The Arena

by Darkscout99

Rating: mature
Tags: Dark, Other, Alternate Universe, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 3781

When your best chance is The Arena, you learn to fight pretty quick.

100 years ago nightmare moon took over Equestria, imprisoning Celestia for 1,000 years in the sun.
92 years ago nightmare moon was dethroned.
90 years ago the collapse happened.
50 years ago The Arena was founded.
15 years ago I was born.
And today I'm about to enter the arena. For my family.

Published 2016-12-11 20:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-12-20 13:36:49 UTC

Introduction

Chapter 1

Spirit blossom took in the sounds of the battlefield’s market, the sounds that made her life go round. She wasn’t anything special, just a unicorn with no real talent. Or that’s what everypony else thought. In reality, she had powers that they could only dream of, but, nopony knew that except for her, her mother mind mender, and her brother soul blaze.

Speaking of her brother, he was running at her at break-neck speeds. “Spirit!” he shouted, “it’s mom! She fell down, I think she might have rot!” all sounds in the immediate area stopped. Rot was considered the deadliest disease out there, and though nopony knew how it was transmitted, it was still not something that you wanted to be around. Even survivors were treated like they were infectious.

She started off in the direction of the house immediately, yelling for blaze to get the doctor. He took a sharp turn and continued running, and passed spirit in the process. If their mother did have rot then she was in serious danger. They didn’t have the money to pay for the medicine, heck nopony except the knights did! And to do that she would have to enter the arena.

Luckily rot worked slow. Unluckily, it was extremely painful. But it gave her time to train. That was, if her mother did have rot. When she got to her house she saw all the signs you can without proper medical equipment. The black tendrils creeping across her mother’s muzzle were a dead giveaway. Then her brother and the doctor ran in, and she watched in shock as they moved her into the bedroom.

Spirit blossom waited in the living room of her house, hoping that her mother wasn’t so far gone that the medicine was needed. They wouldn’t be able to afford it, and the battlefields didn’t exactly have any health care programs.

The doctor then walked out of her mother’s bedroom with a grim look on his face, before he turned to her and slowly shook his head. Spirit’s hopeful smile fell as she was overtaken by grief. The doctor then slowly walked out of the house, leaving spirit and soul to grieve. And they cried, they cried for hours before they cried themselves to sleep.

Spirit woke up at the dawn of the next day. She carefully rose out of her sleeping position, as not to wake soul. She cooked herself breakfast as silently as she could, before eating it the same way. Packing her bags the way she did everything else today, she finished before writing a note.

Soul,
We both know that mother is sick. She won’t survive a month with rot, but I have a solution. I’m going to the arena, and if I win then we will be able to get her the medicine she needs. If I don’t… then there will be no way to save mother. Find a job that can support you, and live your life as best as you can.
Love, your sister,
Spirit blossm.

As she wrote the last word two tears fell onto the paper. She laid it out on the kitchen table before slowly leaving the house and setting out for the arena.

Author's Note

Ok, so this chapter might be short, but I'm hoping that other chapters won't be. I want to see if I can keep my word count above 1,000 in this story. I just had some serious issues with starting this story.

First blood

Chapter 2

It had taken her two days, but Spirit was finally at the arena and just in time. Any contestants had to enter by the next day. She made her way inside and signed up. As she was walking away from the desks an old unicorn with a dark grey coat and a white beard stopped her.

“Hey there missy. I saw you just signed up for the arena. Do you wanna know how it was formed?”

Spirit look at the old pony with curiosity. “How it was formed? What do you mean?”

“I mean how equestria came to be like this. It wasn’t always the wasteland we call the battlefield, it used to be the most advanced nation in the world.” he replied. Spirit motioned for him to continue.

“One hundred years ago, princess celestia ruled over the land of equestria. She was a benevolent leader, and equestria was the most prosperous nation in all of history. But, 1,000 years before, she had banished her sister luna to the moon. Then her sister came back, and struck down celestia. Her sister then stood in her place as supreme ruler, but luna wasn’t like celestia. She was cruel, and ruled with an iron hoof.” he paused for a moment. With how old he looked, Spirit guessed he might have been there and was actually remembering it.

“So the ponies did what they thought was best and rebelled. They call this place the battlefield because it was where the last battle of the rebellion was fought. And they were successful, sort of. They dethroned luna, but they never put another ruler or even a different government in their place. They thought celestia would return to be their savior. The fools. It only took a few years before equestria collapsed.”

