The Witchblade EqG: The 13 Artifacts

Applejack and Rarity limped their way through the hallway and into the open area where the floats and staff were working. Upon making themselves known, several staff members rushed to them, seeing the state of dress Rarity was in, as well as the physical states both were in.

“Ms. Belle are you alright?!” one asked.

“Someone get the medic and call nine-one-one!” another ordered.

“Are those animal ears? Is this some sort of furry cosplay thing?”

“Don’t worry ‘bout us! Y’all have to get outta here now! There’s a killer comin’ after us!” Applejack warned.

“She killed Vignette and she’s going to do the same to all of you! Hurry and run!” Rarity urged.

The constant explosions and roars from outside were already unsettling them, the staff was told to stay in the warehouse because it was far enough away from the commotion to be deemed safe, however, after hearing that, they were starting to rethink that. Just then, the sound of scrapping metal echoed from the hall behind the two girls, the staff looked in that direction out of confusion, but Rarity and Applejack started to panic.

“RUN!!!” the two teenagers shouted together.

A red light shined from down the dimly lit hallway, Applejack saw this and hit the deck as fast as she could. Some of the staff followed her example, whether they knew that the light was bad on pure instinct, or trusted the opinion of the two teens, it was hard to say. But a good few did manage to duck down and lay flat on the floor, just as a beam of scarlet light blasted through the hall before transforming into a cutting crescent blade that was five meters long. The staff that did remain standing were struck with the scarlet crescent, passing through them cleanly in one fell swoop before disappearing a moment later.

The staff that did duck, along with Applejack and Rarity, raised their heads and watched in horror as the few that did remain standing, suddenly found their midsections starting to redden. Not long after that, a steady stream of blood came pouring from the thin red stain, and when they tried to take a step forward, all the standing staff’s upper halves separated from their lower halves. A symphony of wet slaps resounded one after the other, as if someone was throwing a wet washcloth against a concrete floor. Intestines and blood came pouring from the two severed parts of the injured, staff, screams echoed in the warehouse, causing the ones who did survive to spring to their feet and run as fast as they could.

A couple of the staff stopped to go back for Rarity and Applejack, but the two teens knew that if they did, they’d meet the same fate as the poor individuals who now lied dead on the floor. The teen lovers urged the workers who were making their way back to them to just run, and with heavy reluctance, the workers ran.

“Sug, just hang on, we just need to get outside and get to Sunset as fast as we can!” Applejack assured.

“What?! Sunset is here?!” Rarity asked, her tone sounding hopeful.

“Yeah, big coincidence, huh? Anyway, we just need to get somewhere safe and give her a call! C’mon, Sug, let’s hurry!”

Applejack wasted little time, calling on her superhuman strength – which she didn’t know she had – to left Rarity into her arms, carrying her like a bride across the threshold. If it wasn’t for the life-or-death situation they were in, Rarity would’ve enjoyed this moment a lot more. It seemed whatever magical power was coursing through Applejack, was having some kind of healing effect on her as the taser’s paralysis was wearing off her a lot faster than it was on Rarity. The cowgirl gritted her teeth and pushed through the partial paralysis as she broke into a sprint, running as fast as she could towards the huge hangar doors.

However, the hallway entrance that they had come through earlier was blasted by a strong beam of scarlet light, blowing out the surrounding wall and kicking up a dust plume. From that plume emerged Suri Polomare, donned in her full armor and ready to kill. “Oh, I can’t tell you how much I’ve been imagining this moment Rarity! I was sent to Hell itself and cast into a river of burning fire along with millions of other damned souls! Clawing, biting, punching, and kicking each one that was trying to get out of the river! I was in constant pain, feeling my body get broken again and again, only to get repaired just as quickly to go through it all over again!”

A swipe from her sword sent another crescent flying into the rafters, the crescent, unlike the last one, did not cut, but instead exploded on impact, sending debris crashing down to the floor below. Applejack ducked behind a float just as a large girder came down and crashed onto another float a few feet away.

“But the thought of what I’d do to you and that wannabe bad girl, Sunset Shimmer, is what kept me going! I lost track of time down there, so imagine my surprise that it’s been months since I’ve died! I’ve spent MONTHS in Hell thinking of nothing else but what I’d do to the two of you when I managed to get out of there!”

A third swipe of Suri’s sword launched another crescent, this time at a float. The float exploded, the flowers that decorated it turning into embers, and the embers that flew out caught onto some of the other nearby floats, setting them ablaze.

“But, hey, I don’t need to think about it anymore! I’m going to fulfill those fantasies right here and now! I’d say it was the universe that brought us together, but I’m pretty sure it wanted me to stay down there, well fuck that noise!” Suri proclaimed. “Hey, cowgirl, I get that you’re a friend of hers, that other bitch said you’re her girlfriend. I don’t know and I don’t really give a damn! I’m feeling generous right now, so here’s my deal! Leave that porcelain skinned bitch on the floor somewhere and you can leave here alive!”

From behind one of the floats, Rarity looked up at Applejack, watching her lover look around for a better way out, or for enough cover to make sure they could get out safely. Suri was after her, only her, there was no reason for Applejack to be brought into this mess, and right now with her injury, she was a liability.

