Fragility

Chapter 7

Alpha

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[Grimdark][Tragedy]

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Day 50 —

Glorious. That is the only way I can describe our progress. And such a rush. A rush of new power. With my spells in place, too, new sensation. I feel more alive now than I ever was before.

But I must stay focused. Yes, focused. It’s not about me, is it? I can’t quite remember.

The outskirts fell in about two hours’ time. I’m in the city now, “charging” uphill toward the castle. One of the first finished structures, of course. My target resides there, but I’m in no rush. See, when I say “charging”, I mean casually strolling along. If I go too fast, there might be stragglers. Or the Elements will go unsecured. No, no, I can’t have that.

But as to why I’ve brought out my journal in the middle of the battlefield: I need to collect my racing thoughts outside of my own mind. It’s admittedly a tad overwhelming, what with several hundred new sources of information already reporting to my head, and more on the way.

I think I’ll start by simply describing some of my favorite events so far, that I may worry about enjoying them later.

The first ones to fall were the concerned children and their parents who wondered what happened to the two from a few days ago. They’d been coming to the gate for a few days now, calling and shouting out for their lost. I was tempted to smash the gate down on the lot of them just to shut them up. And ironically crush them with the locks and signage reminding them just how “condemned” the grounds are.

But patience paid off, as it were. No need to draw unnecessary attention to my operations. At least not until today. After today, I dare anypony foolish enough to come and try to stop me. They’d be within my ranks in a matter of seconds.

That’s how it went with these seven. I found it fitting to send in the two colts they were shouting for. It quieted them for a moment, at least. That is until they started asking questions. The boys’ silence seemed to make them even more upset.

I’ll never understand parents. What’s wrong with a silent child? Certainly better than how they normally are.

Nevertheless, the first words out of the colt were the first to come to my mind: “Shut up.”

That alone snatched the minds of every child there, and almost one of the parents. I was done with playing around by this point. A little impatient and cranky still, you see. So I went with attempting the terror route. Personally.

Turns out I was completely correct. One look at the desiccated corpse I’m still attached to and every one of the parents tried to scream outright. They didn’t last that long. Well, at the least, I removed their tongues before proceeding. Extra precautions and all that.

I’m sure the blood will add to their own terrifying image.

By now I’ve been using the “terror” method much more frequently. It’s just simpler. No need to cleverly word some kind of command. Just trigger the emotionally heightened state inherent to all creatures with a survival instinct. I believe I’m coming to be excited by the sight or scent of tears. Not that I can smell them, mind you, but I can’t imagine sight alone would cause this much of a response.

Second story now. This one might just be my favorite of the few I have to tell for the moment.

By this time, I had moved onto one of the homes outside the main center of the city. Well, one is an understatement. It was the last in the little village. And there was only one resident, so I probably exerted a bit more effort than I needed to. Still, every body helps.

I sent in a few of the students for the job. Illusions off for the day. These three in particular looked like they’d seen some abuse, to say the least. Just for example, at least one was missing an eye. Maybe I identified with him or something.

The owner of the home, a mare, saw us coming from her front porch. Or maybe smelled us. I swear I could almost see the stench of rot in the air myself.

In any event, she ran, and the three students followed. She went upstairs, and the three hobbled after. I didn’t know what she was running to, frankly. I was just a little irritated that she was wasting so much energy fighting the inevitable.

All that was there in the attic was a stuck window. An escape route for the desperate, perhaps, but she didn’t even think to try that. Figures. Fucking Earth Ponies. Dumb as their namesake dirt.

No, instead she was muttering some nonsense to herself.

“Please, Celestia. Save us. Save us from this evil.”

She repeated this to herself ad nauseum. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to scare somepony, only to have her shrug off the touch of three rotting corpses at once with but a smile.

Of course, being able to evidently cast spells through my subjects, I managed to come to the final alternative: just kill her. So when she ignored the terror, I instructed two of the three to start pulling on either of her front hooves in opposite directions. And not to stop. The third was just there to try to capture the view for me.

