Infernus Astartes: Child of Ruin

The Beast merely grinned, his attention locked onto the dark mare as she glared back at him. A second Alicorn. ‘Interesting~’ His thoughts hissed. A second alicorn. Two in one night, quite curious, and yet. ‘Still, my heart does not pulse with awe.’ He thought. She too was a broken mold it seemed, the Darkness had made her into that. Regardless, he spared a quick glance at the tiny mare that made up their impromptu trinity. An instant later his attention returned to dark alicorn.

“I heard you when I returned.” The dark mare stated. “And you just saved me the trouble of hunting you down.” The Alicorn stated as The Beast stepped forward. “Now, who are you?” He didn’t respond. “What, no words to offer me?” The Beast was on her in an instant, an armored fist slamming into her with a force that broke part of the castle.

The Beast didn’t say anything, but looking ahead, to the cracks forming across the dark Alicorn’s shield. He watched her eyes narrow as she heard his unspoken message.

Shut up and fight.

Several spheres of magic forming overhead as the Beast just looked at her. Nightmare Moon formed a barrier around him, trapping him and the spheres in a tight area as they detonated, the barrier keeping them contained seemed to pulse as the eruptions went off. As the last one detonated she made to crush the barrier into the size of a pebble. Before she could succeed however the Beast slammed a fist into her face, and sent her into a wall.

“What - how dare you!?” From the confines of the dark sphere the beast just pulled himself free and shook like a dog. He was covered in scratches and bruises, but his armor, curiously was fine.he just smirked and raised a hand, a gesture for “bring it” being made as he charged her. “Very well.” Nightmare Moon dodged his charge, and with a sudden wave of magic intended to swipe at him, she missed, instead hitting air as the Beast circled around and attacked with his arm mounted blade. She grabbed it with her magic, throwing the stallion overhead. When he landed he threw his hand to the side, and as if pulled by magic tethers the Nightmare went flying this time, skidding to a stop only to turn and find the stallion already on her, his jaws snapped down on her head.

No, not her head, her mane, the ethereal, cosmos-like mane of the dark moon princess was caught in the stallions jaws as she dodged.

She narrowed her eyes, the stars in her mane seeming to glow as they attacked, firing a torrent of small yet powerful energy waves at the stallion and forcing him to let go. Smoke left his lips, and the dark princess just prepared another spell, stopping when fingers collided with her throat and held her off the ground. “‘Enough of this.” Nightmare Moon muttered, her own hand snapped out faster than most could see, sending the armored stallion through a wall as the debris came down. “Foals play.” She stated, spitting blood before another fist collided with her face. Stumbling she looked back to the stallion seeing he was right there before her and cracking his neck. She understood the message in his eyes, that sinful taunt he directed at her.

That all you got?

‘No, not even close.’ The Nightmare thought. “You think you can face me in actual combat?” She chuckled darkly. “Let us see.” The dark mare stated as mana started to dance around her. Three rays of dark moonlight fired from her horn and the beast just charged straight through them, his armor rendering the spells inert as she appeared in front of her. He snapped his jaws at the mare and she disappeared, teleporting behind him and with an arcane grip threw him to the ground. Mana blades formed in the air, and stabbed downward. Moment they hit the ground the Beast was gone, his fingers sinking into her tail as he lifted her into the air and smashed her into the castle flooring. She blasted him through the ceiling and flew after him, another wave of magic leaving her horn as she made to launch him into orbit.

He moved; in mid-flight he moved, dodging the blast of dark arcane and seemed to charge the dark alicorn. When he met her, he grabbed the mare, spun and threw her to the ground below with enough force it broke part of the castle. Nightmare Moon just got to her feet, seeming to shug off the pain as he came crashing down on her. Moment he hit the stone though she was gone, disappearing into dark aether as she appeared behind him and swung her horn, a blade of arcane extending from it only for the blade to shatter.

