The Path to Transcendence

The galloping Pegasus charged through the cobblestone and marble hallways, taking flight as she soared down the stairs. She could waste no time if she wanted to make sure her patient was still alive. A unicorn like Shining Armor could be put to good use if his brain tissue and blood weren’t too badly destroyed.

With only a liter of his blood the Pegasus theorized Twilight could make an army of Shining Armors’. All with the same capabilities as the original. The brain tissue would most likely be needed by Twilight when she would be ready to create her brother again with all his memories. Although, this was all in theory. Twilight never tried such an experiment after Project Alpha. She had too many concerns and too much to do to become obsessed with a personal endeavor. The whole country of Equestria was counting on Twilight to keep it afloat and defend any attacks from outside forces.

The Griffon Kingdom knew better though. After receiving reports from their scouts of a coup they contemplated a hostile takeover with the current chaos, but decided against it after hearing that Twilight Sparkle was leading an army of undead soldiers to Canterlot Castle to reclaim the throne.

It was a smart move on their part. The griffons would undoubtedly become servants to the new pony overlord if they dared to cross Equestrian lines.

Fluttershy sighed in relief as she saw her patient still breathing as his chest inflated and deflated. The various machines hooked up to the pony displayed his vitals which looked as normal as a still living pony. The mare smiled and she pulled back the white linen cloth that covered the stallion’s body.

His coat remained just as vibrant as they day she met him.

She swallowed coarsely and turned around opening up a cabinet. Inside were various surgical tools that resembled a torture kit. She rummaged through the sharp scalpels and gauze until she found exactly what she was looking for. A glowing purple gem that hummed with an unfamiliar but dark power.

“Take care of this Fluttershy, guard it with your life. It’s half of my soul. Just place it on the pony’s chest and when their eyes open they will become ‘converted’. It’s as simple as that. I’m counting on you to make the proper augmentations to our soldiers. I will supply you with whatever you need, just give the word and it will be done.”

Fluttershy smiled as she remembered what Twilight said to her. She trusted her enough to allow her to hold onto a part of her very soul. If that wasn’t love, than Fluttershy had no idea what could be. She placed the gem onto Shining Armor’s chest and its light quickly faded before nearly blinding Fluttershy as it basked the room in its purple aura.

The stallion’s eyes opened and he let out a moan. The mare smiled as she retrieved the gem from his chest and placed it back into the cabinet. Fluttershy walked back over to her patient and proceeded to clasp his hooves down onto the cold metal table. An enchanted iron horn guard was placed over his horn to prevent any unnecessary magical discharge.

“And now, for your augmentations.” Said the Smiling Pegasus as she walked out of the room into another area labeled ‘ZOO’ above the door frame.

…………..

The earth pony fell to ground fell to the ground while Spike stomped on its neck breaking. Its blackened blood coated the dragon’s foot. The other ponies charged at him as the dragon inhaled deeply and unleashed a powerful scorching breath setting the ponies on fire. But to no avail they did not stop. The smell of burning flesh filled the air leaving churning over Rarity’s stomach as she dashed behind Spike.

The dragon stopped the unicorn before he could try and pierce his flaming horn into his chest gripping its horn and snapping it off its head before stabbing it in the eye with its very own weapon.

The unicorn fell down instantly trying to recover from the fatal blow. The last guard caught him by surprise head butting the dragon in the stomach and sending him backwards as she toppled over Rarity.

The dragon grunted in pain as he stood up once more and charged the pony landing a powerful uppercut that shattered the pony’s jaw. The zombie recoiled as its jaw slacked opened unable to shut. Another moan came from the abomination, but before it could attempt another strike the dragon consumed the zombie into a blistering fire that lasted until the zombie could tread no further and fell down in death. Its charred body left no more flesh, but only a smoking skeleton of the former guard.

Spike panted heavily as he walked over to earth pony who first attacked him. It was still struggling to stand up. The dragon knelt down an plunged his claw repeatedly into the pony’s neck until it was completely severed from the body.

The dragon turned around looking for Rarity. She was easily spotted from the sounds of hurling behind a nearby tree. The dragon walked over to her and placed a claw on her shoulder, “you alright?” He asked.

“Yes, I’m fine darling. Just… that smell. Thank you for saving me.”

The dragon smiled and wrapped his arms around the mare’s neck.

“I couldn’t live with myself if I let you get captured by them.”

The dragon and the pony embraced each other for what seemed hours, but only lasted a few moments before they stood again, side by side.

“Where do we go now?” Asked the unicorn.

The dragon looked over in the direction of Canterlot.

“We need to find food and shelter, looks like we have no choice but to go to Canterlot.”

“WHAT?! Darling are you crazy! The last time we went there you were nearly killed by Rainbow Dash!”

“I know, maybe this time we’ll get to settle the score, and besides, there’s no more food in Ponyville. Sweet Apple Acres is crawling with Twilight’s minions and the whole town in nothing but zombies. At least in Canterlot Twilight rounded up all the ponies for her army. The streets are desolate and at best we’ll be able to find some canned food.”

“I suppose we have no choice, huh?” Said Rarity.

The dragon nodded.

……………

Twilight rematerialized in front of the castle. Two royal guards stood ramrod straight at the entrance. The large wooden doors remained shut preventing anypony from coming in and disturbing the royalties that dwelled within.

The mare was still fuming with anger as she walked forward to the door. The guards moved close to each other and stared down the little mare.

