Chapter Twelve: Of Gods And Monsters
~BlackRoseRaven

Sally didn't rest very well that night: she felt uncomfortable being alone, and she hated being stuck in the enclosed little room, as comfortable as it was. Something in her mind just kept railing against being trapped and on her own, craved the company of her friends. Her herd: Datura, the protector; Splinthoof, who had helped her clean and neaten her wings and she felt a sibling bond with; Whisper, who was quiet and anxious but good-hearted and fierce.

So after a few hours of sleep and a few more of tossing and turning, she had finally left the bedroom to pace through the corridors, if only to quell the awkward horse-thoughts running through her mind. And walking helped a lot: gave her a sense of going somewhere, down these big, open halls. Sure, the logical part of her knew she was just as trapped in here as she was in her room, but the feral part of her was soothed by the illusion of open space created by the wide corridor and high ceiling.

At some point, she'd heard a voice, and her ears had swiveled towards this. She had naturally found herself drawn by the sound, even if she'd tried to resist, knowing who it would be... but curiosity and that damned horse-brain got the better of her, until she found herself awkwardly peeking around a doorway and staring at the sight of Datura, sitting calmly in a den room... except he was alone.

He sipped slowly at a cup of tea in his hooves, eyes staring listlessly into a fireplace, a few bandages over some of his larger wounds... and then he suddenly laughed a little before shaking his head and saying quietly: “I know you're right. I know you are, it's... it's not that. It's... everything else. It's hard... how do I...”

He stopped, tilting his head as if he was listening to someone, and for a moment Sally thought he'd heard her... before the stallion sighed softly, then lowered his head as if he was ashamed, murmuring: “But I am a coward. Under everything else... I'm afraid. And I... I'm so tired. I'm so tired... why do I have to be the one to fix this? Do this, do that, keep your head high, smile smile smile, scare scare scare, don't ever let the bastards see you cry...”

Datura licked his lips, then he sipped at his tea and looked upwards before he scowled, muttering: “Easy for you to say.”

A pause, and Datura winced a bit before he twitched a little and rubbed absently at his face, mumbling: “You don't have to hit me.”

Another pause. “Alright. Alright, then I'll listen if you keep your damned hooves to yourself. But... maybe... maybe Terrance is right, much as I hate to say that. Look at me. I'm... I crave power, and Celestia knows that. Maybe this is why she needs me... I'm the only pony stupid and selfish enough to willingly help banish every other Avatar. Maybe I do just want to play god, I don't want to help...”

He quieted, then sighed softly before suddenly looking up, twitching and spilling a bit of his tea. He stared for a moment at the ceiling, then laughed weakly before looking down and whispering: “Don't tease me. But... but if... if Angel really is there with you, too, then tell her... I'm sorry.”

Datura quieted, then he sighed softly before closing his eyes, slumping back in his seat before he muttered: “I know. Yes, I know I'm not alone. Sally, stop being a jackass and get in here.”

Sally winced and flushed deep red, then she awkwardly strode forwards, stumbling a little over her own hooves and trying to figure out what to say before Datura tiredly held up a hoof, muttering: “Don't bother. My Valkyrie says hello, and that she likes you. Even if I think you're an ass.”

“Uh... hello?” Sally said uncomfortably, looking back and forth before she bit her lip as she looked back at Datura, asking quietly: “Where is she?”

“Right here.” Datura said softly, silently tapping his own breast, and there was silence for a few moments before Datura scowled and closed his eyes, muttering: “That was romantic drivel, not me admitting I'm insane and only responding to an auditory hallucination.”

“I'm sorry.” Sally said quietly: it felt like the only thing she could say. And Datura only shrugged slowly as he looked down, and there was silence for a few long moments before the Pegasus Avatar asked hesitantly: “Do you want to be alone?”

Datura looked up at her for a moment, and then he bit his lip before closing his eyes and shaking his head briefly. And Sally nodded as she sat quietly in a chair across from him, lowering her head and rubbing her front hooves together silently for a little while.

Finally, Datura simply... looked up, and he studied her moodily. His eyes were still full of pain, but he acted as if nothing had happened as he asked: “So you can't sleep?”

Sally shook her head briefly, and she studied him before questioning in return: “And what about you? Do you ever sleep?”

“A few hours, here and there. But otherwise... I try to avoid sleeping. Either I fall into emptiness, or I... have nightmares.” Datura looked down, grimacing a bit and muttering: “Funny. Me, afraid of my own nightmares. But I suppose we all have our demons, don't we?”

Sally smiled briefly, studying him silently for a few moments before she shook her head and replied quietly: “I think it's funny that you're running away from them. Every time we've been in a fight, you've run headlong into whoever was attacking us. And... I don't think I ever properly thanked you for that, by the way.”

Datura shrugged a bit, looking away and murmuring: “I have power in this world. I don't feel pain like you do. I get a thrill out of battle and I... enjoy the fighting, the killing. And at worst, they'll kill me, which... just sends me back home.”

Sally gazed at the stallion, at the way he shifted away, letting the messy bangs of his mane cover his eyes, and then she said softly: “You don't deserve to die.”

Datura smiled briefly, then he shrugged before putting his cup of tea aside, saying moodily: “You just missed Celestia, you know. A few minutes earlier and you would have had her to annoy instead of me. Are you sure you don't want to just go home before you go full horsetard?”

“I made a promise to you. Besides, the fact I'm going all... crazy, seems to give me a few advantages over you.” Sally said quietly, looking at him steadily: and she really could, too. She could read his body language, she could almost smell his emotions, she picked up on every little twitch and shift and the meanings behind the way his ears swiveled, the way his eyes moved... “You're going to do the right thing tomorrow.”

“I hope so.” Datura muttered, then he looked up at her moodily before saying distastefully: “You know, you've gotten a lot ballsier since we first met. But let's not forget I nearly made you pee yourself at that first meeting, too.”

Sally hesitated... then she suddenly leaned forwards, challenging: “Then do it to me again. But I'm not scared of you, Datura. I'm... I'm your friend, and I don't think you can hurt a friend.”

The two looked at each other for a few moments, and then Datura smiled bitterly before his horn and corrupted eye both glowed, the stallion leaning forwards and seeming to glare into her very soul as he said coldly: “Then you don't know me at all.”

The room around her warped and distorted, bursting into black flames as chains and thorny vines tore out of the chair and seized around her. She could feel them, cutting into her, as the fires licked at her body, as Datura leaned forwards with a cold grin as his eyes glowed with hellish light and he became more monstrous by the moment, black drool leaking from his jaws. “Do you know what you are to me? Meat. And I thrive off of pain. The pain of others gives me strength, and strength is all that matters. You are weak. I am strong. That means you are my property. That means you are my prey.”

It hurt; oh god, did it hurt, and the Pegasus Avatar felt her whole body shaking with the pain... and yet she only continued to glare challengingly up at Datura as he leaned down in her face. His hot breath washed out over her, and she knew... she knew, without a doubt, that he wouldn't hesitate to rip her apart if she let him. She saw hellish knowledge in his eyes, and eagerness to act out his every desire on her, until she was broken, mutilated, left in a far worse state than merely 'dead...'

And yet, at the same time... she felt no fear of him, looking up into his eyes silently before she said quietly: “You won't hurt me. And you don't scare me anymore. Because I see you, and I see you.”

