Godly

Godly
Chapter 36: A true Nightmare

My vision returns and the disembodied voice of the woman announcing I have new gods available speaks up.

"New gods and goddesses available!" she says and three god icons appear.

Mulan: The ascended warrior.

A Chinese warrior of both legend and an old cartoon I watched as a child, though she looks far more impressive here than the cartoon portrayed.

Red clothing with gold ornate Chinese trimming. Dark steel armour also with ornate gold trim and jade stones along the belt and edges of the pauldrons. Black hair tied up into a ponytail with a golden hair piece and a long pin through it. Her weapons are a longsword, a spear, and a shortbow. She uses her martial skills to move around the battlefield and her skills grow stronger the more damage she deals with them, but how that'll work here I'll have to see.

Baba Yaga: Witch of the woods.

An old Slavic witch wearing a tattered dress or robe of multiple colours and golden jewellery. She wields a cauldron she rides on and a decorated staff that looks like a large pestle to crush herbs and stone with. The cauldron has skulls and herbs decorating it along with golden ornaments. She uses witchcraft and brews to deal damage as well as summoning her house to attack from a long distance and safety.

I don't know how much I'll use her as being an old crone with sagging breasts would make me cringe, but her knowledge of witchcraft and alchemy might come in handy.

The last god makes me stare wide eyed and I fear what might happen should I ever use him.

Cthulhu: The great dreamer.

The eldritch god himself, the lord of insanity, all of his abilities induce insanity and his ultimate makes him a gigantic being. His skin is purple with green chitinous plates protecting him. His head is green with a squid or octopus like appearance, bone protrusions from his large right forearm and shoulders. His eyes glow a fiery orange and violet glowing runes or markings cover his body. Two large webbed wings frame his body.

I stare at his icon and a bad idea starts forming in my head. If we can't find this nightmare or remove it from Celestia, perhaps using something truly nightmarish would work? I'd have to tell the others to leave so it's just me and Celestia alone so they don't get affected by Cthulhu's madness... but it might be enough to subdue the Nightmare...

I think of becoming the eldritch god, and my body grows twice the size of Khepri and I go cross-eyed as I can feel and move the tentacles hanging from my face. I flex my limbs and wings and feel powerful, breathing deeply, I head over to the buff camps to see how his power works.

I step on the blue buff icon and summon the Cyclops mage, who glares at me but doesn't seem to be going insane. I bring up the detail panel for Cthulhu and read his skills. Seems he inflicts insanity upon successfully landing attacks and can consume an enemies insanity to bolster or strengthen himself.

He can summon a pool of eldritch sludge called the mire, so I try to cast it at the Cyclops. A portal opens above him and the sludge pours out and covers the Cyclops and spreads out around him, filling the area with the tar like substance.

I go wide eyed as the Cyclops doesn't go insane, but instead gets corrupted as their skin turns purple, tentacles burst out from their shoulders and their left arm turns into a long tentacle. His eye turns slitted and green with glowing orange veins, bones protrude from his right forearm and elbow. Wings grow out his back and once the transformation is complete, he walks over to me and kneels.

The sludge slowly starts to shrink until it's all gone, so good thing it doesn't stay to corrupt the ground or others. I have no idea on what to think about this... minion I've created... but I guess I can use it for practice.

I spend a couple hours exploring what I can do, and I've discovered I can make orbs of eldritch energy and launch them at targets. I can also make tentacles of eldritch energy sprout out of the ground to slap away or grab enemies to slam into said ground.

Next I take a deep breath and use his ultimate, Descend into Madness. My body grows in size. my legs are gone and a swirling vortex appears around my waist as if I'm submerged within that sludge, my height reaches up to fifty feet towering over the building in the centre of the area.

I can feel my mana draining so I can't maintain this form indefinitely, the view is nice though.

Flexing my fingers, I create a large orb of eldritch energy that fits in the palm of my right hand. I rear back and throw it as far as I can. It flies a good mile away before detonating in a massive explosion of purple energy. No doubt anyone hit would either go insane, or corrupted...

I cancel my ult and shrink back down. This god will have to be a last resort kind of god, and let's hope I won't have to resort to using him.

I spent the rest of my sleep just practising and making more corrupted buff camp monsters as I tried on a god bot and nothing happened. So that might mean strong or powerful opponents could resist the corruption.

I can feel myself waking up and my vision goes black, with a yawn I look to my left and see Chrysalis cuddling up to me. Orion is asleep in a dog bed by Chrysalis' vanity mirror, not sure where that came from.

With a smile I turn to look to the right and go wide-eyed and freeze... Discord is sleeping on his back, thankfully, a good foot away from me... I notice dark bags under his eyes and sigh. Poor bugger must have done an all nighter to get the 'arena' ready for the Nightmare.

So with that in mind I decide to just cuddle up with Chrysi and ignore him... until he rolls towards me and wraps his right arm around both Chrysi and I, and starts snoring loudly as Chrysalis screams and clings to me.

