The Hub

A deep purple claw soaked in black liquid yanks free from the chest of a black humanoid figure. The figure shudders before falling apart into shadows that scatter into the ground. The creature that the claw is attached to howls into the air throwing its purple and black head back. The creature covered in purple fur from head to three clawed toes is known as Werelight and in her current form only knows to kill. The creature's mouth hangs open showing black covered. Her eyes are almost vacant and have taken on a more primal animalistic presence about them as they shift and scout for her next enemy.

"There she goes again." A scythe-wielding satyr says sighing and leaning against the wall that separates the wild from the "haven", "Honestly I think she's a bad as any of the other things out here. She shows up every time there's going to be a hunt and she just goes full animal until there's nothing left or one of us knocks her out. She's a real pain in the ass if you ask me."

The satyr is dressed down in a black robe that opens in the front. Whether dyed from the blood of the fallen creatures or made like that is unknown. But the blackness of the robe is unreal and seems to shift if stared at too intently. Inside the robe, shes dressed in a red button up shirt that stop just above her waist. Her lower half is covered in light purple fur and ends in cloven hooves.

"It's a good thing nobody did Reaper." Another Twilight says closing the book in front of her and looking at Reaper with deep blue eyes, "Now, I believe you have a job to be doing."

Outside of the blue eyes, this Twilight is but an Earth pony that seems to have a book chained to her foreleg. The chain wraps around it tightly and disappears into her chest. The chain is silver and seems to have a faint glow on to itself. The text on the front of the book seems to change every minute or so and possibly never repeats itself. Even more is that her right flank had the cutie mark of almost every other Twilight and the other flank has the book.

"That's true. I do have a job, several, and one which seems to be denied here at every turn." Reaper says watching Werelight grab a figure and rip it in two.

"I figured you of all people would."

Blue-eyed Twilight flinches and jumps back at the same time Reaper does. An explosion flings the two further apart causing grunts of discomfort from the two. Reaper is the first to recover flipping in air and landing on her feet. She yanks her scythe out of the air in time catch the blade of another humanoid figure using the middle of it. The blade in question seems to extend from the body of the creature where it's left arm would be.

"Mother of Celestia you guys are persistent!"

Reaper shoves the figure back and slashes through it like butter causing it to sink back into the ground. She turns to check on the other Twilight to find her unscathed and walking away from a frozen figure that slowly crumbles into pieces. Reaper gives a relaxed sigh before nodding towards her.

"Alright. I'm off Reilight. Try to have Werelight's and my back. "

Reilight nods her head while opening her book causing it to flip through several pages and her eyes to glow the same brilliant light as her book. Beams of light fire from her form into the void as more creatures rise from the ground roaring in anger. Werelight growls and begins sprinting ripping through the dark forms with her claws while Reaper seems to ignore the basic ones scanning for the one that sent the attack against the two. She quickly spots out the spell caster accompanied by two knight-like figures that wield greatswords with one hand.

"Big boys aren't you!~" She says eyeing the creatures, "Let's see if you can keep up!"

She dashes towards them and brings her scythe down for the head of the first knight who manages to catch the blade with its own. The second knight reacts immediately throwing a punch only to get knocked off center and stopped by a beam of blue light against its chest. Reaper turns into a black mist and passes through the knight before reappearing and spinning with the blade poised to cut the two in half. A shield of darkness forms preventing the death of the two knights.

The creature in question who has prevented the timely death is taller and lankier than the knights and starts chuckling while holding a skull that emits darkness from its mouth and eyes like a rushing waterfall. The spellcaster shoves the skull towards Reaper causing a hand of darkness to form out of the shield and shove her away from the group of elites into the waiting clutches of some basic figures who proceed to disarm her and wrap their hands around various parts of her whilst clawing and grabbing.

Reaper releases a dark pulse from the ground and all the figures fall into the ground shredded apart.

"I'm gonna have fun cutting you apart..." Reaper says picking herself up from the ground while pulling her scythe back to her, "Oh how you'll regret that little trick of yours."

Spellcaster chuckles and raises the skull up forming more creatures from the darkness as if challenging Reaper to try.

"Ooooooh~ You just want me to reap each and every one of you don't you?~ You might turn me on at this rate~." Reaper states as her blade begin to glow and her robe extends turning into wisps of smoke that flow behind her.

"Crescent Strike!" She yells jumping into the air while her scythe forms a crescent moon.

She flies at her opponents while swiping her blade sending a line of blue energy through several figures and one knight who attempted to black the energy strike with its blade.