“Go,” Rarity urged.

“What?!”

“Leave me here and go find Sunset,” Rarity clarified.

Applejack shook her head in disbelief. “The hell Ah’m gonna do that! Ah ain’t leavin’ ya here to be killed by that psycho!”

“Applejack, my love, please! You have more to lose than I do! Your big brother, grandmother, and little sister, you’re all each other have! You’ve lost your parents, don’t make your family have to suffer your loss,” said Rarity.

The apple farmer narrowed her gaze as she said, “And what about your family, huh? Yer ma and pa? Sweetie Belle? Ah’m not the only one who’s gonna be missed y’know! So, stuff it! We ain’t dyin’ here, we’re gettin’ outta here, findin’ Sunset so she can send this demon bitch back to hell, and then Ah’m takin’ ya back to my place, and rut ya like Ah’m tryin’ to put a baby in you, understand?!”

Rarity blushed hard as she averted her gaze from her lover. “Did you really have to tack on that last part, it was all rather lovely until that crude bit at the end.”

Applejack smirked. “Heh, don’t act like ya wouldn’t mind it.”

“……Perhaps I would.”

“Heh, heh, wow, aren’t you two pretty kinky lovers. If you want to get it on before you die, I’m not too evil that I wouldn’t grant you time for it.” Rarity and Applejack looked above and spotted Suri, perched at the top of the float and looking down on them like a bird of prey. “Offer still stands, cowgirl, what’s your answer?”

Applejack stood up slowly and backed away from the float, keeping Suri in her sights the entire time. “My answer is this, you can take yer offer, and shove it, and yer sword, up yer ass!”

“Hmm, something tells me you’re the kind of gal who likes it up that hole. Let’s find out!”

With the same inhuman speed, Suri dashed straight down, holding the Blood Sword overhead in preparation to cut off Applejack’s head. Rarity could sense the danger coming, and in her heart and mind she wished she had the ability to protect her lover, instead of being the one who needed protecting. She felt helpless, but she wanted to do something, anything to stop Applejack from getting killed. As if answering her prayers, the magical aura around Rarity glowed brighter, and a moment later, a diamond shield appeared over Applejack’s head.

Suri brought down her sword at the same time as the shield’s creation, the demonic metal struck against the diamond shard and created a ringing sound that echoed loudly in the warehouse. “What the hell is this?!”

“Uh, Sug, did you do that?!” Applejack asked.

“I…I don’t know…! But if I did, I don’t care how!” Rarity answered.

With that established, Applejack started to make a B-line straight for the hangar doors as fast as she could. Suri growled in annoyance and dashed again for the couple, she readied to strike again, but as she did another diamond shield appeared to protect Applejack’s back. The demonic warrior broke off and came at Applejack from a different angle, however, another diamond shield appeared on Applejack’s left just before Suri could make contact. Another annoyed growl escaped her as she tried again from the right, but the result was the same.

“Seriously?! What the hell?!”

Applejack and Rarity were close to the entrance, but Suri noticed where they were going and jumped high into the air, spun once, and landed right in their path.

“I didn’t say you could leave! Let’s see how your crystals deal with this!” Suri sheathed her sword and took a stance. Scarlet light flared around the resurrected teen, with much of that aura flowing into the sheath and infusing into the sword within. “Hiiro no Senkō (Scarlet Flash)!”

Multiple diamond shards formed out in front and around them, as if Rarity’s magic was sensing the danger and was reinforcing their defenses the best it could. In a flash of red light, Suri was gone, several of the forward-facing diamond shields shattered one after the other. Applejack thought to run, but since she could not see where Suri went, such action would be foolhardy. Plus, the diamond shields were the only thing protecting them from getting killed, for how long was unknown, but every second that they could buy was another second they had at trying to get out of this situation.

Suri reappeared back where she started, her face contorting in anger. “Dammit, what the hell are those things made of?! Okay then, I’ll just attack you from all angles! Let’s see if your little shields can keep up! CHI NO KYŌRAN (Blood Frenzy)!” The psycho teen disappeared again, and not long after, the diamond shields were assaulted from every direction.

Some of the shields cracked or shattered, forcing Rarity to concentrate to make more appear. Scarlet streaks of light came at them from every direction, leaving no room to move or breathe, to move would mean death, but Rarity wasn’t sure how much longer these shields would last. After her encounter with Vignette, she was feeling weak thanks to the taser, but summoning these shields was starting to drain her.

“I…I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up, Jackie…!” Rarity admitted.

“Just hang on, Sug!” Applejack urged.

Rarity tried but her aura was fading, her pony ears started to glow and shrink little by little. Applejack knew that it would only be a matter of time before Suri broke through and they’d both be killed, or in Rarity’s case, tortured and then killed.

“Rares…” The fashionista looked up at Applejack, and the apple farmer smiled down at her.

“W-What is it?” Rarity asked.

“I love you,” Applejack leaned down and kissed Rarity on her lips as passionately as she could. “So ya better live, no matter what.”

Rarity’s eyes widened and her heart raced, the gravity of those words her lover just spoke falling upon her like a ton of bricks. “APPLEJACK!”

