Chapter Fourteen: To Endure And Sacrifice, Part II
~BlackRoseRaven

Sally flapped her wings hard, zigzagging sharply back and forth before she crashed with a whinny into the side of one of the Zealot Casks. Moving quickly, she leapt hurriedly towards the controls, seizing into one of the large valves and spinning it as fast as she could as Splinthoof maanged to skid in beside her, the stallion turning around and creating a magical barrier that deflected a shotgun blast from a panicking Crossworlder.

“Guys! We're under attack here, I need-” And then the Crossworlder howled as a Royal Guard tackled him and slammed a hoof fiercely straight down into his face with a loud, distinct crunch.

Splinthoof looked sharply back and forth, not letting the cracked magical barrier drop yet as Sally continued to turn the valve rapidly, snarling as the needle on the pressure valve rapidly rose into the red. The piping began to shake and tremble, and then she leapt backwards and flapped her wings hard, propelling herself quickly around to the other side of the cask to spin the valve there as well.

The cask began to rumble, steam hissing out of it in every direction as that sense of energy coming from it intensified, and Splinthoof looked over his shoulder before he shouted as he dropped his barrier: “Okay, this one's done! I need-”

And then a ray of golden light shot past him, and the stallion's eyes widened before he hurriedly bolted away from the cask as Sally zipped into the air with a wince. The casks couldn't be destroyed by turning up the pressure and heat alone, but when you pumped more energy into them on top of that...

The cask began to glow distinctly, and Celestia quickly stepped backwards before half-shielding herself with one wing, and a moment later there was a tremendous flash and boom of sound, the entire tower shaking with the force of the explosion as a geyser of raw magical energy shot high into the air.

And in the middle of the battlefield, the massive Titan Figment that Terrance had created arched its back as if in sudden agony, and the vision of Death summoned by Datura slammed its hooked scythe cruelly into the side of the Titan's neck before yanking viciously to the side, lopping its head off in one swift pull.

The Figment exploded in a blast of flame and metal, but the debris of its body vanished rapidly into motes and energy before it could hit the ground. And Datura only laughed loudly as the specter floated ominously above him, the scarred stallion leaning forwards and jeering: “What's wrong, Terrance? Are we playing too rough with your toys?”

Terrance shouted in anger, then he leaned forwards, roaring: “Why don't you try this on for size, Datura? I know how much you love them!”

There was a crackle of thunder, and then electricity hammered across the ground before it formed rapidly into a massive, hissing centipede. But Datura only grinned widely, his eyes gleaming: Terrance was pissed off, and it was affecting his concentration: the monster he'd created was lopsided and ugly, moving in a bizarre shuffle as it rushed towards his undead champion.

The vision of Death swept down fearlessly, and the centipede made a sloppy lunge... and was easily intercepted in midair by a swing of the hooked scythe, which tore completely through the bug-beast's face. Terrance yelled in frustration at this... and then he stumbled backwards and covered his face automatically when the reaper flung the corpse of the bug straight at him, making his tower rattle and the forcefield protecting him fizzle.

“Why don't you come out and fight me like a stallion, Terrance? I promise I won't even use my teeth!” Datura challenged, eyes glowing with malice as he spread his forelegs wide. He was fearless as he stood in a safe pocket of the battlefield, even as Avatars and Trueborn warred all around him... but none of them dared to approach him, let alone attack him. He didn't know if they were scared of him, or scared of what Terrance would do to them if they interfered... but either way, Datura thought it was the wisest choice any of them could make.

Datura really could care less right now about the fate of Equestria, or about whether or not he was doing good or evil. All he cared about was beating Terrance at his own game: this duel was personal.

Terrance shouted at him angrily, his cool completely lost, and Datura grinned even as Terrance shoved a hoof forwards and created several massive swords that shot through the air and slammed into the vision of Death. The reaper floated backwards before the huge swords exploded one after the other, tearing the nightmare-made-real apart and making Datura flinch slightly as his mind flexed and pain spread through his body... but then he only looked up and mocked: “You're cheating, Terry! I'm pretty sure we're just supposed to summon monsters. You know, like cards games! Card games on motorcycles!”