Datura looked down at her silently, and then Sally pulled against the chains and vines, hissing quietly in pain, but forcing herself to lean forwards all the same until her lips pressed gently to his cheek, and then she closed her eyes tightly and whispered: “Stop hiding behind this monster, you stupid son of a bitch, and get over yourself and whatever the hell the world did to you. It doesn't matter anymore. I'm not that world. And neither are you.”

There was silence for a few moments... and then suddenly, the pain was gone, and instead they were floating in a sea of stars. Sally looked back and forth in surprise as she held up her forelegs, then she looked over at Datura as he quietly sat beside her, no longer monstrous, but just... a scarred old stallion who smiled briefly at her before he looked ahead and said quietly: “I hate you.”

“Good. I hate you too.” Sally replied after a moment, and the two gazed silently out through the starry endlessness before the mare asked: “Is this... a dream?”

“Yes.” Datura shrugged a bit, then he gestured outwards and said quietly: “Tell me something you want to see, Sally, and... I'll make it come to life for you. Consider it a prize for... being the first person not to flinch when I pressed them into a corner. And a thank you, for... understanding me.”

Sally laughed a little at this, then she rubbed at her forelegs silently before she looked over at him, studying him quietly before she asked quietly: “Can you... can you show me my family?”

Datura looked over at her for a moment, and then he countered gently: “Do you trust me enough for me to reach into your mind? I have to extract a memory from you. But if you let me in... I might accidentally catch other glimpses of memories you associate with them. Or, you know, I might snoop through your brain to see your most private thoughts, like when you used to think about your teacher and touch yourself.”

But Sally only smiled wryly at this, replying candidly: “I never touched myself thinking about any of my teachers, they were all either old ladies or short, fat, and bald. I touched myself thinking about big handsome stallions all covered in scars.”

Datura snorted in amusement at this, then he pretended to look flattered as he bowed his head towards her. “Thank you for revealing that you're either a zoophile or a furry. And I don't know which is worse, really.”

“I'm not even going to point out the fact we're all talking horses right now, or the fact that I'm probably the only Avatar in all of Equestria who never thought about how horse sex would work.” Sally stopped, then frowned a bit, asking uncertainly: “How... would it even work in this world? I mean, can Avatars have...”

“Avatars have had foals before, even with Trueborn. I just... don't know what's going to happen to those children when...” Datura quieted, looking away for a moment before he cleared his throat and said finally: “Shut up and concentrate on your family.”

Sally nodded a bit, and Datura reached up to calmly touch her forehead with one hoof, the stallion closing his eyes and concentrating before he smiled briefly. And Sally felt a strange sense of vertigo, the mare closing her eyes for a moment and shivering a bit before she opened them...

And stared in awe at the sight of all her brothers, her father... and her mother, too. The Pegasus Avatar swallowed thickly before she stepped forwards... then stared down at herself in surprise as she stumbled and realized she was standing on two legs. Two legs, and two hands that she held up in front of her face...

She turned around, staring at Datura... but he only smiled at her amusedly, still in the shape of a horse as he said softly: “Sorry if I made things awkward at all, but... you said your family, and this is what I saw in your mind. And I figured... you'd want to be as you remember yourself, too.”

Sally looked silently down at her hands for a moment, then she swallowed thickly before nodding a few times and smiling faintly over at Datura. Then she spun around, laughing and taking a few steps towards her family...

But then she halted, standing in front of where open space met the beautiful fields where her family was waving at her, smiling to her, calling her home from... and Sally hesitated before she looked over her shoulder at the stallion, asking quietly: “Why... why do you still look like that, then?”

Datura shrugged a bit, then he replied softly: “Because no matter what my wrapper looks like, I'm the same candy bar beneath the foil.”

Sally studied Datura quietly for a few moments, and then she turned back ahead, gazing quietly at her family and biting her lip before she smiled faintly, then turned around and murmured: “I've uh... it might sound weird for a farm girl and all, but I've never ridden a horse before.”

Datura looked at her curiously, and then frowned as Sally approached. She stopped in front of him, studying him silently: he definitely wasn't any pony, but a big old horse, with how he had to crane his head down a fair bit to look her in the eye. They studied each other for a moment, and then Datura finally gave a hesitant nod before lowering himself and muttering: “Climb on.”

The woman reached up and grasped into his shoulder with one hand and his far side with the other, then hopped quickly up onto his back with a grunt, settling herself across him before tangling her fingers in his long, messy hair. She laughed a little at how real it felt, blushing a bit as she gazed down at the back of the stallion's head, but Datura only flicked his ears before he said moodily: “Move up a little. Keep your heels down, don't clutch with your lower legs. Back straight and arms low, and for the love of god, don't yank my mane.”

“Yes, boss.” Sally said softly, doing her best to shift into better position, and the stallion nodded his approval after a moment before he straightened fully and started to calmly walk forwards, Sally swaying a little and laughing a bit as she looked over her shoulder once... but the image of her family had faded, and yet... she thought that was for the best. She was happy she had seen them, she was happy Datura had given her this glimpse, this dream... but at the same time...

“I have to stay here.” Sally said quietly, and Datura looked back at her curiously as he continued to walk through the starry darkness, the farm girl smiling faintly as she shook her hay-colored hair out of her eyes. “I... have to finish this. Momma and Daddy would both want me to finish this, and... to keep my promise to you. That's all there is to it.”

Datura looked ahead, then he nodded briefly before murmuring: “I can respect that. And I'm...” Datura shifted in embarrassment, and then he looked away and muttered: “Thank you for being here. I appreciate it. A lot more than I can say.”

Sally only smiled briefly, looking down at him before she reached impulsively forwards and rubbed his neck, and Datura flinched before grumbling: “Don't do that.”

Sally rolled her eyes, then reached up to flick one of his ears... before yelping when the stallion bucked her, clutching wildly into his back before Datura said dryly: “We're in a dream state. And for now, I've... I've made sure you won't get hurt, even if you fall. So just... hold on, and I'll show you freedom.”

Sally looked dumbly down at the stallion for a moment... then yelped as Datura leapt suddenly forwards, breaking into a full out gallop. She clutched into him, staring down at the stallion and swearing furiously before she looked up... and instead found herself gazing into the wind with awe as they shot through starry dream-space.

And Sally understood for the first time in her life what freedom really was.

The Pegasus Avatar and the scarred unicorn strode side-by-side into the meeting room, both smiling. Immediately, Splinthoof looked suspicious and Whisper cocked her head curiously, but Celestia only chuckled quietly before she started: “It's good to see that you're making friends, Datura.”

“Well, you know me. I'm all about friendship.” Datura said wryly, and he turned a moody look towards the other stallion in the room, glowering at him a little. “But you know all about that, don't you, Terrance?”

Terrance scowled at Datura, but then he forced himself to smile thinly before turning his eyes towards Celestia. “Please reconsider this course of action, Princess Celestia. Everything has been going very well, and I just don't think that we're going to be able to handle the political fallout or the chaos that could result from this decision...”

“We have to believe in people, Terrance. And I know for a fact that there are Avatars out there who are unhappy, who probably want to go home, but are hesitant to leave if they think they can't come back. And I know that many of the Avatars still respect me enough that they'll listen to what I have to say, and I believe they'll make the right decision.” Celestia replied patiently, as if she'd had this conversation with Terrance many times before. “And everyone will be welcomed back. You assured me yourself that the machine you've been building for me will help with that.”

