Props Valroa

@Sir Hugsalot @Princess Silky That was a great video there! I always enjoy seeing what my friends look and act like in real life.

This is round two of the Secret Santa for those of you who couldn't make the first round. This is only for people who haven't had the chance to Donate or Volunteer yet. New names only! Last day for this is December 31st. Link to the original thread for more information:

@Blitz Boom @Illiad Easle My post is now edited.

@Catpone Cerberus The scenery of the battle would play over the course of what felt like hours. In reality, only a few minutes had passed. Sombra's visionary magic that took over her mind in this moment was very much like a very vivid dream. Una would notice a few key details. Sombra's army was losing. The enemy Equestrians had continued to advance forward towards the City over the course of the hours as they passed. The fighting only got more brutal and more desperate as his armies were forced to fight a losing battle in which they were outnumbered. Equestrian soldiers outnumbered Sombra's soldiers 4 to 1. Despite this, his forces continued to put up a good defense. Unfortunately for them, this was not enough. Una could see many of his soldiers having shared similar fates. Shot at by unicorn magic. Blown up in Aerial Bombardments. Stabbed to death by charging Equestrian soldiers. Sombra's emotions continued to get more and more enraged as time gone on. The explosive nature of his hate caused him to eliminate many Equestrians at a far quicker pace than before. They kept coming. Sombra and his troops would fall back to make a final stand within the city itself. Civilians fled or hid underground as the bloodshed came into the streets themselves. Sombra's dark magic managed to stall the Equestrians for a short time, allowing his soldiers to regroup in one final attempt to push the Equestrians out of the city. This was the most brutal part. Sombra's soldiers could be heard fearfully giving their lives for their King. Many of them, despite being brainwashed - were still able to scream as their lives were ended. Sombra did his best to stop this, showing his pure brutality in defending his city here. It wasn't a sight for the timid. It was sights like that out of a nightmare. The screams. The agony. The pain. And the blood. All of it was something that filled with him the most pure, raw, and utter hate there was. Then the Equestrians started to bomb the city. Bombs were dropped on remaining troop positions, and Sombra's remaining troops would make a motion to flee for the hills. Sombra agreed with this and was about to lead them out of the city to retreat elsewhere and go into exile. That was when the two sisters showed up. Celestia and Luna, in full battle armor. They caught Sombra off guard while he was fleeing. There were no words exchanged. The looks on their faces and the battle that ensued spoke volumes more than words ever could. Sombra, a dark tyrannical King as he was, was valiantly defending his source of power from outside forces. Celestia and Luna were harsh to him. In their eyes, he was a threat to be eliminated at all costs. Sombra felt the same about them. He wanted to make them pay for this. Sombra tried all sorts of things. Illusions. Shadow magic. Dark Magic. Only being able to subdue the two sisters for a short timeframe before they would inevitably come back. Sombra would receive blow after blow. Una could feel the pain Sombra felt. The agony. The agony of having to lose everything, and to fight for one's life in the face of a superior opponent. Sombra would inevitably be slammed up against a wall, his body, nearly broken - but still fighting. In a last ditch effort, just as the two sisters were about to charge at him for one final time - Sombra's horn lit up, and with all of his power, he himself would banish the Empire away into Limbo. The Empire, all of it's buildings, his soldiers, would all suddenly vanish. If he couldn't rule - then he would ensure that nobody could. And like that, he faced a blinding light, as his body was evaporated into light for the first time. The pain was indescribable. It was absolute agony. Overwhelming agony. Una could hear Sombra's horrible screams. And like that, all went to black. An undefinable amount of time later - Una would see Sombra in his banishment. Nothing but blackness. A very faint sense of awareness. But only agony. Hate...and loss.

@Illiad Easle I must have missed that detail. Will edit shortly!

The more of Jeric, the Merrier.

All hail Jeric! Our King has returned!

@Illiad Easle @Blitz Boom Spiral would narrow her eyes to Apollo upon that statement. "I don't deny what you speak of. You swore to keep this Project Running. We'll do so without you." she'd narrow her eyes as Maud was about to speak. They wouldn't have had the time to offer any further rebuttals to Apollo as he would charge towards the two of them. His intense speed was rather shocking. Both of them attempted to dodge him as fast as they could possibly move - Spiral would manage to dodge Apollo. Maud wouldn't be as fortunate as Spiral would be. In Apollo's grasp, Maud's eyes were narrow. Inside of her eyes was pure hatred for the leader of the Project. Apollo had been a leader who ruled with power and ferocity - he had certainly had the skills to lead. In a way, she admired him - but she also hated who he became. Instead of leading with fairness - he became dangerously powerful and prideful. Threatening those who followed his orders with death should they not do what he wanted them to do. Maud had taken advantage of his prideful nature - that being a tell tale sign that he cared more about his pride rather than what was was the rightful course of action. Now, Maud was in his grasp. To be honest, if she was going to die - she had been satisfied with her life. She got to experience life as a normal pony. Got to pursue her passions. Grow up to be the older sister to an important figure, such as an Element of Harmony. Surviving the largest Cataclysm in all of history. If it was going to end here, it was a pretty good run anyway. "I wouldn't put too much faith in last words. If you are lucky - you'll get to have your own." Maud would say coldly, keeping her gaze locked onto Apollo's eyes. Spiral would take the chance to take a step back, and charge at Apollo as fast as her legs could carry her. As Spiral lept in the air quickly - she would position her Thestralium shard between both hooves, putting all of her bodily force into her charge - targeting Apollo directly towards that of his claws holding Maud up. This was because Spiral wanted to weaken him where he was directly holding Maud.

@Blitz Boom Spectra grinned gleefully at him and chuckled somewhat. "Oh, I know you'll obey. The alternative is...being gone for a few hundred years, how about that? I've experienced that myself...on a regular basis." she spoke, walking forward and looking deeply into her eyes. "I can tell you so much about changes over the centuries. And what I've seen. Who I've seen, and so much more - but let us not get ahead of ourselves. I am happy to hear you will obey me. It pleases me." she said, grinning wider purposefully to give him a creepy stare. "We both know you won't be getting out of this. So just grin and bear it. And perhaps I'll toss you a bone now and then. You'll learn to like it." she said, not knowing that she too, was trapped by her mind's lack of capacity to fathom getting out of this thought process and stopping her relentless crusade for her own destiny's sake. A destiny that limited her ability to choose freely. Before she'd leave Operata to himself, she would look at his wife within the crystal orb. She gently tapped the orb - making a ping sound. Nothing happened but she was clearly savoring her "prize" within. "You choose well for a companion. I'll give you that much." with a flick of the tail, she'd leave and proceed to locate Veil. When she found Veil, she would take it upon herself to comfort her and let her know that it indeed - was just a test and the ponies within are indeed horrible criminals.

@J.J In the context of the Debate Pit, from my point of view, "sassiness" or "troll-ishness" isn't worth the engagement. In the Debate Pit, I am there for serious and formal discussions that do not involve that kind of behavior. People should be able to effectively form opinions and articulate them without the need to insult, defame, or troll the other user.

@J.J It's not what you say. It's how you say it. That's the problem here.

I fail to see any reason or justification for the staff to create a "troll pit". If one wants something like that, there are other places for it on the internet. I applaud the staff for keeping the Debate Pit moderated and under control. It is that control and moderation that has kept it from devolving into something like Twitter or Facebook.