Shroud of darkness

by LeTriggs


Chapter 8

Preparations

Twilight and her friends were woken with a sudden splash of cold water making them all jump up in shock. Fluttershy dived behind a rock and began trembling, Pinkie merely looked at the ground still with a solemn look on her face. Rarity was the first to say anything to Stargazer who had summoned the water to land on them a slight grin on his face.

“My hair! Why would you do such a thing?” The other three looked at him clearly annoyed with his actions.

“Hey what’s the big idea!?” Rainbow flew straight towards the smirking pony then turned to get Fluttershy out from behind the rock.

“I told you that you would be up early we got allot to get done today.” Twilight remembered him telling them of his plan to train them all before telling them the story of his life before and during the war he had waged alongside Celestia and Luna against Discord. She had tried to pry a little more out of him but he refused to say anything more than when he had come up with the idea of building Canterlot in its current location. He brought them outside of the cave and lined them up the way an army instructor would speak to his subordinates.

“Right then today you are all gonna learn how to work as a unit. Equestria is now a dangerous place and you are gonna have to work together to survive. I can’t lead you around all the time, like I said the other night once I get you to Haven I am going my own way.” He walked to Twilight first telling her to go and practice the focusing technique that he told her the night before to which she nodded and began channelling magic firing bolts at different pieces of rock. He moved to Applejack who tipped her Stetson at him to which he replied quickly gauging her.

“Hmm you look pretty strong. Wanna learn how to fight hoof to hoof?” She jumped up at the prospect.

“Yeah I wanna fight! That Nightmare thingy is gonna need a start running with me after ‘im.” He smiled at the prospect happy that she was eager to accept his help.

“Right then get over there and start warming up I’ll be along in a minute.” She did as was told and moved over stretching up every muscle in her body. He next spoke to Rainbow Dash who was already eager to show him what she could do.

“So what is it you can do hmm? You don’t exactly look tough” He inspected her trying to make an assumption before she spoke up.

“I am the fastest flyer in Equestria! That! Is what I do buddy.” She spoke in her usual confident attitude mixed with a hint of detest getting a quizzical look from Stargazer before turning to a smug grin.

“Care to put that to the test? Simple race from here to that cloud.” He pointed to a cloud that wasn’t too far to which she nodded her face turning into a look of determined pride. They moved to the edge of the cliff, Rainbow Dash taking a stance ready to take off and Star merely standing as normal. He counted down from three to signal the start of the race. As soon as he said go Rainbow took off with everything she had but her grin turned to a look of horror as Stargazer blasted past her and landed on the cloud before she was even halfway. She reached the cloud a few seconds later exhausted and collapsed in front of Stargazer looking up to see him un-phased from the force he exerted.

“I think that makes you the second fastest flyer huh?” His usual cold exterior seemed to break as he mocked her.

“How? Nopony is faster than me! Not one.”

“These wings aren’t just for show Dash. I think I can teach you to be pretty agile in the air but speed is gonna have to be something you are gonna have to work on yourself I’m afraid.” They went back to the cliff where the others were waiting where Rainbow began regaining her breath. He moved through the other three ponies asking them about their skills and giving them something to do. He gave Rarity the task of learning to fire long distance spells using her keen seamstress eyes to be able to see things from a distance the others couldn’t. He tried talking to Pinkie but she didn’t reply to him eventually causing Fluttershy to speak up telling him of the pink mare’s amazing speed that rivalled Rainbow’s. He then said to Fluttershy that she could get some medical training on top of her basic first aid skills she had learnt.

He stood in front of Applejack who was eager to fight. He told her to go one on one against him at first to which she had charged him and had been subsequently knocked over and pinned to the ground.

“You need to think through your movements anticipate what your enemy can do. Be unpredictable make every move have purpose you are visibly strong so they are gonna be watching you carefully.” He showed her a few different moves then pointed her to a tree that he told her to practice her newly learnt moves on.

He then walked to Rainbow who was getting impatient with him. He told her to take off and started firing small bolts of lightning at her making her yelp and start flipping over the bolts and dodging them. After a few seconds a bolt hit her making her slam into the ground and cut her leg.

“Well then Fluttershy can’t get a better time for some training. Come here and start cleaning this wound then bandage it.” She wandered out of the cave mouth with a small cup of water and a piece of cloth that Stargazer had pulled out from his magical store. She moved over to Rainbow who was lying down her injured leg outstretched. Fluttershy poured the water over the cut causing Rainbow to wince then quickly wrapped the bandage round putting her experience of helping animals to good use.

“There you go Rainbow it should be better in a few days.” She smiled then nuzzled the mare who immediately blushed still in the presence of the Alicorn.

“Okay that’s good enough for today girls. I think we all need to get some rest.” They hadn’t realised that the sun was already setting and how tired they were and as such went inside and collapsed falling asleep instantly.

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The next day they all woke of their own accord just after Stargazer which made them feel relieved not to have water thrown on them again.

“Right you know the drill I’ll be coming round and helping each of you out again just keep up the work. He decided that he would work with Rarity first. Walking up next to her firing a magical bolt at a rock on the other side of the cliff they were on. He levitated a small stone up and made it hover about a mile away from them still emitting a slight glow making it visible in the sky.

“Hit that rock. Remember to take your time. That’s the most important thing” She laid down and focused her eyes on the rock. When she was sure she had aimed right she fired a small bolt that sailed past the rock.

“Too fast dear you need to take your time. In a position like yours you will have all the time to get your target.” She nodded to him and took aim once again.

“Take your time……..you have all the time in the world. Just take. Your.” She fired and the bolt skimmed the rock but didn’t hit it. She looked down annoyed that she couldn’t hit a small rock.

