The recoil from the gun caused me to lose my grip of the pistol due to the severity of my wounds. The bullet struck its mark with the revolting sound of flesh being rendered into shreds. A drizzle of blood staining the ground as the Red Queen collapsed to the ground.

I stared at the motionless body of the changeling queen, a feeling of loath and relief filling my mind. Groaning in incomprehensible pain as I held the dreadfully large wound on my left shoulder. Feeling the warmth of my own blood, I grimaced in both pain and agony.

I anticipated for the wound left by that blade to be agonizing, but this was just too severe--I can't even stare at it without risking the chance of regurgitation. I gazed aimlessly around me in hopes of locating anything that could serve to treat this wound.

Of course, I could see nothing but the several eviscerated, battered corpses of either my friends, or foes. And of course, I can't forget to mention the prominently bright inferno desolating the once exemplary scenery of the forest.

The hazy smoke had accumulated to its pinnacle. This was apparent as a canopy of thick smog appeared above this burning forest. A shadow, similar to that of the night's, veiled the area around me.

I tried to move, but the pain was too agonizing, effectively rendering me immobilized. I tried to stand up, but the unfaltering, scorching pain in my bludgeoned legs sought to the prevention of that endeavor. I collapsed, needless to say.

I looked around me, desperate for any form of help. Once more, nothing but the appendage-decorated, bloody ground was the only thing in sight, along with the similarly decorated bushes and trees engulfed in a fiery cloak.

The smoke exuding from the forest reduced the visibility to less than adequate. I could barely see anything beyond the thick, dazing haze of smoke.

I coughed due to the inhalation of the volatile smoke. Once more, out of desperation, I tried to regain my footing. This time, however, I managed to avoid falling, but the pain is wearing on my injured legs.

I trembled uncontrollably due to the unbearable pain. I stood, not even daring to risk taking a step; if I moved, there's no doubt that the only result of that is me collapsing once more.

Blood dripped freely from my wounds, but the number one contributor to the swiftly forming puddle of blood below where I stood is originating from the hole embedded on my left shoulder. I winced, collapsing once more on my haunches.

"This is it, isn't it?" I muttered feebly to myself, "This is how this entire tragedy ends... With me, drenched in my own blood, dying due to a fatally-received wound."

A surge of defiance ran rampantly through my mind. Clenching my fists, I stood up once more, refusing to succumb to such a dismal death.

I took a step, much to my astonishment. The pain was unmanageable, despite the amount of adrenaline suppressing the burning agony. I wanted to writhed in pain on the dust, but I refused to do so. It was numbingly painful, but I still managed to endure a step.

Suddenly, two figures emerged from the smokescreen. Two very familiar figures that I detest with all of my indignation.

I recognized these two; Celestia and Luna, the two princesses that sought after my death, despite the overly-grievous toll of the casualties.

I just can't comprehend it. After all the conflict and travesties they've suffered in their aspiration to slaughter me, they still continue on seeking me.

They approached me, stopping roughly a few feet from me. A scorn of contempt and apathy embedding on both of their faces. I responded to their indignant stares with a weakened smirk. A smirk that basically said, "Good job, you got me" in a smug manner.

What did you think I was going to do? Pitifully try to flee? Plead for my own life? If you did, your expectations of my capabilities are a major underestimation. Even the likes of me have honor.

"It is over, Summoner." The white one, Celestia, spoke with vindication. "I'm afraid you're beyond redemption now. If only you've surrender sooner..."

"Surrender? To you?" I spoke, struggling to avoid coughing on the bitter taste of the smoke. "What did you expect me to do?!" I rose once more, although, I wasn't standing, but in a crouching position. My phantasmal smirk replaced with a resentful glower.

Unobserved by them, however, was a firearm clutched firmly in my hand. I'm not so complacent to just accept my death like this. No, I will refuse to relinquish my life no matter how grim the circumstances.

"Your subjects..." I coughed. "They knocked me out, kidnapped me, and my followers did what they had to do in order to preserve their master's life in what they perceived as an act of murderous intent towards me."

I gripped the handle of the gun firmly, causing the pistol itself to rapidly shake at my trembling grasp.

"And you think that justifies for the thousands you've slaughtered? The additional thousands that you've inspired unrivaled fear into?" Princess Luna retorted in a cripplingly bitter tone.

I couldn't vocally reply due to both in fatigue and the fact that my pained mind couldn't conjure one. So instead, I glared at them, bearing a distasteful scowl with unsubdued spite. It may have not been the most tasteful of retorts, but it was one nonetheless.

The only sound present was the burning trees, the barely audible cooling breeze, and the occasional scream of agony. Then, at that moment, I just noticed something. Something that I dreaded.

The shrieks of pain dwindled down, restoring the eerie silence of this forest. That would've been good, since that would've indicated that this battle was nearing its end.

