//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: A soldier's Tale // by Firegriffin12 //------------------------------// The griffin lifted his head, looking at Ava with a confused look. “Yes, it is Grater. Do I know you?” “Er, no. I thought I remembered seeing you somewhere before.” Ava said looking away, remembering that no one here knew what she and Solid had been through, even the those who had helped them and had been their friends. Grater, who gave Ava an unconvinced look, looked back to Solid. “Seeing that your friend here knows who I am already, may I ask what yours is?” “Solid Shield.” “Well Solid, thank you for saving my little star. Is there anything I can do for you?” Before Solid could answer a paramedic came over looking at Solid and said. “Sir, if you’re ready I am going to take you to the hospital now.” “Well, if that’s the case then I hope to see you again soon Solid. I’m going to stay here and figure out what happen to start this.” Grater said and gestured to the burning building with a tad bit of malice at the end. “I will be coming by the hospital later, so I will see you again soon Solid.” “I will stay with Grater, Solid.” Ava said. “To see if I can help him find what happened.” “You are too kind, miss?” Solid asked. “Ava, Sir.” “Well miss Ava, together I’m sure we can find what has happen here.” The paramedics cast a spell around Solid was surrounded by a till blue glow of magic and was gently lifted onto a stretcher and then moved to a canvas cart with a red cross with Luner and set inside as two paramedics climbed in as well as another walked around front to get hooked up to the front and they were off. Solid looked over to one of the paramedics, a Pegasus, that was pulling out some bandages from a chest and turn back to wrap his bleeding head after giving him some painkillers while her partner, a unicorn, cast a few orbs that she was looking through them at Solid with a strange look on her face. “What?” Solid asked while looking at the unicorn. “Oh, it’s nothing serious.” She said quickly glancing at him, then added under her breath. “At least for now.” “Solid?” Solid looked over to Luner who was looking at him. “Why where you still there? In the Building I mean. Why didn’t you leave with everyone else?” Solid didn’t answer for a second, looking back up at the roof of the cart, but then said. “I… I figured that someone might have been stuck somewhere so I decided I would be a hero and stayed to help.” “That’s a nice story.” Luner said. “Now what’s the real one?” “It's not something I would like to talk about.” There was a pause as the paramedics continue their work before Luner said. “Fine, but at some point I want to know.” After a bit the cart stopped and Solid and Luner where encased by magic and taken out of the cart revealing the outside of the hospital and was taken inside. They were both taken to a room with two beds and after they both where settled one of the doctors came in. The doctor was a unicorn had a tan fur was reading a note pad while another hovered in his magic behind him as he walked in the room then looked up at his newest patients. “Hello you two I’m doctor Term, and I have some good news and bad news for both of you.” He said while putting on a smile. “What’s the good news doctor?” Luner asked. “Well both of you sustained mostly superficial burns and, with some treatment, you should be recovered from them in about a day.” “And the bad news?” Solid asked. The Dr. Term smile faltered for a second then turned to Luner. “Your leg was fractured in two spots, one clean and the other incomplete. But we expect you to make a full recovery.” Then Term looked over at Solid next. “For you, sir, the biggest injury you sustained was a hit to the head, with caused a minor concussion, and you have a bad case of magical burnout. We will get you something for the pain.” Solid nodded as the doctor finished. He had felt a bit of throbbing in his horn but hadn’t paid it much mind. Normal magical burnout would feel much worse and keep unicorns from being able to cast any spells, but Solid, like many Solders, had spells cast over him that helped or blocked intense pain from hindering him. But the doctors here wouldn’t know that. “Thank you doc, but I should be fine.” Solid said giving a small smile. “There is one more thing, sir.” Term said as he looked back at his notes. “We also found pocket of magical energy and strange growths throughout your body. It looks like it was caused from poor use of magic and healing potions, but I can’t think of what would cause this. I would like to run some tests if that is okay with you.” Solid felt his heart sink. He had heard about this before from others soldier, they called it Healing Death. It was believed it was caused by healing spells cast improperly and exposure to elements that littered the battlefield. It would first cause growth of small tumors that would go unnoticed by most due to pain inhibiter spells, then it would have a draining effect, both magical and physical, on the poor soul that was afflicted, and the growths would become more and more obvious, leaving some with horrible bulges on their bodes. There where ways that solders with Healing Death could be treated but