“Shut up!” Terrance shouted furiously, then he shoved a hoof towards Datura... but Datura simply grinned and leaned forwards, shielding himself with a bubble of psychic force that easily withstood the meteors that crashed viciously down into it in a savage hail. “I am-”

“You're weak, Terrance! You're weak and stupid, and there's no way you can win!” shouted Datura, and Terrance roared in fury before he leaned forwards, eyes blazing before he stomped his hooves into the ground... and Datura smiled grimly as two massive, mechanical monsters rapidly formed in front of Terrance's tower: one was shaped like some kind of terrible, mechanical dinosaur, with immense cannons sticking over its shoulders, while the other was some kind of bipedal war machine... but who doesn't love a good robot anime, right, Terry? Even when you're pissed as hell, you're still summoning up things that other people are going to half-recognize. It's like with Death Oppressor... except everyone who sees these things are helping shape it, make them more dangerous, give them more power.

And it was the same for him, too, Datura knew, as he flicked his horn sharply upwards, an immense tree ripping out of the tower floor in front of him, growing rapidly towards the sky. Its trunk split, becoming leg-like as roots slithered against the ground, and branches thickened into monstrous limbs as it leaned forwards, Datura saying calmly, knowing that Terrance would hear him: “One tree, Terrance. That's all I need to take down your technocrap.”

Terrance growled, then retorted sharply, Datura hearing his voice as if he was snarling right into his ear: “I know what you're doing, you cocky little bastard, and it's not going to work. But you are not a threat to me, do you understand me? You are just the biggest nuisance in my way right now. The wonderful thing about this machine is that I will be able to restore the Zealot Casks with my mind alone once I've squashed you. So okay, you have my attention. And if your friends somehow push back the factions, well... then they've done me the favor of sorting out the chaff from the grain, haven't they? If you think I actually care about any of these Avatars, then you're an idiot! But I am no idiot, Datura, I know the truth of this world! No friendships, only those who are used, and those who are users!”

“Terrance...” Datura halted, then he looked down for a moment before shaking his head briefly, saying softly: “No matter how much the world has hurt you, it never gives you the right to hurt the world in return. Just because some people are traitors, you can't treat everyone like they're going to betray you. Sure, it might keep you 'safe...' but in the long run, it will mean you will be alone, miserable, and broken for the rest of your life.”

Terrance reared back, caught off guard by this as he trembled for a moment... then he leaned forwards and hissed: “How dare you talk to me like that, you... you traitor! You turned on me!”

“I never meant to. I apologize for it. And even sick and insane, I know that I should have done better.” Datura said steadily, looking fearlessly up... and it was as if he could see through the monstrous illusions they had crafted to war with one another, to gaze directly into Terrance's eyes. “But all I can offer you is my forgiveness. I can't stop fighting you just because once upon a time we were friends, and I screwed that up. Me wronging you in the past doesn't make you any less in the wrong now. Wrong never justifies wrong.”

“There is no right or wrong. There is only power.” growled Terrance, steadying himself even as he breathed a little harder, even as his monsters swayed with his wavering convictions, before he suddenly leaned forwards and shouted: “No! This is another cheap trick! You have no feelings, Datura, you're a monster, a freak, a narcissist! You can't have a sudden change of heart, you're... trying to confuse me again!”

Datura only smiled briefly, and then he said softly: “No change of heart, Terrance. I only just now found the balls to say what I think, that's all.” He stopped, then smiled again, looking up as his eyes hardened. “Your move, Terrance. And if you know one thing about me, you know that no matter your decision is... I won't back down from what I have to do.”

Terrance's eyes flicked back and forth as he shifted indecisively for a moment... and then he swallowed thickly, looking out to the side and staring in disbelief as another Zealot Cask exploded in a tremendous blast of light and sound, and both of the Figments he'd created buckled and moaned in pain, shifting back and forth weakly as energy washed over them. They had figured out too quickly how to overload the machinery... had he really designed them that badly, or were the ponies really that smart? Had he made a mistake here?

There was only one Zealot Cask left... and then that would leave just the emergency reserves beneath his control tower, and his own will. But if he surrendered, then the factions he'd rallied to his side... they would all think he was weak. Even worse, they would all turn on him... and would Celestia treat him so kindly? She would force him to put the rift machine back together... she would force him to go home, to return to the hellish real world he had escaped from...

Terrance gritted his teeth, then he leaned forwards, shouting in desperation as much as anger: “All forces move to protect the last Zealot Cask! We must not lose it!”

“So that's your choice.” Datura muttered, and then he leaned forwards, squaring his shoulders as the Figments that Terrance had created both sprung to life, the mechanical tyrannosaur roaring as it charged forwards and the other machine gearing loudly up as rose an arm that ended in a large cannon.

