El Turnia: Becoming Fire *DISCONTINUED*

Chapter 23: The Empress of Chaos

WARNING: This chapter may contain subtle gore.

I stood outside her door and waited.
Go in, just go in
In the end I decided to knock first.
"Hello?" Christilia said from inside. "Who is it?"
"Um... it's me.... Gloria." I said hesitantly.
"Go away." Christilia said flatly. "Haven't you tormented me enough!"
"I actually... came to say I'm really sorry." I said looking down at my hooves.
Christilia opened the door, her eyes were red from tears but she looked at me sternly and said nothing.
"I'm really sorry...." I said again. "I get why you didn't want to destroy the cocoon.... I wanted to cus I was... scared to tell the truth."
Christilia nodded.
"Well maybe next time don't blame me for being nice!" she said.
"Heh, sorry about that." I said embarrassed.
She looked at me.
"Gloria, were both queens your not the only one who has to call the shots!"
I nodded realizing she was right.
"I want to stand with you not beside you!" she said. "I don't want to fade into the background while you fight on your own!"
I continued nodding.
"You could have asked me what I would've done to the cocoon but instead you went right ahead and decided you wanted to destroy it!" she said pointing at me.
"I know." I said coming closer to her. "And I want you to fight beside me.... I can't do this without you! You're wonderful and brilliant and kind! I want you with me... always!"
She and I came nose to nose and for a long while we just stared at one another. Then finally I whispered:
"I love you, Christilia."
"I love you too." she replied quietly.
"I'm really sorry that I-" I was cut off by a loud yell.
"THE CASTLE IS UNDER ATTACK!!" a guard yelled from outside.
"EVERYPONY RUN!!" screamed a villager.
Uh oh
I looked at Christilia, she looked at me and as if we shared the same mind we said:
"Lunacy!"
Christilia turned and ran to her balcony, I followed my heart racing in my chest. I knew then that it was indeed Lunacy, I couldn't see her but by the absolute chaos that was currently ensuing in the sight before my eyes there was no doubt about it.
"We have to do something!" Christilia said turning to me.
"I know! But what!" I yelled.
"We'll figure it out! C,mon!" Christilia dived down towards the ground horn at the ready.
I wasn't sure where to start. Panic rolled over me in waves, there was chaos everywhere from pineapple monsters to legged houses! The castle guards were barely holding back the steadily rising tidal wave of nonsense, this would be impossible!
This is NOT going to be easy
Christilia's face told me she was starting to wonder what to do as well. Seeking her advice I called out to her:
"What are we going to-"
But a heavy weight landed on my back knocking the air out of me and in turn making me double over and fall to the ground. Struggling to break free I turned my head from side to side desperately trying to see my attacker and eliminate them.
"GROOAWWWW!!!" it roared.
Sharp pangs of agony suddenly stabbed my back making me yell out in pain.
"PINEAPPLE MONSTER!" Christilia yelled.
She raised her horn and blasted the figure that had once been a tropical fruit that was currently turned into a mutant killer.
"Thanks!" I said struggling up from the ground.
I winced as the pineapple "quills" went deeper into my skin, blood trickled slowly down my leg and I grimaced.
"No problem!" Christilia said.
"HELP!" a scream split the air drawing our attention away from the killer ananas.
"What was that?" Christilia said frantically.
"HELP!" the scream sounded again.
I didn't wait any longer. I ran. Jumping over sudden swirling voids that popped up randomly and dodging flying pink bunnies.
Lunacy has outdone herself! This is crazy!
"SOMEPONY HELP- AAAUUGHHH!!" but this time the scream was cut off by a terrible yell.
I started galloping faster and barely missed a form lying on the ground. Falcon, my trusted advisor who I had never gone too lay on the ground spikes sticking out from her neck, blood trickling from the wounds.
"NO!" I yelled and ran to her side.
I had barely known Falcon, but she was a good pony and that was all that mattered right now. I sat and looked down at her, feeling her pulse I gasped. There was a subtle thump... thump.... thump.
She's alive!
"Falcon?" I whispered. "Can you hear me?"
Falcon coughed and slowly opened her eyes halfway.
"We're gonna get you out of here! Don't worry!" I said frantically looking for a way to carry her to safety.
"N...no." Falcon struggled to speak as blood gurgled from her lungs.
"What do you mean?" I asked frightened.
"T-take.... care of.... m-y... f-family." she said softly.
And I watched in horror as her eyes glazed over and her head fell back into everlasting stillness. My eyes welled up with tears and I threw my head back and wailed. Why did everypony I know have to die. First my parents, then my advisor! Why was this happening?
"Gloria- oh my god!" Christilia gasped and came to a stop behind me.
She bent down and put her horn to Falcon's head in a traditional act of farewell. I copied her but this time taking longer to whisper:
"I will avenge you."
I stood up.
"We need to find Lunacy now! Before she hurts anypony else!"
"But what about the kingdom! We can't leave it unguarded!" Christilia pointed out.
"We won't." I said.
"How? I-"
"You'll be protecting it." I answered.
"But I thought I told you I wanted to fight with you!" she said annoyed.
"I need to find Lunacy! And I want to do it on my own!" I pleaded.
Christilia coming along and getting hurt is the last thing I need!
"I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!" Christilia roared. "I DON'T NEED PROTECTING!!"
I flinched at her outburst and lowered my head. Christilia huffed and glared at me.
"Please just let fight with you. For once let me stand up for our kingdom!" Christilia said pleadingly.
"Alright. Let's go." I said.
"Oh I think it's a little too late for that."
I spun around and gasped. Lunacy stood behind me her green and blue scales glinting in the moonlight and her yellow eyes glistened in the light from the stars. She was grinning the most unnerving grin and her eyebrows were furrowed so low that her eyes were slowly reduced to slits. She was more terrifying than I had imagined and her claws were sharper and longer making me incredibly nervous.
"Hello Lunacy." Christilia growled angrily.
Lunacy grin widened and she took a step closer.
"Hello Christilia." she said coming nose to nose with the violet pony.
"Leave our kingdom alone." Christilia said fiercely.
"Not on your life!" Lunacy laughed. "This is the most fun I've had in ages!"
"And you'd risk an entire country just to have a little fun!?" I said stepping in between Lunacy and Christilia.
"This entire country helped lock me away and punish me for something I never did!" Lunacy shouted. "So yes, I think I will!"
"What?" I asked confused.
What is she talking about?
"They thought I was villain just because I'd been created by one! I never did anything! But they still put me in a cocoon that was put in ANOTHER DIMENSION!" Lunacy yelled.
"That's the past!" I said. "The ponies who locked you up are dead! These ones are innocent!"
"But they still support what their ancestors did too me! Can't you see? They haven't changed!" Lunacy said growing more outraged by the minute.
I sighed.
"Maybe they haven't." I admitted, then I continued, "And they certainly won't if you keep destroying their home! You won't get anything you want with revenge!"
Lunacy growled, lowering her head so that she and I were at eye level she whispered:
"But I can try."
"Well too bad." I spat. "Because we won't let you!"
Lunacy looked at me and burst into laughter.
"Who's we?" Lunacy said through laughter.
"What do you mean?" I asked still confused.
"Well it seems to me that your little friend just ran off!" Lunacy said grinning.
I looked around. Christilia was gone.