AUTHOR'S NOTE: WARNING! A torture scene lies ahead, my lovelies. Nothing M-rated, but if you are squeamish about torture in general, you may skip this chapter. It does not concern the overall story just yet.
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Episode 9: Daring Do and the Church of Majora
Something big was going down in Ahuizotl's territory; of that, legendary adventurer Daring Do was certain. She had come because she needed a new book idea, and Ahuizotl had no shortage of backup plans for his harebrained goal to envelop the Tenochtitlan Valley in eight hundred years of excessive heat. To this day, Daring could not even begin to fathom the reasons for this, especially considering that Princess Celestia could likely correct it with minimal effort if she noticed something was amiss. She had been discreetly keeping an eye on the activities of Ahuizotl's tribe over the last couple of days as they set up camp around yet another ruined temple. Standard Ahuizotl fare.
That is, until he came.
Daring Do had no idea what to think of the strange, bipedal creature that had abruptly appeared in the makeshift village. Whatever it was, it had bone-white hair that fell over its left eye, long ears that tapered to a point with black diamond earrings dangling from the earlobes, and hideously pale skin. The creature's face appeared to be covered in makeup, with white lipstick and thick eyeshadow. Its eyes glinted with unfathomable malice and a sense of smug superiority. It was dressed in outlandish clothing, consisting of a white leotard of sorts with numerous diamond cutouts that exposed more of its skin, with a strangely-designed cloak over top that tapered to three points. Its long-fingered paws were covered by elegant white gloves.
Daring couldn't help but notice that the natives couldn't seem to make sense of him either, surrounding the creature and levelling their weapons threateningly. "You! Intruder!" one of the stallions yelled in broken Common Speech as he thrust his spear at the creature.
To everyone's shock, the creature coolly raised a hand and caught the sharpened stone tip of the spear between two thin fingers. A cruel smile adorned its features as the stallion desperately tried to dislodge his weapon from its vice-like grip. Suddenly, with what seemed to be minimal effort, the being ripped the stallion's spear out of his grasp, and before he could even blink, his own weapon was plunged through his throat. With a strangled gurgle, the unfortunate stallion collapsed and died, his blood staining the jungle floor.
Daring's mouth fell open in shock at such a casual display of violence. Not even the Griffon Rebels had been this utterly ruthless during her hunt for the Griffon's Goblet. Well, that's something I'm gonna have to leave out for the foals' sake.
The remaining tribesponies gawked at the grinning creature, who chuckled menacingly before it opened its mouth and spoke. "That's right, you filthy pack animals. Be afraid. It would be unwise to make my gorge rise, now that I have tasted blood."
Daring furrowed her brow. Whatever this thing was, it was definitely male, and yet his style of clothing and mannerisms all had an effeminate flair that clashed starkly with his bloodthirsty callousness. "I have come to seek an audience with your leader, Ahuizotl," the sinister visitor announced. "Take me to him at once, if you place any value on your insignificant lives."
Too terrified to object, two of the ponies wordlessly ushered the being to follow them into the temple, who blissfully hummed some unknown tune to himself as he complied. Gods, that psycho creeped her out already. Daring waited and watched as the other tribesponies solemnly carried off their murdered comrade. Once they were gone, she quickly followed after the strange creature and entered the ancient temple. She took care to avoid any possible traps and look for alternate paths so that she would not encounter any other tribesponies as she followed the creature to Ahuizotl's new throne room. She watched from a hidden alcove above the room as the creature entered. Ahuizotl sat on his throne, two beautiful female ponies fanning him with palm leaves as he inspected a large golden ring of some kind, his ever-faithful cats lounging at his feet. As soon as the intruder appeared, though, their ears pricked and their heads collectively shot up, all of them sensing something horribly wrong with the strange creature. They hissed and growled as their hair stood on end, alerting Ahuizotl to the newcomer's presence as he stopped in the middle of the throne room.
Ahuizotl was a very strange-looking creature himself; his body was mostly catlike, but his front paws were similar to the white-haired being's own, and an extra hand was situated at the end of his prehensile tail. His head was unusually long, with all his facial features squashed around the front, his massive sharp teeth protruding from his upper jaw. Ahuizotl's eyes narrowed as he saw his unannounced visitor. "Who are you?" he demanded. "And why was I not told of your coming?"
The tribesponies accompanying him opened their mouths to explain the situation, but a clearing of the being's throat silenced them. "I would much rather prefer to do my own introductions, thank you," the creature snapped with false politeness before meeting Ahuizotl's suspicious gaze and taking a grand bow. "Greetings, Lord Ahuizotl of Tenochtitlan Valley. My name is Ghirahim. Lord Ghirahim. I come on behalf of my master to offer you a…proposal."
Daring listened in intently, holding her breath in order not to draw any sort of attention to herself as Ahuizotl responded, "What sort of proposal?"
Ghirahim chuckled darkly as he procured an item from who-knows-where and held it up for Ahuizotl to see. Daring's eyes narrowed as she focused on it. Is that a mask? Daring asked herself, studying the heart-shaped headpiece closely from where she observed the scene.
"This, my prospective companion," Ghirahim explained, "is an item of immense power, far greater than any magical artifact you have ever seen, or ever will again. This is my master's gift to you; the key to your greatness. This is the Mask of Majora."
Ahuizotl stared into the eyes of Majora's Mask, and could not suppress the shudder that ran down his spine. Those eyes almost felt alive somehow, like they were scrutinizing him. Nevertheless, while intrigued, Ahuizotl was not entirely sold on the idea. "And what sort of power could this mask of yours offer me? What sort of being are you?"
Ghirahim pursed his lips impatiently, clicking his tongue in agitation as though considering whether he should grace the equally-strange creature before him with an answer. "I see the pot has no issue calling the kettle black," Ghirahim spoke with a condescending sneer. "After all, you are just as strange a being to the inhabitants of this world as you would be considered in mine."
"I am one of the Children of Krastos, for your information, and you are avoiding my questions," Ahuizotl answered with a threatening gaze.
None of them seemed to notice Daring fighting back a grin as she observed the scene, though it quickly vanished as she considered the implications of Ahuizotl's statement. Children of Krastos? What in the world-wide Equestria is he talking about?