Sadly, this battle did not end with me as the triumphant party.

Finally, I managed to respond, albeit in a enfeebled croak. "... I may be the catalyst of this sequence of catastrophes, but I'm not the only one to blame."

Swiftly, I drew the gun from concealment, aiming it directly at the blue one; Princess Luna. "All two of you contribute much to this bloody cataclysm!"

The blood-stained barrel directed at the alicorn, I was merely seconds away from ending her. This time, however, I wasn't too keen on allowing hesitation and doubt hinder my actions.

I pulled the trigger, prompting the bullet to soar through the gun with a blinding flare and a deafening cacophonous noise. The bullet ricocheted as the blue one formed a deflective shield around her. Instead of burying itself in its original target, the bullet made its way into the interior of a tree.

Seeing my failure at retaliation, I took aim of Celestia just before she could retaliate. Firing the trigger several times in rapid succession, I grew nervous as she as well formed a barrier to repel my bullets.

Suddenly, I was struck with an idea that should've revealed itself to me much sooner.

I blindly launched a fusillade of bullets at the two defending alicorns. Bullet after bullet were diverted from their intended target as the translucent shields staunchly defended their casters. I dreaded the possibility of that one of them might be reflected back to me, but the chances were less than likely, and now would be ill-advised to stop shooting anyways.

Using my wounded left arm to attempt to reach for the Summoning Grimoire.

I ran out of bullets, but it was irrelevant now as I clutched the book in my strained left hand. I managed to open the book, but not without much difficulty.

Dropping the gun, considering that it was useless to me now, I opened the book. I frantically looked for an empty page. At the same time however, the two alicorns dispersed their shields and aimed their horns at me, channeling ruinous amounts of magic within them.

Everything seemed to slow down due to the sheer number of adrenaline within me. I could hear my heartbeat thumping as I flipped page by page.

Suddenly, the two alicorns released their torrents of magic at me. I looked away from the book and directed my eyes towards me. I saw a pair of beams colored in yellow and midnight blue gradually inching closer to me, intending to annihilate me in tandem.

I looked down at the book, and back at the two beams approaching me. I felt an overwhelming sense of futility and grief. N-no. No! I thought to myself in defiance.

The devastating duality of the beams collided with my book. I wanted to close my eyes, but I just couldn't manage to do so. As soon as I saw the two streams of magic collide with the cover of the book, a spark of shadowy flames shimmered for a mere second.

And then... I was enveloped in a colossal explosion.

The explosion engulfed the entire area around me. Unfortunately, the blast was not within range of the two princesses. A staggeringly intense fissure was caused by the sheer destruction the beams possessed, causing the many burning branches to fall to the ground, still immolated with a ravenous fire.

I thought I was done for, but somehow, I emerged from the billow of smoke from where the spell struck me, completely unscathed.

I was astonished, along with the two princesses that had to shield themselves from the rocky debris being flung everywhere due to the cataclysmic eruption of magic.

But something was... off. The book was glowing with a near-blinding purple luminescence. I looked directly upon it, if I wasn't so hysterically panicky right now, I'd be slightly curious.

Suddenly, the glow began to dissipate, albeit slowly. I could feel something surging through my veins-- A powerful, intoxicating sensation.

The same feeling that threw me into delirium. Oh no...

The feeling however, soon became inordinately intense, and I began to clench my head. Screaming in agony, I nearly fainted. I staggered backwards, shaking my head vigorously.

I fell to the grounds on my knees, in a seemingly dead posture; my head pointed directly to the ground, my arms weren't twitching, nor twitching, in the slightest. The book's glow intensified and subsequently died out.

The theory of me now deceased was swiftly disproved when I slowly began to rise up from my kneeling position.

Opening my eyes, I revealed a purple glow harbored in my right eye. I could feel the wounds scattered throughout my body mend and stitch together perfectly. Soon enough, the pain that once taunted me departed from my body.

Renewed, I felt my now untarnished skin, a demented grin adorning my face. I stretched my back, arching it. I moved my hands freely. Concluding that my previous injuries were now non-existent, I took a step.

A maddened glare, accompanied by a complimentary psychopathic grin, focused at my two 'killers.' I saw their expressions, and I reveled in its intoxicant taste. Incredulously, they let their jaws hang open as they marveled in fear at me recovering from my seemingly fatal wounds. To them, it just appeared that I just shrugged off the agony with ease.

I looked around the environment, seeing that there was a drastic change in the terrain. Burning branches fell from the trees due to the shockwave discharged from the recent blast caused by the two alicorn's assault on me. The ground was wreathed in fire due to the still blazing, fallen appendages of the also burning trees.

The flames were everywhere now. The ashes danced elegantly in the air, only to stop as they fall into the mixture of blood and dirt below. The smoke obscured even more due to the fallen branches, but it didn't matter.

