The Face Of Chaos
I can feel the snow under my hooves. It's warm, almost hot. Another of Discord’s doings. The top of the mountain which I’m climbing right now is covered with those cotton candy clouds he likes so much. He has even created a little forest of giant lollipops up there.
Discord...
I know I can’t do anything against him. I know that my magic is useless against his ungodly powers. However, it’s vital that I distract him, I have to try.
He seems to be drunk with his own success, so much that he doesn’t realize that his dominion over Equestria is not really absolute. He thinks that he has already won, and instead of searching for the Princesses or me, he just flies around there, creating luminous bushes and dancing chairs. He doesn't consider us dangerous, he doesn't care about us. Still, we can’t take risks. If by any chance he discovers the Princesses before they can retrieve the legendary Elements of Harmony, we will lose. Forever. That’s why I have to distract him.
Ugh... I think I’m too old to be escalating mountains... but I have to keep going. For Equestria.
Yes... Equestria is behind me. I could see the entire land from this height, I only have to turn my head around... but I dare not, for I fear what I may see.
My legs tremble every time I think of what Discord has done to our land. The roads which once united our different cities are now unwalkable, turned into soap, cheese, or boiling lava. Not one of the rivers has water anymore; they have orange juice, or chocolate milk, or... much less pleasant liquids. All our forests have become the paintings of a mad artist, each tree with a different colour, some of them turned upside down and rooted in the air. My library must still be running through the ruby-coloured fields, with its two new giant chicken legs, under a sky which now looks like a chessboard.
Our cities and towns, with half of their buildings floating, are filled with wingless pegasi who cannot fly anymore, with hornless unicorns whose magic powers have vanished, and with earth ponies who now find themselves flying or casting random spells, unable to control their bodies. Fortunately, my horn is still in my head. I wonder why Discord didn’t take my powers away. Maybe he forgot about me in his rampage of nonsense, or maybe he doesn’t consider me a menace.
Maybe he left me because he wants me to do what I am doing now: going to him, to challenge him. Yes, maybe Discord just wants to play, and I am his toy. Fortunately, he doesn’t suspect that this is just a facade, something to give more time to Celestia and Luna.
I hope they find the Elements.
I reach the top of the mountain, the forest of lollipops. Why is Discord so obsessed with candy? Well, I guess I can’t blame him for that. One of my little pleasures is to sit in the park of Canterlot and have an ice cream while I listen to the music of the minstrels.
Oh, how much I miss those peaceful days... Please, please Celestia, Luna... please, retrieve the Elements and save us, so we can return to our lives.
I walk through the candy woods, and I find Discord at the other end, sitting on a throne, contemplating the twisted Equestria he has created. In his talon he holds a glass of chocolate milk, and swimming in the brown, sweet liquid, there are... oh, by the stars... There are Windigoes in the chocolate! Our ancient enemies, the cold demons who almost condemned the entire ponydom to a freezing death, are just ice for the drink of the Chaos God! Are his powers limitless? Isn’t there any creature, above or under the ground, that he fears?
“Well, well, well”, he says, without looking at me. “Look who’s here! My old pal, Star Swirl the Bearded!”
He drinks the glass. Literally, he slowly gulps the glass, leaving the chocolate intact, with the Windigoes still swimming in it. Then, he throws the liquid down the mountain. I hear an explosion, and after that, the ice spirits fly away, scared, wanting to escape from the Undoer of Harmony.
“Do you like it?” he asks, pointing at Equestria with his lion paw.
"Of course not,” I say, remaining calm, but not too much. I don’t want him to suspect anything.
“I knew you would say that. Of all ponies, you unicorns are the most boring.”
Discord jumps off from his throne and levitates around me, smiling and looking at me with those red and yellow eyes.
“And what do I owe the honor of your visit, old pal?” he asks.
“We’re not pals. I’m here to defeat you and free our land from your curse.”
"Again?" Discord yawns. "This is starting to get repetitive, you know? How many times do I have to defeat you before you understand that neither you nor your pretty alicorns can beat me? Speaking of which, where are my beloved Celestia and Luna?"
"I don't need them this time. I can take on you by myself."
