Upheaval: Reckoning
Chapter 58: The Gambler
He knew he’d find her at the heart of this abyss. Black Rose couldn't be anywhere else but the heart of the matter. Terrato walked slowly, not out any pleasure for finally cornering her, but because it was so hard to move. Breaking free of the tangle of the Old Kingdom’s filthy souls would have sapped him greatly even if he hadn't expended a lot of energy fighting Gravitas. Drops of his blood broke free from him, floating off to the abyss as tiny, crimson spheres. Behind him, a trail of these droplets marked his passage through this darkness as surely as the searing heat he emanated. Life Tap, the conversion of vitality to magical energy, was one of the core principles of Necromancy. Ideally, necromancers harvested from corpses, the fresher the better. Unscrupulous ones happily harvested living victims to maximize gain. Desperate ones, as he was moments ago, had no problem turning on themselves, and he had tapped a lot of vitality to create that molten barrage.
If Black Rose had gained access to the smallest fragment of Oceanus’s Throne, there was no way he could bring her down. If she was even the fresher of the two of them, this would be a desperate, likely lost battle. Terrato was panting just to get to her. But, as her figure came ever closer, the tightness in his chest lessened.
Black Rose was not glowing with power, whether hers, the power of sunlight, or the power of Oceanus’s Throne. Floating above her was the faint outline of the same sphere that Gravitas had been trapped in. Except that Gravitas wasn't there. At least, most of him wasn't. Within the outline floated a few pieces of something. They looked like bloodied shreds of barding. He couldn't get a feel of Gravitas’s presence. What had happened? How did Black Rose do away with that wretch? Did she sacrifice him to the Throne?
He took another step forward. She was still staring at the blackness, her back turned to him. The Throne was before them. He could feel it even in its dormant, silent state. There was nothing to see, hear, smell, or actually feel on his skin. Knowledge was the only way to perceive the Throne. He just knew that it was there. Did that same knowledge hold her attention so thoroughly that she couldn't even tell that he had already arrived? Or had she become so arrogant that she couldn't even be bothered to face him?
Another step later and she finally did turn. Her slow movement told him enough. She knew that he was there. She probably knew when he was still far away. It was hesitation that kept her from turning. “I did not expect to meet you like this, beloved,” she said.
“So where’s the big smile?” Terrato asked. His voice was a soft rumble. No more roaring, no more shouting. He didn’t want to waste anymore strength on that. He couldn't. “Don’t you love it when unexpected things happen?”
“Not this,” Black Rose whispered. She sounded so tired. Her mane was disheveled. Her limbs lacked their usual spring. Her eyelids looked heavy. This was such a far cry from the triumphant Black Rose wielding the power of sunlight high above Bastion City. “I’m sorry for tricking you and trapping you here. If you had waited a little while longer, my Thorns and the Elements of Harmony could have freed you without all that harm.” Her gaze started at his hooves and moved up. She was taking in more than just the bloody mess on his coat and barding. There were lines spread around his body. As if there was magma peeking out just underneath, they pulsed a deep red glow. The power of earth was in no danger of exploding from him, but he had spent so much strength that his form in this world was straining. The tips of his fiery mane occasionally shifted to solid, red hair for a second or so.
“The time has passed for all your little shows of devotion, Rose,” Terrato said. “We’re down to this last encounter and I can see that you've failed in acquiring the Foul Weapon. Play your games if you must when your Thorns and the Elements of Harmony show up. While it’s just you and me, tell me why you've come this far.”
Black Rose pushed away a sweat-damp lock of her mane from her face. “So quick to point out my mistakes,” she said. “It felt like I was back in the Gray Sentinel for a moment there. Won’t you acknowledge my achievements as well, beloved?”
Terrato stopped moving forward. It wasn't just because he did want to hear Black Rose; he didn't want to come any closer to Oceanus’s Throne. Not when there were so many unknowns. Black Rose risked much just being so close. He could only gamble so much, especially after what the ponies of the Old Kingdom did to him. “What have you achieved that I should acknowledge, Rose?” he asked. “Why do you even need me to?”
“I’ve reunited you with your sisters,” Black Rose said. “The barrier was but a physical manifestation of that inner rift. My Thorns have pushed the Elements of Harmony, and this abyss has served well as the crucible to bring out their best. In the process, the potential threat from the dormant Old Kingdom was destroyed before Oceanus returned.”
“All true,” Terrato said. “I admit it, Black Rose. I owe you a great deal. More than I’m willing to admit to my sisters. Or to anypony for that matter.” Black Rose smiled. Not that confident smile she used to hide her plans and to keep her foes uncertain. Not this time. For what felt like a long, long time, Black Rose showed him that soft, happy smile she had when he first welcomed her to the Gray Sentinel. For some time, Terrato didn't want to continue. If only he could freeze this moment, store it away somewhere and relive it whenever he wanted to. “What have you done with Gravitas?”
The smile was gone. Terrato’s chest ached as the moment passed. “I had hoped that a sacrifice would draw a more favorable reaction from Oceanus’s weapon,” Black Rose said. “Gravitas is responsible for the destruction of several handmaidens of Oceanus after all. I offered him and he was devoured alive. I make no apologies for this, beloved, I enjoyed his last screaming, undignified moments.”
“He was an enemy of Oceanus. We could have still used him.”
“There isn't enough chance of that for a gamble. He was too scared and too set in his ways. You spoke with him. You know that we do have neither the time nor resources to make him see differently. Even if we succeeded, I doubt he would have had more use against Oceanus, especially when he was so easily led around.”
“You fed him to the Foul Weapon for that?” Terrato asked.
“Gravitas is not completely lost, beloved,” Black Rose said. “He has been diminished and trapped within Oceanus’s realm. He can be set free to rejoin the Herd. After our victory against Oceanus of course. A victory achieved with Equestria intact and our place in the Herd secure. But why don’t we drop the pretenses? A weapon is a tool, a device that can be manipulated by a pony skilled enough. This thing is more intimate to Oceanus than that. It reacts to no prodding; it hears no bargains, taunts, or pleas. It has nothing for me. Not even contempt. I do not exist to this thing, no matter how hard I've tried to make myself heard.”
“Oceanus’ Throne will hear nopony but him,” Terrato said. “Your plan was doomed from the start, Rose.”
“Was it?” Black Rose tilted her head, a hint of a smile showing again. “If that was true, then why did you chase after me?”
Terrato didn't answer. He didn't need to.
“Was it because you understood all along that bringing the Elements of Harmony to this place would bring out the best in them? That it was better to deal with the Old Kingdom while Oceanus was still dormant? Or...perhaps, you were worried about me?”
