway towards the adversary. It clenched him in its maw, landing one blow after another with its paws. With hardly any time in between, Agni dissolved into a wisp of flame. The Ursa Minor looked around, confused as to where his prey went. "I... I did it!" Twilight cheered. "I beat him!" The Ursa Minor faded into nothing, and the spell left her drained. Luckily for her, the minions had pushed themselves to the tower, which creaked under it's own weight. Twilight joined her soldiers, and fired more bursts of magic at the tower. Soon enough, the structure crumbled, and the minions let out a triumphant cry. "Nice work." A voice said behind her. Sun Wukong, leaning against his cudgel. "I was wondering what that noise was." "You were watching?" Twilight asked. "Yeah. I would've helped, but I didn't want to steal your thunder." He said, before clutching his arm. "Are you hurt? What happened?" Twilight asked, seeing dark blood dab his fingers. "Oh, it's nothing. Just a skirmish. I was just going to return to the ba-" SHINK! Wukong froze, and his eyes rolled back into his head. Something protruded from his chest, covered in blood. He fell forward, and Twilight was frozen in horror. An ornate, black scythe was thrust into his back, which killed him. White smoke curled off Wukong, into a ball, which levitated up. The smoke was then grabbed by a black hand. The owner was a man, covered in black and silver armor. Not one pair, but two pairs of black wings sprouted from his back, keeping him hovering off the ground. Covering his face was a mask. A steely, emotionless mask with empty eyes. He cackled as he gathered the white smoke, and ripped the scythe from Sun Wukong's body. "Hello, little horse." He spoke with eerie, twisted demeanor. "Your time has come..." Chapter VTwilight slowly backed away from the specter in front of her, her breathes shaky and shallow. The black and silver being drifted forward, his mask hiding his emotions... if he had any. "What's the matter?" He asked mockingly. "You look like you've seen a ghost." He cackled. Not only did Twilight fear she would be killed, but something much worse. Twilight had to do something, but she could hardly look him in the eyes. She worked up the courage to call out. "B-Bastet! Where are you!" She shouted, looking around the empty lane. "I need help!" "Don't waste your time. Your soul already belongs to me..." The spirit said, raising the scythe high over his head. As he arced it down, Twilight narrowly avoided it, but numbing pain rang through her nerves. Her hooves struggled to support herself. Twilight felt her side dripping blood, and her breathing shallow after just one hit. "You're a nimble one..." The being's voice remarked, moving closer. The unicorn launched more energy at him, and rushed toward him, despite her wound. The specter readied another swipe of his scythe, but Twilight only teleported behind him mere inches from the blade. But once behind him, Twilight didn't land another blow. She just ran. She ran as fast as her hooves would carry her. She felt her body growing heavy, and her vision blurred. "I've got you now..." Her attacker cackled, as his black wings expanded in size. They flapped loudly, lifting him high into the sky, following Twilight with deadly precision. She was so focused on just fleeing... how far had she been running? Twilight failed to notice a wide golden disc of light appearing around her hooves. "Twilight... can you hear me?" Athena's voice asked in her mind. "Keep moving. I'm on my way." Twilight's body told her to stop. It hurt too much, and she knew it all too well. But her mind told her it was not over yet. She closed her eyes and took a dive for safety. As the specter darted towards the weakened mare, The ring of light warped into a pillar, from which Athena descended. She slammed down from the sky with tremendous force, shield raised towards the dive-bomber. He rammed his scythe into it head on, causing Athena to skid off her feet from the impact. Twilight kept running, and banked into the jungle to avoid being followed further. Athena slowly got to her feet. "You... stay away from her, Thanatos." She said between breaths. She raised her spear and shield once more. The winged demon, Thanatos looked around. Twilight was long gone. "You've denied me a fresh soul to reap. I suppose I might as well take yours instead." Thanatos readied his scythe once more, blade angled to swipe at Athena. The goddess gripped her shield and spear tightly, waiting for an opportunity. After a few tense seconds, Thanatos's twitched in the slightest motion, and Athena made a quick counter. Charging head on, Athena blocked Thanatos's scythe, and grazed his side with her spear. The reaper strafed and arced another swing, which raked Athena's shoulder. Rattled, her shield dropped from her hand, forcing Athena to keep moving and send several quick thrusts. Thanatos backed away, dodging each blow with ease. The goddess of wisdom made quick strides around Thanatos, until he was in between Athena and her shield on the ground. She rammed her gauntlet into Thanatos and followed through, rolling him onto the ground and picking up the shield on the way. Athena landed him flat on his back, spear directly under his jaw. She was ready to end it here, but she felt a cold sting on her side. Glancing downward, She saw the sleek blade reaching around her and resting at her skin, just enough to puncture her tunic and draw blood. "Stalemate." Thanatos hissed slyly. Athena jammed her heel into Thanatos's joint, only to feel the scythe slice a little deeper. "I won't be afraid to take you down with me..." "If I must be killed for my allies..." She growled through her teeth. "I will pay the price." Thanatos swung the scythe as the spear was lunged down... Twilight's breath was short and painful, as she collapsed on the jungle floor. Her legs ached, and she was terrified.So many 'why's floated through her head. 