DOOMED

Chapters

Adventum
Convictus
Iudicium
Memoria
Salvator
Agmen
Urbem
Tormentum

Adventum

Pain and confusion were not unknown to Twilight Sparkle, as years spent defending Equestria from all manner of threats had made her familiar with both sensations. This was different however, as this time she had no idea where she was, no idea how she got there, and worse yet, she felt as though someone had recently been digging around in her mind. The lingering presence of another being in her thoughts was as uncomfortable as it was terrifying. Partially due to the fact that the entity that invaded her must have been quite powerful in order to affect the mind of an alicorn.

Her earth pony resilience was already beginning to kick in though, and feeling was slowly filling her body once more. The first thing that returned to her was touch, as up until then struggled to even perceive her own body. A turn of events she would come to regret as the pain increased tenfold, and she became acutely familiar with the sensation of cold iron wrapping about her neck, wrists and ankles.

She was also vaguely aware of the fact that she was upright, hanging from her shackles in a standing position. A hot wind blew on her shoulder and with it carried the scent of cinder, and sulfur, an unpleasant aroma that set the woman on edge. Before she even opened her eyes she reached for her magic, hoping to catch her captors off guard with a quickly cast spell.

That plan was quickly tossed aside when the binding of her neck began to heat up, singing her flesh and making her attention falter.

“Ahh and so it has awoken at last,” spoke a strange, reverberating alien voice from somewhere nearby.

Opening her eyes, Twilight found herself in the center of a cage that was only just large enough to contain her. Rusted iron bars were all that stood between her and a trio of imposing humanoid figures who stood upon small raised platforms upon which a strange rune flickered occasionally. Though their appearance varied somewhat, all three figures had several things in common, namely the tall staves they held and the long robes they wore.

To the left stood a man who wore an odd helmet that covered his eyes, replacing them with a dozen red dots and appeared more ornamental then defensive. His shirt, if it could be called that, appeared to be a mix of strange blood red leather, black metal, and what looked like bone. His waist and legs were covered by a similarly styled peice of clothing which hid the man’s lower extremities from view.

In his hands was a stave that was taller then he was, and ended with a similar half circle decoration that also adorned his helmet. Though tall, he and the other men were sickly, ancient, and pale, their skin stretched over their withered bodies like aged parchment. Their teeth were yellow and pointed as were their unnaturally long nails. While the other men eyed her curiously, the helmet one one peered at Twilight intently, as if she were little more than a creature under a microscope.

In the center stood a crowned man who shared an overall sense of style like the others, though he had a distinct air of arrogance about himself. He too was thin and pale, though his clothing appeared to be at least slightly less decorative, and covered more of his body in defensive plates. His staff was as tall as the others, and was bent into an almost crescent moon shape, and a pair of blood red eyes peered intently at the alicorn.

The disturbing nature of the man’s eyes made Twilight pause for a moment, her hooves twitching in place, as if trying to get her to move from their sight. Tearing her eyes from theirs, Twilight turned to her right, where the final man stood, his glare was piercing and his distaste, palpable. His staff was a sickly greenish brown color, and atop it were a pair of horns that nearly met in the middle. He also wore a silver circlet upon his head, though the peice of jewelry looked unfitting for a creature that exuded such wanton malice.

“Where am I?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

“Why don't you look around and tell us, preserver,” taunted the center most man.

Confused, Twilight did just that, glancing around the large room with quiet trepidation. Torches burned with an almost cursed red light, bathing the large room in an eerie glow, but otherwise allowing Twilight to see all the horrifying splendor that the room held. Great demonic statues stood sentinel beside the wide flights of stairs that connected the room she found herself in from the enormous hallways which lay just beyond.

Though the top of Twilight’s cage stopped her from seeing the ceiling, she could tell that it stretched for many stories above her head. All while the walls were lined with skulls, blackened gears, or sharp, jagged lines which stretched from floor to ceiling. The sight was intimidating, and exuded an aura of what could only be described as contempt, as if the very walls looked down upon the alicorn.

Who shivered not due to the temperature but rather the intense atmosphere, and fear which slowly built inside of her. She hardly even noticed that her regalia had been damaged at some point, and her dress was torn, marred by blood both her own and otherwise. Searching back through her memories she found herself baffled, as there was absolutely nothing in them to tell her why she was here. Whatever presence that had broken into her mind had evidently robbed her of any context she may have been able to use for this strange meeting.

“Who are you people and what do you want with me? I am a princess of Equestria and I demand answers,” Twilight stated firmly, her eyes flicking from one man to the other.

“You are in no position to demand much of anything now are you, princess?” spat the center most man.

“But I suppose you have earned that much,” added the man to the right who’s crooked grin set Twilight’s nerves on edge.

“I agree,” added the man on the left, who shifted slightly to fully face the alicorn. “You have broken the covenant between your people and the Khan Makyr. As such, your very soul is forfeit.”

“The Khan Makyr herself has given you to us in order to break you, and mold from your broken spirit a weapon mighty enough to stop even the slayer himself,” claimed the man to the right, the reverence in his voice made Twilight realize that this Khan Makyr was most likely the entity that had recently invaded her mind.

“Khan Makyr? Covenant? What are you talking about? I wasn't aware of Equestria having an agreement with any humans,” retorted Twilight.

“Human? Ha!” shouted the centermost man. “We are not such lowly creatures.”

“We are pure born sons of Argent D'Nur, not some lowly earth born ape,” spat the circlet clad man.

“You should rejoice, the mother god has given you a chance to repent and strike down the foe you have delivered to our doorstep,” exclaimed the helmeted man.

“What are you talking about, I haven't done anything of the sort,” Twilight stated firmly.

“This traitorous filth is beginning to annoy me with her endless pratling. Someone muzzle it,” demanded the crowned man.

“With pleasure,” added the circlet adorned man, and with a wave of his hand, the band about Twilight’s neck began to tighten.

A crushing weight settled over Twilight’s windpipe, and she found herself unable to utter so much as a peep. Worse yet, just breathing was now difficult, and she wheezed, tring to clutch at her neck, though her chains kept her from even reaching that far. Beyond her, the three men turned to one another, seemingly blind to the alicorn’s struggling, paying the gasping woman no mind.

“I have craved this moment for centuries and to think it would come on the eve of earth’s destruction. Truly, we are blessed,” declared the helmeted man.

The center most man shifted uneasily, leaning heavily on his staff. “I would restrain your enthusiasm, the Khan Makyr sees all, and knows well of this one’s lineage.”

“Ignore him. The Khan Makyr sent her to us as a gift, and with a purpose. We are to forge this wretched creature into a weapon capable of killing the destroyer. Do not forget that,” retorted the silver circlet clad man, who thumped his staff against the circle he stood upon in emphasis.

“I understand your worry, but it is ultimately misguided,” added the helmeted male, who gestured towards the still choking Twilight with his staff. “This creature, though angelic in appearance, has long since lost all ability to claim any sort of divinity.”

“So I assume it will be you who forges it anew then?” asked the center man critically.

“Of course. My doom hunter program is already nearing completion, allowing me time to oversee this newest experiment personally,” declared the red robed man.

“Truly, this one’s power and abilities will make her a formidable foe of the slayer, if you can control her,” mentioned the rightmost man.

Twilight’s vision began to darken, and as her lungs began to scream in agony she heard a new voice, this one deep, rumbling and filled with unbridled rage which welled up from inside of her.

“Rip and tear. Until it is done,” it exclaimed, the voice echoing from everywhere, and nowhere at the same time.

Strength filled the alicorn’s limbs and her eyes narrowed to slits as she tugged hard at the chains that bound her arms. Iron strained, and whined as it was pulled far past what it had been designed to resist. Then, a snap, and her right arm was freed, allowing her to grip the left with both hands and pull, causing it to snap as well. Her lungs still screamed, and the metal still bit tight into her neck, but it was nothing compared to the anger that coursed and burned through her veins.

“How is this possible, its magic should be subdued!” shouted one of the men.

“It is,” stated another. “It shouldn't be capable of such strength.”

Twilight ignored them, and gripped tight the circle of metal which bound her neck tightly. Muscles bulged, and her fingers dug deep into the cold metal collar which held her magic at bay. Though harder than the chains which had held her arms, the collar was already beginning to bend, and Twilight knew it wouldn't be long until it broke.

Then all she had to do was tear open this cage, and rip these foul men apart with her bare hands if necessary. A part of the alicorn qualed at such anger, but the rage was too strong, pushing past her empathy, and giving her the strength to resist. Metal groaned, and the tightness around her neck began to dissipate, allowing her to take a full lungful of air.

“Do something!” Yelled one of the priests.

“Clearly it has learned much from its time with the slayer. We should wait, and see what else it is capable of,” offered another.

“This has gone on long enough brother. There will be time for your experiments later,” stated the final priest.

Twilight felt as though she were only seconds away from being free and all that was left to do was to pull one final time and- a sudden blast hit her in the sternum, knocking the wind back out of her. Collapsing into a heap, the alicorn heaved, desperate to fill her lungs with oxygen, only to be deprived of the life giving gas. Even still, her hatred continued to fuel her, urging her to rise once more, to strike down her captors, and rend them limb from bloody limb.

A second blast, followed by something stinging her shoulder made the anger suddenly fall away, leaving room only for panic and confusion. A moment later and Twilight fell lifeless upon the ground, unable to even register as her chin bounced off the cold metal ground. A cultist stepped away from the cage, depositing the used needle into one of his many robes before leaving.

“A pity. I had hoped to see it were capable of destroying the brand all by itself,” muttered the helmeted man.

“You will have time for that later, even now the slayer seeks to stop our holy work. We cannot afford to falter in our sacred duty,” stated the right most male.

“Indeed. We should see to rebuilding this one immediately,” added the center man.

“Do not worry my brothers. I have something fitting in mind, trust me,” stated the final man.

Author's Note

This is a request fic, which receives updates whenever someone submits a request for me to do so on a request thread on my patreon.

Convictus

Twilight groaned, the alicorn struggling to come to grips with what had just happened to her. The woman’s memories were of little help, as the last one she could recall with any amount of confidence was just a normal day. Since then she had apparently made enemies of a terrifying cabal of cruel men, but not before helping their enemy somehow.

More confusing than even all that was the strange voice she had heard echo in her mind right before she felt a burst of rage. The words themselves felt familiar, and spoken in what felt like her own voice, only altered somehow, as if it was no longer quite her own. Pushing aside that strange realization, Twilight felt her senses slowly return once more, whatever drug they had used on her having begun to wear off.

Struggling in the darkness, Twilight reached up and wiped the gunk from her eyes, or at least tried to as her fingers were numb. Accidentally poking herself in the process, the alicorn grumbled bitterly before giving her hands a shake. When sensation returned completely, the alicorn cleared her gaze of the dirt which had clogged it before looking around.

Her cell was small, cramped, and had been shoved between a metal wall and several large steel crates of some kind. The closest one carried various warning markers, and smelled faintly of rot as well as congealed blood. Tearing her gaze from her packed surroundings, Twilight kneeled down and peered out the window.

Just outside the reinforced glass was a barren wasteland of ice, snow and strange distant structures which rapidly whizzed past her. Clearing her ears, Twilight tried to listen for the tell tale clack of a train, only to be surprised to find that it was almost completely silent. Her experience said this was likely a steam engine of some kind yet other than the rattling of the odd crate, she heard nothing.

Tugging at the bars that bound her cage, Twilight was disappointed to find that she was too weak to make them budge. Not only that but the same burst of rage she had felt before did not return, leaving the alicorn helpless. Trying to summon her magic, Twilight found that the energy immediately began to sputter, her still half numb body unable to muster much of the stuff.

Grumbling, Twilight sat on the ground and stared out the window, scanning her surroundings for some sort of clue that would help her get out of this place. The boxes surrounding her on all sides helped very little, and didn't smell any better then the first one had. The view outside did little to help her nerves, as the only thing she could figure out was that they were clearly very far north.

Slipping her hand through the bars, Twilight felt the reinforced glass, her skin nearly sticking to it when she pulled back her hand due to how cold it was. Tucking it under one arm to warm up, Twilight wondered how to escape, and even if she should, as the alicorn had no manner of warming herself. Not only that but her simple clothing was covered in grime, and now sported a few more rips than it had not long ago.

Twilight put that thought from her mind for now, and chose to focus on merely figuring out how to escape this place. This plan was interrupted when she noticed a peculiar building pop up in the corner of the window, accompanied by several odd floating creatures. Focusing first on the monsters, Twilight quickly realized they were likely all the same strange species.

For they all bore a single eye at the center of their head, a set of weak, useless arms and a pair of legs which seemed equally as vestigial. The only feature that hadn't withered to the point of uselessness was their massive gaping maw filled with huge pointed teeth, from which a blue glow was emitted. Nearly as tall as Twilight herself, this strange creature floated along at a sedentary pace, seemingly confident that its bone covered exterior could protect it from harm.

The structure she saw was by comparison, much, much larger, to the point that it was likely dozens of stories tall. It almost resembled a candle in Twilight’s mind, for the top of it emitted a flame which originated from within. Its middle also bulged, and had a walkway extending from it to a much larger fortress-like structure which seemed to be their final destination.