And so marked the first of my subjects to be left to “stay home” while still feeding me the power I need. In all honesty, I could fix her legs, but why bother?

Ah, yes. That last group brings me up to around... 0.68 solemes. I won’t bore you with whatever math I’m using to calculate this. By now it’s sort of intuitive for me. It is my power, after all. I don’t care how vague the measurement is.

Forget the story I had planned. This last group’s story ought to be much better to laugh over later.

Inside the city now, I spotted a group of three shortly inside the main gate. Two adults and one child. Perfect. Parental instinct was sure to make them do something stupid sooner rather than later.

I only needed to send two this time, what with the plan I had in mind. Two with intact legs, at least. I believe two of the parents from the University’s gate.

The family turned and ran the instant they saw the horde behind me, of course. The child was allowed to take the lead until they realized how this slowed their pace. Looking back, I’m a little grateful for this. The chase would’ve been well too abrupt if they hadn’t, no matter how much I was toying with them by telling my subjects to ease up on their running speed.

The family’s first mistake was to flee inside. I think they simply assumed that they would be able to hide, or go to an upper floor or something. As if the unfeeling can’t simply climb up walls given the time.

But no, I chose the more dramatic approach. My subjects followed through the front door after the family, and managed to enter the upper room they had chosen as a haven just in time to see the father close the door.

“If you want them, you’re going to have to get past me!” he challenged.

“Stand aside,” I ordered through both thralls at once. And so he did without question.

He stood before a closed door. By the layout of the house I assumed it was a closet, though it turned out to be the smallest bedroom I’d ever seen. Ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself. See, it was only appropriate to send the father in to collect his family for me.

I almost pity his wife. The gleeful look on her face when he opened the door was something I hadn’t seen since Honey Comb first started her second beehive. But alas, this faded to despair after looking at his eyes. No amount of ordering on my behalf seems to be able to recreate the look of sentience. She knew her fate the second he looked through her.

Ah, but the child was the most interesting to capture. She hid her face, mumbling something about it being a “dream”. So I indulged her.

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” the mother whispered. “It was just a nightmare. Wake up. It’s all over now.”

Oh, the look on her face when she turned back around.

And look at that. 0.79 sm. My, my, we are picking up the pace, aren’t we. But of course, given the concept. I recruit more, I gain more power and numbers, and those numbers recruit even more than the last batch. Not to mention that the old continue to gather followers. It’s a simple exponential equation.

In theory, I could move the moon by now. Yes, Princess Luna, you have become redundant. Even moreso, considering your own sister has proven more than capable of doing your job for quite some time now.

My mind is becoming increasingly cluttered it would seem. I just caught myself standing still for at least thirteen minutes, just to process what’s going on. So many stories, so many subjects, and so much bloodshed. I dare say this is beyond scientific intrigue by now. Sign of blood proves that a given pony may fuel my needs.