“Of course I was,” Terrato said. Black Rose paused and stared. She had likely expected the need to hint and be coy. Terrato was too tired to play. “You were going to become a bride of Oceanus. That was the only way you could gain some control over his Throne.”
“Then--”
“Damn it, Rose!” Terrato winced. Even snarling hurt. He lowered his voice, both out of necessity and because the next words warranted it. “I still love you. What did you expect would happen if I thought you were going to become that monster’s bride?”
“I’m hurt and flattered all at once,” Black Rose said. “But there are methods even I won’t pursue. Equestria will not survive me as Oceanus’s Queen, if such a thing was even remotely possible.”
“You fed Gravitas to Oceanus’s Throne, Black Rose,” Terrato said. “There will be reprisals. He may not be as popular as Lexarius, but he has allies within the Council of Elders and other sources. Are you confident that Equestria would survive their reprisals that while Oceanus’s arrival draws closer?”
“Would they even dare, I wonder?” Black Rose asked. “You said it yourself, Oceanus’s arrival draws ever closer. The Council of Elders may bicker and plot while the threat is dormant and the King is away, but who among them would harm Equestria with your father preparing for battle?”
“You’re a rebellion short.”
Black Rose’s glanced at the void behind her. “Then, let us complete the set: Prince Terrato wielding this horrifying weapon, even for a moment, to completely destroy the meddlesome Gravitas. I believe that would count.”
“There is no way I would do that!” Terrato snarled. He could feel blood at the back of his throat.
“No need to. You came to the abyss after fighting Gravitas. Now, he’s gone. Many will have doubts, but who would risk trying anything if even a possibility exists? We can create a fake eighth rebellion. You suffer a small blow to your reputation, but Equestria will be safe long enough to prepare for the real one. Think of it, beloved: a united Equestria free of threats from within this world and without. Think of what you and your sisters can accomplish!”
“I know what my sisters and I can accomplish,” Terrato said. “What I don’t know is where you will be after this.”
“That will be decided momentarily,” Black Rose said. “I am down to the last vestiges of my strength. The power of sunlight is gone, and I used a great deal of magic just to bring my Thorns to this place, keep them protected from the abyss, and keep my hold on Gravitas until he was sacrificed.” She chuckled briefly. “What a terrible final battle we will have when the others get here; a gathering of ponies barely able to stand!”
“Rose...”
Black Rose looked past Terrato. He didn't need to follow her gaze. The presence was enough of a giveaway for Twilight Sparkle and the rest. Besides, who else was there to expect in the abyss?
“Thank you for those words,” Black Rose said, much too softly for the new arrivals to hear. “And I still love you too.” Her smile, the smile she wore to battle, was back when she addressed Twilight and the others. “Finally, everypony is here. And what a fine sight you all make!”
“We are glad to see you are still well, mistress,” Lion Court said.
Black Rose nodded at Lion Court. “Well done as usual, my Thorns.”
“Can we cut the long introductions?” Rainbow Dash snapped. “We’re tired and we’re hurt, nopony has the time for your speeches!”
“It’s over, Black Rose!” Twilight said. She shut her eyes tightly for a second, straining to bring out a crackling glow out of her horn. “Step away from the Foul Weapon and give up!”
The smile still didn't leave when Black Rose did take a step forward. “I give up,” she said.
Even Terrato could barely disguise a snort at the flabbergasted expressions on Twilight and her friends.
“Do you honestly expect us to believe that?” Rainbow Dash asked. “It’s so obvious that you've got another trap waiting for us! It’s not going to work!”
“I was asked to surrender and I complied,” Black Rose said. She looked to Twilight. “Do you accept or did you just offer something you can’t give?”
“I...” Twilight Sparkle continued to stare in disbelief.
‘One more lesson for them, is it Black Rose?’ Terrato thought.
“How do I know you’re not bluffing?” Twilight asked.
“That is something you should have determined before you asked me to surrender,” Black Rose said. “It’s easy to offer mercy when you’re expecting a no, isn't it? You get to feel as if you've done your part before you move on to the more drastic solutions.”
“I did not just say that to feel like the better pony,” Twilight said. She concentrated even harder on bringing out her magic and failed. “You...you knew that there was no way we’d have the strength to bind you, didn't you?”
“The answer to that is irrelevant,” Black Rose said. “Would you grant me mercy, Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight glanced to her friends.
“Don’t trust her!” Rainbow Dash said. “She’s obviously going to trick us!”
“I...” Rarity frowned for a while. “Even if we demanded proof, there’s really nothing she could offer, couldn't she? Harsh as it may be, should we even risk such a thing? We only need look around us to see where she’s willing to take her schemes.”
“That’s just mean!” Pinkie told Rarity. She looked to Twilight. “Of course we should forgive her! She said she was sorry!”
“She’s a liar,” Applejack said. “We all know that!” Her voice softened. “But the lies have to stop somewhere, right?”
“She’s had us in her mercy a lot of times,” Fluttershy said softly. “If we won’t spare her out of kindness, let’s spare her just to pay her back.”
Twilight Sparkle looked towards Terrato. He snorted openly this time. Was she seriously looking to him for an opinion? More importantly, was he going to defer to her decision? He glanced at Black Rose. She wasn't lying about her flagging strength. She may not be horribly wounded, but she didn't look capable of putting up much of a fight and her Thorns fared worse. Yet, here she was, still playing games; gambling with her very surrender and amusing herself as he and the Elements of Harmony worked out a hierarchy.
Without any answer coming from Terrato, Twilight looked to Black Rose. “What were you even doing here, Black Rose?” she asked. “You haven’t gotten any stronger by coming here at all!”
“Would my answer affect your choice?” Black Rose asked. “My plan has failed. I’m at a disadvantage and I offer my surrender.”
Twilight pressed her lips tightly together.
“Rose, that’s enough toying with her,” Terrato said. “You've made your point. You got them with one more surprise.”
“I had preferred a final test,” Black Rose said. “The Elements of Harmony against even a portion of the Foul Weapon. This is a poor substitute. We’re at an impasse. I can’t do much to harm all of you in any meaningful way that would bring out more of the Elements of Harmony, yet you won’t accept my surrender for fear of what I’m planning. The only solution seems to be my death.”
“Let’s knock her out, then capture her!” Rainbow Dash said. “She can’t try anything if she’s out!”
“Try it, Rainbow Dash,” Sablesteel hissed. “I still have enough venom to make your innards leak out of your rear!”
“Your enemy has surrendered with dignity and you respond with barbarism!” Octavia said. “Shameful!”