I cringe as it's right in my ear and as Hercules, I elbow him right in the gut, launching him off the bed and into the wall of our room.

The sound of a goose honking fills the room on impact, but no damage to the wall is present. "Oooohhh... that actually hurt..." Discord says and slowly stands up off the floor.

Chrysi is glaring at Discord while three armoured Changelings are staring at Discord from the door.

"You mind explaining what you were doing in our bed?" I ask him as my Queen and I get off of said bed.

Discord dusts himself off and pouts. "Well, it's not like you gave me a room to stay in or anything. So instead of taking someone else's bed, I just shared yours," he says and then smirks as his body changes shape into a slender female... a naked female with rather large breasts and wide hips, thick thighs, and a plump ass, with soft white hair just going past her jawline. Her large bushy eyebrows shrink down and frame her now symmetrical eyes while her goatee is just gone. "Would you have preferred if I looked like this?" Discord poses and asks in the exact same voice as Discordia's. Chrysalis is now scowling at Discord.

I can't help but stare until I shake my head and sigh. "So why couldn't you just make yourself a bed?" I ask him... her... whatever.

S/he giggles and checks her/his talon's claws. "I ran out of magic from both helping at Canterlot and building the arena. I was spent by the time I was done and had to wait. I'm nowhere near as powerful as I was when we first met, so I had to wait and recover," s/he says and changes back into his normal form.

"Right... Well, let's get breakfast and then we can gather the others to come up with a game plan to fight the Nightmare," I say and stretch my arms and back with a few satisfying pops.

I see Discord's stomach visibly gurgle and he grins. "I couldn't agree more! Also, once I've recovered enough magic, I'll make my own home somewhere around here, so don't bother giving me a room," he replies and whistles as he walks out of the room, the guards parting to allow him to pass.

Chrysi just watches and then sighs. "I'm already getting a headache..." she comments and heads to her mirror to brush her hair.

Once we're ready, we head out to the cafeteria and get our meals. Discord asks for some pork and wine which I give him.

After we're fed, I change to Khepri and we head up where we see a few more houses built, even the Minotaurs, Zebras, Unari, and Ponies are helping the Changelings with the construction. Makes me smile seeing everyone working together.

I spot Jurai and Banaway talking to each other while Avir'ra and two large Unari are just coiled to the side, watching everyone going about their business.

Jurai spots us from the corner of his eye and smiles. "Pantheon, are you feeling better?" he asks me.

I smile as best as I can and nod as we approach. "I am, we're just about to gather everyone together to discuss how to fight the Nightmare. I'll bring Amore, Cadence, and Luna here then we can begin. To be honest, I'm not sure how the Unari will be able to help us," I reply and look towards them. It seems Avir'ra has nodded off.

Banaway nods his head. "We'll wait here for your return. I've been learning a lot from the Changelings I've conversed with and wish to continue learning," he replies.

I chuckle and change to Janus. "Alright, be right back!" I say and open a portal to the Crystal Empire.

Once through I find myself in the throne room with Amore on her throne.

"Ah, Sir Pantheon. We art pleased to see thou up and energetic once more." she says to me, getting up off her throne and walking over.

"Yup. I'm here to get you, Cadence, and Luna for the meeting on how to fight the Nightmare," I reply and float over to her.

We meet in the middle and before either of us can speak, Heart Shine forms her body nearby and smiles at us.

"I thought I felt your magic in here, Pantheon." she says and walks over.

"Hello, Heart Shine. How are you doing now? Is the crack in the heart fixed yet or not?" I reply and ask.

She shakes her head and sighs. "That will take time, but it is healing..." she replies.

"I see. Perhaps I should bring the others here so you can join the meeting as well?" I suggest, while I make a portal back to Khepria.

Again she shakes her head. "No need as I will not be of any help while I recover. I would prefer to not draw any attention to myself in my weakened state," she replies.

I nod in understanding. "Fair enough, so where are Cadence and Luna right now?" I ask them both.

"Our daughter is keeping Luna company in her chambers. We do believe thou knoweth the way," Amore replies.

I smile and quickly make a portal to Cadence's room, spotting both her and Luna sitting on her bed and just chatting. Though that quickly stops as they both yelp at the sight of the portal.

"CARL! Wilt thou cease scaring us!" Cadence yells and sighs with a hoof to her chest. Though Luna hides a giggle behind a hoof.

"Hey! At least I didn't make it behind or above you this time!" I reply with a chuckle. I hear Amore and Heart Shine giggle as well.

Cadence shakes her head as both she and Luna get up off the bed and walk over to the portal.

"So, are thou ready to discuss plans to battle the Nightmare?" the pink alicorn asks me as she and Luna step through the portal.

"Yup, we're heading back to Khepria to go over ideas for either pulling the nightmare out, or restraining her until we can. Hopefully, Discord has some ideas as he mentioned that chaos magic is effective," I reply and make a new portal to the throne room.

Once we're all together, I make a portal to Khepria and we all gather in the keep for our meeting.

With everyone here, I look toward the Draconequus. "So Discord, what is the arena you made like?" I ask him.

