A Game of Chess

Canterlot city was on fire.

The flames ran along the streets, across the buildings, burning, hissing, screeching, and scorching all that they touched, as if some wretched inferno had taken hold of the once-beautiful city.

Ponies lay dead, dying, and suffering in the streets, their mutilated forms screaming for release that would never arrive, and the horrid agony that they felt was unknown as the viewer watched, her eyes simply reflecting the blaze even as the tears streamed down her face. Their bodies were ripped asunder, scars crossing over them, their gaunt forms unable to move.

The worst of all, however, was what lay above them: upon the highest apex of the royal palace lay an alicorn, her pristine coat stained red as the spike atop the tower pierced her heart, and her back was arched, her eyes wide open yet rolled back to the point that the irises were completely hidden.

Below her was another alicorn, younger and smaller, with a darker coat, who hung above the gate, her chest pierced through by another spike, and her hooves bound behind her back. Breathing indicated that this one still lived, although her body convulsed in pain and agony.

The other did not.

On the side of the road lay Captain Shining Armor -- odd, as he should have been in the Crystal Empire -- whose horn had been ripped from his head, and now lay jammed into his heart, his dead expression one of fear and terror as the blood still flowed freely from the wound. And there, next to him, was his beloved wife, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, better known as Cadence. Her body was so wracked with scars that it took all of the viewer's energy not to turn away.

And then, however, was what lay in the center of it all: in the middle of the road was a massive platform, one of steel, and, upon it, stood two figures that were all too familiar. One of the two was Checkmate Vigarde.

The other was Wendigo.

The tyrant laughed, as he stepped around the victim, his eyes cold and cruel. "I truly must congratulate Deun," he said, smirking. "He did an excellent job capturing you and your friends, Checkmate, and now look at your failed attempt at resistance. The Zephyr's almost complete, and now the world shall soon fall to my might."

Checkmate spat, then, though his hooves were bound behind his back. "Go to Hell!" he shouted, indignantly, still defiant even in that situation.

"Hell? Come, now," Wendigo's eyes flashed. "The only Hell is the one that you'll be entering. Do say 'hello' to Hecatoncheir for me, won't you? I'm sure he'd appreciate it." He held out Conviction, then, and pointed it directly between Checkmate's eyes. "Oh, and when I claimed the Zephyr to be 'almost' complete? I meant there was but one position left, and I've reserved it specially... for YOU!"

Then the dagger was thrust forward, and the watcher clamped her eyes shut...

... Only for the sound of burning, crackling, and screaming to subside, and for the world to become entirely dark. At that moment, Twilight's mind instantly opened, and the realization of the moment crashed down on her like a wave.

It was a dream.

"It's amazing how quickly one's fears can alter, would you not say?" asked a voice. It spoke with an odd accent, one that reminded her of Rarity's...

Twilight's eyes snapped open, then, and she saw the figure before her. It was a dark shade of red, semitransparent, and its mane was auburn.

With eight legs...

"A-Asgard!" she shouted, jumping into a fighting stance. Perhaps she'd seen Checkmate do that too much, yet it seemed completely appropriate for the situation. "What do you want?!"

The sleipnir regarded her coldly, calmly, for but a moment before he spoke. "You believe that I'm here to cause you any harm, I'm sure," he said, his voice unwavering, though he let out a sigh. "I suspected as much... To be entirely honest, I probably should have realized that this would be nothing more than a mistake..."

"Wha... What do you want?!" Twilight repeated more forcefully, and her horn began to glow.

Asgard sighed, once more. "Do not concern yourself with that," he replied, as polite as ever. "I simply had something that I needed to say... and something that you must know."

Twilight's stance did not drop, though she didn't speak any further. Instead, she began to weigh any means of escape that she could locate. Certainly, she could simply wake up if she stalled for long enough, but it was possible that she could best Asgard in a fight if necessary.

So she stood her ground, her eyes boring into his like drills, and her horn only glowing brighter in a show of her own magical supremacy.

"I see," Asgard said, and shook his head. "Very well, I've no reason to remain here whilst you appear to desire my leave, so I think I shall do exactly that." He turned, then, and Twilight could see that the wound on his leg had completely vanished. "Farewell, Twilight Sparkle, and my apologies for any inconvenience I've caused you through this."

