The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 8 -- Dark Melvain

by shysage

Ch.52, Dark Melvain / Rescuing Shysage

A dead Black bat, in a small pool of Shysage's blood...

Flying to Dark Melvain's Bastion... Again...

Only this time, this monster had Shysage... I tried to avoid thinking about whether or not Shysage was even alive. Pinkie had said...

...

I remember over a year ago, when we recorded the point at which Princess Twilight entered into the 'Bond of Knowing' with Equestria. Princess Twilight 'just knew' what Equestria wanted. And since that point, the outworking of that bond in our amazing Princess' life has been so very clear.

Well, I'm no Princess, but I think, at that point, Equestria did the same thing for me, for this trip anyway.

I unspun my Cutie Mark, and changed from a people into a Blue pony. "Girls, lets go..." was all I said.

The three of us were soon in the air. Nopony needed to ask where we were going.

It was maybe late afternoon, but evidently Spring or Summer here in Equestria Past (this time). It was nice and warm.

I called Cel and Fluttershy to my side, and told them to follow me. There would be no trip to the river, then an hour up the river to the Dark Ridge, then along the ridge for a long time... We were heading straight from Canterlot to the Bastion. Thanks to Equestria, I knew the way.

I remember Shysage writing that Equestria Girls Pinkie Pie had 'GPS' or something, when she helped Shysage find where the monster's house was, at night even, so they could rescue my Twin and I. I had no clue what GPS was, but I felt like I had that. I knew how to get straight to Shysage.

I also explained to Cel that I felt pretty great urgency to get Shysage home, as soon as possible.

I did not explain that I was hoping going through the Portal would heal whatever life-threatening damage Dark Melvain may have done to Shysage. But we needed to get him back to the Present first.

Other than that, it was a quiet flight. We didn't even bother stopping for a breather. The path we took was substantially shorter, and so quicker, and I didn't think we had much time anyway.

And, at one point, I sighed, and asked Cel if she had any ideas how we could get dad back to Canterlot. He couldn't even walk yesterday, let alone fly...

Cel just answered quietly "I... I think I will need to use my magic and carry him... It will be very difficult flying that way though, and I have never tried that... I just don't think we have much choice..."

...

It was dark by the time I 'just knew' we were getting close.

I mentioned to Cel and Fluttershy that my goal was to come over the Bastion very high, to try to find out what was going on first. I was sure that Dark Melvain had another trap planned, and that dad was the bait.

I also quietly mentioned, that if I headed into something dangerous, like underneath that Obsidian block, Fluttershy and Cel just needed to get away as soon as possible, and try to save themselves, I don't know. I said that I wasn't leaving without Shysage, even if that meant I didn't leave. I think my family understood.

I also told them that I doubted it would come to that. The only reason Dark Melvain would have taken Shysage would be that Dark Melvain actually recognized him... I was pretty sure rescuing Shysage would be the biggest problem...

---

The Bastion was not easy to see with the low half-moon, but that didn't stop Equestria.

Fluttershy, Cel and I were soon hovering high above the main gate to his Bastion.

I asked Fluttershy and Cel to wait there, and to follow me down when I landed. I had no better plan.

Dark Melvain had evidently rebuilt the whole Bastion, including the huge wall and gate complex across the valley on the down-hill side. But he left that giant cube of Obsidian in the center of the courtyard.

The four towers were standing again, as were the three walls; they were all taller though. And there was a high, broad platform, like a walkway, all the way around on the top of the wall and towers; it looked like the walkway was the same height as the top of that Obsidian cube.

Well, I was here to rescue Shysage. I knew he was down there. Thanks to Equestria, I could walk right to him; he was beneath the back wall, a little to the left.

I just had to deal with Dark Melvain and his 'trap' first.

...

Without dropping in altitude at all, I flew slowly towards the point directly above the Bastion.

I honestly think Equestria stepped in again. I don't know how else I could have known, but the walkway above the walls and towers were lined with over fifty Unicorns, all cloaked. That must have been his trap. I think Dark Melvain was hoping that would be enough magic to destroy me.

But I also realized that Dark Melvain was standing, uncloaked, at the exact same spot where he had stood when we came to rescue Shyna. Even from this height, I could see him, after Equestria had shown me where to look.

Still, fifty Unicorns, that was a lot of magic. I needed a better plan than just running in and finding out if I could live.

...

I don't know where this came from...

