Sacrifice, Lies, Hellfire

Ashes fell from above, painted the ground in a layer charcoal. Electra slowly stood, her head pounding as the sounds of the world were muted under loud ringing. She opened her eyes, looking about at the destruction that had be wrought. Many ponies lay around her. Some hurt, others beyond recognition, and she felt the burning sensation of sickness welling up in her throat. Swallowing hard, the grey unicorn held her head up and let out scream she couldn't even hear; hell, she could barely feel it. Then, she looked down to see a sight she'd not expected. A single filly, young with her head reaching up just under Electra's chin. The filly wondered aimlessly as she walked forwards. She was dazed, and the way she timidly moved hinted that she was alone. Anger filled the unicorn now, watching the little pegasus step closer and closer, then bumped into her. The filly fell to her haunches, her white coat dirtying further in the ash on the ground. She looked up, and stared at the battered older mare. Electra was the only standing pony she'd found so far. At once, the unicorn's hearing buzzed back to life as the filly said, "A-are...you going to...hurt me too?" Electra's eyes went wide. But not at what was said, at the creature approaching. A false god, a fake Alicorn. And the Alicorn was regenerating, Eldridge darts began to form in the air above her, made from the blood of those fallen around them. If they were launched now, both the filly and Electra would fall, but it seemed without her eyes being fully regenerated the Alicorn had to hesitate. Her aim must be true, and even as a near god, she had to use skill. Electra looked down to the filly and smiled. "Nah, kid. But I do want you to remember one thing..." She'd levitate out a small coin, silver and glistening, and set it on the filly's hoof. "Run south, as far as you can, and give this to stallion guarding the road. He'll know what to do with it." "B-but..miss...I-I-" "Don't be scared," Electra soothed, brushing her real hoof through the filly's mane. "You can be strong, and you can stand for what you believe in. Just push on. Okay?" The filly didn't get to reply as Electra telekinetically shoved the filly past herself, and began walking towards the Alicorn. Her magic pulled up her pistol and she took aim, slowly. The shield of the Alicorn had already formed, and she was ready to strike. "We are surprised you lived, Thief. We offer once more, join us. Become one, and we will show you true power," the Alicorn said, a dark smirk showing on her muzzle. It did not deter Electra, though, as she was going to make this creature pay for what it had done. Innocent ponies, old and young, perished and perishing under her crepuscular magic. Electra's own magic, deep auburn -green aura enveloping her gun. Her robotic eye adjusting focus, letting out a weak metallic whirring as it partially failed. She could see just enough, though, and knew her shot would land. All she had to do was survive long enough to send it and cast one final spell. And with the magic collected, ready, she'd get ready to send it. "Oh, what do you think you're gonna do? That bullet will just evaporate! But unblocked you shall be felled by our magic." BOOM Time seemed to slow down as the bullet exploded out of the pistol, whistling through the air as it made contact with the shield, and the Alicorn smirked... at least, she smirked at first. The bullet didn't evaporate, but instead pressed into the shield, spinning faster and faster in Electra's magic. The tip of the bullet made of Silver. "What?! That's not possible!" Then, as the Alicorn looked up, she'd release the darts to stop Electra, but it was too late. Electra's final spell was released. A beam of energy shot up into the endless cloud cover... ...and a bolt of green lightning struck down on the Alicorn, sparking a sudden magical burst around the bullet that propelled it through the shield. The shield imploded, and the bullet sunk deep into the skill of the false Alicorn. Of the many Eldridge darts aimed at Electra, only two struck home. Passing through her body in full and burying themselves in the dirt behind her. She stood for a moment longer, her magic evaporating and letting the pistol fall to the ground, and with a last painful breath, Electra fell as well. Her robotic leg and cybernetic eyes both crashing as she did. Her auto injectors could not activate, and thus healing remained out of the question. Far as it seemed, Electra Green was dying. In reality, she was already dead. She did right, though. Surely it wasn't enough to make up for the greed she'd lived with; for the crimes and evil she'd committed up until this point. At least she had tried to turn a new leaf. The world faded to black, and the Equestrian Wasteland washed away from sight, as her life burnt away, as another ember in the ever growing pyre of pony conflict.

---

Is that it, Electra Green? "Wh..what?" Are you just going to die? Give up?

"Well, duh..? I'm bleeding out, and have two holes through my body. The fact I am thinking is, well, impossible." Says the one who'd been shot in the head. "That's besides the point. I had a good run, it's time to sleep." Sleep? Not like the punk bitch to give up and die so easily. Just giving up and not going to find a real end? "What end do I have to find? I've killed, stole, terrorized, lied and much more. I'm an enemy of the world!" Then do good. Be better. You can die in sacrifice now, live in your lies, or go out in a hellfire blaze. Your choice. "Hellfire blaze? What are you talking about?! I'm just one mare, I'm no Lightbringer. No Security! Just-" Just a thief. And what are thief's good at? Deception? Lying? Stealing? Why not steal from those that harmed you? Electra remained silent, the blackness was talking to her. She was answering! She was going mad. But, then again, maybe it had a point. Why give up now? Well, besides her body being clinically dead, of course. Or, at least she thought. Wake up. Wake up, and buck up. You wanted to burn the world, so burn those that deserve it.

---

Electra sat up suddenly and gasped for air, her eye focusing as she looks about her surroundings. She was no longer outside and had found herself laying in a bed. This was followed by a moan of agony, her body not fully healed yet as she fell back to the pillow. She was...alive? Her eye wasn't reading of vitals, and her Pipbuck was definitely not functioning if her leg had crashed. "Where...am I?"