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XCOM: Ranger

by Wanderer D

Chapter 193: Chapter 191: Devoid

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Ranger

Chapter 191: Devoid

By Wanderer D

The moment she walked into the Commander's Office, she felt it. Luna's eyes snapped from where Chrysalis was standing up to a wall covered by a large frame.

"What," she hissed, "do you have hidden in there?" Luna knew her tone had scared the humans a little, but every fiber of her being recoiled at the sheer absence behind the wall. It made her skin crawl and an uncomfortable feeling of a shiver trapped just between her shoulder blades.

There was something unnatural behind that frame. Something that shouldn't exist in this world or Equestria. Something very dangerous. She could feel some magic in the Avenger. Below their location was a dark, swirling, threatening magic… most likely Sunset's Blood Magic book. There were other objects… partial spells, what could only be a magical item she couldn't quite place… but this.

This was something else, something that required a deep knowledge of magic, and complete disregard for anything sacred related to it.

The Commander narrowed her eyes. "You are not Laetitia."

"I am not," Luna growled, her eyes flickering to Chrysalis before focusing again on the frame. "Answer me, Commander Chrysalis, what is stored in there?"

"Commander," Central spoke up, stepping between them. "May I present Princess Luna, of Equestria."

Chrysalis blinked, startled. "But why…" she looked around. "Where's Sunset?"

At the question, Luna forced herself away from the dreadful feeling. An explanation would be forthcoming, especially if Chrysalis wanted anything to do with Equestria at all in the future, no matter Twilight or Sunset's loyalty.

She clenched and unclenched her fists, slowly relaxing and taking a deep breath before looking at the others. "I-I apologize, please, Sir Bradford, let us speak of the matters at hoof."

She ignored her blunder. That… thing… was putting her on edge.

Chrysalis didn't look happy at all, but let them all file in, stopping Estella at the door. "You have already heard more than you would be authorized, I'm trusting Sunset and Tygan on your character, but whatever is said here is unquestionably classified, understood?"

"Y-yes, Commander!"

Chrysalis nodded, walking over to sit down and repeated her question. "Where is Sunset Shimmer?"

"Commander," Bradford began, "While our objective to capture the ADVENT VIP, Mr. Wittbecker, was completed successfully, I'm afraid I must inform you that the Shezmu Scenario has taken place."

Chrysalis visibly cringed.

"At about twenty-three hundred hours, part of Wittbecker's mansion was destroyed and several liquid… tentacles... emerged from within, attacking everyone in sight. Whoever was touched by them would explode into a gory, bloody mass, and the blood itself would be absorbed into them.

"Also emerging from the destroyed wall, was Sunset Shimmer, now identifying herself apparently as the Siren Fugue, but in a fully-realized demonic form." Bradford sighed. "Wings and everything."

Chrysalis growled. "The same demonic form from before?"

Bradford shook his head a little. "Similar, but this was… she was bigger. Taller. Her hands had been turned into claws, she had a tail… it was entirely demonic. It is safe to assume she killed every human and alien in that mansion."

Elena scoffed. "It's not as if they were innocents."

"It doesn't matter." Chrysalis leaned back. "Sunset wouldn't murder people just because they sided with the winners."

"That's not all," Jane said, her voice low. "W-while Laetitia and I were in the kitchen… I also… transformed."

Chrysalis' eyes went wide. "What?! But you're not Equestrian!"

"She didn't need to be," Luna spoke up. "This is when I come in, as they say nowadays. When Laetitia was being overwhelmed by magic, in order to save her from an untimely death, I temporarily switched places with her. She is currently inhabiting my body in Equestria, and also serving as my anchor, which permits me to use more magic here than I normally would."

"Is this something that you can do to anyone?" Chrysalis asked, her tone icy.

"No." Luna licked her lips. "Laetitia and I have had… a relationship of sorts ever since the mirror incident." She shook her head. "What I am about to tell you is a secret she demanded of me, and were it not for the current circumstances, I would have never been here at all… except… she's dying."

"What?" Elena leaned forth. "Explain."

"Laetitia is a valiant soul, but her psychic powers—as much as they normally help your cause—are a tremendous weakness when it comes to magic… she was right next to the mirror when it activated, and the only reason she survived was that her energy was depleted. However, her system absorbed the overflow, and was slowly killing her.

