//------------------------------//
// Chapter Twenty-One: Burning Bright 
// Story: Cure For a Toxin 
// by RadBunny 
//------------------------------//

“And you’re sure of those numbers?”

“Yes. And I’ll take those odds, they’re better than what I have now.”

An ethereal pony sighed, finally nodding in acceptance through the portal.
“Then you have my recommendation. I’m sure Nacreous will understand.”

“Thank you, Coarse.”

“Take care, Pick.”

Toxic’s younger brother leaned up in his bed, using the last of his allotted magical energy to close the communications spell to the high-level Councilpony.

“Well, back to being an earth pony for the evening,” the unicorn muttered, the magical locking ring on his horn chiming right on cue, indicating his arcane usage for the day was done.

“This is so, so stupid. But I blame you for influencing me, Toxic,” Pick Shield chuckled to himself, forcing his emaciated dark-green body out of bed for his ‘exercise’; a short stroll around the decorated hospital room. “Going behind the backs of rulers? International rulers?” his gaze drifted to a simple seashell with googly-eyes sitting on a small bookshelf to his right. “In more ways than one.”

Pick had known something was up less than ten minutes after his older brother was abducted. When one is confined to bed but your mind remains as sharp as a tack, you have your ways of getting information. In this case, remote-monitoring stations set up in every single city courtesy of a curious Yak. Varti wasn’t the only one who liked to have a constant flow of information, nor the only creature with a creative knack for magical and technological gadgetry.

“I hope you forgive me, Toxic,” Pick muttered as he limped about. “I wanted to keep my contributions to your dream secret, at least until I was about to pass on. But it seems that fate has a different path for both me and you.”

It’s a fool’s hope, but it worked once. And for me, someone outside of the Ice Shelves, I just had to find a different catalyst.

Pick’s life had been the hospital for the better part of a decade, ever since Toxic had yanked him out of the nightmarish scene that had poisoned the young unicorn’s body. It had since then slowly consuming him despite the laundry lists of treatments, all of them seeming to delay the poison but never heal it.

Poisoned with a compound nocreature can understand, magic use seeming to feed the illness too.
And to think I finally have found the source, after all this time!

Pick’s jaw clenched in determination of that, brown eyes narrowing at the thought. They had never found out what the fanatics had used when they bombed a warehouse, nor even their reasoning. All that remained of the incident was Pick, everycreature else either having recovered from the illness that followed or perished. He was the lone case of the lingering effects.

But not for much longer.

My brother is taken, and now I know what is killing me, who bombed that warehouse! I have to wonder, was that building even the target?
 
Or was Toxic?

His parents as loving as they were, couldn’t understand his mind. Pick related more to Varti, enjoying ‘mining’ the depths of magical theory and various contraptions, as his cutie mark indicated with a pick over a glowing blue gear.

For a stallion who had at a young age enjoyed having control over his life, even in youth, being dependent on hospice care had been a harsh adjustment, even if the hospital room had been personalized for many years.

A strange flicker of warmth blossomed in Pick’s chest, the stallion forcing back a few tears.

Is this what hope feels like? I made my peace months ago, knowing my time was ticking down. Even Toxic doesn’t know.

And now I might actually…
No. First I have to convince an Emperor. This isn’t just about me anymore. Those pieces of filth have to pay. They hurt me? Fine. But now they go after my older brother?
 
Pick’s eyes narrowed at that, the unicorn letting out a growl. 

He has suffered enough.
 
His mom knew, at least partly. But Pick was one of the few others in his family that understood a bigger picture of the burden placed on his older brother. Toxic hid it well, from mom and dad at least, both for security’s sake and their own well-being.

They didn’t see him flinch at loud noises as much, nor see how tired he was. The pain behind his brother’s eyes that never was able to settle. Pick, with his ever-spinning mind, had always sought out information, even if it was hidden or hastily covered up. That included knowing what his brother was really feeling.

What hurt even more, was that once you knew what to look for when talking with Toxic, it really wasn’t hidden at all. Every horror was on his brother’s face, raw and always eating at him. Toxic was just really good at covering it.

That said, Pick knew about the nightmares his brother had faced, even if it had been covered in black ink. And now, just as Pick began to see more life in Toxic’s eyes again, pulling away from the pain, he was abducted?

That was unacceptable to Toxic’s younger brother.

And that just made Pick think even more; how to help from his hospital room. He always had looked up to Toxic, and not just because his big brother was there to help him out of a fiery tomb. They always had been different but grown up together. Just as friends, there for each other when it mattered. Of course, there was a bit of a rivalry, a friendly one.

The Unicorn’s intellect was definitely one of the jokes between himself and Toxic; the latter simply not matching him in terms of magical and mechanical theory.

Toxic was smart, but not Varti levels of smart. Pick wasn’t being mean, simply pragmatic. It was just an observation and why he could relate more to Coarse Pen with his hundreds of years of knowledge, and the Professor. Toxic could come up with ideas Pick could never dream of; but he just didn’t know how to make them. Toxic had more ambitions than he had time.

But with his illness all Pick had for the past decade, was time. Time to think, time to find alternatives which until recently had been for naught. And now he had both the source of his illness identified, and a potential cure. Quite an eventful month.

Well, it’s not a cure if there’s a one-in-ten chance I die immediately, Two out of ten it fails outright and then I die. But a one hundred percent chance of helping other ponies. That’s what you’ve taught me, Toxic, how fulfilling that can be.
 
I’ll take those odds rather than wasting away here. Perhaps my gift to Toxic can be revealed when I’m not at death’s door.
 
Regardless, I want to help him. Goodness knows he needs it.

A knock at Pick’s door drew the unicorn’s attention, the pony now sitting on his low-lying bed with a huff.

“Come in.”

Pick immediately smiled as Nacreous strode through the door. 

To be on a first-name basis with an Emperor is a gift indeed.
Thank you, big bro. That has been a gift in and of itself that has payed beyond measure.

“You wanted to see me, Pick?” Nacreous asked, sitting down as the unicorn nodded. The Doctor quickly picked up that something was up as Pick sighed.