Ghirahim heaved a dramatic sigh. "If you must know, I, sir, am a demon. Why, you could almost call me a Child of Majora, though my master is fortunate enough to still be alive, unlike that 'Devouring Serpent' of yours."
Ahuizotl chose to ignore that, probably because he cared little about the nature of his heritage. Though that would explain why there aren't any others of his kind, Daring thought to herself. But is that Ghirahim weirdo really a demon? And the way he's talking makes it seem like he's from a whole different world! Just what is going on here?
"And what can your master's mask offer me?" Ahuizotl asked again. "You have still not answered that."
Ghirahim grinned. "More power than you will ever know." He lifted the mask over his head. "Observe!"
Ahuizotl's cats, which had been hissing at Ghirahim before, suddenly went deathly silent in primal fear as Majora's Mask awakened. The mares that had been fanning him dropped their instruments and hid behind Ahuizotl's throne, whimpering in terror. Ahuizotl did not fail to notice any of this as he observed, which concerned him greatly. He had a feeling that this was no ordinary magical artifact. The room darkened as the torches were snuffed out by the crushing blackness. The only remaining light came from a few small windows, and the hellishly-glowing pupils of the mask itself. Up in her hiding place, Daring could not hold back the shudder that ran down her spine. This mask was far different from the Wooden Mask she was familiar with. The idea that there existed a version of that twisted thing that was even worse terrified her, as she knew very well of the Wooden Mask's corruptive influence. She willed herself to stay strong in the face of her fear and continued to listen as Ghirahim intoned in a voice that sounded deeper and darker, almost as though the mask were speaking through him, "This mask is a vessel for the power of Majora. Through him, you and your people can obtain ultimate power, ultimate glory…ultimate greatness! With it, you can move mountains, summon armies the likes of which your world has yet to see, pull the very sun and moon out of the sky! Eight hundred years of sweltering heat? Paltry! Majora can grant you an eternity! Even your tribesmen can benefit from his might! Let them approach the mask and expose themselves to his will! He will grant them power untold! You will possess the greatest power in all of Equestria, nay, the world!"
Suddenly a deep, booming laugh echoed throughout the chamber, and there was no way it could have come from Ghirahim. Shivering in barely-controlled terror, Daring realized the laugh had come from Majora's Mask itself. Sweet Faust, that thing's alive.
Accept me, Ahuizotl. Accept my power, and you will be richly rewarded.
Daring realized that the mask itself had indeed spoken just now. Her fears were confirmed: this was much, much worse than the Wooden Mask. There was no way she could allow it to fall into Ahuizotl's hands; whatever was going on here was much bigger than even her nemesis was prepared for. With that, she steeled her resolve and brought out her trusty whip.
Ahuizotl stared wide-eyed at Majora's mask, finally understanding the fear that ran through his cohorts. This truly was a weapon beyond anything he could have ever conceived in his wildest dreams…or worst nightmares. But the allure of this newfound power was impossible for him to deny. As he opened his mouth to accept Ghirahim's offer, something happened that cut off his reply. A familiar blur of tan swung over Ghirahim and snatched the mask right out of the demon's surprised grip.
"Thanks for the souvenir, Ahuizotl!" Daring Do called out. "Catch you later!"
Ahuizotl let out an enraged yell. "DARING DO! After her, you fools! Stop her!"
Immediately the tribesponies chased after the intruder as Ghirahim whipped around, glaring into Daring's retreating back. How could one of those filthy Equestrians get the drop on me?! Ghirahim thought angrily to himself, feeling his lust for blood rise in his throat. I'll make her suffer for this!
With a snap of his fingers, Ghirahim vanished in an explosion of red, white, and black diamonds.
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Daring Do flew with breakneck speed towards the exit, kicking and pushing aside any tribesponies that tried to stop her. Majora's Mask was clutched tightly in her arms as she flew, and thus, she did not notice the fleshy violet tendril that suddenly snaked its way out of the mask's back and abruptly wrapped around her torso. Daring's heart nearly beat out of her chest with shock as she felt it. "W-what…?" she barely had time to utter before she felt herself flung out of the air and smashed roughly against the ground, forced to release her grip on the mask in the process.
Daring grunted with pain as she shook her head and looked up. Immediately, all hope sunk as she saw the Mask of Majora floating above her of its own accord, its eyes ablaze with pure evil and malice as its tendril retreated back inside it.
You should not have interfered here, Equestrian. And now you will pay for prying in affairs that are not your own.
Daring's eyes widened as she realized how way over her head she was now in. Screw the mask; she needed to get the buck out of here. However, the moment she turned around to do so, a wall of magical diamonds rose up, blocking her escape. At the same time, another wall appeared right in front of the mask, which did not even acknowledge this at it continued to glare at the adventurer. Suddenly she heard a noise that sounded like a metallic version of a teleport and saw Ghirahim right in front of her, his eyes narrowed with wicked intensity.
She is all yours, Ghirahim, Majora intoned as he powered down his mask so that Ahuizotl and his cohorts would not realize just how independent it really was. Do with her as you will.
Ghirahim grinned savagely, snapping his fingers as he summoned a black saber out of thin air. "With immense pleasure, oh Great One."
Daring backed up, realizing she was trapped with this psycho. While she was never one to back down from a fight, this guy was unreal. Even she was not certain whether she could beat him, especially in this enclosed space where she didn't have a lot of room to fly. It didn't help that this being was very tall, at least a head taller than Princess Celestia herself, meaning he could pluck her right out of the air if she tried. The odds were painfully against her this time.
But that wasn't going to stop her. She had faced impossible odds before and come out on top. Ghirahim would be no different.
The demon sniffed the air with a wicked smirk, closing his eyes as he took in her scent. "Mmm, I can smell your fear, little pony. Your very being is rank with it. As it should be, hm hm hm hm…"
However, the second he opened his eyes, he heard a CRACK as something snapped across his face, drawing black blood on his cheek.
"You talk too much, you know that?" Daring Do challenged, cracking her whip again.