"I stepped in and saved her, lending her energy and power and managing the magical feedback while she is on missions. Sometimes, the stress is too much and I step in." She looked down. "I'm sorry Commander. I greatly respect you all, but… we soul-bonded, and as her caretaker as she inevitably heads for the eternal fields, I promised her request for secrecy." She smiled a little sadly. "She didn't want your pity, or to not be at Sunset's side."

Chrysalis' face tightened, but she nodded. "Fair enough. And Jane?"

"When Sunset saved Jane," Luna explained, "after the infiltration to the MEC factory, she unwittingly created a bond… similar to the one I have with Laetitia, but in her case, because of the nature of Blood Magic, a subversive, twisting bond that would turn Jane into a willing servant of the Blood Witch. Jane would have some of her powers, but she'd be little more than an extension, feeling what Sunset felt, and being corrupted… eventually, she would have been consumed by Sunset herself, in what ancient texts describe as…" Luna cleared her throat. "Let's use the word erotic and leave it at that."

Jane grimaced, wrapping her arms around herself. "I killed innocent people. I was… a witness, I couldn't fight it, I felt disconnected…"

"When I took over, I severed the blood bond," Luna said, placing a comforting hand on Jane's shoulder. "Her power won't overwhelm you ever again. You might still have some remnant magic within you, but with time, it will become a natural part of your ethereal flow. It won't grant you magical powers as Sunset's, but you will still understand Angel."

Jane looked away. "I don't know if I want it. Sunset… she took control of me. Against my will."

"It wasn't your friend," Luna said softly.

"So we lost her."

Everyone turned to see Chrysalis, who had clenched her fists. Her body shook. "We lost her again."

"Commander…" Bradford spoke up, but trailed off when she stood up.

"A week or so ago, Sunset came in here… she said that if she ever lost control… if the Blood Magic took over, we'd need to fight her."

Luna watched anxiously as Chrysalis walked over to the wall and moved the frame aside, revealing a safe, hidden behind it. She entered a code and the heavy, reinforced door opened. Chrysalis took out a small box, and Luna recoiled, standing up and walking to the other side of the room, drawing more than one curious look as Chrysalis walked back and settled it on the table.

Jane for her part, had opened her eyes wide, and they could see she had gone pale. The soldier shook her head. "W-what is that?"

"Sunset made this," Chrysalis said, "as a security measure."

"Sunset Shimmer created that-that monstrosity?!" Luna gasped.

Chrysalis shrugged, opening the box.

Central and the others leaned in, while Luna gasped, shaking her head in horror.

"I don't get it," Elena said, picking one of the objects and holding it up for inspection. "Bullets?"

"But they have strange markings on them," Estella spoke up for the first time since sitting down. She studied the scribbles. "It looks like Equestrian… a little? But not? Runic?" she glanced at Luna who shook her head quickly.

"Okay Luna, mind telling us what this is about?" Bradford said. "Clearly Sunset thought these would help us defeat her—"

"Not defeat," Luna whispered. Despite the low volume of her voice, the others could still hear clearly what she had said. "One does not…" she gulped. "Those things will not just kill her. You are correct, in a way, Estella Marilla, those are Equestrian Runes… in a way. But their purpose here is not to redirect magic, or control it. If one of those bullets hit a magical creature, they would break their soul."

Tygan snorted. "Surely—"

"No. No. You don't understand," Jane said, slowly rolling her chair away, not taking her eyes off of the bullets, as if they were some sort of venomous viper. "It's like staring at a black hole or something…"

"This is pure anti-magic," Luna said, a shiver finally running down her spine, as if vocalizing it had released something. "When a person dies, one can sometimes say that they look asleep. Or even feel their presence a little. One can tell whoever that was, alien, human, pony… that they were alive.

"Killing a magical being with such a-a thing… if one were to look at their body, it would simply be an object, devoid of personality, devoid of feeling, devoid of essence or the memory of ever having been alive. It removes what makes one unique…" she shook her head. "We can't explain it… but we would rather be dismembered to pieces than be shot by that."

She locked eyes with Chrysalis. "If you shoot her with that… all the precious memories of her will become nothing more than a passing thought. You won't just kill her. You will erase her."

o.0.o End Chapter 191 o.0.o

Next Chapter: Chapter 192: Recrimination Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 58 Minutes
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