There was no avoiding it, after all. Pick just wanted to get the ugly stuff out of the way; the accepted truth he had been living with.

“I did, Nacreous,” the stallion said softly. “I would like you to listen what I have to say, and then give your honest answer. That is all I would ask.”

The hippogriff blinked, making sure the door was closed and a privacy spell erected around the room.

“Of course.”

Pick took a deep breath. It was never easy saying this to himself, harder when it was out loud.

“I am dying, Nacreous,” the stallion said calmly. The Doctor stiffened in surprise, Pick letting out a soft chuckle. “But you knew that from the minute you saw me, didn’t you? I do want to know if you picked up on that.”

“Yes,” Nacreous replied softly. 

“Well, I’ve found a way to measure my time, funny enough,” Pick continued. “My magical reserves are diminishing at linear rate. This illness is slowly consuming me, magically and physically. I have a month or two at most. I also want you to know that I found the source of my illness, before I ask you my question.”

That caught Nacreous’s attention even more so, Pick gesturing tiredly to a stack of papers on the nightstand.

“You’ll find my research there,” he said, “I’ve been a sneaky stallion in my time. Varti installed some monitoring posts and I have had time to send various information back and forth to your mages up north. They confirmed that the poison in my body has been seen recently. Well, they don’t know it has, but I do. I haven’t spread that information around due to how important it is.”

“What are you saying, Pick?”

“I’m saying that those fanatics that bombed the warehouse I was at years ago? Whatever they used matches traces I picked up in a total of three different areas and time periods,” Pick stated, “The first being in the accident I was involved in, the second the lab explosion my brother was dispatched to most recently. The third was earlier today. The remote sensors are a ninety percent match- there’s some stuff that’s new, but the core material is there.”

Nacreous stared at the unicorn, not entirely sure what to say.

“Meaning, more than ten years ago these freaks were working on this formula. I don’t know how or why, but it’s all connected, and now they’re back.” Pick’s teeth ground on each other, the unicorn forcing down a surge of anger. “Back to finish the job! And they got my brother! I think he was the target from the start! I was just bait to see how he’d react, and it worked!”

“It’s not your fault, Pick, even if that is the case.”

The unicorn let out an angry huff, head hanging as his uncut main fell in front of his eyes.

“I know. I don’t feel guilt over that. What I do feel is anger. I’m stuck in this room while my brother is likely being either tortured or killed. Don’t sugarcoat it, Nacreous. You’re too smart for that. But Toxic will fight, and I would be a sad excuse of a brother if I just accepted my fate to fade away! Toxic taught me that, to fight, to help others. I’ve always respected him for that, even if I haven’t understood it completely.”

Pick then gestured to another stack of papers with a slight smile.
“I’ve been busy, and I have found a way to cure my illness with the help of your archivists. Well, it’s more of a cure for everycreature else in my position, a healthy mind in a decaying body. For myself, it’s a cure in the sense of curing a broken limb is to cut off the entire appendage. Success rate is about…eh, seven out of ten if I use some generous rounding of numbers. Very generous rounding, I might add.”

“Considering the alternative, those are still fantastic odds,” Nacreous mused. “But it’s not a simple cure, I take it?”

Pick laughed.

“Oh, naturally! I am asking you this because it involves your consent and your subjects. I have run the numbers, the magic required; and until recently I didn’t have a magical catalyst, a copy of the spell needed to preserve my mind on the transfer.”

Nacreous’s eyes widened; he could see where this was going.

“You did it once, Nacreous, for the clan of Archivists. I’m asking for your permission and help to do it again,” Pick said, levering himself up onto all four hooves, swaying slightly. “Varti has helped me construct a hybrid golem with Coarse Pen’s help, and we’ve refined the spell for this specific, one-time use. All they are waiting for is your approval. My mind is still intact; my body failing. If nothing else, will you allow me to try this?”

Nacreous stared in surprise; this unicorn had been busy indeed, and behind his back no less.

“Please don’t blame either of them. I found out about the magic and such all on my own. I may have been a bit persistent in asking Coarse about the specifics,” Pick admitted. “And I know there are risks. Heck, I won’t age, and that brings a whole new set of issues. But I want to try.”

The Doctor couldn’t help but chuckle, a surprised smile dawning on his beak.

“How could I say no?” he replied, “you’ve already done the work. I will talk with Celestia, but this is within my domain to answer. I never thought my spell would work, but if you have crafted your own, then you have my permission to do so. I assume you understand the sensitive nature of all this?” Nacreous confirmed, “Granting a timeless existence, more or less, is something we cannot take lightly. However, I do know you and Coarse have been working on Golem’s being an alternative to serious illness and disease. Will this aid in such an endeavor?”

Pick nodded firmly. 
“Even if the spell completely fails for myself, then it still can be adjusted to not last forever. Even if I die in this effort, others can have a chance. Ponies can have a life, staying with their families, growing up and aging normally, just with a body that doesn’t deteriorate and hurt. The anti-aging aspect can be a tightly held secret or spread to everypony; that’s not really my concern. Myself or Coarse Pen can’t adjust it until it’s tested though, whether I survive or not.”

“I am curious what you are using as the catalyst spell. I used my own curse as a template to not age- what are you using?” Nacreous asked curiously. He knew he was treading on sensitive ground; the spell Celestia had crafted for an emergency ascension was similar to this, but much more refined.

“I’d…I don’t want to get her in trouble,” Pick admitted. “So please keep this between yourself and Celestia.”

“Of course.”

Pick looked over to the googly-eyed seashell fondly, the stallion actually blushing as his gaze drifted to the ground, ragged grey mane drifting across his brow.

“I have a…friend, and we’ve been steady pen pals for a year or two. Apparently one of her artifacts has an optional ‘don’t age’ spell for royals. The current queen just didn’t want to use it for her own sanity, which I can respect. Enough traces of that spell remain in the Hippogriff’s pearl fragments to be used as a template even in a passive sense.”

Nacreous stared at the stallion who didn’t quite meet his gaze.

“You have got to be kidding me. A Princess is involved in this?!” he asked smacking a set of claws to his face with a groan as Pick shook his head.