Ghirahim wiped his cheek and looked at the blood that now stained his white gloves. Ever since he lost his connection with Demise, Ghirahim had lost his status of sword spirit and been reduced to merely another demon. While his powers themselves hadn't been weakened, it meant he was now vulnerable to damage just like any other creature. The sight of his own blood made the Demon Lord see red as he looked up at his unfortunate soon-to-be victim. "You're going to regret that!" he screeched, lunging at her with sword drawn.
Daring dove out of the way, her opponent's sword missing her so closely that it managed to shave off a few hairs on her tail. She flew up behind Ghirahim and bucked him with all her strength as he was turning around, knocking him into his own energy wall. Ghirahim growled with rage as he shook his head.
"Wow, you're a whole lot slower than I thought you were, buddy," Daring taunted with a grin. "You sure you can keep up?"
Ghirahim gritted his teeth in rage and snapped, "Let's see you dodge this, then!"
The Demon Lord snapped his fingers, causing a bunch of black diamonds enshrouded by blood-red auras to appear all around him. With a wave of his hand, they shot at her with blinding speed. But Daring was faster, and years of experience with dodging arrows, spears, and numerous death traps allowed her to dodge this new attack easily. She cracked her whip at him again, hoping to put out one of his eyes. However, Ghirahim saw it coming this time and grabbed it. Before she could even register what had happened, Ghirahim yanked on the whip, pulling her out of the air. Daring let out a cry as she crashed painfully to the ground.
As she shook her head, she saw Ghirahim bearing down on her, sword raised over his head. Survival instinct taking over, she flew up and tackled him in the chest, sending both of them to the ground and knocking Ghirahim's sword out of his hand. As soon as Ghirahim hit the ground, Daring rolled off of him and grabbed his discarded blade, awkwardly shoving her hoof between the handgrip and guard as Ghirahim stood back up. Seeing that she had commandeered his weapon, the enraged demon summoned another one out of thin air and held it at the ready. "Who would have thought I would be crossing blades with a filthy horse?" Ghirahim remarked with a bloodthirsty grimace. "Though I suppose it doesn't matter; either way, I'm going to slice open your belly and spill your innards all over the ground."
"You're not the first one to try that, buddy," Daring countered, though the way he had so casually stated his intentions just heightened his creepiness factor.
"No, but I'll be the one to succeed!" Ghirahim snarled, rushing forward.
Their two swords clanged as Daring defended herself, and by this time, several of the tribesponies that had been pursuing her had caught up and were transfixed by the battle before them. Unable to intervene, they simply stood and watched the spectacle as the newcomer dueled their leader's rival.
Daring flew out of reach as Ghirahim slashed at her, taking care not to bump into the wall of energy behind her, as she was pretty sure touching it would hurt. Ghirahim pressed his attack, slashing at her again. Daring parried before swooping over Ghirahim's head to slash at his back, but the demon whipped around and deflected her attack with a practiced swipe of his blade. He then struck again, aiming for her throat, but this she blocked in turn and then followed up with a stab at his chest.
However, Ghirahim's free hand abruptly shot out, and he caught the tip of his blade between two deceptively-delicate fingers. Having seen this trick before, Daring immediately released her grip on her weapon and kicked Ghirahim in the face, his head snapping back from the force of the blow. Ghirahim stumbled back in a daze, and Daring seized the initiative, retrieving her whip, flying behind the disoriented demon lord, and wrapping her whip around his neck and flying upward, attempting to choke him. While she was never one for killing, this monster was definitely a sadist who would not hesitate to murder her or anypony unfortunate enough to get in his way. She could not afford to refuse to extend the same courtesy.
However, Ghirahim retaliated by leaping into the air, smashing Daring against the ceiling. The wind knocked out of her, Daring was helpless to stop Ghirahim as he tore the whip-turned-garrote off his neck, seized her by the throat, and threw her against the energy wall, which sent thousands of volts of magical electricity surging through her veins. With a scream of agony, Daring ricocheted off the wall and fell limply to the ground on her back. She could barely keep herself conscious, her vision blurry and her head pounding. As her vision continued to lose focus, she saw Ghirahim standing over her, a terrible grin on his face as he allowed his barrier to drop. "Look at me," he commanded silkily. "I want to see the life leave your eyes."
So…this is it, then, Daring realized. This is where I'm gonna die.
Daring had a feeling that her adventuring would one day claim her, and she thought she had been prepared to face that day. But for death to finally be at her doorstep…no amount of preparation and acceptance could change the fact that she was afraid to die. Ghirahim saw this, and his evil grin widened. "Ah, yes. There's that fear again. I was hoping that would be the look on your face as you met your end."
Ghirahim flicked his tongue like a snake as he pointed the tip of his blade downward and raised it over his head, intending to skewer the helpless mare where she lay. She could only pray that it would be quick.
"STOP!" a commanding voice abruptly yelled. "STOP THIS AT ONCE!"
Ghirahim blinked in surprise and lowered his blade as he turned to face the one who had interrupted him. The crowd of onlookers parted as Ahuizotl came onto the scene, his ever-faithful entourage of cats beside him.
Ghirahim grinned at Ahuizotl, but it did not reach his eyes, which flickered with anger at the interruption. "Ah, Ahuizotl. You're just in time to witness your old enemy's demise."
"Her end will not come at your hands," Ahuizotl retorted sharply. "She has caused me and my tribe more grief in the past than you can imagine. I will be the one to deal with her!"
Ghirahim's expression darkened. "Then you should have gotten here sooner."
"If you kill her without my say-so, our deal is off!" Ahuizotl snapped. "Have I made myself clear?!"
It would be so easy to kill you right here and now, you wretched creature, Ghirahim thought to himself. But since we need you alive for the time being…
"Perfectly," Ghirahim answered in a clipped tone, dismissing his blades. "I would prefer it if you did so quickly; we have so much work to do, after all."
Ahuizotl gestured to two of his tribesponies. "Take her to the dungeons. And make sure she stays there. I will decide what to do with her later."
The two tribesponies nodded as they dragged Daring to her hooves and carried her away. As they did this, the world-famous adventurer finally slipped into the realm of unconsciousness.
