Soren The Alicorn Part 4: The Rift

by KingNyroc15

Yin and Yang

"Shayden, I...I don't what to say...so I'll promise you something. We will defeat those mules, but can you not...do your thing until after we save Sunny?" Shayden breaths deeply then recomposes himself

"If-if we can." He looks at Soren intensely. "But if either of you get in my way... Well you know what to expect." Soren starts laughing; Shayden scowls at him.

"Sorry sorry, it's just that...you're threatening me. You are threatening me. Haha." The laugh instantly goes away. "Let me tell you something. Don't push your luck. You might have your smoke and mirrors, but they are nothing compared to what spells I have at my disposal."

"And you think that phases me? You are mistaken. As long as neither of you do anything to inhibit me, we can avoid conflict."

"Before tomorrow, before you even plan on confronting those sons of mules, I need to warn you. If you get out of control, even for a second, and put Sunny in danger, I will fight you, and you will lose."

"I find your terms acceptable. Just one thing: If worst comes to worst and we have an altercation, be sure I die."

"Never talk like that. Take it from somepony who has woken up from that thought. Killing yourself is never the answer. If we do fight and you surrender in order to end your pain, I will just leave you there. There is nothing for you on the Otherside."

"Then I will not stop fighting. Even if I have to drag my half-dead body to get you, I will not give in."

"Good. Now you're ready to fight them. However, I have to ask: what can you do? Which of your spells can even be used for fighting?"

"I will admit, I have not had much combat experience, but I know enough that I cannot rely on spell strength alone. I can create a copy of myself out of any nebulous material, directly controlled by me. For defense, I have an armor I invented myself. I can in fact show you." He raises a hoof and, using the smoke from the fire, covers it in the smoke and condenses it into armor.

Soren shoots a magic bolt at the hoof, cracking the armor. "It's weak. You weren't prepared for that, were you? They will drop spells on you faster than you can make armor. Plus, who knows how much smoke will be there?"

"This particular piece is purely for show; in battle it will be thicker. You are also an alicorn, the closest anypony can get to a living god. Your spells carry more punch than theirs will. And if there is a lack of smoke, I have a few fire spells that can either make some or burn our opponents. Not as potent as my nebulous magic."

"You do know their leader is an alicorn? A friend of mine, who used to follow the leader's orders, told me that. I think this will be a harder fight than you realize."

"I will not be deterred. If we can manage to work together than I have no doubts about us overcoming them."

"That's what I like to hear. I just wish you had stronger magic. Fighting four unicorns and one alicorn is going to be pretty difficult with just us two."

"Do you doubt my capabilities, Soren?"

"Considering you're going to fight them with clouds, I would be an idiot not to. Don't you have anything else in your arsenal? Clearly you are a smart pony; you had to have learned something." With a 'hmph,' Shayden stands, tired of Soren's belittlements.

"You believe I don't stand a chance. That the 'great hero' Soren is the only one capable of handling himself in this situation. Tell me hero, how many have you lost due to that false belief?"

"I'm not a hero! Those that have gotten hurt or killed was because of me. It wasn't my fault. There are some ponies you just can't save."

"Can't manage to save everyone? Not even that bat pony? Well now, looks like I am not the only incapable one standing here." Shayden continues to hold an even and emotionless face.

"You don't deserve to talk about Nyra! She didn't deserve to die...none of them did. She had a life ahead of her and I was about to give her that life." Shayden screams back at Soren.

"And do you think Lilly did not?! I do not give a DAMN about your Nyra! Your words shall not keep me from avenging her!"

"I'll stop you if I have to! I'm not afraid to kill anymore! My mercy was gone long ago. You may have been through two life-shattering events, but I go through hell almost EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK. In the end, you and I are both shattered to the point where we don't mind stomping on a few ponies to finally get some peace."

"I have NEVER had a moment of peace since I was seven! What I have done has always loomed over me! The only peace I can get with be that of death, and I will not accept that embrace until those motherbuckers up there pay! I will not allow you to get in my way!" Shayden takes an aggressive stance. Annoyed, he sends a few streams at Soren, who in turn draws water from the lake and stops it. As he does this, Soren appears laid back like it was nothing.

Soren and Shayden stare each other down. Soren grins with intense, almost wicked, confidence while Shayden stands unflinching.

"You have darkness in you," he says. "Has that happened before?"

"You can say that."

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

"Do you?"

Shayden stands normally now. "We both stepped out of line. If this is how we cooperate, neither of us have a chance against the crystal ponies. I apologize." Soren sighed.

"I do too. Let's look at the bright side: we both got things off our chest. I feel better. How about you?"

"A little. If you do not mind me asking, how often have you lost control?"

"Well...there was Appaloosa, fighting Nyra, fighting the Master both times, Queen Chrysalis, and then I lost myself in the last town I was at."

"I have lost control only twice. One almost cost an innocent life. The other destroyed the remains of Lilly's cottage. It needs to stop. For both of us."

"But that's the funny thing...it never does. Not for ponies like me anyway. We are opposites when we lose ourselves. Most of the time where I lost control, it helped everypony. Sure there were incidents, but the ends justify the means sometimes. I'm glad I get angry; it keeps the ponies I love safe."

"You're lucky then..."

"I'm really not. Every time something happens, every time I go on some...'adventure,' I put my friends in danger. I may save them, but I'm the one that put their lives at risk in the first place. If they just didn't know me, they would be safe."

"You would prefer loneliness ad solitude? Let me tell you that you have never been more incorrect. Ponies care about you. No matter what happens you have somepony to catch you if you fall. Imagine, for a moment, that you had never been there. Who would have stopped the resurrection of Nightmare Moon? What about the town with the purple alicorn? I barely survived that encounter. You made it safe once more. I have no doubts that they are thankful."

"I know that's the reason that I should keep helping, but it doesn't change the fact that I don't deserve my friends. Not after what I put them through. Heh, it's funny. I left in the TARDIS to find myself, and look at me know. Still wallowing in self-pity."

"If anypony at this fire deserves friends it's you. You have done more for them than they can possibly repay you for. If anything, and do not take this the wrong way, they do not deserve you."

"You're the one that has nothing but himself at this point. You lost everything." Soren paused. "After we're done here...do you want to come back to my Ponyville with me?"

Shayden looked surprised for the first time, even shocked. "W-what? You would do that for me? Take me to a world that knows not of woes such as this place? But how?"

"Exactly. I have the TARDIS. The reason I'm stuck here is because of that alicorn up in the castle. He created a dimension rift that sucked us here. I met Sunny along the way as I investigated the land, looking for the cause. I narrowed it down to this version of Ponyville, and I am here to stop him or her once and for all. After that, I will gladly take you with me. Start all over again, maybe befriend my friends, meet the princesses that don't exist here."

Shayden's jaw hangs open slightly; he is at a loss for words for a bit. "...start over?"

"Yes...start over. We all deserve a second chance, especially those with nothing left. I don't know when my time will come to refresh, but I hope it'll be after this." Soren looks at the full moon and the stars in the sky, remembering that it's getting late. "I think we've spoken long enough. We need our rest. Tomorrow will not be easy."

"Y-yes. I agree... Give me time to think on the offer."

"Just make sure you have an answer by the time we are done," Soren smiled. He and Shayden had set up their sleeping bags and had put out the fire. "Goodnight, Shayden."

"Goodnight, Soren."