//------------------------------// // From Tartarus with love // Story: Night Patrol 2: Awakening // by Foxgear //------------------------------// Night Patrol 2: Awakening chapter 23 By Foxgear Luna watched the ground whip by from the passenger bay of the helicopter. The invention wasn’t new to her there were plenty of them in this time period mostly used by earth ponies to fly around. The AH-1 as the first military helicopter she’s seen. No doubt another one of Starwind’s brilliant inventions. What was usually a half day’s flight was cut down to only half an hour with the helicopter’s duel turbine gem engines. “So, let’s go over the situation again,” Said Spitfire. The Wonderbolt captain happened to be visiting the Nightmare with Fury when Celestia’s call came in. Not that Luna wasn’t glad to have the Pegasus here, it’s just she wasn’t sure her skills were a right match for the mission. Not that she’d say that aloud. It’ll only put doubts in Spitfire’s mind or make her mad. The second was more likely. “So, this Sixes broke into Tartarus and is killing the inmates, right?” “Correct,” Luna answered, Celestia seemingly preferring to keep silent. She just knew whatever happened between her and Sixes was part of this. Not all of it, but it at least had to be a factor. Spitfire nodded, “Ok, so do we know why he’s doing this? Or I know this is going to be a stupid question, but why are trying to stop him? Besides the possibility, he could die of course. Also, side note, I thought Cerberus was supposed to stop anything from entering or exiting? Does that mean he killed Cerberus too?” From her corner of the passenger bay, Celestia said, “Sixes wouldn’t need to kill Cerberus, that three-headed dogs would listen to any command given to him by Sixes, Luna, Fury and me. We were the ones that put him there a little over a thousand years ago.” The Wonderbolt captain looked confusingly at them all, “I thought Cerberus always guarded the gates.” “A misconception,” Luna said taking over the conversation from Celestia. “Before Cerberus, the gates of Tartarus were guarded voluntary by heroes throughout the ages. I believe Epona was the first to take up the job. It was a flawed system, but one that worked for centuries. However, skip to roughly a thousand years ago heroes like ones of old were few and far between and even fewer had the strength to defend the gates. We had thought one of Starswirl’s band would be able to take up the task but they were always too busy. So…” “We went looking for a more permeant solution,” Fury interrupted taking over the story. “Sixes and I found this little three-headed pup and after binding it to Tartarus so it would live as long as the fires burn we trained and chained it the gates. Just in time, we had just added a very nasty inmate. Probably the same one Sixes' gunning for.” “Tirek,” Luna whispered darkly. Fury nodded in confirmation. “Whose Tirek?” Asked Spitfire. “An old foe,” Celestia told her. “A very troublesome one. We only got him so easily last time because of Tirek’s brother Scorpan and Starswirl’s help. Unfortunately, that is also why Tirek is alive today.” Spitfire looked confusingly between the sisters, their faces sullen with past regrets, “Why’s that? Why couldn’t you just off him?” “That’s because,” Fury said taking over again, “Scorpan made Starswirl and the Princesses promise not to kill his brother if he helps them capture him. They even made a blood oath. Of course, Sixes’s doesn’t care about that, but it’s not like he can take Tirek himself either. From the reports, it sounds like he was injured before even getting to Tartarus. Sixes is probably running on steam, he hasn’t slept in two or maybe three days now, and he’s also been in several fights already. He’s probably hasn’t thought this through at all.” “Ok, I get it,” Spitfire snapped. “But why is he doing this?” Fury shrugged, “He probably just went out to blow off some steam and got carried away.” “Blow off some steam? You call leaving a blood trail fucking miles long and walking into Tartarus blowing off stream?” Spitfire screamed as the chopper lands. “You gotta be shitting me!” “Regardless of his reasons or lack there off, we need to go get him,” Luna grumbled as they jumped to the ground. Before them lay the gates of Tartarus, Cerberus standing dutifully before the gates. The big black three-headed dog began to pant and bark happily upon their arrival. “Good boy,” Luna said rubbing the middle head on the nose, the other two began fighting for attention and she gave them all a pat and they intern lick her face. “Yes, yes, it’s been a while, but I need you to let us through.” Cerberus reared back, it’s six eyes looked them over, all eyes landed on Spitfire, Cerberus began to growl stalking towards the Wonderbolt