“What?! No! It’s not the Princess!” he protested. “From what I hear, Skystar has someone else on her mind, some mysterious gryphon captain. It’s one of her best friends, Salina Blue, and we are just- she’s a…friend! I told her what I was planning, roughly. It’s not like we need to destroy a piece of a pearl, just use it as a copy!” Pick protested, very much failing to hide the continual blush on his cheeks.

‘Friend’ indeed.

“And may I ask if this hippogriff is single? I assume that had nothing to do with any of these plans?” Nacreous mused, the stallion still refusing to look at him. Pick finally did, however, jaw set firmly as he shook his head.

“She had nothing to do with that, no,” Pick admitted. “Nacreous, I was dying, am dying. Until two months ago I didn’t know this was even a possibility. I made my peace, even told Salina some of my funeral arrangements. She promised she’d attend.”

That made the hippogriff pause; he forgot who he was talking to. For his oddities, Pick was certainly more aware of his situation more than most.

“Exactly. It didn’t sit right with me to expect anything more than a friendship with me, not when I know I’m going to die in a month, maybe two. I have a week or so before my situation greatly deteriorates,” Pick explained, his expression sobering but with a hint of fondness. “She made me laugh, Nacreous, even gave me a shell with google-eyes to name, just as she suggested to Skystar. I got to laugh, to feel normal. Even on the days when I wasn’t sure why I still clung on to living in this room, I got to feel like a normal pony laughing with their friend. You’re a doctor- you know how valuable those moments are. And Salina gave me lots of them.” The stallion shrugged. “How could I not like that? Really, really like that? But I couldn’t think about it in a different sense, I had to stay focused,” Pick let out a sigh, shaking his head.

“I have to try this now or never is what it comes down to. If Salina wants to stay friends andmaybeseewherethingsgo after that…I dunno,” the stallion shrugged. “I’m still trying to change my mindset to ‘might not die’ instead of ‘definitely will die.’”

“Well, Pick Shield, you have my blessing and my help,” Nacreous rumbled, then eying a drawing sticking out from underneath the other stacks.

“May I ask what…?”

Pick retrieved the drawing, showing the sketch of an airship with a hearty grin.
“I may love magical theory, but I also picked up on my dad’s love for machines. You didn’t think Varti designed all airships for Toxic’s organization, did you?” the cheeky stallion’s smile then widened. 

“Did you know they offer a distance learning program for airship pilots? Learning everything except the actual hoofs-on experience? You’d be amazed at how much you can get done from a hospital room. Simulated piloting, gunnery courses, engineering troubleshooting, fleet tactics, simulated battles…”

Now Nacreous couldn’t help but grin at seeing the fiery determination in Pick’s eyes.
“And this wouldn’t have to do with the fleet of as-yet-vacant airships without a Commander, now would it?”

“I’m going to help my brother, Nacreous,” Pick stated firmly, eyes narrowing. “Those monsters took my life away, and now they’re coming after my big brother and the one creature that has been able to ease his pain! Regardless, my gift to him will live on even if I die and can’t do anything else; my designs for his organization, my recorded messages, the airships, everything. And now I can for a certainty help others avoid the situation I’ve been given. Seven out of ten chance that I live? I’d do it if it was a hundred to one!”

“Let me know when you plan on starting. If I can help, I most certainly will,” Nacreous said with caring smile.

“Thank you, Nacreous.”

After the Emperor left, Pick immediately sent some pre-recorded messages, hopping up and down despite knowing it’d leave him in pain for an hour.

Worth it.

The stallion then wrote two words on an enchanted parchment with his mouth-grasped pen, sending it off to two individuals; one in an island laboratory, the other in the frozen North.

‘Green Light!’

His eyes then drifted over to a family picture, the unicorn gritting his teeth.

Hang in there, big bro. You were there for me once, now let me do the same!

Just hang on!






“We have them both, Highness,” the Bringer said with a barely-suppressed grin of pride. His forces had taken some casualties, true, but they had delivered both individuals relatively unharmed.

“Very impressive,” the shadowy head said with a fanged smile. “And the tranquilizers?”

“I’ve given the pony another double-dose. It took a bit longer than we thought to work, but he has been completely out of it. The Equestrians tried to conceal his medical history, but we dug up the correct drugs,” the Bringer chuckled. “Shall I begin the analyzing of his abilities? Copying over a cutie mark like this has never been done before.”

“Yes. You said the calibration will take some time?” the Shadow said calmly. “His promotion to that filth’s ‘Guardian’ will likely scramble the magic.

“No more than an hour or two, Highness, even with the odd magical shielding he has. What of the gryphoness? The tranquilizers are starting to wear off.”

The shadow let out a huff, an ethereal hoof now coming into view and waving dismissively.

“I doubt his cooperation can be forced even with her life in the balance. Now that we have been able to examine him, it’s impossible to assimilate him with any of my followers due to the protection he has,” the Shadow remarked. “I had hoped to force at least some of his cooperation, but his capture proved that such a thing is folly. Kill her. I don’t care what happens to her as long as her dead body is the result. No reason to waste any more resources on her.”

The Bringer let out a chuckle, bowing before making his way downstairs.

“As you wish, my Lord.”




 
Some time later

“Princess, I,” Spectrum began, head then bowing as a few tears welled up in her eyes. “The new reports of my Son, is he…?”

The Mare had run into Celestia walking the halls; new information swirling about from supposed eye-witnesses having come in over dinner. It was troubling indeed, at least on the surface.

“Walk with me, Spectrum,” Celestia said, casting powerful privacy spells around them as they strode the halls.

“The newest eyewitness says they were drugged, right? A pony from the eatery? A dozen creatures who witnessed the fight?”

Spectrum nodded, trying to hold back more tears. 
“And t-that my son collapsed. They’re h-helpless! H-he…”

Celestia stopped, not able to resist a genuine smile. 
“Spectrum, do not mistake my apparent lack of worry for lack of care,” she said gently. “I know you do not have a high opinion of me, and rightfully so. But please trust that your son is more capable than you realize. The tranquilizers couldn’t have worked, not without a ludicrous amount of luck.”