Seeing the massive stronghold looming over her, Twilight suddenly felt quite small, and she couldn't help but wonder where they had found so much metal that they could build such a place. Jagged edges met glowing orange lines, the entire building standing atop a small island of rock in the midst of an only semi liquid sea of ice.

It was a dark, and foreboding place, one which made the hair on Twilight’s neck rise. Seeing this strange building grow close, Twilight renewed her attempts to escape, magic continuing to remain useless. While she struggled, the train slowed, docked and finally began to be unloaded car by car starting somewhere ahead of her. The whine of machinery was quiet at first, but as time passed it grew closer and closer, until finally the roof of Twilight’s car opened.

Gazing up, Twilight saw a mechanical arm reach down and grip the top of her cage, hoisting the alicorn as well as her prison high into the air. So sudden was the movement that Twilight was knocked to the ground, her wings opening in an attempt to save her. The action was wasted, though it wasn't long before her cage was roughly dropped onto the center of a strange device.

Fed by numerous cables, and glowing with energy that made her skin crawl, Twilight noticed that there were robbed humans working just below her. Before the alicorn could call out she vanished in a flash of crimson light, reappearing a second later in somewhere much different. Here the air was warm, the sounds of machinery were distant, and a strange chemical smell invaded her nostrils.

The room was large, but empty, seeming to serve as a simple storage area of some kind for numerous large metal crates. Another metal arm lifted her from the ground and carried her up into the ceiling, where she was transported deeper into the building. Passing over several other rooms Twilight noticed that each seemed to be a cell of some kind, every single one of which emptied into what appeared to be an operating room.

Though it was far darker, and far more blood stained then any medical area Twilight had ever seen before. It was also empty of people, but not equipment, most of which was so alien to Twilight that she could only guess at their purpose. Before Twilight could study the room any further the bottom of her cage gave out and she fell into her new jail cell with a pained thump.

Rubbing her butt and cursing her foul luck, Twilight looked around to find that her accommodations were rather spartan. The bed was little more than an unadorned slab of stone far too small for the alicorn’s towering frame, and the toilet was just a hole in the ground. To make matters worse it also reeked of blood and excrement, in addition to not having a privacy screen.

Twilight put that small, gross realization from her mind, and focused instead on the sound of shuffling feet from within the operating room. Trotting over to the bars, Twilight peered out into the area beyond, trying to find the source of the sound.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” Twilight called. “I seem to have been wrongly convicted of some manner of crime.”

A robed figure holding a glowing slab of slate grey metal appeared a second later. His features were hidden beneath his voluminous black robes, though Twilight could tell that he was surprised by her appearance when he stumbled back a step.

“Amazing, it- its awake,” he murmured.

“I’m not an it, I’m a she,” Twilight corrected. “And I would appreciate it if you sent word to the nearest Equestrian embassy as soon as possible.”

The cultist ignored Twilight completely, and tapped the slab several times.

Twilight frowned. “I am a princess of Equestria and I demand to speak with whomever is in charge of this facility.”

The robed figure shuffled away, snickering to himself all the while. “Deag Ranak will see you soon, of that I am certain,” he murmured before vanishing out of view.

Twilight turned and sat down on the much too short bed, her knees nearly up to her chest. “What I wouldn't do to have my magic back,” Twilight murmured, her horn flickering briefly before she gave up on it once more.

A burst of crimson light heralded the arrival of one of the strange men she had seen earlier, more specifically the individual who wore the odd helmet. “My, aren't you full of surprises,” he mused aloud, the man leaning heavily on his large metal staff.

“You don't know the half of it,” Twilight murmured. “I’ve battled more world ending monsters then you can count.”

“How intriguing,” he remarked with a smile. “Let us ensure that I do not end up like them then.”

He gestured to someone out of Twilight’s view, and a second later a lumbering robed cultist adorned in thick black cloth stomped into view. Though not quite as tall as Twilight, he was much, much wider, and had more muscles then Twilight could shake a stick at. The jail door swung open, and the man strode inside, pulling a thick metal collar from his robes as he approached the alicorn.

Twilight stumbled back, raising her hands. “Now then, there is no reason for violence. Surely we can- ack.”

A rough hand gripped Twilight by the throat and forced her down to his level, where the man slapped the slate grey collar tight about Twilight’s neck with a clank.

Satisfied that his job had been complete, the robed human stomped back out of the jail, the door slamming shut a second later.

Twilight stood slowly, her fingers running across the featureless grey hunk of metal which was bound around her throat. “That was uncalled for,” she muttered angrily.

“In my line of work, insurance is never unwarranted,” replied the man with an uncomfortable smile. “Speaking of which, I should warn you against using your magic without permission. For such an action will be dealt with quite harshly.”

“What do you-” Twilight’s question died in her throat when she felt something sharp press against her throat.

It vanished a second later, right after the man pressed a button on his staff. “Good. Now then, we will begin by testing that murderous impulse of yours as I’ve been told that you preservers are quite the pacificts. Though you’ve certainly showed some evidence to the contrary ”

Twilight bit down her retort, the memory of the sharp sensation keeping her tongue in check.

“Don't worry though. We will start small and work our way up from there,” declared the man, who chuckled and pointed towards the wall of Twilight’s cell. “Now then, get out there and show me that you are more then the pathetic herbivores I’ve been told about.”

“What are you talking-” Twilight’s comment was cut off when the wall of her cell was lifted out and away, revealing what looked like some manner of arena just beyond.

Dotted by spikes, strange red runes, raised platforms and other obstacles, it was also open to the frigid wind, as well as the snow which blew from atop the nearby buildings. Twilight hardy had a chance to mutter a confused question before she felt a hand shove her forward, the woman tumbling out of her cell.

And into the proving grounds.

Author's Note

This is a request fic, which receives updates whenever someone submits a request for me to do so on a request thread on my patreon.

Iudicium

Twilight muttered bitter insults under her breath, the alicorn quickly untangling her limbs and standing on her own two hooves. The first thing to hit her was just how cold this place was, the woman’s wings and arms wrapping about her body as tight as possible. Shifting awkwardly on the spot, Twilight looked around to find that she was alone in the strange place.

Behind her, the cell she had fallen out of was resealing itself, and above her hummed a strange net of some kind. Glowing an angry red, dozens of lines criss crossed the sky, sealing off Twilight’s only other exit and limiting how high she could fly. Reaching down, Twilight quickly constructed a snowball before throwing it straight up, where it was cut into several pieces by the laser grid.

“Well It looks like I wont be getting out that way,” Twilight murmured to herself.

Turning back to her surroundings, Twilight noted that the area was a large triangle, the walls of which seemed to be made of three structures like the one she had fallen out of. Strange creatures and towering demons peered out from their cells, most eying Twilight with a mixture of hunger or lust. Shuffling nervously towards the center of the area, Twilight pumped her wings and ascende onto a small hill at the middle of the arena.

From here she could see that a simple triangle of raised walkways surrounded her, though there didn't seem to be a way for non winged beings to reach them as they were seven or so feet off the ground. They were suspended by simple metal supports and Twilight quickly felt her gaze drawn to the edge of the arena, where a ring of spikes surrounded the area. Bits of gore, and dried blood clung to the brutal metal points, though there were at least no bodies present.

Shivering quite profusely, Twilight hugged her feathered appendages tight about her body, trying to stave off the biting wind which nipped at her poorly clothed form. Her simple tshirt, and pair of blue jeans did little against the cold, but they were at least better than nothing anyway. A sudden squeal of metal grinding against metal drew her attention to her right, where several cells had opened.

Revealing a dozen or so of the strangest humans Twilight had ever seen, most of whom sported large visible wounds or bore splatters of blood on their stained cloaks. Some seemed to have at one point been cultists, while others were so warped that their origins could not be discerned. A select few seemed to have been altered by some cruel doctor, as they bore clear signs of surgical alteration.

Together they tumbled out of their cell like they were little more than manikins, most not even bracing themselves as they fell onto the arena below. Two tumbled into the spikes, impaling themselves on the long metal protrusions, one dying instantly while the other lay there moaning. The others landed in a heap, which slowly began to untangle themselves before standing on shaky limbs.

“Your task is simple,” spoke the metallic voice of the helmeted man. “Kill these wretches.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “I will not kill them just because you tell me too.”

“Then you will be torn apart by them, and I will be forced to rebuild you sooner rather than later,” replied the man, whose voice emanated from the collar about Twilight’s neck.

The alicorn grit her teeth as she watched the humans stand back up and began to advance on her position. One of whom had broken their leg in the fall, the bone sticking straight out of his skin, though he didn't seemed to notice this as he trudged forward, arms extended. Each one appeared pale, and disfigured in some manner, their eyes glowing with a baleful red light emanating from within.

Twilight got the distinct impression that these poor unfortunate souls had long since lost whatever humanity they may have had. Though that didn't mean Twilight was willing to simply murder them quite yet, as she was an adept healer, and above all, an optimist. Raising her hand, Twilight began to run through a general scanning spell, only to stop when she remembered her collar.

“Am I allowed to use magic?” Twilight asked somewhat bitterly.

“You are not,” replied the voice. “You exhibited considerable strength earlier and I have been told that you are far more resilient then you appear. You had best use those attributes if you wish to survive.”

Twilight lowered her hand, and frowned as the moaning horde of humanoid creatures stumbled towards her. Some lacked arms, legs or other parts of themselves, while a few were covered in bony growths of some kind. Altogether they looked weak, as if they had been part of larger experiments and had been tossed aside when they were no longer needed.

Perhaps I will be doing them a kindness by laying them to rest. Twilight thought, only to brush that idea aside. No. These people need help, and healing, not further injury.

Opening her wings, Twilight flapped twice, lurching out of the way of a one eyed cultist who had nearly reached the top of the hill. Landing gracefully on the catwalk, Twilight watched as the horde shifted their attention towards several strange runes the alicorn hadn't noticed earlier. Watching them curiously, the first human to stumble onto the rune found themselves flung into the air, landing hard on the catwalk and stumbling right off the other side.

“So that's how they get up here,” Twilight murmured. “Hopefully they’ll tire themselves out soon. It doesn't look like they are in their right state of mind for conversation.”

Twilight watched as the horde landed on either side of her, waiting patiently until they neared her before stepping forward and flapping her wings again. Landing back onto the hill, Twilight noticed that the zombies turned towards her and simply walked off the ledge. The sound of bones breaking, and blood splattering made Twilight wince, the alicorn looking away when the man with the broken leg shattered his other leg.

“Making them slowly kill themselves by falling off the structure, how cruel,” remarked the voice. “I didn't take you for a sadist, princess.”

Twilight grit her teeth, trying her best to put the man’s words out of her mind. “I am no such thing and will heal these men the second I figure out how to get around this collar,” she muttered angrily.

Flying backwards to the other side of the walkway, Twilight wondered how she was going to get out of this when she heard the dull fwump noise that came whenever a rune was activated. Spinning around in place, Twilight was startled to see one of the formerly impaled victims had someone pulled himself free and was flying towards her. Arms outstretched and mouth open wide, the zombie slammed into Twilight, grappling her before knocking the both of them off the walkway.

Twilight hit the ground hard, immediately getting the wind knocked out of her while the human clawed at her face and neck. While struggling to breathe, the alicorn tried to push the human away, only to get her one of her fingers nearly bitten off by the strange man. A short punch to the head made him release his hold on her injured digit, and Twilight followed that up by pushing him as hard as she could.

The man flew a few feet before landing awkwardly and falling onto his back, blood continuing to pour out of his gaping wounds. Now covered in blood, and more then a few bruises, Twilight felt the urge to panic rising within her, and the woman tried to stand, only to feel something heavy settle against her wing. Looking over, Twilight saw a mostly metal foot standing atop her feathered appendage, the biomechanical man it belonged to lurching forwards.

His one arm ended with what had likely been a gun at one point, though now it was only a sparking mess of exposed wires and broken machinery. His other hand was made of metal, and when it clawed at Twilight’s face she felt several cuts open on her forehead. Shoving this one back, Twilight wrenched her wing out from under his foot, wincing when several feathers came out.

Looking around, Twilight realized that the strange humans had her almost completely surrounded, leaving her with few options. Flying was out, as they were too close for that to be a good idea, meaning the only thing she could do was fumble backwards through a gap. Narrowly escaping their grasping hands, Twilight was about to take another step before she felt the ground shift beneath her.

Glancing back over her shoulder, Twilight gulped as she saw just how close she had gotten to falling into the spikes. “Let's talk about this okay?” Twilight began, raising her hands. “Clearly you have suffered at the hands of these people. If we work together we might- ack don't hit me, I’m trying to help you!”

Twilight shoved away a man who had punched her in the gut, causing the human to stumble back into his fellows, exposed ribs cracked from the force of Twilight’s shove. The rest of the horde quickly enveloped the woman, fists striking her from all directions as the mass attempted to kill the alicorn. Though their attacks did little to the immortal, Twilight was slowly being pushed back, edging closer and closer to the spike pit.