Applejack stepped in front of Rainbow Dash. “Maybe if Black Rose wasn't so sneaky, we’d have no problem accepting her surrender! She made this difficult for herself!”
“Enough!” Twilight said. “We’re going nowhere! We’re not going to kill you, Black Rose.” She glanced at Rainbow Dash. “Or knock you out like we’re abducting you.”
“All well and good,” Black Rose said. “What you will do remains to be seen.”
“Let’s go,” Twilight said. “I’m sick of this abyss, I want to go back to Equestria.”
“You’re trusting her?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You’re trusting Black Rose?”
“And I thought she was the only gambler here,” Terrato said.
“I don’t gamble,” Twilight said. “I picked the best option available.” She gave Terrato a knowing look that would have normally irritated him. “You wanted to spare her too, didn't you?”
“Don’t decide anything on my account, Twilight Sparkle,” Terrato said. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“Can we at least tie her up and get one of those horn-lock thingies on her?” Rainbow Dash asked. She looked to Sablesteel and Octavia. “Or is that too rough for her majesty too?”
“Longstride should have aimed for your tongue, foal,” Sablesteel muttered. “Or I should have given him a hemotoxin instead of a paralytic.”
To Rainbow Dash’s credit, she didn't bother retorting.
“We don’t have horn-locks with us,” Twilight said. “But, even without any detection spells, I can tell that you’re almost out, Black Rose.” She looked to Applejack. “At least we have some rope.”
“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash said. “Tie her up with the magic lasso! Maybe she’ll start telling the truth when we get it on her!”
“My lasso doesn't work that way, Rainbow,” Applejack said. “But I'd be more comfortable if we get this slippery mare tied up.”
Black Rose held her front hooves forward. “By all means,” she said.
Applejack stepped closer and looked at those extended hooves as if they were deadly snakes. Though she put on a brave face, she could not completely disguise the tremble in her forelegs. Another second of hesitation passed before she began binding.
“That’s a fine chain, Applejack,” Black Rose said. “Has it served you well?”
“What do you know about this chain, Black Rose?” Applejack asked. She pulled the links together, roughly pinning Black Rose’s fetlocks to each other.
“Come now,” Black Rose said. “Will every word I say make you ponies jump?”
“You brought this on yourself,” Applejack said. “If you weren't scheming all the time, we wouldn't think you were scheming all the time!”
“Well—“
Terrato waited for Black Rose to finish, but she never did. He blinked and shook his head. That was way too long even for the ridiculous theatrical pauses that she enjoyed. He looked to her and found her frozen between words. “What--?” He looked to the others. Applejack was also frozen in place, her jaw clenched tightly as if physical effort could keep Black Rose’s words from having any effect. Twilight Sparkle looked like she was about to say something too.
“Hello, little brother,”
Out of the great void which Terrato could only assume was Oceanus’s Throne, a distant, glowing figure winked into existence. Details were hazy, but Terrato didn’t need his sight to recognize who this was. Nor did he need the voice. The presence hit him in two ways; like an ice cold mist caressing his coat and like a grip of frost clutching at his heart. It tugged at very old memories. He had been too young to remember the firstborn like Celestia did, but some part of him held on to an imprint of that presence. “Firstborn,” he growled softly.
“I am speaking to you because you are the only thing here worth noticing.”
Black Rose had spent a great deal just to get here, even more just trying to elicit a reaction. It was strange to feel indignant for his former student when he should be glad that Oceanus can’t even be bothered to notice her. Terrato also noted that the firstborn did not sound languid as Luna had described. That his time was drawing closer was unmistakable.
“How are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be dormant for one more rebellion?”
“I am Oceanus. Prophecy bends to me. You stand before my Throne, little brother. I see you as if you were standing next to me.”
“And that’s why you left it here, didn’t you?” Terrato afforded himself a smile. “You act like these ponies are as insignificant as the dirt, but you made sure you had an eye on them.”
“I left my Throne here as a beacon, so others who wish to leave the Herd may follow.”
He didn’t seem interested in the adverse effects of this monstrous thing had on his children. How much of Oceanus’ blindness towards his children was true? Were they truly so insignificant to his scale of power or was it merely disdain that made him pretend?
“Little brother, it is no coincidence that you have found your way here.”
“You’re not going to convince me to join up with you, firstborn,” Terrato said. “Save the sales pitch for the power of abyss.” Terrato’s eyes strayed towards Black Rose. It was her scheming and bravado that led them all here, yet she was helpless at the moment. They all were. He had played into her schemes on several occasions, was constantly reacting and had allowed the situation with him and his sisters to deteriorate, but Oceanus only noticed him. He was the only one the firstborn would deign to speak to despite all of Black Rose’s poking and prodding. He snorted. “And here I thought it was Luna you were after.”
The glowing figure moved closer. The cold grew worse, but Terrato didn’t even shiver. His limbs were numbing and his body was getting heavier, but not even the slightest shiver at this unnatural cold. How different it was from Fenrir’s furious howling. The wolven king’s howl was a fierce winter storm; proud, defiant, strong. Oceanus’s presence was a hungry void, eagerly and quietly sucking away everything.
“Luna is already mine.”
Terrato grit his teeth. What a lie. What else could he expect from the firstborn? It was nothing but lies and blindness; both from his unfathomable pride.
“Sun and Moon above, Ocean and Earth beneath. Daughters of Gratia, Sons of Dominus.”
Why was the firstborn reciting bad poetry? Terrato raised an eyebrow. Did Oceanus have his own prophecies to spout? Wait...that might actually make sense. Celestia inherited the power of sunlight from their father and some of their mother’s powerful divination abilities, but she did not possess the sort of foresight to make accurate predictions. Luna inherited their mother’s power of moonlight, not so much the divination. Perhaps, it was the firstborn who got the whole package.
“I would not bring you to my side if you asked to join. Little brother, you will destroy everything you cherish and I refuse to include myself among them.”
‘Everything I...’ Terrato shook his head. Lies. Prideful lies from the firstborn. Oceanus did not have their mother’s foresight.
“If only I didn't exist, this would be your moment of crowning. But the Throne is already mine. All you will find here is loss.”
“I disagree.”
Terrato had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping. Though he could not see any detail from the firstborn, there was a slight fluctuation in the oppressive presence. That was Black Rose’s low-pitched, silken tone, defiant and tranquil at once. She shifted out of her frozen state as if she had just been pretending all along, but the powerful surges of magic around the edges of her form told Terrato otherwise. Black Rose did not have much magical energy when he found her in this place. Whatever was left was going into this confrontation with the firstborn. She may not even have enough to keep her Thorns alive in the abyss if things went poorly.