Datura narrowed his eyes, and Terrance shifted on his hooves, betraying the slightest bit of nervousness before he sighed and lowered his head respectfully, saying finally: “Yes, Princess Celestia. Still, until tested, we won't know if it actually works or not...”

“I have faith in you. And I know that when the rift is reopened, more Avatars will be given the chance to explore our Equestria, one way or another. With everything that I and my sister and Twilight Sparkle have studied, we believe that turning off the machine will allow the rift to... reset, so to speak. When the rift machine is activated again, it should be enough to 'invite' many of the old Avatars back into our world... your machine will hopefully only be an extra precaution.”

Terrance nodded grumpily, and then Datura asked testily: “So uh, what's this whole 'Terry machine' then? I don't remember discussing that.”

“Because it's none of your business.” Terrance replied sharply, baring his teeth at Datura. “But if you really have to know, some of us are more interested in creating than destroying. I have promised to lend my every assistance here to Princess Celestia, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to also try and ensure the Avatars are protected as possible, and we all have a way back into this world! I have changed, and put aside my ego; you've let yours warp you into a monster!”

“We all become what we truly are, Terrance, one way or another: fighting your darkness instead of embracing it only feeds your demons. But a pretty porcelain pony like you could never understand that, could you?” Datura retorted, corrupted eye blazing with hate.

The two glared at each other for a few moments as the other ponies shifted uncomfortably, and then Celestia held up a hoof, getting the attention of both stallions. “Datura, Terrance has been extremely helpful and you know that we can trust him. Likewise, Terrance, Datura is here and you know better than anypony that he does not break a promise. A long time ago, you two used to be friends: please, for the sake of that friendship and for Equestria's, put aside your anger. We all want the same thing here. There's no reason to fight.”

The two stallions grumbled moodily, but then they both nodded sulkily before Terrance muttered: “I have to go upstairs and check on the device, anyway. When you shut down the rift machine, it might cause problems. Don't worry, I already took my best men downstairs and had them clear the way so you can access the core chamber's remaining defenses.”

Terrance shifted, and Sally frowned uncertainly as she thought she caught some glimmer, but Datura only grunted and Celestia smiled... so the mare put it aside for now, as she instead looked at Splinthoof and Whisper, before turning her eyes back towards the princess. “So are we... are we going to come with you?”

“You three helped bring Datura here. I thought it might be good for the three of you to see this finished, as well.” Celestia said softly, and Sally smiled and nodded as Whisper blushed a bit and Splinthoof saluted. “Terrance, if you'd like to come, you're welcome as well... don't feel that you have to excuse yourself from the group.”

“No, no. I really should go ensure the machine is ready. For all we know, when you turn off the rift machine, Avatars and Figments might start vanishing.” Terrance sighed a little, and then he looked moodily at Datura before saying grudgingly: “Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Datura said moodily, but he nodded briefly all the same to Terrance, and the earth pony Avatar excused himself after another moment, heading to the door in silence as Sally pawed a hoof nervously against the ground.

There was silence for a few more seconds, and then Datura cleared his throat before he looked over at Celestia, saying finally: “I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible, because I honestly don't know if I'm making the right decision or not, and I would rather just take a step forwards and not think about this anymore.”

Sally was a little surprised at Datura's candor, but Celestia only smiled and nodded, saying softly: “I've always liked your honesty, Datura. It's a little difficult to get used to, but... it's nice to have someone straightforward around.”

“I've never understood not being honest when someone asks you a question. Sure, I get social pulp and standards, but I'm not very good at... social things.” Datura said mildly, and then he and Celestia fell in step as they headed towards the door, Sally following nervously with Whisper and Splinthoof.

Celestia smiled at Datura, but Sally couldn't pay much attention to their conversation as they made their way down through Canterlot: something seemed... very strange to her today, but she couldn't quite place her hoof on it. The halls seemed emptier, and the world seemed... tenser around them, and she could swear there were fewer Avatars then there had been before and... what the hell was eating at her?

No, it wasn't just the thought that... she was going to help banish all these Avatars from Equestria. Celestia's plan actually sounded very reasonable... and if time really did move funny compared to the real world, maybe the Avatars would only be gone for a single night, then get to come back here the next time they slept or... whatever had happened to bring them all here. Sally, after all, didn't really remember falling asleep, but... her memories between picking berries and waking up here had gotten all funny and fuzzy.

She tried just to concentrate on the journey, but her mind kept trying to warn her about something, kept telling her something was wrong... but the other part of her kept scoffing at the horse-mind and her instincts, saying it was impossible, that the others would pick up if something was wrong, that someone else would say something... she wasn't really the leader anymore, after all. That was Celestia or Datura: she was just the mare who was safe here in the middle of her herd, following the regal Princess of the Sun and the scarred stallion.

She barely noticed when beautiful halls become harder, less-polished stone, or when they began to pass fewer civilians and more guards. She barely noticed the metal and steel supports and armored doors, or how conversation grew more hushed and almost nervous, even between Celestia and Datura. She didn't hear the hum of electricity running through the cables along the ceiling, or the hiss of water and steam through the large pipes that ran through roof and wall and under the grated floor.

Sally didn't look up or lock back into reality until they reached a massive vault door. She frowned uncertainly as she looked back and forth, then quickly glanced over her shoulder as she realized they were actually in some kind of airlock. The door behind them was slowly sealing shut, and the mare bit her lip before she looked up nervously, asking hesitantly: “Are... are we here?”

“We are.” Celestia confirmed gesturing calmly ahead at the massive, hermaphroditically-sealed door as machinery cycled loudly all around them. “This checkpoint is the first layer of defense, designed by Terrance. The other sealed doors and defenses have already all been unlocked or shut down: Once Datura disables the barrier he created, we'll be in the Core Chamber and I'll turn off the last of the defenses myself.”

Datura grunted, but Sally thought he looked uneasy... and not just because of the loud noises, even though that was clearly making him uncomfortable too. But then the valves over the vault door in front of them began to spin rapidly, and Splinthoof smiled as he reached up to grasp her shoulder in silent reassurance, keeping his eyes ahead and looking... proud, she thought.

The massive vault door groaned, then swung slowly open to reveal what looked like a long, wide bridge of steel beyond leading overtop a gaping abyss, out of which came the sounds of clanking machinery and gears. Celestia led the group almost eagerly onto the bridge, Datura lingering a little behind to let Whisper catch up to him, and Sally bit her lip and just stared until Splinthoof shook her gently and said softly: “Come on. We're just about done.”

Sally nodded briefly, then she nervously followed after the ponies, still feeling incredibly uncomfortable as they made their way slowly down the metal path between the low railing. She swallowed a bit, her eyes darting back and forth, staring at the walls of steel and the strange machinery as they passed through wide arch after wide arch, feeling a strange, sizzling static passing over her body as she saw runes and crystals and felt... magic, she thought. But it wasn't a good magic, either: it was a... a scary magic. “It... I don't like this. I don't like this.”

Celestia frowned over her shoulder curiously, and Datura scowled a little, his corrupted eye glowing as he muttered: “Neither do I... this feels different since the last time I was here. How much was the power of the rift machine increased?”

