Fires of Reprisal

Very slowly I felt myself return to consciousness. A soft and warm light pierced itself through my eyelids making me squint and moan. Wait I could actually hear that! My voice is back! Although I didn't need to talk to anyone it was still nice to talk to myself if i needed to. Wait...

I was dying wasn't I?

In a panic I opened my unbandaged eye and saw that I was in what appeared to be a hospital room, Bandaged from head to hoof it was hard to move around, but I could rip through them quickly enough if I needed to. I don't think this is the afterlife. Hell would be more familiar and this isn't it.

Why didn't I die? Whats going on here? I heard the door open and saw a pretty mare came in through the door to my room. Her light brown coat reminded me of the soft dirt that I saw right after getting through the portal. As she came in through the door I didn't see any guards outside but that didn't mean they weren't there. I don't have the luxury of assuming anything.

Watching her every move she finally looked up from her clipboard and locked eyes with me. With a small "EEP!" she turned around and bolted through the door. Not good, I need to be ready for anything. Putting my hooves on the bed while still laying down I tensed myself, ready to leap out and kill anypony that could alert HER that I was coming... what was her name again?

I tensely waited, and waited a bit more. Seeing the door open I got ready until I saw a white maned old stallion enter so I began to relax until I saw a soldier walk in behind him and stand next to the door. I locked my eye on the soldier while I watched the doctor out of my periphery.

The doctor noticed where I was watching and with a warm chuckle he waved his hoof in front of my face, I almost jumped and killed him on the spot out of reflex but I needed him alive for now... I've come too far to relax now.

"Don't be alarmed, we're just here to ask a few questions since there is a few things we're not quite sure about."

I didn't say anything yet, I just kept a very close eye on the soldier.

With a sigh the doctor sat down in a stool next to my bed. His body almost blocked my view of the guard but he didn't seem to notice as he nonchalantly looked down at his clipboard.

"I promise everything is going to be fine, we just need to figure out what happened over there exactly and who you are. In fact let's start with that. Because you were so badly burnt and scarred we haven't been able to identify you, granted not many ponies have been sent over there but there's still a handful. Can you tell us your name?"

Wait they don't know who I am yet? This could work to my advantage.

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know but first, this is really important to me... where am I?" My voice cracked, as dry and lifeless as the desert where SHE threw me into.

The soldier watched me watch him as the doctor scratched his muzzle for a bit in thought. After a minute he shrugged and said "Sure, what could be the harm? You're in the Canterlot Royal Hospital, right behind the castle with Celestia and-"

That was as far as he got before I remembered her name. My blood instantly warmed up to a comfortable boil and my eye saw a familiar red.

I uncoiled my limbs, thrusting myself out of bed with lightning speed as I decapitated the doctor. Still flying through the air I punched the guard in the helmet. Surprisingly their helmet caved in quite easily and I accidentally blew them through the wall. Through the hole I just made I could see the shock on everyponies faces outside my room. They were too stunned to even scream yet but that would definitely start soon, I needed to hurry. Turning around I saw the doctor lying in a rapidly growing pool of blood on the floor, his stool throw against one wall and his hoof still on his clipboard. I had unfinished business with him...

Stomping his lifeless corpse over and over to punctuate every word I screeched at him, "DO!" smack "NOT!" squelch "SAY!" slosh "HER!" crunch "NAME!"

His body was becoming a red paste on the floor, bones and blood and coat all mixing together into a grisly mess. Satisfied that he got the message I turned around to head out the door. I am so close now, just a little further. Cant stop...

I barely even noticed the screams and the ponies bolting away from me in all directions, they weren't important... nopony is important... only one thing is important.

In a haze I stumbled through the hospital, where was the way out? I need to get to her. She needs to die. Where is she!

Looking over I saw a nurse cowering in the corner, trembling in fear... She'll do.

Dashing over in less than the blink of an eye I grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up. Bringing her muzzle right against mine I slowly and politely asked, "Where... is... the... exit?" My throat seemed to tear again, making talking difficult and filling my mouth with blood. I felt a bit dribble out which I promptly ignored and I heard a light splashing sound.

Looking down I saw that the terrified mare was pissing herself, it was flowing down her leg and making a small puddle on the floor. Rolling my eye I ripped off the bandage on my other eye and glared at the mare who was gaping for breath. Staring her down with my one good eye and my bloodshot other eye I impatiently yelled "WHERE?" and threw the mare on the ground.

Gasping for air and choking on her own sobs the mare pitifully pointed to a door on my right. With a snort of disgust I turned around a bucked her into the wall. A loud wet crack registered in my ears but I ignored it. I now knew the way out and soon I would find her. I'm so close now, too close to stop or hesitate.

So close...

Seeing a set of double doors I shouldered them opened and squinted at the sudden brightness of the sun. Looking up at the constant reminder I entertained the thought that this would be the last day it shines its smothering light.

Her time is close... so close now...

Looking up again I saw the castle's back wall and memories started to flood in, back when I was that bitch's student.

NO I shook my head violently, I cant slow down now. I won't be stopped!