As he began to walk away, however, and into the void around them, Twilight called out. "Wait," she said, "you're not here to attack me, or to get revenge for what happened?" Of course, she didn't believe it for a second, and, although her magic had since dissipated, she remained on high alert. However, Asgard had simply left her be, and didn't appear to want to cause her any trouble, even though he had great reason to.

The sleipnir stopped, then, yet kept his back to her. "Why should I desire vengeance?" he asked, quietly. "Certainly, I'm not without reason, yet that won't change what has since transpired. No, Twilight, there is but one creature for which I have a want to tear into oblivion, and that most certainly is not you, nor is it any of your companions."

Twilight grimaced. No matter how much she despised the sleipnir for what it had done to them -- particularly in foalnapping and holding Pinkie hostage -- she couldn't deny how absurdly polite he was, no matter what it was he talked about. "Really?" she asked. "And what, pray tell, is that?"

Of course, her mind was still reeling from the massive amount of information that Dusk had told her regarding the calaverns, and it appeared that Asgard was only going to add to the pile that was now clogging her brain, and that she couldn't help but think about.

Asgard was silent for a moment, then, and still kept his back to her. After several minutes of an awkward silence, however, the sleipnir turned back towards her, his eyes still calm. "The one I desire to tear asunder?" he asked, although his voice didn't waver in the slightest at this, and Twilight shuddered; all that she could hear behind his words was a concealed, venomous hatred that would have gone undetected, had it not been for having spent so much time with Valice and mastering the art of speaking like that.

Twilight's only response was a weak nod, although she felt her legs beginning to shake. She wondered, then, if it was from the horrid nightmare -- the images of it still flashing in mind mind, particularly what had happened to Celestia -- or from the sheer calmness in Asgard's voice as he spoke of killing.

And still, even then, her guard was high, and her eyes were set and focused on the sleipnir. Although they stood in a featureless, empty space, Twilight figured that she could use that to her advantage in the case that he decided to attack her.

"That, in truth, is why I am here now," Asgard responded, and his eyes flashed. "You see, Twilight Sparkle, I necessitated a creature to whom I could grant the use of this information, and I figured that the one who I spoke to would be the one who could make the most of it." He turned aside, then, and sighed once more. "I deduced, then, that the ones best suited to bear this knowledge would be among your group; the ones en route to do battle with Wendigo. And so, in order to accommodate for that, I desired to only speak with one of you; yourself in particular, Twilight."

Twilight grimaced, again. Why was it always her? It could have always been Rarity, or Rainbow, or Applejack. They could certainly use such a large purpose in this quest, seeing as they all agreed that there wasn't much they'd done at all, no matter how much she reminded Rainbow of her original role in saving Checkmate, or Applejack of herding the fillies and keeping them from getting themselves killed.

"Why me?" she asked, at last, and she genuinely meant it, too. Twilight was really getting tired of all these ponies wanting her to give her even more knowledge. Even if she was a scientist -- and had an amazing memory, so she'd been told -- there was only so much she could learn before she had to write anything down, or else she'd just forget about it.

"Because," responded Asgard, "you are likely the only one of your group to give me even a second of speech. Your friends, I'm certain, would be quite... unappreciative of my earlier efforts, as I'm sure you are. Dusk, given his actions towards my brother, is one I wish to avoid, and the others are unlikely to so much as give me a chance to speak before they attack, or attempt to, at any rate. Or, in the case of that pegasus -- Fluttershy, I believe she is called -- cower away from me in terror, not allowing me a single word." And then he sighed, and turned to face her once more. "Besides... I doubt that your other friend, Pinkie Pie, would be glad to see me, given the circumstances."

"You did hold a knife to her throat," Twilight pointed out, "and don't act like all my friends are just... one-dimensional, either! I mean, yeah, Rainbow and Applejack would probably try to attack you, and Dusk probably would want to kill you immediately, and I don't even know what to say about Checkmate, seeing as he doesn't have any swords in his dreams without Illia and Khaza... but saying Fluttershy would just cower away is, well --" Twilight raised a hoof then, as if to accentuate her point "-- kind of silly. You know she tamed an antlion, right?"

"Truly?" Asgard arched an eyebrow at this. "I heard from Hecatoncheir that an antlion was the cause of his injury, but I hadn't the idea that your friend was the one who had summoned it." He placed a hoof on his own chin. "You truly have intriguing friends, Twilight Sparkle. I wish I could claim the same of myself."

