Chapter 22.
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A grey unicorn with a white mane found himself chained in a strange place. His mind was racing as he tried to figure out what was going on.
“W-Where am I!?” He called out.
“We have freed you from Sombra’s grasp, however we can’t let you leave.” A female voice said “You’ll be our guest for a long time.”
“P-Please let me, I-I just wanna go home.” The stallion said.
“Get him ready for the mines.” The female voice said.
Two strange creatures dragged the stallion out of the cell “Nooooo!” He screamed as he was being taken away.
“I believe you were harsh on the poor stallion.” A dragon said.
“He’ll give us away to the light, we cannot risk that.” The female voice said moving through the shadows “What are you doing here anyways Sarah?”
“Master is asking for you.” She said “Something about a gift.”
“I’m on my way.” She said moving past her and out of the dungeon.
She walked into a room and inside was a broken horn glowing inside a beam of light.
“Finally you make it Tempest!” A female voice rang out throughout the room “I finally got you the horn you so seeked.”
“Sombra still rules within in the horn.” Tempest said looking at the horn.
“With the magic amulet I have, it will only allow Sombra to speak but not control.” The female voice said “You have kept your promise of giving me my lands now it’s your turn to get your horn.”
Tempest touched the beam of light and felt the power coming from the horn “I’ll just hear his voice?”
“Just hear his voice.” The female voice said.
“I accept it.” Tempest said as the light faded and the horn floated to her broken horn and fused. She felt the raw energy from the horn flow through her body.
Her eyes started glowing purple “You can’t control me! I am all powerful!” Sombra said speaking through Tempest.
Tempest felt her body freeze up as the figure moved from the shadow “Oh Sombra, you forget it was I who could control you Sombra.” The figure moved into the light to show they were human, a female human. Her hair was bright red and her eyes were pure red.
“Maggie!” Sombra glared at her “How did you survive my blade to the heart!?”
“Easy my love, that was a fake.” She said placing her hand onto Sombra’s horn “You broke my heart that day and so I’ve waited to get my revenge on you only to see your brother broke you.” The magic slowly flowed from her hands and down through the horn “Now, you’ll just be a voice, Tempest needs your magic to help me bring war to this world.”
Tempest felt her mind return to see her master standing before her “Sombra will be just a voice, he’ll be annoying but your strong and can block him out.” She said placing her hand to Tempest cheek “Why don’t we test out your new powers.”
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Twilight Sparkle walked down the path with Blaze riding on her back as they were heading to Sweet Apple Acres to help with getting this year's Nightmare Night haunted house up and running. They planned on turning the barn into a haunted house and scare some colts and fillies.
“We’ll need ghosts!” Blaze said with a big smile “Those are spooky!”
Twilight chuckled “More spooky than zombies?”
“Ghosts can control your body! Zombies just want to eat the brains.” Blaze said.
“Good point.” Twilight said “I’m gonna have to cut down on your supernatural comics.”
“I didn’t read it from a comic, I read it from one of your books.” Blaze said “Big book of ghosts.”
“I told you to not read my books without me there.” Twilight said looking at her son with a small glare “I’m gonna have to lock that door.”
“You won’t.” He said with a grin.
Twilight just chuckled as they found themselves walking towards the farm. Outside they saw Matt carving pumpkins.
“Blaze! Twilight!” Matt said with a smile “Glad you two could make it! Where’s Night?”
“He’ll be here later, he’s right now helping Sunset with a few things and making sure Velvet has everything she needs.” Twilight said using her magic to place Blaze down “Where’s Applejack?”
“She’s with Big Mac and Granny Smith, something about family tradition.” Matt said “Don’t ask they wouldn’t tell me.” He said “Rarity is in the barn with all kind of things and Pinkie Pie is somewhere.”
“What about Dash?” Twilight asked.
“Dash won’t be helping, something about a race.” He said.
“Can I help carve pumpkins?” Blaze asked.
Twilight went to speak when Matt spoke first “Sure, I’ll show you the special tools we have so you won’t cut yourself with the big knifes.” Matt said giving Blaze a smile.
“O-Okay, I’ll go help Rarity and Pinkie Pie.”Twilight said feeling worried about Blaze carving pumpkins.