“And finally the arena was built, we don’t know by who, as it seemed to just appear one day, but it serves as a reminder of our past sins all the same little pony. And that’s it. That’s all. Now, go save your mother kid.” he said with a small smile before walked off.

Spirit was thinking over the story she had just heard. How could somepony be so cruel? How could the ponies of the past believe that a pony could come back from the dead? How could that pony she had never met before known that her mother was in danger? Wait… what? She turned to see if she could find him but he had vanished completely. Her confusion was cut off as a loudspeaker started to blare out it’s message.

“ All spectators please report to the arena stands, the 42nd arena battle will be starting in five minutes. Remember, all contestants for the next semi-annual tournament are all expected to be in the stands.”

Spirit swallowed before making her way to the stands.

Spirit sat down in the stands ringing the arena’s battlefield. The walls rose about six feet above the sandy ground, and she was forced to look at the hundreds of ponies in the rings around the central battlefield. There were already about two dozen ponies standing in the pit, each one preparing to fight in some way. There were ponies sharpening blades, checking bows and crossbows, stretching, and some were even praying. Then the loudspeaker came on again before speaking to everypony there.

“ Greetings ladies and gentlecolts! Today we are going to watch the 42nd battle royale in the arena’s history. Remember, anything goes except for firearms of any kind. As for the winner, there will be three this time. Now who’s ready to see some blood!” The crowd went wild, screaming and yelling. The speaker cut through their voices with the final words. “It seems our crowd is nice and pumped up! Now, let’s see some fighting!” with that the loud noise of a bell ringing erupted from the system before everypony in the pit began to move at once.

Spirit had no idea where to look, she she decided to focus on the most unique pony she could find. It turned out to be a dragon pony with pure black scales and a long brown mane. He had an image of a fiery sword on his flanks, and while she was watching him, swung his sword and decapitated another pony. The pony’s neck was slightly cauterised from the fire that coated his broadsword, but he still sprayed blood onto his chest before he turned around. He parried the blade of another pony before cutting off the leg that held his sword and driving his own blade through his head. She quickly turned away but couldn’t escape the voice of the announcer.

“ Oh! A brutal double kill from Stone Edge over there!”

Looking to the other side of the arena Spirit saw a unicorn that had a black coat and a red mane with dark purple highlights. It was impossible to see her cutie mark though as she was covered in a grey cloak with a star pendant holding it together. She was standing in between two green tendrils that were thrashing around and striking at anypony who got within their range. One cocky stallion wearing solid plate armor thought he would be the exception. He was, the vines causing the armor to slightly dent but nothing more. The unicorn at the center noticed this and charged up a spell. The stallion attacking her couldn’t react fast enough to move out of the way and was struck by it head on. He froze for a second, but it seemed not to do anything. He inspected himself before looking up and grinning with a manic glee that sent a shiver up Spirit’s spine. His grin soon turned to a look of horror as he was speared by the two vines. They had pierced through his armor, which was slowly crumbling away. The vines withdrew themselves and the stallion slumped on the ground lifeless.

“ What a spectacular kill by Eclipse! Let’s see what else is in store for us today.” The loudspeaker announced.” Look at Crescent Blade go! I’ve counted seven kills by him at this point, he’s a killing machine!”

It was true, the black coated crossbreeding of a pony species and thestral, also known as a vesper, was slaughtering most of the still living ponies in the arena. His once spiky burgundy and navy blue mane was now red and matted down from all of the blood. His cutie mark of a golden crescent moon covered in the same crimson liquid. He had a crazed look in his eyes as he flew from one target to next, all the while screaming out how none of them were a “true challenge.”

Finally he met the one pony who would have a chance at meeting his skill level. Stone Edge stood across from him. “So you wish for a challenge?” he shouted across the arena, before he lowered his head and steeled his gaze. “Bring it.” The insane glee on Crescent’s face was terrifying to Spirit as he shot forward, five red swords materialising around him while he went. Stone Edge pulled in a big breath of air and holding it for a second, unleashing a small burst of flames at crescent. Crescent’s eyes widened as he hurtled towards them but he shielded himself with his swords. He pulled back before launching forwards again. Stone edge started pulling in air again but was forced to exhale before he was ready to parry crescent’s phantom blades. This caused Stone Edge to cough and sputter, tiny flames licking outside of his mouth. He managed to hold off both Crescent’s blades and the pony himself, but wasn’t able to retaliate. He was forced on the defensive, with Crescent joyfully cackling as he,danced circles around him. Suddenly, Crescent made a suicide dive for Stone Edge’s throat. He closed the distance rapidly before a strange noise rang out.