A pestering large tree just had to fall between me and the Two Sisters, separating me from them with an imposing wall of flame, thus making close-combat not a viable method of dueling them.

No matter. Thanks to the amount of rotting remains of combatants scattered around me, there was no shortage of ranged weaponry.

To the left of me was nothing but a couple of swords and a few bodies of opposing soldiers. Nothing too notable.

To the right of me was something that caught my attention. A battered taser laid limp below a tree, a sub-machine gun laid remaining clutched on his right hand.

Behind me was something more sensible for me to go after. A generic soldier was dead, impaled by one of the pointed spines of a burning branch. His flesh was exposed due to tears on his armor, thus, the sickening scent of burning flesh was potent in the air.

Below the mangled mess of a corpse was a rifle modified to an excessive degree. Surely, this will be more than enough to end the lives of my aggressors.

My human limbs were emanating purple, luminous embers, curiously enough. I could feel immeasurable vigor in me. This was no doubt that this is the book's doing.

Summoning my newly acquired energy, I bolted after the rifle behind me, murderous determination fueling me with efficiency.

Snatching the firearm from the small pool of blood forming below the speared body, I aimed it at the still unmoving alicorns.

I fired away, unleashing a screen of deadly projectiles at the alicorns. The recoil, however, was being a bastard and made my aiming off by several inches from my target.

As expected, the bullets hit nothing but the burning lumber. The princesses flinched at the suddenness, but managed to regain their composure and soared upwards to avoid the bullets.

Unsatisfied, I cursed at the gun as I threw it onto the ground, "Damn you!" Reaching for the holster of the body beside me that was skewered on this tree, I grabbed his less unwieldy pistol. Curse my inexperience with guns...

Resorting to the more stable, but less damaging pistol, I pulled its trigger, directing its trajectory towards the hovering alicorns. I missed and missed again, as a result of this, they squalled me with rays of their magic.

Thankfully, their aiming was just as poor as mine. Their beams, instead of lancing me, peppered the ground. I sprinted back and forth to dodge the volley of beams, I took potshots as I ran in the open.

"This is getting monotonous! Just stay still, you bastards!" I yelled out, however, that simply dissuaded them from being stationary even further.

I managed to nimbly sidestep just before a beam impaled my chest. Sneering tauntingly, I resumed on running. Cover was quite elusive in this surrounding, and I'd rather result into running around like an imbecile rather than stand still.

"I wasted enough shots." I stated to myself in a cold as stone voice. Stilling myself, I allowed myself to improve my aiming, but also compromising myself to being incinerated. I lined up the shot, and pulled the trigger.

The gun discharged with a thunderous roar, a bullet leaving its muzzle. Luck was favoring me apparently, as the lead impacted directly on the blue one, Luna, in the abdomen region.

With a pained shriek, she crashed down to the ground.

"No!" The white one screamed in a voice that quaked the earth, pausing her continual rain of beams. Seeing the opportunity, I shot her.

She too fell to the earth as another bullet scored directly in the chest area.

I vocally expressed joy at my accomplishment in a hysterical cackle. Ah, and it seems that fortune favors me even more than I anticipated. The fire that once enveloped the large log that prevented me from passing has been extinguished. I can ensure the deaths of the two alicorns.

I jumped over the charred tree, seeing the body of the blue one, Luna. However, the elder one was missing-

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared behind me. Before I could turn around, however, a blade pierced through my torso. The blood seeped through my wound. I gazed upon the blade embellished with my own blood.

Despite my inevitable death, I laughed. "Heh... the sun gives life. You take it. How ironic." It didn't take much to look behind me to confirm the identity of my killer.

I slammed the blunt end of the pistol on Celestia's face as I swiftly turned around, she staggered towards the ground, falling to the still scalding hot log behind her. She yelped as it singed her. Helpless and teary eyed, I pointed the gun at her.

With my assailant disarmed, I yanked the sword out from body. Then, I pointed the gun towards her. I was mere seconds away from pulling the trigger, but I withheld against the temptation. "Heh. No, I just can't do it." I said, lowering the gun, looking down at the ground with a disappointed smile.

She looked at me, with confused and hopeful eyes. Huh, it's as if I'm actually going to allow her to live. Adorably pathetic.

Then, with a demented smile, I turned back to face her unconscious sister, aiming the gun at her unmoving, vulnerable form's head. "It's better to let you live without that which you love most, right?!"

I pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened, save for a clicking sound originating from the gun.

No ammo remaining?

"Heh... dammit." Was all that I could say as I succumbed to the cold embrace of unconsciousness.

I fell to the ground face first with a rasped gasp, and then... I closed my eyes, not even bothering to give even the slightest of concerns to the gaping puncture on my body.

Everything faded to black a few seconds later.

Author's Notes:

Pre-readers:

FTDLulz (... Yes. Only a single individual pre-read this chapter.)