Chapter Ten

Twilight and Trixie and Dane were just wrapping up the last of the dogs when a blinding flash of light flashed across them. Nothing happened to them but Blaze, Aqua, Stardust, and Angeldust were thrown against the ground with a thud.

“What the hell was that?” Twilight asked in surprise.

“That would be the sure sign of a void incursion of huge proportions.” Dane replied with a worried look on his face.

“A void incursion?” Twilight asked still confused.

“Yes a void incursion, that means that we’re going to be to our asses in extremely strong enemies who come from another dimension. Oh and we’re going to be on the receiving end of some really bad speeches.” Dane replied.

“What are you-” Twilight began before she was cut off by a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

“Oh it feels so good to be back, oh so good! I can’t wait to have a little fun! There are just so many opportunities here, so many toys!” The voice fluctuated between that of a male and a female in a way that sent shivers down Twilight’s spine. “It was so nice of those dogs to release me and bring me so many toys, I wonder if they like their rewards? Probably not but oh well I’m going to be having so much fun!” Twilight started to shake with apprehension the very air of the cavern seemed off now.

“Twilight, snap out of it if you do this now you’re going to be worthless and I’m going to have to stay here and guard you instead of actually helping seal this!” Dane said slapping her lightly across her face. Trixie walked over from where she’d been checking on the rest of the squad who were lying still and unmoving.

“They’re all unconscious but they seem stable, what now?” Trixie asked.

“We’re heading for that castle so we can keep the voids from subjugating this region.” Dane replied as he walked towards one of the walls that Stardust had raised and with a two swipes of his claws cut right through it. “Come on we need to get there fast!” Dane said gesturing towards the castle which was now glowing an ominous red.

“Hold on, I can get us there fast.” Twilight replied and concentrated on moving the three of them. With a flash of light they appeared right in front of the open gates of the castle.

“I haven’t been teleported in years, but that feeling that I want to puke afterwards is still there” Dane chuckled to himself.

“Oh look more toys!” That voice from everywhere said. “Oh and they’re too inexperienced too defend themselves, excellent!” The voice said with a creepy giggle. Twilight looked around the courtyard and saw General Archangel standing with his bodyguard along with Commander Sol in a protective green bubble.

Slinking around the courtyard were beings that resembled twisted versions of ponies. Their hide was a discolored red it looked insubstantial as if it weren’t comfortable where it was. The things’ eyes were deep pools of black that were full of twisted psychotic joy their black manes swirled around their faces which where perverse mockeries of ponies’. Standing in the absolute center of the courtyard was a giant version of the others except this one had glowing yellow eyes that seemed to look into Twilight’s soul.

“What a sweet surprise I never imagined that the dogs would supply me with such a large supply of toys!” The giant void said succulently as it turned to address Twilight, Trixie, and Dane. Twilight shuddered again but grimaced at the thing.

“We are not your toys!” Twilight shouted at it, the thing giggled.

“Of course you are my little ponies.” The void said with a giant grin its voice suddenly changing to a dirty mockery of Princess Celestia. Twilight flew backwards like she’d been slapped. The thing giggled. “Oh what’s the matter Twilight I always thought you were talented, I guess I was wrong and I’ll have to send you back to magic kindergarten!” The thing said as it approached Twilight slowly. “Of course we could always go back to my room and snuggle, oh that’s right you’ve never been worth my time have you?” Twilight was crying she knew it wasn’t Celestia but the thing was in her mind twisting her into believing what it wanted.

“Stop right there.” A calm voice rang out over the courtyard. The void turned its gaze away from Twilight till it fell on the speaker. A black unicorn stood in the doorway a grey cloak whipping around him in an invisible wind.

“And I was just beginning to enjoy myself.” The void said with a pout.

“I’m here to end you.” The black unicorn said calmly.

“Oh I don’t think so, for you see nothing that you puny ponies can do can really hurt me.” The void said shaking its head in laughter. “Besides Inquisitor Blackstone, don’t you have a student to look after? Or are you going to abandon her a second time?” The thing asked Inquisitor Blackstone with a chuckle as he flinched.