it was only effective if it was found early but in most causes by the time it was found it was too late to help or there was no way they could receive the surgeries that where needed, for the injured and dying came first. Unfortunately, Healing Death was, left untreated, always fatal but there was a small positive to it, solders would experience regenerative abilities for smaller injury. “You… Know some something about this don’t you?” Dr. Term asked. Solid looked up at Dr. Term and Luner, both of them looking at him. Solid just sat there cursing his luck for this horrible day. First he had a falling out with his dad over Ava, then he almost dies in a fire, and now he learns that he, more than likely, had a terminal illness. Solid walk through one of the trench lines when he saw an earth pony with lavender fur and one of her eyes nearly covered up by a mass on her face. She was holding up a photo in her hoof that was covered in similar lumps like on her face. “I’m so sorry.” She said to herself, a tear running down her face. “I'm so sorry mom and dad. I’m not coming home… I… I hope you get my letter.” Then she pulled out her side arm with her other hoof and, before Solid knew what was happing, brought it to her head and pulled the trigger. BANG And the earth pony fell to the ground, blood spilling from her now lifeless, lumpy, corpse on the ground with blood covering the photo of herself with her parents when she was foil, all of them smiling as they sat out in a lush green field colorful flowers all around them with ‘Come home soon our little flower’ written in the corner. Suddenly there was a light in Solid’s eyes that causes him to blink and waved his hoof to get the light out of his eyes, revealing Term standing in front of him with glowing light in his magical grasp. “Sir, Solid, was it? Are you feeling alright? You where unresponsive for a second.” “I’m fine.” Solid lied to himself. Dr. Term gave him an unbelieving look and then asked. “Would you let me do some test to make sure it is nothing?” “I doubt it well help you understand but you may do what you want.” Solid sighed. Term casted another spell in front of Solid and stood there for a minute before casting another spell, this one felt like his brain was buzzing, then steeped back. “It looks like something has seriously messed with your head. Have you had any run ins with powerful magic or artifacts in your past?” “I have.” “And do you know if any of it was Dark magic in origin?” Solid entered the Cantrlot’s castle’s throne room. It was dark with green flames torches burning and, looking out the windows, dark clouds swirled outside obscured the city, making the castle seem to be in a void. Then he heard laughter, but not the joyful laughter but more of a crackle, coming from the throne I the middle of the room and when he looked, he saw the one responsible for everything. The one that had started this war. The one that had to die to end this war. “Well, I see you have finely arrived, Solid Shield.” Solid reached for his sidearm but found that his holster was missing it and when he looked all of his weapons were missing. So, he looked back up at the pony on the throne of Equestria that did not belong. His dark gray and black fur and red tipped horn making him seem more imposing with his battle gear on. Then he looked down at him and asked. “Tell me Solid. Do you remember who I am?” Solid looked at the dark unicorn confused. “Uh, yes. You are Sombra.” “King Sombra, but you are close enough. Tell me, do you know where you are?” “In the Cantrlot castle?” “Not quite right. We are in your head. I took just took this plaice so we could finally meet. Face to face so to speak.” “What?” Sombra got up from the throne and walked over to Solid saying. “I have come to have a problem. If what I have seen from your memories is right, then I am dead and Equestria has plummeted into chaos, but now we are in a new world. Your world.” Solid stepped back from Sombra as he took In what he was saying. Then gathering his courage stepped towards Sombra, with a snarl on his face. “If you think for one second that I would help you take over my world then you are sadly mistaken. I spent three whole years fighting to stop you. Why would I help you try and take my home after all that?” Sombra simply just smiled at him. “I could make you stronger and help you recover from you affliction. I simply ask that you consider letting me help you. After all, if you die, who knows what will happen to me?” “Hopefully get sent straight to Tartarus where blights like you belong.” Solid said, watching Sombra for a moment he didn’t seem to be watching. Then Sombra turned and looked out the window and sighed. “Perhaps I will. But for now, if you ever change your mind I will know.” Then Solid jumped forward to grab the unicorn. A few minutes earlier Luner watch as the Dr. Term was talking to Solid, trying to judge the Cyan colored unicorn who had saved her life. He seemed to have some dark past that he was trying to keep hidden. He also didn’t seem to react to the burns like a pony would when they were messed with by the griffin that had grabbed him and, seemingly unnoticed by Solid, cut him slightly on with her claws while they embraced. Then