'Why does it hurt so much? Why did Sun Wukong have to die? Why am I even here?' And most importantly, 'Where are my friends?' Twilight's ear twitched as she heard something deeper in the jungle. A loud, angry voice. But it didn't seem to be directed at Twilight. There was a second voice, less aggressive than the first. Twilight tried to listen. "No! I can't kill her!" "Dammit, Neith! You must! For the clan!" Neith... there was the name again. Despite her injuries, Twilight limped closer, staying concealed in the bushes. When the speakers were visible, Twilight's eyes widened in shock. The first thing she noticed was Bastet. She lay on the ground, with what appeared to be white strings rooting her to the ground. One of Bastet's arms was bleeding, the wound covered by her other hand. But the most discerning thing about her was her eyes. They were filled with fear. Twilight hadn't seen fear on any god's face. Another god lay on the ground. A large, bearded man, wearing a horned helmet and armor of leather and fur. He too was bleeding, with wide scratches across his already worn face. He was kneeling on the ground, clutching his spear to stay upright. A small plate of metal rested upon his right eye, hiding part of his aged, scowling gaze. Between the two, was another woman, unscathed. Neith. She wore a tan linen garb and heels, with bracelets around her wrists and ankles. Her hair was black and cut straight, with an intricate headdress upon her forehead. She had the same look of despair Bastet held, as she pointed a large recurve bow towards the cat goddess. An arrow was between her fingers, primed to be shot. "I... no..." She stuttered, her fingers twitching on the string. The bearded man coughed violently. How old was he? "Neith..." He said, calmer. He rose to his feet, plucking his spear out of the ground. "If you will not do so...I will." Neith's eye's widened. "Odin, you can't! It's not any better! Please, I beg you!" "It's either you or me. It must happen. Kill her." Odin stated. Even Twilight could tell he had a commanding presence. His voice seemed full of wisdom and experience, almost impossible to deny. Neith's hands balled into fists, and a shimmer of a tear dropped off her cheek. "Bastet... please don't hate me for this." She sobbed. She pulled the string back, and a smoky white arrow appeared in her hands. Bastet looked down at the white strings holding her down. "No need..." She muttered. As Neith released the arrow, Twilight charged from the bushes. "Stop!" Odin and Neith took their eyes off Bastet for a brief second, who's claws ripped at her bonds. She made a long leap over her captors, lashing Odin with her claws. "Gah! You mangy litt-" Odin shouted, before Bastet landed, and three enormous panthers leapt from the bushes next to her. One sniffed the scent of fresh blood, and lunged at Odin, claws and teeth gnashing against against him for the taste of flesh. Neith turned with her bow drawn, firing arrow after arrow at the vicious cats, giving time for Bastet to pick up Twilight and escape. The cat goddess carried Twilight deeper into the woods, stopping behind the large trunk of a fallen tree. Only the sound of their heavy breathing broke the stillness of the woods. "Who... what happened?!" Twilight shivered, her vision growing blurry and red from the loss of blood. "Neith... and she's working with Odin." Bastet answered. Twilight Sparkle looked over at Bastet. "That... that name you mentioned." "Yes. She and I are very good friends." "But... why are you fighting? Why was she ready to kill you!?" Twilight asked in disbelief. "The gods need power, Twilight, there is no denying it. Power from mortals. Belief. How we achieve it has torn a rift between many of us. I want to believe th-" Bastet said, before pausing. Her ears twitched, and cursed under her breath before cupping a hand over Twilight and laying low against the ground. Twilight flopped onto the ground as well, confused as to what Bastet was doing. Until... she heard a voice... a familiar, sinister voice from behind their only source of cover. "Bacchus, you bumbling drunkard, enough toying around! I know they went this way!" It was Agni. The mere sound of his voice gave Twilight an uncomfortable burning feeling. "Aah... Lighten up ya *hic* sourpuss..." Another voice said, drastically different from Agni's. It slurred quite a bit... and sounded tipsy. "They couldn't have gotten far... Wanna sip?" "Keep your jug of filth away from me! We've got towers to take down, and it's not going to happen with that cat and horse lurking around." Agni fired back. "Horse? Ya mean like that Guan Yu fellah?" "No, you buffoon. A unicorn." Bacchus let out a hardy laugh. "Ah ho ho ho! A unicorn?! You must be drunker than I am! *belch*" "You disgust me. At any rate, I'll burn down this whole jungle if I have to." Agni replied. Bastet slowly removed her hand, as Twilight knew to stay quiet. She slowly peered over the trunk. She saw Agni and Bacchus, facing away from her and Twilight. The round god known as Bacchus carried a large vat of wine in one hand, a massive leg of turkey in the other, and his toga reeked of wine and a lack of bathing. Bastet ducked back down before she could be spotted, and silently mouthed a few words to Twilight: "Return to base." Twilight nodded, channeling her power and vanished in a blink of yellow light. As she left, Bastet peeked back around. Fortunately for her, Twilight's departure went unnoticed. "They might've fallen back already. Who knows where they are?" Agni's twin heads muttered. "They could be dead." Bacchus added. Agni simply scoffed. Without warning, a ring of darkness formed around the two. "Hey! Whazzat!?" Bacchus shouted, falling backwards in the process. "Where are you? I can't see!" Agni cried, looking around in vain. Seeking the perfect opportunity, Bastet deftly leaped away, knowing her escape was covered. She bounded deep into the jungle, finding herself in the right lane, and in front of Xbalanque. "Good to see you made it out alive." The hunter smirked. "Are you hurt bad?" "I'll be fine. Thanks for the escape. They nearly found Twilight." Bastet sighed, taking the time to rest. "We're nearly there. Got some towers in the way, though." Xbalanque said. "We could take the Fire Giant, too." "Just like old times, huh?" Bastet asked, seeing a line of minions march toward them. "I suppose. I still don't like that horse though." "Her name is Twilight. And she's doing fine. Don't ruin it for the rest of us." Xbalanque paused, before picking up his bola and jogging to the tower. "Let's just go. I don't like to waste time."