"You have no idea," she replied, rolling her eyes, and allowing herself a small smile. "The things that I could say about Pinkie Pie... Wait, that's not important!" She immediately dropped the smile, instead retaking her disbelieving face. "You're getting me off topic!"

"Perhaps," admitted Asgard, "although that is part of the reason that I desired to speak with you. You may be the most forgiving out of all your friends, Twilight Sparkle. Certainly, I cannot claim to know them, yet I know enough of them based on our few conversations to facilitate a few assumptions of their personalities."

Twilight let out a small, bitter laugh at that. "The 'most forgiving'?" she asked, although she couldn't hide the smirk. "Have you even seen me interact with Valice? I don't think I'm as forgiving as you say I am." While she wasn't necessarily proud of proclaiming that, she couldn't deny the truth of that statement; she wasn't about to forgive Valice, after all, nor did she ever plan to.

"No, I haven't," replied Asgard, calmly. "Not besides the moment where she revealed her true nature as a changeling, at the very least, yet I cannot say that the same is true of everything. After all, regarding the wedding that took place within Canterlot, you appear to have forgiven your friends rather easily, have you not?"

At that moment, Twilight felt her blood run cold, and she paused for a few seconds before answering. "... Wait," she said, slowly, "how do you know anything about that?"

Asgard smiled, albeit one that appeared forced. "I am a sleipnir, Twilight Sparkle," he said, simply. "I exist to sow the seeds of fear within the hearts of ponies, and to reap the benefits that are created. As such, I have spent several occasions within the minds of those in Canterlot." He chuckled, and it sounded surprisingly genuine. "You would be quite surprised, I believe, that many of the rich have quite... interesting fears. However, several times, I allowed myself to enter into the minds of ponies such as... Hmm, how should I put this?" He placed a hoof on his chin, then, as if in thought. "You see, the rich, whilst their terrors are interesting, mostly have uninteresting personalities, and I much prefer to learn of the pony whose dreams I am visiting. As such, I decided to test new waters, so to speak, several times, with ponies whom I have yet to know of."

"You've entered my dreams before," Twilight translated. She had no idea whether to be enraged or fascinated at this piece of information, so she decided to keep her mouth closed while she allowed Asgard to continue speaking.

"Precisely," responded Asgard. "You see, Twilight Sparkle, I decided to test your mind for myself -- learn the personality of Celestia's latest pupil -- approximately one year prior to now. It was at that moment that I discovered the truth of the infamous royal wedding that had occurred." He sighed, and grimaced. "My most sincere apologies for everything you were forced to endure, then, and I can understand your animosity towards changelings. However, considering your relationship with your friends now, and this dream in particular, I have come to the conclusion that you have forgiven them for their transgression towards you, and that is the reason for which I chose you, tonight."

At that moment, Twilight remembered exactly why Asgard wanted to speak to her, and made a mental note to try to avoid being sidetracked while they talked. Although, she did have to admit, all of this information was very interesting, and she'd have to make note of it once all of this was over, especially since sleipnirs could enter the dream channels at will when they lacked a body.

"You said you wanted to tell me something, right?" Twilight asked. Even now, long after their talk had begun, she had yet to lower her guard, instead remaining steady and firm as she uneasily watched the sleipnir.

Granted, she couldn't deny just how heartbreaking his story was, but that was no excuse to hold her friend at knifepoint and to nearly kill them while his insane, evil twin who could make hands of fire made use of his body.

Twilight took a moment to mentally remind herself of just how insane this entire journey was before she turned her attention back towards Asgard.

"Indeed," he replied, quietly. "You see, there is a piece of information that is imperative that at least one other creature knows of: the cause for my brother's insanity."

All of the sound in the area -- which, essentially, referred to only Twilight and Asgard, as there was literally nothing else -- came to a halt, then, and silence fell over the abyss of Twilight's dream as the sleipnir's words clicked into place in her mind.

"The cause of Hecatoncheir's insanity..." she breathed, and placed a hoof on her chin. "You mean that you're going to tell me the reason that he ended up killing that sleipnir, and the reason that you two had to flee Tartarus?"

Asgard nodded, then, and turned to the side once more. "Your memory is impeccable," he said, simply. "Yes, that is precisely what I intend to tell you of, if you would be willing to listen."