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That night…
Ahuizotl, weary from the events of the day, padded into his personal tent with his cats in tow. His thoughts whirled a mile a minute, and most of them focused on his old nemesis, Daring Do. Of course she would get involved. That was how she was. But this time she had gotten in way over her head, and Ahuizotl feared he might have as well.
Everything had been so simple before Ghirahim had come along. Ahuizotl would find a new artifact and attempt to use it, and Daring Do would inevitably come along and steal it away from him. This game between them had gone on for years. But now this game had taken a darker turn.
Truthfully, Ahuizotl did not even know what the Rings of Destiny did, which were what he had been after when Ghirahim had first appeared. They probably didn't bring about eight hundred years of sweltering heat like he said they did, but Ahuizotl didn't care. Their true purpose was to bring Daring Do to him.
Why?
Even Ahuizotl still couldn't figure it out. He had his suspicions, but those were so utterly audacious that there was no way they could be true.
Could they?
Daring Do had been his most persistent enemy. And yet, just when the opportunity to destroy her had finally come, he had halted it. Why? He ostensibly told himself it was because that she was his rival, and therefore only he had the right to destroy her. But did he really want to destroy her?
As his cats settled down around his bed, Ahuizotl walked over to a table that held treasures that Daring Do didn't even know he had, treasures that were more important to him than any other artifact he had taken in his long career. He picked up one of them with his tail and held it at eye level, inspecting it pensively.
Daring Do and the Quest For the Sapphire Stone.
The story of their first encounter.
Yes, Ahuizotl was aware of the books Daring Do had written about her adventures. He had collected every last one of them. He had wanted to see all their encounters from her perspective so he could see into his enemy's mind and figure out her thoughts, her patterns, and any weaknesses he could have possibly exploited.
What he had not expected was the insight and entertainment this would bring him. To see the world from Daring Do's perspective was a whole new experience for him. He had expected her to be just as arrogant as she appeared whenever she swooped in to derail his latest plan. What he instead discovered was that she was a very smart, very talented historian and adventurer who ultimately did what she did because she wanted to help ponies. Her personality was rather enchanting, if only he could experience that side of her for himself…
Why do I keep having these thoughts? Ahuizotl abruptly thought to himself as he shook his head. Why am I so attracted to my own archnemesis?
Then the gravity of one particular word hit him.
Attracted.
Impossible, Ahuizotl thought disbelievingly. Unthinkable! How can…how can I possibly be infatuated with Daring Do?!
And yet, by admitting this to himself, so many pieces abruptly fell into place. It explained the thrill that rushed through his veins when she appeared, his tendency to place her in traps that even he knew she could easily escape, and of course, hawking his latest artifact that would bring about centuries of excessive heat, even when that wasn't what the artifact in question actually did, just so she could track him down…
This was more than just a simple game of cat and mouse. It always had been, even though both parties hadn't yet realized it. This was a subtle courting ritual. Her books revealed that Daring Do basically thought of her adventures as one big game of thrills. And whether she knew it or not, it had become this for Ahuizotl as well.
But then Ghirahim had gotten involved. And now Daring Do was wallowing away in a dark dungeon somewhere in the Fortress of Talicon, awaiting his judgment. Just what was he going to do with her?
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Ghirahim watched as a group of tribesponies hesitantly entered the room that had been set aside for Majora's uses. Upon Ahuizotl's orders, they had come here, and though they did not know what to expect, they trusted their leader's edicts. This was the third group to come in so far, and Ghirahim was pleased with the progress they were making. Once this 'batch' was ready, more than half the tribe would be under Majora's absolute control. Ahuizotl had no idea just what exactly was going on in that room, and the less he knew, the better, as far as Ghirahim was concerned.
Majora's Mask had attached itself to the wall at the far back, and all the ponies that had entered the room stared at it expectantly. With a smirk, Ghirahim observed as his creator spoke, the room darkening as an oppressive atmosphere of darkness took hold over them.
You come to me on the eve of chaos. A great change is soon to take place in your world, one that will completely alter the balance of power in this realm. I am your salvation. I am the one who brings truth into a world of deception. Renounce your gods and worship me, and I shall lead you into a new age of glory and prosperity. Only by my will can you be saved. Only by my knowledge can you be enlightened. Only by my power can you be judged worthy of ascendance.
Ghirahim did not see this, but he knew that Majora was filtering images of Equestria's destruction into their minds as he spoke, persuading them to see his argument. The gathered tribesponies shivered in terror as they saw all this, and Ghirahim knew that their superstitious, primitive minds would not refuse the Dark God.
"W-we will obey," many of them shakily agreed in thickly-accented voices.
Then approach me, and the ascending shall begin.
The tribesponies did so, overcome by fear and awe.
Recite the creed of the Church. By His will, we will be saved.
"By His will, we will be saved," the ponies recited.
By His knowledge, we will be enlightened.
"By His knowledge, we will be enlightened."
By His power, we will ascend.
"By His power, we will ascend."
Now, come forward and accept the gift of my essence.
Enraptured, the ponies came forth as Majora's Mask spawned a multitude of his Parasites, which immediately fused with the hapless converts, bending them irreparably to Majora's will. While this was rather satisfying to watch, Ghirahim was still starting to grow bored with it all. As his master did not seem to need him for the moment, Ghirahim grinned as he turned on his heel and strode away. He knew exactly what would brighten his evening.
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Dungeons…
Daring slowly awoke, her world beginning to come back into focus. The first thing she noticed was that she was shackled to the wall high up from the ground. Instinctively, she tried to pry her hooves out of the shackles. Unfortunately, in this case, her strength was not enough, and the metal cuffs held firm. After a few more moments of struggling, she abruptly gave up with a heavy sigh. "Dammit," she cursed under her breath.
As she fully regained awareness of her surroundings, the events of the day immediately caught up to her. Ghirahim…he was going to kill me, she thought to herself. But…why didn't he?