Chapter INothing. That's usually how most things seem to begin. From emptiness. But something always comes forth, something from nothing. Twilight Sparkle never believed such a thing was possible. To her, everything is made from something else. Nothing just appears. As she looked up at the cloudy sky, her mind wandered like usual. Thinking. Examining. Pondering. She was in one of her 'trances'. Where she would simply stare out the window, thinking of things bigger than herself. Bigger than ponykind. "How did we get here?": the question rattling around in her brain for the past half hour. "More cocoa, Twilight?" A voice asked, breaking the stillness of the library. The mare looked to her side, only to see Spike handing her a mug of a steaming hot brew. "Thank you, Spike." Twilight responded, lifting the mug and returning to gaze out the window. "You've got that look again." Spike noted. "What look?" "That thinking look. You're thinking real hard, aren't you?" "I guess I am." Twilight smirked, taking a gentle sip. "Where do you think we came from?" "Our... parents?" Spike replied, unsure. "No. I mean... everything." Twilight followed up. "What made Equestria, no, the world?" "It's not like I could tell you. Your guess is probably better than mine." "Aren't you curious? Wouldn't it be simply amazing to know how things like ponies and dragons came to be?" "Nah." Twilight's eyebrow twitched, turning to the little dragon. "'Nah'?" She repeated. "Maybe we weren't meant to know." "Humor me, Spike. Make a guess." "Fine. Maybe... some big super pony?" Twilight chuckled, nearly scalding her tongue as she drank. "You don't actually believe a god is responsible, do you? Besides, the Princesses are the only thing closest to gods." "Well... something had to be before them, right?" Spike asked. Twilight paused. He had her stumped. She gazed out the window again. "Gods are impossible. If they really did exist, they'd prove their existence." Her tone sounded serious. "You asked." Spike replied, making his way out of her room. The harder Twilight thought, the more she stared into space. And the more she stared, the less she noticed her body growing lighter... Spike heard a mug shatter on the floor, and he quickly turned around. The cocoa was spilled over the floor, the mug in pieces, and Twilight... wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Twilight!" Twilight hardly felt any change. She felt like she was still sitting in her room. Except instead of her bed, she rested upon a stone tile floor. Instead of a cloudy sky, she looked at well sculpted white marble columns decorated with blue tapestries. And instead of her faithful Spike, she was in the company of several... things. "You are not Nu Wa." An angry voice growled, grabbing her attention. Twilight turned toward the speaker. A reddish-pale creature, standing on two legs. It was covered in another beast's pelt, a jaguar that draped over his shoulders and head. On one arm was a round stone disc, and white feathers on the same arm, on his shoulder and elbow. The other hand carried a small bola, and a long blowgun rested upon his back. Twilight was roughly at its knee height. "What are you?" Twilight backed away in fear. "W-what's going on? What's a 'New-Wah'?" She stammered, only to back into another beast. A monkey. A large ape with a large, wooden staff. It looked like it weighed a ton, but he carried it on his shoulder like it was nothing. It's hairless body was still big and muscular, only his head and tail seemed primate-like. And even more oddly, it wore pants. "Now I've seen everything." The monkey chuckled, picking Twilight up by the head, and scanning over her relatively small stature. "Are you some kind of new minion?" "I am nopony's minion! Let me go!" Twilight cried, flailing her hooves in the air. The monkey dropped her, causing Twilight to land on her hooves. "Enough, you two! You're scaring it." A third voice answered. Twilight wasn't too enthusiastic about this one, either. She'd seen cats like Rarity's Opalescence, but at least those kind were small and fluffy. Twilight started at a tall, lanky, black cat. A similar shape as the other two, except... different. While the monkey and the pelt-wearer had thick arms and broad shoulders, this cat's body was thin at the waist, and... shapely at the chest and hips. It's face was certainly cat-like, along with a tail and claws to match. In one hand rested a golden whip, split into several other ropes. She knelt down gently to Twilight. "You'll have to excuse my partners here. They haven't... well, none of us have ever seen anything like you. What is your name?" Twilight took a deep breath. The first step towards any explanation. "My name is Twilight Sparkle." She said calmly. "Element of Magic, subject of Princess Celestia." The pelt-wearer scoffed. "Royalty." He sneered, disgusted. "Lighten up, X-Ball." The monkey snickered, nudging his shoulder. "Alright, 'Twilight Sparkle'." He said, letting the name roll off his tongue for the first time. "Why are you here instead of Nu Wa?" There was that name again. "Um... I'm sorry. I don't know how I got here. I don't even know what Nu Wa is." "Not what. Who." The cat corrected. "She's the goddess who's supposed to be here." Twilight's mind came to a screeching halt. "Woah, woah, woah. Goddess." She said, trying to confirm the situation. "Yes, that's correct." The cat answered. "A goddess is supposed to be here instead of me." Twilight continued. "Are you dense? Of course she is." The pelt-wearer sneered. "First off, gods cannot exist. There are no deities, spirits, demons, or whatever you wish to call them." She said sternly. "Second, I'm not taking her place, am I?" "You may want to rethink that first statement." The monkey replied. "Because you're looking at gods, in the flesh." Twilight's eyes widened. "Y-you're gods?" She stammered, her knees shaking. "All of you?" "Oh, how could I be so rude?" The cat asked. "I forgot to introduce ourselves. This is Sun Wukong, the Monkey King." She said, and the tall primate smiled as he balanced on the edge of his cudgel. "Xbalanque, the Hidden Jaguar." She continued, gesturing towards the pelt-wearer. "And I am Bastet, the Cat Goddess." "One moment." Sun Wukong noted. "Where's Athena?" "Oh, I nearly forgot. Come, Twilight Sparkle. I'll introduce you to her." Bastet said. Twilight didn't respond. She kept staring up at the three, her body twitching at the revelation of real gods in front of her. "I-I-I-'m gonna need a m-m-m-minute." She stuttered, before her vision grew hazy, and her throat felt dry. Her head spun and spun, until she could take no more. Right then and there, Twilight fainted.