Blaze took a seat at the picnic table and looked at the pumpkins “Okay, what do I do?”
Matt placed a bucket next to him “Once we cut open the pumpkins we have to clean out the seeds.” Matt said “Now I have a few already cut open so if you can clean them out we can focus on carving faces onto them.” He said.
“Okay.” Blaze pulled a pumpkin over and opened the top and started pulling out the seeds and he got kinda grossed out by how it felt.
“Feels weird doesn’t it?” Matt asked as he picked up a knife and cut open a new top on another pumpkin.
“Yeah, feels so weird.” Blaze said.
“You’ll get use to it, I use to do this type of thing with my father when I was around your age.” Matt said “Best part was after getting them cleaned out was making faces.”
“Is your dad going to be here for Nightmare Night?” Blaze asked.
Matt frowned a little “He passed away a long time ago, but his memory lives on through me.” He said giving Blaze a smile.
“Sorry if that brought back sad memories.” Blaze said feeling bad for bringing that up.
“No need to be sorry Blaze, I did bring him up and you being curious wanted to know, there is nothing wrong with asking.” Matt said “If he was still alive I know he’ll be enjoying the haunted house you all are planning.”
Blaze smiled as he pulled out more of the pumpkins seeds and placed them in the bucket “What do you plan on doing with the pumpkin seeds?” Blaze asked.
“Clean them then bake them.” Matt said as started placing seeds into a bucket next to him.
“Ew!” Blaze said.
“Why are they ew?” Matt asked raising an eyebrow.
“Why eat the seeds?” Blaze asked.
“They taste super yummy baked and add salt, mmmm.” Matt said getting hungry thinking of eating baked seeds.
“Adults are weird.” Blaze said making Matt chuckle.
“One day you’ll be an adult.” Matt said “And you’ll like foods you thought were yucky.”
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Twilight looked at Rarity who was untying Pinkie Pie from a rope.
“Darling, I told you to wait before we start putting any ropes up, we still need Twilight to help us map out the rout for the colts and fillies to follow.” Rarity said placing Pinkie back onto the ground.
“I’m just thinking ahead!” Pinkie said with a big smile.
“Oh Twilight darling you're here.” Rarity said noticing Twilight was in the barn.
Twilight smiled “Hello Rarity, Hello Pinkie.” She said walking up to the two “So I wrote down some plans for some ideas with Blaze who seems to know a few things about haunted houses.” Twilight said using her magic to bring out some blueprints of what they came up with and placed them on a table.
“Oh that is a lot dear, but with us we can get this done and ready by tonight!” Rarity said with a big grin.
“Oooo Blaze put the ghosts here like I wanted!” Pinkie said getting excited “Tomorrow night is gonna be spooky!”
Twilight smiled as she *started making ghosts.
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Luna walked down the road to Sweet Apple Acres, Blaze managed to talk her into coming to Sweet Apple Acres to help with the haunted house. At first she didn’t want to do it till he brought out his puppy dog eyes and she melted. He knew how to get what he wanted and it made her laugh.
She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Blaze craving pumpkins with Matt. She could see his smile and it made her smile. She could see how happy he was and it made her heart skip a beat.
She made her way down the road and walked up to the two “Luna!” Blaze said rushing over towards her and giving her a hug then quickly pulling away “Oh I’m sorry! I got pumpkin goop on you! I’ll get a towel!” Blaze quickly went to get a chuckle and Luna chuckled.
“What brings you by Luna?” Matt asked still pulling out pumpkin goop from the pumpkins.
“Blaze asked me to come join you all with the haunted house for Nightmare Night.” Luna said.
“Ah he talked you into it, just like how Applejack talked me into helping as well.” Matt said chuckling “Well Twilight is in the barn if you want to help them set up the haunted house or you can join us in carving pumpkins.” Matt said as he picked up another pumpkin and placed it on the table and started slicing into it.
“I will join you two in carving pumpkins.” Luna said taking a seat next to Blaze.
Matt slide a pumpkin towards Luna and she started pulling the goop out of the pumpkin “Oh the joy of having magic, don’t have to worry about getting your hoofs all covered in goop.” Matt said chuckling as he dug into the pumpkin pulling out the goop.