Spectrum lifted her head at that.

“W-what?”

“Toxic is immune to almost every single tranquilizing agent in our medical arsenal,” Celestia said, finding herself increasingly proud of letting Toxic’s mother know of his accomplishments. For so long it had been shrouded in secrecy, yet now there was a pony who deserved to know, a mother who should have known from the start.

“Part of his job is discovering the limits of his abilities. We’ve tested hundreds if not thousands of compounds, and we found only one that is able to put him to sleep effectively, and that’s at a specifically high dose; any variation above or below it renders the drug useless. Nocreature knows what the compound and dose is outside myself and Luna; I haven’t even told Nacreous or Shifting yet. Knock-out spells would have been disrupted by Toxic’s armor and the magical interference, probably why they didn’t use them.”

Spectrum’s eyes widened at that.

“So, he…”

“Was faking it, yes. Assuming it’s not a new concoction, but there’s no reason why they’d try something untested,” Celestia confirmed. “There are no fewer than a dozen misdirects in Toxic’s medical files, all leading to dead ends and a ‘hidden’ real drug or two that, by the mountains of false reports we constructed, would falsely appear to work. However, those drugs are ultimately useless against Toxic. Your son was not knocked out if the darts and such are true.”

Spectrum didn’t say anything to that, but it was clear her trepidation had fled for the moment.

“There is another reason I am less worried for Toxic,” Celestia said. “In his training, your son was known by many things, some less-than-polite names to be sure. But one thing they never called him was a coward or a quitter.”

Lifting her head, Spectrum managed a smile at that.

“Your son has training in escape and evasion, as well as extensive training to survive on his own in a hostile land,” Celestia said, now smiling as well. “In fact, he is one of the few who…” she caught herself at that. There were some things that should not be-

No.

“Spectrum, I tell you this because Toxic is your son, and because you deserve some comfort which I cannot otherwise give,” Celestia said, standing up a bit taller.  “Your son was the first of my Rangers.”





Unseen by all the guards who prowled outside the large metal cages, the eyes of a blue stallion cracked open to look at the dark stone wall, his back to the front of the enclosure. Covered by his raised forelimbs which had conveniently flopped over his face, the magical restraining ring began to glow an angry red, the overload starting to peel away the metal bit by bit. The bindings around the pony’s hooves had already been loosened by small movements over the course of an hour. Flickering over to look at an unconscious gryphoness, the green eyes closed again, dark magic leaking out from their edges.





“Ranger?” Spectrum asked.

“His designation was only temporary, and the program was meant to be as well,” Celestia admitted. “It was first created as a smokescreen to cover up Toxic’s involvement in the Klugetown incident, to protect Equestria’s reputation in a sense, having a legal explanation for his actions. For a time, Toxic was entrusted to act irrespective of political boundaries and my consent, an oath-less guard that I gave the authority to save ponies outside my jurisdiction. Do you understand, Spectrum? I trusted your son enough to make decisions that could potentially backfire on Equestria itself. For all his troubles, emotional turmoil, and complete lack of faith in me, Toxic never misused that privilege,” she explained.

“After the Klugetown incident, I knew he would act in that manner regardless. He only acted one more time under that authority in a minor incident but saved a few lives regardless. As I said, it was more of a formality to protect Equestria against legal action but this situation is not something new to your son. The courses he passed with flying colors were used a template for a few Rangers still currently in my service. They are an independent division of my Legionnaires, and your son was, informally, the first.”

Celestia couldn’t help but look out the window at the setting sun, Spectrum following her gaze.
“As I told Gelliana’s parents, your son risked his life to save creatures he barely knew outside of Varti’s daughter,” she said softly. “How much more power and will do you think he’d muster for a gryphoness that has captured his heart? Do not worry too much for your son, Spectrum. I am not about to let him go either.”

Despite her better mood, Spectrum couldn’t help but frown slightly at that. Celestia saw that, and decided to make a point. A good point, but one nonetheless.

“Spectrum, I know you doubt me, and do not fault you for that. But I promise that rescuing Toxic and Gelliana is one of my highest priorities.” Celestia then sat down, wings drooping. “But I must put Equestria over the life of the one or two. That is the burden of the crown.” She then stood, letting a bit more of her sun’s power trickle through.

“But I promise, if I can save them, I will!” Golden armor shone on her chest, Celestia’s mane igniting into fire even as her eyes shone with sincere kindness. “I am not omnipotent nor all-powerful, but Toxic is still one of my ponies. And I will defend them!”

Her power faded, Celestia returning to her usual, gently-smiling self.
“But until I can have a target to fight against, we must trust in your son. For all of the tasks I have given him, Toxic hasn’t failed a single one.”

“Never?” Spectrum asked softly, the intent of Celestia’s words clearly having softened her view further.

“No. More than a hundred calls to action, and he has always gone above and beyond what I have asked. He may not consider me a close friend, but I would rely on him in an instant. And now we both must do so. I trust your son, and with that trust, I know he’ll be ok.”

Spectrum leaned over onto Celestia’s forelimb, the mother letting out a soft sniffle.

“Thank you, C-celestia.”

The mare didn’t see how the Princess’s own eyes dampened, the alicorn spreading a wing over the distressed mother. 

“You are most welcome.”

Spectrum didn’t miss the soft whisper that left Celestia’s lips, the temperature of the room increasing ever so slightly. 

“Come home to us safe and sound, Toxic. And bring Tartarus down onto whoever took you and Gelliana.”

“Oh. H-he will,” Spectrum sniffed. “He never quits. And G-gelliana has made him so happy. The w-way he talks about her…”

That brought a smile to Celestia’s face. She knew the pair weren’t at the verbal stage of saying it just yet.

But love was a powerful thing indeed.





Toxic’s body felt like ground meat.

Being carried for what felt like hours over the back of a smelly reptile had hardly been high on his list of ‘things to do’, but it beat getting stabbed.

Thankfully, there was a spell to mimic being knocked out, including general numbness of limbs. Who knew?