“Oh my you love her don’t you, just not the way that she wishes you did? How sweet I just love doomed romance!” The voice cooed as it took a step closer to Inquisitor Blackstone. Twilight had by this time recovered her hooves; with a grunt of effort she shot a wall of force at the void. “Hold on dear I’ll get to you, you just have to wait your turn.” The void told her sweetly in Celestia’s voice sending Twilight flying again with a slight brush of its power.

“No one touches my marefriend!” Trixie shouted sending a withering bolt of lightning towards the void it struck the void’s frame but dissipated with a fizzle.

“Well well well if it isn’t the Great and Powerful Trixie. We’d say that there was something about you that made us target you, but what could there possibly be? You’re a washed out hack who couldn’t even best an ursa minor.” The void said in a voice that sounded exactly like Trixie’s used to.

“Shut up!” Trixie shouted firing another blast of lightning at the void.

“We won’t waste our time on you, you aren’t worth it.” The void said with a haughty grin before turning to scan the rest of the courtyard until its gaze came to rest on Dane.

“Sup?” Dane asked with a grin.

***

True was very angry, actually scratch that, he was furious. His day had started off fine; he’d rolled off of the mare who’d made his night fun. He’d eaten a good poached egg sandwich breakfast for and talked to a few ponies about the upcoming battle. Hell he’d even made it into the castle without too much difficulty, and then the dog had ripped his turtleneck! Now he was surrounded by stalker drones who thought that they could kill him.

“I just want to warn you that I’m on a rampage.” True told the stalkers calmly, they giggled. “Have it your way.” True said with a dismissive shrug.

A stalker leapt at him a large misty sword clutched in its grasp, True ducked under the blade before shoving his knife into its chest and stabbing repeatedly. The stalker fell to the ground and dissolved. Another stalker charged True sword raised. True deflected the blade with his knife and got under the stalker’s guard, then with a simple flick of his wrist he disemboweled the stalker with his knife. Like the last one this stalker fell to the floor and disintegrated.

“So who’s next?” True asked with a large grin.

***

“You, I can’t find anything on you, what are you?” The void asked Dane curiously.

“I’m Dane, fuck you.” Dane said with a grin as he absentmindedly fiddled with his claws. The void chuckled a deep and equally high pitched laugh.

“You believe that because I can’t find it that I can’t hurt you?” The void asked Dane in amusement.

“No, I know you can hurt me, I just frankly don’t give a damn.” Dane replied with a smile.

“I feel like I should offer you some tea, it’s only polite.” The void said scratching its chin.

“And here I thought you voids had no sense of curtsy.” Dane replied. Every eye in the courtyard was focused on them all of them looking on in amazement. Twilight staggered back to her hooves shakily and eyed the void.

“You do realize of course that your stalling is worthless?” The void asked Dane. “I can see what everyone in this courtyard is doing right now.”

“I had no idea I was that transparent.” Dane replied with a large smile.

“Oh don’t worry when you’ve been around as long as I have you can read mortals like a book.” The void said with a shrug. “The only reason that you’re still alive is the fact that you’re interesting.”

“Well that’s a nicer word then people usually call me.” Dane said with a shrug.

“Really now I can’t imagine why.” The void said sounding puzzled as it’s voice changed from a stallion’s to a mare’s.

“Yeah for some reason the word bastard always pops up.” Dane replied with a shrug.

“Odd, you seem like quite the gentlecolt to me.” The void replied fluttering it’s eyelashes that had suddenly appeared on its face.

“Ach you know I’m really not.” Dane replied with a grin.

“Oh in what way?” The void asked in surprise.

“Cuuuuunnnnttt!” The form of Cloe the diamond dog cried as she exploded from the ground underneath the void and slashed through its stomach with two powerful swings of her claws before diving back underground.

The void went stumbling backwards losing its concentration on the surrounding ponies. The ponies in the yard immediately attacked it. General Archangel dropped his green shield and charged Fury flying above him smoking black and green flames. Commander Sol followed seconds later hefting his massive sword above his head and bellowing a war cry. Twilight reached out with her magic and grabbed the void before smashing it head first into the ground. Trixie shot out more bolts of lightning that spread across the void’s hide in glowing blue patterns. The black unicorn concentrated for a few seconds before he shot out a thin beam of fire that seared into the void. The void calmly regained its feet and looked at the fighters swarming around it and giggled.