“It shouldn't be that different...” Celestia said slowly, shaking her head briefly before she gestured at towards the end of the bridge, saying quietly: “Maybe the rift machine is malfunctioning, and that's why Sally was pulled through... but that's all the more reason for us to shut it down.”

“Yeah.” Datura didn't sound convinced as they reached a massive, black gate at the end of the corridor: it was made of plain, dark metal inset into a curving wall of steel that stretched seemingly endlessly in all directions, with a set of runes engraved over the front that glowed with a hellish red light, and Datura scowled before he reached up and touched this as Celestia frowned at him uneasily. “What the hell is this...”

The others looked at him nervously, but all Datura did was turn and push Whisper back and away from him before he turned to face the gate, his fractured horn glowing as he studied the door. He closed his eyes after a moment, then scowled a bit as Celestia asked quietly: “What's wrong?”

“This isn't my magic... my magic was dispelled from this door a long time ago.” Datura muttered, his eyes remaining shut, and Celestia frowned at him as the stallion continued: “Someone's been screwing with you, Celestia. Someone tampered-”

“Terrance!” blurted Sally suddenly, and Datura started a bit, but he didn't look back, still managing to focus on the door as the Pegasus Avatar babbled, even as Splinthoof and Whisper stared: “It's Terrance! I know it has to be him, he's... he gave me this creepy vibe but I didn't want to say anything because it felt bad but I know it has to be him!”

“That's ridiculous. Terrance disagrees with what we're doing: if anything, he wants the rift machine protected the most out of all of us.” Celestia said uncertainly, but Datura only laughed shortly at this, smiling thinly.

“On the one hoof, I'd say it's impossible because Terrance doesn't have any magic... but on the other...” Datura scowled darkly, muttering: “We'll find out in a minute, anyway... this riddle was designed by an Avatar, it's giving me images of...”

Datura halted, then he snorted before saying contemptibly: “I should just override this and-”

“No. There are failsafes in place, you know that as well as I do.” Celestia said forcefully, and Datura scowled as Sally found herself naturally dropping her head in submission to the princess, even though Celestia wasn't even looking at her right now. “If any of these defenses are destroyed instead of disabled, it will trigger a destruction mechanism in the rift machine itself.”

Datura grumbled under his breath, then he took a slow breath before suddenly twisting his horn to the side, and there was a loud clanking as the door shivered before the runes whiffed out of existence. And a moment later, the door slowly began to grind up into the ceiling as Datura shook his head out briefly, muttering: “Doesn't seem to pick up on when I cheat, though.”

Celestia sighed and looked at him disapprovingly, but Datura only smiled wryly before looking forwards... and then his usual demeanor dropped completely as he stared in shock at the room beyond.

He leapt forwards, ducking under the gate as Celestia frowned, before her own eyes widened and she ran after him, giving a single shocked shout of: “No!”

Splinthoof, Whisper, and Sally traded looks of surprise, then hurried after the three into... what seemed to be some kind of enormous, dome-shaped chamber. There was a raised, circular platform in the center of the room, with some kind of large, pod-shaped construct in the exact middle: massive tubes and cables fed down into this from the ceiling, and Sally frowned as she realized what was wrong even before she asked the question: “That's... not the rift machine, is it?”

“It..” Datura looked back and forth disbelievingly, as shocked as Celestia as they both stumbled desperately around the room, as if the reality-altering machine was playing some insane game of hide and seek with them... but all they saw were shelves, and support pillars, and heavy machines and crates that were secured tightly to the floor by massive, hooked chains.

And then both ponies turned towards the pod-shaped structure in the center, Celestia striding quickly towards it. But the moment her hoof touched the short, wide dais, there was a blare of sound that sent her rearing back in shock, the mare stumbling hurriedly away as Sally whinnied in fear and shook herself wildly, her horse mind going frantic for a moment.

But Whisper and Splinthoof both froze at her sides, and Sally instinctively dropped to the ready beside them as Datura snarled and set himself... and then all eyes were drawn upwards as a familiar voice said distastefully from a speaker system above: “Don't bother to interrupt, because this is a prerecorded message... for Datura and Celestia, I'm guessing.”

“Terrance!” Datura shouted angrily, glaring up at the speaker, and there was a dry laugh from the machine above. “You stupid son of a bitch, why don't you-”

“I'm guessing Datura is yelling at me right now, having completely ignored my previous message. Like he ignores everything that doesn't mesh with his existence.” Terrance's voice drawled, before adding meditatively: “Or maybe he's just too far gone by this point to understand that I cannot hear him. That this isn't just another voice in his own head.

“But let's cut the chatter and the pleasantries, shall we?” Terrance's voice became brisker as the pod began to rumble loudly, and a hideous giggling echoed out of it. “I honestly didn't want to do this, but ever since Celestia proposed removing the rift machine... well, I couldn't let that happen. This world belongs to the Avatars now. They invited us in, and we made the lives of the Trueborn better. Besides, what are they really, but animals who talk? This world is ours now, and I, for one, am not willing to just hand it back over to these ignorant little ponies.

“Don't think I'm impressed that you opened my lock, Datura. In fact, I'm hoping you did: I know that, like your brain and what's between your legs, your magic reserve is very small.” Terrance said mockingly, and Datura snarled, grinding his teeth together even as his eyes widened in understanding. “That will prevent you from posing too much of a nuisance to my friend here. An alicorn by the name of Death Oppressor. He's very eager to make your acquaintance.”

The pod clanged loudly, and that laughter shook the air again before Terrance said calmly: “I'm truly sorry it had to come to this, Celestia, Datura. But I suppose it's time for a new regime anyway, isn't it? And Datura... as one last favor to you, I've asked Death Oppressor to ensure your death will be slow, and painful. Have fun.”

The stereo clicked loudly off... and then the world shook as the pod was smashed open, and an alicorn lunged out with a wild laugh. His white and red mane and tail spiked in every direction, and his body was a gleaming, bright black and almost leathery... apart from the skull-shaped white markings over his face.

His wings were huge and leathery, and his horn tall and curved and glowing red. His cutie mark was a a crowned skull, and the stallion's eyes were mismatched bright red and glowing blue, the stallion roaring: “I'm gonna eat your souls!”

“That's fattening.” Datura replied calmly, and the alicorn twitched before snarling furiously at him, but the scarred stallion continued to look unfettered... even though Sally could sense not just anger and hate, but... fear. Actual fear. “Why don't you go back to your cocoon, caterpillar? Looks like you haven't turned into a moth yet.”

Death Oppressor only laughed loudly... then he grinned widely as Celestia leaned forwards and said sharply: “Avatar! As Princess of Equestria, I order you to immediately surrender! No matter how strong you are-”

Death Oppressor simply flicked his horn, and Datura stared in shock as Princess Celestia was knocked off her hooves and thrown across the room, the ivory mare crashing into the wall and bouncing bonelessly off to crumple to the ground in a stunned heap. One of her wings twitched brokenly as blood ran from the cuts and scrapes that had been torn in her back on impact, and Splinthoof shouted in denial as he immediately rushed to the princess' side.

Sally trembled in terror, looking in fear from Princess Celestia to this alicorn... this alicorn who didn't smell right, who seemed purely evil, who had... so much terrible power. And Datura snarled as he focused on the stallion, his corrupted eye glowing as Death Oppressor said mockingly: “What's wrong, bitch? Oh yeah, that's right, you're weak! I am god!”