The cowgirl waited and saw a shield shatter, leaving a gap just big enough for her to use. Applejack drew upon her strength and tossed her lover right through hole as if chucking a football. Rarity flew far towards the entrance, and on instinct created a diamond cocoon that surrounded her body. She rolled along the ground until the cocoon struck against the hangar doors. The rest of the shields shattered now that Rarity was a farther distance from Applejack, leaving her completely exposed. Rarity’s cocoon shattered next and looked on as she now saw Applejack unprotected and standing on her own.

Suri, still in the middle of her attack, unable to stop her momentum, followed through with her next attack. Time slowed down for Rarity and Applejack, the fashionista tried to get up, but her ankle radiated with pain and forced her to drop back to the floor. Applejack released a sigh through her nostrils and smiled at Rarity, closing her eyes as memories flooded her mind. The worst day of her life when her parents died had haunted her for a long time, but the love of her grandmother, big brother and little sister kept her going. The happiness she felt when she made friends with Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie.

The time they all ended their friendship due to Sunset’s dirty tricks, meeting Princess Twilight and discovering the Magic of Friendship. She remembered the Battle of the Bands and how proud she was when Sunset stood up and took her place among their circle of friends. Along with that, she also remembered her guilt in accusing her newest friend of being a cyber bully, and she regretted, slightly, her little get-togethers with her brother. However, from all that, she was able to start a relationship with one of the most beautiful girls in Canterlot High, her friend and now lover.

“APPLEJACK!!!!!!” Rarity screamed louder.

Ah love you, Rarity…never ferget that, Sugar Cube.

Suri’s next strike went through Applejack’s neck. It all happened in an instant, and a moment later, Applejack’s head hit the floor, her body followed not soon after. Rarity felt the world around her shatter, tears streaming down her face as her mind grappled with the reality of what she was seeing before her, her mouth wanted to scream, but it was if all feeling had left her. Suri walked over to the body of Rarity’s dead lover, and then looked at the severed head of the cowgirl, her hat lying next to it, what she found strange was that even though she knew she was going to die, she never lost her smile.

“Was she stupid or something? She smiled even though she knew I was about to cut her down.” Suri shrugged. “Oh well, can’t expect much smarts from a hayseed like that, great body, but not much upstairs.” The demonic samurai knelt next to Applejack’s body and a sinister smile crossed her lips. “Shame for it to go to waste. Rarity, you want to jump her while the body’s still warm, or I could play around with it?”

Rarity’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as her magical aura flared up, her pony ears returned, but along with them, a white horn made of light appeared above her forehead. “GET AWAY FROM HER YOU BITCH!!!”

In response to her fury, a diamond spear formed in front of Rarity in less than a second. That same spear launched itself like a bullet, cutting the air as it found its home right in Suri’s chest. The speed and force of the spear carried the murderer all the way back until she found herself pinned against a parade float.

Rarity slowly dragged herself towards Applejack’s remains, with some effort, she made it to Applejack’s severed head, the transformation and her magic having worn itself out. With shaking hands, she took her trademark Stetson hat and placed it gently on the young cowgirl’s head. “T-There you go, my love…y-you can’t go anywhere without your father’s hat…it just makes you, you…Please say something…” Rarity held Applejack’s head closer. “Call me prissy and stuffy, call me a pain in the ass…say that you love me again…Applejack…”

Suri groaned in pain as she moved forward and unstuck herself from the float and spear. Her wound closed the moment she got loose, but for some reason, it hurt more than normal. “Dammit, you bitch! Oh, I’m so going to enjoy skinning you alive, bit by bit, slowly, methodically! But don’t worry, Rarity, I’ll be sure to make matching outfits out of you and your dead bimbo of a country whore! I won’t let any part of either of you go to waste!” Suri began walking towards Rarity, dragging Blood Sword across the concrete floor as sparks flew from the scrapping metal.

She didn’t need to do any fancy attacks or swift techniques; her victim was helpless and too busy wallowing in her grief to even try and run. It was almost dissatisfying, in killing the hick she may’ve just broken Rarity and left he numb. “Which means even if I skin you, you’ve checked out already and won’t even scream.” Suri sighed through her mouth. “Oh well, the visceral feeling of skinning you will be just as satisfying.”

Suddenly, the roof of the warehouse exploded as something smashed through it at full speed. Before either Rarity or Suri could register what happened, something hard struck Suri in the face, sending her once again flying into the air and crashing into another parade float. Rarity dared to look up and beheld the visage of Sunset Shimmer in her gleaming Witchblade armor.

The keeper of the balance turned around slowly, her dark turquoise eyes widening with horror as she saw the headless body and the head in the arms of her friend. “No…Rarity…tell me that’s not…” Rarity could only cry silently as she held her lover’s head tighter against her chest. Sunset turned her attention towards Suri, who had managed to pry herself from the float, stared with a narrowed gaze at Sunset. The warrior woman’s aura flared as the Witchblade armor grew out to cover the revealing gaps. “SUURRRRIIIIIIIII!!!!!”

“Witchblade…” Suri drewBlood Sword and entered her attack stance. “I’ve been waiting for you! Blood Sword’s been itching to–!”