Chapter II"Wake up... come now. Wake up!" Twilight heard voices shouting. The darkness in her eyes lifted. She stared up at the sky, and white columns stretching upward. She hadn't left this strange place. She wasn't dreaming. "Rouse yourself, young one." The voice beckoned. This one was new. Twilight sat up. Sure enough, the three from earlier were still here. A fourth god joined them. She looked like another human. Clad in armor, with a bronze spear and shield in hand. Olive colored hair, and scrolls at her belt. Her appearance was less intimidating than that of the others. Twilight was glad to see another lenient face. "You're Athena, aren't you?" Twilight asked. The woman smiled. "You're correct. And you must be Twilight Sparkle." Twilight stood up. "So, what am I doing here? If Nu Wa was supposed to be here, what was she going to do?" She asked. Athena's smile diminished. She turned away from Twilight, and toward the exit of the white room. "To fight a war." Twilight trembled. "War!?" "Afraid so." Sun Wukong answered. "And we're one team member short. Without Nu Wa, our team is sure to fall." "Don't say that." Bastet said. "We still have a chance." "I'd like to see it, then." Xbalanque scowled. "Four against five isn't exactly an even battle." "But we do have five. We have Twilight Sparkle here." Bastet replied. "Wait, me? I can't fight in a war!" "You said you were good with magic, no?" Athena asked. Twilight paused. "Well, yes. But hardly for combat." Athena took a steady look at the mare. "Follow me." She instructed, and Twilight did so. She was led out of the white room, into a much larger pavilion. In the center was a pair of women, towering over both of them. They glowed a divine blue, and each held a gold spear in their hands, while the other hands were bound to each other. "Do you know how we win these kind of wars?" Athena asked. Twilight shook her head. "This is the Titan." Athena explained. "It is the entire source of power for this base. If the Titan falls, we loose." Twilight gulped, and by averting her eyes from the Titan, she looked around the rest of the pavilion. Beyond the Titan were three exits, each met with a round alter near the arch of each exit. Athena set her spear and shield down, and pulled a scroll from her belt. She knelt down, and unfurled it on the floor. It showed an oval shape, with three wide strips stretching from the oblong ends. Two along the edges, one straight down the center. All three met at each end of the oval. "We are here." Athena began, pointing to one end of the shape. "And our enemy is here." She said, pointing at the other end. "These are the lanes, and the area between is the jungle. Each lane has two towers and a phoenix for each side. Behind the phoenixes, lies each side's Titan." Twilight looked up. Sure enough, each alter leading to the exits were set aflame with bright a bright blue pyre. Wings flapped from the fire and with a screech, three cerulean phoenixes rose in front of the Titan. "Now, our goal, along with the enemy's, is to destroy the towers, the phoenix, and then the Titan. The towers must be destroyed first, since everything else behind them is indestructible. The structures attack anything that gets within its range, but targets minions first." Athena went on. "Minions?" Twilight asked. "Mortal men who fight for us." The armor-clad woman clarified. "They're only job is to march down the lanes, and help damage the towers and other minions. Early on, our powers are weak, so its best to stay behind the minions and let them die to the tower." "That sounds like an awful way to go..." Twilight murmured. "Its for our cause. They do not die in vain." "So, where do I come in? What am I supposed to do?" "Again, you use magic, yes?" "Yeah..." "You will go down the middle lane. All you have to do is slay minions, and stay stronger than the opposing god. When you get the chance, follow the minions into the tower, and attack it before it targets you." "Wait, I have to fight a god!?" Twilight cried. "I could get slaughtered!" "Remain calm. When the battle begins, he too will be weak. The more you progress by slaying minions and towers, you will become stronger too. Gods can be slain as well." "You can die?" Twilight asked. "B-B-But how?" "It is simple. Gods assume physical forms, and everything has a limit." Athena went on. "It is not permanent. Gods reappear at the base after a short time." Twilight looked down at the map some more. "What if I need help?" She asked. "Will someone be there to back me up?" "If you need to, you can return to the base and heal. Or simply speak to us. We will hear you." Athena smiled. "One last thing to take care of." She said, pointing to two circles in the middle of each jungle. "The Fire Giant and the Gold Fury. Neutral monsters. Defeating either of them is an advantage." "What will you be doing, then?" "Xbalanque and I will guard the left lane. You take the middle, and Sun Wukong takes the right. Bastet will be jungling." "Jungling?" Twilight asked. "She will venture the jungle killing the monsters within. It is a safe way to become stronger. If needed, she ganks the lanes to help out." Athena said, noticing Twilight raised an eyebrow at the word 'gank'. "Ambush." "Ah." Twilight said. "Kill the minions. Destroy the towers." She said to herself. "And most importantly:..." Athena added. "Do not die." Twilight gulped. She hadn't face anything like this. "If we win... will I go home?" Athena smiled. "I promise." Twilight felt weight lift from her shoulders. "Now, follow me. Time for our first step in this battle." She said, directing Twilight down the middle lane.