Knowing full well what was about to happen to her if she didn't act, Twilight struggled internally with the rage she felt welling inside of her. For a moment Twilight’s pacifist side seemed like it was about to win, right before the ground beneath her rumbled ominously. Feeling the earth about to give way, the anger burned hotter than ever, charging her limbs with a terrible power.

Which was unleashed into the chest of a tall cybernetically enhanced human who had just slugged her across the chin. Twilight’s fist crackled with an orange energy a second before it slammed into the top right of the man’s head. Carrying enough force to snap his neck and leaving his head to hang loosely against his shoulder, Twilight’s fist opened, and she shoved the now limp man aside.

Surging through the gap in her enemies, she escaped just before the ground collapsed, carrying several of the zombie-like humans into the spikes. Most however, survived, having followed Twilight and avoided the collapse, though one received a hoof to the chest. Sending him flying against the wall where he slowly slid down the ice and snow covered exterior and into the pit.

Put them down quickly and efficiently. They might be trapped in their bodies after all. Twilight thought to herself, the alicorn only just barely holding the reins over her own body.

Balling her fists, Twilight tried to remember what little personal defence training she had received from her brother. Hopping to the left, Twilight let the strange humans bump into one another as they tried to reach her, leaving Twilight to fight one enemy at a time. The first of which had likely been a scientist at one time, as his torn outfit resembled the white smock of a researcher.

Twilight dipped to the left, avoiding a lumbering swing of the man’s arms and following it up with an uppercut to the man’s gut. Twilight could hear the wind rush out of the man’s mouth, and Twilight quickly brought her hands above her head, interlacing her fingers. Swinging her arms down hard, Twilight pounded the man in the back with enough force to snap his spine, and knock him to the ground.

A skeletal human with bony growths covering the majority of his face was quick to fill the gap, his clawed fingers scratching against Twilight’s arm. The alicorn was made of sterner stuff then that however, and his attack did nothing but mar Twilight’s already ruined shirt. The woman swiftly grabbed his arm and pulled him forward while at the same time kicking his legs out from under him.

The second he hit the ground Twilight brought her hoof down hard against the back of the man’s head, crushing it flat. The feeling of warm blood and what was probably brains startling Twilight out of her rage induced state. Stumbling aside, Twilight felt a brief surge of horror course through her before something heavy slammed into her shoulder.

In an instant the anger returned, and Twilight’s regret vanished, the alicorn spinning around to face her newest opponent. Who happened to be an emaciated human with a strange symbol carved into his head. Wearing only a pair of ruined orange pants, the man raised his arms above his head, and was about to slam his fists against Twilight’s chest when the woman caught him around the wrists.

With a growl of rage, Twilight pulled his arms out of their sockets before kneeing him in the gut, sending the human to the ground. She didn't have time to finish her opponent however, as two more of the shambling humans moved to replace him. Both appeared to be cultists at one point, though one had suffered horribly burns while the other seemed to have a second head sprouting half formed his shoulder.

Both moved with the same shambling sluggishness that the others did, and the slightly larger partially headed one was first to attack. Throwing his weight forward, he tried to tackle Twilight, but the alicorn was taller, and much heavier than even he. Meaning that she only skidded back a few inches before going onto the offence, reaching down and gripping his larger head in both hands.

A short squeeze was all it took to make his brains erupt from the top of his shattered skull like a jet of pinkish red marshmallow fluff. The body tumbled to the side, but before he even hit the ground Twilight had grabbed his former companion by the wrists. The human had tried to grab her but the alicorn was much too fast for him, and the zombie quickly felt his arms torn right off his body.

The human didn't even seem to notice this however, and merely lurched forward, trying to bite the woman. Bringing her fists down against the man’s shoulders, Twilight drove the stranger into the ground like a peg, his legs snapping after the second time she did this. So distracted was the alicorn that she didn't even notice another emaciated cyborg sneak up on her.

Jamming his sparking weapon arm against her side, Twilight saw stars as electricity poured through her body. Though compared to a pegasus’ lightning bolt this was nothing, and Twilight quickly spun around, backhanding the human across the head. Sending the man to land face first against the ground Twilight quickly leapt onto him and grabbed the top of his jaw, ignoring his attempts to bite her.

With a grunt, she tore the top half of the man’s head from his shoulders before slamming it against the walkway support hard enough to turn it to paste. Spinning around, the alicorn readied herself for her next enemy only to find that there was only one rather sad individual left. Leaping into the air, Twilight pumped her wings twice before snapping the feathered appendages against her sides.

A split second later and the alicorn slammed into the crawling human she had nearly pulled the arms off a few seconds earlier. Bones shattered, organs were pulped and blood exploded all over the woman’s legs, painting her from knee to hoof in crimson. With that done, the alicorn felt her rage begin to flicker and die, the quiet arena stifling her rage, allowing reason to reign once again.

“Oh stars above what have I done?” Twilight muttered in horror, her gaze drawn down to the men she had slaughtered. “And why do I feel so… angry?”

A flickering light drew Twilight’s attention to the center of the arena, where a hologram version of the strange helmeted man appeared, a smile already on his cruel face.

“You have a bit of the slayer’s rage within you, how curious,” he stated. “Your body also seems quite resilient to damage, on par with kevlar by the looks of it.”

“You have to send help, these men need medical attention, I-” Twilight began.

“Silence!” boomed the hologram. “Their lives mean nothing to me. As do the lives of your next opponents.”

“Next opponents?” Twilight muttered in horror.

“Yes. I have chosen to up the ante as it were and test how far your resilience goes,” the man smirked. “Prepare yourself.”

The hologram vanished, and for a moment Twilight stood there awkwardly, scanning her surroundings for any sign of movement. Then all at once a half dozen flashes of crimson light came from all around her and the alicorn found herself faced with far more dangerous foes.

Author's Note

This is a request fic, which receives updates whenever someone submits a request for me to do so on a request thread on my patreon.

Memoria

For a moment no one moved, the shock of teleportation giving Twilight a few seconds to inspect her newest enemies before they attacked. Which seemed to come in two different varieties, either winged or grounded, each one of which had beady, hateful eyes that immediately latched onto the alicorn.

The slightly larger of the two had relatively small leathery wings which allowed them to fly for surprisingly long distances. Like the other hellish creatures Twilight had seen before, their appearance was grotesque, and the monster sported bony growths sprouting from all over its body. Emaciated and enraged, these horrifying creatures had long jagged bones not unlike a pair of swords, sticking out of their arms where their hands should be. They also sported strangely long necks, and a disturbing countenance that not even a mother could love.

Its ground bound allies werent much nicer to look at either, though at least they werent sporting freakish blades instead of hands. They also werent quite as large as their flighted allies and Twilight could tell that one of the quicker ones were already casting some kind of spell. Their clawed hands glowed with hellish light, as the orange and purple skinned creature prepared itself for some kind of attack.

Which the diminutive creature unleashed at Twilight in the form of a bolt of fire.

Thankfully Twilight wasn't so curious as to become oblivious to her foe and quickly ducked under the attack. A cry of rage sprang up from the gathered mass of demonic creatures which surged toward the now terrified alicorn. Frantically backpedaling, Twilight scrambled towards one of the supports holding up the walkway in an effort to gain some cover.

One of the gargoyle-like creatures was faster still though, and swooped down in an attempt to cut the poor woman’s head off. The sound of his wings was more than enough to alert Twilight to his presence, but she wasn't quite fast enough to escape him completely. His jagged, boney appendage scratched across Twilight’s back, ruining her already ragged shirt and opening up a long cut.

Only her earth pony resistance saved her from a far worse injury, and the alicorn counted her lucky stars as she slipped around the peice of cover. Her bout of relief was brief, as the gargoyle was quickly on her heels and was already mid swoop, claws outstretched. Twilight didn't even get the chance to think of a way out of that first attack before she ran into an imp, who hurled a fireball at Twilight’s chest.

Trapped without anywhere to go, and without any time to respond, Twilight crossed her arms in front of her chest. Utilizing her inherent pegasi magic, as well as her natural endurance, the girl was able to stop the fireball from doing anything more than singing her. The alicorn’s shirt was now completely ruined however, and Twilight worried it may fall apart at a moment’s notice.

She had bigger concerns however, as the imp was screeching in rage, his claws extended in an attempt to scratch Twilight’s face. The beast wasn't quite tall enough however, and Twilight was able to dodge the attack before shoving him back. The push sent her attacker careening into his own ally who had been charging a firebolt of his own.

Utilizing the small bout of chaos that came from the imps squabbling amongst themselves, Twilight charged forward. While at the same time the whoosh of a bladed limb signalled how close the gargoyle had come to striking the alicorn in the back. This attack was followed up a second later when Twilight was forced to duck under another sweep from a winged foe.

Shoving her way between a gargoyle and an imp, Twilight tried frantically to think of some way to get out of this situation without having to kill anyone. These creatures seemed to be sentient after all, and thus possessed enough understanding to avoid bloodshed if they desired. Which she hoped they did, and were merely being forced to fight for their lives against their will.

Though just thinking that felt wrong for some reason, as Twilight had felt an odd twinge of deja vu upon setting eyes on the creatures. A feeling which came with a worry that these monsters were every bit as bestial as they appeared to be at first glance. Twilight didn't want to harm these potentially enslaved creatures though, and quickly came up with a plan to end the fight.

Leaping over an imp, Twilight pumped her wings and launched herself up onto the catwalk at an incredible speed. Which allowed her to stay ahead of her pursuers, and also surprise the imp which had been charging a fireball. He abandoned his attack a second later and with a cry of rage, swiped a clawed hand at the alicorn.

Twilight saw this coming however, and gripped the imp by the wrist before using his momentum against him. One deft maneuver later and the creature had been lifted off the ground, an arm placed over his throat. Confused, the imp didn't know how to react after being hefted into the air, his legs dangling uselessly beneath him.

“Stop!” Twilight shouted. “Or else I will hurt your friend!”

The strange creatures stopped for a moment, though if it was out of concern or sheer bafflement Twilight wasn't sure. Either way they werent attacking her, which meant that the alicorn had a moment or two to try and use diplomacy to get herself out of this mess.

“If we work together we can escape this place but we have to stop fighting!” Twilight shouted.

The alicorn wasn't able to launch into the next part of her speech however, as the imp in her grip began to struggle. The beast clawed and kicked as best as it could, cutting Twilight’s arm as it tried to escape her grasp. Cursing under her breath, Twilight tried to get her captive back under control without injuring him though that was proving to be quite difficult.

So focused was the princess that she didn't even notice a gargoyle swooping down directly at her. Until that was, at the last moment, she saw a shadow settle over her, and Twilight looked up in horror to see a bladed appendage thrust towards her belly. The attack pierced straight through the imp and out the otherside, scratching Twilight’s own stomach without doing much damage.

Though gargoyle’s attack wasn't super effective, his weight was significant enough to knock Twilight from the catwalk. This time when she fell she had enough presence of mind to open her wings and arrest her fall before landing on her back. With her feet under her once more, Twilight looked up to see the gargoyle shake the dying imp from his bladed limb.

The injured creature clawed at the other demon and received a stomp to his chest for this, causing a thick slurry of intestines to shoot from his belly. The imp twitched one final time before falling still, his former ally not even giving him a single glance before extending his wings. With hate in his eyes, the creature was ready to strike once more, though Twilight was too shocked to respond at the moment.

She had assumed the creatures had some sort of allegiance because they had focused on her so quickly. Yet they showed no hesitation to strike down their own allies should they get in the way of their attempts to murder Twilight. It was enough to make Twilight wonder if these creatures were like the others she had fought only a minute earlier.

Like the mindless zombies, these creatures were driven by some unseen force which urged them to kill without remorse. Though they seemed capable of logical thought, and possessed some minor intelligence, they had no qualms with killing. Even though Twilight had not done anything to them, the monsters continued their attack, fireballs whizzing past her head.

A second later and the same gargoyle who had killed one of his allies only a few moments ago lurched towards Twilight, wings spread wide. With his right arm raised high, the creature seemed intent on splitting Twilight’s skull in two, despite what little of a threat the alicorn had posed. Up until that very second anyway, when something seemed to flip inside Twilight’s mind, and a surge of rage coursed through her.

With strength now filling her limbs, and anger occupying her every thought, Twilight stepped back out of the gargoyle’s reach. Unable to stop himself, the monster tumbled forward, only to have his momentum stopped when Twilight grabbed him by the neck. The gargoyle lurched to a stop, and was about to try and turn around when it felt its right wing be torn from its socket.

It didn't have long to rage at its newest injury, for it was soon airborne once more, tossed roughly into the nearby pit of spikes. Unable to fly away, the creature tried anyway, only to land with a dull squelch, its chest cavity pierced by a long peice of metal. It scrambled weakly against the offending bit of steel, though in the end it could not escape its grim fate and died.

Twilight didn't even notice this however, as she was already in motion and was busy dodging a flurry of firebolts fired at her. Though one got through, Twilight ignored the burning sensation and minor damage it did in order to take wing. Now airborne, she was forced to roll out of the way of another gargoyle’s heavy forelimbs that had been swung at her face.