Sunset didn’t wait for Suri to finish her sentence before dashing across the way and slamming her fist into the killer. Suri was once again sent flying, but this time she managed to correct herself in midair, flipping around until she landed against the opposite wall on her feet. Using it as a springboard, Suri launched herself back towards Sunset.

The wielder of the Witchblade made crude, jagged blades form from her right and left gauntlets and took off to meet Suri. Both women met in the center and clashed their blades, causing a small shockwave to bellow within the warehouse. Sparks flew from the point of contact of their blades, Sunset’s face was contorted in murderous rage while Suri’s was a murderous glee.

“YOU BITCH, YOU KILLED MY FRIEND!!! YOU KILLED APPLEJACK!!! I SWEAR TO FAUST I’LL TEAR YOU APART!!!” Sunset declared.

“Wait, your friend?! No…you’re Sunset Shimmer?!” Suri inquired.

“YES, YOU PSYCHO!!! THIS TIME, I’LL DESTROY YOU COMPLETELY, YOU WON’T BE COMING BACK!!!”

“This is fantastic! Not only do I get to kill Rarity Belle, but also Sunset Shimmer and Witchblade, who are one and the same! This is my lucky fucking day!!!”

Metallic, spiked tendrils sprang from Sunset’s arm, coiling up like cobras as they got into position to strike. “NO, IT’S YOUR WORSE DAY TO BE ALIVE, BY THE TIME I’M DONE WITH YOU, HELL WILL BE A BLESSING!”

The tendrils struck, but Suri quickly disengaged, jumping back as the tendrils lashed and struck, tearing up the parade floats and concrete floor. Sunset didn’t stop there, she chased after Suri, continuing her assault with the tendrils, when she got closer, she willed her hair strands to sharpen and strike alongside the tendrils. Suri dodged them quite gracefully, for the ones that she didn’t manage to dodge, she cut them down easily.

Sunset was only further enraged as she released a torrent of fire straight for Suri, but the scarlet samurai rapidly spun in place.

“Hiiro no Tatsumaki (Scarlet Tornado)!”

The flames were easily wrapped up in the whirlwind it generated, and then were just as quickly snuffed out due to the quick slashes of Suri’s Blood Sword. From the tornado, Suri dashed straight for Sunset, the heroine quickly sidestepped to the right, but was not fast enough as the Blood Sword cut through her arm. Sunset grunted in pain as she skidded to a halt, Suri stopped a few feet away and looked over her shoulder to see her handiwork. However, the metal strands of the Witchblade were still connected to the severed arm, and like a fishing reel, the metal strands brought the severed limb back to her. Thanks to the regenerative power of the Witchblade, Sunset’s arm was reattached.

}}} Sunset, you must calm down, you’re getting sloppy with your attacks. {{{ The Witchblade advised.

SHUT IT, THIS BITCH IS GOING TO DIE!!!

Sunset dashed towards her target again, this time creating several shuriken which she launched at Suri, along with throwing several lances, and shooting arrows. Suri smirked and slashed the air in front of her, firing off multiple scarlet crescents to meet Sunset’s weapons. Each one exploded in midair, creating a plume of smoke that obscured Sunset’s view.

“Where are you looking?!”

Sunset turned her head and saw, too late, that Suri had made it behind her.

“Himei! Chimamire no Tsuki (Scream! Bloody Moon)!” A beam of scarlet light raged forth and slammed Sunset into the ground, exploding on impact.

A crater formed from the explosion, and most of the Witchblade armor was singed, exposing Sunset’s damaged flesh. Once again, her healing factor kicked in, and the armor repaired itself. Sunset groaned as she tried to pick herself up, she had to avenge Applejack. The girl who opened to her about her secret, whose family she helped, whose grandmother made Sunset a home cooked meal and invited her to their table.

I’ll kill her…I’ll kill her…!

“You’re letting your emotions get the better of you.”

“Don’t let your rage swallow you.”

“Arrra-ragh!”

“Be calm Sunset.”

Sunset blinked, she was hearing voices now, and not the Witchblade’s voice, nor the voice of her darker side. Who…Who’s talking to me?

~*~*~*~

Sunset suddenly found herself in the mindscape she once inhabited when she spoke to her dark side. She didn’t understand why she was brought back to this place, especially now in the middle of a battle.

“Witchblade, why did you bring me here?! We’re in the middle of a fight!”

“He brought you here because you’re too steeped in your rage to fight clearly.”

Sunset heard that new voice again, but this time it was coming from behind her. That’s when she noticed something new. Seven pillars of light rose from the ground and into the air, green, yellow, brown, white, violet, blue, and orange. From the yellow pillar a woman emerged, she was Neighponese, with long black hair, a few small scars, and a kimono that was white with sun flames around the edges.

“Who…are you?” Sunset asked.

“My name is Tomoe Gozen, I was once a wielder of the Witchblade that you now possess,” she answered.

“Why are you here?! If you haven’t noticed, I’m a little busy right now!” Sunset argued.

Tomoe walked until she was standing in front of Sunset, the warrior woman swiftly slapped Sunset across the face, surprising the teen. “Avenging a friend is noble, but what good do you do yourself if you continue to fight in such a self-destructive and wild manner. There’s a time for such wild fighting, but now is not the time. Have you not noticed the difference between this Blood Sword and the old one?”