Captain. Acting quick Luna got in front of Spitfire, her wings spread wide. “Her too.” She tells the guard dog. Cerberus popped down on his hindquarters his three heads looking in every direction. “Come on, let’s go.” Passing the giant three-headed dog the group entered Tartarus. The temperature spiked and the smell of blood, decay, and sulfur assaulted their noses. Following the crumbling path, they heard the sound of rattling chains. Looking to their left they saw a bugbear torn in half, a golden meat hook through its neck as it moans in pain. “How is that thing still alive?” Spitfire screamed caught off guard by the horror before her, sure she was in hell, but this was only the first level! Come on! “Runes,” Celestia answered. "Engraved on the chains. Sixes put runes on the chains to keep the beast from dying too quickly.” “Why would he do that?” “To make it suffer, probably.” Fury answered Spitfire. He walked to the edge of the path shooting a fireball to knock the bugbear down. The monster falls off the hook, finally dying as its body falls into the nether of the underworld. They continue on, finding more bodies strung up, Spitfire listing off the monsters with amazement. “Gorgon, Orthrus, Basilisk, Gargoyles, what hasn’t he killed?” “I’ll make you a list later, we better pick up the pace,” Fury replied spreading his wings. “It’ll be faster if we fly down. Tirek’s cell is towards the bottom, right?” Celestia’s nodded. “Then let’s not waste time. I think Sixes already found him.” Down below a haunting roar could be heard as explosions rumble down blow. They all take the plunge and free fall towards the lowest level of hell. As they fall Luna flew close to her sister. “What brought such a change to Sixes? He was never cruel to his prey before.” “Let’s talk about this later,” Celestia lightly snapped, wanting to focus on the mission at hoof, if only because she didn’t want to talk about the many possible causes were behind Sixes’ erratic behavior. “Sooner rather then later, there won’t be a later anymore, Celestia,” Luna warned her sister as they reached the bottom level. The landscape was a sight to behold as gold fire lit up the underworld. Sixes battered, bruised and bleeding stood upon a rock surrounded by lava, his body pulsing with gold veins. On the opposite side was Tirek, standing tall and with muscles. “Come at me little dragon pony!” Tirek cackled villainously. Honestly, he never changed, he could absorb magic, but he only used it as raw power. A giant sphere of fire forms between his horns. Luna was about to interfere when Fury held her back. “What are you doing he’s going to get killed!” Fury smirked, “Just watch for a second. It’s not often Sixes breaks that out.” “What?” Luna watched Sixes spits gold into his claw, the black rinin mumbling a rapid and soft chant. Grasping the gold in his claw Luna was amazed to see the molten gold take the shape of a golden spear! She looked to Celestia in disbelief. “Did you?” Celestia nods, “Yes, just in case.” “Just in case of what? What is that?” Spitfire demanded as the already hot temperature spiked even higher! It was like the sun was right in front of them! Luna watched her sister’s eyes close and then open again to reveal they're sad depths. “In case I ever became evil. I wanted ponies to have a fighting chance, so I taught Sixes, Fury, and Topaz all various magic… to kill me. For Sixes, I taught him how to use runes and to forge legendary weapons with his gold. I even got rid of my armor, relying on Sixes to make it when I needed it, so they had an even greater chance of victory. But the greatest weapon I taught him to make, the one meant to kill me is…” Sixes reared back roaring, “SPEAR OF SOLARIS! The Spear of Solaris, the greatest weapon Celestia taught him how to make. It was a forgery of hers and Luna’s mother’s spear, Solaris, hence the name Spear of Solaris. Much like Celestia’s own axes, it was a light-based weapon, but well Celestia’s Axe of Apollo hacked away at its target when thrown, the spear unsurprising pierced. The spear was nothing but a blur of light when thrown, it was a blink and you’ll miss it kind of weapon, only taking a second to hit its target. As Tirek was learning now as the massive centaur held his side, a hole the size of a cannonball blown off his body. The red centaur howled in pain as a geyser of blood spilled forth. “You filthy little wretch! You think you can kill me! I’m Lord Tirek! Master of all magic!” As the centaur bellowed the hole in his side began to stitch back together, long thin strands of muscle tissue crisscross over the gaping wound, rapidly healing the normally fatal wound. Tirek’s height drops by a good foot, along with massive amounts of muscle. A smile crossed Sixes' lips, Tirek must have