Celestia's half-dead body coughed up blood as she dragged herself forward, only three meters away from the bonfire. Her eyes where welled up and in a constant state of agony. She felt death stroke it's bony hoof on her too many times in the last few minutes, but she struggled on, her blood supply almost dry, barley keeping the ex-princess alive. She wheezed sour air, and her body limped to the ground, her drowsy hoof almost in reach of the holy relic. Her hero. Her bonfire. With her last breath, her mistaken for a corpse body touched the tip of the skeletal cluster.
FWOOSH
The fire majestically flew out of the jabbed-at bone pile, it's brilliant golden aura washing over Celestia's stiff body, breathing life into her, rekindling her fading soul. Celestia shot up from her deathbed, her facial expression a mix of shock, glee, and sadness. She then looked around herself, taking in her surroundings. The metal door had finally shut, her severed hoof replaced with several golden specks evaporating out of vision. Speaking of which, the reddish skin growing over her torn tendons. Followed by her greying, hole-ridden fur. She sighed in relief, scared she'd be left without most of her lower-leg for the rest of her travels in this mad house.
Looking closer she saw a jagged scar where she cut it off. It looked dreadful of course, but it seemed rather fascinating looking at it. Sure once she (hopefully) regains her magic she could remove it. Like that time when she was-
Celestia looked blankly, trying to recall the memory.
'When I was… magical, mang- no, no, no. I was something beginning with "M" but what?'
She turned towards the metal door, the grunting of the demon ear-defilingly obvious from the other side of the asylum. Just visible behind the iron bars and the bland urns was a green… swish? It was a small ball hovering from the ground. Small, green tendrils warping around each other on the top. It reminded Celestia of the flame of the bonfire. Soothing, calming, drawing her closer. Like… a piece of herself. It backbones for her, like a child to her mother, the last piece of the jigsaw, lost! needed to complete the puzzle. Complete… her.
Celestia galloped to the locked door, the org beckoning like a baby to its mother, waking up from a bad dream, in need of comfort of its mother. The orb pulsed repeatedly the closer it got. And then, it giggled. It giggled like a little filly. Like herself.
'Come on, Lulu. It's almost sunset' the voice of a filly, Celestia called. It's voice echoing like a phantom. Celestia sacked at the door with the magically-cleaned hilt, thrashing it against the door. She needed that thing, she needed herself!
As she clung to the door, the demon howled, sensing the equine prisinor. It whacked at the urns where the ear-beating noice emirates from, making a clear view for Celestia and the green puzzle piece. She gasped, seeing the image. On the org was her, as a filly. She was next to another pony. Her colours hard to define with the green aura of the light ball. She knew that equine though. She was somepony important. Like blood. She seemed close. A sibling? Cousin? Friend? She did not know. All she knew about 'Lulu' was that she cared for her. She gave an aura of sadness though. She did not know why. She needed answers, but this door would not reveal it. But as one door closes, another on opens, Celestia turned around, knowing she would find it another way.
After walking through another blocked-off sewer entrance, Celestia entered an open corridor, occupied by another one of those deranged bipeds. The creature turned around, a bow in hand, quiver at back. Celestia tried to step back, but an arrow lodged itself into her shoulder blade. She screamed loudly as her chest cavity was invaded by the rusted iron arrow. She looked down in pain, noticing strange, orange markings on the ground. It was encrypted in some alien language, but the touch of her hoof scrambled the letters, warping their shaped. The outcome was a message and an arrow.
'Get your shield!'
Celestia looked forward, the lunatic drawing it's arrow. To her near left was a body with another blue orb above it. Celestia focused her weak magic, the orb materializing a small, round shield made of leather. She threw it at herself with her telekinetic grip, the unnoticed second arrow striking it, saving Celestia's life! Celestia then saw a second orb, this one bigger and brighter than the other two. She tried to use her seemingly-powerless magic, but the orb was too far away. She took a deep breath in, and charged. Holding her shield up, she blocked three arrows. Once at the biped, the mutant ran, leaving the orb to her.
She pressed her hoof on it, a small dagger and set of cloths appearing before her. She took the dagger in her grip, leaving the armour for later, and faced the empty deformity. It's silhouette was visible behind a thick wall of fog. She blinked, now seeing… him. He stood there, his anguish-filled eyes locked on to hers. She backed into the wall behind her, French tears forming.
"…n-n-no!" She croaked, barley audible. Slowly the hand of the monster rose, pointing to Celestia. Fire trickled from his fingertips, all of his hand then bursting into light. He drew its hand back, the energy growing more intense every second. He then thrusted his arm forward, a blanket of burning death, consuming her in its painful slumber.
The action only lasted two seconds, but for her, it wasted for eternity. Switching to survivalist mode, she threw anything at the assailant, her eyes sealed shut, to defend herself from I infant dea-
She stopped, her right eye being struck by the power of a lightning bolt. Her head slammed against the wall, forcing her eyes open.