Datura looked suddenly up, gazing sharply back and forth as Sally stumbled backwards, whimpering as her eyes stared at the Avatar. And she saw not just... not just this vile alicorn, but a stupid, angry, miserable child. Some disturbed kid that had likely been tormented every day of his life, and now had found a place where he had ultimate power... but instead of using that for good, oh no, he was determined to make everyone else as miserable as he had been...

“Why are you doing this? We didn't hurt you!” Sally shouted, and the winged unicorn stared at her with surprise, his whole body twitching and his eyes widening. “We don't want to hurt you!”

“Stop it!” Whisper added forcefully, but she looked desperate even as she added sharply: “You... your pain never gives you the right to lash out and-”

“Shut up! Go to hell!” screamed Death Oppressor, shoving a hoof towards them, and telekinetic bands seized viciously around both of the mares, hefting them high into the air and slamming them cruelly together as they both shrieked in agony. And then Oppressor shoved his hoof out, and the two Avatars were sent hurtling across the room to nearly crash into Celestia, but Splinthoof barely managed to catch them in time with a shield of magic, the unicorn cursing in frustration. “I'm the most powerful alicorn in the world! No one can hurt me anymore, no one!”

Datura wanted to run forwards, lash out, leap to the aid of his... his friends. But he didn't let himself do any of that, as he instead kept all of his focus on Death Oppressor, his corrupted eye swirling in its socket before he watched as the alicorn lashed childishly out with his powers at the ponies who had attracted all of his attention, sending a massive blast of lightning at them... and there. There, he saw it: the tell.

There was no glow around the alicorn's horn, no sense of him gathering the magic himself: instead, Datura felt the energy in the room all around him. Death Oppressor wasn't overriding the rules of this world by being infinitely powerful, any more than he was the god he believed himself to be: no, there was something in this room that was feeding him power through a tether of magic. If he could snap that tether, he could render Death Oppressor vulnerable...

But then his friends screamed in agony, and Datura found himself looking sharply over his shoulder, trembling as he stared at the sight of... Sally, and Splinthoof, and Whisper and even Celestia all howling and crying out in torment as they bucked and convulsed under the blasts of black lightning from this... this godmoding son of a bitch.

Datura swore under his breath... and then he ran forwards and simply flung himself onto the alicorn's back, and Death Oppressor swore angrily before beginning to buck him forwards: but Datura moved with the stallion, seizing into his head and leaning sharply forwards to almost press their faces together as his eyes glowed and his horn flashed with hellish light.

Death Oppressor staggered, and Datura hurriedly leapt off of him and jumped away as the alicorn gurgled and looked back and forth. Then he began to shiver before screaming in fury, spinning to the side and shouting furiously: “You! I hate you! I hate you!”

He charged forwards, then tackled a metal shelf, knocking it crashing backwards with a scream of metal and a spray of loose parts before Oppressor began to laugh manically, slamming blow after blow savagely down into the steel frame to bend and rupture it. Datura didn't waste time watching, though: he had no magic left and a nasty feeling that once the illusion wore off, the rest of his powers weren't going to work very well against Oppressor. “Come on! We have to get out of here!”

Celestia swore as she forced herself up to her hooves, gritting her teeth, but Splinthoof nodded sharply in agreement, saying quickly as Sally whinnied fearfully and Whisper gasped as she shoved herself to her hooves: “He's right! Princess, your safety is number one priority, and we have to stop Terrance! Equestria is in danger!”

“Let's... let's go.” Princess Celestia agreed after a moment, and Datura nodded quickly, all-but-shoving the other ponies onward ahead of him before he looked over his shoulder and grimaced as Death Oppressor cackled, leaping gleefully towards a crate and destroying it with flashes of powerful, impossible magic and his bare hooves... and the scarred stallion couldn't help but wonder even as he turned whether or not his illusion was still working... or if Death Oppressor was just reveling in his own power and enjoying destruction for the sake of destruction.

Celestia and Splinthoof led the escape down the bridge, the stallion staying close to his princess' side before both ponies looked up in shock as an alarm blared, and a moment later a barred gate slammed loudly shut only a few feet in front of them, the ponies almost skidding into this as Celestia cursed. She examined the door quickly, ignoring the sizzle of static even as Splinthoof and the other ponies looked up when Terrance's voice explained calmly: “I can't have you leaving now, can I? And if you think you can escape Death Oppressor... think again.”

There was another beeping, and Celestia shouted in denial, leaning forwards and staring through the bars as the massive airlock slowly swung shut. “There. By now, the airlock should have cycled, and the security bridge beyond will have raised. And Death Oppressor is... very impatient. He won't let you live for one minute, let alone the ten it'll take to override everything.”

“We have to hold out as long as possible!” Celestia said sharply, flicking her horn quickly, and there was a clanking before something snapped loudly inside the archway, and the mare easily snapped her horn up to knock the portcullis sliding back open. She strode quickly through the gate as Splinthoof bolted ahead to try and activate the airlock, as Celestia continued, Whisper and Sally following after her and looking up at her fearfully as Datura dropped his gaze and ground his teeth together: “If we all work together-”

“We'll be sitting ducks on this bridge. Too much open space and a narrow corridor, where the five of us will be lined up like bowling pins.” Datura muttered, and then he gritted his teeth, looking over his shoulder and grinding his teeth together... and Sally's eyes widened as she realized what he wanted to do.

Whisper seemed to think the same thing, the mare stepping forwards and saying forcefully: “No. No, you can't! Even if you can't feel pain, he'll still kill you! He'll tear you apart, you're only one-”

“Where are you? Come on, I want to play some more! Don't you want to play with me?” jeered a voice from down the bridge, and it was followed by insane laughter... before Celestia's back arched, and she screamed in agony as black lightning sizzled and crackled over her body, the mare jittering before she fell to the ground. “How does that feel, princess whore? I don't need to see you to hurt you! I can do anything! Now come on, I want to see which one of you has the balls to face me... or are you just going to sit there and let me kill you?”

The alicorn laughed loudly, and Datura swore under his breath, looking down the corridor before Whisper said almost pleadingly: “Don't go. Don't... go alone. I won't let you go alone, so just let me come with you. Let me help you distract him!”

Datura softened at this, turning silently towards Whisper, and the two studied each other for a few moments before the stallion smiled faintly, reaching up and silently stroking her face. Then he leaned down and gently, tenderly kissed her forehead before lowering his head to hers, murmuring something soft to her as he breathed slowly in and out, and Whisper trembled before leaning up and hugging him tightly around the neck.

Datura reached up, silently embracing her in return... and then, in a sudden, sharp movement, he drew back and slammed Whisper savagely down into the floor with a resounding bang. Splinthoof looked up in shock as Sally cried out, Whisper's body going limp...

And Datura stood over her, staring down at her miserably. He didn't seem to hear the ponies as they yelled at him, while Celestia only stared blankly from where she was laying against the airlock door... before the scarred stallion carefully, tenderly reached down and picked Whisper's unconscious body up, cradling her like a child in one foreleg as he walked slowly past Sally to Splinthoof.

The unicorn went quiet as he looked disbelievingly up at Datura, while Datura smiled faintly down at him, his eyes bright with unshed tears as he said softly: “Please take care of her for me. Get her out of here. Keep her... and keep Sally... safe. I trust you.”