Sunset rubbed the spot where she was slapped as she met Tomoe’s eyes. “No…I haven’t.”

“The girl bonded to the weapon fights uncontrolled, her and Blood Sword are fighting as one unit. As opposed to before when its previous wielder was being controlled. Right now, you are at a disadvantage because of this fact. But luckily for you, I fought against the Blood Sword a long time ago, and I know how to fight it.”

“NO! Let me keep fighting! I’ll calm down, but I want to take her down myself!” Tears began to stream down Sunset’s face as she tried to hold back the sobs. “She…She killed my friend…she didn’t do anything wrong! She didn’t deserve to die like that! Did she make some mistakes, sure, yeah, but she had a good heart! Why…Why did she have to die?!”

Tomoe’s expression turned somber, she reached out with her arms and brought Sunset into a hug. Sunset took this moment to sob as hard she could, to shed the tears she wanted to for her fallen friend. All the while, Tomoe stroked Sunset’s back. “I know the pain of losing a comrade, I fought in many battles, alongside men who I considered my family, who were under my direct command. And each time one of them did not come back from the battlefield, my heart ached. But I kept the pain locked away, because I knew that when next I entered the battlefield, I could unleash that pain onto the enemy.”

Sunset understood Tomoe’s wisdom, she wiped her eyes and took in calming breathes to steady herself. “Okay…how do I fight Blood Sword?”

Tomoe smiled. “You’re not going to fight alone. The time has come for you to draw upon the next level of power from the Witchblade. The Legacy.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What do you mean by ‘The Legacy’?”

Tomoe turned around and pointed to the pillars. “Throughout the centuries, Witchblade has had many wielders. Each one has left their mark on history in one way or another. But these seven, including myself, have come to lend their power, their skill, and their knowledge to you. You will not fight alone, so, will you accept my help, Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset took a couple of steps back; she wiped her eyes again and then bowed to the seasoned samurai. “I would be honored to fight alongside you, Gozen-sensei.”

Tomoe chuckled and then patted Sunset on the shoulder. “None of that now, we are sisters in arms, bonded on a level that no others can understand. Tomoe is fine. Now, are you ready to get started?”

“Let’s go!”

~*~*~*~

“Wow, this is becoming a total let down,” Suri commented. “Guess I’ll get to Rarity then if she’s not coming out of the hole.”

When Suri turned around, a pillar of yellow light blasted through the ceiling, punching a hole straight through and letting the warm sunlight shine down into the warehouse. Suri quickly turned around and readied to attack, but she was surprised at what she saw.

Sunset came walking out of the crater, her steps were calm and steady as she now stood at the edge of the crater. Her armor had changed, the color changing from black to yellow. Her chest was covered in an armored bodice which left the upper half of her breasts exposed, a metallic skirt flowed along her sides and rear, stopping just around her ankles. The armor around her legs had become sleek, with flame molding on the sides. Her gauntlets matched the same design, but her shoulder pauldrons were wide and square shaped, on each pauldron was kanji written as “天照大御神” which translated to “Amaterasu”. Sunset’s head was wrapped in yellow armor, with an ornate crest in the middle of the forehead, her hair was covered except for a long ponytail that flowed down her back.

Her face was left clear for now, allowing her calm expression to be seen. Sunset’s eyes were a little different though, the whites were still a deep black, and her turquoise irises were the same, but her pupils were no longer black, but instead shined with the same yellow color as her armor. This was the power of The Legacy, the power to call upon and merge with the souls of past Witchblade wielders, this was not a takeover, but a merger, a way for the newly dubbed Witchblade wielder to fight side-by-side with her predecessors.

Suddenly, Blood Sword’s aura flared up and Suri could sense its anger. “Hey, hey, what’s up with you?! You’re getting all pissed off!”

“I remember that armor, it’s like a bad memory I can’t shake! A memory of a women clad in gleaming armor such as that, and of fighting such a woman with an unsatisfactory ending, mainly for me!”

“Blood Sword should remember this armor; it belonged a powerful warrior who once faced it and won. Now she has lent me her power and skill to repeat that victory in the present day,” said Sunset, her voice echoing alongside the voice of Tomoe.

The ruby gemstone glowed, and a katana formed in her right hand, Sunset took a practiced sword stance, she took in deep breath and exhaled fire.

“Sun Goddess Style, First Step…”Suri was about to dash straight for Sunset, but in the blink of an eye, Sunset disappeared in a plume of fire and reappeared behind Suri, a trail of fire showing where she had been to where she was now. “Tenka Shite Furasshu (Ignite and Flash)!”

Several slashes appeared all over Suri’s body, blood spewing from each one as pain coursed through her. She would’ve dropped to her knees if she hadn’t used the Blood Sword as a cane to keep herself from falling. Suri grunted in pain as she felt the wounds close, but it was painful, something about the flames was different from before. “What…What was that?!”

“This is the sword style passed down from the ancient sun goddess, Amaterasu. It calls upon the scared light of the Witchblade and laces it into the flames. With this technique, your wounds will be harder to heal. You scared yet, demon?” Sunset/Tomoe asked.

“It doesn’t matter what you change your armor to, I’ll still kill you!” Suri cried out. “Chi no Kyōran (Blood Frenzy)!”