And then she remembered someone calling out, commanding the bloodthirsty demon to stop, a voice that sounded strangely like Ahuizotl's…
And now she had woken up in the dungeons. Ahuizotl must have called him off so that he could be the one to off me in the end, she thought with finality. And for once, I've been put in a trap I can't seem to escape. What am I gonna do? Maybe I can find a way to break out when Ahuizotl's goons come to get me. They'll probably put me in some random death-trap in the temple…
Daring was shaken out of her thoughts by the sound of the door to the dungeon area creaking open. Daring's head shot up in a brief flicker of hope that instantly sank into crushing despair as she saw Ghirahim enter the room, stopping just outside her cell and regarding her with a predatory grin that she really didn't like. And then he vanished in a swirl of multi-colored diamonds as he teleported inside her cell, that leery smile of his now directly in her face.
"What the buck?!" Daring cried out, startled at the demon lord's sudden closeness.
"Ahuizotl was gracious enough to tell me some things about you, Daring Do," Ghirahim stated, his breath prickling uncomfortably against her skin, causing her to involuntarily shudder. "According to him, you have a habit of coming in at the most inopportune times and derailing his plans again and again. You remind me so much of someone I once knew who was like that. Insufferable hero types like yourself really need to be taught a lesson in minding their own business."
Suddenly Ghirahim lifted his hand and backhanded Daring harshly across the face. The adventurer's head snapped to the side from the force of the blow as she saw stars. She then felt Ghirahim grab her roughly by the cheek and force her to look into his black pupils. "That was for making a fool of me earlier today," he said in that hideously silky voice of his. "I happen to be a demon of reputation, and you just swooping in like you did and attempting to interrupt my work, well…it's made me rather disagreeable."
Daring responded by spitting in the demon's face. Ghirahim released his grip on her as he angrily wiped his face clean. He then retaliated with a swift punch to her gut, knocking the wind out of her. Daring struggled for breath, unable to double over due to her shackles. He then grabbed her face again and forced her to look into his eyes once more. "I'm going to kill you, little pony," he sneered. "Every second you continue to exist makes my bloodlust rise ever more. How a loathsome little fly like you has managed to outwit Ahuizotl for so long baffles me, but I suppose in the end, it doesn't matter. Both of you will be dead once Lord Majora has succeeded in converting all the members of this backwater tribe. In the meantime, I'm going to have a little fun with you. I'm sure Ahuizotl won't mind. If I can't have your death, then at least I will have your suffering…"
Ghirahim stepped back and snapped his fingers, his black saber flickering into his waiting hand. The demon licked his lips in anticipation as he levelled the tip of his sword at Daring's chest. Her eyes widened in fear as Ghirahim slowly, almost seductively, used his blade to unbutton her vest until it hung at her sides, exposing her belly. Daring began struggling frantically against her bonds as she felt the cold steel lightly touch her chest. She felt it slowly begin to dig into her skin, and as the discomfort grew into pain, Daring began to hyperventilate in terror. And then the skin finally gave way, and the bloodletting began.
Daring squeezed her eyes shut, gritted her teeth, and screamed through clenched jaws as Ghirahim's sword cut into her chest about half an inch deep before it slowly began to trail down her belly, blood pouring freely from the growing laceration. Daring cried out in agony as tears fell from her eyes. Oh Faust, it hurts! Make it stop! Oh dear Faust, make it stop!
Just below her belly button, the sword finally retracted, and Ghirahim took a moment to admire his handiwork. From her chest all the way down to her lower belly was a long, thin laceration that oozed blood. Daring choked back a sob, overcome by pain. It hurt to breathe. The pain was indescribable, and in her mind, she continuously begged it to stop. As she finally forced herself to open her eyes, she saw Ghirahim approach, licking his lips again as he eyed her wound hungrily.
Oh gods, please no…
Ghirahim's long tongue snaked out of his mouth and licked at her injury, lapping up the blood like a dog from a water bowl. Daring could not stop herself from crying due to the pain and the horrifying sensation of being so utterly violated by this monster. A couple times, his tongue dug deeper into the laceration, widening it ever so slightly and increasing her agony. Her blood and Ghirahim's saliva smeared her coat as the sadistic demon had his way with her. Ghirahim let loose a seductive sigh as his face rose to hover at her neck. "How fitting," he spoke softly, almost as though he were conversing with a lover rather than a torture victim. "Equestrian blood is even sweeter than the blood of Hylians."
Daring feebly recoiled from his hot breath brushing at her neck, realizing, to her horror and revulsion, that her pain was outright arousing him. "G-get away from me, y-you sick bastard," she whimpered.
Ghirahim chuckled as he finally pulled away from her. "Ah, I'm afraid you raise a fine point, my dear. I do have other matters to attend to, after all. But if Ahuizotl doesn't get to you beforehand, perhaps we can have a little more fun. I trust you'll still be hanging around in the meantime, hm?"
Ghirahim laughed at his own joke as he strode out of the dungeons, licking his blade as he went. Daring Do could only glare hatefully at his back with as much remaining intensity as she could muster. It vanished behind a grimace as she was left alone with her pain and vulnerability.
Daring Do, hero of Tenochtitlan Valley, treasure hunter and adventurer extraordinaire, had at last been broken.
XXXXXX
Ahuizotl's tent…
Ahuizotl found that he couldn't sleep. He wasn't sure what, but something in his gut told him something was terribly wrong. And then there was the question of Daring Do, languishing away in the dungeons, and considering no alarm had been raised, it seemed she had been unable to escape for once. Perhaps if he went and saw her, maybe monologue for a bit, he could decide exactly what he needed to do with her. Ghirahim was fully expecting him to kill her, but Ahuizotl knew he could not, would not do that. Which could mean trouble if Ghirahim found out.
Ahuizotl quietly left his bed, making sure not to disturb his sleeping cats and padded out of his tent. As he did so, he noticed that many members of his tribe now looked uncomfortably different. Their coats had all turned purple, and their manes had all fallen off their scalps. Their eyes now looked like the eyes of Majora's Mask, but there was a sense of emptiness in their gaze. All of their Cutie Marks had been replaced by an image of the mask, which alarmed Ahuizotl. Even he knew how important Cutie Marks were in expressing a pony's sense of self. For them to have changed into this could only mean that Majora's Mask had consumed them utterly, so that they existed only to worship and serve it. Ahuizotl began to realize the mistake he had made as he pushed on towards the temple.
