"So long Los Angeles, it has been fun," Star called out as the light from his warp consumed us all with the final sight being a nightclub filled with astonished looking party members. The light from Star's warp lasted a little longer than it usually does, but it might be due to the long distant travel. However though, during the journey of Star's travel through the spaces of spaces, I felt a pull on my left arm that is holding onto Shadow's shoulder.
But before I can understand what I felt, the light around us disappeared and I was suddenly thrown forward onto a grassy field that was about three feet below, oh this is going to hurt. I hit the ground and skipped off it and started rolling across it, spreading dirt and grass and throughout the air as my metal wings cut into the ground and kicking it upwards.
I suddenly came to an abrupt painful stop as both of my wings stabbed into the ground, with my head resting over an edge of a steep hill. I looked down the hill and saw bushes, rocks, and ditches. I couldn't be sure due to the lighting of the moon and with me looking at it upside-down, but at the bottom of the hill it looks like that there's a mud pit with a few pigs sleeping in it, "ooh that could've ended badly," I struggled as I removed my wings from the ground, but eventually got them free.
I made my way back to the landing site that Star's wormhole dumped me off by following the trail of destroyed landscape I made as the illumination from the moon lit up the night. I soon found the others, recovering from their own landings from Star's warping. "Hey Star," I called out to Star that was heavily panting on the ground, "what was all that about?" I annoyingly asked him as I shook some clumps of dirt from my wings.
"I don't know," Star wheezed from the ground, "but I think that's how a long distance warp is," he tried to get up from the ground, but failed as he flopped back down on the ground, "oh jeez, that warp took a lot out of me."
"Well of course, you warped us across hundreds of miles with three other ponies along for the ride, "Shining said as he walked up us, holding his head, "but do you think you could've made our landing a bit… safer?"
"Hey it is just like you said," Star said as he glanced over to Shining, "I warped us across hundreds of miles, while carrying three other ponies along for the ride, it's a miracle that we even got this close to Ponyville," he looked upwards and we followed his gaze and sure enough, the small town is within trotting distance and with a faint glow coming from the nomadic deer tribe that is located a miles to our left. He looked back at us and glanced around as best as he could and an eyebrow rose, "hey where's Shadow?"
We all then looked around and I was the first to spot the black Pegasus lying a little away from our small group. "Found him," I called as I walked over to Shadow and pushed him onto his back and saw that he's out cold, "um Star, you better hope that Shadow's a forgiving pony."
"Why?"
"Because he's out cold," I answered as I patted a cheek of Shadow's, trying to stir him awake but I didn't get a reaction from him, "really out cold," I corrected.
"Oh crap," Star said as he tried to roll over, but once again failed, "I hope that Fluttershy doesn't give me the Stare for this."
"What's the Stare?" Shining asked.
"The Stare is an ability that Fluttershy has," I answered him as I knelt down next to Shadow, slid a wing underneath him and then flipped the unconscious pony onto my back, "she sometimes uses to calm out of control animals," I explained as I made my way back to the others.
"That's pretty useful for an animal caretaker."
"It's pretty useful in dire situations as well," Star added, "she got into a staring contest with a cockatrice and won with it."
Shining let out a whistle at that, "that's impressive."
"Do you know what would be even more impressive?" Star suggested to Shining.
"What?"
"You flipping me onto my back," Star replied.
"What? Why?" Shining asked clearly confused by Star's request.
"Because I want you to give me a back massage," Star sarcastically responded, "no, it's because I need to spread my wings and I can't do that if I'm on my back."
"Why do you need to spread your wings Star?" I asked him as I carefully set Shadow on the ground.
"I have a couple of reasons," Star stated, "one: I think I landed on my wings all wrong and it is starting to get really uncomfortable, two; it's nighttime, so that means that my embodiment is out and about in the sky right now, in fact you can see it right now," he motioned upwards and we all followed where's motioning at and only saw a night sky filled with stars.
"Um, I can't tell which star is yours Star," Shining confessed as he looked back at Star.
"Can you see the north star?" Star questioned, compelling me and Shining to look back up to the sky, "well if you'll look down from that star, you will find a lone star that's in a starless patch of night sky," I followed his directions and sure enough, there's a bright star with no other stars within its ranges.
"Okay, I see it," I confirmed and then looked back at Star, "so what does it mean?"
"It means Aceiro that I can get energy from it," Star stated," but I have to be careful, because in a lesson, Luna said that if I take too much energy from the cosmos, there's going to be a heavy price to be paid for it."