“Sun Goddess Style, Second Step: Bakuhatsu Suru Hi no Hikari (Bursting Fire Light)!”

Suri accelerated at blinding speeds as red streaks began to appear around Sunset. But the empowered balance keeper did not flinch, Sunset’s body erupted into flames as several fireballs blasted from her body and in multiple directions, those same fireballs hovered in the air and remained in place, like sparkling stars in the night sky. Suri didn’t know what was going on, but she wasn’t going to be deterred as she zeroed in on Sunset and poised herself to strike. However, in yet another remarkable display of speed, Sunset vanished from the spot she was standing just as Suri came down with her attack.

Just then, the fireball closest to Suri exploded, revealing Sunset with her sword blade wrapped in sparkling yellow flames. Suri’s eyes widened with fear as she saw the attack coming, but with a well-placed step, managed to accelerate away from the strike at the last second. The demonic samurai readied herself to counterattack, but just then, another fireball exploded and Sunset reappeared, Suri raised Blood Sword just in time to block the attack. Sunset’s body disappeared in a haze of embers, only to burst forth from another point of light, this time hitting Suri in the back with a long slash. Flesh hissed and burned as the murderer cried in pain from the sensation, but despite the pain, Suri hurried out of her range.

But it was becoming clear, that she was not out of Sunset’s range. Sunset burst from another fireball and attacked, clashing blades with Suri. The resurrected teen accelerated in midair as she tried to bounce around and evade, but Sunset met her at every turn. It was then that she understood how Sunset was doing this, it was the fireballs, she launched the fireballs to create an area where she can appear again and again, basically creating a cage where she couldn’t escape.

Clever bitch, if that’s the case, then let’s see how you deal with this! Suri landed on the ground, and when she did, a whirlwind started to kick up around her. “Hiiro no Tatsumaki (Scarlet Tornado)!”

A scarlet tornado formed around Suri, the wall of wind laced with glowing crimson crescents that sliced at anything that tried to get close to her and rendering the fireballs useless to Sunset. The Witchblade wielder dismissed the fireballs and appeared a few feet from the tornado, ready to counter. Sunset drew in another deep breath and exhaled flames once again, upon doing so, she widened her stance and placed the sword into a reverse grip style.

“Sun Goddess Style, Third Step: Fuku to Kiru, Taiyō no Kaze (Blow and Slash, Winds of the Sun)!”

Sunset slashed the air again and again, her movements seeming more like a dance than a slashing technique, however, with each slash, she generated winds that were tinted with yellow light that created heat. Sunset twisted her body, winding herself up, and then spun herself rapidly in the opposite direction of the tornado that Suri generated. Suri, at the eye of the tornado, watched in shock as the speed of her tornado was rapidly decreasing and the yellow light of Sunset’s fire was starting to penetrate the wall of wind. In a panic, Suri drew a circle of scarlet light in the air and thrust her sword forward.

“HIMEI! CHIMAMIRE NO TSUKI (Scream! Bloody Moon)!”

Sunset heard the declaration and flipped her sword around, taking a thrusting stance. “Sun Goddess Style, Fourth Step: Moeru Hikari no Yari (Spear of Burning Light)!” The tip of Sunset’s sword glowed brighter and brighter as light and fire gathered around the blade.

A beam of scarlet light streamed forth from the tornado, dispersing the scarlet tornado entirely as the beam raged towards Sunset. At that same time, Sunset thrust forth with her sword, a solid beam of yellow light, surrounded by spiraling flames extended forth, canceling out her own previous attack as it met Suri’s at the center. The two attacks crashed into each other, as the lance of light thrust against the wall of red energy that was impeding its way towards its target. Sunset drew back her sword back to her thrusting stance, the beam of hard light remaining. “Sun Goddess Style, Fifth Step: Kuiaratame no Harō (Halo of Repentance)!”

Sunset thrust forward again, but this time slashed her blade in a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn, bringing the blade back to the original light lance to create a full ring of light. Sunset jumped out of the ring, and the moment she did, the ring launched itself forward, cutting the beam from Suri’s Blood Sword like a buzzsaw. The rapidly spinning disk of light sliced through the beam of light like a hot knife through butter, Suri hurriedly stopped her attack and jumped up into the air to avoid the circlet of cutting light, missing it just in nick of time as it passed under her, but that left her open for Sunset who was waiting right below Suri.

“Sun Goddess Style, Sixth Step: Taiyō e no Inori (Prayers to the Sun)!”

The wielder of the Witchblade made a prayer gesture with her left hand, while slashing upwards with her sword. As soon as she did this, dozens of yellow lights began to shoot up from below Sunset as a platform of light formed at her feet. Suri brought up her arms to defend herself, but the points of light rapidly flew up at her, piercing her like burning needles. The platform expanded more and more, until Suri was completely contained in its boundaries, and with the boundary established, Sunset turned the sword around and thrust it into the platform, causing a pillar of burning light to ascend. Both Sunset and Suri were caught in the light, neither one able to be seen for a few moments. But then Suri tumbled out of the pillar, and landed in a heap against another float, putting a body sized dent in it.