He bit it. Broke the blade into shards and threw a kick, only for the mare to grab the limb and flipped him over her body. The beast steadied himself by stabbing a hoof into the ground before spinning, dragging the mare attached to his limb across the floor before she let go and took to the air. Another wave of magic left her home, cracking earth trailing in a few hundred directions in the castle chamber. It was with both amazement and shock that Nightmare Moon saw the armored stallion walk through the still raging blast, his head poking through the miasma of power as he seemed to inhale and roared at her.

That was what sent her flying, the simple force from his roar sending her skyward and through the hole that formed earlier. Soon as she was gone the Beast chased after her, jumping to the ceiling and landing before blades of arcane impaled his armor. He shook like a wet dog, breaking the arcane blades and lunged. A blast of arcane energy washed over him, punching through the atmosphere as he just charged through it and made to deck the dark alicorn in the face.

“You move with the grace of one feral.” The mare blocked his hoof with her magic as she watched his expression shift to bored indulgence. “And yet.” The mare raised a handto her cheek before looking at the blood on it. “You’re the first in a long time to spill my blood.” The Beast just pressed against the shield, causing it to crack. “Just who are you?” He didn’t respond, breaking her shield as he took a step back and let the magic disperse. “Exactly, what is it you want?”

“I want to feel your bones cracking under my fists.”

“So you do speak.”Nightmare Moon muttered as she watched him shake his hand. “And you want to feel the grinding of my bones.” The mare thought aloud. “See if you can.” She stated as she watched him start stepping forward. “But know this I am Nightmare Moon, and I have never lost a battle of martial prowess.” She stated as she approached the stallion. “It matters not if your armor is made of dragon scales or mithril, you will fall to me.” That got the Beast to stop as he seemed to look himself over, seeming to realize that indeed his armor was still on. With a smirk he looked back at the mare as his eyes flickered, changing colors as his armor seemed to glow. The Alicorn just watched as it started to burn itself, fading out of reality as it left him bare. “So you do have a sense of honor.” The alicorn muttered as she looked at the stallion. “I shall that honor in kind.” Her horn flickered, her Regala starting to remove itself as she cast it aside. Each piece seemed to smoke, miasmic energy trailing off the enchanted metal as they stepped forward, stopping only when they were face to face with each other.

“Twilight!”The purple mare just looked up as she saw Rainbow Dash and the others reach her.

“Girls…” She whispered with a faint smile. “You’re here.”

“Well duh, you didn’t think we’d leave you here did you?”

“Darling are you alright?” Rarity asked as she helped the mare up.

“I’m fine, but the Elements…” Her ears dropping the mare looked to see the shards of crystals resting on the floor. “She broke them.”

“Oh dear.” Fluttershy muttered. “Does this mean we lost?”

“No!” Pinkie shouted as she looked out a window. “We still have him!” She cheered with a point.

“Him darling?” Rarity and the other girls just approached the window as they looked outside. “Oh my~” Rarity didn’t mean to purr, at the stallion, but she couldn’t help it.

“Who the hay is that?” Applejack turned to Twilight as the mare just stared at the armored stallion.

“I-I don’t know.” Twilight muttered. “After Nightmare Moon destroyed the Elements, he came through the wall.”

“Came through the wall? Like a ghost.” Pinkie got a look sent her way.

“No I mean, the wall melted.” Twilight stated as she gestured to the molten puddle that was connecting to an adjacent room. “And he walked through it.”

“That sounds kinda cool.” Rainbow Dash got a look. “What?”

“Well is he on our side?” Fluttershy whispered.

“Well he’s not on Nightmare Moon’s.” Twilight muttered. “He started attacking her without much provocation.”

“I don’t know what that means!” Pinkie stated cheerfully as she looked at the two. “Lookie his armor disappeared!”

“Oh my~”

“How did?” Twilight muttered as she looked at the sight. “ I mean, he’s not a unicorn, so he can’t use any magic.”