Clearing my head I saw a dozen guards running towards me, surrounding me they lowered their spears and pointed them at me. Such a pitiful reception almost made me want to laugh. I might have if it wasn't so pathetic... they wont even slow me down. Looking back up at the castle I saw a set of large windows a good hundred meters or so up the side of the smooth granite wall, the throne room! SHE must be there!

Without even a second though I crouched down and jumped with a good bit of my strength. The explosive leap brought me right to it and with a loud crash I burst through the window and into the throne room.

Looking around I saw a regal figure on the throne, white and glaring as the sun.

THERE SHE IS!

Her shocked face filled my mind, leaving no room for anything else as I landed on all fours to face her, blood dripping down on the red carpet from my numerous cuts from the window.

Quick! before she can react! No time for plans I coiled up all my limbs... my eternity of training better pay off.

I blitzed at her with everything I had, my legs shrieked in pain and my hooves cracked open. Instantly I got within reach and with a scream so loud my voice broke again I hit her with everything I had. I'm finally doing it! I smiled to myself.

AHHHHHHHHHH The pain almost made me black out, she was tougher than even stone! My entire left foreleg crumpled into a broken mess, out of the corner of my eye I saw bones sticking out in all directions like a pincushion. Blood gushed out from all over it. I involuntarily moaned in pain and from the intense feeling of agony I found my old self again.

Cant stop... Won't stop... So close... CELESTIA!

Looking at the stunned look on her face I saw the bloody hoofprint on her shoulder from my punch earlier. there was no dent, no blood other than mine and that showed how little effect my punch had. Cold shock mixed itself with the pain and agony, can I do this? Is it even possible?

NO! I HAVE to!

I will NOT fail!

With a wet, spluttery growl I swung at her face with my right hoof with everything I had again. I wont give in, I wont stop!

Her stunned look was replaced with determination as the Bitch put up a shield, its thick impenetrable golden glow pushing me back a bit. It lasted for just a moment though as my hoof hammered against it. Breaking both my hoof and her shield I gasped in pain again as the shield shattered around me. I barely even registered the pain though, it wouldnt even make me hesitate.

An opening! I filled up my horn with magic, desperately filling it as fast with magic and I could and I reinforced my left foreleg as much as I could. Spinning around I turned my back to her and jammed a bone sticking out of my elbow as deep in her eye as I could.

A impossibly loud and terrible shriek echoed through the throne room as all the windows shattered. Before I could turn around to face her I felt a dense and powerful magic push shove me away from the throne. Sailing through the air I had a split second to react before I hit the wall. Spinning around to get a look at the damage I had done I saw her face. One of her eyes was a ruined mess, tears and blood spilling down her face while she twisted and screamed in agony. Then I hit the wall...

A loud and ominous crack filled the air as my back hit the wall with enough force to crack it. No matter though, I didn't feel any pain, I am above that. Struggling to get up and finish this I realized nothing was happening, I still was laying on the ground in a crumpled heap. Oh no! Did my spine break?

GET UP! I heaved with all my strength against the ground but nothing happened again.

Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit SHIT! I moaned as I tried again and again but nothing happened. Panic gripped my mind, drowning me in hopelessness as I tried again and again to get up. I WONT stop! I REFUSE to give in. This can't be how this ends... IT CANT!

Looking up I saw that she had stopped screaming and was walking over to me slowly. For the first time in forever my hate was replaced with something else in my mind, something more primal and totally alien to me.... terror.

Every step solidly placed on the ground, every clank from her regalia striking the granite... it was the most terrifying thing I had ever witnessed. Her eye blazed like the sun, just like that sun that had watched me in Tartarus all those years. That sun reminded me of my rage, all my hate that had sustained me. It reminds me of all that work I put in, all that effort.

NO! I won't let it end like this!

Just as quickly as terror had filled my mind it was replaced with desperation. SHE has to die, I can't die. I won't die. I won't... no please, please.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

DIE!

With my horn I lifted myself like a bloody and broken puppet and threw myself as fast as I could at her. A look of horror spread itself across her face as I flew through the air. She raised her hooves to defend herself and with a loud splat I smacked myself against the bottom of her hooves.

Even though I couldn't feel anything anymore I saw one of my forelegs continue flying across the throne room and land near the throne, leaving a trail of blood across the pristine floor. Looking down I saw that her hooves had gone entirely through one of my shoulders and the other through my chest. Her white coat was turning red from blood... my blood.

Am I going to die?

I cant die... not yet... I can't feel pain, ah my old friend where have you gone? I cant feel my strength... my last ditch attack is worthless. No... just no... Its not fair...

Still stuck on her hoof I weakly tried to push my horn through her bloody eye, just have to pierce the brain and she'll be dead. She turned her head away in disgust, deterring my feeble attempts. Throwing me off of her with a loud squelch I saw contempt mixed with horror now on her face. Standing still she watched me bleed out on the floor.

Blackness started to creep into the edges of my vision as my thoughts slowed.

Please no.... not till I've finished this...

Putting the last dregs of my magic into my horn I slowly dragged my body across the floor towards her. I can't stop... not now... I can't....

My vision was consumed by black and I felt the last of my magic sputter out and die.

Please...

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...

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Celestia