"So why do you need energy then?" I asked him.
"So I can get this guy back home," he replied as he weakly pointed at the unicorn captain.
"Hold on here, Princess Luna is giving you lessons, on what?" Shining questioned, "And since when?"
Star looked over towards Shining, "she's giving me lesson on how to control my star here and there ever since the Nightmare incident here in Ponyville," he answered as he shifting around, "now can you push me over? It is starting to get uncomfortable lying on my back here."
"Oh right sorry," Shining's horn glowed a pink red of his aura, which Star was then soon enveloped in, Shining then motioned his head upwards and Star rolled over onto his stomach.
"Thanks," Star thanked him as he opened and spread out his wings. I heard him starting to whisper under his breath and all of a sudden, the air starting to feel like it is energizing, making my fur stand up on end. "Ah there we go," Star declared as he weakly got up from the ground, although he was a bit shaky as he raised his goggles onto his forehead.
"What just happened?" Shining asked confused as his fur started to settle back down, "what was that energy surge?"
"And what were you saying back there?" I asked him as he started to roll his shoulders and wings.
"Well Shining, that energy you just felt is a small transfer of energy from my star to me, now as for what I was saying Aceiro, it was a request," he then popped his neck, "wow, I've been trying to get rid of that crick in my neck for weeks now," he said as he rubbed his neck with a hoof.
"A request," I questioned, "for what and to whom?"
"To my star and the request is to see if it can give me enough energy for a trip to and back from Canterlot, because I couldn't just take energy from the cosmos, Princess Luna taught me that you have to ask first and let the heavens decide to give or not," Star clarified as he looked up at the stars, "apparently they said yes."
"What would happen if they said no?"
"Then Shining would have to stay here in Ponyville for the night and have to go back home to Canterlot in the morning, but not without you having to carry me back home first though, because I can't forcefully take the energy from the cosmos or there's going to be a terrible price to be paid and it's not going to be pretty," he looked at Shining, "well let's get you back home now, because I'm pretty sure that Cadence is probably starting to worry about you."
He then looked back at me, "and while I'm taking Shining home, you can take Shadow back home to Fluttershy, speaking of which how is he?" we both looked at Shadow on the ground and saw that he hasn't moved from the spot where I set him.
"Still out cold," I stated the obvious.
Star winced when I said that, "alright, you try to wake him up and then take him back home as I'm taking Shining home. We'll then meet back at my place afterwards." He lowered his goggles back over his eyes and looked back at Shining, "let's get going now, because it is getting late and I don't want to wake a powerful alicorn, and I don't want to know what a cranky goddess can do to me," he then reached out and laid a hoof on his shoulder.
Picking up the clue that Star is about to do, I closed my eyes just before the flash of Star's warp lit up the night sky. I opened my eyes and wasn't surprised to see Star and Shining gone, I turn my attention away from the spot that the two white ponies had occupied and towards Shadow. I don't even know how to even wake up a pony that's unconscious.
"Hey Shadow," I called as a neared him and nudged his shoulder, "wake up," I didn't get a response from that. I reached out both of my hooves and clapped them both on his cheeks in an attempt to wake him, as soon as both of my hooves made contact, a sudden rush of energy surged through me and Shadow's eye quickly shot open.
I was sure if it is due to the moonlight or the sudden dizziness I'm experiencing right now, but for a moment there I thought I saw his eyes had turned black. However, before I can confirm at what I am seeing, he blinked and they were now in their usually brown color. Shadow saw that I am staring at him and his expression quickly went into that of anger, "get away from me," Shadow angrily demanded as he raised his front hooves and easily shoved me, away thanks to the sudden tiredness I currently have.
When Shadow saw what he did, the anger disappeared and was quickly replaced by concern, "oh I'm terribly sorry Aceiro," Shadow apologized as he quickly got up from the ground while I tried to make sense of what just up with Shadow's sudden mood swing.
"Are you alright?" Shadow asked as he held out a hoof for me to take.
"Yeah, I am," I answered as I took the offered hoof, "but are you alright though?" I asked as he lifted me up from the ground.
"Yeah I am, why you asking?" Shadow asked with confusion now written on his face.
"Because you were just unconscious," I answered him and was rewarded with a surprised look from him.
"I was?" Shadow asked me and I nodded, "how and for how long?"
"About twenty minutes and I found you out cold after Star's long-distant warp drop us off here in the out skirts of Ponyville," I answered as I pointed at the now dark and silent town behind him, "So are you feeling alright?"