used up a quarter of his magic to heal that wound. He had been aiming for the bastard’s heart, to permanently put the centaur down, but he had swayed at the last second from his foothold crumbling, also his left eye was little blurry. He touched it, feeling hot blood on the left side of his face. Speaking of blood, he was covered in a lot of it. He’d have a lot more scars after today. “Just one more shot,” Sixes mumbled, his limbs were stiff, he coughed hard as he tried to spit up more molten gold, but all he got was a few nuggets. He must be at his limit. “Fuck. Going to have to this the hard way.” Flicking up the claw he received from Nico Vega, Sixes steadied himself. He still had a few chains and hooks left, they’d have to do. “Come on then!” Bolting across the lava pit he swung one of his chains, snagging it in Tirek’s shoulder, the big centaur grabbed it and used it to toss him around. Sixes hit the ground hard, but he quickly dug into the hardened lava rock with his claws and pulled, trying to topple Tirek over. “Foolish little rinin! Look at our size difference! You can’t outmatch my strength!” Tirek roared pulling on the chain. “We’ll see about that!” Tossing the second chain Sixes snagged one of Tirek’s legs, hooking it right in the joint! Tirek falls to his knees! “RAGH!” Madly Sixes sprinted towards Tirek his claw weapon posed to rip out the red monster’s throat! “Sixes!” A voice called out, a familiar voice, Luna’s voice. He stopped his assault. Skidding to a stop he stared at his Princess standing across the lava lake with a look of confusion and fear. “Sixes behind you!” Cursing himself for getting distracted Sixes turned back towards his opponent, a miniature sun growing between Tirek’s horns. “Fuck!” “Die! With little choice Sixes thrust his claw weapon at the sphere, fully expecting it melt and then himself die, but something strange happened. The blades of the claw light up with a brilliant blue, Tirek’s attack shrinking smaller and smaller till nothing remained of it. Everypony present stood a gasp, Sixes included as he looked at the claw with interest. “Huh, didn’t know it could do that.” The next thing he knew Tirek’s massive fist came barreling from the left, his bad eye, catching him completely by surprise as all he saw was a big blurry object. The force of the blow had him skipping across the ground like a stone on water before slamming to a stop against the earthen walls of Tartarus. He tried to get up, but his legs wouldn’t support him, he fell to his belly and suddenly he finally noticed how much pain he was in. His breathing slowed as his good eye blinked in and out. In the background, he could hear somepony screaming his name. He was so tired though he couldn’t hear who it was. He heard the flapping of wings and hoof steps rushing towards him, the pony still calling his name. He told them, “I think I’m going to sleep, now.” “Sixes!” Luna screamed shaking the black rinin, she flinched as a piece of his armor falls off his body, her only relief was the fact his chest still moved, meaning he was alive at least. “Tirek!” Whirling around Luna drew the swords Fury had given her. The straight bladed weapons twirl in her magic as she took aim at the red centaur. “Die!” In an instant, ten swords flash through the air, embedded themselves into Tirek with such force that they pinned him to the wall. The red monster let out an raged roar as he rips his arms free, the hilt of the blades wedged between his muscles, quickly he rips them out, cursing as he regenerates his wounds. His body shrinking. “Keep hitting him! Don’t give him time to absorb magic!” Celestia yelled from above her own swords glowing red hot. Tirek fired a blast of magic at her, but it was slow maybe as powerful as twenty unicorns. He was on his last leg! Celestia released her arsenal, the glowing red blades peppering the centaur. Sacrificing an arm Tirek shielded his body from the attack, his right arm falls limp, useless, and horribly burned. “Heh heh! Come on little Princesses! Hit me! Hit me with your magic if you dare!” That was the troublesome thing about Tirek, he could absorb raw magic, even from attacks. So far it seems he still hasn’t figured out how to steal magic from objects, a blessing because it allowed them to use weapons embodied with magic against him. However, the longer he lived the longer he had time to figure out a way around this weakness. Luna found the thought troubling as they stand off against the centaur lord. “Come on! Or are you too afraid?” “I’ll show you afraid!” “Spitfire stay where you are!” Luna yelled preventing the pegasus from charging in. “Get any closer and he’ll steal your magic!” Spitfire reluctantly stepped back. Luna giving Tirek her full attention again. There was a certain range