Immediately, the draconequus starts to laugh, loudly.
“Good one, grandpa!” he chuckles, wiping a tear with his lion paw. “Oh, I love jokes... Hey, do you want to hear one?”
I don’t answer. He could easily trick me with his lies and mind games if I let my guard down.
“Yes, yes you do!” he exclaims, as he lands in one of the giant lollipops and summons three pony skulls and a rubber chicken.
Discords starts juggling with those objects, as he recites:
"Fillies and gentlecolts, hobos and tramps,
Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants.
I come before you, to stand before you,
to tell you a story I know nothing about."
He has let his guard down! This is my chance!
I bow my head and I shoot a magic projectile through my horn, a spell designed to encase the objective inside an unbreakable magic cage.
Discords just deflects it with a movement of his tail, and the spell clashes against a lollipop, exploding in confetti.
"One bright morning in the middle of the night
Two dead fellows stood up to fight.
They stood back to back, facing each other,
Drew their swords and shot each other."
I won’t let his games affect me in any way. I attack again, this time forgetting about sophisticated spells and going to the basics: the classic magic blasts designed to turn the objective into ashes, nothing fancy. I shoot three of them.
Smiling, Discord catches them and adds them to his juggling. Then, he reunites the skulls, the rubber chicken and my magic blast into a small snowball, and throws it at me.
Being him, I expect the worst and teleport myself to a safe place, at ten meters of distance. A wise decision, because as soon as the snowball hits the ground, it explodes with a brutal strength.
There is a flash of light, and Discord appears by my side.
"If you don't believe my lie, it's true,
Ask the blind mare on the corner, she saw it too!"
He levitates away from me and laughs hysterically again.
“Wasn’t it good, old pal?” he asks.
“Stop calling me that!” I roar.
I wonder why he keeps referring to me by that nickname. He doesn't know me more than he knows Celestia or Luna. I guess he just wants to mess with me. Then again, he's the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. I shouldn't try to search for any kind of logic in his actions.
“I am not your pal, and you are not my friend!" I say. "You’re just a demon who plays with the lives of ponies!”
“I know! And I love it!”
He laughs again. That laugh hurts my ears.
“I will not rest until you’re banished to the loathsome dimension you came from!” I say. Theatre, it’s just theatre; I don’t stand a chance against him. Even if I was young again, the struggle would be futile. But I need to gain more time...
Another spell. It’s the only thing I can do, even though I know it’s useless.
I summon a small maelstrom of fire above his head, enough to destroy a full-armored minotaur.
Discord opens his mouth and swallows it.
“It needs more chocolate milk,” he chuckles.
Fortunately, I’m too old and experienced to let my rage take control of my actions. Discord’s buffoon antics will not affect me. Come on, one more time...
I use the Spear of Stargazer, a deadly arrow made of lightning, in theory capable of piercing even through the scales of an adult dragon.
Discord allows it to hit his chest, but the spell does nothing. It doesn’t even leave a burnt mark.
“Come on, old pal. I know that you can do better than that.”
I try with something simpler: a spell designed to cause temporary blindness.
Discord blinks, and it backfires.
I fall to the ground, with my eyes momentarily disabled. I am surrounded by darkness. Luckily, I saw this coming (I’m not trying to make a joke) and I prepared the spell to last only a few minutes. I’ll be fine in no time, and I know that Discord doesn’t like to break his toys too soon, so he won’t kill me. I hope.
“A blindness spell? Seriously?” I can hear his voice, coming near me. I can also hear the random songs his feet make when walking. A squeak, an oink, a laughter, a moo, a scream of terror, a yodel...
I feel his talon flicking my horn.
“I am disappointed, Star Swirl. I expect third-rate spells from regular unicorns, but not from you, the greatest pony wizard alive! ... Oh, it’s not funny if you don’t look at me! Here, let me help you...”
I heard him snapping his fingers, and my vision returns. I still can't believe he has this much power.
I look at him. He’s standing right in front of me, smiling in that insulting way only he knows how to do.
“Come on, let’s continue!” he says, stepping back. “Hit me with your best shot, old pal!”