Though quick, Twilight was not able to escape the creature’s taloned feet, which scratched across her back, though did little to the alicorn. Positioning herself beneath the gargoyle, Twilight flapped hard, forcing the other creature to rise suddenly. Confused and a little shocked by the sudden shift, the gargoyle was swiftly killed when it accidentally flew into the laser field.

Blood and gore rained down on the alicorn, who didn't seem to notice, as her attention had already shifted to her next foe. Who happened to be an imp who was standing atop a catwalk, a ball of fire burning between his hands. Before Twilight could swoop down upon her newest target, the imp unleashed his attack, which flew directly at Twilight’s chest.

The alicorn merely batted aside the firebolt with a hand and grabbed hold of the imp’s shoulders, carrying the diminutive creature along with her. The demonic creature didn't have long to fight back though, as Twilight swiftly dropped him on the spikes. Now impaled by a half dozen spikes, the demon coughed twice before letting out a final gurgle and dying.

By then the rest of the demons had organized some manner of defence, with the imps having spread out while the gargoyles were attempting to surround the alicorn. Before they could fully close ranks, and deliver a killing blow, Twilight tucked her wings against her back, falling out of the sky. She landed in a roll, dodging fireballs, and frantic swings alike as she sprinted towards the first enemy she could see.

The imp tried to dodge, but with pegasus magic flowing through her, Twilight was far too fast. Leaping into the air, Twilight shifted her entire body sideways before delivering a devastating dropkick to the imp’s chest. Which become completely concave due to the sheer force of the attack, killing the creature in an instant before sending it shooting across the arena.

Utilizing her pegasus dexterity, Twilight managed to land on her own two hooves though she wasn't quite fast enough to dodge out of the way of a gargoyle’s chop. The heavy limb crashed into Twilight’s left shoulder with enough force to almost knock the limb out of its socket. With her natural resilience however, the alicorn was able to shrug off the strike, and ignore the gash in her shoulder.

Twilight swiftly grabbed the creature’s limb, before striking it with a closed fist, shattering the thing, and leaving the monster reeling. She wasn't able to follow this attack up however, as another gargoyle was already on the attack while at the same time a firebolt was flying at her. Using her pegasus speed, Twilight swiftly kicked the legs out from under her one attacker, and tossed him at the imp before the gargoyle had even hit the ground.

The two demons lay in a tangled, slightly scorched heap, screeching at one another while trying to right themselves once more. Twilight didn't pay them any mind however, as a rather daring imp was swiping away at her with its small, clawed hands. Dodging out of the way of the flurry of attacks, Twilight waited for an opening before delivering a swift jab to the creature’s chin.

Though the blow itself was light, Twilight’s earth pony magic ensured that her fist shattered the imp’s jaw. Reeling in pain, the imp was cut down by a gargoyle who rushed into fill the gap, its bladed arms raised high. Rather than dodge, the enraged alicorn reached up and grabbed her attacker’s boney appendages with both hands. The fresh pair of jagged cuts that opened on her hands leaked twin rivers of blood down the alicorn’s arms, though the pain was negligible and easily ignored.

The gargoyle was surprised, though it adapted quickly, and tried to overwhelm the alicorn with raw strength. Demonic might met alicorn endurance, and in the end the power of harmony won out, with Twilight snapping her opponent’s boney blades right off. The creature barely had time to realize what had happened before a horn rammed its way through his right eye socket and right into his brain.

By then the gargoyle and imp who had tumbled into one another had managed to separate themselves as Twilight removed her appendage from her opponent’s skull. The struggle had ended with the imp losing its head, and the gargoyle losing an eye, as well as gaining a dozen more scratches. Rejoining the only other remaining gargoyle and their lone imp ally, the two creatures quickly tried to surround their prey.

Twilight wasn't about to just let this happen however, and the alicorn surged towards her injured foe, heedless to potential injury. Accepting a blow to the side of the torso, Twilight sprinted towards the gargoyle and delivered a punch strong enough to shatter his ribs. The wounded creature attempted to bite his opponent, but was surprised when instead of stepping back, the alicorn moved forward.

Ramming a hand up into the demon’s midsection and through its slippery organs, Twilight grabbed hold of the beast’s spine before turning in place. She then threw the gargoyle like a javelin, sending the two winged creatures to collapse into a tangled heap of limbs.

A ball of fire slamming into Twilight’s shoulder and burning away even more of the alicorn’s tshirt alerted her to the presence of the last imp undealt with. Though he attempted to sprint out of sight, Twilight’s enraged mind moved far faster then he could possibly do so. With a pump of her wings, Twilight was atop the imp, who scrambled to turn towards his foe.

He never managed that however, as Twilight’s fist shattered his spine, and caused the creature to collapse to the ground. Twilight followed this up by stomping his head into the steel floor beneath her hooves, ending his suffering once and for all.

A solid blow to the side sent Twilight stumbling to the ground, and even with her anger, the woman couldn't shrug off the damage she was receiving. In desperation, the alicorn spun on her attacker, and shoved him away, trying to put some distance between them. The gargoyle was stumbled for mere moments but that was still more than enough time for Twilight to regain her footing.

The next swipe of the demonic creature’s claw was batted aside, with Twilight grabbing his elbow and yanking him forward. Twilight sidestepped the creature as it fell, deftly positioning herself atop her opponent’s back and grabbing hold of the gargoyle’s upper limbs. With a foot placed between the beast’s wings, Twilight pulled hard, breaking the creature’s back a second before pulling his arms clean off.

The demon flopped weakly, a gurgling sound spilling from his mouth a second before the creature stopped moving. With her final opponent dead by her hands, Twilight felt all her anger begin to dissipate, leaving her exhausted and bloodied. Numerous wounds covered the woman’s body, though as she watched, Twilight noticed the pair of cuts she had received on her hands were closing right before her very eyes.

“What the…” Twilight murmured to herself.

She didn't have long to ponder this strange change however, for the holographic man appeared at the center of the arena.

“To think you've picked up so much of the slayer’s traits after only your brief interaction with him. I wonder how you adapted so quickly,” mused the strange man.

“Who are you talking about?” demanded Twilight. “I don't know anyone named Slayer.”

“Your memory should return within a few days after the shock of your arrival in this reality has worn off,” the man remarked somewhat flippantly. “In the meantime my experiments can begin in earnest.”

“I won't be participating in any more of your twisted games you monster!” Twilight spat, jabbing a finger at the man.

“Oh, and what are you going to do to stop me?” Teased the male.

Twilight wilted for a moment before her eyes went wide. “I may not be able to do anything but princess Celestia and my friends will save me!”

The man raised an eyebrow. “Oh I don't think I’ll have to worry about that particular detail one bit.”

“What are you-”

“I have no time for your endless questions. Rest now, for when you awaken next the true test will have already begun,” exclaimed the man who flickered briefly before vanishing.

Twilight didn't even have the time to try and offer a retort before she felt something emerge from within her collar and jab her in the neck. The flood of chemicals caused the woman’s body to grow heavy, and her muscles unresponsive. She resisted, and tugged at the offending hunk of metal as hard as she could but it was simply too late.

The alicorn was only vaguely aware of her legs giving out from under her, and a second later her vision began to swim. Even with the small boost of strength that came from panic, Twilight couldn't remove the offending strip of metal. She couldn't even mutter a curse, as her vision turned black and her entire body became utterly numb.

And the void swallowed her whole.

Author's Note

This is a request fic, which receives updates whenever someone submits a request for me to do so on a request thread on my patreon.

Salvator

Twilight didn't usually bounce excitedly in her chair like a child on the way to the candy store, that was usually Pinkie Pie’s thing, but today was different. The familiar landscape of the Canterlot lowlands flicking past the train window was usually very calming, not this time though. Not even the rumble of the lumbering metal behemoth which usually rocked Twilight to sleep during long rides affected the alicorn.

Who was clutching her dress in both hands, right leg bouncing up and down as she grinned with barely contained glee as she stared out the train window.

“If you smile any wider your face might just split in half,” Spike remarked with a smirk.

Twilight blinked, and glanced down to her assistant who sat to her left. “Don't be ridiculous Spike. That would never happen. Besides, if it was possible then I’d probably have to super glue Pinkie Pie’s head to her body at least twice a week.”

“You think she’d lose it often?” Spike replied with a smirk.

“Everyday,” Twilight answered, grinning back.

The dragon chuckled. “Well I’m glad you’re happy, though I’m not sure I get what the big deal is.”

“What isn't there to get? I’m finally becoming a fully fledged alicorn!” Twilight exclaimed.

“I thought you were an alicorn the second you got those wings,” Spike pointed out, gesturing to the feathered appendages on Twilight’s back.

The alicorn scoffed. “That made me an alicorn yes, but it did not make me a mature alicorn.”

“And the difference is…” Spike offered, one eyebrow raised.

“The difference is that a mature alicorn rules something, and has responsibilities of her own,” Twilight stated. “With my crowning I’ll finally be an official monarch of equestria!”

“You know I would have thought you’d be a little more freaked out by all this,” Spike pointed out. “I mean it isn't everyday that you reach the same level as Celestia.”

Twilight laughed a little too loudly. “Oh Spike. That's because I scheduled my panic attack for tonight, right before I go to bed.”

“That's… very forward thinking of you Twilight,” Spike muttered.

Twilight nodded confidently. “Of course. I won't have time to present my findings at the enchanters exhibit and still have the chance to review my notes on rulership if I spend all day freaking out.”

“Wait, so does that mean you figured out that whole thing with the power watchamijger?” Spike asked.

Twilight hummed to herself. “Not exactly, but I should have more than enough time to figure that out before I am to present my findings.”

“So what does it do exactly?” Spike inquired, scratching his head. “All I remember is that you called it the recursive loop extractor…. Thing.”

“The recursive loop extractor function is a magical subroutine I designed to make hardening spells work at peak efficiency,” Twilight claimed.

“So you make something really hard?” Spike remarked.

“No, well technically yes but think of it like… one of your comic books where the good guy becomes invincible due to some spell,” Twilight began. “Normally such a thing is impossible because the mana drain of such a thing is exponential, quickly taking all available mana the caster has. Though with my solution this drain merely becomes linear.”

“So you could actually make something invincible then?” Spike finished.

“Yes, exactly!” Twilight exclaimed. “It wouldn't be for very long, but it would be at least possible.”

“Huh,” Spike murmured. “So what exactly was Celestia planning on talking to you about during your super secret meeting before the ceremony?”

“I’m not totally sure,” Twilight admitted, her shoulders slumping. “She said that with my full ascension that I would be able to learn some kind of information that I otherwise wouldn't be allowed to know.”

“Spooky,” Spike murmured, leaning forward in his chair. “You’d tell me if aliens were real, right?”

Twilight chuckled, rolling her eyes as she patted the dragon on the shoulder. “Yes Spike. I would tell you if aliens were real so you can win your bet with Rainbow Dash.”

Spike pumped a fist in the air. “Awesome. My money is on space apes.”

“Really, monkeys? They just barely entered the stone age,” Twilight replied.

“Yeah and they are already making tons of tools and stuff,” Spike replied, waving a finger in the air. “Mark my word. Those monkeys you talk down on are already out there among the stars.”

“You’ve been reading too many comic books,” Twilight exclaimed.

“More like you haven't read enough,” Spike retorted.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Agree to disagree then.”

Spike shrugged. “Fair enough, though if you had the time to read one, I would recommend the one about the guy from-”

A sudden shriek stopped Spike’s comment, and both dragon as well as Alicorn looked to where a passenger was staring out the window. The horror stricken expression on her face was enough to make Twilight’s blood run cold though she followed the other woman’s gaze regardless. To where a man had emerged from a field, blood gushing from the stump where his arm had once been.

Numerous cuts covered his body and though he seemed to be on death’s doorstep something far more horrifying quickly grabbed Twilight’s attention. Namely a large emaciated biped with leathery wings on its back and long swords for hands which had emerged from behind the man. It was obvious that this freakish creature was the cause of the man’s injuries as the beast was bathed in crimson blood obviously not its own.

“What is that thing?” Spike whispered.

“I don't know,” Twilight admitted. “But it looks like-”

With a single chop of the creature’s arm the man was decapitated, shocking the already terrified people on the train. A gasp was followed by the sounds of retching, as well as a building sense of panic which threatened to explode at any moment.

Twilight couldn't let that happen. Her ponies were in danger, and she would do everything in her power to protect them.

“Spike, go stop the train. I’ll subdue this monster, and begin looking for survivors,” Twilight stated calmly.

“Are you-yes Twilight,” Spike dutifully replied.

Twilight gave her assistant a nod, before turning and sprinting towards the nearest roof access hatch. Which she quickly threw aside using her magic, causing a rush of wind to enter the cabin, and ruffle the alicorn’s mane. Twilight was far beyond such small concerns though, and the woman swiftly leapt up into the opening.