It was the bell for ending the fight. When they looked over one of eclipse’s tentacles was withdrawing from a pony, who slumped over dead, before vanishing into the ground.
Spirit was in shock. She was going to be down there tomorrow, fighting for her life against ponies like that. She gulped audibly as she watched those three ponies who had massacred so many ponies shake hooves before leaving through the same exit.

She was going to die, wasn't she?

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait, but i finally got this story out. All credits for ocs go to:
Stone edge: Stone Edge
Eclipse:Typervader
Crescent Blade:Kamen Writer Nocturnis

As always tell me any errors you see!

Combat

Chapter 3

Spirit opened her eyes as sun lanced through the window directly into them. She raised her head and groaned, she had slept on her desk after watching the battle. She had decided it would be best to write her will as it was likely that she would die. She got up and took in the unfamiliar room around her, the one provided by the arena. It was required to stay in them as the arena couldn't have anypony, or anyone for that matter, running away. She sighed as she got ready. Looking at the clock, she noticed it was 9:52. In a panic, she realised that battles started at 10 sharp, and everypo- everyone, had to be there or else they would be disqualified. She started to brush her mane and her coat before realising it was pointless, even if she survived she would most likely be coated in blood and sweat. She looked at the clock again, before bolting out the door, it was 9:57. She arrived with not a second to spare, as the clock ringing out 10 o’clock the second she arrived.

The loudspeaker popped on, announcing that the first day of the true tournament. It then announced that the matchups would be announced at 10:30, so that spectators could get seated and buy food. Most of the fighters burned time by preparing themselves; sharpening weapons, taking practice swings at dummies, or even just collecting information on the other opponents. Spirit didn't even notice the time fly by. She tried to stretch a bit, and even found a secluded corner to try and practice her abilities. As she was in the middle of her thoughts the loudspeaker popped on once again, yet she only caught the last bit.

“-Spirit Blossom VS. Silverwing!”

She started panicking before an arena worker found her and led her to the gate. It opened just as she got there, and she walked out into the cheering crowd. Across from her a griffon with silver wings and a black body stood across from her. They both stood right at the entrance to the arena’s underbelly, but the gates had already closed. The griffon shifted into a fighting stance, and spirit just stood there. The stands suddenly went quiet as they watched the two fighters. For the third, and maybe last time, the arena’s loudspeakers jumped to life.

“ 3! 2! 1!” the griffon's wings tensed and flared out, while spirit just stood still in shock. “ Fight!” before spirit even noticed him move, the griffon threw a feather from his wing across the arena and put a large gash in her right cheek. That's when she realised that his wings weren't actually covered in feathers, but knives made to look like them. She screamed in terror as the griffon launched himself at her, splaying his wings full of blades in a show of aggression. This time she ducked as a second feather knife embedded itself in the wall where her throat would have been. She ran the opposite way from the griffon who, unable to stop himself, had to wait to land. She spun around and slammed her hooves into the ground, before shifting the mana lines in her body. Pure white petals of energy formed around her as her horn shrank, but her muscles bulked up. The mana in her body started to flow differently, increasing her strength and connection to the earth. The petals bloomed around her as she stepped out, now an earth pony, and coated her hooves in a blue manafire.

“ What was that!” The announcer shouted out. “ We've seen changelings in the arena before, but nothing like that! And what is that blue fire around her hooves? How did she...” Spirit ignored the announcer’s questions, taking the offensive and using the griffon’s surprise to her advantage. She ran at him before leaping into the air and slamming her forehoof into his wing. He easily blocked the attack, hooves no match for metal, but spirit just continued her attack. She spun around and struck at his other wing with her back hoof. Again, he easily deflected the blow with his metal wings. Spirit then struck at his first wing again, but this time he was a bit sluggish, and his wing gave a bit more. Spirit continued her seemingly pointless assault. What the audience couldn't see was that with every blow he deflected his wings were slower, his face one of agony. Eventually his wings went limp and he was forced to use his claws. He caught her hooves in them, but the same happened to them. They became weaker, more agonising to operate. After just a few more minutes of this, he fell over. Neither his claws or his wings seemed to respond as spirit pushed her one hoof to his chest. He screamed in agony as his chest seemed to burn from the contact with spirit. His heart suddenly stopped beating as all of the mana in his body was burned away. He passed out seconds later, and in a few minutes he would be dead.

