Sparring Match

Can't believe I started this a month ago. Was hoping to finish it over a week, but then work invaded my free time... Anyway, apparently I have made 99 uploads to DeviantArt since I started a little over three years ago so I wanted to try something a bit more complicated for the 100th one with extra special effects and whatnot. Restyled the magic effects more than a couple times.

Wrote a little story to go with it.

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This was so much easier when there were only two of them, Presage Wave thought to himself as a beam of blue energy clipped the edge of his barrier and dispersed into the surrounding air.

When her highness had approached him regarding sparring sessions for her sister and herself following the changeling invasion of Canterlot he had figured it would be a challenging prospect. Being able to sense the surrounding magical energy, absorb it and then redirect it made him somewhat qualified for the task. Harnessing that much energy wasn't exactly a pleasant experience, however.

He ducked as a lance of gold missed its mark, causing an explosion of dust behind him where it had impacted. Though it did help that she was quite rusty at this.

Now her sister on the other hoof...

Another bolt of blue sliced through the air mere inches from the front of his muzzle. Whether she had missed or wished to draw his attention he couldn't say, but if it was the latter it certainly worked. If there was one thing he had learned over these sessions it was that while the elder sister was far too hesitant, almost afraid that she would hurt him, the younger sister quite frankly lacked restraint.

Of course he retaliated in kind with a burst of seven maroon-colored bolts that spun randomly in the air as they homed in on their target. She managed to avoid them of course but he couldn't help but smirk at the thought of how much the younger sister hated when he used that spell as each magic dart exploded one by one at her hooves, forcing her into the air.

However, the distraction worked as he soon found himself under fire from the elder sister's faithful student who had been biding her time on the sidelines just waiting for such an opportunity. She may not have the same power as the other two, but darn it if her keen eye for precision didn't catch him off guard more often than he was comfortable with.

She hadn't originally been included in the sparring sessions, but they allowed her to stay when she had stumbled upon them out of curiosity. Besides it kept him constantly on guard.

Speaking of which...

A triplet of nearby energy surges shook Presage from his thoughts and renewed his focus. In mid-run he kicked hard off the ground, twisting to the side as a beam of gold shot from behind and through where he had been running. The smell of burnt hair emanating from where it had pierced his barrier and clipped his tail. As his gaze twisted skyward he spotted the source of the second energy surge. The younger sister had intended on a surprise strike from above.

As the beam of her blue magic cut its way through the ground towards him the third energy surge collided with the intact side of the barrier behind him. Rather than scatter its energy to the winds he decided to harness the unicorn's spell, absorbing it through his barrier and channeling the energy alongside his own magic in a powerful beam directed at the younger sister. Forcing her to break her own spell.

However, the jump had been a little too much and Presage found himself off-balance and tumbling across the ground. As he rolled to a stop he launched a flare into the sky as he breathed heavily on the ground.

"Time out..."

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Presage Wave created by me.

My Little Pony (c) Hasbro.