He gently passed Whisper to the stunned stallion, and then Datura calmly shook himself before turning and striding away. He glanced at Sally as he passed, giving her a brief smile before he faced ahead, striding back through the portcullis, and Sally stumbled after him, reaching up a hoof...

“No. Let him go.” Celestia whispered, and Sally looked over her shoulder at the ivory mare, trembling weakly. “Open... open the airlock. We need to stop Terrance.”

“Y-Yes, ma'am.” whispered Splinthoof, and he swallowed thickly before carefully laying Whisper down and turning to quickly stumble towards the airlock controls, as Sally bit her lip, then looked over her shoulder as screaming laughter echoed down the bridge, praying for her friend...

Datura grimaced at Death Oppressor's loudness as he strode alone into the Core Chamber, which Death Oppressor had transformed into a massive throne room. The pod was now an enormous seat made of skulls and gold, and huge torches lit the room instead of mechanical lights, even though Datura could still hear the click and whirr of gears, the sizzle of electrical cables and magical crystal under the floors and in the ceiling. Pillars lined the room as well, decorated with fearsome statues of monsters and massive metal chains: but it was all distorted, with no pattern, no sense of structure or reason. It was a child's idea of what an evil villain's lair should look like.

The alicorn smiled at him mockingly from his seat, picking up a goblet in one hoof and slurping loudly from it before he grinned and flung it at Datura: the stallion only flinched a bit when it bounced off his face, and that was more because of the sweet-tasting red juice that splashed over his face than anything else. “Well, glad you could make it! I just ran out of virgin's blood, and I see you have plenty to give me!”

“Once you get a little older, you start to realize that while bragging about sex is great fun, whether or not you've actually had it doesn't really do a whole lot to affect your ability to punch someone else in the face. Or, conversely, to take a punch to the face.” Datura said mildly, looking fearlessly up at the alicorn on his throne. “Also, not to be pedantic... but one guy drinking another guy's 'virgin blood' sounds pretty gay to me.”

The alicorn snarled at this, leaning forwards before he simply slapped a hoof out, and Datura was flung across the room to crash painfully into the wall, gasping... and then he was yanked back through the air, left floating helplessly in front of the alicorn's face as psychic bands crushed around his limbs and body, the stallion hissing up at him: “Shut up and respect your betters, scum. I'm a thousand times better than you, in every single way. You can't hurt me.”

Datura smiled pleasantly, and then he leaned forwards and spat in the Death Oppressor's face, the alicorn freezing up and staring in shock before Datura said calmly: “You're speaking to someone who specializes in causing pain and breaking pride.”

The alicorn snarled in fury, then screamed in rage and lashed his hoof out, slamming a punch into Datura that sent him flying into a pillar with enough force to crash through it in a spray of broken stone and shattered metal links. He hit the ground hard, bouncing bonelessly backwards before he landed in a painful bellyflop with a gasp, gritting his teeth as the breath was knocked from his body and his whole form pulsed with pain... but much worse than that, he felt bones fracturing and muscle spasming and tearing. Whisper was right: just because he could absorb the pain, that didn't mean he could just shrug off the physical damage so easily.

Datura crawled up to a standing position as his front hooves clicked apart into claws, and then he looked coldly up as the remains of the pillar exploded into dust and shrapnel, Death Oppressor striding through this cloud with a snarl before he shouted: “You don't understand, do you? I can do anything I want! I can be anything I want! I have every power in the universe and I am invincible!”

The alicorn strode up to Datura and simply slapped him, knocking him crashing and rolling across the floor to bang loudly into wall. The scarred unicorn swore under his breath, then picked himself slowly up as Oppressor grinned after him, mocking: “So who's the weakling now, huh? You are. You're worthless. You're weak.”

“Tell me something I don't know.” Datura muttered as he rolled his shoulders, grimacing and looking coldly up as he carefully pushed himself back to a standing position, trying to get the painful ringing out of his mind.

Death Oppressor grinned savagely as he suddenly leapt at the scarred stallion, but Datura dodged quickly to the side before he lashed his horn out, hitting the alicorn with a psychokinetic hammer... which bounced uselessly off and hammered back into Datura's face, sending him stumbling stupidly backwards as Death Oppressor laughed loudly and mocked: “What's wrong? Didn't you know I reflect all magic?”

“Psychic powers aren't magic.” Datura grimaced a bit, but at least that told him a little more about the alicorn and what he was faced with... and he didn't even bother to question why his powers had worked before, but now was being bounced back into his own face.

But Death Oppressor was gloating again, at least: he strutted forwards, grinning widely before he leaned in and mocked: “Aren't you going to try running away again? What about your friends, aren't they going to come and save you?”

“Stop talking.” Datura leapt forwards... and the alicorn simply caught him in a crushing psychic hold without so much as twitching, Oppressor grinning mockingly before he simply looked to the side, and Datura was thrown across the room and slammed cruelly into another pillar with enough force to shift the column out of place, before the stallion was then yanked backwards and flung sharply down into the ground.

He bounced once, and then Death Oppressor was instantly beside him, slamming a vicious kick into his side that sent him hurtling across the room to bounce off a wall and land with a crunch on the ground. Death Oppressor laughed loudly at this as Datura coughed blood and shivered weakly, clutching at his bruised, bloody side: that was a bad sign.

“You can't fight me! I know fifty styles of martial arts! I have infinite magic and I can't be hurt by anything, but I'm so strong I could destroy this whole planet with a single stomp if I wanted to!” the alicorn snarled, and Datura smiled grimly as he picked himself slowly up. “You're not cool! You're just weak and stupid for trying to continue to fight!”

“You can hurt me as much as you want. I'm going to keep getting back up.” Datura said quietly, slowly shoving his way to his hooves before he grimaced and reached up to touch his bruised side. He could feel... wetness, heaviness. A feeling somewhat like he was a water balloon that was slowly being stretched too far...

Death Oppressor laughed loudly, then he leaned forwards, mocking: “Yeah, I bet you will. That's cool, but you won't get up after I hit you with my death punch!”

The alicorn leaned back, his body tensing before he leapt forwards in a showy, vicious strike as his foreleg glowed with black energy... and Datura quickly slipped to the side before leaping forwards with an animal snarl as he slashed viciously and sharply down with a claw at the stallion's face.

The alicorn yelped in surprise as the claw slashed against his features, and Datura snarled even as he felt pain sizzle through his claws as they almost bent backwards and sent up an impossible spray of sparks, like he had just slashed metal against metal, not claw into flesh. And yet all the same, he couldn't stop: he pressed forwards, growling in fury as he slashed and slammed blow after blow into the alicorn, his whole body roaring with the instinct to tear into the enemy until one of them was dead.

Sparks flew as his claws cracked uselessly against the face of the alicorn, who flinched and staggered under the hail of blows before he suddenly roared, and Datura was blown through the air by a shockwave of power, seared and scalded by hellfire and energy. He crashed into the wall opposite, then flopped to the ground, landing in a thud on his stomach before he groaned quietly and wrapped a foreleg around himself, feeling... god, something inside him floating.

He had to buy time. He had to stall somehow, as he picked himself up, gritting his teeth as the alicorn shouted at him: “You can't hurt me! You're too weak! I barely even felt that!”