Celestia's eyes narrowed as she heard Terrance's order, and then she rose her head and shouted: “All unicorns! Draw towards me, we'll overpower that machine from here!”

“Kill Celestia! Kill her before she can organize her soldiers!” roared another voice, and the Princess of the Sun looked up in shock she knew she shouldn't feel... but to hear these Avatars, these people she had welcomed, these people who even as she'd fought against them, she'd sworn she'd felt sadness and panic from more than anything else, now calling for her head...

She created a shield in front of herself, then stumbled backwards with a wince as bullets pounded savagely into the other side of the golden barrier, the mare swearing under her breath even as she felt her magic reinforced by the Royal Guard rushing to her side. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to hurt them, to kill them, to drive them out of her nation... but even as tears rolled down her cheeks from strain and pain, she knew she had no choice anymore. One way or another... this all had to come to an end.

Except all fire was being concentrated on her now, even as enemy Avatars clustered around the remaining Zealot Cask, shielding it with their bodies, with technology, with magic. With the rest of them all concentrating their attacks on her and her guards, it was impossible to direct the soldiers into what she knew had to happen...

Sally looked wildly back and forth, then stared in horror as a massive explosion ripped through the air, watching as Datura's tree-monster tore one of Terrance's Figments in half... but even as the beast dissolved, the other machine was slowly sawing the tree-beast in half, broken branches and chunks of limb crumbling down in a hail as Datura winced backwards, bleeding from one ear as he tried to maintain control over the devastated tree-beast...

All around her, ponies, Avatars, everything was dying. Everything was in chaos, and it felt like there was nothing she could do to help, and it was maddening. Splinthoof was yelling for her, and Whisper was shouting wordlessly as she tackled an enemy soldier, tears streaming down her face even as she pounded her bloody hooves down into him...

The horse mind screamed at her, and her human need to do something joined it, and before Sally even knew what she was doing, she turned and shot around towards the flank of the group of Avatars around the Zealot Cask, slamming directly into the thickly-packed Avatars and bowling them over like dominoes before she kicked her legs and flapped her wings wildly in panic, not even entirely aware of what she was doing as she streaked upwards into the air.

Bullets and blasts of magic tore through the air around her, but Sally didn't notice even as a few lucky rounds tore bloody gouges down her body, her eyes rolling in her head before she spun around and divebombed the group again. Faction Avatars yelled in shock, distracted, panicked, before Sally screamed as a blast of magic homed in on her and blasted her out of the air.

But her wild, kamikaze attack had given other soldiers an idea of what to do, Pegasus Guard leaping to the air with snarls of desperation as they circled in on either side of the clustered Avatars. And no matter how many of them there were, the Factions were incoherent: they couldn't work together beyond trying to fight the same enemy, and even then they jostled and shoved at each other.

And before Sally could hit the ground, she felt herself caught in a powerful foreleg, the mare blinking stupidly... then staring up in shock at the sight of a massive earth pony mare who said cheerfully: “Is fortunate that you are easy to see, little bird!”

“Vodka!” Sally gasped as she sat up, then she gaped as she saw Dead Ringer striding fearlessly towards her, as Wolf Colt's howls cut through the air and Royal Guard and Avatars both looked up in shock at the freaks and Figments that strode fearlessly into their ranks. “But... how-”

“Didn't I say we would try and join you in Canterlot?” Dead Ringer asked calmly, and then he reached up and tilted his hat back with a grin, even as his eyes remained serious. “Work this business as long as I have, and you learn to always keep your word.”

Sally laughed disbelievingly, and then she dropped to her hooves before beginning: “We need to destroy that-”

“You just rest, little lady. I already know. Fortunately, I've always been at my best on a high-pressure stage.” Dead Ringer said calmly, and then he gestured quickly upwards with his cane... and Sally gaped as a massive safe appeared above Vodka, the massive mare grinning as she reached up to easily catch this. “If you'd be a dear.”

“Do svidaniya i udachi!” Vodka roared cheerfully, and then she leaned forwards and slung the huge, rectangular box viciously at the clustered Avatars, and there were yells of panic and terror before it crashed into their ranks, slamming and bouncing through the group before vanishing in a burst of motes.

“Now! Focused ray!” roared Celestia, as the Avatars guarding the Zealot Cask machine broke completely into chaos for a moment, and the mare snapped her head forwards as the unicorns gathered in front of her all mimicked her movements, rays of magic all shooting outwards and coalescing into one massive, spinning beam.