Tirek could steal magic, it was a short range, but he didn’t need to touch you to steal magic. At his current power, his reach was maybe five to ten feet. How were they going to… “RAGH!” Fury holding one of Sixes’s chains came swooping in, catching Tirek in the neck, the centaur held the hook in place as letting go would mean death. “Come on fucker! Let go! I’ll rip ya throat out! Come on! Come on! Show some fucking balls or get back in your fucking cell!” Steam rose from Tirek’s neck, his body shrinking constantly. He was continuously healing to keep from dying. Warily he slowly walked back into his cell. Fury drops the chain and slammed the door shut. The hook clattered to the ground as Tirek shrunk down to his scrawny and pathetic true from. From outside the cell Luna glared at him, Tirek chuckling gleefully at the gesture. “How lucky I am my pathetic brother made you swear not to kill me. Lucky indeed. How is Scorpan doing?” “Wouldn’t know, I haven’t been around much lately.” “Right, right, your little prance around the land as Nightmare Moon, I heard about that from some of the other inmates. When they were alive of course. Sounds like you were quite the villainess. If you ever go dark again, please come to me first for a partnership. I’m sure we’d work well together.” Luna bit her lip, pointing a smoldering glare at the villain. In hindsight, Scorpan has left them with an ever-persisting thorn in the flank. Were she a less responsible pony she’d use that one-shot time travel spell to go back and tell her younger self to simply kill Tirek once Scorpan was out of sight. However, the chain reaction to doing that would tear time and space apart. Maybe. But it still wouldn’t be good. “We should get going, Sixes is in bad shape,” Fury said lifting the black rinin onto his back. He didn’t even wait for her command, Fury just took flight for the surface. Spitfire flew beside him to help keep Sixes upright on the red rinin’s back. “Right,” Luna softly mutters flying after them, Celestia flying beside her as they leave Tirek behind. In the cells lining the pathway down, they spot the drained victims of Tirek. Their prone forms began to move once again as their magic slowly returned to them. On the path walked the cloaked being Campe, the jailor of Tartarus. Campe was some sort of dragon centaur being with a scorpion tail. For as long as Tartarus has been, so has she. Even before the time of her and Celestia. Luna remembered vague stories that their mother used to tell them, saying Campe had once been an Alicorn who committed a terrible crime and thus was punished to be the jailer of Tartarus and given a cursed form. Whether the story was true or not has yet to be decided. Campe didn’t talk to them. She only mumbled to herself in the old tongue. The weight of ages in Tartarus has destroyed her mind. “Fryd vih dutyo, fryd vih,” Campe giggled. She looked up at them, the cloak of her hood shadowing her face, but Luna could see the broken-toothed smile beneath. She apparently found the break out amusing. “Ignore her, nothing good comes from listening to her, Luna.” Warned Celestia. Not that she needed to tell her that. “She worries me, sister. Something as old as her, she is not fit to exist in the world, she deranged and dangerous.” Celestia smiled her patent smile, the smile that drives Luna crazy because it means Celestia wasn’t really listening. Even if Celestia didn’t see it that way. “That’s why she’s not in the world, she’s here.” As the fly closer to the exit, the bodies of the dead inmates already removed and discarded by the imps. Luna couldn’t help but look back towards Campe as she descended lower and lower. Strange that Tirek happened to get out today. Sixes could have let him out to fight, but that didn’t sound like Sixes, of course, she was beginning to question how well she knew Sixes anymore. The Sixes she knew would have never done this. Well, he would actually, but not something this crazy. He wouldn’t risk ponies lives by accidentally releasing a villain such a Tirek on a whim. He would have blasted Tirek in his cell when he was weak and defenses. Not the most honorable way of dispatching a villain, but Sixes understood how dangerous Tirek could be. Did that mean Tirek had already been freed? (Another problem for later, let’s focus on the one beside me.) Her gaze fell on Celestia. After such an event as this, the time for later was over. Passing through the gates she and Celestia passed Cerberus who whined as Fury tends to Sixes' wounds on the helicopter. “I’m not a medic, so let’s get moving! Where’s the closest hospital that isn’t a hut?” Fury asked over the roar of the chopper. Luna and Celestia look beside themselves, they didn’t know the answer. “We don’t have a current map