Before Shadow can answer that, Star appeared in a flash of bright light a little away from us, "alright Aceiro, I got Shining home nice and safely, now let's get Shad- oh you're finally awake Shadow," Star said as he lifted his goggles up from his eyes and onto his forehead and saw , "how are you feeling?"
"I feel fine," Shadow answered and then there was a pause, "actually I feel more than fine, I feel great," he corrected with a grin that for some reason, making me feel at unease.
"Are you positive?" Star asked as he stepped up to Shadow, concerned about his wellbeing.
"Yes I am," Shadow suddenly snapped at Star, causing him to take a few steps back away from him and me to flinch at his sudden change in mood, Shadow then realized what he just did, "s-sorry guys," Shadow apologized as he started to back away, "m-maybe I'm not feeling so well after all, I think I should go home now."
"Do you want me to take you home Shadow?" Star hesitantly asked the other Pegasus.
"No no, I-I can make it back home on my own," Shadow opposed Star's offer, "and I think I need some alone time," and with that he opened his wings and took off into the air and flew towards the Everfree Forest where Fluttershy's cottage is located at, he then shortly disappeared into the night.
"Do you think he's really alright?" Star asked as he walked up next to me while I'm staring at the direction that Shadow went.
"I don't know," I answered truthfully, "it could've been the excitement of earlier today or he could be just a little tired and just needed some sleep."
"Yeah, maybe," Star said, although his voice is filled with uncertainty that matches what I'm feeling right now.
"I hope he's feeling better in the morning."
"So do I," Star said, "well let's get home now, I'm sure that our marefriends are asleep by now and I don't want to know what an ornery time bearer can do," with that we made way across the moonlit field and back to Star's home.
…
Shadow's POV
"What's going on here," Shadow worriedly asked himself, "what's happening to me?"
Funny, that is what the earth pony sometimes says, a voice said to Shadow, causing him to suddenly lose concentration on the rhythm of his wing and to drop a few feet. He quickly regained control of flight and hovered there right at the forest treetop edge of the Everfree Forest as he looked around to find the source of the voice.
When Shadow didn't find a source for the voice, he shook his head in disbelief, "I must be getting tired, because I'm hearing voices now, I think I need to walk from here on now," he then started to glide his way towards the ground below the tree level.
He quickly landed on a dirt path that surrounds the forest and continues on his way to Fluttershy's cottage by hoof. As Shadow made his way through the forest, a small dark shape suddenly shot across the darkness of the trees just outside his field of vision, "h-hello, is something out there?" Shadow called out to where he saw the shrouded creature as he stopped in his tracks, all the while his heart is beating like that of a humming bird.
When he didn't get a response at all, Shadow cautiously takes a few steps forward, alert for any signs of danger. But when he took a few steps and nothing happened, he let out a breath of relief and picked up his pace to get to the cottage as soon as possible.
However, before he even reached a full yard, a dark object jumped out the bushes and landed in the middle of the path and in front of Shadow, which it then rushed at him causing him to let out a scream. Shadow's scream slowly died to an inaudible level when he saw what was running towards him; Angel the bunny, who is now giving Shadow a questioning look.
"Oh heh heh, it was only you Angel," Shadow clearly now embarrassed as he realized what had frightened him, Shadow kneeled down to the white mischievous bunny, "you sure gave me a fight there little guy," Shadow tiredly stated to the bunny, "but what are you doing out here?"
Angel just crossed his arms and gave him a look that Shadow understood that it wasn't his business to know, "oh right sorry, personal stuff," Shadow apologized as got up from the ground, "but while I'm going on ahead to Fluttershy's, you go and finish up whatever you were doing and get back soon, because you know how she worries when you stay out to long."
Angel just rolled his eyes and hopped away back into the bushes, leaving Shadow alone once more, "I think that bunny needs to learn not to be rude," Shadow commented as he watched the bushes in the direction that Angel went move deeper into the forest.
This is just plain pathetic, a voice called out, causing Shadow to freeze where he stood as the voice echoed around him.
"W-w-who's there?" Shadow stuttered as he looked around for the owner of the voice, but only saw that he was the only one on the path, "show yourself, please?" Shadow pleaded as he started to nervously shaking.
This is the one whom my powers had drawn to; a weak, sniveling, scared pony? Shadow heard the whispery voice said and was a bit hurt by what it said. Before Shadow can respond back, a sudden chill descended on him and he could feel it started to make itself inside of him, causing Shadow to shiver as the coldness made it to his heart and making it hard to breath, what is this? I sense that there's already a hint of my power already inside his heart, the voice said surprised, he must be one of them as well, Shadow heard the voice very close to him, and sounding amused for some reason.