"Summer, Obsidian shards will rip your eyes up, so be careful."

Shysage had told me that...

Then Equestria took over...

...

Still a Blue pony, I changed into a people, and kept hovering over that same spot. Then I spun up my Cutie Mark. I was the Phantom Alicorn, and very high, and doubted that anypony below could even hear me. And there was too little of the moonlight left for them to see me either.

But the torches far below allowed me to see the courtyard of the Bastion easily...

I held my right palm out straight and flat, which motioned a large flat shield in front of me.

With my left hand, I formed the biggest boulder I possibly could; maybe thirty feet in diameter; it was sitting on top of that shield.

I looked down, and moved some so the boulder was directly over the huge cube of Obsidian, well as best as I could tell.

I simply rolled my right hand carefully and quickly, counter-clockwise to the right.

The boulder fell straight down... And it was a long way down...

I didn't move, but I watched this slowly unfold...

That 30 foot boulder was traveling very fast... The minute that boulder contacted the top of that cube of Obsidian, millions of Obsidian shards shot out like bullets in all directions It actually sounded like a large 'bang' sound...

This immediately blinded the Unicorns standing around on that raised platform on the wall, and probably killed many of them instantly. Those that were alive were surely in intense pain.

All the Unicorns on that wall immediately uncloaked. Some just fell right where they were. Others staggered and stumbled over the edge of the raised platform, and fell to the courtyard below.

In less than a minute, all of them were laying down, motionless.

...

Well, it didn't take long for Dark Melvain to realize something was wrong.

Equestria took over again.

Dark Melvain cloaked, and then shot quickly up in the air... Either Levitation or some mechanical gizmo had allowed his quick escape. He surely thought he was headed to safety. He was actually heading right at me, and I was waiting for him this time.

With Equestria's help, I moved so I was above him, and then I released a stream of fire down over his upward path with my left hand.

Again, it took some time for he and the fire to meet, but he was quickly uncloaked, and burning, still headed up straight at me.

I knew I could not kill this horrible bully without dying myself.

But I really didn't want to kill him either, because I knew that was supposed to happen in Equestria Present; that was Princess Twilight's job, courtesy of Princess' girls and the Elements of Harmony.

But I wanted to so mangle his body that it would be a LONG time before he bothered Cel, before he bothered Equestria again.

Still hovering, I backed away, then wrapped my right arm far to the left, and waited...

I knew I would only have one shot at this. In fact, I knew I needed help to make this work. Whether Equestria or true friend, it didn't matter. I asked for help...

At the right time, I swung my right arm quickly to the right...

The shield hit Dark Melvain, hard...

Dark Melvain's burning body immediately shot out quickly to my right, up over the top of the Dark Ridge, and out of sight beyond the other side of the ridge line. His body was burning brightly, I could follow him that far. I didn't think he would land very well. I really didn't care...

...

Still the Phantom Alicorn, I flew quickly back to Fluttershy and Cel. I asked Cel to follow us in, and use her magic should any of the Unicorns decide to attack. I doubted any even could.

We headed down to the cube of Obsidian with the boulder embedded partway into the top; it was still smoking... I landed behind the cube, on the floor of the courtyard. We had to step around a few Unicorns laying randomly and still around us.

Directly behind the cube was a bolted metal door. This Phantom Alicorn didn't need a key.

We encountered two more Unicorns; I just slapped them into the wall.

There was another bolted door, and I could see Shysage off to the left side. I tried to be gentle, and the door fell inwards, loudly, onto the floor.

The three of us were quickly gathered around Shysage.

...

He was laying on his side... His entire body was covered with mostly scabbed over, but oozing bruises... Some of the bruises were pretty big... It was heartbreaking...

He was breathing, and moaning some... At least he was alive, now anyway...

I put my head next to his, and said in his ear "Shysage..." and got no response.

The second time, he tried to open his eyes...

Well, we were all crying, this was just terrible...

"Summer..." Well, he got this much out. He remembered me anyway.

But he kept going...

"Summer... Just leave... me... I will probably... die... soon..."

I didn't yell, but I put my mouth next to his ears again. I wanted him to hear this...

"Shysage, I'm not leaving you... ever...

"I don't even want to try to live without you....

"We're taking you home..."

I had to stop because I was crying too hard...

"I... love yo... you..." Shysage said slowly.

I gently hugged Shysage... The most important Stallion in Equestria...

"Shysage, I'm never leaving you..."

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