yet, earlier, shit.” “Ponyville,” Spitfire said suddenly. “Ponyville is the closest town with modern medical faculties besides Canterlot.” “We might as well take him to Canterlot then,” Fury concluded giving the pilot the signal to take off. They might as well be covering ground well they debate on where to take Sixes. Ponyville and Canterlot were in the same direction. “What are our pros and cons? We have Twenty minutes to decide before we have to turn towards Ponyville or Canterlot.” Already Luna was bruising herself on trying to heal Sixes with her magic. But it was going about as well she expected. She could heal herself easily enough, but healing others took a different set of skills. She knew her body inside and out, she knew her organs and bones well, and how they should work when broken. Healing another was different because she didn’t know exactly what was wrong. Add to that Sixes was a dragon pony, she didn’t know how much his organs and bone structure was of each. He obviously had a fire sack, because he could breathe fire, but to hell, if she knew where that was. (I should have taken the time to listen to Starwind’s lectures on Rinin biology.) She cursed. Celestia’s aura overlaps with her own, her sister showing an equal amount of concern for Sixes' wellbeing. “Don’t numb his pain completely, his natural healing will shut down if you do,” Celestia said with authority, so it at least sounded like she knew what she was talking about. Maybe she did too. Celestia knew all kinds of magic and has always been the better healer between the two of them. Surely after these past thousand years, her sister should have mastered healing, right? “I think we should take him to Canterlot. It’ll be an extra ten or twenty minutes, but at least in Canterlot, we can place him in my healing springs. What do you think Luna?” Luna wanted to slap herself, how could she have forgotten about Celestia’s healing springs! “That’s fine with me. We should be able to keep him stable till then.” As the words left her mouth Luna became aware of close Sixes came to dying today. Another thing she noticed was his scars, not that she didn’t notice them before, but it just dawned on her how many he had. And how many more he gained today. It made her want to cry. (What happened to you Sixes?) Midnight, Luna stood on her balcony lighting up the stars. Behind her in her bed was Sixes sleeping peacefully. He had been in the healing spring for six hours under the care of Celestia’s personal healers, the best in Equestria in herbal and healing magic. The hour's Sixes spent floating the steaming water had left her frantic as the green tinted pool became red from his blood. Several times he would snap awake, angry, raging and would thrash in the water. The healing mares would have to quickly restrain him, less he ripped out their throats. Once the healers did all they could do. She ordered that Sixes be put in her room. Officially because that way the healers could get to him quickly in case something happens. The real reason? Well… there were many. “Time to get to the bottom of all this,” Luna whispered, shame staining her voice for what she was about to do. “I hope you’ll forgive me. I don’t want to do this, but you have left with no other options.” Her coat darkens to black as she pulled on Nightmare’s powers, producing two strong dream threads from her horn she connects one to Sixes, while the other traveled across the way to Celestia’s tower. Once her lines were hooked, Luna settled down on the bed beside Sixes’s. The familiar black void surrounded her as she fell through the world of dreams, bubbles of ponies dreaming floated past her. Lighting her horn, the world changed to the hallway of doors she prefers, Sixes’s brittle and rotten door standing before her. The chains that barred her entry before were rusted and brittle, a single poke with her hoof and the chains fell away to dust. “He’s worse off then I thought if his barring spell shattered so easily,” Luna called upon her sister’s door, the purple door emblazed with the golden sun appears, bright powerful gold chains bind the door, barring her entry. Tugging on the line she placed directly on Celestia, Luna began to reel it in. She could not enter her sister’s dream realm, but she could still pull Celestia from her dream. Moments later the sun princess came fly through her door, phasing through it as if she were a ghost. Luna found Celestia state of dress rather baffling, as her sister was donned in a rather poofy dress, the kinds of which she’s only seen in plays. “Luna! What is the meaning of this! I was…” Celestia blushed. “Well, it doesn’t matter what I was doing. That was very rude of you to do, pulling me out of my dream like that!” “Sister,” Luna seethed, stepping aside to show her