Well, he did, for one. But that was now wearing off, the stallion only having caught glimpses of where the creatures were taking him after being ‘knocked out’. The air had changed from an oppressive, humid swampy-like atmosphere to a colder, brisker climate. Claws and hooves had pounded on stone instead of squishy ground or pine needles; apparently their teleportation spell didn’t get them that close. 

As the had light changed, Toxic had cracked his eyes ever so slightly before closing them again. They had come inside a mountain now, high, high up, the sloping path telling him as much. The sound of industry and arcane spells being cast now echoed all around, an odd, guttural language hurting his ears. It was the language of the badlands and of another tongue, ancient and foreign mixed with the common language.

With a heave, he had been tossed onto the ground, the spell aiding in letting Toxic having his limbs flop this way and that. It was a simple move to have his forelimbs cover his horn and looked completely natural. He had heard a softer impact of Gelliana being tossed down; heavy locks and doors being shut. They were in cages, that much he knew.

If they hurt her…

Escaping from a magical horn-restraint was one of the first things he learned in his hybrid Legionnaire/Ranger training. The device relied on blocking ALL magic from even leaving one’s horn.

But what if you just start to cast a spell over and over again?

It would leave him with a massive headache, but the constant micro-pulses of magic would eventually overload even the most durable horn-locks. That was their fatal flaw. It wasn’t really even well-known because training yourself to ‘sort of’ cast a spell took quite a bit of instruction.

Instruction that Toxic had dedicated himself to for hours on end.

A flicker of magic made the Unicorn’s hair stand on end- some sort of spell that was beginning to sweep him from head to tail.

“How long is this supposed to take?” a gruff voice asked, the cage creaking as the creature leaned on it.

“From what I just heard? An hour or two. Boss says then we’ll know how to extract his magical whatever. I dunno. Ponies and their cutie marks just is a weird thing to me,” said another. “No idea how they’re going to give it to us. I don’t want some mark on my rear.

They’re trying to extract my cutie mark?!
My resilience to toxins. That would make sense, especially if I’m the only who one can combat their weapons. They’d need that for their troops; then they could blanket everything with it. A perfect, deadly cloud to take a city without a fight. 
 
Then I have an hour or so to plan my escape. Make for the tunnel they brought me in through.
 
“What about the gryphon?”

“Well, all I know is the most recent order is to make sure she ends up dead. What happens before that, boss doesn’t care.”

“Oh, really?”

The malevolent chuckle made it feel like Toxic’s veins burned with magma.

You filth. Lay one claw on her…

The unicorn’s horn suppressor began to glow brighter and brighter, Toxic letting his eyes crack open slightly. Dark magic flared from behind partially-closed lids, rage feeding the power coursing through his frame. Shadows began to crack the magical restraint even faster, digging into the metal eagerly.

Just like I learned with Nacreous. Dark magic isn’t evil.
Neither is rage, anger; it can be for the good of others. You just have to focus.
I have to focus!

There was a soft whine, metal beginning to voice its distress as it flaked off and cracked from around Toxic’s horn.

“Well, if that’s the case…” the reptile chuckled as keys jangled against a lock.

The boiling in Toxic’s blood reached a critical point; he knew that tone, that malevolent, slimly edge to words. His limbs shook with pent up anger and power, the unicorn’s muscles bunching. 

There had been few times he had been this furious, this eager to tear into a creature.

Another just like the other one in the eatery! I gave him a chance at life! How many more of these creatures squandered it?
 
I won’t be too late ever again!

“What’s that look for? You want to go-”

The air ignited.

With an air-ripping roar that made Toxic’s ears ring, the unicorn sent the pent-up overload of magical energy tearing in the direction of the voice, angled upwards and away from where he had glimpsed Gelliana lying on the floor.

The reptile didn’t get to finish his vile thoughts, eyes widening slightly as he staggered, leaning on the large iron cage with a wet cough.

Toxic’s sides heaved as dark shadows bled from his frame, armor slamming onto his body with bolts of blue lightning. Two pinpricks of pain dotted his flank- but the unicorn paid it no mind as he bared his fanged teeth in rage.

The targeted reptile finally fell to the ground in a puddle of gore, the left half of his body having been completely blown away by the magical beam of unfocused energy. An arrow glanced off Toxic’s chest, the amulet worn around his neck deflecting the projectile. Apparently, there were more creatures watching them than the stallion initially thought.

The entire scene seemed to freeze for a moment, Toxic taking in his surroundings. The two cages he and Gelliana had been kept were placed against a wall, a massive, dome-like room spreading out in front of them. It could easily fit a hoofball stadium or two, boxes and odd crystal device scattered here and there. A smattering of tunnels led off into deeper sections of the mountain where the glow of what must be forges burned, loud voices echoing from the others. 

Dozens of creatures now stared in shock at the unicorn and molten hole on the opposite wall, the individuals apparently having moved supplies here and there. It appeared to be a holding area-slash-supply depot, large stone and metal stairways leading up to floors built higher in the mountain. A few bits of wooden scaffolding spread across the roof of the mountain room, dark figures moving to and fro rapidly; likely the archers watching the cages. 

Considering the number of creatures Toxic had killed in the Eatery, they probably wanted to avoid confrontation on the ground. Smart, to a point.

Toxic sent a second spell through his horn, grinning wickedly as dozens of runes now began to blossom across the floor and distant walls as he whipped his head across a wide angle, sending the spells splashing across all surfaces.

Burn in Tartarus, you demons!

The symbol of the Solar Princess shone bright as day; the locator runes melting the walls as the powerful magic attempted to pierce the heavy shielding around the mountain. The unfortunate creatures caught in the grasp of the runes that landed on the ground flashed to ash in an instant. The tuned magical suppression fields were already making Toxic’s head ache- he hadn’t noticed them at first.

Not that it mattered.

As the last of his armor clamped around his torso, Toxic noticed two large syringes sticking out from a bare point in his back-left haunches, the armor not attaching due to the pointy obstructions. Apparently somecreature had been watching them with more tranquilizers at the ready; pity they didn’t work. Yanking out the syringes, Toxic felt the final piece of armor cover the exposed spot as a flurry of arrows glanced off his back.