He headed straight for the dungeons, unsure of what he would do once he arrived. Anything other than killing her was certain to not only upset Ghirahim, but also arouse his suspicions. And Ghirahim had proven himself a force to be reckoned with. Soon enough he reached the dungeons and padded up to her cell. When he saw what awaited him inside, his eyes widened with shock and horror as he ripped the cell door right off its hinges and rushing over to Daring Do, who was in really bad shape. Her wounds were still bleeding, leaving a small puddle of crimson blood soaking into the floor below her.
"What has he done to you, Daring Do?" Ahuizotl spoke with worry and barely-suppressed rage as he lifted her chin to see if she was still conscious.
She was, but it was obvious that the pain she was in had reduced her to a state of delirium. Her eyes were unfocused, and it looked like she had been crying during her torture session. "It h-hurts," she whimpered repeatedly, not even recognizing Ahuizotl in her current state. "M-make it stop…please, make it s-stop…"
Ahuizotl looked down at the laceration that stretched down the length of her belly, and realized he could smell saliva mixed in her blood. His blood boiled with rage; Ghirahim did this. This was the last straw; as soon as he tended to Daring, he would march right up to Ghirahim, tell him that the deal was off, and throw him and his accursed mask off the edge of a cliff.
Ahuizotl worked his tongue around inside his mouth, building up saliva. He knew what he needed to do, but based on what had already happened to her previously, she was not going to take it well. "I don't know if you can recognize me right now, Miss Do," he spoke softly. "But I'm going to help you. My saliva has limited healing properties. It will at least stop the bleeding and temporarily prevent infection."
Daring gave no indication that she had heard him, continuing to whimper deliriously. Ahuizotl stretched out his tongue and slowly trailed it down Daring's injury. The moment his tongue touched her skin though, her eyes bugged out and she began thrashing violently. "NO! NO! PLEASE NO! STOP IT! STOP IT!"
Ahuizotl forced himself to ignore her as he licked at the injury, the taste of her blood in his mouth intoxicating as well as discomforting. After a few minutes, he was done, backing away as he saw the wound heal itself slightly. He would be back for her. But first, it was time to deal with that sadistic wretch of a demon.
Ahuizotl left the dungeons and searched throughout the ruined temple for Ghirahim, tracking him by scent over to a particular room, where he could hear him talking to someone. Two of his converted guards stood guard at either side of the door, and Ahuizotl had a sinking feeling that they would no longer answer to him. He had already lost his tribe and done nothing to stop it. Unable to get closer, Ahuizotl relied on his sharp hearing to pick up whatever conversation Ghirahim was partaking in.
…most of the tribe has been successfully converted. There appear to be a few stragglers that are suspicious of my intentions. I trust you can apprehend them and bring them to me before they go running to Ahuizotl?
"Of course, Great One. And as far as I know, that ignorant buffoon still has no idea what's going on. I doubt he'll be expecting my blade in his back once we don't need him anymore."
Ahuizotl is a fool, but he's not THAT stupid. Don't get overconfident, Ghirahim. Has Ahuizotl dealt with his old nemesis yet?
"I don't believe so, Master."
Mm, I suspected as much. There is something more than animosity between them, I can sense it. I doubt he will kill her. Which means you'll have the privilege of doing so yourself once Ahuizotl is dead.
Ghirahim chuckled darkly, the sound making Ahuizotl's fur bristle with anger and hatred. "I've already had a little fun with her. Some hero she is, squealing like a little piggy the moment she feels real pain."
Heheheheheheheh… That is why these Equestrians are pathetic. The Princesses have coddled them ceaselessly and blinded their eyes to the true nature of the world. They must be hardened with fire, tempered by darkness, and molded into weapons to serve me. Deal with the rebellious tribesmen, and then get rid of Ahuizotl. And then the Church will at last gain its foothold here.
Ahuizotl had heard enough. So they've been plotting against me from the beginning, Ahuizotl thought to himself as he hurried back to the dungeons. And that mask is no mere weapon; it is sentient, and it has turned my tribe against me. It's settled then; I must free Daring Do and escape this place, before Ghirahim has a chance to assassinate me. I don't have the time to seek out whoever is resisting Ghirahim. I'll simply make a proclamation upon my escape for them to flee. It's the best I can hope for.
He procured his trusty cat whistle and blew into it, knowing his faithful pets would hear it from the other side of the camp. In the meantime, he returned to the dungeons and approached Daring Do's cell. Holding her steady with his tail-hand, he used his front paws to rip off her shackles and free her.
"Whu…? Ahuizotl?" Daring weakly muttered.
"Come, Miss Do, we must away," Ahuizotl said, depositing her on his back.
"Going somewhere?"
Ahuizotl's breath hitched in his throat as he turned to face Ghirahim, who had just entered the room. The demon lord sneered smugly at him, his arms folded across his chest. "Ghirahim," Ahuizotl growled threateningly.
"No wonder my master thinks so little of you," Ghirahim scoffed. "His suspicions proved correct after all; that little wretch on your back is no enemy of yours, she's your sweetheart."
Ahuizotl crouched, ready to fight if he must as Ghirahim summoned his sword. "The beauty and the beast," Ghirahim cuckolded. "How romantic. I'll bury you both together!"
Ghirahim lunged at Ahuizotl, intending to slice his face clean off. Thinking quickly, Ahuizotl grabbed the door of Daring's cell and flung it at the crazed demon, knocking him to the ground with a metalling "BANG". Wasting no time, Ahuizotl looked up at Daring and cried, "Hold on!"
Daring clung to his back with all the remaining strength she could muster as Ahuizotl bounded over Ghirahim and raced out of the dungeons. He was almost out of the temple when Ghirahim abruptly appeared in the entryway, blocking their escape. Ahuizotl skidded to a halt and glared at his foe, who matched his glare with one of his own. "You will not leave this place alive," Ghirahim snarled. "Once I have you both subdued, I'll kill her first. But before I do, I'm going to make you watch as I fill that miserable pony with so much pain, she'll deafen herself from the sounds of her own screams!"
