//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Off to a bad note // Story: Down the Darkened Path // by Shawn820 //------------------------------// Down the Darkened Path      Chapter 1          Off to a bad note “I do not wish to seem rude but, may I question where I will be staying? I have built my own home in the past, I could do it again if necessary.” I wanted to know now rather than go out and know nothing of where I stay. Celestia did not even take a minute to respond, “We thought of that beforehand, and decided from what Clarity has told us about you, you will be able to go to the town of Ponyville. It is a nice small town.” I nodded, “I do enjoy a peaceful town, just like Gardavia.” Everypony in the room tilted their head in confusion. Applejack, as my memory puts, was the first to speak up. “Gar-what now?” I chuckled, “Pardon me, I forgot you all don’t know of the town. Gardavia was a town I built with a group of people by my side, after the fall of Olvin, the western continent of my world, We fled to the eastern lands of Yalin where we built that town. After building the town I was asked to run it, they thought I was capable of doing it, I refused.” “Why did you do that?” A lavender mare spoke from the group, Twilight, as I remember. I shook my head, “There was someone who would be better at it than me, I did not like having people turn to me in times of need, for I fear I would let them down. Like I already have...” “What was that sugarcube?” I shook my head once more, “Oh, sorry, it was nothing. But, now that I think about it, I now know of the town I will be staying at but, what of the place?” Twilight spoke up once more, “Well, you could stay with one of us, uh... Some of us...” She said while looking to Rainbow Dash. She scratched the back of her head, “Hey, it’s not my fault that my house is made of clouds... Or, well, it is...” I hummed in curiosity, “A house of clouds. That sounds very unique. The abillity to just take down a wall of the place and build a new room with ease. It is much easier tha-” I was cut off by a loud low toned chuckle. No... Not here, please let me have misheard... “What’s this? Celestia, Luna, the elements, and... you.” My blood felt frozen, I know this voice, he was the first to go... The Demon of Chaos. The voice chuckled again. “Oh please, just because I am knownby that name in another world does not mean that I am named that here.” Some... Creature appeared right before my eyes. “I am-” “Discord!” Celestia cut him off. Discord humphed in return, “Yes, thank you Soooo much for cutting me off.” He pointed a finger at me, slowly getting closer, “You, you're not supposed to be here. How did you get here?” “I died getting rid of you and your brothers from my world.” I said while grabbing my chest, I can feel what he is doing... Please, not again... “Aww well thats no fun is it? Just killing us off. Well tah tah, I have some excellent chaos to play with.” he said while snapping his fingers. Celestia took charge quickly, “Quick we must go to the elements.” They began to run off but I had not moved, Celestia turned back to me. “Are you not coming, Rick?” I shook my hand dismissively, still holding my chest. “You go on ahead, I have no real use, I don’t think I can use the elements anyways.” I chuckled. “Alright then, come on, lets go.” Celestia left with her sister and the element bearers, and the laughing began. “Oh I KNEW that you were going to let them go on without you!” I flipped around to face ‘Discord’ his smile still on his face, I was still holding my chest as my heart rate has doubled. “They don’t know do they?” he said “Know what?” He pointed to my chest in which I was holding. “Your past.” I snarled, “My past has been put to rest, demon.” he began to chuckle. “Oh, man. Thats rich, you think that you can stop my brothers gift!” within a second, he was in my face and grabbed my throat, lifting me into the air. “Let me help bring the gift back.” The mane six, Celestia and Luna rushed back into the room to see Discord dropping Rick. Twilight was fast to respond, “Quick, now!” she yelled while firing the magic. Discord was caught off guard, I thought I would have more time! The magic sealed him in stone once more as he dropped to the ground near Rick. Rick was on his knees, just sitting there. Celestia was trotting quickly towards him, “Rick, are you alright?” As she got closer she heard something coming from him, Laughter. “Hehehah, Hahahah....” “Rick...?” His laughter picked up as he slowly stood. “HahahehhAHAHAHAHAHAHAH” he was twitching all around. Celestia slowly began to back away, “Rick? What are you doing?” Rick turned towards Celestia and what she saw scared her. His eyes were black, the veins around his eyes bled black. He slowly began to speak and his voice was that of two. “Hehehheahah... Sorry Celestia... Rick is a little... Distant.” Rick winced, his eyes returning to normal. He clutched his head in pain. “Gaaaah! Get out!” Luna was the first to speak, “Rick, what is going on?” He bounded his eyes shut. “Aaaaaah! The demons