But this journal is becoming more of a distraction than a help. I don’t wish to let this day go undocumented, but I simply cannot manage a coup and bother myself to write at the same time. I think it’s time that I give some credit to my technical inspiration for this plan.

~~~~~~~

“Honey Comb, take this journal. Use your own thoughts, your own words. Write down what’s happening around us. I wish to be able to look back upon this day with fondness and accuracy. Understood?”

Yes, Crystal.

“And I mean your own thoughts. There’s no need to just copy down what I say. I want your take on events, dear.”

Yes, Crys

Oh sweet Celestia what’s happening. I can’t feel my face. I can’t feel anything.

Wait, it’s coming to me— Why am I writing this? Is this that journal Heart Stream gave me?

No, I didn’t write this. Oh, no, I never wrote this. I would never write this. Never. Never. What’s going on? Why can’t I stop writing things down? Why can’t I speak?

It hurts to speak. And nothing comes out. My neck hurts. I feel like... Like I should remember why it hurts. It’s a blur. Like a bad dream. No, no, what’s happening now is like a bad dream. Like a nightmare.

Crystal Shard, my Que— What? She’s my friend. She’s not a queen.

But she is. I keep wanting to call her “Queen Crystal” instead of just by her name. And I can’t control my legs. I’m following her. I can’t stop. And I want to. Please, somepony, take me away from here. Far, far away.

What is that?! No, no, Crystal— That’s not her. That’s not the pony I know. She’s dead. I can see it, she’s dead and walking around! I’m going to be sick. Something just dripped off of her. I can see her bones! Her ribs, I think. But why—

These ponies are all around us. Screaming, flailing. But the second they get too close, they just stop. I hear it now. There’s a low humming sound. Like a giant drone, somewhere I can’t see. And every time somepony stops, it gets louder for a second. Like a rumbling, like the air itself is telling them to stop.

No, it can’t be— Crystal, stop it! Your horn— it’s still glowing! There’s barely any skin left on you, and you’re still using that spell! That spell you took Limelight over with. And— now I remember, Heart Stream too.

I remember more. My house, the dark— But before the dark, what happened?! Agh, stop it! I can’t find it! It’s like a blank spot, a black out. And I know it’s important, but what is it?

Oh sweet Celestia... what happened since then...

It’s a blur, but I remember. The children. And the school. Hundreds of ponies. Stopped, enslaved. Their free will is gone. And I...

I’m one of them.

Celestia save us all. Or somepony, I don’t even care. I’m scared. Crystal’s lost it. No, she’s not Crystal. She’s out of her mind. She’s dead and she’s still doing this. Why, Crystal, why?!

I get it now, Limelight went too far! But you got so wrapped up in it all, in revenge in the name of your stupid “science”, that... that...

It’s my fault. I did it to myself. I wanted to escape. But that wasn’t enough. I couldn’t get away, no, you wouldn’t let me! I’m stuck, your slave. Your “thrall”. Your “subject”.

Your Princess?

You kept me separate. You didn’t want me gone. You still thought I was alive.

We’ve reached the outer castle gate. Guards are standing ready, spears raised. Crystal’s subjects are— Why am I writing thi—

Yes, Crystal.

These guards, they can save us, right? No, no, no... stop fighting! Run, you fools! You see what happens!

One guard charged forward to meet the horde. He ran his spear through somepony... but they didn’t stop. With the spear still inside them, they threw the guard to the ground and started biting at his neck. I heard a crunch, and then— then the guard stood back up. And he faced the others. His friends. His old friends.

No, stop. Please. Stop it, all of you. I— I can’t help them. I’m stuck, obeying every one of Crystal’s orders.

There’s one guard. In the back. I can see his tears from here. Please, Crystal, at least spare him the sight!

The hordes around me are just swarming over the walls and toward the guards. Not even the skies are safe. Pegasi— I recognize some of them. Daddy’s co-workers. They’re just as mindless as the rest. They just grab on, then drag the others to the ground.

Blood. I’m stepping through the blood. None of the guards are listening to Crystal’s shouting. They’re just dying. Massacred. And the blood stains our hoofprints. All over the stone road. And flowing between the cobblestone.

She’s not even shouting anything intelligible now. It’s not words, it’s more like moaning and growling. And the rumble, the hum of her magic. When she speaks, it follows her tongue. And when she— Oh sweet Celestia, she’s breaking them herself. One by one, the last few guards are being tossed aside in a crimson glow, snapped in two over the columns and walls.

Crystal, stop it. Please.

Please, I’m begging you. I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I’m sorry for what you’ve become. But have mercy.

Please.

Yes, Crystal.

~~~~~~~

Queen Crystal now trudges through the castle. It’s started raining. It’s just a light drizzle.

And I’m grateful. Maybe this is the start of the cleansing. Maybe the smell of rain will bring her to her senses. I remember, one day, we spent our time listening to the rain from the courtyard. We both love the rain. It’s calming to me. And I thought it was to her.