Chapter IIIThe cobblestone lane was barely quiet. Wind blew through the branches of the jungle, torches crackled lightly with dim fire. Even the sounds of Twilight and Athena's footsteps were audible. As the unicorn walked down the crooked path, she saw the enemy base not to far away. A red fort made of wooden logs, some filed into points. An orange banner hung from the side, bearing an odd symbol: Omega. "We need every advantage we can get." Athena said, turning right into the jungle after they passed the second tower. "Go in there." "I thought you said monsters were in that jungle..." Twilight said nervously. "Yes. You will slay a few monsters together. It will make you stronger." Athena answered. She then made her way to the other jungle, toward the left lane. Twilight faltered, hearing calls of strange creatures from inside. Trusting her companion, she made her way in. Not too deep into the forest was Sun Wukong and Bastet, waiting by a small clearing. "So you are fighting for us." Wukong smirked. "Let's see what you got. Help us take down these furies." "Furies? What's a f-" Twilight was cut off as a screeching pierced the air. Two tall, winged monsters emerged from the brush. They looked like enormous women, covered in blue feathers and taloned feet. Anypony Twilight knew of would probably run screaming at the sight of these beasts. But then again, she wasn't with anypony she knew. The two gods jumped into the fray, Bastet raking her claws against them, and Sun Wukong bashing them with his cudgel. As the furies lashed at them, the gods lashed back. "Well? Do something!" The monkey shouted to Twilight. The unicorn blinked. She was here to fight, so she could take on a few jungle beasts, right? Twilight summoned something to well inside her. She closed her eyes, and clenched her teeth and focused. Her horn buzzed with an untapped power. One she hasn't used in a while... As the energy built up, Twilight released, and sent a surge of purple light barreling toward the target. She opened her eyes, hoping to see the raw power she unleashed, but her blast flew straight over the bodies of the two. The furies lie dead on the forest floor. "Sorry about that. We might've gotten ahead of you." Bastet apologized. "Oh... I-I should've been faster." Twilight sighed. "Don't worry about it, young one." Wukong added. "Just land that blast of yours a little quicker on those minions and you'll be fine." He said, dashing deeper into the jungle. Twilight approached Bastet. "I'm not sure If I'm cut out for this... what are we fighting, anyway?" "We'll find out soon enough. We'll communicate once we learn who our adversaries. Do be careful." She said, prowling away from the lane. Twilight shyly made her way out. Something she hadn't noticed before filled up the lane. Humans, clanging swords and shields in a brutal brawl. Some wore blue, the others orange. "Minions..." Twilight noted. Making her best assumption, the blue ones were her allies. Twilight didn't have enough strength to summon another burst of magic so soon, but smaller beams were manageable. Lucky for her, the unicorn, her beams harmlessly phased through the blue soldiers, and soon the orange minions were all defeated. Twilight's minions trekked down the lane, eager to advance on the tower ahead. A wooden pillar with a crossbow mounted on top. However, before they stepped into the range of the tower, a blazing fire swept out from the jungle, roasting the minions in their tracks. Dumbfounded, the purple mare stepped back, blinking furiously to comprehend what she just saw. They just... burned! Twilight smelled the undeniable smell of smoke, and her eyes stung a little. Out of the forest walked a two-headed god. His skin was black and charred, like he was composed of ash. His legs were covered in red silken pants, and a string of beads draped under his arm, and into his chest. And of course, two heads resting on the same pair of shoulders. Two bald heads, made of the same ash. One set of eyes blazed with a searing anger, the other of elation and crazed joy. He turned toward Twilight, his hands igniting once more. "Twilight, what do you see?" Athena's voice said in Twilight's mind. "Who's in the middle lane?" "Where are you?" Twilight asked, looking around in vain for the source of her voice. "I'm in the left lane. I said you can hear us, and we can hear you. Now, what do you see?" Twilight focused on the foe in front of her. "Uh... two heads... shoots fire?" "That's Agni." Sun Wukong chimed in. "I got Odin in the right lane. "I think Thanatos is in the Jungle. Who's in left?" Bastet added. "Bacchus and Neith." Athena answered. "What?! No! I can't fight against Neith!" Bastet cried out. With all these voices in Twilight's head, and names she didn't recognize, she grew confused. "I don't understand... what's going on?" Twilight was snapped out of her daze by the smell of smoke... no... methane? Either way, it smelled dangerous. Coughing, she backed over to her tower, before the gas was set aflame, burning up in a flash. Agni wandered toward her, stopping at the tower's range. "What's this?" He asked, both mouths speaking at once. "A horse on the battlefield? Shouldn't you be for the cavalry?" He mocked. At this remark, Twilight stood her ground. She had faced countless villains and monsters before, some all on her own, and this guy was going to just put her down like that? No. Twilight was not going to take it. "I don't know why you think you can be so cocky, but it's not going to help!" She shouted, concentrating another burst. She fired it straight at Agni with greater reflex than before, surging right onto him. He skidded a good distance back, the pink energy crackling off him. Agni glared at Twilight. His palms filled with fire, embers trailing off his ashen body. "Maybe I have underestimated you. Just maybe." He growled. "Are you going to hide at your tower like a coward, or are you going to come out and fight?" Twilight stepped forward. She prepared a different blast, one that buzzed the air around her. She couldn't channel it like before... not in a concentrated burst. But... it resonated out from Twilight's horn, with no boundaries, in a wide dome around her. The pink field surrounded herself and Agni. Agni's twin heads swiveled, looking around the dome. It didn't seem to hurt him in any way. "Pitiful." He scoffed. "My turn." He rushed towards her, but much slower. Agni looked at his own feet in shocked as he was slowed, and continued to move forward. Twilight used his brief distraction to sidestep, and readied a quick burst of energy, shooting them rapidly at Agni. With the arrows of pink light pelting Agni, he reared his head back, and inhaled a vast amount of air. He leaned back forward, breathing a wall of fire toward the unicorn. It washed over Twilight in a violent wave of scorching heat, knocking her to her hooves and forcing a painful scream from her. The pink dome faded, and Agni resumed to move normally. Twilight lay on the ground, her coat smoldering and her throat to dry to shout. Everything burned... it hurt so much. Her muscles were too far in pain to lift herself up. The tall fiery being loomed over her, a flame burning in his palm. "See you around..." He cackled, before everything turned red.