Sunset exited the pillar of light, calmly walking out of it as she headed towards Rarity, who was still cradling Applejack’s severed head. She knelt beside Rarity, who looked up at Sunset with pleading eyes.

“Please…you can heal people, Sunset…heal her…bring her back!” Rarity begged.

“The Witchblade can only bring back its wielder from the dead…its healing can’t save those who have already passed…I’m sorry. But at the very least, her family won’t have to see Applejack in this state. Give me her head, Rarity,” said Sunset/Tomoe.

Rarity guarded the head of her lover, afraid to lose what little more she had of her. But Sunset’s kind eyes and reassurance somehow struck a chord with her, prompting Rarity to give Applejack’s head to her. Sunset carefully took the severed head of her friend and brought it back to the body which it once rested upon.

“You deserve to at least be whole, Applejack.” Sunset placed the severed head against the neck of Applejack’s body. With her right hand placed upon the wound, the Witchblade’s ruby gemstone glowed brightly and in a few moments the wound was closed, and Applejack’s body was made whole once again. “This much I can do for you…I’m sorry I didn’t get here in time…”

A scream of rage bellowed forth from Suri as she rose to her feet. Her skin was badly burnt, but was healing, slowly though. “Okay, I’m done, I’m going all out, I’m going to kill everyone and everything in this park! Screw Adagio and her plan, she’ll die too!” Suri jumped straight up, exiting the warehouse through the hole in the roof.

Sunset narrowed her gaze as she willed the Witchblade armor to wrap tendrils around Applejack’s body and lifted it up with ease. She then rushed to Rarity and scooped her up, leaving the warehouse. When the three of them were outside and away from the warehouse Sunset set Rarity down, her tendrils brought Applejack’s body forward and gently placed her on the ground before Rarity.

“Keep her safe, I’ll be back to get you two once I’m done.”

“Sunset…”

“Yes?”

Rarity looked up at her friend and said, “Make her pay!”

Sunset’s eyes narrowed as she gave her a nod, she then leaped high into the air and landed on the roof of the warehouse where Suri was currently gathering energy. The air grew heavy around Suri as a thin red light outlined her form, her eyes were now completely glowing red, and the sword had a thick aura surrounding the blade.

“Now I’ll show you the depths of my hatred for you and everyone! Higurashinonakukoroni! Hateshinai Kutsū o Hajimeyou (When the cicadas cry! Begin the endless torment)!”

Insect wings made of blood burst forth from Suri’s back, and with them she ascended into the air, high above the park. The armor around her jettisoned itself as several cuts formed on her body, allowing Suri’s blood to flow out and into the Blood Sword itself. With each violent sword stroke, she flung droplets of her blood, which then transformed into a swarm of blood construct cicadas, each one releasing their high-pitched chittering sound the resounded throughout the entire area. Within seconds the sky was becoming darkened with the red swarm, to the point that the commotion at the other end of the park seemed to stop.

“We need to end this now, the moment that swarm hits the ground, it will spread out for miles and kill everything, the more blood it extracts from its victims the more it will multiply, creating more of those cicadas in a near endless cycle,” Tomoe warned.

“So how do we stop it?” Sunset asked.

“With the seventh and final step of the Sun Goddess Style, string together all six steps.”

“And then?”

“You’ll know when it happens, trust in me.”

Sunset did trust Tomoe, so she readied herself, entering the first stance of the technique. She drew in a long, deep breath, exhaling for the same amount of time, releasing flames as she did so. Sunset did this again, and again, each time the flames she exhaled grew stronger and bigger. With each breath she took, she could feel the fire and power within her grow stronger.

“NOW EVERYONE WILL DIE!!!” Suri declared as she commanded the swarm to attack.

“Sun Goddess Style!” Sunset opened her eyes and took off into the air as metallic feathered wings sprang from her back. “First Step: Tenka Shite Furasshu (Ignite and Flash)!” The swarm of bloody cicadas came straight for Sunset, but she disappeared in a plume of fire, and reappeared behind the swarm. When she did, several of the cicadas that were behind her now combusted as flames engulfed them. However, this put her in range of two large swarms which had surrounded her. “Second Step: Bakuhatsu Suru Hi no Hikari (Bursting Fire Light)!”

Several fireballs blasted from Sunset’s body creating a cage of fire light around the two swarms. Sunset disappeared and began rapidly slashing the cicadas, the explosions, coupled with her strikes assisted in burning them whenever she reappeared and disappeared. Suri slashed more and more, creating a heavy swarm that came down like a tidal wave towards Sunset. Seeing this, Sunset switched the sword into a reverse grip style and began her next step. “Third Step: Fuku to Kiru, Taiyō no Kaze (Blow and Slash, Winds of the Sun)!” A whirlwind of superheated winds and light flowed around Sunset, creating a shield that allowed her to stay untouched by the swarm that tried to get at her.

With this established, Sunset was free to move into the next step. “Fourth Step: Moeru Hikari no Yari (Spear of Burning Light)!” Sunset flipped her sword back to a regular gripped style and thrust it forward, the beam of hard light pierced through the heavy swarm and nearly skewered Suri in the process. “Fifth Step: Kuiaratame no Harō (Halo of Repentance)!” Sunset formed the circlet of light, but didn’t stop there, she drew two more diagonal circlets that formed, what looked like, an atom in sky. The halos spun rapidly, the vortex effect they created drew in the swarm and cut through them to form gaps in the huge ball of construct insects. “Sixth Step: Taiyō e no Inori (Prayers to the Sun)!”