"Hehehehhhhh" Spellcaster cries squizzing the skull making it emit more darkness than before that quickly begin to cover two more of his knights.

"Oh no you don't!" Reilight yells, "Twin Drill!"

"Kehheh!" The Spellcaster cries out as two blue beams crash into his form disrupting his magic and sending him flying back a bit.

The Spellcaster quickly tries to scramble up to fine Werelight looking down at him growling.

"I see you have returned my friend." Grand says wrapping her wings and forelegs around a very visibly harmed Twilight, "Though events have not been well for you I would imagine."

"N-No... t-they r-r-really haven't." The one-eyed Twilight says hugging one of her few friends in this realm back, "I-I-I t-told y-you I would b-be- fine."

Grand pulls back with a smile that doesn't quite reach her saddened eyes. The version in front of her had been through so much and has shared so much with some many, yet that door from before marks her as a combatant against their fate. Or her supposed fate whether it comes now or later.

Yet here she is. A survivor, unlike any other Twilight. Or at least any other Twilight that has been documented with a red door. Even now she still has that constant reminder when going home of her fate. Then there are the whispers and theories wrapped around such an event as this.

"I see your speech has gotten better my friend. Shall we go and have a drink while you're here?"

"Y-Yes P-P=Please..." Survivor says perking up a bit her left remaining ear twitching a bit, "I-I-Is Pielight b-back?"

"Ah... Not today honey. Though between you and me." Grand leans in closer to Twilight's remaining ear, "She had said she was going to be planning something beyond your very imagination for your upcoming birthday."

"R-R-R-R"

Grand pats Survivor on the back in an attempt to calm her down, "Calm down now honey we can talk more about that over your favorite drink okay?"

"Y-Yeah! W-Wait... w-w-we have some th-th-things to ta-talk about still." Survivor says

"Ah... I'm pretty sure I know what is on your mind. Let me just say that you really should take it easier on yourself. You know there's not much I can say on the subject and even less knowing what lengths you would take to know more." Grand says turning away from her newest friend, "Plus such talks would only bring abo-"

"I've seen her," Survivor says softly her eyes growing fierce, "She's... shown me something... something I'm sure you wouldn't want others to see."

Grand says nothing for a moment. The open area they once were in had been replaced with an easy shift on Grand's part putting them inside of a steel room by themselves. The only light in the room comes from ever-present blue crown above her head.

Grand takes a deep breath before lowering her head towards the floor, "Does Queenie know?"

Survivor says nothing and stands there nervously staring down her friend.

"Why do you make these things so difficult?" Grand asks turning towards her, "Please don't tell me you believed her with what she said. Whatever she told you to do don't. She can't be trusted. None of them can. And don't play dumb. If you saw HER then you saw everyone else that's on that side as well. I am your friend. I want what's best for you. Just like Queenie wants what's best for this realm, but you'll wind up killing yourself if you take this route."

"S-S-So there is a w-way to -p-p-perma-a-a-"

"Yes. I'll stop you there and say yes. There is a way, but you don't have to worry about that. You'll never be on patrols. You'll never have to hunt. I promise you that. They will never hurt you." Grand says raising her body up and walking closer to Survivor, "This I swear."

"Is... is it b-because you c-ca-care? Or is i-it about yo-your fa-failure..." Survivor says her eyes going into a glare.

Grand looks offended and takes an aggressive step forward, "Don't you dare go further with that line of thinking. I care about you and all my friends so much! The past is the past! Nothing more! I accepted my failures which is why I am trying my best!"

"I... I'm s-s-sorry... There's s-so much h-h-happening in my li-life. I didn't wa-want to make you so upset..."

"Well, you failed." Grand says trying to regain her composure as she moves to stand face to face with her friend, "And I you haven't told me on where you managed to see her either."

Survivor says nothing and looks away to avoid Grand's eyes.

"Tell me."

"N-No..." Survivor whispers.

"You shouldn't protect her. You'll be lumped in with the rest of them." Grand says using her wing to bring Survivor's head to look at her.

"That would make it easier on you wou-wouldn't it..." Survivor says trying to look past Grand.

"No. It wouldn't. But if you're corrupted and have the thought that all the others get on what's best. I will be forced to raise my hoof against you. Despite my interest in not wanting to." Grand says letting Survivor's head go and looking at the barren wall behind her.

Grand moves past Survivor and places a hoof against the cold metal wall, "I wish you wouldn't do this."

Survivor says nothing and only looks towards the floor. Grand looks over her shoulder at the young unicorn and sighs heavily, "This makes me only want to drink more you know?"

Survivor walks slowly over to Grand as a door appears behind Grand's hoof.