“Silly ponies you can’t hurt me I come from the place where your dreams go to die, I am the alpha and the omega! I am the thing that cannot be killed I am the VOID!” The void said with another creepy giggle.

“Just shut up…!” Twilight yelled grabbing the thing in her magic and smashing it into a wall before crashing it into the ground repeatedly. “…I am Twilight Sparkle, student of Princess Celestia; I’m the one who restored Princess Luna…!” Twilight yelled as she grabbed the void again and sent it flying into the air before smashing it before bashing it into the ground again. “… I beat Discord at his own game…” Twilight continued while she sent a beam of pure magic shooting at it that plowed into the void sending up dirt as it rolled across the ground. “… And you think that I’m scared of you, an overgrown shadow with a personality disorder?” She shouted as she chucked into the ground again. The courtyard was silent as every eye was turned towards the purple unicorn with bright glowing eyes. Then the silence was broken by insane giggling.

“An overgrown shadow with a personality disorder, I’ going to need to add that one to my list of hilariously futile things that mortals call me.” The void said regaining its feet. “Although I’m interested that a student of Celestia is here in this real it definitely bares some looking into, after you’re all dead of course.” The void said with another giggle as it shot out a large beam o f black energy that hurled Twilight into the far wall with a resounding crack. “Now for the rest!”

General Archangel charged forward and the void fired a beam of black at him, Fury deflected the beam off to the side and the General continued onwards towards the towering abomination. Fury hissed in anger as it bit deep into the void’s flesh drawing black liquid that could probably be qualified as blood. The void struck out with a hoof that sent General Archangel flying but he rolled to his hooves and charged again. The black unicorn stepped forward and unleashed a glowing beam of fire that struck the void and staggered it before he was forced to summon a shield to block a black beam.
Meanwhile the rest of the minor voids had finally decided to help their master and were approaching the rest of the ponies in the courtyard. Dane took up a defensive stance in front of Twilight who lay on the ground moaning quietly as the voids closed in on them. The first void jumped at them but Dane ducked under it and slashed upward with his claws sending the void flying before it disintegrated in midair.

“Twilight this may surprise you but now isn’t the best time to be taking a dirt nap.” Dane said as he blocked a ghostly sword.

“Are you my papa?” Twilight asked her head lulling to the side.

“Fuck.” Dane replied as he slashed another void. Trixie joined them her horn sparking with electricity as lightning lashed out at the void attackers.

“How is she?” Trixie asked ducking under a void’s sword slash as Dane sent it back to oblivion.

“But mama I don’t want to go back to kindergarten!” Twilight cried incoherently.

“Fuck.” Trixie said as she parried a misty sword with a dagger filled with electricity.

“You don’t know the half of it.” Dane replied sending two voids crashing to the ground with a sweep of his claws.

“Enlighten me then.” Trixie said as she stabbed a void in the stomach and it shot backwards with a flash of electricity.

“She told them her name, she physically assaulted one and most likely impressed it, oh and she mentioned her old home which makes her more interesting to them then the first two combined. In other words she just made some of the strongest groups in the multiverse interested in her.” Dane replied dodging a sword and impaling one the wielder.

“Fuck.” Trixie said eloquently.

“Why is nothing ever EASY?” Commander Sol cried as he and Sunshade stood back to back killing voids.

“Because life would be boring?” Sunshade hazard in between swings.

“BORING, I can live with BORING!” Commander Sol roared as he drove his gleaming blade through a void’s throat.

“Are you going soft on me brother?” Commander Tau asked as she landed next to him and shot a void in the face.

“SOFT I’m Commander Sol TOUGHEST son of a BITCH in the empire’s army!” Commander Sol yelled stabbing his sword through two voids simultaneously.

“Then shut up and act like it!” Commander Tau replied with a smirk as she shot another void.

“This is pointless my little ponies you cannot hope to beat me!” The head void yelled as General Archangel shoved Fury into its stomach.

“Can you give us something a little less generic? I’ve dealt with so many megalomaniacs in my life that you’re starting to look more and more like that idiot filly who thought that she was the reincarnation of Faust and that that gave the right to try and exterminate all life on the planet.” Inquisitor Blackstone asked he pumped another blast of fire into the void.

“You think I’m generic? I make the gods themselves tremble at my power; you ponies are insignificant compared to my majesty!” The void roared at the Inquisitor as it fired another ray of inky blackness which was deflected with a quick shield spell.