It smashed through the Avatars, knocking a few of the luckier ones flying but disintegrating the others it hit before the beam pounded savagely into the Zealot Cask, making the drum-shaped machine grind backwards as it glowed brightly... and then a moment later, exploded in a thunderous, deafening blast that took the rooftop around it with it, Avatars flying in all directions with screams of agony as Pegasus Guard were buffeted backwards with gasps from the power of the shockwave.

Celestia clenched her eyes shut, stumbling backwards and breathing hard... but she knew they'd had no other choice. She swore under her breath, trembling, taking a moment all the same... then made herself turn away from the smoky, half-collapsed ruin of the tower edge where the Cask had been, shouting in a voice that quavered only slightly with pain: “Subdue all remaining enemies!”

“R-Retreat! Retreat!' screamed a terrified voice as Terrance and Datura's warring monsters both sparked out of existence, and Terrance turned with a cry of denial as he watched Pegasi take to the air and other Faction ponies scatter. Some of the airships overhead were already turning away... while Royal Guard had taken the initiative and flown up to others, attacking wings and balloons and rudders to disable the aerial transports.

Terrance turned with a snarl towards Datura, who glared back, before the desperate earth pony Avatar shouted angrily from behind his weakening forcefield: “The Zealot Casks boosted you even more than they did me! I still have more than enough power to destroy you, Datura, and you won't be able to-”

Datura snapped his head upwards, and massive vines ripped out of the ground on all sides of Terrance's tower, constricting the stone structure with enough force to crack the polished marble. Terrance staggered as his tower was almost torn out of the ground, before he shouted in fear as the vines smashed against the forcefield surrounding him, making it spark and ripple as Datura retorted: “Your machine is still running and all that energy is still burning in the air! This fight only ends when one of us gives out under the pressure!”

Terrance shouted in anger, then he lashed a hoof to the side, and the vines crushing his tower burst into flames, burning quickly away to ashes before he leaned forwards and snarled: “Then I relish the chance to put you in your place!”

Terrance leaned forwards, his crown sparking and the earth pony hissing through his teeth as a shockwave of force ripped over the tower, knocking ponies stumbling before they all stared in amazement as a massive, armored knight appeared, clad in white armor and carrying an immense golden sword. It rose its kingly head proudly, readying a heavy kite shield at its other side, and Datura grinned coldly before he leaned forwards and roared his challenge as he poured everything he had into summoning a creature of his own.

And oh, it hurt now: he could feel it draining away his life, he could feel pain tearing through his body: but it only drove him forwards, made him all the more determined to win this battle of terrors as a massive, skeletal dragon appeared overtop him, rotten flesh hanging off its yellowed bones, hellish light glowing out of its sockets as it leaned towards the glowing knight and roared. They were almost the same size, and yet his fierce and monstrous dragon seemed to tower over the valiant knight.

The knight charged, and Datura's dragon pounced, the two crashing together as the dragon bit and slashed, flaying armor into pieces as the knight stabbed his sword upwards again and again, smashing bone and flesh apart. And then the two shoved apart before the knight leapt forwards in spite of the light bleeding out of the massive rips all through his armor, slapping his shield across the dragon's face before he slashed downwards, decapitating the beast in one fell blow.

The undead dragon gargled, brackish blood bursting from the stump of neck as Datura hissed in pain and twitched to the side, blood bursting from one of his ears... before he suddenly bared his teeth in a grin, and then Terrance shouted in denial and shock as the headless dragon tackled his knight backwards, crashing into it and crushing it down beneath its weight as both claws crumpled the shining knight's chest in like tin.

Both Figment and nightmare burst apart into white and black motes that swirled wildly through the air, and then Terrance leaned forwards and shouted, in spite of his bloody nose: “You want a monster? I'll show you a monster!”

The white motes coalesced, thunder rumbling through the air before enormous metal plates and pieces of stone began to appear in midair, shivering before they started to slam and stack themselves together. And in less than a minute, a massive golem had assembled itself from steel and rock, with an emotionless, glaring face, boulders and sharp spikes of metal floating ominously all around the gangly-limbed beast.

It gestured sharply forwards, and a boulder shot down like a meteor, but Datura quickly leapt to the side before he snarled and lashed his horn out, and the massive rock was knocked flying to the side, ponies scattering away as the heavy stone smashed and bounced across the rooftop. Then the scarred stallion looked fearlessly up as he said mockingly: “Can't you come up with something more original?”