Pulling herself up onto the roof of the train, Twilight awkwardly steadied herself using her outstretched arms. Upon looking around the alicorn realized how ridiculous her little plan was, despite how smart it seemed at the time. It would take far too long to wait for the train to stop though, and so while channeling her inner Rainbow Dash, Twilight opened her wings.

The rush of force very nearly caused the alicorn to come crashing right back onto the train, but with a careful application of pegasus magic she was able to level out. Swooping to the right, Twilight began to bank back towards where she had last seen the strange creature from earlier, gaining speed as she went. She had not expected the monster to fly directly at her while letting out a shrill cry, its arms raised and ready to strike.

Summoning her magic, Twilight conjured a pair of golden chains around the monster’s midsection, binding its wings and arms to its sides. Though the beast took a rough tumble into the ditch below, Twilight knew it would survive such an impact. Without some terrifying blood covered murderer in her face Twilight was able to inspect her surroundings much closer.

The first thing she noticed was that there were more of the creatures, as well as more injured victims who were fleeing through a nearby field. Twilight counted four of the winged monsters, and swiftly moved to intercept the closest one with a trio of stun spells. The magical attacks flew unerringly towards their target, dropping the swooping creature out of the sky.

The beast took a rough fall, but ultimately seemed relatively unharmed, and was swiftly bound by more conjured chains.

“Go to the train further up the tracks, you will find aid there!” Twilight shouted towards the still fleeing pony.

Whether the terrified earth pony heard Twilight was uncertain, though the alicorn didn't have time to double check. For the cry of a panicked young woman had alerted Twilight to a teenager hiding within the mostly hallow interior of a long dead tree. Her attacker seemed intent on tormenting her, with the hellish monster slamming its bladed limbs against either side of the trunk. Slowly but surely it was cutting its way through, slobber dripping from its jaws as it eyed the girl with naked hunger.

A concussive blast knocked the creature off balance, allowing enough time for Twilight to cast a more complicated sleep spell. The second it was completed the terrifying monster dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Twilight quickly bound the strange creature in more conjured chains before repeating her command to the teenager and setting off once more.

This time it took an even shorter amount of time to find her next target as it was already flying directly at her. A spike of fear shot through Twilight’s heart, though the alicorn had enough presence of mind to roll out of the way. After narrowly dodging the creature’s attack Twilight unleashed an unfocused blast of mana, knocking it back.

The blood crazed beast surprised Twilight with its speed and before the alicorn could follow up her attack, it was already on her. The creature swept right, then down, forcing Twilight to constantly stumble backwards lest she stray into its deadly path. Thankfully for the woman, her attacker overcommitted, allowing Twilight the chance to leap back and conjure a gust of wind.

This time the creature was forced back several feet, its long swordlike arms raised in defence. Twilight had no intention of using any conventional attacks on the creature, and quickly increased its gravity tenfold with a spell. The monster had evidently not seen this coming, as it slammed into the ground a second later, sinking several inches into the still wet earth.

Another bunch of chains later and Twilight was down to only two enemies left.

“Right, I can do this. These things don't have any resistance to magic,” Twilight murmured as she took wing once more.

Again her prey was not hard to find, as near a small creek nearby was a large orange bubble inside of which were an older unicorn as well as a young girl. Standing outside the shield were two more of the winged creatures, who were both battering away with their sword arms. Twilight made a note to give the unicorn mage some pointers when they were safe before leaping into action.

Seeking to end this one quickly while utilizing the element of surprise, Twilight took a page from Trixie’s book and turned one of the monsters into a teacup. His ally didn't have long to wonder what had happened, as he had been gripped tight in Twilight’s telekinetic field. He was then forced face first into the ground and bound with several quickly constructed golden chains.

“You may come out now,” Twilight declared in the softest, kindest tone she could muster.

The unicorn hesitated a moment before letting his horn dull and his spell to fall away.

“Thank goodness you showed up. I don't know what I would have done,” he exclaimed in an exasperated tone.

“Are either of you injured?” Twilight asked as she walked up and kneeled down in front of the still cowering child.

“I got hit in the shoulder pretty good, but thankfully it was with the blunt side of that thing’s sword,” stated the man, who was already sporting a massive bruise on his upper arm. “Bubbling Cup here is just fine. Isn't that right my little sweet tea.”

The child opened a single hesitant eye, only to notice the alicorn standing before her and immediately gasp in surprise. “It's a pwincess daddy, were saved!” She exclaimed.

Twilight chuckled. “For now. Though I’d like to know where these things came from.”

“I don't know to be honest,” muttered the unicorn, who glanced up at the horizon. “We were just having a picnic with the extended family when they swooped in from out of nowhere.”

“Are you going to take care of all the bad guys?” whispered the young girl.

“I promise,” Twilight exclaimed, placing a hand over her heart.

“That makes me happy,” stated the child.

Twilight was about to ask another question when she heard the sound of clanking hoofsteps coming from behind her. A second later and three royal guards were standing at the edge of the small clearing, a familiar dragon in their midst.

“Status?” Twilight barked.

Spike stepped forward. “We found a couple survivors and are treating them on the train.”

“Bloody Bandage and Iron Arm stayed back with the others,” added one of the guards.

“I wish you would have taken us with you princess. You could have been hurt,” added another.

“I couldn't leave my ponies to suffer,” Twilight replied. “Now then let us gather up the remaining people and try to figure out what happened here.”

“Hold on, what is it doing?” Spike asked.

Everyone glanced down to where the demonic creature, not turned into an inanimate object was wiggling its body vigorously. Blood coursed down its form, and then just when Twilight was about to stop it, the creature broke free of its bindings. Not through any feat of strength or skill, rather it had cut off its own arm, and used the extra room to slip out.

The creature didn't get far as it was slammed back into the ground by three different auras. It was then wrapped in a dozen chains, which were in turn bound to the ground by a magical anchor.

“Fan out. Locate the ones already subdued and ensure they don't escape!” Twilight shouted.

“Yes your majesty!” Replied the guards.

“Do you really think they might get out?” Spike asked hesitantly, glancing to the distant tree line.

Twilight frowned. “Not likely. Though at this point anything is possible.”

“Where do you think these guys came from?” Spike continued. “They don't look like any creature I’ve ever seen before.”

Twilight’s frown deepened. “I don't know Spike. But I have a feeling that we will find that out very soon.”

Author's Note

This is a request fic, which receives updates whenever someone submits a request for me to do so on a request thread on my patreon.

Agmen

Twilight strode confidently through the open field, mentally taking stock of her surroundings while she did so. Three dead, seven injured, only one of which was in critical condition, and over a dozen of the strange winged creatures subdued. One of which had been killed, though no one was about to shed a tear for the animalistic murderer.

Secure in the knowledge that the captured creatures had been safely contained beneath a barrier shield Twilight glanced at the train. Where her guards were rounding up those in need of assistance and leading them towards a now empty car near the front. The other travelers aboard had mostly remained inside, but those few who were armed now joined the guards outside.

“This is no time for heroics, stay with the others,” barked a guard, who pointed to a burly earth stallion wielding a sword.

“Did you see those things? You’re going to need help and we can fight,” he retorted, pounding a fist against his chest.

Having swiftly gathered what was going on, Twilight strode up to the small group, making her presence known.

“My princess,” murmured the guard.

The others bobbed their heads in respect.

“I know you want to assist in any way you can, but you cannot join the guard. However-” Twilight held up a finger. “We will need someone to stay with the train should we come across any others in need of assistance.”

The man slammed his hand against his chest with a thump. “You can count on us princess! Let's go boys!”

Twilight merely nodded, watching the small group leave before turning to her guards.

“We’ll drop the civilians off at Easthaven before continuing on to Canterlot,” Twilight declared.

Spike sprinted up to the group, huffing and puffing. “Does that… include me?” he asked between breaths.

“I’m afraid so Spike,” Twilight whispered, leaning down and ruffling his head fins.

Spike sighed. “Figures.”

“You remember visiting mayor Tall Tree last winter, right?” Twilight asked.

Spike nodded.

“Go to city hall and offer him your services. I’m sure he would appreciate your orgnizational skills,” Twilight declared.

The dragon snapped off a quick salute. “Yes ma’am.”

“Good, now everyone else get back on the train and be prepared for another attack,” Twilight began, pointing to her guards one by one. “I want the civilians pulled up to the front and at least two pegasi positioned atop the first car. I want to know the second you see one of those creatures swooping down on us.”

A flurry of agreements sounded throughout the small group and in no time at all they were all on the move. The train’s engine was stuffed with coal, its boiler burning hot as the guards swiftly moved everyone further up. Though there were some complaints, no one was brave enough to voice those sentiments in Twilight's presence.

The alicorn herself took position near the front of the train, standing next to the engineers as they monitored the engine.

“Are ya sure about this princess? If they damaged the track further up then I doubt we’d be able to slow down in time,” offered a scruffy faced unicorn.

“If it comes to that I’ll evacuate everyone myself. I’m more worried about the potential lives lost if we do not get to the bottom of this attack as soon as possible,” Twilight stated.

“Are you sure it's not an isolated incident?” offered the unicorn’s shorter, feminine assistant.

Twilight shook her head and pointed off to the right. “Something is going on in Canterlot, and I have a feeling it is the source of these creatures.”

“Right. Fireman White, let's get the princess to her destination right quick than,” barked the unicorn.

“Aye boss,” replied the mare.

Twilight ignored them and continued to stare out the window, peering intently towards the distant rust colored glow. It was an unpleasant sight, one that filled the alicorn with a palpable sense of dread the likes of which she had never felt before. Something big was happening, and she wasn't sure if it could be fixed by a firm talking to or a friendship lesson.

“Bit for your thoughts,” remarked Twilight's guard captain.

“I’m just worried, Stalwart Steel,” Twilight replied. “Whatever’s going on, it's big.”

“It seems focused on Canterlot for the moment,” Stalwart replied. “At least they’ll have the other princesses on their side.”

“Still,” Twilight murmured. “Lets just focus on dropping off the civilians and disengaging the other cars. I want to get to Canterlot as soon as possible.”

“Of course my princess,” Stalwart replied, bowing his head.

Twilight drummed her fingers on the windowsill, watching as the civilians disembarked at a quick pace. They were swiftly met by a flustered looking pair of guards, and the station manager, who ushered them all inside. Though there were no blood or bodies, Twilight could tell there had been fighting in the area, especially near the train yard.

Gouge marks were visible in several surfaces, and doors were knocked down, having been left toppled on the ground. Windows had been shattered, and the glass ceiling which covered the train station had suffered considerable damage. There were no fires visible, and they had cleaned up the majority of the glass though, so Twilight assumed things had been handled in the town’s favor.

A question she was able to ask a few seconds later when the guards she had seen earlier began approaching her.

“Princess Twilight. Hot damn am I glad to see you,” proclaimed the younger of the two.

“What happened here?” Twilight demanded.

“Some creatures showed up and just started attacking everyone,” the short haired stallion replied immediately. “We fought them off, but they keep trickling in from further north.”

“Canterlot,” Twilight muttered.

“That's the running theory, yes,” offered the slightly grey haired town guard. “The mayor’s got everything locked up tight and is evacuating the nearby farms but its slow going.”

“Casulties?” Twilight asked.

“Minimal,” replied the older of the two. “They don't seem organized, or at all interested in team work.”

“They just fly in here and attack the first person they see. It's crazy,” muttered his partner.

“Good. Well it seems you have everything handled here. Could you watch over my assistant for a little while?” Twilight asked, turning to a random box.

“Oh uh sure, where is the little guy anyway?” muttered the town guard.

“Right… here!” Twilight declared, reaching into the box and pulling out a surprised looking Spike.

“Aww come on! I want to help you this time!” he yelled, flailing around in Twilight's grip.

“It's too dangerous, besides. I’m sure the mayor really does need your help,” Twilight retorted.

“Oh fine,” Spike muttered.

Twilight placed him in front of the two guards and gave them a nod. “Thank you gentleman, now if you’ll excuse us. We need to get to the bottom of this.”

“Wait, can't you send letters to Celestia? Doesn't she know what's going on?” asked the younger of the pair.

Twilight shook her head. “I’m afraid whatever’s caused this mess has created too much magical interference. Long range teleportation is impossible, as is scrying, and sending spells. We need to do this the old fashioned way.”

“Understandable. We should have known you would have thought of that already,” remarked the grey haired guard. “Come on kiddo, let's go see what the mayor needs help with.”

Twilight leaned down and planted a kiss on Spike’s head. “Be good, now.”

Spike wiped his forehead vigorously. “Aww come on. I’m not a kid anymore you know.”

Twilight chuckled as the dragon was led away by the guards.

“You’ll always be a kid to me,” Twilight whispered.

After they were gone, Twilight sighed, and turned towards her guard captain who was waiting patiently to her right.

“I’m assuming you detached the other cars, and escorted the engineers to safety,” Twilight offered.

The stallion nodded. “We did, my princess.”

“Good, then start shoveling. I’ll watch the boiler,” Twilight proclaimed, rolling up her sleeves.

“Private Bulwark, get on it,” Stalwart barked, turning to one of his subordinates.

“Yeah, yeah,” muttered the male.

