//------------------------------// // 2: Tragedy // Story: Fractured SOULS, Broken Hearts // by LunarEnby //------------------------------// Date: 11/1/2022 Time: 1500 Location: Twilit Lane, Twilight Side, Canterlot, Equestria Emerald was calmly trotting back to her house from Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, as that's where she was enrolled at. She had been worried throughout the day, as Shadow Facade hadn't shown up, but not worried to the point she ignored the rumors floating around about an... oddity of a Pony that was getting bounced around in the adoption agency. Apparently, the Pony was a Pegasus, but they could use Unicorn Magic, and was somehow related to the Cultist Massacre. However, despite how interesting these rumors were, she was more worried about Shadow, as he almost never missed school. However, Emerald put it off as Shadow merely being sick, so she continued through the school day. When she reached her house, though, she immediately felt a change in the air. She could feel so many negative emotions in the air around her house that she felt like she was choking on them. She could feel fear, anger, sadness, and, most prominently, pain. She rushed into her house, trying to identify all the magic auras inside. She could feel the dark, somber aura of her father's magic, the hopeful, airy of her mother's, and... a third, weaker aura that seemed to slowly be dimming. Quickly, Emerald followed the trace of the magic into her parents' room, where she saw her father, horn glowing with a pale green aura, and her mother, wings wrapped around another Pony. As Emerald got closer, she could sense that the fear and pain was coming from that Pony, while the anger came from her father, and the sadness from her mother. Suddenly, Emerald recognized the third magic aura. The deep, shadowy aura, no matter how weak it was, was unmistakable to Emerald. Curled in Dusk Breeze's wings was Shadow Facade! "What happened?" Emerald asked, taking a step forward, "Why is Shadow here? And why is she... hurt?" "Sweetheart," Dusk began, "Your father and I don't know much about what happened, other than the fact that he appeared on our doorstep at about 1450, grievously wounded and crying his eyes out, repeating the phrase 'I trusted them' over and over, before collapsing. We've been in here since, your father trying to heal him while I comfort him when she wakes up." "Can..." Emerald trailed off, before starting again, "Can I see him?" "Not (huff) right now (ugh), buddy" Emerald Shadow replied, exhausted from the strain of the healing spell, "I (oof) need to finish this." "I can help, though!" Emerald exclaimed, "I want to help!" "Sweetie," Dusk replied, "I know you want to help, but the healing is already a massive strain on your father. It could outright kill you." "But shouldn't we at least try?" Emerald cried out, her left eye starting to glow emerald green, "I can't lose him! He's my only friend!" "I know, sweetheart," Dusk Breeze replied, "But right now, he needs your father's help." "I can't lose him!" Emerald repeated, becoming more aggravated each time, and her eye shining brighter and brighter, "I can't lose him! I can't LOSE HIM! I CAN'T LOSE HIM!" Suddenly, two identical, silver, single-edged swords with golden guards appeared in her magic, her horn covered with an emerald aura. She advanced on her parents, blinded by rage and grief. Dusk Breeze was the first to notice, and let go of Shadow Facade, quickly standing between Emerald and her husband. "Sweetheart, I don't know what you're thinking," She began, "But please set down those swords." "I can't lose him!" Emerald shouted, her eye shining with a blinding light, "So I WON'T let anyone stop me from helping him!" "Please, Emerald," Dusk pleaded, "Put down your-" She was unable to finish her statement, as Emerald swung one of her swords, beheading her. Blood flowed out of the wound like a waterfall, before her body crumbled to a pile of dust, shortly followed by her head. Emerald Shadow noticed his wife's aura flicker out, and turned around. He was too late, however, as the other sword stabbed through him. He stared at his daughter in shock, before his body turned into dust as well. Emerald rushed over to where Shadow was, and held him close, dropping her swords, which faded away into nothingness, and refocusing her magic on healing her friend. However, she could only watch as Shadow was surrounded by a golden light, before fading away. "No." Emerald choked out, the glow in her eye fading, "No, you can't go. Please, don't go." Her senses returned, Emerald turned around, and immediately started sobbing, seeing the dust of her parents. "Help!" Emerald yelled, her voice cracking, "Somepony! Anypony! Help!" She soon heard the voices of other ponies, accompanied by the sound of hooves on pavement. "Hello?" One of the voices called out from the living room, "Is somepony in here?" "I am!" Emerald replied, "I'm in the back!" She heard rapid hoofsteps approaching, before a police officer entered the room and gasped at the site. "Little one," the officer asked, "What happened here?" "It's all my fault!" Emerald replied, "I didn't mean too, but now they're dead, and he's gone!" The officer's eyes widened at Emerald's exclamation, before softening again. "Little one," he stated, "No matter what happened, it's not your fault. Now come, let us leave this place. I'll take you somewhere safe." "O-okay" Emerald whimpered, before sidling up beside the officer, and following him out of the house. Once they were outside, the officer told her to wait there, before going to talk with the other officers. After a bit of discussion, the other two officers entered the house, whilst the one that took Emerald out of the house came back. "Come, little one," the officer stated, "We have someplace to be." "Okay." Emerald replied, before asking, "By the way, what's your name?" "My name is Night Light, little one." The officer replied. "Well then, nice to meet you, Mr. Night Light!" Emerald responded, "And... thanks for helping out." "You're welcome, little one." Night Light stated, warmth in his voice.