//------------------------------// // Chapter Forty Six: Shadow Shield // Story: Heart of Magic // by TheCrimsonDM //------------------------------// Heart of Magic Chapter Forty Six: Shadow Shield Written by TheCrimsonDM Amber stood on the railing of balcony high up in the tower of the Castle of the Two Sisters. Out over the sea of green she could see it. Far away a pillar of darkness had erupted like a fountain into the sky covering everything with darkness. She couldn’t tell how far away it was, it was clearly so far away she couldn’t make out any other details. Even with binoculars she could only see the dark pillar. She swore she could make out what amounted to flies flying around it and the occasional beam of light. Amber’s heart felt like a beating drum. Whatever this thing was the more she looked at it the worse she felt about it. Something dark had woken up in those woods of that she was sure. At the very least the whispering had finally stopped. Hushpuppy joined her side. “Do you think it’s connected?” Amber shrugged. “Maybe. The voices stopped a while before this thing appeared.” Hushpuppy nodded. “Yeah, but now I feel like there’s something far worse out there then whispers.” A quiet voice appeared behind them and answered. “That’s because it is.” Amber and Hushpuppy turned around to see Val join them on the balcony. Her one good eye was staring out over the woods with an intense stare. “There’s one of the monsters out there.” Amber swallowed. “Monster?” Val spoke quietly. “One of the ones that nearly killed me, mom, and Luna.” Amber looked again. “Oh no, no, no, we need to leave. All of us now.” Val shook her head. “No point, you can’t outrun them. But, we’re safe here.” Amber glared at her. “Oh yeah?” “This place is safe, and the monster is fighting for its life. It will die soon, I’m sure.” Amber looked back at the pillar of shadows rising into the sky. “So, something is out there fighting it? Something that can kill it? What’s strong enough to do something like that?” Val smiled. “The Greatest Alicorn in Equestria.” Amber felt her lower lip tremble. “Mom…” *** Out in the horizon the endless length of lush jungle had finally shown itself. Rainbow Dash marched to the edge of the Wind Rider and stared forward. Further on ahead, deep into the jungle she could see what looked like an orange ball of light. It was easily the size of an entire mountain and looked really hot. From what Luna had explained, that was what was left of Sunset Shimmer. She had turned herself into a miniature sun… “What did Twilight drag my daughter into?” Rainbow couldn’t allow her heart to be weak, not right now. She had to be strong, Blackout needed her. Those survivors of Sunset’s team needed her. She was a hero, a knight, and a total badass, she wasn’t going to let a little emotional weakness stop her. Yet she couldn’t completely burry the feelings rising in her chest. That miniature sun wasn’t just Sunset’s grave, it was also Wind Rider’s… Starlight appeared by her side. “So, that’s what she did?” Rainbow glanced up at Starlight. “Yeah, I guess so. Had to go out in a blaze of glory.” Starlight frowned. “That joke’s in poor taste.” Rainbow forced a grin. “It’s not a joke, it’s a compliment.” Starlight shrugged. “At least we know that it’ll stall whatever was there. It might have even destroyed it. No telling until after this is said and done.” Rainbow flexed her left wing and felt the muscles tighten and relax. She then did the same for her other wing. She was strong, fit, and ready for this. Out of everypony she was the only one strong enough, fast enough, and experienced enough to handle this crap, but boy did she wish that Fluttershy was here right then. Just having a pony she knew was stronger than her would have made this venture feel much more secure. Out there she knew the threats, hordes of undead, dragons, and likely even a Corrupted Alicorn if not two. The last two of the Corrupted Alicorns could be anywhere… at least there were only two left, and once they were gone the biggest threats would be gone with them. If they encountered one, Rainbow had to make sure to put it down, no matter what she had to sacrifice to do so… it was the only way to make sure that Blackout would not only be safe now, but stay safe in the future. Starlight spoke quietly. “You know you don’t have to look so serious. This is already the grave of one of Blackout’s parents, don’t let it become two.” Rainbow Dash frowned. “I’m the best darn flier in Equestria, you think I’m going to die here?” Starlight offered a weak smile. “Of course not. You’re too awesome for that.” *** Trixie felt the air whip at her mane and burn her exposed cuts. Her body was already starting to heal itself, alicorn as she was but that did not prevent her from taking a deadly blow if she wasn’t careful. Red was hovering next to her as they both faced down the corrupted alicorn that stood before them. The blade of the corrupted alicorn was like crystallized shadow and just looking at it gave Trixie chills. There was something about it, something felt wrong, deeply wrong and familiar. Thoughts back to that mountain that near New Slate where the abandoned mines, the deep ones, the dark crystals that grew in abundance there all came crawling back to her mind. Could this sword, these Corrupted Alicorns have some kind of connection to the dark god she met in those caves? The very same god that first took over Twilight and corrupted her… It was a stupid idea but Trixie decided to tempt fate and reach out mentally towards the Corrupted Alicorn. She could feel the bottomless cold and dark inside it. A deep resounding power was somewhere behind it, something larger, darker, and more powerful than she could ever hope to understand. A voice she only heard on the darkest nights in her deepest nightmares echoed from inside the corrupted alicorn’s head. “Hello again, Trixie.” Trixie roared