As Twilight began to familiarize herself with the many leavers, knobs and switches, she couldn't help but glance out the window. The reddish orange glow had become brighter, but it’s origin, and by extension Canterlot, had yet to become fully visible. When that changed Twilight was certain that she was going to witness something truly terrible.

Only time would tell however.

“Ready when you are, my princess,” Stalwart exclaimed.

“Right, let's go,” Twilight muttered.

“We’ll be able to see Canterlot shortly,” shouted a voice over the roar of the engine.

Twilight wiped the sweat form her brow, and took a step back, walking away from the rattling machine. Maneuvering around the other guards she had shanghaid into serving as her firemen, Twilight peered through the window. Sure enough the Canterhorn was clearly visible, though Canterlot itself was slowly coming into view. What could be seen was the strange orange red light that was emanating from, Twilight assumed, somewhere above the city.

The mood on the train was tense, and nearly all eyes peered intently at the walled settlement slowly coming into veiw. Nearly everyone held their breath, while occasionally inspecting the strange shapes which flitted about the sky above the city. Most were of the same bladed fliers Twilight had seen many times now, though there were strange levitating clyclopean orbs of red flesh in their midst.

She could barely make out any details at such a distance, but each one of these creatures radiated an unnatural hatred. Thankfully they were seemingly quite lazy and unhurried as they drifted directionless towards some unseen location. They also didn't seem to have much in the way of combat ability, that is until a bird strayed near one and was consumed with a belch of purple plasma.

Twilight shuddered, silently quite glad that Fluttershy had not accompanied her on the trip.

“There it is,” Stalwart murmured.

Twilight turned to see the edge of the city begin to appear, its towering walls of resplendent white coming into view. Or at least they were supposed to be an imposing, bleached expanse of indestructible protection. That had changed however, as chunks of stone were missing, other sections now bore blood red runes written in viscera.

“By the stars,” muttered someone.

Another guard vomited, though Twilight resisted the urge, biting down hard on her tongue.

She did her best to ignore the heads sitting on pikes, or the bodies hanging from balconies. There were other atrocities littering the streets, but thankfully they were easier to avoid looking at for the alicorn. Falling back into the cold, and calculating embrace of her more mathematical mindset, Twilight searched for signs of combat.

And she found them in spades.

The royal guard stood side by side with the city guard, who in turn were bolstered by remnants of the reservists. Twilight could even tell that a full platoon of the edf was engaged with the enemy on the main highway leading up to the castle. Despite the slaughter around them, the defenders were holding out, their formations solid and at least for the moment, unshakable.

“Uncoordinated, and interested more in causing terror then wresting control of the city. Strange,” Twilight murmured.

Stalwart stepped closer, handing a pair of binoculars over to the alicorn. “Here, these might help,” he offered.

Twilight took them and immediately continued her inspection, doing her best to ignore the many atrocities now on full display.

The creatures arrayed before her were numerous though they were also similar in some key ways. They were almost all red, and had spikes, or more angular features then most Equestrian denizens had. None were particularly intimidating, large, or intent on creating order amongst the ranks of their demonic brethren however. Almost every one of which was winged or otherwise capable of flight, with only a few implike creatures not falling into that category.

Most concerning of all was the enormous tear in reality that had appeared above the city, bathing everything in a hellish light. The sickly, unnutaral illumination coated everything in an aura of sin that Twilight found utterly repugnant. Though the monsters pouring out of it were clearly important, it was the portal itself which was the most ocncerning aspect of what she had seen.

The gaping wound in reality was easily large enough to fly an airship into, or at least that would be possible, if it was wider than a narrow slit. Whatever force had created was evidently trying to widen it even now though as lightning arced off the side, and the entire thing undulated. When this happened a golden aura sprung into existence and fought back, keeping it from widening anymore.

“Celestia,” Twilight muttered.

“So do we… keep going?” someone asked.

Twilight nodded. “Celestia’s still fighting, and I can see some blue flashes coming from the castle.”

“Meaning princess Luna’s still out there,” Stalwart reasoned.

“Exactly,” Twilight replied. “And if they are fighting back then they must know something about this new threat.”

“Which means hope lives on,” Stalwart declared.

“That's right captain, and so long as hope still exists. We will fight,” Twilight concluded.

Author's Note

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Urbem

“Three minutes out, my princess,” muttered a tense guard standing near the engine.

Twilight nodded, though she couldn't be certain anyone had seen her, in the low lamplight of the cramped train tunnel. All around her clattered the many moving parts of her ride, creating a cacophony of noise sure to alert everyone of her coming. A peek out the front determined that the track continued to twist and go up, a faint rusty red light visible off to one side.

At least the tracks have been clear. Twilight thought to herself.

“So what's the plan once we hit the station?” Stalwart shouted over the roar of the machine.

“We’ll be going straight for Canterlot Castle,” Twilight began, turning towards her small squad of soldiers. “We need to avoid any major conflict zones, and keep our collective heads down.”

“The less attention we gather, the quicker we can reach the castle,” someone reasoned.

“Exactly,” Twilight declared, snapping her fingers. “The pr- other princesses will likely know what is going on, and will probably need back up. Which is where we all come in.”

Stalwart stepped forward. “I assume you want Froghopper here to scout for us, while the rest hang further back.”

“That would be preferable, yes,” Twilight replied. “I may have gotten some combat training after ascending, but I am no skilled soldier, nor am I particularly stealthy, as you guys likely already know.”

“It's one reason we like guarding you. You’re impossible to lose,” someone added.

“For more than one reason,” shouted a female voice from somewhere near the back of the group of guards, her yell quickly accompanied by a lecherous whistle.

Twilight blushed. “We can flirt later. First we gotta reach the castle with all our limbs still attached.”

“I’ll take that as a promise!” yelled the same voice.

“Quiet, Lilly,” Stalwart barked.

“I’ll let you guys handle the details while I stay near the middle of the group. Just remember, try not to get dragged into any unnecessary fights,” Twilight stated firmly.

“We won't. Everyone ready?” Stalwart replied, turning to his squad expectantly.

Everyone nodded and began donning helmets, unsheathing swords or generally readying themselves for what was coming. Twilight didn't see any of this as she had already turned back towards the tunnel’s end and was gently applying the brakes. The screech it made drove a spike of worry deep into Twilight's chest, though thankfully no monsters ran out to meet her.

In fact, none were drawn to them at all, even as they emerged from the tunnel and into Canterlot proper. There was only a single city block between them and the train station though during that short distance they beheld much tragedy.

Flaming apartment blocks, small skirmishes between squads of guards and roving monsters were all spotted. A desperate defence against swooping attackers, a valiant charge into a burning building, the city was evidently long from being subdued. Despite the destruction and slaughter all around them, ponies continued to press on, a palpable sense of anger detectable in the air.

Twilight could sense that such emotions were directed at those foul abominations that had disturbed the peace. The alicorn could feel that nearly everyone wanted these things destroyed, and for quiet to return to Canterlot once more. Even Twilight herself couldn't help but grip the railing a little tighter and glare at one of the passing winged creatures.

“The station looks secure,” offered Stalwart.

Twilight glanced to the left and found that was indeed true, as there were a small group of soldiers entrenched there. Upon locking eyes with them, they visibly relaxed, turning away form the train as it rolled into the station. Bringing the engine to a stop right next to a corporal in the EDF, Twilight swiftly hopped out and extended a hand.

“Good to see that someone is defending this place,” Twilight offered.

The man took Twilight's hand and shook it firmly. “And it's good to see that were still getting back up,” he replied.

“Do you expect anyone else?” Twilight asked.

“Manehatten was sending some but they won't be here for another hour or so,” he replied.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully, her gaze going to the tear above her head. “Any information on what's going on?”

“None,” stated the soldier before taking a step back and tucking his arms behind his back. “They came out of nowhere, attacked without warning and have displayed little to no intelligence.”

“Like animals,” Twilight muttered.

“Only they show little desire to consume their prey and seem to revel in the slaughter,” stated the man.

Twilight sighed. “I need to get to Canterlot Caslt as soon as possible. Do you have assistance you could offer?”

“I could spare a few pegasi if you want to fly the whole way there,” he exclaimed.

“That would mean I would need to leave the others here,” Twilight remarked, shaking her head. “And that's not happening.”

“What about specialist Feather Fall, sir?” offered one of the soldier’s men.

“Ahh yes. We have little use for an infiltration expert at this point, perhaps you would make better use of her unique skills,” remarked the corporal, extending a hand back towards the rest of his soldiers.

“Unique skill- changeling!” Stalwart shouted, his hand going for his sword.

Twilight was quick to stop him as the chitinous creature stepped out from the crowd of soldiers.

“Hold. She's with us now,” Twilight stated calmly.

The changeling snorted. “We have bigger concerns then petty tribal squables.”

“Still. Your kind wanted to wipe us all out. Seems like you’re getting your wish,” Stalwart muttered.

The changeling gnashed her sharp teeth angrily, jabbing a black finger into the captain’s chest. “We wished no harm on anyone. Only for an end to our starvation, and for the chance to live without the gnawing grip of hunger.”

“This is a conversation for another time,” Twilight interrupted. “Feather Fall, you’ll be joining Frog Hopper as our forward scouts. He’ll fill you in on the plan.”

Twilight nodded to a slim, demure unicorn with a slick black mane. “Follow me buggy, we got a path to find.”

The pair trotted towards the exit, both evidently distrustful of one another, though willing to work together.

“I don't trust her,” Stalwart muttered.

“I’m not asking you to trust her character,” Twilight replied. “I’m asking you to trust her skills.”

Stalwart grumbled. “Fine, but if she stabs us in the back-”

“Yes yes, you can say I told you so,” Twilight interrupted, waving a hand. “Now let's get moving. I’d rather we get to the castle sooner rather than later.”

“Right,” Stalwart exhaled slowly, then took a sharp breath. “Standard formation everyone, but stay loose and stay low.”

Twilight drummed her fingers against her leg, gaze fixed on the road at the end of the alley her group was currently standing in. At the front were Froghopper and Feather Fall, the two positioned behind a pair of garbage bins. The rest of them were crouched behind a dumpster, waiting for the signal that the coast was clear.

Nearly a minute of silence passed before Froghopper raised his hand, and pointed to the road. He then sprinted out of cover along with their changeling specialist, dashing across the thoroughfare.

Twilight and the rest of the group were swift to follow, with the alicorn remaining at the center of their small formation. Putting one foot in front of the other, Twilight mimicked the actions of her squad by staying low and fast. That was until she nearly tripped over a dismembered arm laying in the road, causing her to stumble briefly.

Stalwart was quick to catch her however, hurrying the alicorn into the next alleyway without slowing down. Once they were out of sight once more, Twilight couldn't help but turn and glance over at the scene she had just been pulled through. Only to immediately wish she hadn't when she realized that there were bodies of children amongst the many dead.

None of their demonic attackers lay amongst the heap of corpses which covered almost the entire road. Shops were smashed, vendors overturned, and small tents torn apart as the farmer’s market had been turned into a charnel house. Blood pooled everywhere and had been used to paint strange arcane symbols on the walls of the nearby homes.

“Come on,” Stalwart exclaimed, interrupting Twilight's thoughts. “We need to keep moving.”

Twilight grit her teeth and turned away. “Of course. Lead the way.”

“What's the hold up?” Twilight whispered, crouching down low behind a sunglasses stand.

Froghopper shifted uncomfortably behind the crate of merchandise he was using as cover.

“It's complicated, my princess,” he murmured.

“No it isn't,” Feather Fall replied, jabbing a finger out from cover towards a distant shop that had closed its grated door over the entrance. “A bunch of people are held up in there, and those creatures want in. Unfortunately there is no way around them.”

Twilight followed the changeling’s gaze to where a dozen of the beasts were pounding away at the metal barricade. Behind which were several frightened people who were frantically piling what they could against the barrier. Though their efforts to survive in the partially destroyed mall were commendable, they likely wouldn't be enough.

“We have to help them,” Twilight declared.

“But if we do, we could attract more of them,” hissed the changeling.

“I don't care,” Twilight replied simply, rising up from her position and gesturing to the rest of her hidden squad. “Fan wide, I’ll handle the middle. Show these monsters no quarter!”

The guards hopped up, and drew their weapons, their jaws set and their nerves steeled the instant the order was given. Feather Fall seemed ready to argue, but fell in a moment later, shaking her head as she drew a pair of daggers. Twilight said nothing as she strode forward, horn glowing, and fingers twisting into several different sigils.

“It's the princess! Were saved!” shouted someone from within, their voice just barely louder than the continued clatter of the monsters battering themselves against the barrier.

The second the cry went up the small horde of a dozen or so monsters turned towards the new arrivals. Only for their numbers to be reduced by half when Twilight unleashed a powerful greenish blue lightning bolt from the tip of her horn. One which upon connecting with the first target, leapt to the second, then the third, and continued on until the floor was littered with blackened corpses.

Unbothered by their comrade’s sudden demise, the rest charged at the guards without concern for their own safety. Sword and shield met boney protrusions, and unnturally sharp claws in a distinct clatter. The guards held firm, but were surprised by the ferocity of their foes, which threw themselves forward with a berserker fury.