Ripping through the thick metal cage with a shove, Toxic took aim and sent two blasts of his gauntlet towards the approaching creatures, one of them connecting and melting the reptile where he stood. 
 
That made the group pause, one of them appearing rather ill at seeing their friend reduced to a pile of gore and charred bone.

Scooping up Gelliana with a magical heave, Toxic slung her across his back and began to gallop towards the distant large doors. There was glimmer of something in his peripheral vison, and the stallion managed to slap the tranquilizing dart out of Gelliana’s side a split second after it had hit her, the stallion boosting the magical shields around his precious cargo.

“STOP HIM!” a deep voice bellowed, shadows seeming to lengthen as something neared the upper staircase. The voice was clear as day despite being across the massive room. “DESTROY THE RUNES!”

As reinforcements poured from the side tunnels, half desperately tried to disrupt the locating spells, the other half charging towards Toxic. The stallion was already on the move, galloping full-speed towards a metal door with no fewer than ten guards by it.

Hang on, Gells!

It wasn’t so much as a single spell that poured from Toxic’s horn, but raw leyline energy that coated his body like a film, speeding up his movements. The armor’s build-in shielding protected Gelliana for the moment, Toxic not even slowing as he slammed through a reptile trying to stop him and sent the creature slamming into the wall. A second reptile swung a sword- the weapon glancing along Toxic’s outstretched forehoof as he broke every bone in the creature’s head with a furious, passing blow.

The solid metal door was peeled aside like an orange skin, the leyline energy making Toxic’s armored body act like a hot knife through butter. They were out-

And airborne, the unicorn’s rage fading to shock and surprise.

Toxic only barely managed to activate the winged slow-fall spells as they fell down the side of the mountain, completely having missed the slowly-sloping stairs and ramps to the side. It was an effective entrance, preventing any enemy forces entering head on.

His hooves hit solid stone, the added weight to Toxic’s frame sending him skidding through any small protruding rocks as they slid down an impromptu slide, the stallion finding himself now zipping down the face of half a mountain.

Ok. Somehow escape, check. Sliding down a mountain is the immediate problem.
 
…Time for the Baker’s Dozen! This will wipe me out, but good luck tracking me after this!
 
The spell was nicknamed after an incident with Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and a pastry bake-off. Apparently, it had also involved a teleportation spell, five watermelons, a can of hair-gel, three cardboard boxes, and an alarming amount of sugar.

Regardless of its origins, the Baker’s Dozen spell was the best anti-tracking magic available, a powerful teleportation spell that sent out teleportation mimics in five directions other than the one the user went. After completion, it duplicated five more times in addition to the caster’s jump, hence the ‘baker’s dozen.’ The end result was a hopping, multi-stage teleportation spell that appeared the exact same in six different directions for some distance.

Unfortunately, while Princess Twilight could cast it with ease, it would wipe out any other skilled unicorn for the day or more without mana batteries.

Keying up the spell for maximum distance and dispersion, Toxic directed the leyline connections to dump as much power as needed into the casting; the armor’s power levels visibly dropping. And that was in addition to the mental strain the unicorn felt, pressure stabbing at his temples.

Come on!
 
The ground was fast approaching, and Toxic could make out the ruins of some sort of temple-like structure at the base of the mountain. As they got ever-closer, the unicorn felt the spell finally activate.

Track this!

With a bolt of pink energy that smelled vaguely of cotton-candy, the teleportation spell blasted out a hole in the mountain, the unicorn being sent to the outer reaches of what a typical teleportation spell could safely transport. And then again, and again…

They were free, but where were they?!





The large, fanged head of what appeared to be a shadow-pony glared at his Bringer, the gryphon letting out a frustrated grunt.

“They have escaped. At least for now. I would not worry, Highness.”

“Why would I worry? The one individual capable of stopping us is free,” the creature hissed sarcastically, a dangerous edge to his tone.

“Highness, I took some precautions that no other creature knew about, I wanted to further prove that you could trust in my efforts,” the Bringer stated calmly, now actually smiling as he tossed a large, metal tube to the Shadow. A simple appendage caught the item, looking it over curiously.

“Oh? Taking some initiative? I am intrigued. Why should I not worry then?”

“Because I instructed my best sharpshooter to load his custom tranquilizing darts with that.”

The Shadow paused, and then began to laugh. It started as a mild chuckle, then evolved to a full belly-laugh, if the creature even had a belly.

“A-and how much did our troublesome unicorn take?” the Shadow wheezed, the Bringer still grinning.

“Two extra-large syringes. The gryphoness probably only had a drop or two of it, the unicorn tore out the syringe before it could inject any more. But that’s of the concentrated formula, not even in its aerosolized form so she’ll be dead fifty times over. For the pony? He got about as much as can fit in that container. He’ll be dead in a few days, the body dissolved to sludge within a week. With luck he’ll die in a creek and poison everything downstream for a decade. Eventually we’ll be able to see the die-off from the air where his body once was.”

The Shadow snorted, tossing the large tube back to the gryphon with an approving nod.

“I give him a week at most, maybe two due to his tenacity. Well done, my Bringer. I can indeed trust you it would seem. I assume that your efforts to find him will not slacken, however?”

“Of course not. To trust in one outcome would be folly. We are beginning the search as I speak, but the spell he used will hamper our efforts.”

“Good. However, you must first deal with the individual at our borders. Tread carefully, she is not to be underestimated.”

The gryphon winced, knowing full well who it was that his Master spoke of.





A meteor tore the sky asunder.

Ancient armor wrapping around her body, the Solar Empress ripped through the sky towards the last of her flickering beacons. Inwardly she seethed, but Celestia’s rage was tempered by the loving kiss her Fiancé had given her moments ago; he would meet her as soon as she arrived, the Paladin having summoned his own armor.

I am so sick of these underhanded creatures attacking my ponies! The Emissary, this new Shadow; and now targeting the one pony I continually can’t protect.
 
Not until now!