Terrance snarled, and the golem began to step forwards... then suddenly creaked loudly, and Terrance stared in disbelief before he shouted in horror as massive vines suddenly tore out of the golem's joints, ivy and hellish green life crawling rapidly over the stone beast as it staggered uselessly back and forth.

Rock and metal began to collapse from its stony frame as its head gaped back with an almost-alive wail, and then vines and ivy tore upwards through the sockets of its eyes, uprooting its stony mask from its steel skull, and the golem stumbled before falling forwards. But even before it hit the earth, it dissolved into dust, and Datura simply smiled coldly as the stone settled around him, even as his own vines rapidly burned away to ashes as well. “You can't win.”

“Enough! Enough games! There's one thing you can't beat, Datura, that every pony here believes in more than anyone has ever believed in you!” shouted Terrance furiously, and then he turned towards Celestia, pointing at her and snarling: “You want to rule your nation? Then fine, let me help you become a strong queen!”

Celestia stared, then she screamed in agony, her back arching, her eyes bulging as energy sizzled over her frame before she collapsed lifelessly forwards. Datura stared in shock... then looked up as light slowly coalesced in front of the tower, ponies and Avatars both crying out and staring in shock as the glowing motes formed steadily into the shape of an immense winged unicorn.

And a moment later, a golden-armored, titanic Celestia formed, her amethyst eyes cold, her mane glowing like fire, her head raised proud and high as she spread her wings wide. She burned like the sun, glowing with holy magic... and Datura could feel the faith, the worship, the thousand-and-more years of devotion of every pony in Equestria only making this goliath stronger by the second.

Terrance pointed forwards even as blood ran from one of his eyes, saying coldly: “This game is over! Sun Goddess, bring down your judgment!”

The Sun Goddess stomped forwards, and a blast of force hammered across the rooftop, knocking Datura flying and sending ponies stumbling and sprawling. And Celestia only spasmed uselessly on the ground, her essence stolen, warped, twisted into something brutal and ruthless...

The Sun Goddess leaned down, and a laser of light shot from her horn, streaking over the ground towards Datura, who barely managed to fling himself out of the way. The laser left a trail of char behind it, slicing in half anything it touched, whether it was armor, stone... or the flesh of those unlucky enough to fail to avoid it.

Datura gritted his teeth, hesitating... and then phantasmal hands grasped into his shoulders, and voices in his mind all cried out in chorus: Save! Kill! Overcome!

And so Datura did the only thing he could do, his mind working at a thousand miles a minute as the very world darkened around them as black energy sizzled through the air all around him, then leapt upwards and became a swirling, hellish vortex that made the Sun Goddess pause and rear back.

And a moment later, a grinning face pushed slowly out of the blackness, chains snapping out and seizing the edges of the portal like it was a physical thing before a monstrous, horrific black mare began to yank herself free from the portal. Her bladed horn gleamed as brightly as her ivory fangs as her jaws gaped open, toxic drool dripping from her jaws as the titanic Night Goddess slipped loose from the portal, demonic wings spreading in challenge to the Sun Goddess as the bloody chains extending out of her back twisted and lashed back and forth. Her body was skeletal, and yet strangely thick at the same time, like the frame of her bones pushed outwards too far, making her look all the more freakish, and yet at the same time like her body held some terrible secret...

Smoke and fog belched out of the portal behind her, wrapping like a cloak around the mare and half-concealing her as the black vortex swirled shut, and Datura gritted his teeth, hoping this would work as he felt blood running from his mouth and nose. He couldn't hold on much longer... but if he could shatter this Sun Goddess...

Terrance laughed in disbelief, then he snorted before saying disgustedly: “Sun Goddess, wash away this... insult! I'm not playing games, Datura!”

The Sun Goddess leaned forwards, unleashing a blast of holy light... and the cloak of smoke and shadow simply absorbed it, glowing brightly for a moment. Night Goddess laughed mockingly, and Sun Goddess narrowed her eyes before the black mare's living chains teasingly slid forwards, mockingly forming the shape of a heart for a moment before they beckoned challengingly.

Terrance gritted his teeth, and Datura leaned forwards, saying coldly: “Waste all the magic you want. I know you can't maintain this illusion forever. I know you'll weaken. You always do, Terrance.. you've always been the kind of guy to hide and throw rocks from a distance.”

“Kill her. Kill her!” Terrance snarled, then he gestured sharply forwards, and a massive, gleaming golden sword appeared beside the Sun Goddess, the emotionless mare catching this in her psychic grip before Terrance roared: “Kill them both!”