“Too soon again but better. Keep up the work.” He headed off to Twilight who knocked herself over as she fired a supercharged ball of fire through a rock. He helped her up then took a moment to explain to her what to do.

“You’re not focusing, you are casting the spell and that is why it isn’t coming out strong.”

“What do you mean I have to cast a spell or nothing will happen!” She was clearly aggravated at not being able to pull off the strength of spell that Stargazer had shown her two days earlier.

“Trust me just channel the magic and focus on it without casting a spell. Your body will bring it forth in a way best suited for you. Now try it again.” She stood in front of the rock got herself into the stance she was perfecting, she looked at the ground and then took a deep breath. She cleared her mind of all thoughts and began focusing on her magical energy feeling it building inside of her. Her mane started lifting up in an unnatural wind that was spiralling around her making the others turn their gaze to her watching the event unfolding in front of them. She brought her body forward and let all the magic out of her. It blasted out of her as pure untamed magic blasting towards the rock tearing through the ground and vaporising the stone that she had been aiming at. She stumbled back slightly but then looked at her work and started leaping in joy proud that she had been able to perform the feat. Her friends rushed over to her apart from pinkie and began cheering. She looked to Stargazer who merely nodded with a smile on his face.

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Over the next few days they went through the same process of him training them in their ways helping them improve steadily but always with pinkie being left out until three days later when Stargazer had an idea.

“Pinkie come out here. You’re fast right?” She didn’t answer but kept looking at the floor.

“I want you to hit me. Got that?” She stood and looked at him indicating that she understood. He stood away from her and took up a stance ready for a fight. She moved forward fast and jumped over his hoof as he swung at her trying to get round behind him but he anticipated the move and grabbed her out of the air pinning her to the ground. She winced as he put a slight amount of pressure on her leaning down to whisper in her ear.

“You are weak! Your movements are plastered out for everything to see be unpredictable use what you have to your advantage. Use your anger, use your sadness, use everything you have at your disposal. And above all else pull yourself together!” He let go of her then Shouted at the pink mare.

“Again!” They repeated this process for most of the day with Pinkie moving getting pinned having a hurtful comment then being told to do it all over again. The others were watching the Alicorn break down their pink friend bit by bit shocked at what he was doing. After sometime of the process repeating itself it was sundown.

“You are pathetic! I’ve seen better from little fillies! You think you can protect yourself from the creatures out there?! You think you can save those you love?! Because you can’t! They are going to die all because of you!” Hearing this sent her into a blind rage she lunged at him, he dodged out of the way but she was already behind him. She kicked his legs out from under him knocking Stargazer to the ground she then pinned him there with her hooves on his neck choking him ready to snap it. She was screaming through tears letting everything that had built up on him. The others leapt forward and dragged Pinkie away thrashing and screaming all the while. Stargazer looked up at her and gave a dark smile.

“Perfect.” His voice sounded different, it was dark almost happy that she had tried to kill him.

“How is this perfect!? That you pushed her too far? That you know how to make her angry? Or that you got to spend a day bullying her?” Twilight looked at him angrily which he shrugged off continuing with his sentence and answering her question in one.

“You are all as ready as I can get you for the journey to Haven. You lot best get some rest, we are leaving tomorrow.”

“Wait I thought that this place was safe?” Twilight stared at him trying to break through his defences.

“I’ve seen a few of those….urmm…I guess Shades would be the best name for them lurking around at the southern side of the mountain. That’s why I had to push you so hard today Pinkie.” He looked at her apologetically but then snapped his look back to being serious.

“So we are gonna head out tomorrow for Haven hopefully we won’t be found on the way but just be ready to fight. They moved into the cave that they had come accustom to living in over the past five days and settled down to rest before their long journey.

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Nightmare walked through the Canterlot gardens in the dead of night. He looked all around him at the bodies of the ponies that had been slaughtered in his attack. His twisted grin not once faltering, he loved the sight of death it always made him smile especially when it was the death of a pony. He turned his gaze away from the floor and toward his destination. The statue of Discord.

He stood in front of the Draconnequus focusing his gaze as it cracked in his presence. The cracks moved throughout the stone and eventually criss-crossing and meeting each other causing the statue to splinter as Discord stood free once more stretching his limbs out before noticing the pony standing before him.

“Master. You’re back?” Discord stammered his shock at seeing Nightmare before him. He bowed to the creature that took no notice to the act of curtsy.

“Yes I am Discord. I had to come back because you failed me. Twice.” The words flew out of Nightmare’s mouth like smoke moving through air. Hitting Discord’s ears making him flinch guessing what would happen to him.

“I don’t take kindly to failure Discord. You have caused me to accelerate my plans ahead of schedule.” His eyes had narrowed piercing Discord’s soul. He moved forwards and touched his horn against the Draconnequus’ chest making him scream in pain echoing over the castle grounds. Nightmare pulled his horn away as a block orb the same as his marks came out of Discord and went into the creature making him writhe in pleasure for the moment.

Discord’s eyes opened, they had changed from their yellow outside with red irises to a normal white and emerald green. He let out a laboured breath sucking in as much oxygen as he could then turned to face Nightmare the fear growing within him.

“You….no. You can’t be” Discord’s voice was of pure terror staring at the creature before him. Nightmare shot his eyes open and launched him across the gardens into the giant hedge maze. Landing with a painful grunt Discord looked around panicked trying to think of an escape from Nightmare. No matter where he ran at this moment the creature would catch up in seconds. He had one small chance and prayed it would work. He snapped his fingers and vanished in a flash of magic as Nightmare appeared in front of him appearing out of a puff of black smoke ready to tear the Draconnequus asunder. Nightmare stared at the scorched ground where Discord had teleported from and chuckled to himself.