Datura licked his lips slowly, then he slowly, carefully shoved himself up to his hooves before looking up and replying calmly, as the alicorn began to step forwards: “But would a real god work for someone like Terrance?”

Death Oppressor halted, scowling at Datura, but listening all the same: Datura closed his eyes for a moment, taking as long as he dared before he continued in a quiet, rational voice: “You're being used. For all your... 'powers.' You're being used by Terrance.”

“No I'm not.” Death Oppressor sneered after a moment, raising his head and saying pompously: “This is going to be my kingdom, he said so! He made me a god! He said as long the rift machine is open, I will be invulnerable!”

“He lied to you.” Datura replied quietly, and Death Oppressor frowned before Datura gestured towards the throne now in the center of the room, asking: “Why were you locked away inside that pod?”

“It makes me more powerful!” Death Oppressor replied, glancing over at his throne... and with nothing but a grin, it transformed back into the large pod... except Datura thought it looked plusher now, in a word. Fancier, more like some kind of creepy cocoon... “It's my... it's like an egg!”

Datura's eyes widened slightly as the saw the pod transform slightly, the metal lightening slightly over its surface and the shape becoming distinctly more oval. The metaphor made no sense whatsoever, but even then, what the alicorn believed had just become reality... and Datura smiled grimly before he asked: “So you're so powerful, that you can do anything, right?”

Death Oppressor smiled mockingly, asking easily: “What are you trying to do? Some stupid trick? Because it's not going to work on me, asshole. What, you think you can make me hurt myself?”

Death Oppressor created a fireball above one hoof, then he grinned as he pushed it back against his own face, the flames only wreathing harmlessly around him. “I'm immune to my own powers. Duh. I've played Final Fantasy, I'm not about to let you reflect my own magic back at me.”

Datura smiled grimly, and then he lowered his head and said quietly: “You still haven't told me how you're not serving Terrance, though. Being a good little boy, sitting down here, letting him boss you around-”

“No one orders me around!” snapped the alicorn as he leapt forwards, but he only crashed down in front of Datura, snarling down into his face. “Terrance takes orders from me! Don't you ever forget that, do you understand?”

Datura only smiled again, retorting: “Then answer me, why the hell are you down here? Why aren't you upstairs? Why is Terrance the one pulling all the strings?”

The alicorn snarled and rose a hoof, and Datura quickly held up a claw, saying sharply: “Killing me is exactly what Terrance wants you to do, isn't it?”

“It's what I want to do, too!” shouted Death Oppressor angrily... but at the same time, he hesitated, his hoof wavering in the air before he reached forwards and seized Datura by the throat, then slammed the stallion down onto his back, Datura choking and grabbing uselessly at the alicorn's foreleg as he was pinned. “What the hell is your problem? Why are you trying to get in my head? You're nothing to me, absolutely nothing!”

“I'm trying to warn you!” gasped Datura, and the alicorn hesitated again before the scarred stallion hissed out: “He's... using you! Like he used me, and all of us!”

The alicorn gritted his teeth... and then his eyes widened and his body stiffened, raising his head high before he suddenly spun around and shouted angrily: “No! You're not allowed to leave!”

Magic pulsed through the air, and Datura snarled before he flung himself up to his hooves and leapt onto the alicorn's back, disrupting his thoughts. And down the bridge, in front of the now-open airlock, lightning and black fire exploded through the air, searing Sally as she leapt into the airlock last before Splinthoof hurriedly yanked the heavy door shut with a gasp.

The airlock began to whirr and cycle again, and Celestia trembled as she dropped her head as Splinthoof breathed roughly in and out, looking over his shoulder at the sealed airlock door as Whisper whimpered weakly on the ground, her eyes fluttering as if she struggled to consciousness for a moment... and then she faded back to darkness as Sally dropped her head, clenching her eyes shut and only hoping that Datura would somehow survive.

But when the other door opened, Celestia stumbled out and broke into a shambling gallop, gasping for breath as she rushed down the short security bridge with the other ponies following behind her. All they could do was send Datura their hopes and prayers... and honor the fact he had chosen to stay behind by putting a halt to Terrance's scheme.

In the core chamber, the alicorn yelled in fury before he bucked Datura off, then slapped him out of the air with a blast of magic force, Datura bouncing with a sickening crunch against the ground before Death Oppressor screamed: “I will not be mocked!”

He bolted forwards, then leapt up and slammed a fierce punch into Datura's body, sending the scarred stallion rocketing through the air to crash down onto the bridge and roll violently backwards. And still, Death Oppressor came on, smashing and kicking and blasting Datura in a helpless, broken heap down the bridge, making him bounce and roll and smash off pillars, vertigo ripping through his senses and his mind losing all coherency as limbs snapped and he felt his body giving out.

And then, finally, Death Oppressor leapt forwards and landed on Datura, pinning him down into the metal floor and slamming punch after punch after punch down into Datura's face, bloodying his jaw, crunching bone, sending up thick sprays of oily blood as the alicorn snarled down at him furiously. “You son of a bitch! You bastard! Wake up, wake up so I can kill you again!”

Datura gasped as he was hefted into the air, energy sizzling through his body as the alicorn lifted him above his head... before he gargled as he was slammed cruelly down onto his back, feeling bones breaking all over again, new, excruciating pain ripping through his body as what was restored was again destroyed. And the alicorn grinned insanely at this before he flung Datura backwards, shouting angrily: “So what, you saved your friends! I'll kill them, I'll kill this whole world later! For now, I'll just enjoy killing you...”

Massive, double edged black swords appeared in midair all around the alicorn, and Datura looked blankly up before the swords shot forwards one after the other, slamming through his chest and body with enough force to knock him staggering backwards before the last launched him down the bridge and pinned him back into the metal wall of the airlock. “Again...”

The swords exploded into dark fire that covered Datura's body, and the stallion screamed as he arched his back, his flesh melting like wax, blood bubbling out of his pores, his mane and tail becoming bright candles before he flopped forwards... “And again...”

Datura hit the ground hard, gurgling, his body twitching weakly as his eyes rolled in his head, but he was whole again. Whole, until the alicorn laughed and stomped forwards, and he was suddenly suspended on a bed of spikes. “And again!”

The spikes twisted, became massive screws, and Datura screamed... but then he snarled, even as black tears ran down his cheeks, leaning forwards even as the pain became too much even for his screwed-up psyche to be able to absorb it as pleasure: “Then come on! Hit me with everything you've got, you coward, you weakling! I'm not afraid of you!”

Black blood sprayed from Datura's mouth as he tried to lean forwards, and the alicorn stared at him with shock for a moment before he roared and leapt forwards, slamming a hoof into Datura with so much force it shattered the spikes he was impaled on like glass and sent the stallion rocketing back into the sealed, armored door with enough force to crunch the foot-thick metal in. But before he could so much as twitch, Death Oppressor tackled him viciously, slamming like a comet into the scarred stallion and smashing the entire armored door off its hinges, sending it toppling backwards into the airlock as Datura gargled, feeling a horrific ripping sensation...

And then he screamed in agony as the alicorn hefted him up in one hoof while slamming the other down into his face again and again, his body spasming, his eyes rolling in his head as he gargled helplessly and tried to kick legs that were no longer attached to his lower body as he felt himself weakening again as his features were battered and broken and crushed...