The Sun Goddess charged, and Night Goddess smiled mockingly and withdrew into her cloak of shadows and smoke, even as the Sun Goddess snapped her horn forwards, sending out a tremendous blast of light energy that smashed into the cloak, making it glow brightly before Terrance grinned widely as the cloak began to finally burn away, laughing in triumph as the Sun Goddess stabbed her sword fearlessly forwards...

And there was a tremendous clank as the sword hit something that sounded like solid steel before it was deflected off to the side, the Sun Goddess staggering before chains lashed out of the glowing cloud of smog, seizing violently around the mare. Terrance leaned forwards, eyes widening... and then he screamed a denial as the smoke cleared, Datura chuckling quietly even as black blood dripped from his jaws, his corrupt eye, his ears; but oh, the throbbing pain was all worth it as Terrance saw too late that he hadn't summoned a night maiden: he had summoned an iron one, instead.

The Sun Goddess flailed uselessly in the bloody chains as the too-large chest of the Night Goddess gaped open, a maw filled with countless hungry, sharpened teeth. It grinned down at her, the steel, grinning face of the living torture device made only all the more terrifying by the scar the Sun Goddess had scored in the metal, and hundreds of voices seemed to whisper eagerly from its maw as the chains almost lovingly placed the Sun Goddess into the body of the maiden...

“B-Burn it! Destroy it with your magic!” Terrance almost screamed... and even as the Sun Goddess' horn glowed brightly, the doors slammed cruelly shut around her with enough force to snap the iron maiden's own chains.

The massive, living torture device seemed to giggle even as it began to glow with gold and orange light, Terrance leaning forwards with a grin... then he twitched suddenly, before gasping and clutching at his head as Datura said softly: “Looks like we're going to find out the answer to an age old question... can a Sun Goddess burn?”

Steam and smoke began to hiss up from the iron maiden as it started to melt and crack, even as it jiggled and bounced. Plates popped loose, and color vanished from the abomination as Datura clenched his eyes shut, grinning widely as he rode out the pain, feeling his body alternating weakening, then surging with power before he looked up and laughed loudly. And Terrance could only stare in horror as the iron maiden's front shattered... but what stepped out was no longer a Sun Goddess.

A hideous, defiled skeleton staggered free from the maiden, chains fused into its smoldering form, body half-crushed and disfigured and with melted spikes of metal still sticking out of it here and there. It looked as if pieces of metal had actually fused into it here and there... then melted and burned further, distorting it, warping it, leaving it even more broken and monstrous than it had already been.

Its mane and tail were nothing but fire, its face nothing but a half-crushed skull out of which shone vengeful, hateful light as its jaws gasped open, belching smoke and fire as it began to stagger towards Terrance. And Datura grinned, leaning forwards, pouring the last of his strength into shoving this devastated and hellish thing onward as Terrance staggered backwards, screaming: “No! No! No!”

The former Sun Goddess flung itself forwards, and it smashed brokenly into Terrance's tower before erupting with a scream in a blast of hellfire and reeking smoke. The earth pony Avatar's tower quaked and shook, before tottering backwards as the roof shattered and most of the structure collapsed in a hail of burning rock, Datura smiling coldly even as he was knocked stumbling as shockwaves rippled through the cracked roof beneath him.

Slowly, the world began to settle... and then Datura dragged himself calmly forwards as ponies on all sides began to hesitantly close in. Datura breathed roughly in and out... then chuckled quietly and looked up as Terrance half-fell down the stairs, landing with a thud most of the way down the stone steps. “What did you expect, Terrance? I'm very good... at killing.”

Terrance snarled in fury, then he slowly began to pick himself up: he was bloody, bruised, and broken, and yet still he managed to get to his hooves. Datura would admire that... if so much of Terrance wasn't driven by hate and pride. “Y-You... ruined everything. You ruined everything!”

Terrance breathed hard in and out as he stumbled down to the bottom of the steps, knocking the remains of the melted, broken crown off his head before he snarled: “But I won't die alone.”

And Datura had a moment to cock his head almost curiously before Terrance yanked a revolver out of his suit jacket, pointing it at Datura and pulling the trigger twice.