She wasn’t sure how much would actually be on the table in terms of action; but what the Princess did know was that no fewer than ten emergency beacons had lit up across her spell detection network. They had been frantically extinguished, their location scrambled by the same powerful magic that prevented her from teleporting in. But she had gotten a good enough fix; south of the Dragon Lands border and deep in the thick abandoned forests of that continent near a mountain range.

Celestia’s senses hit a literal wall as she sped over the forests, the Alicorn letting out a frustrated snort. There was a shield, a massive one over this area. A mountain was visible in the distance, an odd, cylindrical formation at the top of it, like a vacuum that pulled in clouds and spat out darker ones on the other side.

“So, this is where the slime hides,” Celestia hissed, settling on the ground that was instantly scorched to glass with every step. Standing close to the invisible shield, she probed it with a series of spells, quite impressed (albeit annoyingly so,) that the projection was quite advanced. Despite the range and distance, it contained enough power to knock even her unconscious, or at least close to it.

“You found them,” Nacreous said calmly, the armored paladin walking up to Celestia’s side. He poked the shield with his staff, frowning as it was halted immediately. “That is a powerful spell.”

“Too powerful to venture into. This is an odd magic; more power is here than should be possible,” Celestia mused, then noticed an odd, grey shape approaching. It appeared that despite looking translucent, the shield masked the real individuals on the other side. 

Stepping out of the shield, a familiar gryphon appeared and looked at the pair, a cocky grin on his face.

“The Bringer, I presume?” Celestia asked bluntly, the gryphon nodding.

“Indeed. Welcome to our Kingdom, even if it is lacking in formality as of yet,” the Bringer stated with a chuckle. “But all of that will be completed in due time.”

“You will return the creatures you have stolen,” Celestia said, gaze refusing to leave the gryphon as her mane became flecked with flame. To his credit, the Bringer only flinched slightly before regaining his confidence.

“Unfortunately, that is out of my power to do so. I can, however, promise that our borders will not expand beyond this shield. I believe it’s an area equivalent to half of Equestria in size.”

It was meaningless banter, and Celestia knew it.

“Return my subjects,” she said finally, the gryphon shaking his head, now actually smirking as shadows began to leak from his frame.

“No. My Master has forbidden such.”

“Then you have declared war on Equestria and her allies. Your claim is not recognized,” Celestia countered.

“My Master expects war. You are quite powerless to help, Princess Celestia,” the Bringer chuckled. His demeanor changed abruptly, eyes glowing white as his voice deepened. “But you can watch, perhaps hear his screams…”

The goading had the desired effect; or, more likely, Celestia was beyond caring. The magical blast that hit the gryphon should have turned his body to ash.

Instead, he only chuckled, Celestia’s magic having been stopped a hairs-breath from his head. A black, mirror-like surface sucked in the attack completely as it vanished as quick as it had appeared.

“As I said, you are completely powerless here, Celestia!” the Bringer hissed with a laugh. 

Two more blasts were equally nullified, Celestia now the one smirking. 

“Fascinating that you would reveal your magical source so readily; that will be quite useful,” she said happily, her previous outburst clearly not having been much more than a sham, for the most part. The Princess’s eyes narrowed, sending another spell the Bringer’s way. 

This time, the gryphon had nothing to block. He found his claws embedded in molten stone; his shadow-half preventing any injury. The Alicorn then took a step closer, flames licking from her frame. Now, her rage was quite real.

“You have attacked my subjects, and for that you will be destroyed,” she stated, “perhaps not today, or even tomorrow. But I will see to it that the stars themselves will wipe your kind from this earth.”

“Hollow words from an alicorn who can’t even hit me,” the Bringer teased, seeming quite at peace with being effectively imprisoned in front of the enraged Ruler. “My Master-”

“Is a coward for sending his lacky to relay words,” Celestia dismissed, “I’ve seen it a hundred times before. Where is this Master? Cowering behind mercenaries paid with coin and cider? This isn’t a kingdom; this is the start of a liquor bar! I’ve seen such childish ‘nations’ rise and fall dozens of times. This will be no different.”

The shadows darkened around the gryphon, a fanged mouth appearing to hover above the creature. Easily the size of Celestia, the shadowy head glared at the alicorn, letting out an angry growl.

“You cannot stop this, Empress of the Sun!” the creature retorted. “And you are one to talk of cowering. What have you done for a thousand years, after all?”

“Grown a nation of peace; much more than can be said for you,” Celestia replied dismissively, “the remnants of a Limbo Shadow, now trying to get a hold in this world? Did I guess correctly?”

The face laughed, a sincere, genuine and rather disturbing sound.

“You know nothing of me or my realm, Princess,” the creature chuckled. “you will not stop this. I will bring my kingdom to reign on this world; and perhaps in time I’ll give you back the body of your pony, at least when we have no more use for him.”

“So, it is war then,” Celestia whispered almost to herself, “So be it.”

“By all means, Empress, strike us down! Have your sister call the very moon upon us! You will find such magic quite useless,” the shadow-creature taunted. 

Celestia smirked, casually sending a small solar flare zipping along the ground. The spell skirted the edge of the shield, large runes automatically being drawn in the ground as the spell vanished in the distance.

“You cannot prevent us from leaving!” the Shadow chuckled, watching as how the entire area was now encircled with a containment spell.

“It’s not a shield, it’s to let me know if you try to expand anymore, or if you try to leave,” Celestia explained. “I will not allow that. For all your lofty claims, that makes you my prisoner, shadow!”

That seemed to strike a nerve with the creature.

“Allow?! Prisoner!? You dare talk down to me?” it bellowed, “what can you do but issue threats! You dare not even strike me!”

“Is that an offer?” Celestia asked.

“If you can, Princess!”

Clearly the shadow didn’t notice that Celestia’s words were spoken almost eagerly, a certain hippogriff having to suppress a grin as he took a step back. 

Nacreous watched as Celestia pulled off a piece of her armor. Crushing the metal into a ball that was promptly melted, the Alicorn flash-quenched the orb, then sending it spinning around her body. It quickly was lost from view, vanishing with a flash of light.

Only it was no longer in Equestria. Rather, it orbited a large, flaming lunar body in the sky for a few brief moments.