He snaps his fingers and creates a 3D hologram of a sealed cavern with glowing lights fused to the ceiling. At the bottom is a pool of liquid love about four feet deep and twelve feet in diameter. Along the upper walls are four platforms big enough for a single person to stand on.

"So here's what I was thinking. Pantheon will portal the Nightmare into the pool of liquid love, then I'll use my chaos magic to make her more vulnerable to the positive energy and leave Celestia's body. Only problem is, We'll need its same kind of magic to even deal any permanent damage to it." Discord says as I have a cup of apple juice from the table of refreshments the Changelings prepared for us.

Jurai then speaks up. "What kind of magic is required?" he asks.

"The magic that created the Nightmares in the first place, forbidden magic of the old gods, like the one I sealed away. Eldritch magic," he replies with a frown.

I can't help but choke on my drink and cough my lungs out. "Love, are you alright?" Chrysalis asks me as I hammer my chest.

Once my coughing fit is gone I stare at him in surprise. Discord asks me with worry. "Do you know about Eldritch magic?" he asks.

"Well... I have a god that's an old god... Cthulhu: The great dreamer..." I reply, getting shocked and terrified expressions.

Banawey speaks after a long pause. "You mean to tell us... You have the magic of the old gods?"

"This god is capable of causing insanity to those he hits with his attacks, and can corrupt and mutate living things into eldritch abominations. But the lore of my world says any mortal that looks upon him goes insane... and I don't want to test if that's true here or not," I reply.

Discord shakes his head. "Well then, I suppose we should see if it's the same magic we need. I'll teleport both myself and Pantheon to a deserted area and I'll see if it's what we need," he says and snaps his fingers.

I blink my eyes and feel a bit light headed, but it seems we're in a large desert with nothing but sand around us.

"Alrighty then, change into the old god and we'll see if you have an insanity aura or at least the magic we need," he asks me.

I wince hoping I don't make him go mad. "Okay, here we go," I reply and change to Cthulhu.

Once changed, I'm taller than discord by four feet and he goes wide eyed at me.

He starts circling me and poking me in different places. "Well, it's safe to say you can't make people go mad just looking at you, but touching them with your hands can, so be careful with that. And yes you have the magic we need to hurt or even kill the Nightmare. Funny that this god is called the Great Dreamer, as the old god that made the nightmares is a god of the dream realm as well," he says and claps his hands.

"Okay, show me some attacks you can do, that will help me see how to restrain the Nightmare and let you deal as much damage as possible to them," he tells me. So I performed all the attacks I learnt last night.

"How's that?" I ask him.

"Hmmmm, I see... Well good news is once the liquid love purges the Nightmare out of Celestia, I'll teleport her out of the pool and you use that mire sludge to corrupt the entire pool, thus either killing or turning it into your minion!" he replies.

I frown in thought for a few seconds before looking at him. "But I have no idea if the Nightmare will stay my minion or revert back. Remember, a real old god made them, I'm just a bootleg version of one," I tell him with a gravelly sigh.

"Then once you dump your mire on them we'll all just hold it down and you beat it to death, simple!" he replies with a grin.

"Welp, the only thing to do is put it into practice," I say and change back into Khepri.

"Let's get started then!" Discord says and snaps his fingers. We're back to where we were and the others either jump or yelp.

Discord claps his hands and whistles. "Good news, is that it's the magic we need! Bad news, there is none. So Let's start filling the trap with the love honey and then Pantheon will go track the Nightmare and pull her into it. Then we'll hold the Nightmare down while he beats the stuffing out of it," he tells everyone.

Jurai then speaks up. "What will the rest of us do?" he asks.

The Draconequus slithers through the air and lands next to the old Minotaur, putting his arm around Jurai's back. "There is a possibility that it could summon or create shadow creatures to help defend it. While we deal with the pest itself, you and your forces will protect us from anything it could bring to the fight," he replies and pats Jurai's shoulder.

Jurai hums in thought and then nods. "Very well, we'll prepare for anything hostile," he says and stands up.

Once everyone agrees with the plan, pods of liquid love are moved to the arena where the base is covered in resin before filled with the love laden fluid.

It takes an hour to fill and carve anti magic runes around the walls to prevent the Nightmare from simply teleporting out. We also tested if my portals work through it and fortunately they do, as it's not magic but a spatial type ability.

The plan is that when I locate the Nightmare, I will freefall as Janus and just as I'm about to land on her, I'll open a portal under her and body slam her into the pool of liquid love, not giving her any time to counter or prepare.

The Zebra, Minotaur, Changelings, Crystal Ponies, and Unari have set up units around the outside of the arena just in case of an enemy attack.

"Are we ready?" I ask Cadence, Amore, and Discord. Unfortunately, due to Luna's horn, she'll be helping in the defence.

"We are ready, Sir Pantheon," Amore replies, with nods from the others.

"Right then, let's go hunt a Nightmare," I say and create a portal over the crater that was once the Crystal Empire's homeland.