essence- Gaaaaah! Its trying to resurface!” yelling he was stumbling around crashing into the walls. His hands began to burn with a black fire like aura. Twilight was thinking the situation through. “Would the elements help? We have them.” Celestia looked to her. “Thats perfect, it should work and return his harmony.” They began to charge their power as they prepared the shot, eyes glowing and the elements shining away, a ray of its power launched to Rick and in a bright light it faded. To a shield that Rick raised, the shield as black as the aura. “Heheh hahah... You're gonna have to work harder for that to work.” Rick was hit in his side by what seemed to be a fireball. He turned his head to the right to see Celestia standing there, horn glowing. “Oh now, Celestia. You really think you can take me on?” “I can and will. But what demon are you?” “Oh, of course none of you would know... I am IηṧαᾔїTƴ” Celestia’s eyes shrunk. Of course the last one would want revenge... “Well come on then! ฿яїᾔℊ їT øη!” He yelled in a corrupted tone, taunting her. Rick is still in there... I can’t win this fight. The gods trusted me with him, they asked me to keep him safe... Celestia smiled a bit, Good thing I don’t need to fight. “Twilight now!” The corrupted form of Rick turned to his right and immediately got hit in the chest by a fury of magic. The Elements to be precise. After the fury of color was gone, all that was left was Rick laying on the floor. They looked him over to see if he was alright. Sure enough, he was. “Jus’ what in tarnation was that?” I was afraid of this... He activated the essence... “Jus’ what in tarnation was that?” I slowly began to get up, “That, was something, I wanted to be hidden forever.” Twilight spoke up from the rest. “What was it though?” “A demons essence. Burned into my soul he left a strand of himself. Laughing, taunting, you name it... I sealed it off once, and I hoped to never do it again. I can still feel it there, as with you Luna.” “What does thou mean?” I turned to face her, “Nightmare Moon, or should I say Greed. You were fine, and you are now as well. Greed used you, you wanted more to see your night, the Demon of Greed thought you were a perfect target.” I shook my head, “You were purged of Greeds touch by the elements, it seems it can not be brought back but it left the scar. Me on the other hand, can not have it removed.” “Wouldn’t the Elements work on you as well?” Luna asked. I chuckled a bit. “I can still feel it, it’s a curse but at the same time, I can tell who has an untainted soul.” I shook my head, “Lets just leave it at that. If you have any questions, small might I add, ask now before it gets too late.” Twilight must have been prepared for she was within a second already speaking, “Can you use magic as well?” I looked to my gloved hands, well, mostly gloved. They’re fingerless gloves. “A bit, but magic isn’t my field, sure, I know a lot about it, but I do not hold the power to hold them for long.” “What’s one of the things you can do?” I looked over to Celestia, “You’re very strong with magic right?” She nodded, “Are you sure?” “I can handle it, when I ask you to, shoot something strong at me, not too strong though.” I raised my hands to chest level, “Now!” She fired something at me and I pulled forth what I know, blocking the blast from the spell. The blast hit the shield and vanished without a trace, and then I dropped to my knees. “Rick, are you alright?” Celestia was right next to me. “Yeah, just took the wind out of me. I can use powerful magic but the stronger it is the less time I can hold it. That, right there was a Void Shield. Powerful but drains me terribly. The impact is absorbed, thus, removed from the field.” Rainbow Dash finally spoke up from the rest. “That was pretty cool.” I raised a brow to this, “What does the temperature have to do with this?” Upon saying this, a wave of hoofs met their foreheads. Luna seemed just as confused as I was to this because she asked as well, “That is true, What does temperature have to do with his magic?” I shrugged, “Perhaps we will learn later...” Celestia shook her head, “Never mind that. It is starting to get late in the day, so perhaps you can head to Ponyville now, get some rest.” I began to ponder, “So, how will we get there?” Celestia smiled, “The Royal Chariot of course.” “So we are going to go across the land? Ponyville is just down this mountain if you showed me correctly, but even then the roads are pretty long.” I felt an elbow in my hip, looking over I see Twilight pointing towards an open door leading outside. I raised a brow and took a look outside, and it was a chariot alright, but it was going to be pulled by Pegasi. “Oh...” Hey everyone, again its me Shawn820, the terrible writer that you somehow enjoy this story from. No seriously, I should write better. Anyways, Just saying that the chapters hold no schedule so please don't yell at me. I am writing this to hold off my other story because of the fact I am struggling it with, but this I can write with ease. Enjoy this next piece of work!