Luna raised her eyebrow “What’s that supposed to me?” Luna asked curious on what he meant.
“No offense was meant towards the comment Princess, just pointing out how easy it would be with magic to clean out these pumpkins is all.” He said chuckling “Wouldn’t mind having magic to clean these pumpkins out or hands, hoofs normally miss like a few good seeds left inside.”
Luna chuckled “So, how is Pumpkin Cake, Blaze?” Luna asked looking at Blaze.
“She’s going to her cousin’s house for Nightmare Night so it’s just gonna be me here going around getting candy.” Blaze said kinda sadly.
“I’m sure next year you two will get to collect some candy.” Matt said as he placed another pumpkin onto the table and cut into it.
“We were gonna dress up as a two headed dragon but now I’m just a one headed dragon.” Blaze said sadly.
“I’m sure you’ll still have fun.” Luna said “Lot’s of free candy can always cheer somepony up.”
Spike came running up the path way and stopped in front of Luna, out of breath he handed her a letter. Luna used her magic to open the the letter and her eyes widen.
“What is it Princess?” Matt asked.
“Hippogriffia has fallen.” Luna said looking at Matt in horror.
“How could they have fallen? They have the pearl, the power source I gave them to face any evil.” Matt thought.
“They are asking for Twilight to speak with them.” Luna said.
“She can’t go, I’ll have to stop this from happening.” Matt thought.
“Why would they want my mother?” Blaze asked looking at Luna.
“I do not know little one, but we will find out.” Luna said “Spike, take this letter to Twilight in the barn, I’ll be making my way to Canterlot right away.”
“Okay.” Spike said taking the letter and rushing into the barn.
“I’m sorry Blaze, it looks like I won’t be able to help you with this years Nightmare Night.” Luna said “Try and enjoy your night.” Luna felt Blaze hug her and she hugged him back “I’ll see you soon Blaze.” She stood and left leaving Blaze and Matt alone.
“Blaze, why don’t you wash your hands and go help Rarity and Pinkie Pie inside.” Matt said.
“Okay.” Blaze said leaving Matt and going into the house leaving him with his thoughts.
“Applejack is going to kill me but I have to keep Twilight from going, I have to take this trip instead and stop whoever took a kingdom, they could be after magical objects. I cannot allow them to get away with this, this does fall under my job.” Matt sighed “My first Nightmare Night with my family and I have to go and stop a threat. I’ll make it up to them.”
Twilight walked out of the barn with Spike by her side “Okay, you go ahead and head back into town and I’ll grab Blaze.”
“Twilight can I talk to you for a moment.” Matt said walking up to her.
“Not now Matt, I need to get ready to leave.” Twilight said.
“That’s what I want to talk to you about.” Matt said “You cannot go.”
“Why not!? They are requesting me! I could help bring back the nation!” Twilight said.
“It’s a trap, they want you to be in their clutches so they can use you, I’m taking your place on this one Twilight.” Matt said “I can handle this but you need to remain here with Blaze, trust me.”
“What can you do that Twilight can’t?” Spike asked raising an eyebrow.
“I have a lot of tricks up my sleeves Spike.” Matt said “Twilight you gotta trust me on this one.”
“I trust you, but what’s your plan?” Twilight asked.
“Recon first then see what I’m facing.” Matt said “I’ll report what I find to you and you can send it to Celestia and Luna.”
“I guess the new plan is send Matt?” Spike asked.
“Yeeyup.” Matt said chuckling.
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Tempest looked over the ruins of Hippogriffia. The hippogriffs were chained and being loaded into wagons.
Tempest looked behind her to see Maggie walking out of the castle with a giant pearl in her hands.
“What is that?” Tempest asked.
“This magical item will help with my plans for the future my dear.” Maggie said chuckling “Soon our plans for Equestria will under our control.”
“We can take Equestria now, we have all the power we need.” Tempest said.
“Not yet my dear, there is one element we need to address and I know she’ll be here soon.” Maggie said as she walked passed Tempest.
Tempest looked at Maggie puzzled “She? What is she talking about?” She thought.
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To Be Continued.