"Gggrrr-rr… grrr" the sound of blood flowed the gurgling-like growl of the abomination. As Celestia looked at the bow-wielding maniac, she saw that somehow in all of Tartarus had hit the empty warrior in the forehead, killing it instantly. But unlucky for her though, she threw her leather shield at its feet, leaving her body, her right eye, defenseless from the arrow.
Celestia held her hoofs to her face, feeling the arrow that punctured her eye but barley went past the bone, leaving her brain intact. She was speechless, incapable of describing hell, her life. She sobbed, the pain settling in with the guilt. She crawled the dead maniac, and saw the black pus oozing out of its cranium. She put her hoof on the bony chest of the freak, the guilt of murder sinking in. She killed, killed. The population of this land has decreased because of her. She looked back at the pierced skull of the archer, and pulled the dagger out. She then put the biped in a more ceremoniously comfortable form. His legs parallel, it's arms folded, and it's bow on its chest. She wiped the forehead with a rock on the ground, and flattened the wound on its head, leaving it as intact as she could.
After praying for the dead, she noticed the glowing, whitish-blueish light below her. It trickled with light, circling Celestia's midsection. It then absorbed herself into her skin, a warm feeling washing over the usurped horse's body. She did not know what it was, but she loved it. It made her forget her chest and head where impaled, it made her forget her green orb in the courtyard, it made her think what in Equestria made such a pleasant gift. She looked down at the deceased, seeing the blue and white trickles coming from its chest, it's heart, it's soul.
Celestia stepped back, utterly horrified at herself, as the last of the light faded into her chest. She put her hooves to her chest, feeling for the soul she tore out of the archer. After unavailing in her quest, she looked back at the cloths she had found. It was ment for the bipedal creatures, but with her new, skinny stature she could probably fit into it. The cloths was composed of a small cap, greaves with a cross hatch design. A blazer-like cloak which resembled a certain style of dress seen a numerous amount of times in Manehatten and Canterlot. And a simple pair of gloves. Overall the cloths fitted on like a glove, except for the gloves, and offered lightly more protection than wearing her royal attire.
Celestia bid her final farewell to the murdered archer and trotted towards the wall of fog. It loomed over her, ominous, brumous, and sent shivers down her spine. She got her fore-right hoof, and pressed it onto the wall, the appendage slipped though with little resistance. She then walked through the wall cautiously, not knowing what lied before her. After finaly stepping through she found herself on a balcony. On her left was an open door, fully rusted and broken. And on her left was- him. Her knight in shining armour. The light from the hole in the roof shined on him, giving the effect of a Messiah. The roof where he was, where the demon…
Celestia's eyes widened, she looked again. The knights breathing was ragged, he was slumped over rubble, his armour covered with dints, dings and dents. Celestia rushed to find an entrance to her hero's body, but found none. Next to her was a set of stairs, where a possible entrance could be. She ran up. Big mistake. As soon as she did, a growl emanated from the top and a rusted iron ball rolled down, knocking the usurped princess to her haunches as the ball crashed into the wall. Celestia looked back, seeing the wall was broken she leapt to her hooves, despite the fact one was broken, and charged to her savior.
She ran into the stone cell, and scampered to her hero's feet. She tried to speak to him, to catch his attention. But she just croaked, her throat damaged by the iron ball. But the croak was load enough, and the knight turned his he'd to her.
"O…Oh, you… You're no Hollow, eh?…Thank goodness…I'm done for, I'm afraid, I'll die soon, then lose my sanity. I wish to ask something of you…You and I, we're both Undead… Hear me out, will you?" The knight couched loudly, a trickle of blood coming from his helmet. Seeing his plea, Celestia nodded instantly, wanting to repay the debt.
"…Regrettably, I have failed in my mission…But perhaps you can keep the torch lit. There is an old saying in my family…'Thou who art Undead, art chosen…In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords…When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know.' Well, now you know… And I can die with hope in my heart…Oh, one more thing. Here, take this… An Estus Flsk, an Undead favourite. Oh, and this…Now I must bid farewell…I would hate to harm you after death…So, go now. And thank you" The knight continued, handing a small, green bottle and a key to her.
Celestia tucked the flask into her make-shift saddle bag and key in her magic grip. She did not notice, but tears had streaked her eyes whilst the family saying played through her head. She turned away from her hero, respecting his privacy.
"Hrggkt!" He gritted through his teeth, an alien sound following. Celestia turned back, faster than that horse that… did a rainbow thing, her knight replaced with golden specks and an all-too familiar white-and-blue aura shooting at her. The shrieked, turning back to escape the soul arrow. But it struck her like a rock, sending her sprawling towards the wall. Sure it felt good, but it came from the knight, her hero. It sickened her to the core.
Crying, she ran out of the cell, and looked down from the balcony. From there she saw it, the bonfire. She knew what she had to do. She turned right and ran down a set of stairs next to the stairs with the iron ball. She then opened a rusted door, and stood next to the bonfire and in a fit of rage, she tore the dagger from her home-made saddle pack and hurled it at the fire. The blade of death stopped centimeters from the fire, and floated towards the tip of the sword handle. It span repeatedly, it's blade closer towards the sword. Then, a small orb of fire wrapped its way around the dagger. The orb then flew towards Celestia, painlessly digging itself into her forehead, information filling her head.