"Stop it, please stop it," Shadow panicky pleaded as he shut his eyes and covered his ears to try to drone out the voice around him, "leave me alone, just leave me alone," he demanded and the felt the coldness lift away from him, causing him to weakly drop to the ground and take in deep breathes from the warm night to bring the warmth back inside him.
This is getting interesting, for I would have never thought I would find another that can fully use my power, the voice said, sounding pleased, but although, I'll have to do something about that weak personality of yours however.
"Wait what?" Shadow opened his eye when he heard the voice said that, and saw wisps of shadows starting to form around him and with the temperature dropping again, "w-w-what's going on here?" Shadow now frightened of the position he's in. The shadows drifted away from the scared Pegasus and gathered together into a form of that resembles a large creature that frightened Shadow even more, "w-who are you a-a-and what do you w-want?" he asked as he took a few steps back in preparation to flee.
"I am Entropy," the shadow answered, "and it is not what I want, it is what you're going to give me."
"And what would that be?" Shadow worriedly inquired.
"You're assistance," the shadow answered as it started to move towards him. The way the shadowy form answered and how it is moving towards him, Shadow realized that whatever "assistance" the whispery creature wanted, it wasn't for good intentions in mind. His mind was ordering his body to flee away from the creature in front of him, but Shadow found out that he couldn't move a muscle because of the fear that has control over them, "and you going to give me your assistance whether you like it or not," the shadow declared as it finally came upon the fear rooted Pegasus.
"Angel where are you?" a yellow Pegasus called out.
…
Aceiro's POV
I stood in the middle of large throne room that reminded me of the throne room back in Canterlot. As I looked around at the duplicate of the royal sisters' throne room, I noticed that the only colors were black and white, but the thing that drew my attention the most were the large windows lining up along the wall, but instead of a view of all of Equestria outside, I just saw a swirl of darkness though them.
"Okay, I'll bite, where am I this time?" I asked out loud, slightly annoyed of the odd places I find myself in.
"That is a simple question to a difficult answer," a voice called out, causing me to quickly look away from the windows and towards the back of the hall where I heard the response from and there I saw two thrones, one black while the other white. However the white throne wasn't empty, for there sat another me, wearing the white set of armor I had created from the Will Element during the final battle with Nightmare, but without the pair of metal wings at his sides, "I could answer that question, but that isn't why you're here though," the other me added as he stood up from the throne and walked down the steps and towards me.
"Who or what are you, and why do you look like me?" I shot off some questions at the duplicate as he walked right up to me.
"I am the Will Element," the other" me" greeted as he bowed, "and as for why I look like you, that's another question for another time for right now I need to warn you."
"Wait, you're the Will Element?" I said in disbelief and then I realized what the element said, "and what do mean that you need to warn me?"
"Yes I am my bearer," the Element of Will confirmed with a bow of his head and then it continues now sounding concerned for some reason, "and I must warn you of a great danger that's approaching," the element lifted his head and looked at me, "the darkness has escaped and has found another."
I stared at the spirit of the element, trying to contemplate his warning, "What the heck does that mean?" I asked aggravated when I couldn't make heads or tails of the warning.
The spirit opened his mouth and spoke, but instead of his voice coming out of his mouth, it was the voice of Fe's, "Aceiro wake up, it's time for breakfast," all of the sudden the throne room starting to fade away in light.
"What was that?" I asked the element as he starting to fade away.
The Will Element opened his mouth and once again Fe's voice came out of it, "I said, it is time for breakfast," and the world around me completely disappeared in light…
My eyes shot open and there I saw Fe standing above me with her blue eyes staring into mine, "morning sleepyhead," she greeted as a soft smile formed on her face, "your must have had a really vivid dream, because you were talking in your sleep again," she stated as she moved away from above my head when I started to get up.
"Good morning Fe," I greeted back to her, pushing the memories of the dream back as I sat up on the cot. Fe moved aside allowing me to swing my legs over the edge of the cot and pushed myself off of it and my nose was soon met by a delicious smell wafting from the direction of the kitchen, "and I see that you made breakfast again."
"Yes I did, so you better hurry and go eat it," Fe instructed as she made her way to the kitchen, "because I saw some Murphy Birds flying past the window and I don't want them to eat yours after they eat Star's," with that final note, I made my way to the kitchen.