One bullet, then a second tore into Datura's breast, shattering his ribs, ripping deep: he stumbled backwards, gurgling, as ponies only stared in shock. The scarred stallion wasn't aware of pain, only... weight, and surprise, and... a strange sense of betrayal, as he looked slowly up... and gazed down the blackness of the barrel of the revolver, as the hammer clicked back. And in that single moment, between the beginning and the end of the unstoppable reaction, Datura saw into Terrance, and Terrance looked back at Datura, and both of them saw regret as the scarred stallion's eyes flashed.

The final bullet slammed into Datura's head, his cracked horn shattering from the force along with his skull. His head whiplashed backwards as he staggered, then caught himself for a moment, staring blankly at the sky, before he simply collapsed on his side. And Terrance breathed hard in and out, trembling as he looked down at the corpse in front of him before he whispered weakly: “You were supposed to be my friend.”

Terrance looked at the revolver in his hoof as Datura's corpse began to dissolve into motes, then he simply shrugged before shoving the still-hot barrel of the weapon against his temple, closing his eyes tightly... but a moment later, his eyes snapped opened as something caught the weapon. He trembled for a moment, then stared weakly to the side as he saw a scarless Datura, smiling at him, holding the hammer back so the gun couldn't fire. “No.”

Something seized into his other shoulder, and a voice whispered silkily into his ear, from a monster with eyes that glowed like spotlights: “It's not going to be that easy.”

And Terrance trembled weakly as he looked straight ahead, staring into the eyes of Datura as the stallion leaned forwards and said in a quiet, cold voice: “I finish what I start, Terrance. You think a little thing like killing me is going to stop me?”

Terrance mouthed wordlessly... and all around him, all eyes could only stare as Terrance seemed to gaze brokenly off into nothing as his gun shook wildly beside his head, as if something was fighting him for control of it. Then he tossed it suddenly down before stumbling backwards, covering his eyes and screaming: “No! No! You're not there! You're dead!”

Terrance looked up... and now, he was in a lonely white room, trapped in a cell with the three Daturas crowding in around him before the buzz of an intercom filled the air, and Datura's voice echoed down calmly: “A last gift, from me to you, old friend. A taste of what it's like to be me. My friends here... are going to educate you. You are going to help Celestia send the Avatars away... and you are going to leave quietly, and never, ever return.”

“Screw you! You're dead! You can't control me!” Terrance shouted furiously, pointing up at the ceiling... and then the monstrous Datura slapped him roughly across the face, knocking him sprawling, and Terrance stared in horror as the terrible creature leaned down over him with a wide grin.

“The mind controls the body. What you believe, is real.” said the monster, then it reached up and slowly dug a claw along Terrance's chest, a cut forming in his flesh... in this world, and in reality, as ponies stared down at his weakly-spasming body with shock. “It's time to play.”

“We'll take care of you.” promised the scarred, innocent Datura.

“We'll make sure you learn.” said the cold, compassionless Datura.

And the monster only laughed as it reached down and seized Terrance by the throat, eyes blazing as it said gleefully: “We're going to have all sorts of fun!”

In reality, Terrance screamed... and Celestia closed her eyes and lowered her head, sighing softly as she looked silently down at Terrance, her head still swimming with exhaustion from being drained so suddenly, but her strength returned enough to... make sure she saw an end to this.

And yet, for all her compassion and all her mercy, she only gazed at Terrance as he spasmed and cried out in terror and pain he had earned himself... and reflected silently that perhaps in the Equestria the Avatars had created, there would always be a need for ponies like Datura to keep the ponies like Terrance at bay.

Then she quietly turned her eyes towards Sally and Whisper, who were both crying, standing over the broken, stained rooftop where Datura had died... and Celestia quietly wished that this place really could be as simple and as pure as the Avatars had always believed it to be.

But no matter how pure and good the world was, there would always be shadow; and when you gave people free will, there would always be those who would will harm upon others. Maybe it was all hopeless, really: maybe harmony and peace were nothing but lies, no matter how long they lasted, between the eternal fate of war.

And then Celestia's ears pricked as Terrance blurted something, and she looked sharply to the side as the spasming Avatar threw his head back and shouted desperately: “Y-You win! I'll... I'll do it! I'll... I'll leave, I'll build her machine and leave and never come back, p-please!”

Celestia stared down at Terrance, and the Avatar gasped before he sat up, hugging himself and staring up at Celestia, pale and terrified and bleeding from the nose and ears... but all the same, he whispered: “I'm sorry. I'll... f-fix it all. I'll fix it all. Just please don't let him hurt me anymore.”