“And now Nightmare Moon’s armor’s gone.” Pinkie ignored Twilight’s words as she saw the armor get discarded. “And it’s smoking?”

“It must be a magical object.” Twilight muttered. “Her dark power must be concentrated into the regala.”

They’re approaching each other.”

“Oh? You’re approaching me?” Pinkie made a voice. “Instead of running away, you're coming right to me?"

"I can't beat the buck out of you without getting closer." Rainbow Dash stated in a voice before looking to Pinkie. “I didn’t know you read PoPo.”

“Duh~”

“Rainbow Dash language.” Rarity muttered as she watched the scene “So, Twilight darling.” The mare muttered looking to the “Without the Elements, what exactly do we do now?”

“Let ‘em sort this out?” Applejack asked as Twilight bit her lips before glancing at the destroyed Elements.

“I… I guess?” Twilight made a noise before looking back to the sight before her. “I wish Princess Celestia was here, she’d know what to do.” She muttered quietly. All the while the shards of the Elements seemed to pulse with a faint glow as they seemed to crawl towards one another.

“Shall we begin?” Nightmare Moon’s response was a fist connecting to her jaw that made her spit blood. Without missing a beat she responded with her own, as the Beast gave her a second. Just like that they started throwing hands. Nightmare Moon took several, before more or less mimicking his stance and countering with her own. She felt his bones grinding under her knuckles with that one strike.

‘And yet…’ His head snapped forward, smashing into her muzzle and he responded with an uppercut. He twisted, his hind leg moving at an angle for an Equus and smashed it into her neck. Nightmare Moon grabbed his limb, and held him still, responding as with a blow to his barrel. In less than three seconds she punched him in one spot several times before throwing a kick to his barrel and sent him back. He flipped, landing on a wall before shooting back at her. His hands slamming into the side of her face before he headbutted her. Nightmare Moon bit her lips, red trailing from her muzzle as she slammed a hand into the side of the stallion’s head and twisted, slamming him into the ground face first before throwing a fist at the back of his skull. She gave his thirty, each one causing a quake to be released through the destroyed castle. She stopped though, finding something strangling her from behind as she created claws of mana to try prying it off, failing when it slammed her into the ground. ‘His tail?’

With a quick tug the Beast brought her back to him, right to an awaiting fist. She headbutted the limp, forcing the stallion back as she teleported behind him, freeing herself from the vice-like tailborne grip around her neck and appeared behind him. Nightmare Moon grabbed him, wrapping her hands around his barrel and lifted him over her body before slamming him into the ground. Pushing herself into the air she did it again, making for a third only to find the stallion reversing her throw, forcing his legs onto the ground and pinned her before righting himself and throwing the mare overhead. Nightmare Moon used her wings to catch herself as she landed, the Beast already charging her again as she forced herself upright and started using her forearms to block several of his strikes. He twisted, another kick coming her way as she grabbed it and spun, slamming his back into a wall before starting to throw punches at his face and body.

‘It’s like punching adamantine.’ The mare thought as she continued throwing hands. The stallion blocked the ones he could, stopping only when magic pulled his arms to his sides and his face took several strikestrikes. She stopped when his fangs bit down on her hand, flinching even before he retaliated with a blow to her face that threw her off balance. She responded in an instant, throwing both her legs up as she kicked him through the wall and outside. “It matters little how durable you are.” She dropped onto all fours before rushing the stallion, barely giving him time to respond as she spun and threw a roundhouse to his face. “You will fall before me.”

The Beast just responded by rebalancing himself, his jaws snapping around the stretched limb and spun her around. Without warning he slammed the mare into the ground before repeating the action. The third time he made to do so she became miasma, slipping out of his grip and throwing a hoof to his jaw that knocked one of his fangs out. He just swiped at her, pushing her back before realigning his jaw. He spit blood onto the floor, a lost fang already being replaced with a new one. He looked at Nightmare Moon, noticing his teeth marks on her body and the bruises in store already closing.