No, she’s borne of some fury now. I can’t stop her, no matter how hard I try. She’s spoken to me now, without orders. “This is for you,” she tells me. Why, Crystal. Why would I ever want this?

Is that— Yes, Princess Celestia. She is rightfully furious. And yet Crystal isn’t backing down.

I’m trying to mouth “Help me”. My lips won’t move. I can’t even scream. All that happens is a dribble of something down my neck. I don’t even want to think about what it is.

No, Crystal I

I won’t, I can’t, I

Yes, Crystal.

“Princess, your throne is invalid. Step down and beseiged. I’ve won my castle day.”

Celestia is taken aback. “Monster! You dare take my people’s minds, their lives, and demand that I step aside?!”

“Sister. You’re alone to speak. The moon, banished. And to die. By your leave, explain.”

And then the Princess’ gaze intensified. “I did what was necessary to protect all of Equestria. And I intend to do the same on this day.”

Crystal hovered into the air, limbs hanging limp. She is radiating a sickly crimson from her magic. All her subjects have their heads raised, the gems on their individual necklaces glowing the same color. Even the unicorns’ horns glow of blood.

“Try perhaps. I bother not. I outrank. I devour. I shall tear you to the ground.”

Celestia paused, then responded in her own rite.

This light, oh the light. I feel the burn of fire inside my own body. The pain— I can barrely writee.

Celestia

Crystal’s falling

~~~~~~~

I can feel everything. It’s come back. I’m bleeding. I— Without the scarf, I see it. Where I ended my own life. And it’s ending again, without her power.

Crystals, thousands, hover into the air around the castle. They glisten with the raindrops clinging to their sides. And the clouds are parting. Sunlight shines down across the city. It’s about damn time.

Crystal Shard, she lies screaming. Half of the ponies around me scream in pain, too. But their eyes show life. They’re alive, but burning. Like me.

We made it. We’ve been saved. But Crystal is to pay the price. Celestia... I can’t make out what she’s saying. I’m fading too fast.

Please, have mercy.

On me, on her, on the rest.

I’m sorry.

— Honey Comb

Final Thoughts —

I was an idiot. A fucking idiot, deluded in dreams of power and false vengeance. Celestia was not to blame. This was my fault. Every ounce of it.

I can see clearly, ironically, now that my life is being stripped of me.

Mathematics be damned. What should have been a sure thing turned into a complete reversal. My power crumbled to hers. Nothing worked. I couldn’t move anything but myself, and the others stopped obeying.

As it turns out, the only power I ever drew from the crystals was that of a focal point for leeching the life off of everyone. Including myself. In that moment, I began to kill myself.

Every lich has a phylactery. Mine was my crystal. And it has been shattered under Celestia’s hoof.

But that was not enough for her. I represented the purest of abominations that still could exist among the ponies of Equestria. I showed an oversight in her attempt to protect us all.

And in her power, combined with the now-recovered Elements, I am being rewritten. That is to say, written out.

I am to be erased from history. That is how I know it is all my fault. Without me, this travesty would never have happened, and, perhaps, something would’ve gone right within the last month or two.

Me, and every ounce of dark magic and foul reaches of reality that I represent. Gone, to be left for a more peaceful, pleasant substitute in the world, if any.

But she announced this. I can’t help but hold onto my hubris. And survival instinct. I can save myself, but just barely.

One crystal remains within hoof’s reach. Honey Comb’s.

Between this and what remains of my own ability— possibly my life, too— I’m protecting the journal. No amount of shutting this day out of history will invalidate the message stored here. As I’m sure a future reader may determine: These are mistakes not to be repeated.

I am out of time. Even my vision is failing now. Farewell, I write for the last time.

My last request is that I never be repeated. Reader, remember my faults. And strive to save yourself. Like I failed to do.

I’m sorry, Hc