Black Rose’s expression betrayed none of these anxieties. She looked and sounded as if she had just pulled off another trick to an amazed audience. She squinted at the distant glowing figure and put a hoof over her eyes as if trying to see farther. “Can you see me now, Oceanus?” she asked. “Or am I still too insignificant for your almighty eyes?”
A rising sense of oppressive presence flooded them. It felt like being caught in a massive ocean swell. Terrato expected a powerful crash, like a rogue wave finally forming. No such thing came. Instead, the heavy presence blew past him gently, more an exhalation than devastation. It felt like...like a yawn.
Black Rose let out a little snort. “And that’s all the proof I need to know that I was right in refusing to even remotely work with your cause.”
“Little brother, you came here hoping to protect some feeble shard of light from our father’s Throne. You will find only loss instead. Your journey is at an end.”
“Are you going to fight me now, firstborn?” Terrato asked. “You can’t even be bothered to show up for real and it’s going to take more than your constant posturing to annoy me to death!”
Oceanus didn’t answer again. He didn’t need to. He didn’t even need to talk to Terrato to begin with. The end of his journey indeed. He wasn’t going to find the strength to pull himself out of this abyss. The Elements of Harmony didn’t look like they had much going for them either. Neither did—
“Was he always that prone to snobbery?”
“Would you have really preferred that he noticed you?” Terrato asked. He walked closer to Black Rose. He limped towards her. On her part, she didn't flinch. She even looked like she wanted to meet him halfway just to help him conserve his strength. It was amazing that she was still keeping her composure. Her gamble was an utter failure. “I’m glad, you know. I’m glad that he thinks that you’re not worth the attention. I’m glad that your theatrics bored him so much, he yawned and left.”
Terrato paused, his ears perking slightly. That wasn't quite true. Oceanus had put some kind of distance between himself and his clearly unwanted children, but he wasn't gone. In that yawning void, Terrato could still feel some observation, a half-lidded, amused stare directed at him, mildly curious about his last few steps.
“At least you found something to be glad about in this situation I've put you through,” Black Rose said. She didn't seem to notice. Oceanus likely didn't want her to. Terrato supposed that the mighty firstborn could easily will who got to feel his presence and who didn't if he put his mind to it. “There are a few more tasks left, beloved.” She looked around her and smiled. “I see that those of us not so skilled in necromancy are still frozen by Oceanus’s presence. That is useful indeed. I had hoped to control the Foul Weapon to stop its influence. Since it’s a Throne—“
“It needs to go,” Terrato said. “If it stays here, it will exert more and more influence as Oceanus gains strength. Eventually, he will rip Equestria apart from the inside by just calling it. We can’t destroy it, so it needs to be returned to him while it’s dormant.” He glanced at the void behind Black Rose. Oceanus heard that no doubt. But the firstborn wasn't here physically. He could observe, but for all his talk about bending prophecy, he wasn't going to act just yet. Good. He was going to get a front row seat to what his children were capable of.
“True,” Black Rose said. “Once more at the same page.”
Terrato lifted his horn, tasting the powerful magic weaved into the very essence of this wretched abyss. There was some sense to the firstborn’s words, sense he hated so much. He looked to his former student. Black Rose didn't quite understand the full implications of bringing him here. She gambled on his affinity and she gambled on his alignment with Equestria. “At the same page” she said. That was her weaponized confidence showing, that same weaponized confidence that was always keeping Twilight Sparkle and the others off-balance. Black Rose didn't always have a good handle on things, but her smile stopped opportunistic attacks as well as any magical shield. Confidence wasn't going to carry her much farther now. Not in the abyss. “You have a plan for this?” he asked.
“My track record when it comes to plans has been rather dismal, beloved,” Black Rose said. “Nothing concrete, but the objectives are clear. This Throne must be removed.”
“Your wretched gambling again.” Terrato snorted. “I often wish I beat that habit out of you all those years ago.”
“Beloved, you would have beaten me out of existence,” Black Rose replied. “But we no longer have the luxury of nostalgia and wishful thinking. Equestria’s premier necromancers have a task at hoof.”
“The array that sends ponies to this place will help, even at this distance,” Terrato said.
“You noticed it even though you were being carried away by a wailing wave of lost souls?” Black Rose asked. For once, the awe in her tone didn't sound planned.
“Since only the Elements of Harmony are here, we can assume that Celestia and Luna are manipulating it.” Terrato closed his eyes, “stirring” the abyss around them. He could manipulate the array, even from here. Especially with Black Rose’s help. He could draw just a bit more power from the surrounding darkness and use the abyssal transport to send this Throne away. It had to be done now, while the Throne was still lingering between dormancy and activity. The firstborn was up, but very groggy. If they ever stood a chance of moving this Throne without rupturing the very center of Equestria, it had to be done now. But he was weak and even with the aid of all this untapped power and an equally weakened Black Rose, he needed help. As he saw it, there were two options, both of which must be utilized.
The Elements of Harmony remained great sources of power and they were right there, just a few feet away. Like his sisters, he had lost any affinity for using the Elements ever since Nightmare Moon’s emergence. If he asked for their help, however, they were most likely to agree. Once they were free of this strange stasis that Oceanus caught them in. However, just how much more can the bearers bring out after spending so long in this oppressive environment and dealing with the Six Companions and their minions?
While the power of the Elements of Harmony could still shine through, their physical bodies may not be able to take on the strain. The elemental foci shattered when too much was asked of them. The flesh and blood of Twilight Sparkle and her friends could well follow suit.
If that still wasn’t enough, Celestia and Luna were already manipulating the array and were thus immersing their magic in it. Under these circumstances...
That annoying smile of Black Rose’s twitched just a bit. Wonderful, she was still on the same page as him. ‘You’d life tap your sisters?’ she had managed to ask without ever having to say a thing verbally or otherwise.
‘Of course I will,’ Terrato thought. ‘They’d understand. They’d give to the last drop if they had to.’
There would be complications. The power of moonlight would resonate well with any necromantic intrusion. Luna wouldn’t like the idea of a surprise draining, but he could always apologize later. The power of sunlight would react badly, especially with Celestia not knowing what he was planning to do. Roasting his eyeballs for trying to life tap his eldest sister would hardly be the worst thing to happen in this attempt.
A plan was in place, at least. As much of a plan as he could wing with everything that’s happened anyway. Oceanus’s presence was receding. It wouldn’t be long until the rest of the ponies with him unfroze.
“Beloved...”
The first movements of what should be a massive and impromptu ritual was already going through Terrato’s mind. “What is it?” he asked.
“I may not be able to say this before the end of this affair. I’m glad to be able to serve with you one more time.”