She heals.

A gift from Ruinous Gods maybe?

Eh didn’t matter, just meant he could savor this for a good while.

Nightmare Moon lunged, just as he did. Again both started throwing hands, neither seeming to waver as they traded blows in the moonlight. Nightmare Moon hit his face, he hit her barrel. His face twisted in a grin, her’s shifted to annoyance. “What’s wrong~” He called out to her between blows. “Enjoy the moment!” His hoof landed directly between her eyes, her leg hit him in the groin.

His smile dropped, twisting to an honest yet fought off pain as she laid into him. A flurry of fists landing on his body as she pushed him through the castle grounds. She stopped when a claw of magic grabbed her face, his own hand at the center of it as he lifted her up before grinding her skull into the ground. Miasma took her place as she reformed above him and dropped both her hands onto his head. He went down this time, his legs touching the air as he twisted them and threw a kick at her throat. He missed, but it forced her back and gave him some room to return to his feet and rush her.

“Holy buck.” Rainbow Dash muttered. “They’re really going at it.”

“Yeah.” The girls agreed Fluttershy flinched.

“That looks painful though.”

“Why they fighting on two legs though, and why ain’t Nightmare Moon using magic?” Applejack questioned as she continued watching. “I ain’t complaining, but why she letting him get close and fight her like that?

“Consider it an honor duel darling.” Rarity stated. “Unicorns engage in Magic Duels to show their magical talents, and in these duels martial arts is unallowed.” The mare explained. “Likewise a duel of martial prowess arcane arts isn’t allowed.”

“But she’s using magic.” Pinkie pointed out. “See, she’s teleporting!”

“And he’s… are those claws?” Rainbow Dash squinted as she pointed. “He has claws?!”

“Those are Arcane Claws, how is he?”

Both the Beast and the Nightmare stopped, arcane claws grinding against one another as they held each other in a deadlock. The Beast grinned, and Nightmare Moon reared back, their heads slamming together as they pushed. “I don’t know how you can use mana without a horn.” Nightmare Moon declared as both of them went inching back, their hooves digging small trenches into the dirt as the ground between them began to crack and splinter. “But I will say this, you are indeed a worthy adversary.” The mare stated. “And yet.” She began as she broke into a smirk. “You will never defeat me with your power.” She pulled, knocking him off balance as she punched him into the sky. Without warning she followed him, a burst of starlight traveling along the ground as she streaked across the sky and carried him higher. She suffocated him, taking him where the air was thinnest before dropping him like a stone.

She saw him grin even as he fell, no hint of panic leaving his face as he started to catch fire and pierce the clouds.

“Oh dear.” Rarity whispered as she looked up. “Girls I think we should move.”

“On it!”

For something so small, the Beast hit the ground with enough force that it shook the Everfree Forest down to its core. A dust cloud rose from where he landed, trees were uprooted and debris was launched in several directions. Nightmare Moon just looked on, her attention shifting to the fading debris cloud her opponent had made as she dropped and landed. “Still in one piece?” She spoke in surprise as she looked at the downed creature. “You’re durable, I’ll give you that.” The mare stated. “But not even you can survive a fall from -”

He proved her wrong. Right then and there the Beast picked himself up, and shook. His body was scorched, bleeding and covered in debris, but he was standing, that same grin on his face as he looked at her.

“How?” She muttered. “Just what are you made of?” She questioned in disbelief. That disbelief only grew when his burns and wounds healed right before her eyes. “You heal?” Her eyes narrowed. “I see. That is something we share it seems.” The mare gestured to her own closing wounds. “I’m certain you noticed. Like you I heal exceptionally fast.” She stated. “But my healing is far superior. For you see I am touched by the moon itself.” She gestured to her heavenly sphere. “So long as it stands in the sky I can not be defeated. My wounds will heal endlessly, my stamina will never deplete, and my mana infinite.” She boasted. “You can never defeat me.”