Spittle and screams filled the air, with one poor guard receiving a slash across the face when he had tried to parry an attack. The offending flying creature was bisected a moment later by a flash of purple light, his top and bottom half falling in different directions. Another soldier swiftly moved to cover the downed man as he clutched his flayed cheek and tried to staunch the flow of blood.

The rest of the guards were doing better, as unlike the monsters, they worked together and covered one another’s weaknesses. When one of their ranks took a particularly strong blow to the shield and was knocked out of position, his fellows were swift to cover him. With blade and sorcery, the equestrians pushed back, shrugging off their ferocious foes after a moment of struggle.

Enchanted swords met flesh, and though the creatures seemed abnormally resistant to harm, they could not turn aside such magical weapons. Limbs were lopped off, heads removed, and blades were driven deep into red rusty flesh of the murderous monsters. Twilight quickly summized that what really made the difference was magic, which worked incredibly well against the demonic abominations.

A fact Twilight made a firm note of when she used a cone of cold to freeze one that had tried to sneak up on her. The winged creature had descended from a smashed window and had nearly been atop of her when it was encased in ice. He then fell the rest of the way to the mall floor, shattering into a million pieces upon hitting the ground.

Twilight spun on her heel and was ready to help once more, only to find that their foes had all been killed. Or were in the process of being killed, as Feather Fall was repeatedly burying her daggers into the back of an implike creature. Who was in turn being held by Stalwart’s magic, leaving it to flail and scream as its blackish blood oozed from dozens of wounds.

Then with one final swipe, the changeling slit its throat, and the beast fell to the ground, gurgling angrily.

“Good work,” Twilight muttered, only to stumble for a moment, catching herself before Stalwart could do so. “Just a minute.”

“Deep breaths now my princess. I know this was perhaps more violent than you would have liked but they are just animals,” Stalwart whispered.

“Right, just animals…” Twilight murmured, glancing down to the imp which clawed at his throat for several more seconds before finally falling still.

“Thank you princess!” shouted a voice.

“You saved us!” yelled another.

“Quiet fools,” Feather Fall hissed. “Do you want more to come?”

“S-sorry,” whispered a shy voice.

“What do we do with them now?” Stalwart inquired, glancing at Twilight expectantly.

“They should be fine here for now. Cast a quick noticemenot spell on their hiding place and let's continue on. We’ll notify the next detachment of EDF we see to come pick them up,” Twilight replied.

“It will be done,” Stalwart replied, turning to the startled survivors. “Now then, after I cast it, try not to move quickly, or make loud noises. Remember that and you will be more or less invisible to your foes if you follow these guidelines.”

The captain continued, but Twilight wasn't paying attention, her gaze fixed on the terrified faces of the children behind the barricade. Clearly traumatized from what they had seen, they stared outward with wide, horrified eyes. Even now when the immediate danger was gone, they still seemed so terrified that they would be unable to even move.

Twilight grit her teeth. “Come on. It's not far to the castle from here.”

“We should get a better view from up here,” Froghopper exclaimed, the scout leaning against the roof access to the office complex they had been sneaking through for the last few minutes.

“Hopefully we can find a way into the castle that doesn't involve us cutting a swath through that horde,” Feather Fall murmured.

Twilight frowned as she thought of the surprisingly large horde of creatures she had seen battering themselves against the castle’s walls. Tall, imposing, and enchanted by Celestia herself, the barrier resisted the monster’s efforts to tear it down. For the most part anyway, as the main gatehouse had suffered significant damage, and was the focus of nearly a hundred or so of the monsters.

“Let's get a closer look,” Twilight urged.

Froghopper nodded, and pushed the door open a few inches, peering out onto the roof.

“I don't sense anything,” Feather Fall whispered.

“Right, checking it out,” Froghopper replied.

Slipping through the crack, the man disappeared, only to return a minute later.

“It's clear,” he declared.

Twilight swiftly stepped through the opening, her gaze immediately searching for the castle and finding it instnatly. It was hard to miss the many towers of Canterlot Castle, or its twenty foot tall ivory walls that surrounded it from all sides. It was even less difficult to not notice the hundreds of winged monsters assaulting it from all sides, their numbers continually bolstered by new reinforcements from on high.

Despite this, the gatehouse still held, as did the rest of the castle.

This was all thanks to a familiar deep blue shape which flew high above the ground, a greatsword clutched in each hand. The lunar alicorn was covered in the blood of her foes, and her armor bore numerous dents but that didn't slow her down one bit. Neither her enormous weapons, all encompassing layer of thick plate mail or the damage she had taken seemed able to impede the alicorn’s progress.

Beneath her both night and solar guard fought alongside one another, the two forces giving Luna a wide berth. Likely out of respect, as well as fear, as the alicorn frequently used devastating spells and performed incredible feats of acrobatics.

Slashing one creature in half, the woman dove into a deep dive and used her raw momentum to bisect another. She then banked hard, and used her magic to pepper a small flock of strange flying skulls with numerous black daggers. Each one of which struck true, seemingly killing the bizarre abominations before they could hit their targets.

Twilight wanted to continue staring and possibly even start taking notes but she forced herself to look away. Gazing down at the wall once more Twilight found that a small squad of unicorns patrolling along its length had stopped and were looking right at her.

“They see us, grab their attention. That's how we get in,” Twilight declared.

Author's Note

Tormentum

(Warning, this chapter contains vivid descriptions the torture and vivisection of our main character. Proceed with caution.)

Twilight emerged from the dreams of her past like a tempest-tossed sailor grasping for a floatation device. One moment she was barely aware of her surroundings, the next she could see a bit of the room she was in or hear smatterings of conversation.

“Should I perhaps utilize the same rage generator that has worked so well for the remnants?” a voice inquired, only to pause and answer their own question. “No, the subject’s intelligence will be key to defeating the slayer. Those who have relied purely on strength have been outwitted by the surprisingly keen-minded brute doggedly harrying our forces.”

Slayer, revenant, both words struck a chord with Twilight yet she had no context for either of them save for the obvious. Twilight could tell that from the way the voice spoke, that their was a bit more to them than what could be found in a dictionary. Her train of thought veered off course as her vision blurred, and her mind fell below the tugging tides of the void. She emerged either a moment or an eternity later, her body now strapped to what felt like a metal operating table.

“No lobotomy either,” murmured the voice as if from a great distance. “We cannot lose its intelligence, but we must remain in control of the specimen. Perhaps the same augmentations done to the frontal cortex of the reanimated Agaddon hunters would be applicable here.”

Twilight felt her head adjusted by a cruel hand, one that pried open her eyes, and peered intently into the orb. Immediately Twilight recognized the half-covered face of the strange man she had seen previously. Only his mouth was visible beneath his many-eyed, and helmeted head, many tiny eyes glowing a baleful red light.

“We will need to remove the centers of the brain associated with altruism and the like. Let us hope they are in similar locations to humans,” the man murmured, mostly to himself. “No matter. Exploratory brain surgery is always interesting.”

“Your tools, sir,” added another voice, one originating from somewhere to Twilight's right.

“Excellent. Fetch me another cranial unit for the doom hunter. Oh, and pass me that hacksaw before you go,” demanded the man standing above Twilight.

“Here you are, sir. What may I ask are you planning on using it for?” inquired the assistant’s voice.

“Think for a moment, fool. Such mass of pain receptors would be an easy weak spot for our foe to target,” growled the helmeted man.

“But sir, what about the mancubus-”

A dull boom cut off the man’s sentence. A moment later his lifeless corpse hit the ground with a wet splat.

“Now then, where was I?” murmured the man, turning in place and pointing at someone outside of Twilight's vision. “You there, fetch the required parts.”

Twilight tried to scream, to demand he stop, or beg if that failed, but found that a thick leather strap bound her mouth shut. The words she tried to yell turned to incoherent gurgling by the time they reached her lips. Struggling did little, as she was still too weak to break out of her bindings, or even cast a telekinesis spell.

“Ahh, so you are awake after all. Good, I do so enjoy seeing my subjects suffer,” exclaimed the man, a crooked grin crossing his face. “Though I cannot have you disrupting such a delicate operation.”

Again, Twilight tried to yell, the alicorn shaking her head vigorously in a silent attempt to placate her would-be torturer. Her efforts remained in vain, as he reached over and pressed several buttons on a keypad just barely at the edge of Twilight's vision. A moment later and something tiny but incredibly sharp jammed itself into her spine before depositing its chemical payload.

Feeling quickly began to flow out of Twilight's body once more, her extremities growing tingly after only a few beats of her heart. She expected to feel her vision begin to dull, and her senses leave her, yet she remained fully alert. In fact, she could feel everything perfectly, only she couldn't move so much as a single muscle.

“There we are,” Daeg Ranak remarked aloud. “Now to remove that pesky magic of yours from the equation.”

Twilight screamed internally, but found that she was still locked inside the prison that was her own body. Unable to move, or even look away, she watched as her torturer bent over the table, a brutal reciprocating saw held aloft. The machine was larger than the ones used for construction that Twilight was familiar with.

The cruel object descended towards Twilight's horn, engine howling, and blade becoming a blur of motion. Amidst the panic, Twilight held onto hope, hope that she would be rescued before she would be maimed. Only for that hope to be dashed the moment she felt the blade hit the edge of her horn and a spike of pain ram itself into her brain.

“Silly me. I should have locked your head down first,” Daeg Ranak murmured. “A moment.”

The man put down the saw, and moved over to the keypad, where he hit several of the buttons. Twilight couldn't tell what her captor was doing, as she was too busy staring in horror at her injured horn. The brief knick made by the tool had been enough to cut through the outer layer, causing her body’s natural man to begin leaking out.

“Oh, what's this?” Daeg Ranak remarked after securing Twilight's head to the table with another band of leather wrapped over the alicorn’s mouth. “It almost smells like argent energy, only more foul.”

The man disappeared for a moment, reappearing with a large wandlike mechanical device in his grip. The many-pronged piece of metal beeped loudly when placed over Twilight's injured horn. Readouts, numbers, and other indicators flashed on the measuring tool’s screen, none of which was visible to Twilight.

Who currently felt as though her very soul was leaking out from her forehead, the sensation not unlike having a major artery severed. She wanted to come up with a plan, but the agony she felt was so great that her thoughts were impossible to organize. Every time she felt like she was getting somewhere, her skull would throb, and she would mentally scream.

“Fascinating. If my readings are true the subject produces an energy not unlike argent. Only one more potent yet resistant to harvesting,” muttered the voice. “If its stubborn nature could be curtailed somewhat, then it may be a useful avenue of research indeed.”

He sighed. “Alas, I must put this aside for the moment. After the slayer has been dealt with I will return to better study this strange phenomenon further. For now, it will merely be used as fuel for the weapon systems I intend on hard wiring into the subject’s body.”

The sound of footsteps was accompanied by the appearance of a robed cultist, arms laden with metal and electronics. “Your parts, sir,” the new arrival declared.

“Put them over there, and bring me the prototype argent-powered mancubus cannon from storage,” Daeg Ranak barked.

“Yes sir,” replied the assistant.

“Now then, let us be rid of this foul thing,” Daeg Ranak declared.

Twilight struggled as viciously as she could, only for her titanic effort to amount to a single twitching eyelid. Unable to do anything, Twilight was forced to watch as the blade once more descended toward her unprotected horn. This time when it struck its target, her head did not mercifully get pushed away, allowing the metal to cut through the appendage.

Agony the likes of which there were no words to describe poured through Twilight's mind. A part of her shattered like glass, breaking under the mental strain of such an incredible amount of pain. Though she remained fully aware of her surroundings, her psyche was briefly sundered, giving her the smallest of breaks from the pain.

When her mind finished gathering the scattered parts of itself and began to reform, Twilight's horn was gone. Only the bloody, mana-oozing stump was visible, thick congealed purple energy oozing down the sides of her face. Above her stood Twilight's captor, a set of calipers measuring the alicorn’s head from several different angles.

“Thirty-three, forty-one, seventeen… perfect,” he whispered to himself, turning on his heel. “You three, construct the neuro link helmet while I press on the modifications.”

“Yes sir,” muttered a soft voice.

Off to the side, Twilight could see three humans begin work on what looked like a helmet. Only it came in two parts, and when clamped shut, would encapsulate the wearer’s entire head, right down to the top of their neck. In its center was a large ocular sensor of some kind, one surrounded by six smaller devices of similar origin, three on either side.

“Now then, let's remove those silly little emotions, and find a nice spot to install the obedience chip,” Daeg Ranak murmured under his breath.

Twilight quailed in terror, horrified beyond her ability to quantify at the mere implication within her captor’s words. Her greatest fears had always been the loss of her magic, and that of her autonomy, yet now it seemed as though she may experience them both. Her panicked thoughts were once more interrupted, this time by a pungent chemical being dumped on her head.