“Halt! The castle is off limits at this time due to a crisis.” The both barked.

Twilight ignored their command and instead concentrated her thoughts into her horn as bolt of lightning arced out and blasted the two guards through the door sending their charred bodies skidding across the clean marble floor.

Twilight trotted in and looked around seeing a multitude of guards that swarmed around her. She braced the ground preparing to slay them all.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Shouted a familiar voice as it rang throughout the courtroom. It was none other than Princess Celestia herself.

The guards parted leaving an opening for the majestic alicorn to proceed forward and confront the unicorn.

“You bitch!” exclaimed the unicorn as she saw the pastel-maned ruler approach her, “you really were going to have me arrested! I know the punishment for Necromancy; it’s death! You really intend to kill me! Is that what its come down to? Killing your own student!”

The alicorn’s gaze did nothing to sway the lavender pony.

“Twilight I cannot forgive your crimes. For not only have you created life you have also ended it.” She said looking over at the two dead guards.

“Who do you think you are, Celestia?! You fucking hypocrite! You were going to have me executed. You’re no better than I am!”

“Stand down Twilight. Don’t make this any worse than it has to be.”

“Ha ha ha ha! You’re joking right? You must be because the way I’m seeing it, either I die by the gallows or I die fighting for what I believe in.”

“If it’s a fight you want, Twilight,” said the alicorn as she motioned her guards away, “then I will slay you myself.”

Twilight quickly enveloped herself in a bright, translucent pink shield. The beam of energy that exited Celestia’s horn richened off the shield sending it back towards the caster. Celestia was caught off guard and suffered a damaged wing as she attempted to evade her own attack.

Twilight’s shield evaporated instantly as she galloped forwards charging her mentor with all her strength. Celestia in turn braced the ground as her horn illuminated with a powerful light that caused the guards to shield their eyes from the blinding power.

Just as the ruler unleashed her second attack Twilight vanished before popping up behind Celestia with a pair of deadly looking red transparent axes that rose from her horn. The large axes swooped down severing the alicorn’s wings from her body and sending the ruler into a world of pain.

She screamed at the top of her lungs as she collapsed to the ground watching her faithful guards charge in to save her only to be met with Twilight’s same spell that diced the ponies into gruesome chunks of meat that bled all over the floor. Their blood now pooling towards the alicorn as she saw her ex-student approach her with a look of sadistic revenge upon her face.

Tears of sadness and anger dripped down the alicorn’s face mixing in with her and her guards blood.

“You were weak Celestia.” Said the calloused mare, “any last words before I send you to stable in the sky?”

Celestia looked up at her student witnessing the blades that loomed above her reading to cut her to pieces, “I forgive you.”

The blades above Twilight’s head came down decapitating Celestia’s head from the rest of her body. A steady flow of blood poured from her neck until it was just as drip then stopped completely.

“’Tia!” Screamed a voice from above. The staircase leading upwards to the second floor revealed a midnight blue alicorn with a moon on her flank. It was Princess Luna.

Twilight looked up as the princess descended down to the same level as her dead sister. Tears welled in her eyes as they poured down onto Celestia’s head as the maiden of the moon cradled her skull in her hooves.

Luna looked up with a pitiful look of despair and sadness and touched Twilight. It tugged on her heart to see her like this, but it had to be done. It was kill or be killed, literally.

“Why?! Why did you do this Twilight?!”

Twilight shuddered for a moment trying to regain her composure.

“She was going to kill me, Luna. I… I did what I had to do.”

“Liar!” Screamed the princess, “Celestia would never kill anypony! Especially not her student!”

Twilight sighed, “I suppose she didn’t tell you then. I’ve been charged with Necromancy. You know the punishment for that right? Death. All I did was create a living, breathing pony and for my accomplishments in science I have been damned to the gallows.”

“Wha-what?! Y-you create a pony? T-twilight why?! There is reason she banned Necromancy. With such power, individuals could create their own armies of obedient soldiers that would fight to the very death. She was trying to prevent an uprising that could cause disaster for all of Equus!”

“That wasn’t going to be the use for them! The ponies I wanted to create would be used for research and medical applications! Your sister didn’t want me to help Equestria. She wanted ponies to stay in this era of ignorance I only wanted to enlighten them. Is that really so bad? To want to change this world for the better?” Twilight was now seething with more anger.

“It doesn’t matter now Twilight. Your excuses for murder will come to an end this day. You killed my sister and for that, you will die.” The alicorn snarled as she hit the ground with her hoof.

Twilight’s horn lit aglow with the same radiant magic that casted the blades above her head, “don’t do this Luna. I don’t want to kill you too.”

“It’s too late for that, you’re going to die!” Vexed the alicorn as she galloped full speed towards the unicorn.

Twilight closed her eyes, “you’re such a fool.” She said under her breath as the blades came down cutting the princess into a mess of blood and organs.

Twilight turned around unwilling to witness her hoofwork and walked towards the doors that she entered the castle from. She look over the edge of the mountain to the cities below her.

“Equestria must change, I must become the new ruler.” She said with pride in her voice holding her head up high.

Twilight looked down as she came-to from her flashback. The dark room that once housed the mare of the moon remained untouched as if the princess herself was still alive. She trotted past the alicorn’s room trying to choke the tears of regret. She never wanted to kill Luna. She didn’t deserve to die unlike her sister.

Tears blurred Twilight’s vision as she gritted her teeth, “you were such a fool Luna.”