Ahuizotl crouched into a fighting position, intent on protecting the little pony on his back. "You will not touch her," he growled.
Ghirahim snapped his fingers, summoning dozens of magical diamonds all around the room. "I'll do with her as I please!" he yelled.
However, before Ghirahim could launch his attack, something huge struck him from behind, pinning him against the floor. Ahuizotl blinked in realization as he saw his tiger doing his best to hold the struggling demon down as his lynx, cheetah, black panther, and finally his precious house cat, Princess, came to their rescue. However, Ghirahim would not be deterred, and with a furious bellow of rage, he threw the tiger off of him. The panther leapt at him, but Ghirahim swatted her away with a rough backhand. Ahuizotl knew his cats would not be able to defeat Ghirahim, but perhaps they could buy the time he needed to escape.
But that would mean leaving them behind, he thought. My treasured pets…my companions!
As Ahuizotl's cats surrounded the angry demon, his tiger looked over his shoulder and purred softly, knowing exactly what was to come and begging his beloved master to flee while he could. Ahuizotl fought back tears as his heart swelled with pride and sorrow, but there was one in particular he could not bear to leave behind. He quickly grabbed his small, white-furred house cat, Princess with his tail and turned to flee, throwing one last look over his shoulder. His cats all met his gaze with misty eyes, ready to sacrifice themselves for him.
"I'm so proud of you all," Ahuizotl spoke fondly. "Thank you."
And with that, Ahuizotl ran, with Daring Do on his back and Princess mewling in his tail-hand, unable to bear to look back for fear that he would not be able to leave his pets behind. His sharp hearing then picked up the sounds of yowling and snarling big cats intermingled with the enraged shouts and yells of Ghirahim as he fought back. Near the edge of the camp, he turned around and gave his last command to his tribe.
"My people! Our time together is over! We have been betrayed! Flee! Flee while you can! Do not let yourselves fall under the grasp of the demon and his mask! Flee for your lives!"
He did not wait to see whether those that survived heeded his reply, turning around and dashing into the dense jungle and leaving every aspect of his whole life behind.
XXXXXX
Ghirahim roughly tossed the lifeless body of Ahuizotl's lynx off his blade, having finally slain the last of the tribal leader's attack cats. Their corpses lay all around him, their blood pooling at the demon lord's feet. Ghirahim breathed heavily in rage and exhaustion; the damned animals had allowed Ahuizotl and Daring Do to escape his grasp. But this was not where his misfortune ended.
The last remaining tribesmen have fled this place.
Ghirahim's anger was immediately replaced by fear as Majora's Mask floated up behind him, the evil god's fury coming off the mask in waves.
And now Ahuizotl and the Equestrian have escaped, with knowledge of our presence that they could possibly bring to the Princesses' attention! Your bungling may have cost us the element of surprise!
"M-Master, I…"
SILENCE!
Two beams of dark electricity flew out of the mask, sending the unfortunate demon lord to his knees as his body was wracked with agony.
You had better pray I can fix the mess you have created, or you'll be suffering a lot more than that!
Ghirahim could not answer his lord through the sounds of his own screaming.
Eventually, Majora seemingly tired of punishing the demon lord, the agonizing beams emanating from the mask's eyes abruptly ceasing as the accursed artifact floated out the entrance of the Talicon Fortress, leaving Ghirahim a quivering mess on the ground. Majora's Mask glared at the jungle its enemies had escaped into as it began a painstaking spell. Slowly but surely, the Dark God used the small window of his prison provided by his mask to bring creatures of his being to the far-off realm of Equestria. Three dark shapes pulsated and writhed as their forms coalesced, forming violet, bat-like wings, coal-black fur, a segmented, serpentine tail, and strong, lupine bodies.
Within minutes, three of Majora's Hounds awoke and awaited their creator's instructions.
Find them, Majora hissed darkly.
His Hounds growled as they launched themselves into the air, taking flight in relentless search of their prey.
XXXXXX
Ahuizotl did not stop running for a good hour, until he could not run anymore. Finding a clearing, Ahuizotl finally stopped and lay down, panting heavily from the exertion. He set down Princess on the jungle floor and then plucked a barely-conscious Daring Do off his back and gently deposited her at his side. Daring didn't seem to mind, or was too weak to. "Rest, Miss Do," Ahuizotl spoke softly. "We still have a great distance to travel before we can truly be considered safe."
Princess came up to his face, mewling questioningly with her large, cute eyes. Ahuizotl's heart constricted as he knew what his little Princess was asking. "…I am sorry, my little Princess," Ahuizotl said, tears running down his face as he petted his last remaining loyal cat. "They…they cannot join us again. They are gone."
As Princess saw her master cry, she seemed to realize what he meant, and she meowed sadly as she brushed up against Ahuizotl's chest, looking for comfort. To both Ahuizotl and Princess's surprise, however, that comfort came from Daring Do, who pulled the grieving feline close to her chest, needing comfort herself. It was amazing and saddening to see how vulnerable his former rival now looked without her hat and whip, both of which he had left behind in the temple in his haste to escape with her.
"Ahuizotl…" Daring spoke barely above a whisper.
"Yes, Miss Do?" Ahuizotl replied, trying to keep his voice level.
"I'm sorry…about your cats," she said weakly.
"…as am I, Miss Do," Ahuizotl finally answered with a heavy heart. "As am I."
They sat in silence a few minutes more, solemnly pondering the situation they had found themselves in, when Daring finally spoke up again. "Ahuizotl…why did you do it?"
He knew what she was asking, but he did not know how he would answer. To stall for just a bit more time, he looked down at her and said, "Hm?"
"You had so many opportunities to kill me today," she continued. "You could have let that whacko Ghirahim kill me...you could have killed me yourself after you called him off…you could have even left me to die in that dungeon…but you didn't. Why did you save my life?"
Ahuizotl carefully weighed his words in his mind. He could simply tell her that she was his enemy, and therefore only he had any right to defeat her, but for some reason, the thought of those words left a bad taste in his mouth. But how could he possibly tell her, the pony that, for years, had been his nemesis, that he was in love with her? How could she possibly understand? Such a thing couldn't be possible; he was one of the Children of Krastos, born of the broken and dying body of the Devouring Serpent himself, and she was a pony born of the warm light and love of Mother Faust. Those of Krastos and those of Faust were meant to be as opposed to each other as their creators had been.