And Celestia smiled faintly, then she nodded once before saying quietly: “Guards, take Terrance into custody. Then divide yourself into three groups: one to gather the injured, one to disarm and escort captured enemies to the dungeon, and one to join the army below and help ensure that the Avatar Factions have retreated from Canterlot. We have a lot of work to do.”

The Princess of the Sun halted, then turned and silently surveyed Whisper and Sally, before her eyes roved up over the battlefield, taking in all the damage, the horror, the destruction that they had faced... and promising that she would learn from this, and in the future, do a better job of protecting her nation... and the Avatars from themselves.

Sally sat quietly in front of the memorial that had been constructed in the main hall of Canterlot Castle, gazing over the names of the ponies that had died during Terrance's siege. They all commemorated on a massive set of stone tablets that stood in front of a statue of several ponies standing together... and Sally smiled briefly as she reached up and silently stroked along the stone. She wished Datura's name could be included on there, but he was an Avatar... and Celestia had promised that every Avatar who fought and fallen in that battle would be welcomed back to Equestria with honor, once the machine was rebuilt.

Sally had been asked if she wanted to stay... but she was honestly more than ready to go home. She longed to see her family, and... it was getting tougher and tougher to keep the normal her on top, and the horse-her on bottom. But having the Cirque du Noir around had helped... and she had been honestly surprised by how many of them seemed excited to go home. Then again, she imagined that while that kind of life was an adventure... the familiarity and the comfort of having an actual home to return to would have a magic all its own.

She sighed a little: she would miss these people, though: like Whisper, like Splinthoof... like Datura. She glanced away for a moment, biting her lip, then she shook her head quickly before gazing at her reflection in the fallen stone and saying quietly: “But I'm going to remember this. And I'm going to find him, one way or another.”

Her reflection agreed with her, and Sally smiled briefly before she stepped backwards and turned away. And she was somehow unsurprised to find Splinthoof was waiting for her in dress uniform, the stallion saying softly: “Brave of you to be the first one to volunteer for this, Sally.”

“Second. But I guess Terrance didn't really volunteer.” Sally smiled briefly, then she shook her head quickly before murmuring: “I'm... I'm eager to be out of here, anyway. It's the waiting that hurts the most right now, and... well... let's not waste time.”

“I'm... going to miss you.” Splinthoof said quietly, and Sally smiled softly before she leaned forwards and kissed his cheek gently, and the unicorn chuckled and reached up to touch this, blushing slightly before he gave her a hesitant nod.

She nodded back, and they lingered for a moment before turning. Sally tried to memorize every detail as they walked through the halls of Canterlot, but by the time they reached the portal chambers, she had of course forgotten everything. Everything except the ponies, the people, who had taken over her mind and heart.

She smiled radiantly as she stepped into the beautiful, dome-shaped room. Yet she had no eye for the décor or the details: only for Princess Celestia, and Whisper, and Splinthoof, as he walked up beside the ivory mare and then saluted awkwardly, saying quietly: “Whenever you're ready.”

Sally nodded firmly, then she took a slow breath before looking at the portal: it was large, oval shaped, the frame a beautiful silver that contained an almost-liquid, glowing energy... and with a single step through it, this body would be released, and she would be back home. Terrance had been the first to step through, after swearing he would never return to Equestria: Datura might have been cruel to him, but Sally couldn't dredge up much compassion for the little bastard. If anything, she thought he had gotten off easy.

She strode towards this, gazing intently into it before she smiled briefly, then turned her eyes towards Princess Celestia, whispering: “Thank you. I learned a lot while here.”

“Thank you, Sally O'Connor. I know this isn't your world, but you will always, always be welcome here.” Celestia said softly, then she stepped forwards, and Sally blushed as the Princess hugged her for a moment.

Then the alicorn slid back, and Sally's eyes turned to Whisper. They smiled at each other, then traded a fierce hug before Whisper murmured: “Remember me, okay? But as long as you remember to look for me or Datura...”

“I'll find one of you, and that means I'll find both.” Sally promised, and then she reached up and gently punched her hoof against Whisper's. Then the Pegasus Avatar turned a smile towards Splinthoof, saying softly: “And you. You be good.”

Splinthoof saluted her, then smiled and traded his own tight hug with her, holding it for a few long moments before they pulled apart.

Sally smiled around at all these friends she had made, licking her lips slowly for a moment before she turned her eyes ahead... and then she took a slow breath before stepping forwards towards the portal and whispering: “I'm ready. Everyone... thank you, and... goodbye.”

Sally O'Connor leapt into the portal... and then, she was simply gone.