In an instant the Beast connected a hoof directly to her face an arcane claw quickly forming as that look of bored indulgence returned. “You talk too much.” He slammed her into the ground before moving, using the mare to drive a trench through the ground as he carried her through the Everfree Forest. He slammed her through a line of trees before throwing her elsewhere; to be exact, he threw her out the forest and into the plains of Equestria.

The Nightmare just grit her teeth, growling as she righted herself and saw the stallion charging her. “Even knowing you can’t defeat me you still wish to carry on this battle?”

“Just shut up already.” He hissed as he threw a hoof, and she blocked deflecting the blow and countering with her own. She knocked him off balance as she latched onto him and started pushing him back. She stopped when he dug his hooves into the ground and tossed her to the side. Nightmare Moon recovered, lunging at the stallion and bringing a fist back. The beast made to block as she seemed to slide, slipping into his blind spot and connected a hoof to his back. She didn’t let up, delivering a second and a third before using a claw of mana to spin him around before punching him square in the face. She continued landing punches and he retaliated with his own, not even bothering to defend himself this time.

“Twilight… Twilight!”

“I’m ok~” The mare muttered as she slowly opened her eyes and looked up to see a familiar golden light wrapping around her. “Princess Celestia?”

“I’m here, Twilight.” The alicorn of days whispered as she looked down at the mare. Not just her, the rest of the girls were here, wrapped in the alicorn’s warm barrier. “Are you girls alright?” They each gave a response of a ‘yes’ as the mare looked around, seeing the destroyed remains of her former home. “Good; now I know I’m a bit late, but will somepony be willing to tell me what is going on?”

“Twilight led us to the Everfree forest to find these things called the Elements of Harmony to try and stop Nightmare Moon but she went and broke the Elements and now she’s fighting some stallion!” Pinkie summed up everything as she smiled proudly. “They went that way.” She pointed in a random direction as Princess Celestia looked in the pointed direction. She saw Canterlot mountain in the distance, but she couldn’t feel her lost sister there. She was close, but she wasn’t at Canterlot itself.

“I see.” The mare muttered as she looked to the six mares,but her thoughts traveled elsewhere. ‘Somepony else is facing Nightmare Moon?’ She thought as she glanced in the direction of her wayward sister. ‘Are they an ally or an enemy?’

“What should we do princess?” Celestia didn’t respond at first, thinking of what could be done here.

“Help me find the Elements of Harmony.” The Alicorn whispered. “I feel that we’ll need them before this night ends.”

“Stop~

‘How long has it been?’

Nightmare Moon took a blow to the cheek and lost three of her teeth. They rgrew back an instant later as broken teeth and blood hit the floor. She threw a punch that sent her opponent staggering. The Beast just wiped blood from his cheek as he took a moment to stare at the mare. “You done?” Nightmare Moon’s answer came in the form of a rush, countless blows slamming into her, most of them hitting her guard with a few others broke past.

“Stop~”

‘How long has it been?’

Nightmare Moon threw a punch at the Beast’s throat and he dodged, headbutting her only to get another in return. The two started trading blows, each one landing as scarlet went flying across the grass. Neither counted the blows they traded, and neither found a need to back down. When they did, the Beast went sprawling back as he hit the floor only to pick himself up again and cracked his neck. “That’s a good look on your face.”

“Stop~”

Nightmare Moon smiled. Bloodied and covered in bruises she smiled as he looked at the stallion. ‘How long has it been since I had this much fun in a fight?!’ Nightmare Moon didn’t know, it had been too long. In the moonlight her shattered fists healed, audibly realigning bone and mending the cuts in her flesh. Still her fists were stained red as she raised them again. “Shall we continue?” The Beast was all too happy to comply.