“You don't get to die!” Death Oppressor hissed, and then he half-flung the stallion into the air before slamming a hoof into his body, knocking what little remained of Datura shooting backwards to bounce off the open airlock door and knock it wide with a scream of metal as the broken remains of the pony spilled backwards... then screamed in agony as a blast of lightning hammered down into him, driving him face-first down into the ground in a tremendous surge of thunder and energy.

But then Datura's eyes flickered weakly on the ground, his whole body surging with unbelievable, hellish agony... except he could feel himself whole again. And yet all the pain, all the agony, all the hell of the endless seconds he had just endured was still rioting through his mind, and he could feel bloody wounds and scrapes and bruises over his body... but he could still stand, even with his broken bones. He was no longer dying and in pieces...

He looked up sluggishly as the alicorn landed in front of him, and then Death Oppressor reached forwards and seized him by the throat... except he didn't lift him quite as high, with quite as much ease this time. He seemed to wheeze a little, to struggle a bit as he held Datura over his head, and then his horn lit up with a sputtering, muddy color as he said angrily: “I'm never gonna let you die! I'm... I'm gonna keep killing you, over and over again, until you're... you're...”

Death Oppressor's forelegs trembled, and then he swore as he dropped the large, scarred unicorn, the aura around his horn sizzling out as he looked stupidly at his own hooves. He mouthed wordlessly, and then looked up as Datura focused in on the stallion before a low growl began to rise in the scarred unicorn's throat.

He couldn't feel the magic anymore, the presence, and Death Oppressor himself was looking weaker by the moment. He was breathing hard in and out, his eyes flicking back and forth as his whole body trembled, and Datura could smell his fear.

His growling rose as he didn't focus, but instead, let go: he let the pain, the hate, the agony, the despair and misery and all those other things he'd felt flow through his entire body. His horn pulsed with hellish black light and miasma began to leak out of his corrupted eye as his other iris turned solid, glowing with malice. His claws flexed and his muscles began to tremble, his fangs bared and twisted into a cruel, insane grin as the sane and logical mind faded, and the savage animal took over.

Death Oppressor took a trembling step backwards, shaking his head with a whimper, his whole body quivering with terror... and then he made his fatal mistake. He spun around, stumbling as he exposed his back.

The scarred stallion might have laughed, might have mocked him, might have even hesitated and let the self-proclaimed god who was nothing more than a scared, weak child flee, hide back in his artificial womb, out of some desire for compassion, mercy, maybe even justice instead of revenge.

But that part was gone. All that was left was Datura.

Datura leapt onto the alicorn's back like an animal and slammed him face first into the ground, claws ripping through his flesh like a cleaver through soft hamburger, and the alicorn screamed and wailed before Datura seized him by the base of either wing and half-spun, flinging him in the opposite direction, away from safety. Death Oppressor hit the ground on his back, and then screamed and shoved his hooves wildly upwards when Datura leapt on top of him, but his blows were useless as Datura roared and slung his claws down, and then all the alicorn could do was scream.

His face was flayed open before he tried to shield his face with his forelegs, but Datura shoved his forelegs open and slammed both claws down into his face before he seized him by the muzzle, jerking Death Oppressor's head up before slamming it with a sickening crunch back into the metal bridge. The alicorn spasmed and went limp, then gargled as blow after blow crashed down into his cheeks and eyes, Datura alternating between claws that ripped wide swathes through his face and punches that crushed bone and sent up splatters of blood.

The scarred unicorn grinned as he seized into the alicorn's face with one claw, then crushed his thumb into his eye: Death Oppressor screamed, and it raised to shrieks when Datura twisted, and there was a pop, and a bloody red-and-blackness and something wet. Beneath the scarred stallion, the alicorn bucked and shoved, and Datura let himself be driven backwards as he grinned darkly, the predictable, terrified, tormented alicorn scrabbling for his hooves, to try and flee, flee from this monster-

Datura pounced on his back, driving him face first into the ground again before his jaws bit down into the side of his neck, then ripped to the side, sending up a thick spray of crimson and gore as Death Oppressor screamed. His wings flapped wildly as he staggered forwards, but as he tried to stumble away, Datura seized one of his wings before twisting and ripping backwards, laughing through the blood spilling down his chin as he ripped the appendage off and tossed it to the side.

The alicorn shrieked again, falling forwards, and Datura seized him by the lower legs before slamming one claw down into his leg and yanking him down. The beaten winged unicorn screamed, then arched his back as Datura repeated the process with his other claw, repeating the process talon over talon as he hissed, drool leaking from his jaws as his eyes glowed with hellish delight.

“S-Stop! Please!” shrieked the helpless pony, but Datura didn't, couldn't listen as he grabbed the alicorn by the shoulders, then half-turned and flung him onto his back. He leapt on top of him, pinning him down as his eyes glared down into the stallion's, and the alicorn's eyes widened

as visions of pain and hell and suffering ripped through his mind, as his strength was sapped from his body, his will from his very soul, his heart thudding in his chest as he gargled and spasmed. He screamed, screamed so loudly and so hard that blood burst from his throat, as his eyes rolled in his head, and tears rolled down his cheeks...

There was rending, a ripping... and he looked up, gargling in fear, in terror, as he saw red, and flesh, and Datura grinning as he yanked up long, fleshy rope. Coils of his own intestines, the alicorn realized after a moment... and all he could do was twitch and gurgle and giggle even as his own screams echoed in his ears.

Datura's horn glowed darkly, strengthening the consistency of the coils of gut as his talented claws quickly formed a noose that he slung tightly around the pony's neck. And the alicorn only continued to laugh, foaming and bleeding from the maw, eyes rolling in his head even as he began to choke as Datura dragged him towards the side of the security bridge, the scarred stallion whispering: “Eight feet. Eight feet. Eight feet guarantees a broken neck, barring an act of God...”

Death Oppressor laughed, blood spilling from his numbing, torn-apart body, staring brokenly up at the darkness above as visions of pain and hell and torment danced through his broken mind, and he barely twitched even as Datura tore a length of innard free from the alicorn's disemboweled body, the scarred stallion tying this quickly around the rail before he looked down into the abyss, then grinned bitterly.

He turned, seizing Death Oppressor for a moment before yanking him into the air, looking into his eyes as the alicorn gargled and then giggled, weakly twitching in his grip, before Datura leaned forwards and said coldly: “But God isn't here.”

Datura half-spun, flinging the dying alicorn over the edge of the bridge, and Death Oppressor laughed and screamed all at once as he tried to spread his remaining wing and his forelegs, seeing both hell and heaven waiting for him-

Intestine puled tight, and there was a sickening crack, followed by the sound of something wet, and heavy, swinging slowly and brokenly back and forth. And for a few moments, there was only silence before Datura took a slow breath as he saw ashen motes slowly rising up from over the railing.

Slowly but steadily, the length of strengthened flesh dissolved... and then Datura slumped back with a quiet sigh as the light faded from his eyes and his horn. He shivered for a few moments on the security bridge... then silently held up a claw, studying the glowing steam that hissed up off his body before he smiled faintly, whispering: “Right. He killed me... then brought me back with his powers. But if I killed him and took him out of where his powers work...”

Datura laughed briefly: what a sick joke. But he supposed that was fitting, too, as he shivered weakly on the spot... then slowly, silently slumped down on his side as ashes and smoke burned off his dying form.