The petals sprung up around Spirit as she was reverted back to a unicorn. She fell back on her haunches from the exhaustion of spending so much time out of her normal unicorn form. She then suddenly became aware of the roaring cheer from the crowd. It was so loud that the only words heard from the loudspeaker were Spirit and winner. She was escorted to her room in a state of shock, where she promptly fell asleep on her bed.

Author's Note

I wrote this chapter during my study hall, so i hope it's good enough. As always, tell me about ant missed grammar mistakes!

Day two

Chapter 4

Spirit was dimly aware of the sounds of battle going on outside of her room, but ignored them in favor of much needed sleep. When the adrenaline faded from her bloodstream she fell asleep promptly. When she woke, the cut on her cheek had scabbed over, but not before a large amount had soaked into her white sheets and fur. Spirit was mortified, such a large amount of the fluid keeping her alive had left her body. But there was nothing she could do now, so she just got up, left her room, and found the mess hall.

All conversation stopped as she walked in, but resumed quickly after. She sheepishly went over to where the food was being served and took a tray. She sat down at one of the long tables, in an empty corner. She was about halfway through her food when the crazy vesper, Crescent blade, sat down across from her.

“Hia! My name's Crescent blade, what's yours?”

Surprised, Spirit stuttered out her answer. “S-spirit Blossom.”

Crescent nodded. “Nice name. Hey, what are sou? I know you're not a changeling, they always have green magic, and they fire stuff you made was blue, so you can't be.”

Spirit didn't know why, but this pony made her nervous. “I'm an aetheric. I have complete control over the mana pathways in my body, and some control over those of others. Those pathways dictate everything, from your coat color, to how fast your heart beats, to your race. By manipulating them i can control everything in my body.”

Crescent nodded. “So a changeling puts on the image of another, while you actually change yourself to be like them?”

“Exactly.”

Crescent’s mouth stretched into a wide grin. “Can you become a vesper like me?”

Caught off guard, but thinking quickly, spirit nodded. “Sure, but I'd have to map your mana pathways, and that means i can become a vesper anytime.”

Crescent just nodded to agree. Spirit sighed and her hoof lit up in a blue aura. While earlier it had been like flames licking up her forehoof, now it was more of an aura surrounding it, staying close, but still extended out a bit. She placed in in his chest, before her eyes glowed with the same power. She took in every detail of his mana pathways, now visible to her, before pulling the hoof away. She took a step back and the white petals sprang up around her. She pushed and pulled on those mana pathways, recreating his within her own body. A set of fangs grew in, along with countless other changes. The petals fell away from around her, before she was revealed. She had successfully become a vesper.

Crescent clapped his hooves, along with a few other ponies. Spirit realised that everyone was staring at her, and she sheepishly sat down before finishing her meal in silence and running out of the Mess hall, back to her room, where she hid herself under the blood soaked sheets of her bed. She quickly changed back to a unicorn before falling asleep until the next morning.

Spirit woke at the proper time, before making her way to the meetup area. The battles worked in two day cycles, one set of contestants would fight on day one, with a second on day two, and back to the first on day three. Since she was in the first cycle, Spirit knew she wasn't going to be forced to fight. Instead she was told to go to the stands, and wait for the battles to start.

Half an hour later the first contestants walked into the arena. “Stone Edge VS. Sharp Blade,” the loudspeaker had announced. Spirit had been seen stone edge before, but Sharp Blade was a mystery. To her shock, the battle was incredibly one sided. Any talent that Sharp might've had was outclassed several magnitudes by Stone Edge, who was able to keep Sharp at a distance with his fire breath, block most attacks, with any that did got through his defense stopping as that hit the natural armor of his scales.

All it took was one misstep for Stone Edge to finish Sharp. He coughed up blood as his lungs were pierced, before slumping to the ground dead. Stone Edge walked out of the arena in a flawless victory, the only blood on him his opponent’s.

Most of the following battles followed a similar pattern, with each being quick, one sided battles. Stone Edge’s fight being by far the most interesting. Spirit shivered as she realised that these matches were just to get rid of the weak, and that the real fights would begin tomorrow.