there was the reaction he had when the doc told him about the strange results on the scans, they had taken of him. He seemed to already know what the doctor was talking about while the doctor didn’t know what it was, and it seemed to worry him. But what was the stranger thing was what happened right after the doctor asked him if he already knew about what was afflicting him. Solid seemed to tense up and his eyes glazed over and stopped responding to the Term and anything else. “Sir? Mister shield?” Dr. Tram asked pulling out a small tool with a light on it and when he didn’t respond Term placed his hoof on Solids head to hold his eyes open and flashed the light in his eyes. Solid suddenly jerked a bit and then waved his hoof in front of his face towards the light trying to get the light out of his eyes. “Sir, Solid, was it? Are you feeling alright? You where unresponsive for a second.” Term asked as Solid seemed to get his bearings on the room again. “I’m fine.” Solid said, looking more like he was trying to convince himself then the Doctor. Dr. Term gave him an unbelieving look and then asked. “Would you let me do some test to make sure it is nothing?” “I doubt it well help you understand but you may do what you want.” Solid said giving a sighed. Term casted another spell in front of Solid as he laid there for a minute before casting another spell, but Luner had started to get lost in thought. Why did Solid act like that? What was going on with him? And why did she care so much about what was going on with him? Luner’s adopted father, Grater, always talked about how they should always pay back their debts to others, but this felt different to her and she didn’t know why. She did know that when he looked at her she felt something in her gut. “Sir? Sir can you hear me?” Dr. Term tore Luner from her thoughts as he tried to get Solid’s attention and when Luner looked he could see the Solid’s eyes had glazed over again and tensed up again but this time he was mumbling to himself too quietly to hear but Luner could see his mouth moving like he was talking. Dr. Term quickly walked over to the door and opend it and called out. “Can I have a hand over here?” then shut the door and came back to Solid and started to cast another spell as he walked. As he did something with his spell Luner asked. “Doctor what’s going on with him?” Term turned to look at her and put on a smile but still had a concerned look on his face and said. “Don’t worry ma’am we will make sure that he is just fin- “ The doctor never managed to finish his sentence as Solid, with a howl of rage, jumped from the bed with striking speed with his horn glowing light green with magic as he grabbed Dr. Term’s neck and put him in a head lock pulling him back and knocking the Doctor down, slamming both of them into a desk next to the bed. Luner watched in horror as Term started to turn blue from the lack of air and she quickly tried to get up to come to the doctor’s aid, but as soon as she placed any weight on her back leg she yelped in pain and lean against the bed to keep herself from falling to the ground. Then she called out at Solid. “Solid! Stop! What are you doing?!” but he didn’t even acknowledge her. Luner realized she wouldn’t be any help to the doctor and Solid seemed to be blind with rage so she quickly looked over the room to try and find something she could use to help. Then she saw the clipboard the doctor had had with him. She quickly picked it up and throw it at Solid, hitting him right on the noise, witch caused Solid to blink in surprise and, just for a moment, loosen his grip on Term. Term, not wasting a moment quickly took a breath and smacked Solid in the gut forcing the breath out of him and Term then jumped up as Solid recovered and, lighting his horn with magic, sent a telekinetic wave into Solid and sent him flying into a wall. CRACK! The sickening sound filled the room as Solid hit the wall and then slide down it, leaving a deep imprint where he had hit. Solid laid limp for a second and Luner started to worry that he was dead as Term stood by her but then Solid started to move and get back up. The left side of his barrel seeming to be crushed inward and his left leg was bent in a place that it shouldn’t have been but still stood on it and didn’t seem to notice it as he turned to look at Luner and Term. Luner could see the rage in his eyes quickly become confusion as he looked at them, especially at Term. “y-you’re not Som… you’re not him.” Solid said, then looked to his left leg and side then back at the both of them. “It would look like I have a few broken bones now doc.” Then the door opened behind them, and a nurse said. “Dr. Term? You said you need… Oh my sweet Celestia! What happened here?!” “Oh.” Solid said feeling the back of his head with his not broken hoof, still standing on the broken one. “I do think that this is my fault.” As he finished talking, he pulled his hoof away from the back of his head and looked at it, blood was covering it. “Hah, would you look at that.” He said and looked up to Term. “You hit pretty hard for a doctor.” Then Solid started to cough and gasp as he tried to breath. Then blood started to run from his mouth and then fell to the floor.