“Inquisitor can you please banish it? Not that I don’t love fighting fathomless entities of evil but I’m beginning to run out of power and this bastard isn’t getting any weaker.” General Archangel asked politely in a tired voice as he slashed the axe head of Fury across the voids neck.

“Unfortunately General I can’t, the void is using the diamond dog mages as coils, so as long as they’re alive this stalker is impossible to banish, also it’s a little above my weight class.” Inquisitor Blackstone replied sending another jet of flame writhing across the void which flinched away from the flames.

“Isn’t that what you’re known for?” General Archangel asked in annoyance as Fury was knocked away from the void.

“Yes but even I can’t banish something that can equal the Empress.” Inquisitor Blackstone replied with a shrug as he ducked underneath a giant flailing hoof.

“That’s our job is it?” The General asked ruthfuly, he’d always hoped to go out destroying an army, not buying time for Cosmosmia to come down and banish a god level stalker.

“You are all fools to think that you can challenge me, I am unkillable!” The void screamed in anger.

“Yes yes.” Inquisitor Blackstone told it with a shrug enraging it further.

***

Commander Star stared at her mother. “Are telling me that you can’t beat that thing?” the Commander asked her mother.

“I’m not sure whether I can or not, but I’m going to try my damndest regardless.” The Empress replied with a grim look.

“I’m sure you can do it mom.” Commander Star told the Empress with a soft smile. “What would the Empire do without you?”

“Well you’d be put in charge and lead successfully till you died, hopefully your daughter or son would be just as competent and so would theirs. After that I imagine it would begin to rot but it would probably stay a world power for a few centuries before being replaced by something better, knowing this place it’ll be a democracy.” Cosmosmia told her daughter with a sad smile as her daughter stared at her.

“It was a rhetorical question mom!” Commander Star cried in annoyance, her mother just smiled at her.

“Oh and before I forget…” Cosmosmia said touching her horn to her daughters and sending a pulse of energy through it, Commander Star shivered. “There, now you and Commander Stormwing shouldn’t have any problems having children. I’m pretty sure that it’ll be pony, griffin, pony, griffin, but I could be mistaken.” Cosmosmia told her daughter with a smile. “Now I’ve got to go and try to banish a world destroying stalker.

“Bye mom, I love you mom.” Commander Star told her before embracing her in a tight hug.

“I love you too.” Cosmosmia told her. “Remember me dying is hypothetical, we’re probably just being foolish.” And with that the goddess flew towards the castle.

***

“I’m on a rampage!” True yelled as he worked his way through the castle killing stalker after stalker in his fury. Suddenly he found a large gold engraved door, he knew from experience that things behind gold engraved door were always either dangerous, or extremely valuable. Prepared for the former but hoping for the latter True opened the door and was confronted by the sight of ten diamond dogs held in the air by a glowing magic power.

“Kill us!” The only one who remained conscious moaned. True looked them up and down for a few seconds before he drew a sword that he’d picked up on his journey through the castle.

“Why not?” he said with a shrug and began the bloody work.

***

“I did what?!” Twilight shouted as she hurled a void across the courtyard.

“You mouthed off and annoyed a nearly unkillable hive mind who now knows your name and probably wants you take you back to its dimension to torture you.” Dane told her nonchalantly as he shredded another void drone.

“Why in Celestia did I do that?” Twilight asked in confusion.

“I think it had something to do with it using Celestia’s voice against you.” Trixie replied with a shrug causing Twilight to bristle.

“She did what?” Twilight asked quietly with a low growl.

“Twilight I don’t care how angry you are, you are not charging that thing again, I’ll knock you out.” Dane told her as he killed another drone.

“Fine!” Twilight spat as she ripped another void in half with her mind. Meanwhile General Archangel and Inquisitor Blackstone were beginning to run out of energy.

“You two are beginning to run out of energy while I still have years’ worth.” The void cooed at them like they were its children. General Archangel and Inquisitor Blackstone exchanged a determined look before they redoubled their efforts. Suddenly there was a loud crack and the void screamed in pain, and then there was another followed by nine more. With each crack the void screamed louder and louder.

“Hmm… it seems fluffy here just lost its coils.” Inquisitor Blackstone said with a grin as he sent another bolt of flame searing across the void’s hide causing it to scream in real pain for the first time during the fight.