He turned towards her once more and sighed. "You see, Twilight Sparkle, there is but one creature whose life I wish to staunch, and it is the one who has wrought this wretchedness, and the one has sewn despair into the hearts of many." He grit his teeth, then, and Twilight nearly felt her heart stop. To see Asgard showing such anger -- rage, even -- was not something that she could have ever expected.

Twilight gestured for him to continue, even while she was nervous about just what he was going to say, and realized that she'd felt the exact same way before Dusk spoke of the calaverns to her, Velios in particular.

Asgard, at last, let out yet another sigh, unclenching his teeth. "We -- my brother and I -- had nearly accomplished our goal, and the two of us had soon to be granted access to the next level of Tartarus. Had that been accomplished, what was next to occur would not have destroyed our lives so utterly."

His eyes flashed, and his voice became filled with a calm, tranquil fury. "For you see, Twilight Sparkle," he hissed, "approximately twenty-five-hundred years ago, before Wendigo's uprising against Rolan, something wormed its way into Hecatoncheir's mind; a foul, hellish parasite that seemed to want nothing more than to ruin his very existence. The foul monstrosity forced upon him its own wishes, and told him to slaughter ponies around him, to take vengeance for our placement in life." His teeth clenched once more, and Twilight could hear the sound of them scraping together as Asgard attempted to keep his voice level. "Within one month of its burrowing into his mind, my brother's sanity began to deteriorate, and the results of that... you and your allies have already bore witness to the wretched aftereffects upon his mind."

"But... why...?" Twilight breathed, horrified by such a thing. "Why would anypony do such a thing?"

"I do not know the reason," responded Asgard, still visibly trying to keep his rage under control. "However, its name is a different matter entirely, for Hecatoncheir claimed, in his last bouts of sanity, that it had crafted a moniker for itself... and that is why I came here to explain this, now, given your recent history with Wendigo."

"Wh-what was its name?" Twilight heard herself ask, albeit quietly.

Asgard looked straight into her eyes, then, and she could see that they were filled with a mix of sorrow and rage.

"It called itself the 'Catalyst'."

At that moment, the world seemed to completely disappear around the two -- the real world, not the dream that they were inhabiting -- as the connotations of that statement hit Twilight like a sonic rainboom. Her mind flashed back, then, as various statements seemed to collide at once, and information that she had just learned seemed to explode with new meaning.

"Those in Darkfrost call it the 'Catalyst', something that caused a massive shift in Wendigo's personality."

"Some say it's a demon that wandered the world five millennia ago..."

"It's doubtful. That was five millennia ago that Velios attacked us..."

"The Catalyst, however, is believed to be the cause for all of this destruction and chaos."

Twilight's legs gave out, then, as she fell back, Asgard quickly catching her before her head slammed into the invisible ground below them.

"Ch-Chronos..." she whispered, "that's... that can't possibly be..."

Twilight looked up towards Asgard, then. "A-Asgard," she heard herself say, "this... this 'Catalyst'... did it say anything else...?"

The sleipnir sighed, but gently lowered her down before he spoke. "It did claim that it desired vengeance of its own," he replied, "but nothing more than that. Its motivations are quite unclear to myself, and I am the only one who knows anything of it."

Twilight blinked, feeling the oxygen reentering her brain, and she stood up again, albeit on shaking legs. "But why didn't you tell anypony?" she asked.

Asgard didn't respond, instead looking straight into her eyes with his own, still clouded with rage and sadness. And, in that one instant, the reality of the situation hit her once more, for what must have been the tenth time throughout the day.

"O-oh..." she whispered, her ears drooping as her head lowered.

The sleipnir nodded. "Exactly," he said. "Even today, even as it tears into the minds of ponies throughout the world, the Catalyst is still thought of no more than a dream, an apparition of a foal's mind in an effort to conjure a less vile image of Wendigo's evil. But that simply begs the question, does it not: is Wendigo truly the one to blame for all of this, or could the reality of the situation be that the Catalyst is not a mere myth, as many claim it to be?"

Twilight steeled herself before she spoke next. "It doesn't matter if he's being manipulated," she pointed out. "He's still the one controlling his actions, just like Hecatoncheir was. Even if he was completely desecrated by Vel... by the Catalyst" -- she hastily corrected herself -- "that doesn't change that what he did, everything that he caused, was still by his own hooves."