The unpleasant liquid burned away her hair, as well as part of her skin, scorching her eyes and causing even more tears to pour down her face. Twilight's vision blurred, the damage done to the delicate orbs increasing with each moment until she was rendered mostly blind. Only dull shapes were visible, the blobs of color lacking any manner of definition to them.

The resulting loss of vision was not seemingly a concern to Twilight's torturer, who continued to move swiftly. Grabbing something from a tray, Twilight felt a knife dig into the scalp directly above her horn. A large chunk was then carved out in a slow, agonizing process that left Twilight beginning for someone to save her.

Help never arrived though, as she soon felt the chunk of flesh be removed, and seemingly discarded without a care. A new, fresh horror awaited her a moment later when something began to press against her exposed skull. It was accompanied by intense pressure and a faint whirring sound that rang in the alicorn’s ears.

Though she couldn't know for certain, Twilight was fairly sure that her skull was being removed. Sure enough, she saw something white be lifted out of view shortly after the pressure went away. A moment later and she felt something round and soft press itself into her exposed grey matter.

The sensations were unlike anything Twilight had experienced, and she wouldn't have been able to put them into words if she tried. Whatever was prodding around inside of her brain caused numerous odd sensations to occur. Images appeared before her eyes, thoughts popped into her mind, and she felt phantom sensations running up her paralyzed limbs.

Then with dawning horror, she felt something sharp descend, and begin to cut. Within what felt like hours, but could have been mere moments, the surgery was complete and Twilight's emotions felt distant. Though she was aware of her own panic, and horror, she found herself unable to be moved by them. It was as if she were locked within the logical mindset she sometimes used to better analyze problems.

So strong was this disconnect that even the abject terror of having some primal part of her being get cut away was a mere annoyance. She struggled to even be angry at her torturer, who she seemed unable to focus on, a mental haze falling over her. Neurons cut loose, slowly died, and connections now severed searched for something else to attach themselves to.

“Fascinating,” murmured Daeg Ranak’s voice. “This foreign energy is knitting the grey matter back together in such a way that it seems to be adapting to the loss of its emotional centers. I must move quickly.”

Twilight was barely even aware of what her captor said, as a creeping dread overcame her logical mind. This was it, the final moment possible that she could be saved before something truly unforgivable was done to her. The alicorn expected to hear explosions, or the sound of magic, but there was only the click-whir of machines and the muttering of her tormentor.

A bit of movement accompanied by a sharp pinching sensation was the only warning she got that her hope was well and truly in vain. Something hard and metal found itself wedged deep in her brain, several long prongs, anchoring it to her medulla oblongata. A bolt of electricity ran down her spine, though the sensation failed to make her paralyzed muscles move an inch.

As Twilight panicked and mentally cried out for help, she felt more machinery be pushed inside of her skull. Taking the place of the chunk now removed, the boxy thing was cabled to the chip, as well as several other points in her brain. Over a dozen spikes weaved through the folds in her grey matter before jamming into different parts of her.

Parts of her mind began to become walled off, memories becoming inaccessible as some other will forced itself upon her psyche. Within moments Twilight went from a prisoner in her body, to a slave. Signals sent not from her began to course through her form, linking up with nerves to form a secondary system within her.

Then, just when things didn't seem capable of getting any worse, she felt her vision vanish completely. A moment later her head was encapsulated in a thick metal shell, one that made it impossible to hear or see out of. With a click she was sealed inside, her senses now completely walled off from the outside world. Unable to hear or see, Twilight felt her panic reach heights she hadn't even thought possible.

Then, something connected, and with a whir, her vision returned to her once more. Only this time she could see the entire room, in fact, she could see almost three hundred and sixty degrees. The dark, mostly lightless room was gone, replaced by one bathed in a strange reddish glow that illuminated even the deepest shadow.

It then flipped, and she saw the various heat sources including her captor, as well as his assistants. She didn't get a chance to look around for long, as her vision flicked out, leaving her in the dark once more. Audio then returned, shocking the alicorn due to the sheer volume of the noise being pumped directly into her brain. Thankfully it adjusted itself a moment later, becoming much more bearable but still deeply unpleasant.

“Testing, testing,” stated the voice of Twilight's master, Daeg Ranak. “Good, the subject is receiving orders.”

Twilight quailed in terror, her mind mentally labeling the man’s voice as one belonging to her lord and master.

“Now, let's just remove this,” murmured the Daeg Ranak.

A few deft cuts severed Twilight's vocal cords, an unnecessarily cruel act as her jaw was already locked in place.

“Subject redeemer one, state your current status,” Daeg Ranak ordered.

“Redeemer one operational,” Twilight felt herself say, not with words, but through some manner of radio communication sent by some part of her mind. “Compliance at one hundred percent.”

“Excellent,” stated a proud Daeg Ranak. “Subject has shown a remarkable adaptability unseen in even the most resilient of demonic entities. Activate speakers and utilize direct transmission for further responses.”

Twilight felt her vision return to what was likely her new normal. That being the dull red that allowed her to see everything around her in sharp detail.

“Domination protocols active. Safety level five,” Daeg declared while tapping away at the keypad attached to the operating table.

“Acknowledged. Safety level five enabled,” Twilight felt herself reply, the sound emitting from speakers built into her helmet.

Twilight was dimly aware of another needle jamming itself into her spine and depositing more liquid into her. This time she felt her limbs suddenly come alive, rather than become dull, heavy, and useless. Seeing this as her moment to finally escape, Twilight tried to tug at her bindings but was surprised when they simply fell away with little prompting.

With hope and panic coursing through her, she tried to run for the door but instead sat up on the table. Sensation filled every part of her, yet no matter how hard she tried to flee, to escape the sadistic torturer before her, she could do nothing. Instead, she just sat there, staring emptily ahead, as if waiting for orders from the person who her mind recognized as her master.

“Redeemer One, extend your arms,” Daeg Ranak ordered.

Twilight lifted her arms, unable to resist the man’s commands no matter how much she wanted to.

“Keep them held out until I say otherwise,” Daeg Ranak added.

“Acknowledged,” Twilight stated.

Twilight watched in horror as a second table set at about navel height was wheeled over. On it was a large tube-like device made of some manner of metal. As long as her arm starting from her elbow, and going just barely beyond the tips of her fingers, it looked heavy.

Strangest of all was the mess recess built into one end, the hole dominated by a single massive spike. Twilight was dimly aware that such a space was just large enough to fit her arm inside, though she refused to entertain the idea. She tried to look away, but without eyelids, or the ability to even move her head, she could not avoid observing her fate.

“Remove the limb just after the elbow,” Daeg Ranak ordered.

The largest of the three servants nodded and fired up what looked like a handheld circular saw meant for trees. When the device activated, its howl filled Twilight with a renewed sense of horror and dread. She knew what was coming, and knew that she could not avoid her fate, as it was her master’s will.

Down came the saw, the vicious blades hitting Twilight's skin and nearly bouncing off. Though far stronger than the flesh of a normal being, even the alicorn could not resist the bite of the saw. Hunks of bloody meat came loose, spattering the ground in a thick layer of gore.

Again Twilight wished to scream, only for her orders to stop such an urge dead in its tracks. She was trapped within the confines of the mental prison, Twilight was utterly helpless. Sitting there, she could do nothing but silently cry out in agony as her arm was sawed off, the blade catching briefly on her bone. A bit more force pushed through the stubborn thing, allowing the saw to finish its grisly work.

Twilight watched as her arm fell to the ground, fingers twitching as the nerves within died. Blood shot out of the stump, soaking the robed and hooded men that had just removed Twilight's limb.

“Blood levels dropping rapidly. Combat effectiveness at thirteen percent,” Twilight felt herself say.

“Silence any further notifications until such time that Redeemer One is near death,” Daeg Ranak stated.

Twilight's head nodded without her consent.

“Attach the weapon,” Daeg Ranak ordered.

His assistants moved into position and hefted the heavy gun limb so it lined up with Twilight's stump. Then, just as Twilight guessed, they rammed it forward, impaling her arm on the weapon with a wet thump. Though she couldn't scream, Twilight did clench her jaw slightly, earth magic already working on sealing up the wound.

Metal bindings secured the weapon in place, ensuring that it could not be removed without hacking off even more of the alicorn’s limb. Wires were then run from the device, and into the soft flesh of Twilight's lower arm. Finally, a large tube was attached to a port at the back of the gun and left to dangle for the moment.

“Bring me dual argent access port six from the wall,” Daeg Ranak ordered.

An assistant acquired what looked like a metal hand, its fingers ending with sharp claws from which extended several thick cables. Where there would be a wrist there were instead two bundles of wires that ended in a pair of ports.

“Turn to the side,” Daeg Ranak ordered.

Twilight obeyed without question, allowing the man access to her back.

Daeg then took the metal device from his assistant and unseriously jammed thing into Twilight's back right below her neck. The four long fingers dug deep into the alicorn’s flesh, the appendages moving with a will all their own. Winding around her spine, the various tubes and wires extended further into Twilight's body.

The entire process took several minutes. Minutes spent sitting in quiet agony, the alicorn unable to do anything.

A series of sharp pinches sent a tremor through Twilight's body. With the final jab, she felt the magic she thought she had lost, suddenly return, only now it was bleeding out of her back. Beneath the flesh, Twilight could feel her internal leylines begin the slow process of shifting around inside of herself.

“Attach the argent collection tube,” Daeg Ranak ordered.

“Yes sir,” muttered one of the men.

A soft thunk and a twist secured the pipe leading from the gun to Twilight's spine. The moment this happened, magic flooded down the tube, filling the weapon, and causing it to begin to glow. Exhaust ports flared, opening wide in order to allow a burst of steam to shoot out the sides.

“Excellent,” Daeg Ranak proclaimed. “To think I allotted months of painful surgery. I simply must acquire more of you once I have dealt with the slayer.”

Twilight felt her heart sink even further, and she trembled at the thought of her friends, or fellow princesses being tortured as she was. So distracted by her own horrified imaginings that Twilight was only dimly aware of her captor redying another device. This one appeared to be a tube a foot or so long, though it ended in five cables a quarter the size of the larger segment. These smaller black cables were nearly five feet in length and had blood-red tips the shape of a fingernail.

“Finally. I can test the neuro argent channels on something stronger,” Dark Ranak began in a tone more akin to a speech than an explanation. “Meant originally for the whiplash so that it may use the abilities a hell knight utilizes naturally, it was an unmitigated failure. Redeemer One is far more likely to survive the process of integration, however.”

Twilight wanted to plead for him to stop but soon resigned herself, the alicorn knowing full well that she could neither speak nor resist.

The thicker end of the tube was attached to the port near Twilight's neck with a firm shove and then a click. Magic entered the tube, and pushed down, filling all available space. The moment it reached the five, thinner cables, the things came to life and dug their bladed ends into Twilight's upper arm. Once inside her limb, they tunneled downward, past her bicep, elbow, and finally wrist.

There they pushed their way down Twilight's hand before erupting out of the tips of the alicorn’s fingers. The skin, muscle, bone, and nail were replaced by a black metal adorned with razor-sharp red claws. It all happened so fast that Twilight barely even had time to grapple with the horror of having several foreign objects tunneling through her flesh before it was over.

“Redeemer One, state the status of arm cannon, and neuro argent channels,” Daeg commanded.

“Operational,” Twilight replied, her voice emanating from the speakers present in her helmet.

“You may very well be ready ahead of schedule. I will have to speed up the surgeries I had planned. But first, a test in order to see how successful the mental programming and new weapons are,” Daeg Ranak declared.

“Advise allowing unit Redeemer One time to recuperate. Probability of catastrophic system failure at eighty-nine percent,” Twilight stated.

Daeg stopped, and leaned in close, glaring at the alicorn. “Is that so?”

“Confirmed,” Twilight replied.

For a moment the two eyeless creatures stared at one another before Daeg reluctantly backed off.

“Redeemer One is to return to their designated cell and enter medical stasis for five hours. After which, await further orders,” Daeg stated.

“Confirmed,” Twilight robotically answered.

The alicorn then rose and began to walk off, her mind connecting to the local network. Acquiring a map of the area was strangely easy and was done completely without any conscious effort. Twilight strode over to the exit and paused, waiting for the system to read her clearances and allow her to pass. A moment later the door opened, and a confused cultist awkwardly ran past Twilight after she stepped out of the way.

“Sir, the slayer was spotted,” the new arrival whispered.

“What, already? How is this possible?” Daeg Ranak demanded.

“I don't know,” admitted the cultist. “But reports indicate that the slayer is angrier than usual, and is making his way towards this very facility.”

“We will need to accelerate our timetables, and-”

Whatever Daeg Ranak was about to say was cut off when Twilight continued on, the door hissing shut behind her. Left without the presence of her captor, Twilight felt strangely hopeful despite the lingering horror of her recent disfigurement. Only the partial removal of the emotion centers of her brain kept that cloying terror from overwhelming her completely.

Why does this slayer fill me with hope? Twilight wondered to herself.

Author's Note

This is part of the 12 days of christmas, head over here to keep track of all the cool stuff coming down the pipes. If you want to ensure I can afford to keep doing stuff like this, consider backing me over on Subscribestar or Patreon.