"Princess Twilight! Starlight!"

Huh?

Flapping could be heard before something landed roughly beside us. Twilight's head perked up nearly instantly, and stared at the figure that stood next to us. Much, much taller, and bigger than either Twilight or Starlight. Twilight stood up immediately.

"Luna?!"

"You must get to safety- there is no time to explain!"

Starlight shook her head. "How did you get here-"

"SAFETY- NOW-"

The farthest section of the wall that surrounded the camp exploded in a fiery blaze, wooden fragments becoming shrapnel, tearing apart the few tribals that were nearby. I immediately stood, and forced both Starlight and Twilight along with me. This 'Luna' followed us as we ran to the farthest section away from the attack.

Someone found us.

"Dear Rex, we know you're in there. Please, don't make this harder than it has to be." Tarbo's voice played over a loudspeaker, his voice echoing throughout the empty surrounding area. It only made sense that it would be him. It seems we really couldn't outrun him.

"That fucking sicko. He actually found us, and we can't run this time." I said with a groan, pulling my revolver from my holster. I looked at Luna, wanting to question her sudden entrance, but I didn't have time. "How many are there? What did you see?"

"Five mechanized machines with wheels, and another bigger machine with strange looking wheels. My sister is with them."

"Celestia?!" Twilight and Starlight cried at the same time. "Is she hurt?" Twilight asked.

"She's joined forces with this 'Tarbo.'"

"What? B-But-"

"There is no time to explain. She is an enemy as of this moment. She's been manipulated. Rex, you are her prime target."

Oh, of fucking course I am. God, remember when I was just inside my house, doing normal things, cooking the same damn shitty meal over and over, and figuring out how to get farming stuff to work? Remember when I wasn't consumed in constant chaos? It feels like it's been ages.

Tarbo's voice played over the loudspeaker one more time. "Rex, please, give up. I would rather not have my new friend rip you to shreds. She's not exactly happy that you took her dear student and her student's friend. Would you want all of these poor tribals to get hurt? Absolutely not, hm? Or are you just that sick?"

I checked the cylinder of my revolver, making sure that it was loaded, before flicking it back. It was time to act. His men were more geared, more trained, and had a ruthless way of combat. The only way we were capable of winning is to fight without mercy. To stoop down to their level.

"No holding back, alright? Or we die." I said, before a bullet whizzed past my head. I hit the floor as fast as I could, before rolling off behind another wall. The three others followed suit, before I shook my head. "We can't bunch up. Find your own places- and don't fucking die."

"I don't intend to." Luna said, nodding her head before flapping her wings and taking to the sky. Starlight went inside one of the tents, while Twilight stayed next to me. I looked at her with a questioning look.

"Twilight, that means you too."

"You can get seriously hurt-"

"Get the fuck away from me and find your own place!" I said, shoving her from below. She stared at me, her eyes wide, before disappearing on the other side of the wall. I could dear with her pissy or sad attitude later. Right now, we didn't have time to worry about something as dumb as that.

I stood up, peeking from the wall I hid behind. Multiple guards, dressed in pure black armor were sweeping the camp, taking out any tribals in their path. One of them happened to be extremely close to the wall I was behind, so I stuck my revolver at the back of his head and pulled the trigger.

It pierced through the vulnerable spot of his helmet, and his helmet was filled with thick, red goo. The other soldiers turned heads as soon as the shot was heard, but before they could do anything I was already off running. I was at a severe disadvantage. Starlight and Twilight had magic- and I had what, a fucking shitty revolver?

God, I hate being human.

I rounded across the wall, running straight into another guard. He tried aiming his rifle at me, but I forced my hands onto it, guiding it away from me. I looped my arm under his, and set my leg onto his knee, pulling with my arm and pushing with my leg as hard as I could. Eventually, I could hear a sickening crack from his knee, to which he dropped to the floor. I took the rifle from his hands, and aimed it at his head.

He raised a hand, about to plead for his life before I fired.

"Lucas- holy shit, he got Lucas!" I heard from behind. I turned around and started to spray bullets down range without aiming. The guards that were behind me dove behind the nearest wall. Eventually, the rifle ran out of ammo, and I ditched it, throwing it onto the floor and taking off in a random direction.

Thank god for this camp being so big.

Twilight's POV

I didn't know where to hide, or where to go even. I just ran.

But each time I saw one of those guards, a strange anger overcame me. Without hesitation, I blasted each one with a strong, powerful lethal spell, putting holes through each one of them. This was the first time my body had felt like this. It was similar to rage, but not quite.

I hid in a tent, trying to lay low for a little so I could catch my breath, but I couldn't when I came face to face with my mentor. Princess Celestia stood in front of me, her eyes looking down at my sympathetically, filled with sorrow. She lifted a hoof, brushing my cheek. "My student... Your face is scarred."

I instinctively backed up.

"Twilight, please, stop. That human your with has done terrible things. You aren't thinking straight."

I continued to back up.