“I can still kill you!” It cried out in anger as it charged the Inquisitor.

“NO! YOU WILL NOT HARM ANOTHER OF MY SUBJECTS YOU SOULESS MONSTER!” Empress Cosmosmia shouted blasting the void into the wall of the courtyard.

“Hey there boss, right on time as usual, ten points on the entrance by the way.” Inquisitor Blackstone told the Empress who rolled her eyes.

“You think that you can defeat me goddess? I am a god killer!” The void shouted, but Cosmosmia could tell that it was a bluff, apparently the loss of its coils had affected it worse then it wanted anyone to know.

“Defeat you? No I’m going to end you.” Cosmosmia said taking a step towards the void who sent out a stream of black energy at the Empress. Suddenly the void found itself hanging upside down having its head smashed repeatedly into the wall behind it. Cosmosmia looked around in confusion till she spotted Twilight her horn and eyes glowing as she tried to hurt the void. “While that is much appreciated Twilight Sparkle, I do not need your assistance dealing with this monster, it is much weaker then I had anticipated.”

“No, I’m killing it.” Twilight replied as she kept up her smashing. “She hurt me with Celestia. No one gets away with that!” Twilight roared as she crashed the void into the wall again.

“I see, well at the moment all that you’re doing is harming the vessel not the stalker inside. In fact you’re just making my job harder, so will you please stop?” Cosmosmia asked politely, Twilight’s eyes stopped glowing but and so did her horn, but not before she smashed the void’s head into the wall one last time.

“Sorry…” Twilight said quietly looking down at her hooves.

“Don’t worry my little pony it’s not your fault, now I have garbage to destroy.” Cosmosmia told Twilight gently before turning on one of her heals and stepping towards the void which was regaining its hooves.

“You can’t kill me!” The void screamed before dissolving into giggles.

“Actually I can.” Cosmosmia replied with a grin. A deep red flame shot out of her horn and consumed the void which screamed an unearthly scream. The body of the void melted down to the size of a filly.

“I am the alpha and the omega!” It screamed in a shrill voice.

“Actually that would be me; I’m a goddess you know.” Cosmosmia replied with a grim grin. The goddess stepped towards the void which cowered back against the wall, the little void launched a beam of black energy at Cosmosmia but the Empress deflected it easily. “I would like to remind you of something little stalker, your people took my sister from me. You took all of my sisters from me, and while technically I can at least have minimal communication with most you took my Stella from me.” The Empress drew closer “I have one message for you, beware my fury, beware my wrath, beware my power, and lastly beware my retribution.” Cosmosmia told the void this calmly as she jabbed out with her horn which penetrated the void’s chest. The void screamed and then it vanished with a flash of black light. The rest of the voids in the courtyard vanished and suddenly the massive cavern was unnaturally quiet.

“Well I’m HAPPY that that’s done with!” Commander Sol cried grabbing Sunshade and Commander Tau and pulling them into a bear-hug.

“What a day Empress, we stomp a diamond dog army and then fight off the biggest encroachment by stalkers I’ve seen in years. All in all it was one hell of a day.” General Archangel said walking up and to his Empress where he fell down at her hooves in exhaustion “Let’s try not to do it again anytime soon.” The general said before he fell into unconsciousness.

“Of course General.” Cosmosmia said around a smirk at his unconscious body.

“Empress if you don’t mind me asking, what the HELL took you so long?” Commander Sol asked the alicorn goddess.

“I came five minutes after I saw the light, this place has been trapped in a tiny pocket dimension where time passed faster since the stalker entered this realm.” Cosmosmia told them with an apologetic shrug. “Twilight Sparkle I’d like to talk you in my tent with my daughter, everyone else is dismissed.” The Empress told everyone in the courtyard.

“Dane are you coming with me?” Twilight asked the mastiff who shook his head.

“Nope, sorry Twilight I need to see my sister.” Dane replied. “It’s been a few days and I feel like I should tell her why I’m working with you.” Then the dog walked off towards a rise on the battlefield where Twilight could vaguely see the outline of a diamond dog sitting. Cosmosmia walked over to Twilight and they vanished in a flash of light.

Next Chapter: Chapter 11 Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 15 Minutes