Sixes' door. “I believe we have important matters to discuss. As it is ‘later’.” A look of dread passed through Celestia’s face as she stood up, her dress disappearing as she gazed over Sixes' rotting door. “I didn’t know it was this bad.” She mumbled, causing Luna’s ears to perk up. So, her sister had been aware of Sixes' condition. Much more then she had led her to believe. “Shall we enter?” Luna pushed open the door, Celestia hesitated. “Is there a reason you don’t want to enter?” “No, no,” Celestia said shaking herself of her fear. “It’s just… never mind, you’ll see for yourself. No pony can hide anything from you here.” “You certainly seem to be trying,” Luna asserted brushing past Celestia into the doorway. Celestia hesitated one more time before finally following in after her. Together they enter the world of what should have been Sixes' dreams, only to find a nightmare. Standing in the middle of a barren burning wasteland, the familiar landscape of the Everfree Forest twisted and warped with aspects of other lands such as a ruined Canterlot, the southern grasslands which were ablaze, the frozen north of the Crystal Empire, the coasts of Maredor and many other locales that Sixes had fought in. Looking haggard and worn Sixes was bloody and panting, the bodies of his enemies swinging from trees in states of decay. It was an awful sight. “ARRAGH!” Screamed Sixes slamming his body against a decrypted looking version of the Iron pony Yellowblood. Sixes wrestled the rusted metal pony to the ground, breathing fire into the hole in its body. “DAMN YOU!” Creating a gold chain Sixes hooked it into Yellowblood’s eye socket and threw him into a tree with the others. “Come on! Where are you!” Sixes screamed walking deeper into the forest. His feral cries of rage echoing through the trees. He hadn’t even noticed them. “Come on,” Luna said leading the way, following the path Sixes had taken. As she and Celestia walk through the forest of hanging bodies Luna couldn’t help but glance at them. Her heart aching when she spotted the children of Yellowblood’s family strung up with the others. “So,” Celestia gulped looking at the bodies at the ponies. “What’s your analysis, Luna?” Luna looked up at the blood red sky, feeling for Sixes' emotions, she found them easily enough, but she was surprised. They weren’t what she thought they’d be. “I need to see more to answer that properly.” Was her reply as the walk deeper and deeper into the forest. The scene changes. The hue of the world turning from red to blue when they found Sixes standing beside a big rock under the moonlight. The moon marred by the black stain of Nightmare Moon’s silhouette. Both sister cringe as Sixes reared back and bashed his head against the boulder repeatedly. “I remember this,” Celestia whispered. “He did this for a while after you were banished.” “And you let him?” “Of course not,” Celestia snapped. “I tried to stop him the moment I found out!” Sixes' cry of “LEAVE ME ALONE!” caught the two of them by surprise thinking he finally noticed them, but instead another Celestia stood in clearing with Sixes, pleading for him to stop. Her words inaudible over Sixes' angry demands for her to leave. He snorted angrily turning his back to the phantom Celestia and walked away. Luna watched him leave, whispering the words he had said to her the other night, “I don’t have nightmares, only bad memories.” She hung her head, finally understanding. It wasn’t Sixes’s unconscious fears plaguing him. He was doing this to himself. By why? “Let’s go. We’re getting close.” “Close to what?” Celestia asked. Luna looked at her sister, her teal eyes filled with determination, “The truth.” They travel deeper into Sixes' dream, the realm changing once again, as the dark and bleak Everfree forest lights and shifts to a sunny apple orchard, ahead they saw a barn-like house. Sixes standing in the yard while Applejack and Rawhide sit on the porch with their children. Applejack’s belly plump with a third child. Celestia’s eyes turn to pinpricks at the sight as she stepped away from the scene. “Oh no, not this, please not this!” Luna looked worriedly at her sister, wondering what the fuss was about. They’d finally found Sixes' happy place. Perhaps the last bastion of his mental stability, what was wrong? Celestia ran in a panic towards the farm, crying and screaming, “Applejack! Rawhide! Get away! Please! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” “Celestia what…” all of the sudden, the happy scene disappeared. The barn house was consumed in fire, Applejack and Rawhide lay on the ground clutching their children, trying to save them from the smoke and fire. Sixes stood in the middle of it, raging, bound in chains that prevented him from helping his friends. From the burning tree line came a herd of shadowy figures in black cloaks, but Luna recognized them easily. They were bat ponies, and they were stealing the fruit of the burning trees, ignoring the family that had worked so hard to grow said trees. The bat ponies didn’t even bat an eye as they rushed past the Apple family, breaking into their home and stealing what they could from the burning house. “Save them! SAVE THEM RIGHT NOW YOU UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS!” Sixes screamed at the bat ponies, but they didn’t listen they just continued to loot the Apple farm, never minding the family. “They helped you! You save them right now!” Raged Sixes fighting against his chains. From the opposite tree line came the sound of marching hoofs ponies in gold armor and teal capes entered the clearing, all of them unicorns, the mark of Celestia’s school upon them. One pony, a teal one steps out ahead of the herd, pointing his hoof at the bat ponies and the Apple Family. “Kill the night worshippers and their sympathizers! This is the era of the Solar Empire!” The teal caped ponies let loose a barrage of magic bolts at they charged the bat ponies, they ignore Sixes, trampling Applejack and her family beneath their hooves. Sixes stood in the middle of it all bound and unable to do anything while crying silent tears. “No!” Celestia screamed run towards Sixes. “This isn’t what happened! You know that! You saved them! You saved Applejack! Remember! They lived because you saved them! Sixes!” “He can’t hear you,” Luna told her sister with barely restrained calm. She stood in front of Sixes, his dull eyes staring past her. “Despite what you say, you do have nightmares, Sixes. One personally designed by you.” “But this isn’t what happened!” Celestia cried. “Applejack… she lived to be an old mare! Why, why is he reimagining it like this?” Luna looked coldly at her sister, “This is how he feels about the event, he sees it as a failure to protect his friend. But please sister, why don’t you show me what really happened, between your students, a colony of bat ponies, and Applejack’s family.” “I…” Celestia stuttered backing away. “Kill…” Sixes said darkly, his voice low and dangerous as gold veins appear all over his body. His head rises, his jaws snapping and snarling as molten gold drips from his jaws like drool. His pupil’s vortexes of pure rage and hatred. “I’ll kill them! I’ll kill them all! I’ll make them PAY IN BLOOD! THEIR BLOOD THEIR FAMILIES BLOOD THEIR FRIENDS I’LL RIP THEM APART!” “Sixes…” Celestia said warily, the links on the chains beginning to snap, the rinin’s body shaking violently. “Luna do something!” “ARRAGGGHH!” Sixes breaks free, the scene changes, they were in a cave now. A cave filled with screams. The sisters ignite their horns, in the dim light of their magic they caught the brief flash of Sixes rushing past, a bat pony in his claws, grinding the thestral’s skull against the moist rock walls. The body falls, the head rolling over to reveal its shaved skull, brain matter spilling out on the ground. Luna was unable to form words at the sight, beside her she heard the sound of Celestia gagging and then relieving her stomach of its contents. It made Luna take a pause and realize something. This wasn’t just Sixes' memory anymore. Slowly she looks toward Celestia, her sister whipping the vile from her lips. “I hoped to never see this sight again.” Were her words, Luna froze staring at her sister. “What is this?” She demanded, Celestia, righting herself and hanging her head. “My greatest shame, the day a class of my students betrayed my ideals, and the day Sixes gained his moniker.” The sound of metal scraping against rock pierces the air as Sixes came flashing back again, dragging a unicorn by the head along the wall, metal filings turn to flesh as the pony’s helm is ground away, his blood smearing the wall as he screamed in terror before going silent. Sixes skid to a stop, panting and bloody. He looked at the two sisters the moonlight shining in from above. “It was the day he became known as The Mage Killer.” Celestia hung her head, remembering the day well. “Autumn in the year 7 AMN, the Red Teal incident.” Silently Sixes stepped towards them, finally interacting with them. His eyes filled with shame and self-hatred. “I couldn’t protect her.” “You saved her,” Celestia countered. “Applejack…” “I’m not talking about Applejack, so stop pretending I am!” “Enough, both of you!” Luna begged, “please, just tell me what happened! What really happened!” Both Celestia and Sixes glared at each other, before relenting and nodded, “Fine. “We’ll tell you what happened.” The scene changes once again and they were in the skies over Canterlot, Sixes stepped forward, beginning the tale. “It started in the Summer.”