“You’re not going out in some blaze of glory, Rose,” Terrato muttered. “You’re coming with us back to Canterlot and we’ll decide what to do with you there.”
A flicker of eye movement came from Twilight Sparkle, followed soon after by Rarity and Lion Court. No surprise there. Here was another sudden decision that had to be made. Should they stop and explain everything to Twilight and the others first or just push through and let them figure things out?
“Huh?” Twilight asked. “Why’s everypony just standing around? Let’s—wait...”
Terrato snorted. She noticed it at least. The Elements of Harmony had gotten much stronger: certainly strong enough to defeat even the most horrific specters from the ponykind’s dark past, but Oceanus could have wiped them all out before they even noticed.
“A little change of plans, I’m afraid,” Black Rose said. “I finally received some feedback for my efforts with the Foul Weapon, and the next step is obvious. Surrendering now would be folly.”
Twilight Sparkle’s horn glowed brightly. “I knew it! Just another trick!”
“No tricks,” Black Rose said. “Only last minute contingencies.” The others were beginning to recover as she continued. “I have failed to secure any advantage with the Foul Weapon, but this trip has not been a wasted one. The face of our true enemy is now clear. He has no interest in his children. He finds our accomplishments insignificant and our struggles, boring. As such, we will expel his foul Throne from Equestria and prepare for battle. The stage has been set. I need only the last key players.”
Twilight looked to Terrato, likely for back up as she prepared an initial spell.
“Save your magic, Twilight Sparkle,” Terrato said. “We’ll need every drop for this to work.”
Twilight’s jaw dropped for a second before she snapped it shut in an outrage. “You’re siding with her?”
“Wayward children of Oceanus...”
Terrato stared at Twilight for a while, not with the usual stern or annoyed look he usually gave her, but a more somber, thoughtful one. He was young for an alicorn, born around the tail end of the sixteenth cycle, yet he was older than the oldest of the ponies of this world. The time which they had existed was but a tiny speck in the Eternal Herd’s history. Most of the Council of Elders found them too insignificant to exterminate, which was likely a bigger hindrance to Gravitas’s propositions than any of Lexarius’s motions. Oceanus snored through their struggles. It felt as if only Lexarius and his sisters had any real concern for these ponies. So few amidst the vastness of the Herd. A mere three...
No, four.
“I’m on your side,” Terrato said. She looked ready to argue, but a glance at his eyes gave her pause. Inwardly, he sighed with relief. He didn’t want to argue with Twilight Sparkle. “You understand, don’t you? You may not be able to see the damn thing, but you know it has to go.”
Twilight Sparkle grit her teeth and glanced at Black Rose. It galled her of course. It galled her to see Black Rose sidling away from proper punishment as bigger and bigger problems arose. He snorted. Was it so long ago that she was on the wrong end of this mentality? She took on the whip because “proper punishment” had to be meted while bigger problems arose. Would she follow the same course as he did? Something worse? What would that make her?
“She bet on this, didn’t she?” Twilight muttered. To Terrato’s relief, Black Rose either didn't hear or didn't want to make things worse.
“No,” Terrato said. He glanced at his former student. “Don’t let the smile fool you. We’re here to bail this gambler out.”
Finally, Twilight Sparkle swallowed the lump of frustration building between her grinding jaws. She let out a long exhale and stared in the direction of the Throne. Resolve took over her face as she spoke.
“What do we need to do?”
WOOOOOOOOOOOHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
NEW CHAPTER!!
mamatoga.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/VictoryDance.gif
ITS FINALLY HERE
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Yay, new chapter!
Once again Black Rose is a step ahead...
and Oceanus doesn't care about his mortal children, saw that one coming.
yay, new chapter!!!! I must wonder what they plan to send the throne...........
sighs.......... if there is one issue I do have with your story is that you really like downplaying the mane six...... in the beginning it worked REALLY well. they were simply out of their league and caught up in a scenario they had ill experience with.
however, by now, they should be showing signs of surpassing those that were greater than their strength before. not yet surpassing them but showing signs of it. Especially twilight compared to black rose. I can agree that she is not as powerful as black rose currently is, but it seems you intend to make it that the faithful student of Terrato is indefinitely more powerful than the faithful student of Celestia, and I am not certain I am comfortable with that.
I hope I am mistaken over that. story has surprised me more than once already. still........ maybe I have grown cynical. ultimately if twilight does not surpass the Black Rose, and the mane six their own counterparts, what hope do they have against the source of the Abyss? I know they are beginning to develop a new connection to harmony in a way, but it seems to me the more powerful they are the greater their use of these weapons can be.
just a thought.
A wild update has appeared! Yes!! Great chapter as always. This story just keeps getting better and better.
i think the lack of intrest is an act , he is after all going through the truble to hide his continued presence from them.
think about it , he trying to surpass and cast aside his father , in his heart he must be terified they will follow his example
Great to see this fic hasn't been abandoned.
~The lizardman liked the chapter
WOOO, great chapter as always. except that part about surrendering which was a bit too cheesy.
And FINALLY we're getting out of the abyss (i hope).
I was all like "Just gonna check if Upheaval has updated. Probably not yet though, oh well."
*Sees new chapter* "Well, how ironic...'
I thought this chapter was great! So much can happen in just one chapter! It'll be interesting to see what they're going to do with the Throne, so exciting! Also a great little surprise for the last day of school.
Black Rose still has a plan. I just know it.
4507020
Of course she does, she's Black rose...
4507153 True true.
Awesome pic btw
I really enjoyed the dialogue between Black Rose and Terrato in this chapter. The complex relationship between those two characters is probably one of my favorite things in the whole series.
4505848
Chances are they will become more powerful than most of the others but the real question for you is whether it will ahppen fast enough for you to be enjoyable? This type of story lends for that sort of story cahnge but what I think you are feeling is that teh pace of this story is slower than what you may want.
Whether it is actually too slow for most is another story. Granted I am a bit biased since I keep waiting for more and more Pinkie awesomeness and they have only slowly trickled in but hey I will keep waiting as the set up for Pinkie seems to be pretty epic. At the same time I can say I can feel your pain because every time a chapter comes and that awesomeness is not there I just have to reset my clock.
Only major thing I worry about is the Goku syndrome which sadly happened to an extent to "The Immortal Game" (which I loved as an overall story). IN that story each of the mane 6 became powerful (awesome) but Twilight became so much more powerful than the rest that it did suck some of the fun at the ending. This parallels DBZ where Goku (and a couple other characters) are so much more powerful than everybody else that he is the only character than can deal with the problem which in a group show is less fun. I do like that currently each character is getting a niche (even if it is not fully explained or developed yet). Hopefully that will continue.