As much as I would love to do it, I can’t. Not only because it would be useless, but because I feel tired. I’ve used too many spells in a short amount of time, and after escalating a mountain all by myself. I’m getting too old for this...
... I wonder if Discord can feel tiredness, too. Would it be possible to tire a creature which is practically a god? And could I do it, being as old as I am? Could an elder unicorn like me find a way to weaken Discord, so that the Princesses may have a chance against him?
Maybe if I trick him into using too much of his power, just like I did... It would be a suicide, but I have to try.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” I say, as I stand up. “But only if you give me your best shot, too.”
Discord looks at me with surprise.
“Excuse me?” he asks.
“Let this be our final battle, ‘old pal’. I’ll unleash my most devastating spell, even if it costs me my life, but only if you release all of your power. I know that you’re restraining yourself. Cotton candy clouds? Lollipop forests? Warm snow? Come on, Discord, I know that you can do better than that.”
He scratches his chin, unsure.
“Or aren’t you as powerful as you brag about?” I ask.
The correct choice of words. Discord looks at me with a mixture of feelings in his face, between offended and excited. He's seriously considering it.
"Come on," I insist. "Show me the true face of chaos."
He smiles.
“Ok," he says. "Let’s do it, Star Swirl.”
That’s it, I’m dead. Although I still have enough energy to perform a spell from the list of the most powerful ones, I have no doubt that Discord, with his full power unleashed, will crush me effortlessly.
But maybe that will give the Princesses the time they need. It may also tire him, making him weaker. And I know Discord, he will surely gloat about his victory over me once he’s done, he’ll let his guard down. Maybe Celestia and Luna can catch him by surprise when they get here.
I decide to use the Flame Sphere of Silver Voice. Given my actual status and how tired I am, I probably won’t be able to hold it properly, and the spell will go crazy, consuming me and the top of the mountain together. With a bit of luck, it’ll cause some damage to Discord, although I doubt it.
I start to gather magic in my horn. Discord does nothing.
My last thoughts are about Canterlot, my beautiful city. About Clover the Clever, my student and friend. About Celestia and Luna, my dear children, the future rulers of our country. I just wish I could live to see it.
I open my eyes, ready to perform the spell. I can feel the insane amount of energy in my horn, it’s difficult to control.
The time has come.
Discord does something: he disappears.
The sky over the mountain turns black, and a dark mist surrounds me. The cotton candy clouds vanish. I feel a terrible cold, it’s difficult to breathe. The sounds of the world around me have stopped.
Instead of getting out of control and engulfing the place in an inferno of blazes, my spell just goes away, the magic energies are sucked by the dark mist. I wasn’t expecting this to happen. What is Discord doing? And where is he?
Something moves beyond the mist. Something big, gigantic.
I look up, and I look around. An enormous creature has appeared from thin air, and it surrounds the mountain with his snake-like body, long and sinuous, turning and twisting itself in ways that would be impossible even for a boneless animal. Instead of scales, the body is covered in a sticky brown substance, which looks as if it would melt anytime soon, and at the same time looks as stable and hard as steel.
Some things emerge from this substance. They are... dear Elements of Harmony, they’re limbs! I see hundreds and hundreds of limbs from different animals, all across the gigantic body of the snake, all of them moving and twitching! I see talons, hooves, tails, feathered wings, insect wings, scaly tails, claws... and heads. Sweet Equestria, the body is also covered in heads! Living heads of griffins, ponies, dragons, dogs, eagles, timberwolves and many others! Heads which scream and laugh, while others shout in pain, and sing, and moan! It's like a chaotic symphony that drills in my ears!
I fall to the ground, wanting to cover my eyes to not see that abomination, but I can’t, my hooves don’t answer, and my magic is gone. The chorus of screams and laughs continues, and I can feel my heart pounding faster, aching. It’s so hard to breathe... and my head hurts... all this chaos...
The whole world has been reduced to the top of the mountain; even the forest of lollipops is no more. Just the black sky, just the dark mist... Just the heads, making all that terrible noise, cutting my soul with that mad melody of screeches. It's been only a few seconds, but I can hardly remember anything of what is outside this darkness. Canterlot... Equestria... Names, but their meaning is lost. Only darkness... and pain. My head hurts...