"Twilight." Celestia said, her eye's flashing a bright orange.

"Sister." Celestia turned around, coming face to face with Luna. "Leave dear Twilight alone."

I continued to back up, being met with the wall of the tent. I stared at the two, watching as they each circled around eachother. Celestia looked at her with a certain rage, spitting on the floor in front of herself. "I was sort of hoping you'd stay frozen. I should've stoned you. Perhaps that would've stopped you better."

"You're not yourself, sister-"

"And how do you know who I am?! You've been gone for a thousand years, sitting on the damned moon while I had to run Equestria. And honestly, it was better when I was alone. You've been trying to take the main throne ever since you've come back. I know its true, I can sense it, feel it with ever fiber of my being!"

"What?!" Luna said, stopping her steps. "What ever gave you such a ludicrous idea? I would never do something like that, I don't want to take power from you!"

"Discord was right. You would play the innocent card."

"What? Discord-"

Celestia stood forward, her eye's flashing orange once again. "You're an evil, inconsiderate sister. I wish you weren't my family, Luna, because then I wouldn't feel bad for having to kill you. Yet, you happen to share the same bloodline as me. Accept my pity for you, it's the only thing that makes you important."

Luna flashed me a look, before staring at her sister. "Sister, please, calm down... You've been dealing with Discord, he's treacherous-"

"Yet he's more trustworthy than YOU!"

The tent was engulfed with flames almost instantly. I flapped as hard as my wings could let me, flying straight out of the door. Mere seconds later, Luna came from the same exit, and the tent collapsed on itself. Celestia stood in the middle, but different. Her hair was almost a complete red, and her eye's became orange with black slits. On her face sat a disturbing smile.

I cried out. "Celestia, please-"

"Celestia?" She asked with a smile, stepping over the fire. "Now what on earth gave you the idea i'm Celestia?"

"What are you-"

Luna shook her head, giving a heavy frown towards her sister. "I didn't think you'd ever show up..."

"Daybreaker."

I ran out of ammo quickly. The cylinder spun without a single bullet inside it, and I didn't have any left, so I ditched it. The next guard I saw I threw the revolver at him as a distraction, as it was all it was good for. Tents were becoming harder and harder to find as cover, as they were tearing them down.

Eventually, I was forced to run through the center of the camp.

I ran as fast as my legs could handle, before I was hit by an invisible force. I hit the floor hard on my back. I groaned, looking around myself, trying to make out my surrounding as everything appeared blurry. Though, before I could make sense of anything I was pulled up to my feet.

"Oh, sorry Rex, did I hit you too hard?"

I stared at Tarbo, shoving his hands off of me and stepping back. "You sick fuck."

"I've been wanting to have my way with you for awhile now. So, I'll make you a deal."

"I don't want to do any deals with a maniac like you!"

"We fight, fist to fist. If you win, we'll let you go. If you don't, I let dear Celestia do what she wishes with you. If you deny, then I shoot your kneecaps and still let Celestia do what she wishes with you." Tarbo said with a smile, taking a few steps back. We both quickly became surrounded by guards.

I didn't have much of a choice, did I?

I raised my fists, shaking my head. "It doesn't even matter."

"Oh, it definitely does." Tarbo said, before he appeared instantly in front of me, sending his fist into my gut. The next punch was on my side, and the next after that was to my throat. I fell back, clutching my throat, having difficulty breathing. I looked up at him, coughing.

He sent a boot to my face, forcing me fully onto my back.

"Stand him up." I heard from him. I was pulled up from under my arms to my feet, and forced to stand. Within the next second, more punches were delivered to me. My gut, my sides, my throat, face. Everything was hit with as much force as Tarbo could deliver.

He then took a step back. "Mmm.. I was going to let Celestia do what she wishes with you, but I guess i'm just a little greedy. You've caused a lot of pains in my ass, Rex. And, I really just... can't stand to see you live. So-"

He placed the barrel of a pistol to my head. My eye could hardly see anything, but I know what a barrel to the head felt like. I shut my eye completely, blood dripping from my nose and mouth. I couldn't stop him.

"I'll let the tribals fight over who gets to eat your dead body perhaps. They'd love a bit of grey matter in them, hm?"

Twilight's POV

"MOVE!" Luna yelled, diving for me as a beam of fire was spewed in my direction. Luna and I hit the ground hard, sliding in the dirt as we both could hear the laugh coming from Daybreaker. She stared over at our direction. She shook her head.

"Oh, perhaps slicing you would be more your forte?" She said with another laugh, a sword materializing next to herself, the blade serrated and glowing with a fiery tint. She held it in her magic and charged towards us. Luna stood and presented a blue shield in front of both of us.

"Twilight- get out of here NOW!"

I didn't question why, and instead moved. I ran in the opposite direction of Luna and Daybreaker, and moments later I could hear the magic shield break into pieces. I tried searching for Starlight, but she was nowhere to be found. Without most of her magic, she was most vulnerable.