4508878 the problem is internal consistency. immortal games went WAAAAAY overboard. here it has a certain amount of limit so.... shrug.
4508918
Well the Immortal Game started at that lower level too and eventually at the end game went way over bored. So did DBZ for that matter (though it escalated even quicker as I think it went too far by the time the androids arrived if that is a show you know). This story clearly has plenty of story left to go so things can still escalate if desired. The power of the main six will escalate as the story progresses but the question is how much and will it be relatively equal?
That is what I am saying. Right now things are good and will likely go up I am just hoping that we don't get one character with all the power and the rest become superfluous.
I was wondering if you were ever going to finish this; does this meant the story is going to really start again or was this a one-shot?
4507312
Thank you .
I can not put into words how happy I am you posted an updated. I love this story for so many reasons. Although I have only been reading mlp fics for a short time I have been reading fan fiction of other thing fo more the ten years now. Of all the stories I have read this ranks among the best. I have never liked stories with OCs that play a major role but I'll be damned. if I don't like Terrato and Vanguard Clash. Looking forward to more.
In my head, Oceanus sounds just like Unicron.
Also, I liked little aside about AJ's magic lasso making Black Rose be truthful.
You know, in the end if Black Rose's goal in this particular adventure is solely to reduce the threat that Oceanus's return will pose to Equestria, I really cannot complain about anything other than her methods. From the sound of things, leaving the throne in place would result in the assured destruction of the country once he shows back up, so it really has to be dealt with.
I am a little concerned about this bit, though:
It's going to suck if they instantly lose Luna to her brother's control when he returns. It was hinted before that this would be a problem, and it's containing to sound like it will be.
4511542
There are three ways to look at this. Firstly you got to remember that Oceanus is probably the most confident son of a bitch to ever exist, that is if his back story and accomplishments are anything to go by. So the idea that Luna could resist his soon to be restored power is probably very amusing to him.
Or perhaps when he returns he will be more of a washout, instead of the champion from his glory days. Combine this with the chance that Luna has grown strong enough to resist his influence, and you have a recipe for some kick ass Luna moments. (this scenario is unlikely because Oceanus is strong and doesn't afraid of anything)
Lastly Oceanus could be dropping some serious bullshit. I mean have you ever had to answer the phone after being woken up from a deep sleep? You just start acting like you've been awake the whole time, but you know your brain hasn't caught up yet. So you end up just rambling about while trying not to blow your thinly veiled cover. Now multiply that phone analogy by like thousands of years....and boom that's probably how Oceanus was feeling during his little chat with his younger bro.
But hey look on the bright side...Luna probably wont be converted by Oceanus immediately. I mean If the author is feeling generous Luna might even have time to choke out a desperate warning to her siblings before being consumed. So...that's like a guaranteed sixty seconds of continued use of her free will after Oceanus gets revived.
4511542
I still see Black Rose as evil.
She had no way of knowing what the foul weapon is and what it would do once Oceanus return untill this chapter. So her intentions when she entered the abyss are still unclear, i suspect that she was after more power.
When Terrato found her, she sacrificed Gravitas, gave out all her stolen power just to get a reaction! Waking up the throne is surely a bad idea if you want to save Equestria.
And now that her gamble has failed and Terrato shows up, she plays the 'i want to save Equestria from Oceanus' card. And Terrato is too fool to see through her lies. Maybe thats why she keeps throwing those smiles.
Anyways i am sure happy to see Black Rose fails and i hope that this isn't just another part of her long term plan.
4511847 To quote chapter 25:
To continue your 'waking up to answer the phone' analogy, Luna woke him up while he was deep asleep/barely awake and she almost failed to resist his control in the time it took for her siblings to rescue her. Part of that might have been because she was in his realm, all alone, and unprepared. Maybe if she sticks by her siblings and braces herself she could resist his control, but I have my doubts...
4512444
Wow I almost forgot about that scene, thanks for bringing it up Stringtheory. I guess poor Luna is probably gonna get brainwashed. But hey maybe Fenrir will try and jack up Oceanus for messing with the best Princess. (Totally unsubstantiated crack theory prediction go!)
Clearly the moral of story is not to bug Oceanus when he is napping. That rebellious rabble-rouser undoubtedly needs more beauty sleep
4512739 Quoting chapter 25 again:
Judging by this, I can't tell if Oceanus's control is either more 'brainwashing,' 'no free will,' or 'trapped inside of your own head.' Seeing how Nightmare Moon's ability worked, I'm going to have to say some combination of the second two.
That theory of Fenrir coming to save Luna is plausible, but Fenrir will most likely get his ass handed to him since he seems about at the same level as Terrato and considering just how much more powerful Oceanus is than Terrato...
4512951
I'm actually pretty curious to see the scope of Oceanus's power as the series progresses. For a guy who has caused so much trouble, we know next to nothing about how he operates. But yeah its probably a combo of brainwashing and weakening the will of his targets so they succumb to his side. I wonder if the mental barriers discussed during the battle with Gravitas's soldiers would be an effective defense...they seem to have limitations and Oceanus is pretty hardcore. So for Luna's sake, lets hope Terrato is right about Oceanus lying/bluffing.
Also I only mentioned the King of Wolvengard cause I miss that twenty foot tall, winter controlling behemoth. Not only was he damn menacing, but he was actually an honorable leader.
But to debunk my own crap ass theory...Yes Fenrir would get roflstomped
Considering how Oceanus went toe to toe (hoof to hoof idk) with Sanctus Dominus, puts Fenrir leagues behind the Firstborn.
Hell I doubt even a pack of Wolvenaar could stand up to Oceanus, but again that's unsubstantiated theory crafting.
I wonder what's going on with Spike...
Sorry for the long quote, but I really can't tell what is going on right here. I'm almost sure I am wrong, but who the focus of the dialog just seems to skip around everywhere. If anyone has any idea, I'd love to here them.
4519221
The whole quote is written in Terrato's POV.
Just before it:
So basically Terrato has realized how insignificant and simple minded Mortals are. And that they are but a small spec in the ordeal of the first rebellion and what followed it.
So he didn't want to scoldTwilight for her objection because she was a mere mortal and she couldn't understand.
4520305 Then where does Black Rose fall into all this? She is/was just a puny mortal yet she seems to understand everything and he's going along with her plan. So I'd say that Terrato think's that mortals are more ignorant than simple minded since Black Rose apparently understands, despite being a mortal. (has she fully reverted to mortal status yet?)