The monster, or whatever it is, turns at me with his real head, gray and big, and just like the rest of the body, very snake-like, although it has a very familiar white goatee. His eyes are closed. My head...
The creature opens his eyes, and I scream. I scream as I've never screamed in my life before, I scream so hard that I think my lungs are going to break. The eyes of the monsters... his eye sockets are empty... my head... There are no eyes, just... light... white light, but it’s not beautiful... my head, it hurts... It’s just like the light Discord uses for his tricks...
... I can’t... My heart, my head... The light... it hurts...
...I can feel... mind... fading...
...I can—
I open my eyes.
I’m back at the lollipop forest, and the sky looks like a chessboard again. My head doesn’t hurt anymore, and my heart goes at normal rhythm. New cotton-candy clouds are forming above my head. Equestria, Canterlot... My memories have returned.
Discord lands before me. He smiles, as always, and seems very pleased.
“Did you like it?” he asks. “That was my real body."
I don't answer. I just scream and crawl away from him. From it. I have to call him it now, now that I know what it really is.
I’m scared.
“Did you really believe that the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony would look like this?” it asks, pointing at its body, at its eagle claw, its snake tail and its dragon leg. “This is just a costume, a disguise, something that allows me to walk among you without causing too much collateral damage. I can't go around there with my real shape, because your minds would crumble at my presence. You would go insane, some of you would even die just by looking at me, and I wouldn’t have little ponies to play with anymore.”
It approaches. I try to crawl away again, but a giant lollipop blocks my withdrawal.
I'm scared.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to use it anymore," continues Discord. "After all, what I want is not to destroy Equestria nor to kill its inhabitants. At least, not yet. For now, I just want to have fun, to play with you. You ponies are the funnies toys I've encountered in centuries. So rest assured, I'll maintain this dopey shape so you don't go irreversibly mad."
I can’t answer; I can’t think of a spell to use, I don’t even care anymore about gaining more time for the Princesses. I just want to get away from it.
I’m scared.
It laughs.
“Look at you! Reduced from a powerful and proud wizard to a shivering terrified pony, and the only thing I needed to do was to return to my real self for a few seconds! What do you say, old pal? Did you like the true face of chaos? Do I look powerful enough to you now? Do you think I brag too much about my powers? I would say that I don't brag enough!”
I’m scared.
Discord summons a stone pedestal and jumps on it, twisting its red tail around the base.
“Now, go down there and tell your fellow ponies what you saw!” it says. “Tell them about my true self, my true nature! Tell them, until they understand how far I am above them! Tell them that this world is mine, my new playground!” he raises his eagle arm, striking a pose. “Tell them that I am the new go—”
Its words are interrupted when a rainbow blasts it from behind, quickly turning its skin into gray stone. Discord is imprisoned before my eyes.
The rainbow spins around the statue and turns into a wave which expands itself across the sky, tuning the land with light and colours, and undoing the chaos. Slowly, Equestria is healed from its wounds and returns to how it was once.
Two winged figures land in front of me. Each one wears a golden necklace, and each necklace has three gems. The white winged unicorn also wears a crown with a seventh gem, purple and star-shaped. They approach me, and I manage to see through my fear and recognize them. Celestia... Luna... my children.
They come to me and smile, as Equestria heals around us. They hug me, and I hug them back. Tears flow down from my eyes, but they are not from happiness, they are not celebrating our victory. Those tears are my fear, which is still dripping from my tortured soul.
I wish I could be laughing with my children. I wish I could enjoy this new Equestria, free from the hand of Discord. I wish I could smile again... but I can’t. I won’t be able to smile in a long time, because I’ve seen it. Of all the ponies in Equestria, I am the only one who saw it, the horror nopony should ever face.
I've seen it, it burned itself into my retina, and it will follow me everywhere, until the day I die. Even if it’s now trapped in stone, it will never leave my mind, my memories... my nightmares.
I’ve seen the face of chaos.
I’m scared.
THE FACE OF CHAOS - END