My head spun in circles trying to search for Rex, but I could hear cheering near the center of camp. I ran towards that direction, hoping that I could find Rex, when I saw Tarbo punching Rex in the face as he was held up by guards surrounding them in a circle.

Tarbo pulled a pistol from his pocket and placed it onto Rex's head. He said something, before smiling at him. I tried to move, I tried to run towards them and stop them but-

BANG

The gunshot rang throughout the camp. I averted my eyes, staring at the floor. I began to hyperventilate, my eye's becoming teary and my stomach churning. I could feel myself crumble to the floor, before something pulled me up. I looked away, trying to keep my eyes closed. "No-!"

"Twilight- stop!" It was Starlights voice. I opened my eyes for just a second before I pulled her into a hug.

"R-Rex, h-he's-"

Starlight pointed where Tarbo was.

Tarbo's POV

The pistol should've blown his head clean off.

Yet, what stared back at me was not Rex in the slightest.

His eye stared at me, bloodshot and flashing with different colors. There was no bullet-hole in his head, not even a scratch. His body began to radiate red energy, and my guards hands began to burn. They were forced to let go, and Rex could stand perfectly fine. I took a step back, aiming my pistol toward it.

"You aren't Rex, are you?" I asked, trying to keep casual.

"Now what makes you say that?" It said with a smile, cocking its head slightly to the right. I began to feel something build up inside me, something that I hadn't felt in a long, long time. It was something I thought couldn't exist inside me anymore.

Fear.

"This weapon is the strongest in this planet. You're no match."

"I'd love for you to test that out~" It said, charging at me with inhuman speed. I got only a shot off before I was grabbed by the neck, and thrown into the farther wall. I hit with a force that was above my own. I shook my head, staring over where it stood.

My guards were being taken one by one, and ripped into pieces by the thing that stood in Rex's skin. It pulled their legs and arms from their body, consuming each piece of flesh into its mouth with snake-like technique, unhinging its jaw. Some guards were able to get away, but others were caught by a fire-like chain that protruded from it's hands.

It would sear into the guards flesh, before it would consume them whole.

I put both hands on my pistol and set it on maximum condition, pulling the trigger and letting the blue-energy projectiles fire at it at a rate of fire unlike any other weapon. Yet, it stood there, taking each projectile to its body as if it were only a scratch. It slowly began to walk towards me, and I squeezed the trigger harder.

I wasn't going to get anywhere with this.

I forced a teleportation in front of it forcing my fist into his chest with as much force as I could produce. It worked, somewhat, sending it back a couple of feet. Though, it's feet never left the floor. It simply stared back at me. I looked at nearby debris, and began flinging it towards him with my telekinesis. Nothing was working.

"What are you?!" I yelled.

"Some call me Satan, some call me God. But us? You can call us Rex."

It began to charge at me, but I teleported away. Not far enough, clearly, as I was caught by its chains. It flung me at itself at impossible speeds, only to send a fist into my chest as I flung past it. I hit the floor once again, but I didn't wait. I charged up a dangerous teleportation, all the way back home.

It was going to hurt, but so was getting eaten.

"Hm? All of that cockiness today and the days you kept us tortured, but now you're scared? Oh, the irony is just too delicious~"

I teleported.

Twilight's POV

It began to walk towards Starlight and I. Whatever it was, it wasn't Rex.

However, once it got a few steps past us, it's red energy dissipated and he fell to the floor. Both Starlight and I rushed to him, turning him on over to his back. He was back to normal, atleast that's what we hoped. Whatever took control of him before was no longer in control now.

Tarbo was gone, and his guards ran off or were... devoured. However, that didn't mean we were in the clear. Luna was alone with Daybreaker, and with the laughing and screaming coming from their direction, Daybreaker was still a major threat. I turned to Starlight. "Stay here with Rex- I'll be back!"

I ran off to the direction where Luna and Daybreaker were, and Luna wasn't doing so well. Multiple burn marks steamed over her fur, and she had a nasty looking gash on her right wing. That explained why she wasn't flying anywhere. Daybreaker made eye contact with me.

"Oh, look at you~ so precious. You know, I'll let you live if you just kill her for me. I promise~"

"Twilight, don't listen to her-"

"Luna, come on!" I yelled, motioning for her to come with. She gave me a confused look, but began to run with me as we made our way to Starlight and Rex.

"Oh no you bucking don't! You're not DEAD YET!" Daybreaker yelled from behind. I produced a shield over all of us, and shut my eyes, focusing.

"Twilight, what are doing? She's going to hurt Rex- He's not even awake-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I yelled, squeezing my eyes even more than before. My horn began to spark, but eventually I had channeled enough energy for a long-distance teleportation. I didn't know where we were going to end up, but it was better than staying here with Daybreaker.

In a purple flash, we had successfully teleported.

Author's Note

You've come this far.

Just how far are you willing to watch descent into madness?

The DOOM soundtrack certainly helped writing this.