4521359
You bring a good point
Black Rose is one special gem. But she has no real Power. She got her 'understanding' from Gravitas, her immortality from Terrato (and king knows how many sacrifices) and she got her power from Celestia. So basically she was playing Grand Theft Alicorn (ba dum tss).
"Then where does Black Rose fall into all this?"
Nowhere, she is still a puny mortal. Why?
Simply because Oceanus doesn't give two shits about his children. He put the throne there as a beacon but when its moved it will be still his when he returns. The only reason they will moved it is to prevent it from destroying Equestria when that happens.
When the king is 'roused to anger' he may enter Equestria and 'destroy half of it just by entering'. Or maybe Oceanus is the one who would enter The eternal herd (if thats possible), and shit will get fucked up there.
Either ways the mortals will be insignificant in this great fight, they would be just side casualties that only four Alicorns would care about. So all of Black Rose's plans to keep Equestria safe don't matter in the big picture, she is just a puny mortal who sacrifices mortal to save the mortal world from two thrones.
And that's what i love about this fic: the great gap of power between two worlds and the great gap of struggles they both face.
4505929
I wonder if all the ponies' combined life force could even hurt him, let alone surpass him.
4513824
I am actually a little worried that Oceanus will not live up to his hype at all. Gravitas and his crew were really hyped up, but got taken out easily. I am hoping he gets some cool feats that make him imposing and powerful. I hate being told how powerful a character is and we aren't really given much to back it up.(This fic has a problem with this sometimes)
4549122 Well considering the fourth story, Abyss, is all about the Ninth rebellion, Oceanus better live up to his hype power wise. Considering Gravitas and Co., I wouldn't say they got taken out too easily (each group of 'heroes' was on the ropes for most of their battles), just that they didn't have enough screen time to show off their abilities and/or get us to hate them. All they did was show up, slaughter some changelings (who we didn't really care about in the first place), build a fortress around Sky Mirror Lake, and then their big battle with the royal siblings, the Mane6, and Black Rose happened. In comparison, I do think that the six companions were hyped pretty well from when they were introduced to their battle with the Mane6 and the Thorns. Throughout the story we were told how instead of being the 'good founders of Equestria', they were evil followers of Oceanus. We were given all the details about their evil deeds and just how messed up their 'Everlasting Kingdom' really was. Thus when they were finally taken out (in suitably awesome ways) it was much more satisfying (for me at least).
4550527
I wonder if it is too much to ask for Oceanus to get his own villain song. It would be a nice change of pace. Right now, Oceanus just seems like your generic arrogant evil god. Which are dime in a dozen. Maybe we just got way too much of him, and it would be better if he stayed in the shadows. I really liked his appearance when Luna accidentally invoked him. He seemed cool, powerful, and mysterious. Here, I roll my eyes at his posturing and suicidal overconfidence. I really hope we get something that will make him interesting, or at least intimidating.
4571519 Actually, I'd say we've been getting too little of Oceanus actually showing off his power. So far, most of what we know/seen of him has either been second or even third hand knowledge of him (so far all of his backstory, from one Alicorn or another), and most of what we've seen of his power was some servant of his showing off their power (Nightmare Moon and the Six Companions). The only time so far that we've seen him show off his power was when Luna summoned herself to his realm, an event that you (and me, and probably everyone else too) liked because it was the first time he actually showed up in person instead of being referenced. And who knows, maybe his overconfidence is actually valid considering he's a walking nightmare for those who actually fought against him and managed to harness a long forgotten/unknown Throne in order to be on-par with the supreme leader of the Eternal Herd. (Why do I keep imagining Thrones as motorized couches? )
P.S. I wouldn't be expecting a villain song from Visiden considering he considers himself terrible at songwriting.
Hmmm. Maybe that's what Oceanus wants.
I had a dream that upheaval was updated
Now i feel sad
And this is why Fluttershy is best pony.
4590323
its been so long that i forgot a lot of stuff so i had to re-read all of it
now im caught up to just read this and now more waiting...
UGHHHHHHH
Time, Terrato, is it really that time again?
Hey, I think EQD is on the fritz or something. They said that Upheaval: Reckoning updated chapter 62. Just and FYI. Or maybe its my phone going nuts.
4643465 I think they thought one of the side stories was an actual update or something.
I don't know, but Black Rose's level of competence and control over the story (and the main characters actions) is beginning to get ridiculous. I mean it's like every time the heroes accomplish something it in some way benefits her, that they are totally powerless to avoid playing into her hands. Take this chapter, where the story (and Terrato) tries to push the notion that she's been gambling and improvising and now she's finally lost control of the situation, that things have begun to go wrong for her. This is supposed to be a turnaround, she's been one step ahead up till now but the heroes finally have a chance to catch up and take control of the situation, except once again the heroes spend the chapter getting one upped by Black Rose.
First they confront her and she immediately takes control of the conversation, putting everyone off balance, undercutting their feelings of moral superiority, and at the same time presenting a moral dilemma in order to impart another "lesson" which will force the heroes to develop in the way she wants them too. It's not really satisfying watching the heroes grow more virtuous when there's some jerk forcing them to act a certain way or die. The dilemma is really a false choice since if they don't decide the way she wants her minions will kill them, and so, as is becoming distressingly common, the heroes do exactly what she wants.
And then Oceanus appears and he overwhelms all the mortals except Black Rose. The main six are all helpless, even Twilight who overcame Clover the Clever's mind control which was drawn from Oceanus is totally frozen by this shadow, but Black Rose seems to effortlessly shrug off its effects, and this is in spite of having lost her stolen alicorn powers. More than that, Terrato, the warrior alicorn is clearly agitated by the presence of the firstborns shadow, and earlier Luna was absolutely terrified by him, but Black Rose acts totally unafraid, and is even kind of dismissive of him (although in fairness Oceanus does just ignore her, which was more effective as a put down than any comeback could have been).
And then at the end, even though her mission failed and she needs a bail out she's once again in a position where the heroes have no choice but to do the thing she wants (sending away the throne), and just to compound matters they can't even do that unless they let her help. Even when she's losing she's still showing them up and dictating their actions. It's like the main six have no free will but what Black Rose allows.
And its not just the main six (though they get by far the worst of it). She's incredibly successful in dealing with everyone else too. Nobody seems to ever do something she doesn't want or at least expect them to do. The only time she appears to have setbacks is when dealing with divine beings/forces (like the throne in this chapter), and even then its always due to overwhelming or uncontrollable power, never because someone acts in a way she doesn't want, let alone because someone out smarts her.