“Oh? Did you attack me with a marble?” the Shadow grinned, “It appears you missed.”

“You are cocky for a creature who should fear the light!” Celestia snarled, the white-hot projectile returning to her control and igniting the air around it. Punching through the center of the shadowy head, the sun-heated metal sent a supersonic crack ringing through the forest as it impacted the mountain in the distant range.

The shadow re-formed, appearing to wince as a white crack shone on its face as it looked towards the mountain, the odd, circular tube at the top of the outcropping now shattered to pieces.

That was in addition to the village-sized hole that now adorned what used to be the peak of the fortress, molten stone dripping off the impact site.

“Well played, and I suppose I did indeed ask for that. But our games have ended for now. Any more moves like that, and I will kill your precious pony. Perhaps the gryphon too,” the shadow grunted in annoyance.

“Yet if you do that, you lose the only leverage you have keeping your ‘empire’ from being destroyed. Do not think I will stand idly by,” Celestia reminded the creature with no small amount of internal satisfaction as it let out a rather angry growl. Using lives as a shield against her was effective; but it also ensured that the parties involved wouldn’t be killed out of necessity…yet. 

The threat of killing Toxic and Gelliana was a vital bit of information. They were alive, and if her hunch was correct, they had escaped. It was unlikely the Shadow would reveal ever such; but the Princess had one thing this creature didn’t; experience.

And experience let her read this monster like a book. The slight clenching of the jaw, the ever so slight wavering gaze; Toxic and Gelliana were out of their reach, of that, Celestia was nearly certain. Hopefully her attack showed that they were not forgotten. The Shadow was also far too cocky, clearly not used to treating anycreature as an equal. She could use that to her-

Wait, what is that?!
 
A sudden burst of magic nearly drew Celestia’s attention away; but she still had a part to play. 

“These are my final words, Solar Empress,” the Shadow growled, wincing as the white crack in its face pulsed. “If you attack us, I will ensure cities across your land and others will choke on their own blood before you wipe us out. That is my standing ultimatum.”

Celestia simply glared back in return; it was quite a lofty claim, but one she took seriously.

“So be it,” she stated. “Do not consider yourself safe here, Shadow.”

“Likewise.”

The fact that Celestia briefly had fangs seemed to shut the Shadow up, seeming to throw caution to the wind as its form dissipated, the meeting effectively concluded.

“I’m sorry I can’t do more, Toxic,” Celestia then whispered, audibly as a teleportation spell yanked them both back to Canterlot. 

A stalemate.

A slight smirk managed to dawn on the Princess’s face at that. She now knew what spell had been triggered just after her attack.

A locating beacon, a simple ‘I’m here and ok’ spell, far outside the mountain.

At least Toxic is alive, and we have this creature contained, for now.
 
I won’t make the same mistake as I have with other threats. This is not something for the Elements. If they step a single claw outside that barrier, I’ll have Luna aid me in raining the sky down upon them. 

I just hope I don’t have to choose between Equestria and Toxic, not again. I need to make sure that creature’s threat doesn’t come to pass.





The Bringer re-formed back in their fortress, his Master letting out a frustrated hiss.

“What did that mare do? That hurt! And now we have to re-build the entire delivery mechanism!” he growled, a stallion chuckling in the shadows, features cloaked by darkness.

“I tried to warn you both, and you did goad and ask for an attack. You are too cocky. Perhaps we can bypass any more games? You revealed far too much in that exchange. Bragging that you would kill them when they are our only leverage?” the pony let out a rather annoyed snort. “That was a duel with words that she won. No, they are out of our reach, even if it was a half-truth. Celestia likely saw through that. We also detected a surge of magic somewhere inside our shields; likely the unicorn trying to signal his Princess.”

“Bah. There is little she can do even if that is the case,” the Shadow creature said dismissively. 

“That we know of. Do not forget the fate of the Ice King or the Emissary. Both had the same confidence you possess. Do not place our victory in one basket. We now have the Princesses and the Lord of Chaos united against us, and we cannot use the lives of our ex-hostages to guarantee our safety any longer. That puts us in a very dangerous situation. Your ultimatum exposed one of our actual plans. That was not wise, and they will redouble their efforts to secure their cities.”

That seemed to placate the larger Shadow, the individual letting out a huff.  It was one of the few times the Bringer had seen his master so subdued by a mortal.
…..mostly mortal.

“As many times before, it would be wise for us to heed your words,” the Shadow mused. “I admit that my reign in Limbo may have clouded my judgement after such a millennium. I am not used to fighting forces that are my equal.”

“Potentially greater forces. And yes, I would agree,” the pony said calmly, waving a hoof. “But now, I need to return before I am missed. Thankfully the mis-directions we placed have worked and my identity is safe for now. That said, try not to get yourself killed, because I like to live as well. We must proceed and act as if we still have that pony and gryphoness; to do otherwise is to court the wrath of both the sun and moon.”





“Varti? What can I do for you?” Celestia asked, eyes widening as a familiar shadow-pony poked his head into the frame of the communications portal, the previously-mentioned yak simply gesturing as he moved out of the way.

“Princess.”

“Onyx? To what do I have the pleasure?”

“I know who He is.”

The way Onyx said that one word made Celestia’s blood chill slightly.

“I had to make sure, and I’ve been thinking ever since the attack, ever since I met my fellow shadow ponies. Seeing them made me remember. And I just felt another ripple of familiar magic.”

“Remember what, Onyx?” Celestia asked, not liking the prickling sensation that ran up her spine. The shadow pony refused to look at her, gaze darting about as if hidden forces were waiting for a moment of weakness.

“I remember who He is. Why I and Icait are abominations in His eyes. We betrayed him…”

“Who, Onyx?”

He now lifted his gaze, grey eyes full of turmoil and genuine fear.

“There are many rulers in Limbo, Princess,” Onyx explained. “Many who claim areas of the space and the subsequent creatures in it. Many have called themselves a King, but there are only a few who rightfully deserve the title.

He is one of the greater ones, bringing all the power and influence from his kingdom in Limbo to this world; The King of Shadows.”