//------------------------------// // The Spawn // Story: Blazing Darkness // by shadeofthenight //------------------------------// Everfree forest, 8:32 PM Twilight looked up from the book she was reading and counted how many of her friends where there. There was Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie, but that was it. "AJ, where's Fluttershy, and Rarity?" She asked. Applejack shrugged,"Ah dunno Twilight, when Ah last talked ta Rarity, she was picking out her outfit. Ah dunno about Fluttershy." Twilight rolled her eyes, sometimes her friends took for ever. Still, sometimes she herself took forever. She sighed and was about to go back to reading her book when Rarity trotted over, wearing some sort of camo outfit, Rarity smiled,"Hello darlings, i'm here!" She declared, flaunting her outfit. Twilight was about to answer when Pinkie Pie screamed, "What is THAT?!" All heads swiveled to what she was pointing at with her hoof, 3 ponies gasped at what they saw. Some sort of poniod creature was staring right at them, but its head had long curved horns. it had a well muscled body, and its forelegs were too big and ended with long sharp claws. It also had no eyes, which kinda freaked the girls out, and it was also pitch black, which made it harder to see. What was not harder to see was Fluttershy, who was perched atop its back talking to it. "Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash stuttered. Fluttershy smiled,"Hey guys, didja meet my new friend?" "But what is that thing?" Twilight asked. Then something spoke in their minds, It is a shadow spawn, a rather gentle creature unless provoked, but it will serve as your guide. All six ponies glanced at each other. "Okay, just to be sure, somepony did just talk to us and tell us what that thing is?" Rainbow Dash asked. The other five nodded. Twilight smiled smugly,"I told you that there was somepony talking to me." The shadow spawn, hissed, interrupting whatever Rainbow Dash was going to say. It rose up, towering up to a 5 feet tall height, It began to trot over and into the Everfree Forest, with Fluttershy still on it's back. Applejack said to the others,"Ah think we best follow it. Ah still don't like this, but we best git movin'." The others nodded and followed the strange creature into the Everfree. Canterlot, Celestia's Private Sanctum, 9:07 PM Shining Armor was in the midst of yelling at Celestia, "WHY WOULD YOU EVEN SEND US THERE IF THAT MONSTER CAN KILL YOU JUST BY BLINKING?!" He roared. Celestia just stared at him, waiting for him to finish. Cadence was furious too, but was curious to see how Celestia would explain it. "YOU'RE ASKING ME TO RISK THE LIFE OF MY WIFE AS WELL AS MY OWN TO CHECK ON SOMETHING YOU'RE TOO SCARED TO DO?!" Shining Armor howled. While he was yelling, there was a loud banging on the door. "Princess! Princess! There something that you need to see!" yelled somepony. The three ponies turned and opened the door, revealing an Earth Pony Sunguard, who was bleeding from the shoulder from what looked like a large slashing wound. "What is it soldier?" Celestia asked, Shining Armor putting his core face on to conceal his emotions while Cadence just turned her head. "Milady, our guard patrol was attacked!" He replied, panting. Celestia tapped her horn on the guard's shoulder and his wound began to slowly close. "Show me, and tell me what happened." She ordered. The guard nodded, trotting down the stairs with the three ponies following. The guard explained what had happened," We were on patrol near the castle halls, as scheduled, when we heard you scream over by the gardens. When we went to investigate, we didn't find milady there, instead was this...this creature, as black as night, with large horns, foot long claws, massive forelegs, and eyes the color of the moon. When we got close, we felt as if our worst fears were being ignited and we didn't know what to do. It just sat there, staring at us with those horrible eyes. Then one of our unicorns, Radiance, tried to hit the monster with a burst of magic. Instead, she only made it angry. It made this screech, that sounded like our own death screams and lunged. I'm sad to say, we didn't put up much of a fight, and any attacks we made simply bounced off of it. That thing's claws...." The guard shuddered. Celestia smiled reassuringly, "You did what you could. Were there any fatalities?" She asked. The guard took a deep breath before replying, "Yes. Radiance lost both of her legs and her horn, Grass Planter is blinded, and Pins was ripped clean in half." Celestia looked aghast at the creature's brutality, and was saddened by the fact that two of the patrol had been crippled and the third had lost his life. "Do you know what that thing is Celestia?" Cadence asked. Celestia sighed before replying, "Unfortunately i do. Its called a shadow spawn, a creature made of solid darkness. While they are relatively docile creatures, if provoked they are capable of taking on small armies at a time. One way to tell if they are provoked is to see if their eye sockets are glowing red. Also, that fear effect is something that is activated as well. I have also heard that each one's roar is said to sound like the death cries of those around you. I'm surprised it left the patrol completely alive. " Shining Armor looked in awe and horror,"You mean that thing would have easily killed all those four ponies? Thats kind of hard to believe." "Believe it or not, if the Shadow Spawns are starting to leave Everfree, then that means more lives are in danger, and he is even closer to breaking free. " Cadence nodded,"Then we must make sure he will never break free Celestia." Shining Armor reluctantly nodded in agreement. Celestia smiled,"Then lets plan for what you might face down there..."