A platform of light appeared beneath Sunset, the platform grew until it encompassed the entire swarm. Sunset slashed upwards and made the pinpoints of light rise and pierce the blood cicadas, and with a plunge of the sword, made the pillar of light shine into the sky, burning away the last remnants of the swarm. Suri was getting noticeably tired, but it wasn’t about to stop her from killing Sunset and Rarity, they were going to die today.

“Now, Sunset, release all those emotions and pour them into this final step!”

Sunset inhaled deeply once again and exhaled, this time the flames took on a plasma light quality to them, at the same time her eyes shined pure yellow, tears of pure light streamed down her face as the emotions she had put aside came to bare, the pain and grief, along with the anger, from Applejack’s death were about to put into his final attack of retribution.

“Sun Goddess Style!”

“Seventh Step!”

“TAIYŌ NO MEGAMI NO SEINARU ODORI (Holy Dance of the Sun Goddess)!”

Sunset’s sword blazed with the same yellow plasma flames that she breathed out, her feet and wings taking on the same flames as she began ascending higher towards Suri. The resurrected teen launched more cicadas, creating another huge swarm, but this time, Sunset went right through them. Her sword strokes were elegant, her steps were fluid, like dancing solar flares on the surface of the sun, and yet not a bit of movement was wasted, nor was there a loss of power in any of her strikes. With each slash of the blade a wave of intense heat was released, blasting away and scorching the cicadas. She didn’t get bogged down in attacking the swarm as a whole, no, she merely kept moving, not stopping for a second.

“SHE’S STILL COMING!!!” Suri exclaimed in a panic.

“GIVE ME EVERYTHING, WE CANNOT FALL HERE!!!” Blood Sword demanded.

Sunset cried out from her grief and anger as she danced beautifully in the air, cutting through the swarm until the entirety of it was burned away, leaving only herself and her target. Suri gave all the blood she could, rendering her to an emaciated state, but with the power of the Blood Sword, her current state of being made little difference in how powerful her attacks would become. With the additional blood, Suri gave one more overhead slash, putting everything she had into it and creating a stream of bloody cicadas. Sunset pirouetted in place before leaping forward with a slash, the force and power generated by that simple stroke of the sword created a powerful blast of blazing heat and pressure that vaporized the swarm before it could get within an inch of her, leaving Suri exposed.

The keeper of balance, the wielder of the Witchblade, slashed upwards and with that single stroke, cut off Suri’s right arm. The heat cauterized the wound on Suri’s body, while turning Suri’s arm into ash, the result of which had the Blood Sword falling back to the Earth where it landed, the blade embedded into the concrete down below. Sunset, now hovering over Suri, gave her one final glance, and Suri, once again, had a look of utter fear.

“NO, MER–!!!”

Sunset gripped her sword with both hands slashed Suri across the neck, stopping Suri from completing her sentence. “Return to Hell, and never come back!” With one last follow through, Sunset cut through Suri’s neck and appeared behind Suri’s body. The look of shock was evident on Suri’s face as her head and body separated, a moment after, both caught fire and were reduced to ashes, and a second later, the ashes burned away. Sunset dismissed the sword and tilted her head towards the clear blue sky, her tears of light changing into regular tears as she let the warmth of the sun wash over her and offered a silent prayer to Faust. Faust…I don’t know if you have any say in the souls of this world, but please…watch over Applejack’s soul.

Sunset returned to the ground, her armor had returned to normal, along with her eyes, showing that the link with Tomoe had ended. She located the Blood Sword and walked up to the Artifact that had caused many so much grief and took the life of her friend. She wished she could send this abomination to Hell along with Suri, but something told her destroying it would be easier said than done. Sunset used the tendrils of the Witchblade to take hold of the Blood Sword, taking care not to touch it with her hands lest the demon within try to take her over. Once that was done, she rushed over to where Rarity was, who was currently stroking the cheek of her dead lover, making Sunset’s tears flow once again.

“Is she gone?” Rarity asked.

“Yes,” Sunset answered.

Rarity nodded and looked back at her lover. “Rest in peace my love…”

Unfortunately, there would be no time for grieving as the sky began to darken, an ominous force surged through the air and made the Witchblade ripple with unease. Rarity looked around, apparently able to feel the ominous energy that was permeating the air around them.

“W-What on Earth is going on now?!” Rarity asked.

“Not sure! But whatever it is, it’s not good!” Sunset answered.

“It seems we took too long dispatching that foe. The worst-case scenario has occurred, I’m afraid.”

Sunset turned to her right and saw the ghostly image of another warrior women, she was clad in ancient Grecian clothing, but had a green cloak draped over her shoulders and a golden bow and arrow clasp keeping it pinned together. Her hair was a light shade of brown, with her eyes having a similar emerald shade as Applejack’s.

Are you another of the past wielders? Sunset mentally asked.

“Indeed, I am. My name is Atlanta, and what you’re seeing is the beginning of Pandora’s Box.”