A cross-counter resulted in a hit for both of them. They followed it with another flurry of punches colliding with and grinding bone that mended in an instant. He sent a blow to her barrel, she landed one on his throat. He responded with a headbutt, and she spun, landing a back-kick on his side. He grabbed her hoof and threw her to the side. She rolled when he suddenly dropped were she had been in a bid to crush her under his hooves. When she got to her feet she lunged, an excited smile on her face as she attacked.

“Stop~”

‘Since I was but a filly under another name, I had been forced to fight.’ The mare thought. ‘Both for country and survival, I have fought a thousand battles.’ She took a hoof to the face. ‘And yet…’ She recovered headbutting the stallion as he smiled. “I do not remember the last time my blood boiled like this!” The Beast smiled. “Joy as pure as rainfall, such ecstas!” she exclaimed. “This is what you’ve given me!” She stated as she caught his fist as they entered another deadlock.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?”

“My heart moves in a way no mare or stallion has ever made it.” She declared as they both pushed against one another and the ground started to split. “This… could this be what they refer to as love?” He didn’t respond, only smiling. “No, not love, this is… release.” She stated. “My chains are truly removed here, my pain, my rage, all disappears as I fight you!” She exclaimed as they broke away, the plains themselves splitting into two halves as the pair broke apart. “How much farther can I be unshackled fighting you? How far are you willing to release me?” She breathed out and licked her lips. “Let’s find out.” The Beast growled in agreement as he prepared to jump across the canyon and at the smiling mare.

‘I said STOP!’

Nightmare Moon froze, her face seeming to twist in pain as she dropped and held her head. “You - what are you doing?!”

“You forget why I blessed you with my power!”

The voice inside her was angry, and that brought pain.

“I gave you power to rule over Equestria, to kill the Light-bearer and bring about my era!”

Nightmare Moon seemed to drop as the Beast looked on, confusion on his face before it disappeared. He felt it, the Dark magic warring with its host. “St-Stop~ Don’t interfere with our fight!”

“No, I have let this continue long enough, and I will not be denied simply because you wish to brawl like a drunken stallion!”

Nightmare Moon screamed, dark vapers enveloping her as waves of miasmic moonlight washed over the area.

“You~”

The Beast heard the voice this time, dual layered as it was while the waves washed over him.

“You made her unfocused.”

The waves seemed to stop before retreating back towards the dark mare enveloping her in a sphere of dark aether.

“With a foalish brawl you gave her cathartic release.”

A purple and starlit hoof stepped out the sphere.

“But make no mistake, she is still mine.”

A new alicorn appeared, one of pure purple and black starlight. It was like a being of raw mana.

“And I will not release my host~”

“Parasite.” Was all the Beast stated as he looked on.

“I don’t know who you are, but I will end you, and set “her” back on the proper path.”

That made the stallion smile sadistically.

“Make no mistake though, I have no interest in fighting you.”

The Nightmare stated as she “it” took flight on aether wings and started to rise above him.

“I am ending this, now.”

The Nightmare continued to rise, its horn - it’s whole body starting to glow as something flickered above.

“Um… girls.”

“I found it!” Pinkie cheered as she held up an Element of Harmony. Some strange music played in the background as she did and trotted over to the others. Twilight just looked on in confusion as the mare brought back the last Element.

“Um, girls?”

“They’re fixed?” Twilight stuttered. “But I saw Nightmare Moon shatter them! How are they fixed?”

“Girls?

“The power of the Elements is ancient Twilight.” Celestia stated as she looked at the five jewels. ‘The sixth must still be sleeping…’ She thought to herself as she addressed the mares. “Even I am not aware of all it’s secrets.”

“Girls~”

“Well we have the Elements, now what?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We just go up to Nightmare Moon and hit her with them?”

“Girls~

“No, there’s supposed to be a spark of magic, and then the Elements would banish Nightmare Moon back to the moon.” Twilight explained as she looked at the five elements. “But I already channeled magic into them, they didn’t do anything.”