This standard small dagger has only a modest
attack but can be jabbed in rapid succession,
and is effective in critical hits such as
after a parry or when stabbing in the back.
With both slash and thrust attacks, this
dagger is useful in various situations.
Them several statistics that meant nothing filled her cranium. Celestia shook her head, the imputed too hard to swallow. Fire, strength, resistance. She knew the meanings of the word, but not the purpose it would serve her. She waved her hoof I'm front of her face, which surprisingly dissipated the images in front of her. Curious, she picked up the blade and put it on her forehead, showing her the information. But she quickly dismissed it. Still curious, she took the dull, green 'Estus flak' the knight gave her. And as she was about to pace it on her head, she felt a sharp impact on her back. She collapsed instantly as blood gushed from her medical gluteal. She looked up and saw it, one of those bipeds with a broken, bloodied blade in its right hand. Her eyes widened, as the beast dared a second strike. And in fear, Celestia waved her shield at her assailant. The leather shield countered the empty being's sword, stunning the beast. Celestia took this second to stand and get away from the monster.
But the monster regained its footing and clipped Celestia's leg, almost knocking Celestia to the ground. The alicorn cried out in pain as she was sure an artery was severed by the rusted sword. And in fear, she swung her dagger, slicing a chunk of the left forearm of her assailant off. This caused her enemy to go into a frenzy, swinging it's broken sword like a maniac. Celestia tried to block the blade, but fatigue got the best of her as her chest was sliced open in several areas. She fell to the ground, her vision blurred as her assailant, tired after the attack, stopped to catch its breath. This gave Celestia a good five seconds to prepare for death.
Her head fell to the ground, her half-closed eyes on her dagger. She tried to look away from it. She blinked, and once opened she was somewhere else, a castle. She looked up at a large window, above at the moon, the radiating glow of the us barley showing in its prison in the sky. As she looked a figure appeared, albeit blurred. The black and purple figure looked down on Celestia from her balcony above the window, sneering with its fanged teeth.
'Fight or die, Celestia!' It spat, a dark blue aura flaring from its horn, a gold-trimmed scabbard appeared from its side, opening up to show its sword. A katana. It belonged to the king of Great Griffon, a collector of Japonyese artifacts. The blade is said to be so sharp that a skilled swordspony could cut the light around them, making them invisable. (1)
'No sister. 'Tis not our way!' Another voice shouted, this one like her own.
'Kill, or be killed. That is the true way of life, cur!' The black figure shouted again, slicing the stone balcony with ease, and glided down towards Celestia. 'The only way to live is to fight!' She continued, edging forwards, swinging her sword around herself.
'But Luna-
'But nothing, traitor! Your age is at an end. Now begins the new age. The golden age. The age of night!' Luna shouted. Now charging full gallop at Celestia, her transformation complete.
Celestia blinked again, now back in her death bed, again. She slowly looked up as fast as her sore eyes would let her, to see her assailant was now ready to attack, walking slowly towards her. Tears welled up in the usurped ex-proncesses' eyes. She will die again maybe for the last time.
'Fight or die!'
'Fight or die'
'Fi-'
"Fight!" Celestia screamed as loud as she could, only emitting a whisper. She grabbed her shield with her magic and threw it left, parrying the swinging sword of her opponent. Using the small time frame she had, she got to her aching hooves, dagger in magic. She charged, screaming as loud as a rat's squeak, and struck her dagger into the hollow beast. She then got her hoof, and kicked the deceased monster of off her.
She held the container to her he muzzle, and chugged it down, even though there was only enough for one mouth-full. Celestia took a deep breath, then cocked her head backwards, letting in the seemingly friendly drink in. That was a mistake. Celestia tried to gag as what tasted like liquor dash entered her orafice. It swirled like a torrent of fire, leaving no space unscathed by its harsh touch. And as soon as the totrure began it stopped, rewarded by the pleasure of a thousand feast halls, each table filled with the divine treats of the gods. The warmth was a fire, a flame as radiant as the sun. A majestic fire, dancing and swirling around Celestia's broken body, lacing her bones with its smooth, delicate hands. She felt her bones straight, the arrow head in her eye turn into golden dust as the eye was restored and her gargantuan hole in her sholder fill itself up with new muscle tissue, flesh and bones.
Celestia stood up from the withered floor, her no longer aching muscles acting as smoothly as they once did. She looked down at the flask, amused and slightly shocked to find it filled once more, a deed nary a mage could do. Apart from one. But alas, she could not remember the wizard's name… Starswish the Brilliant? She did not know. Celestia trotted without a limp up the stairs, a quite unusual act considering how splendid her day was went. Past the bonfire, past the door, past the stairs and through the door. She fitted the key the knight gave her into the door. It screeched like a banshee as the door creaked open, scraping away at her ears with its claws.
Celestia took a deep breath, then carried on.