Chapter IVTwilight felt pain and emptiness since the burning began. Once she stopped feeling anything else, she finally opened her eyes. It no longer hurt to move, or to breathe. Twilight felt cooler, juxtaposed to the searing agony she felt a minute ago. "What were you thinking?" An hostile voice growled at the mare on the floor, bringing Twilight's attention into focus. She was back at the fountain, with Xbalanque leaning over her. "Wha-... what do you mean?" Twilight asked, getting to her hooves. "What happened?" "You insolent mule!" Xbalanque barked. "You got yourself killed! Now Agni is stronger and he's been attacking the middle tower since you were gone!" Twilight flinched at his words. "I-I-I'm sorry! I could just go back and fight again, right?" But... what was that part about her dying? "He's stronger than you now! He'll have the power to kill you again, and again. Soon, you'll be too weak for us." "Hey!" Twilight remarked. "I might've made a mistake, but that's no reason to be so angry! Aren't I part of your team?" "You are." Bastet answered, from behind Xbalanque. "And teammates don't scold other teammates." She hissed at the jaguar. "Don't look at me like that! It's not my fault she died!" "And it's not her fault either. Go back to help Athena." Bastet continued. "Of course it's her fault! She should have known better!" "I told you it was a mistake!" Twilight fired back "It's not like you don't mistakes either!" "Of course I don't! If I did, I wouldn't be here!" Xbalanque snarled. "Are you quite certain? No mistakes whatsoever?" Bastet asked. With that question, Xbalanque looked puzzled, then sneered. "Go back to Athena." Bastet repeated. Xbalanque's fists balled up, before he turned, and continued back to the left lane. "What was that about?" Twilight asked. "Is something wrong?" Bastet sighed. "I suppose that's safe to say. He hasn't exactly been a well-rounded when it comes to being a teammate." "He seems so angry... what happened to him?" Bastet paused for a short time. "It's rather personal for him. But I can tell you that before he joined us, his brother was severely injured, and Xbalanque blamed himself. Why he's so cold now, I'm unsure." She looked back down at Twilight. "We should get going. We need to focus on the task at hand." "But he said Agni was stronger than me. How can I hope to beat him?" Twilight asked. "Don't initiate him alone. Kill minions on your own, use your skills to keep him at bay. And if he becomes to much, just call for me. I'll help you." Bastet said, dashing out for the jungle. "Hey, wait!" Twilight called. "Can I ask you one more thing?" Bastet stopped and turned. "What is it?" Twilight recalled one name from earlier. One that seemed to stand out to Bastet. "Who's Neith?" She asked. Bastet held her tongue. An odd expression came over her, and she slowly walked into the jungle. "It's nothing. Do not worry." Within seconds, she was gone. Twilight made her way back to the middle lane. She didn't understand what was going on, but she did know she was needed. Reluctantly, she wandered back to the middle lane, armed with new knowledge. When she approached the front lines, the tower was cracked and singed, the telltale sign that Agni began his attack on it. He was actually closer to his own tower, following another platoon of minions. "Ah, you're back." Agni's heads chuckled. "I suppose you can't teach an old horse new tricks." Twilight had to remain vigilant. Her anger got the better of her last time. She needed a plan... her burst of energy and slowing sphere seemed to help her a lot. Maybe something else could finish this. Minions trailed beside her, who would soon clash with Agni's minions. Twilight attempted to take down as much of the soldiers as possible, but something caught her eye. Agni violently dashed through the minions, setting them ablaze. He reared his head back, ready to send another wave of fire at her. Now was the time to act. She needed someway to get out of his target. She braced herself... Agni spat the surge of flame, only to see it blast into thin air. "What?! Where di-" Agni stuttered. He spun around to look behind him, only to have Twilight appear behind him and ram two purple hooves into his two faces. The fire god buckled back, his flames searing with rage. He shot one ball of fire straight into the air, returning to the ground seconds later. Twilight barley got of its radius, but she could still feel the heat. "He has all these strong skills... I can hardly keep my distance. Do I have anything that strong?" Twilight thought. She racked her brain for spells that would work. "Of course!" Twilight's horn crackled violently with purple arcs of power, causing the very ground around her to vibrate. The air grew hot as space itself was being ripped apart. Agni only watched in shock as a rift opened between them, and a large beast lumbered out. It was big, blue, and would've made a lesser being tremble in fear. It reared on it's hind legs and bellowed at the sky, before slamming it's massive claws on the ground. Twilight had summoned an Ursa Minor. The mare herself was astonished she pulled off such a feat. Agni threw fireball after fireball at the beast, but the giant bear shrugged it off, making headway towards the adversary. It clenched him in its maw, landing one blow