“Girls~

“The Elements only work if all six stand together.” Celestia stated.

“Six?” Twilight’s eyes widened. “That’s right there was six in the book, bu -

“GIRLS!” Fluttershy screamed as she caught everypony’s attention. She was shaking, almost like she saw something horrific. “We have a problem.” She continued looking skyward as her ears seemed to flatten. When the others looked in her direction they followed her example.

“Is - is that a?”

“That’s a buckin’ meteor!”

“Ah~” The Beast made a noise as he watched the sky bleed red, a great sphere catching fire as it started to descend upon his location. It wasn’t a planetoid, too small for that, but it was still an impressive sized one. ‘She intends to drop that on me?’ He actually chuckled as he raised his hooves and slammed them onto the ground to steady himself. “Try it!” The nightmare heard the challenge and let he meteor drop before teleporting behind it.

“You challenge the strength to move the stars? How much of a fool are you?”

The stallion said nothing as he watched the sphere continue to drop.

“Perish, nameless berserker…!”

The meteor exploded, shards of burning dust being showered across Equestria alongside a hail of fragments. The Beast just blinked, confusion on his face as he watched the show, an imprompt meteor shower raining across Equestria as the Nightmare screamed.

“You, what are you doing?!”

“That is my question!” A second mares voice left the aether alicorn as her colors started to shift. “You aim to wipe Equestria off the map?”

“A necessary sacrifice to building my world!”

“Sacrifice, this is my home!” The other voice retaliated as the alicorn’s face seemed to painfully split in half. “I am not letting you destroy my homeland!”

“You consider a nation that shuns you to be your homeland?!”

“Yes!” The faces merged back together. “Hated, and shunned, Equestria is my home! And I will not tolerate ANYPONY destroying it!” The body screamed, seemingly caught in between splitting in two and becoming one. “Not even me!”

The Beast just watched the spectacle before frowning, annoyance on his face as the alicorn and the parasite seemed to wrestle for control. He didn’t care who was in control so long as he got a good fight out of it. But if they were going to keep arguing like this… ‘I might as well try separating them.’ He thought as he made a noise. ‘I wonder, can I do that?’ he thought before remembered what had been said earlier.

“My chains are truly removed here, my pain, my rage, all disappears as I fight you!”

“With a foalish brawl you gave her cathartic release.”

‘I wonder… can I just beat the Parasite out of her?’ He thought as the parasite and the alicorn continued fighting and made a noise before sitting down.

“My heart moves in a way no mare nor stallion has ever made it.”

“This… could this be what they refer to as love?”

‘Love…’ The stallion made a noise and inhaled, focusing his feelings as it fed his powers. ‘Wonder.’ He breathed, arcane energy launching itself forward as it slammed into the alicorn/parasite and a scream left them.

‘Wh - what is this?!”

The Beast just watched.

“What kind of love is this?!”

The Beast waited, listening to the screams of the parasite as it held onto its host.

“Beautiful…”

“Filthy! Filthy! Filthy! Filthy!”

The Parasite released its host, peeling itself off the alicorn as she dropped out the sky.

‘Hm, so it is like getting rid of the Shadow of Rage.’ The Beast thought as he watched the mare hit the ground with a thud. ‘Why did she get smaller?’ Why was she blue for that matter?

“YOU!”

Looking skyward the Beast just turned his attention to the parasite as it seemed to shift.

“You filthy, INSECT!”

The Beast casually hopped over the small chasm as he looked at the parasite.

‘I may have lost my host, but I swear you will die by-”

He fired another bolt of love in its direction as it shifted out the way. “No more talking.” He made a gesture with his hoof. “Come.” The parasite hissed as it shifted, becoming something monstrous as it dived at him and he rose up to punch it. Before he succeeded, he felt something wash over him from behind, something warm and bright.

Last thing he heard was the Parasite screaming.