"Ahuizotl?"
Daring's questioning voice shook Ahuizotl out of his thoughts, and he realized that she was still waiting for his reply. "Ah…I must admit it is…a complicated thing. One that may take some time to…explain. Time I am not completely certain we have at the moment."
What Ahuizotl didn't know was that Daring had an idea, and the implications had left her mind reeling. Unbidden, the mocking words of Ghirahim as he had addressed her old enemy entered her mind.
"That little wretch on your back is no enemy of yours, she's your sweetheart. The beauty and the beast, how romantic…"
After all this time…it doesn't make any sense! Daring Do thought in confusion. How could Ahuizotl possibly have feelings for me?! He and I have been enemies ever since we first met! He's put me into all sorts of death-traps and left me to die more times than I can count!
"But I can tell you this; I'm certain the fans of your books would object to their hero meeting an untimely demise."
It took her a moment, but once it clicked in her mind, her eyes widened and she looked up at him in shock.
"You…you knew?" she breathed.
Ahuizotl smirked. "Not only did I know, I read every last one. They were surprisingly entertaining. I even came to one of your book signings. In disguise, of course. The irony admittedly left me in a good mood for days afterward."
Daring's eyes narrowed. "What kind of disguise?"
"At the time, I possessed a talisman that could transform me into a pony when I wore it around my neck. Unfortunately, I was forced to leave it behind with…everything else."
After a moment, Daring's curiosity compelled her to ask another question. "What were you talking about when you were calling yourself a Child of Krastos?"
Ahuizotl quirked an eyebrow in mild surprise. "You heard that, did you? You are an adventurer and a historian, Miss Do. Surely you know of Krastos, at the very least?"
Daring's brow furrowed. "I know he was destroyed by Mother Faust and his body supposedly used by her to build Equis. That's our oldest legend, passed down by the Princesses themselves."
"Mm," Ahuizotl responded. "Well, I can tell you that not all his body exists as the world we live upon. Upon his dying breath, parts of the Devouring Serpent split from his shattered form and became the great terrors that haunt the world today. Discord, Grogar, and myself, just to name a few. Some of us were incarnated as children; others sprang forth already fully grown. I myself was born a child from his left fang, while Discord was born from his right, also as an infant. Most of us have not interacted with one another, save for Tirek and Scorpan, who grew from Krastos's eyes, which caused them to consider one another brothers. I do not know what has become of most of them, truthfully, nor do I care. Most of them were as utterly evil as Krastos had been."
"And how is trying to bring about eight centuries of sweltering heat not evil?" Daring challenged.
Ahuizotl could not help himself; he laughed. "That too, is a long story, Daring Do."
His laughter died in his throat as he suddenly caught a scent on the wind, one that reeked of foul magic and murderous intentions. Daring noticed his abrupt change in demeanor, her eyes narrowing as Ahuizotl sniffed at the air. "What is it?"
Ahuizotl's response was to deposit Daring and Princess on his back with his tail-hand as he quickly stood. "It is as I feared."
Before Daring could demand an explanation from him, a chorus of unholy, demonic howls rent the air not far from them, chilling their bones.
"We are being pursued!" Ahuizotl cried, breaking into a run just as a trio of winged wolves emerged from over the tree line, no doubt searching for them.
Daring looked over her shoulder to see the Hounds of Majora in hot pursuit, their eyes resembling those of that hated Mask. She immediately knew then what had sent these twisted beasts.
And with growing dread, she realized they were gaining, and fast.
"Ahuizotl, stop!" she yelled. "It's no use trying to run! They're faster than us! We have to fight 'em!"
"You are in no condition to fight, Daring Do!" Ahuizotl snapped.
"We don't have a choice! THEY'RE ALMOST RIGHT ON TOP OF US!"
Ahuizotl looked over his shoulder to see that Daring was unfortunately right. The closest Hound was mere feet from him, its claws outstretched and its fangs bared. What the monster didn't account for was Ahuizotl's tail-hand, which immediately stretched out and grabbed the hellhound by the foreleg, even as Ahuizotl continued to run, and threw it over his shoulder against a tree, the force of the impact toppling the tree and crippling the Hound. Undeterred, the other two continued their pursuit without their fallen packmate.
Princess hissed in Daring's arms as another of the Hounds neared, its malevolent eyes gleaming with evil purpose. Without warning, Ahuizotl suddenly turned sharply to the right, darting into the thickest parts of the jungle. The Hounds' wings became a hindrance in such dense foliage, forcing them to continue the chase on foot. Though they still remarkably fast, Ahuizotl's experience in navigating the jungles of Tenochtitlan Valley allowed him to slowly gain distance between himself and the murderous beasts of Majora. He even stopped for a moment to pull a smaller tree out of the ground and throw it at the approaching wolves, knocking them to the ground and momentarily disorienting them. Wasting no time, Ahuizotl pressed on, desperate to escape the vile monsters before he became exhausted.
And then he was forced to skid to a halt as the ground abruptly dropped off below, a nearby waterfall roaring thunderously. Ahuizotl looked behind him and could hear the growls of the demonic wolves as they approached. There was only one way to go now.
"Hold on to me!" Ahuizotl commanded.
Realizing what he was about to do, Daring shouted, "Are you freaking crazy?! That's a hundred-foot drop, and there could be rocks at the bottom!"
Oh, Ahuizotl knew that perfectly well. But he was willing to take his chances, especially since the alternative was a guaranteed death. With his tail-hand, he swept his charges off his back into his arms as he leaped off the edge, clutching Daring and Princess tightly against his chest in order to protect them.
The impact was painful. Their bodies stung all over from the water slapping against their skin, but they had miraculously survived. Ahuizotl quickly swam to the opposite shore, deposited Daring and Princess on his back once more, and disappeared into the jungle just as the Hounds of Majora reached the edge of the cliff. The monsters, realizing their prey had vanished, howled with anger, the voice of their equally-enraged master joining them back at the fortress.