after another with its paws. With hardly any time in between, Agni dissolved into a wisp of flame. The Ursa Minor looked around, confused as to where his prey went. "I... I did it!" Twilight cheered. "I beat him!" The Ursa Minor faded into nothing, and the spell left her drained. Luckily for her, the minions had pushed themselves to the tower, which creaked under it's own weight. Twilight joined her soldiers, and fired more bursts of magic at the tower. Soon enough, the structure crumbled, and the minions let out a triumphant cry. "Nice work." A voice said behind her. Sun Wukong, leaning against his cudgel. "I was wondering what that noise was." "You were watching?" Twilight asked. "Yeah. I would've helped, but I didn't want to steal your thunder." He said, before clutching his arm. "Are you hurt? What happened?" Twilight asked, seeing dark blood dab his fingers. "Oh, it's nothing. Just a skirmish. I was just going to return to the ba-" SHINK! Wukong froze, and his eyes rolled back into his head. Something protruded from his chest, covered in blood. He fell forward, and Twilight was frozen in horror. An ornate, black scythe was thrust into his back, which killed him. White smoke curled off Wukong, into a ball, which levitated up. The smoke was then grabbed by a black hand. The owner was a man, covered in black and silver armor. Not one pair, but two pairs of black wings sprouted from his back, keeping him hovering off the ground. Covering his face was a mask. A steely, emotionless mask with empty eyes. He cackled as he gathered the white smoke, and ripped the scythe from Sun Wukong's body. "Hello, little horse." He spoke with eerie, twisted demeanor. "Your time has come..."
Chapter VTwilight slowly backed away from the specter in front of her, her breathes shaky and shallow. The black and silver being drifted forward, his mask hiding his emotions... if he had any. "What's the matter?" He asked mockingly. "You look like you've seen a ghost." He cackled. Not only did Twilight fear she would be killed, but something much worse. Twilight had to do something, but she could hardly look him in the eyes. She worked up the courage to call out. "B-Bastet! Where are you!" She shouted, looking around the empty lane. "I need help!" "Don't waste your time. Your soul already belongs to me..." The spirit said, raising the scythe high over his head. As he arced it down, Twilight narrowly avoided it, but numbing pain rang through her nerves. Her hooves struggled to support herself. Twilight felt her side dripping blood, and her breathing shallow after just one hit. "You're a nimble one..." The being's voice remarked, moving closer. The unicorn launched more energy at him, and rushed toward him, despite her wound. The specter readied another swipe of his scythe, but Twilight only teleported behind him mere inches from the blade. But once behind him, Twilight didn't land another blow. She just ran. She ran as fast as her hooves would carry her. She felt her body growing heavy, and her vision blurred. "I've got you now..." Her attacker cackled, as his black wings expanded in size. They flapped loudly, lifting him high into the sky, following Twilight with deadly precision. She was so focused on just fleeing... how far had she been running? Twilight failed to notice a wide golden disc of light appearing around her hooves. "Twilight... can you hear me?" Athena's voice asked in her mind. "Keep moving. I'm on my way." Twilight's body told her to stop. It hurt too much, and she knew it all too well. But her mind told her it was not over yet. She closed her eyes and took a dive for safety. As the specter darted towards the weakened mare, The ring of light warped into a pillar, from which Athena descended. She slammed down from the sky with tremendous force, shield raised towards the dive-bomber. He rammed his scythe into it head on, causing Athena to skid off her feet from the impact. Twilight kept running, and banked into the jungle to avoid being followed further. Athena slowly got to her feet. "You... stay away from her, Thanatos." She said between breaths. She raised her spear and shield once more. The winged demon, Thanatos looked around. Twilight was long gone. "You've denied me a fresh soul to reap. I suppose I might as well take yours instead." Thanatos readied his scythe once more, blade angled to swipe at Athena. The goddess gripped her shield and spear tightly, waiting for an opportunity. After a few tense seconds, Thanatos's twitched in the slightest motion, and Athena made a quick counter. Charging head on, Athena blocked Thanatos's scythe, and grazed his side with her spear. The reaper strafed and arced another swing, which raked Athena's shoulder. Rattled, her shield dropped from her hand, forcing Athena to keep moving and send several quick thrusts. Thanatos backed away, dodging each blow with ease. The goddess of wisdom made quick strides around Thanatos, until he was in between Athena and her shield on the ground. She rammed her gauntlet into Thanatos and followed through, rolling him onto the ground and picking up the shield on the way. Athena landed him flat on his back, spear directly under his jaw. She was ready to end it here, but she felt a cold sting on her side. Glancing downward, She saw the sleek blade reaching around her and resting at her skin, just enough to puncture her tunic and draw blood. "Stalemate." Thanatos hissed slyly. Athena jammed her heel into Thanatos's joint, only to feel the scythe slice a little deeper. "I won't be afraid to take you down with me..." "If I must be killed for my allies..." She growled through her teeth. "I will pay the price." Thanatos swung the scythe as the spear was lunged down... Twilight's breath was short and painful, as she collapsed on the jungle floor. Her legs ached, and she was terrified.So many 'why's floated through her head. 