as she withdrew from the thing’s mind. Her own consciousness was burned by the cold, half of her face felt numb, but besides all of that she felt rage renew inside her body. “Deep One! I will destroy you!” The corrupted alicorn charged forward. For the first time it spoke. Its voice caused her muscles to quiver with fear. “You cannot destroy destiny. You cannot destroy fate. You cannot destroy us.” Trixie rushed forward and her blade clashed into the creature’s. They spun in a circle and began to dive toward the earth. Trixie slashed, stabbed and swung at the thing. It dodged or parried all of her blows with ease. Its hollow eyes glowed with hateful intent and she felt a blast of cold energy wash her side as the thing’s tail whipped around and slammed into her. She went flying sideways and pulled up just in time to avoid slamming into a tree. There was no time to stop as the corrupted alicorn was hot on her tail. She flew up and saw Red waiting just above the tree line. Just as the alicorn reached the top of the trees the red scythe lashed out and hit the thing dead center in its waist and sent it rolling backwards in the air. Black ink like blood sprayed from the wound as it rolled. It stopped itself just in time to be hit by a barrage of crimson beams of energy. Each one exploding on contact. Trixie watched as it was sent flying into the forest once more. It was quiet for just long enough for Trixie to land on a tree branch. She winced as her side ached with frozen pain. Her side was bruised from where the thing’s impossibly tough tail hit her. She looked over to Red who joined her side. Red smirked. “You’ve lost your touch.” “Don’t care, I felt that thing’s mind. The thing is a hollow shell but what’s inside it… what’s behind it.” Red shook her head. “I just can’t believe this is ‘the’ Deep One’s doing. This is the work of the Pony of Shadows.” Trixie felt a shiver run down her spine. “What if, what if there one in the same?” Red growled. “You mean what we call the Pony of Shadows might actually be the Deep One?” Trixie felt another shiver run through her as the air took on a much colder touch. The Corrupted Alicorn was already flying out of the woods. Trixie shook her head. “Maybe?” Red shrugged. “Let’s go hit up a library after this and find out. For now, we need to end this thing’s existence.” The corrupted alicorn’s horn began to do something Trixie could only describe as devouring all light around it. Like a pitch black aura only darker still. It aimed it’s horn at Trixie and unleashed a beam of dark energy. Red jumped to the side and flew forward scythe held back ready to strike. Trixie summoned forth a shield around herself. The moment the beam struck her shield the tree she was on exploded with splinters and wood flying everywhere bouncing off her shield and cutting into nearby forest. She was thrown back with the shield cracking at the seams but holding sturdy enough as she flew back into branches breaking them upon contact. Red reached the Corrupted Alicorn and lashed out with her scythe. The corrupted Alicorn’s blade blocked the blow and then his horn turned on Red. Red surrounded herself in a similar bubble shield but was thrown into the hard earth from the force of the blast with enough force to create a small crater. The beam stopped and Trixie saw Red standing there. Her shield torn to shreds but still hanging. Her yellow fur stained red from many wounds. Her hair hung over her face and it looked like one her legs was unable to support her weight anymore. Just one attack brought Red down. Another one like that and even Red would be… The corrupted alicorn’s horn took on that dark light again. Trixie couldn’t let this come to pass. She charged forward. Her speed felt slow in comparison to what she needed. She watched as the beam lashed out and went sailing toward Red. Trixie screamed for all she was worth. A mist formed in front of Red and the shape of a unicorn was seen for just a moment before the beam of energy hit. Trixie cried out as the beam exploded into a cloud of dirt and debris. Trixie felt electrified as she charged head first into the alicorn. She aimed her horn toward the creature’s side and slammed into it as hard as she could. Once she felt her horn pierce its flesh she channeled lightning into her horn and sent it running through the alicorn. She watched as the thing flew off into the tree line. Trixie hung there in the air for a good few seconds before lowering herself. She was sure it wasn’t enough to kill it, but her brain was still somewhat working. She had to find Mistmane, and run. She couldn’t defeat this thing here. Not alone. She looked over at the crater and saw it as just an empty dirt hole. Around her she couldn’t see anyone until her eyes spotted two ponies at the edge of the clearing. Red was lying down and Mistmane stood next to her. Mistmane’s body was partially formed of mist and was quickly solidifying as her horn took on a whispy white glow and began to cover Red’s body. Trixie smiled. Red was okay. She was okay and so was Mistmane. With that done she could take them both and run. This Corrupted thing could rot here for all she cared. The forest exploded out toward Trixie and she saw the corrupted alicorn charging her. Where her blast had hit earlier there were now three tendrils made of the black tar. Trixie raised her blade and blocked the thing’s blow. It was like she tried to block a train. The force of the blow was so strong that even with her telekinetic aura holding the sword she was somehow thrown backward off her hooves and over the clearing. The corrupted alicorn’s horn lit up and a beam of dark energy three times larger than the last blasted out toward her. Trixie raised her shield, but she had zero confidence that a beam three times larger was something she could deal with. Her world was consumed by literal darkness as the beam washed over her and her shield.