Consuming Hatred

by BrightSanctuary

Researching Shadows

Twilight watched as the last of the vapors escaped through the ceiling. Cadence still was out cold and Twilight was not sure what to do next, so she went over to Cadence and tapped her just slight enough to see if she would respond. This action got Twilight nothing.

Twilight began to shed a tear. She didn’t know how to feel at this point. She had gotten back her big sister, or that’s how she thought of Cadence, but she was out cold, and Equestria has fallen. Was there any hope. Then from inside of her she felt something pulling on her heart. She didn’t know what she was doing, but it felt right. She lowered her horn to touch Cadence’s and began to focus her power into her horn. Cadence began to glow, and slowly rise above the floor. Twilight didn’t know what was happening, but she remembered the time she watched Cadence and Shining Armor do the same. She could even feel the power flowing out of her into Cadence.

After a brief minute they settled back down on the ground, and Cadence slowly began to open her eyes. Without warning Cadence reached up and grabbed Twilight and pulled her close. “Sorry,” was all Cadence could say as the tears began to flow freely from her eyes. Twilight just stood there hugging her back.

When Cadence could finally speak again, she let go and took a step back, “I don’t know what had come over me. On the way here from the Crystal Empire, Shining Armor and I had a fight. He did not seem to be himself, but I could not figure out why. After we got here, the fights continued, until I began to resent him for it. I didn’t know why but, everything I did led from one thing to another, and I had him locked in a dungeon. Of course when Celestia found out she wasn’t happy with me. She tried to talk to me, but by this time the voices had started and nothing she could say could bring me out of my fury. All I did was get even madder. One day I just walk in her room while she was sleeping a banished her; how I did it I don’t know. Then Luna came in to stop me, and I banished her too.

“By this time I had become so corrupt, I began attacking everything. The hate had grabbed me so strong that it even began to reflect in my power. Soon anyone who came near me just suddenly started fighting, but by this point I did not care. I actually kind of liked it. I had been like this for a week now, and then you came. Thank you Twilight.”

Cadence then grabbed Twilight and hugged her again.

“Wait,” Twilight said, “You said something about voices. I had heard them as well. I think I know what happened, but I still don’t know what to do. Something tied to the Windigos had taken hold of you. I don’t know what it was or how to defeat it. But I need your help. If we are going to defeat this enemy I need to do some research first. Can you get Shining Armor, and then meet me in the library.”

“Yes,” Cadence said, but that was not all, “And Twilight, I just wanted you to know, I trust you. If anyone can do this it is you.”

“Thanks Cadence,” Twilight blushed, “Now go get my brother. If we are going to do this I am going to need everyone’s help.”

Cadence left toward the dungeons, and Twilight toward the library. It didn’t take Twilight long to get to the library, but it took her a good thirty minutes to find what she was looking for. She finally found a book on Windogos and other related spirits. That book did not have much in it though. It had the legends of the Windigos in it and a few stray facts that there was nothing to back it up with. The book did have something else. It said that there was a being that nobody knows much about that controlled the Windingos. It was only known as the Lord of the Windigo. This spirit was older than any other legend found in any text, and that its power rivaled Discord himself. Nobody knows how to defeat it, and if anyone ever did that knowledge had become lost. The only thing left Twilight could think of was to gather all those she could, and figure something out together.

After about another twenty minutes Cadence and Shining Armor entered the library. Shining Armor seemed a little worn but was fine elsewise.

“So what are we going to do, Twily,” Shining said to his little sister, though not out lack of respect or reverence, but simply sibling love.

“I couldn’t find much, except that we are facing an enemy older and possibly even more powerful then Discord. His power seems to be the spread of hatred, so that the Windigos may feed. The only think I can think of is that we need to gather what we have. Cadence and Shining Armor, you need to return to the Crystal Empire and I need to go and see if I can gather the Elements of Harmony. Only with all of these do I think we even have chance.”

“Twilight,” Shining Armor said, “I understand that the princess has trusted you to everything, but can you handle taking care of your friends. To what I understand I will be harder than last time to win them back. They may not be able to break the spell that is on them, especially if it is the same thing that overtook me and Cadence.”

“You’re right Brother,” Twilight sighed, “But I don’t have much of a choice. We need all the elements, and the Crystal Heart if this is going to work.”

“Very well Twilight,” Shining Armor said, “Just be careful. I could not stand to lose you to this evil tyrant.”

Cadence and Shining Armor gave Twilight a quick smile before heading out the door. This was going to be the hardest task that Twilight ever had to face with her friends.

Twilight turned and took one last look back, and sent a prayer to Celestia, “I hope you are all right. Please help me; I need you guidance more than ever.” Then Twilight followed the other two out the door.