There was silence once more for a few seconds. "... You are correct," responded Asgard, hesitantly. "I can attempt to claim my brother to be manipulated, yet the fact remains that it was by his own will that everything came about. Had he been possessed, or placed under some spell, the case would be different. However, the fact remains that what you claim is true."

He sighed, then and turned away. "That is why I wished to tell you this, Twilight Sparkle. I wished for somepony to know the truth of this matter, that there has always been a creature behind the scenes, pulling the strings on this operation as if they were some monstrous chessmaster, and this is all but a game." His eyes flashed again. "And that voice, that wretched, horrid creature, stole away my brother's sanity, and our chance to live happy, joyous lives. The two of us were used, then tossed aside like toys, and Hecatoncheir's new personality... have you not seen the similarities between he and Wendigo?"

Twilight's eyes widened. "Hecatoncheir's and Wendigo's personalities... Of course, that's why they seemed so similar! Because they're both being manipulated by the same thing... the same monster!"

"Precisely," Asgard said. "It's plausible that the two are but pawns in its game, that both are being manipulated for the sake of its delight. However, it is impossible to prove such a theory without the acknowledgement of Wendigo on the matter, but it is just as possible that he is truly the monster that he acts as, and that the Catalyst has had no hoof in his corruption. Again, however, both are impossible to say, at the moment."

He held his left foreleg, then, and looked at the hoof. "Yet what I do not understand," he noted, "is why it would attack Hecatoncheir. After all, would it not make more sense to attempt to take the brother who could view the future into its thrall? The one whose affinity made its power all the more great within the darkness?"

"Wait," Twilight said, "your affinity is darkness?!"

Asgard nodded. "My brother and I are opposites in more than just personality," he responded. "I am left-dominant, and my affinity is for the shadows that many fear. My brother, however... is right-dominant, and his affinity..."

"Is light," Twilight finished. "But how could a pony who represents light be so evil, and one who represents darkness be so... well, affable?"

"Such is how our world functions," responded Asgard. "Just as how windigoes, changelings and sleipnirs are not good nor evil as species, neither are light and darkness set in stone. There are infinite choices for either, and both can be conceived as either good or evil, depending upon the action taken."

"Changelings aren't evil," scoffed Twilight. "That's ridiculous..."

"Perhaps," admitted Asgard. "However, the fact remains that one cannot hold vengeance towards another creature forever. Even I, Twilight Sparkle, only desire to bring an end to the Catalyst's reign of destruction and chaos, and to learn its true identity, as well. I want to watch it scream in horror, to know that, once my new form is complete, nothing shall ever bring an end to me again..."

"That... doesn't really adhere to your statement about not holding vengeance," Twilight pointed out.

"Perhaps," Asgard repeated, "but that changes nothing on the matter. Simply because I cannot release my grip upon the past does not mean that you should cling to it. Forgiveness is a part of life, so the saying goes, yet I have yet to reach that point, it would appear. However, running from the past only forces you to face it later in life, just as I plan to do once my new form is completed. And then, finally, I can perhaps bring myself to apologize to you and your friends for what happened to them..."

Twilight sighed. "Why don't you apologize, now?" she asked. "They're all really forgiving, especially Pinkie."

Asgard shook his head. "I... cannot. Not yet, at any rate. I am not sure that I could possibly apologize for a transgression that great at this point. In the future, in two years, once my form is complete, however, I would request that you and your friends return to Solace. Perhaps then I can finally find a chance to begin anew, and to begin my quest to bring an end to the Catalyst."

He turned, then, and his body began to fade away. "Twilight Sparkle," he said, and he smiled, slightly, "my thanks for giving my tale a chance, and for at least somewhat forgiving me of this. The knowledge of the Catalyst is yours to use as you will, so please make use of it in order to discover the truth."

Twilight nodded, her body beginning to feel light. "A-alright," she heard herself say, slowly.

"Good," responded Asgard. "Farewell, then, until we meet again --" he stopped, for just a moment, before he said one last word "-- Twilight."

And then, there in the abyss that remained in Twilight's mind, the sleipnir -- the one who had caused her and her friends pain, and fear -- vanished, a smile on his muzzle as he thanked her for the knowledge that he had imparted unto her.

And then she awoke, too.