I think the issue here is that the gap between the main six and Black Rose is just too big, they don't even measure up to her minions let alone to her. Which could mean trouble for the story down the road, I mean its going to be hard for them to credibly triumph over her given how effortlessly just one of her Thorns could wipe out the whole group, and if they never triumph over her that will be even more unsatisfying. I did wonder if she was going to switch to becoming an ally with the threat of Oceanus coming, but the problem there is that she's so ridiculously competent that she'd overshadow all the other heroes (and I don't see a satisfactory way of having her change from antagonist to ally, but the overshadowing is honestly a bigger problem)
I think she really has become a Villain Sue (and perhaps a Mary Tzu, giving her planning skills). The problem isn't that she is a black unicorn (and was a black alicorn) the problem is that she's too capable for the Main six to have any real hope of matching her, and so successful in all her endeavors that it pushes willing suspension of disbelief. The story really is starting to seem like its willing to bend over backwards to make things go her way. (a related problem is she never seems to do anything but scheme, show off how much smarter she is than everyone else, and fangirl Terrato, which means her scenes have started to get dull and repetitive) It remains to be seen if this problem will persist or not, its not like the story is currently ruined or something, but it is starting to get annoying. There's more story to come, and I really hope it won't just be more of the main six doing exactly what Black Rose wants.
Also, I'd like to actually see some of Oceanus doing something. I mean we hear him being spooky and all, but I'd like him to actually get off his butt and take action, rather than just lingering in background being ominous.
And I'd really like to see some scenes of the main six accomplishing things and solving problems of their own initiative and by their own ability, without it furthering Black Rose's schemes in some way. Almost all their successes up to this point have been part of Black Rose's design, and many have required her assistance to make possible. (Take their recent triumph over Clover the Clever and her allies, it was something Black Rose wanted since they were her foes too, and it was only possible because the Thorns helped, which made their victory less sweet to read). And even outside of that allot their activity is only undertaken at the behest of others (usually Terrato, and I get that's he's the commander and all that so its kinda expected, but its still another example of the main six being stuck in someone else's plan rather then choosing their own path). I think they really need to start deciding their own course of destiny for once.
I really liked the original story. And I like this story, but I think its more and more becoming the story of Black Rose and to a lesser extent the alicorns, with the Main Six being increasingly reduced from the heroes of the story to supporting cast, from having some ability to impact the direction of the story to being stuck following a track set by someone else because they have no (meaningful) ability to choose another path. And I really hope it doesn't continue that way. It's been a good story and I think it has some really great potential, but I fear that if it continues in this direction it will start to get boring. So here's hoping this chapter, which claims to be about Black Rose loosing and needing a bail out (and in fairness kinda is, even if it's annoying that she's still calling the shots even in defeat) will be the start of the story going in a better direction.
4676810
But i want to think that she and the Heroes work for the same goal, that is why anything the Heroes do benefit her, as much as anything she does (except stealing Celestia's power) benefits Them. They have the same goal, only with different means Which puts both parties at conflict.
Also the mane6 took out a freaking alicorn by themselves, of course they can kick the thorn's asses and Black Rose. They just have to be together at the time of the battle, not singled out one by one.
Also her last gamble was a loss, hell this gamble officially stared on chapter 41 it could be her largest gamble so far.
But even though she lost, she still bent the Heroes to her will.
"hey guys, i couldn't talk to Ocianus or get a reaction from the throne, even after i fed gravitas to it. So would you mind moving it away with me so it won't cause any further harm? You see after all i want equestria to be safe, am totally innocent!"
She is a nasty good liar. It wasn't an apparent loss. But hey, she finally lost :D
Other than that, i agree. She has a record of 700 years of not loosing, this bitch needs a nerf.
Will this story eventually be concluded? I am very curious as to its ending.
4678405 Hmmm, you do have a point about her having the same goal as the heroes, she is something of a well intentioned extremist villain (I do feel she has done enough outright evil things to qualify as a villain, and frankly she seems to be a bit of sociopath, with the exception of Terrato she seems to view everyone as merely pawns to be manipulated and sacrificed in pursuit of the goal, so I won't go further than villain with a nice goal) so I guess I can't really complain about that. It's not like it would be reasonable for the heroes to decide to let Oceanus win or something.
I guess my problem is less that they have the same ultimate goal (saving Equestria) and more that the heroes keep following the path to that goal that she wants them, because its the only one ever presented to them. I guess what I want to see is the mane six move towards saving Equestria on their terms, not hers.
I also see your point about how this is indeed a loss for her, her plan did indeed fail, so you're right about that. But it failed not because one of the other characters outsmarted her, not because someone acted in a way she didn't expect, not because she made a foolish mistake, but because the Foul Weapon is simply too powerful to be controlled, something she simply couldn't have predicted. She loses through no fault of her own or virtue of the heroes, but due to circumstances beyond her control.
And even then its not a total loss for her, she gets rid of Gravitas and (she claims she) gets useful information on Oceanus, the Elements of Harmony are further along in their development, the threat of Clover the clever is removed, and Terrato admitted he still cares for her, so her plans are still moving forward.
Plus even in defeat she still gets to show up the heroes, lecturing them about morality (there is something really irritating with the evil murdering betraying scheming nag lecturing the good guys about morality) and then forcing them to spare her life, rescue her from her mistakes, and help further her plans. I mean there are many stories where the heroes spare or even save the villain, but in most of those stories the hero has a choice. Here there is no choice, its help the villain (and thus keep dancing on Black Rose's strings) or die.
Because of those factors I just didn't find this defeat satisfying. Yeah it was a loss, but its one that gave her a chance to show how she's still way smarter and more competent than the mane six. Like I said, she's becoming a villain sue, she's a mortal pony who outmaneuvers and controls everyone and only ever meets with even partial failures when dealing with the likes of Oceanus, the evil god prince.
Now regarding the Thorns....well you may be right about the mane six having the raw power to match them given they beat an alicorn. That said the mane six grew up in a world of peace, the Thorns (most of them) grew up in a world of war and exceled in said world. I figure in a fight the Thorns superior skill and experience will carry the day.
And when I made my comment about just one Thorn being able to kill all the mane six I meant in an assassination sense. Most of the mane six don't have defenses against being suddenly shot in the back by a master archer who's hiding out of view while they are walking down the street, nor do most of them have a way to protect against poison in their food, or having their throat slit while they sleep, not to mention all their vulnerable friends and loved ones (and remember only one of them has to die or have their spirit broken for the elements of harmony to be out of the equation). I mean as strong as they've become they're still vulnerable, so they're lucky Rose needs them alive.
4680249 which is eternally an issue there. making your oc able to have killed them whenver they wanted undermines the characters overall if they eventaully do not overcome that weakness.