'Why does it hurt so much? Why did Sun Wukong have to die? Why am I even here?' And most importantly, 'Where are my friends?' Twilight's ear twitched as she heard something deeper in the jungle. A loud, angry voice. But it didn't seem to be directed at Twilight. There was a second voice, less aggressive than the first. Twilight tried to listen. "No! I can't kill her!" "Dammit, Neith! You must! For the clan!" Neith... there was the name again. Despite her injuries, Twilight limped closer, staying concealed in the bushes. When the speakers were visible, Twilight's eyes widened in shock. The first thing she noticed was Bastet. She lay on the ground, with what appeared to be white strings rooting her to the ground. One of Bastet's arms was bleeding, the wound covered by her other hand. But the most discerning thing about her was her eyes. They were filled with fear. Twilight hadn't seen fear on any god's face. Another god lay on the ground. A large, bearded man, wearing a horned helmet and armor of leather and fur. He too was bleeding, with wide scratches across his already worn face. He was kneeling on the ground, clutching his spear to stay upright. A small plate of metal rested upon his right eye, hiding part of his aged, scowling gaze. Between the two, was another woman, unscathed. Neith. She wore a tan linen garb and heels, with bracelets around her wrists and ankles. Her hair was black and cut straight, with an intricate headdress upon her forehead. She had the same look of despair Bastet held, as she pointed a large recurve bow towards the cat goddess. An arrow was between her fingers, primed to be shot. "I... no..." She stuttered, her fingers twitching on the string. The bearded man coughed violently. How old was he? "Neith..." He said, calmer. He rose to his feet, plucking his spear out of the ground. "If you will not do so...I will." Neith's eye's widened. "Odin, you can't! It's not any better! Please, I beg you!" "It's either you or me. It must happen. Kill her." Odin stated. Even Twilight could tell he had a commanding presence. His voice seemed full of wisdom and experience, almost impossible to deny. Neith's hands balled into fists, and a shimmer of a tear dropped off her cheek. "Bastet... please don't hate me for this." She sobbed. She pulled the string back, and a smoky white arrow appeared in her hands. Bastet looked down at the white strings holding her down. "No need..." She muttered. As Neith released the arrow, Twilight charged from the bushes. "Stop!" Odin and Neith took their eyes off Bastet for a brief second, who's claws ripped at her bonds. She made a long leap over her captors, lashing Odin with her claws. "Gah! You mangy litt-" Odin shouted, before Bastet landed, and three enormous panthers leapt from the bushes next to her. One sniffed the scent of fresh blood, and lunged at Odin, claws and teeth gnashing against against him for the taste of flesh. Neith turned with her bow drawn, firing arrow after arrow at the vicious cats, giving time for Bastet to pick up Twilight and escape. The cat goddess carried Twilight deeper into the woods, stopping behind the large trunk of a fallen tree. Only the sound of their heavy breathing broke the stillness of the woods. "Who... what happened?!" Twilight shivered, her vision growing blurry and red from the loss of blood. "Neith... and she's working with Odin." Bastet answered. Twilight Sparkle looked over at Bastet. "That... that name you mentioned." "Yes. She and I are very good friends." "But... why are you fighting? Why was she ready to kill you!?" Twilight asked in disbelief. "The gods need power, Twilight, there is no denying it. Power from mortals. Belief. How we achieve it has torn a rift between many of us. I want to believe th-" Bastet said, before pausing. Her ears twitched, and cursed under her breath before cupping a hand over Twilight and laying low against the ground. Twilight flopped onto the ground as well, confused as to what Bastet was doing. Until... she heard a voice... a familiar, sinister voice from behind their only source of cover. "Bacchus, you bumbling drunkard, enough toying around! I know they went this way!" It was Agni. The mere sound of his voice gave Twilight an uncomfortable burning feeling. "Aah... Lighten up ya *hic* sourpuss..." Another voice said, drastically different from Agni's. It slurred quite a bit... and sounded tipsy. "They couldn't have gotten far... Wanna sip?" "Keep your jug of filth away from me! We've got towers to take down, and it's not going to happen with that cat and horse lurking around." Agni fired back. "Horse? Ya mean like that Guan Yu fellah?" "No, you buffoon. A unicorn." Bacchus let out a hardy laugh. "Ah ho ho ho! A unicorn?! You must be drunker than I am! *belch*" "You disgust me. At any rate, I'll burn down this whole jungle if I have to." Agni replied. Bastet slowly removed her hand, as Twilight knew to stay quiet. She slowly peered over the trunk. She saw Agni and Bacchus, facing away from her and Twilight. The round god known as Bacchus carried a large vat of wine in one hand, a massive leg of turkey in the other, and his toga reeked of wine and a lack of bathing. Bastet ducked back down before she could be spotted, and silently mouthed a few words to Twilight: "Return to base." Twilight nodded, channeling her power and vanished in a blink of yellow light. As she left, Bastet peeked back around. Fortunately for her, Twilight's departure went unnoticed. "They might've fallen back already. Who knows where they are?" Agni's twin heads muttered. "They could be dead." Bacchus added. Agni simply scoffed. Without warning, a ring of darkness formed around the two. "Hey! Whazzat!?" Bacchus shouted, falling backwards in the process. "Where are you? I can't see!" Agni cried, looking around in vain. Seeking the perfect opportunity, Bastet deftly leaped away, knowing her escape was covered. She bounded deep into the jungle, finding herself in the right lane, and in front of Xbalanque. "Good to see you made it out alive." The hunter smirked. "Are you hurt bad?" "I'll be fine. Thanks for the escape. They nearly found Twilight." Bastet sighed, taking the time to rest. "We're nearly there. Got some towers in the way, though." Xbalanque said. "We could take the Fire Giant, too." "Just like old times, huh?" Bastet asked, seeing a line of minions march toward them. "I suppose. I still don't like that horse though." "Her name is Twilight. And she's doing fine. Don't ruin it for the rest of us." Xbalanque paused, before picking up his bola and jogging to the tower. "Let's just go. I don't like to waste time."