…
"Oh wow Fe, once again you amazed me by your excellent cooking," Star said amazed as he set his fork and knife on his empty plate and patted his stomach.
"I agree as well," Arcana concurred as she wiped her lips with a napkin and then placed it on her empty plate, "hey, there has been something I have been meaning to ask you both, when are you two leaving back to Canterlot?"
"Well as luck has it, our return date is the day right after the wedding," Fe answered Arcana.
"So in two days then," Star simplified as he leaned back on his chair, "well then I hope that your next two days will be great," Star proclaimed as he righted himself and then pushed out his chair and got out of it, "and speaking of weddings, I need to go."
"Go where Star?" Arcana inquired.
"Dash came by when you were in the bathroom and asked me if I can help in cloud gathering for the wedding and I said sure," Star explained as he lowered his goggles over his eyes in preparation of his special traveling.
"Alrighty then, don't cause any trouble," Arcana requested.
"Can't make any promises," Star responded as we all shut our eyes just as he disappeared in a flash of light. We opened our eyes and there we saw the now empty spot where Star had stood.
"I guess I best be going now," Arcana said as she too got up from the table, "I still need to talk to Twilight to see if she can lend us the hot air balloon for you both," she explained as she made her way to the front door, "so you two can be at the wedding without falling through the clouds."
"Thanks Arcana," Fe thanked her for the both of us, "we really appreciate this."
"You're welcome," Arcana accepted the thanks, "well, see you two later," with that she went down the hall and we heard her opening the door, which was then followed by a large slam from the front door.
"They really need to do something about that door," I commented about their door, "somepony could get the wrong idea from that door."
"Yeah they should do something about it," Fe agreed with me as she too got up from the table and starting to clear the table of the dishes and carry them to the sink and starting washing them. After a while she spoke up without looking back at me, "so Aceiro, can you tell me what you were dreaming about?"
"Well um," not sure where to start, "well I'm not sure how to explain, but lately my dreams have been about these," Fe looked back at me as I held up my forelegs and showed her the dual markings of the polar elements, "and even though I am the bearer for these elements, I don't know much about them or their effects. And to tell you the truth Fe, I am a bit scared of the possibility of their power, especially this one," I stated as I put down my right and continue holding the left with the Entropy Element, "and of what I might do with it."
"Oh Aceiro," Fe dropped what she was doing and walked over to me and the embraced me, "even if you do know how those elements and their powers work, you would still be the same pony with the same good heart that I met and fell in love with," I immediately felt better when she said that.
"Thanks Fe. You always know how to make me feel better," I thanked her as I leaned in close to her. We held the embrace for a few minutes, until then a series of knocks rapidly knocked on the front door as if in a blind panic.
"Here, let me get that," Fe said as she broke the hug and then made her way to the front door. I heard her open the door and there I heard her starting to speak, "oh its Shadow isn't it? Is there something I could do for you?" This perked my attention and I looked towards the direction where the front door is, Shadow? What's he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be getting ready for his wedding?
"Is Aceiro here?" Shadow asked, "I desperately need his help," I noticed that he sounded scared and terrified, causing me to quickly get up from the table to hurry to the front door, where there I saw Shadow standing on the other side of the doorway, on the brink of tears.
"Shadow I'm here, what's wrong?" I asked concern.
"Y-you got to help me please," Shadow then started to cry, "You just have to."
"Calm down Shadow," I said as I walked past Fe and stepped up to him, "what is it? What do you need my help for?"
"It's Fluttershy, she has been taken," Shadow cried.
"What when?" Fe asked concerned.
"Sometime last night," Shadow said, "when I got home, I found the front door to our home has been broken down and I heard noises coming from the inside. I rushed inside and there I saw some kind of monster standing in the living room holding Fluttershy," Shadow explained as he cried some more, "it m-must have hurt her, because she wasn't moving at all."
"What?" I said in disbelief.
"I tried to get her back, but I was just like a fly to it, because all it did was knock me aside and into a wall," Shadow then started to shake his head, "I'm was too weak, because as soon as I hit the wall I was starting to lose conscious."
"But why me though?" I questioned him, "shouldn't Star and or Arcana be strong enough to handle this."
"You see Aceiro, before I was about to black out, the monster came up to me and spoke," Shadow stuttered as he dropped to his hunches, "it said that it wants the bearer of the dark and light to come and get it at the ruins of the royal sisters, alone and without the other Reality Bearers or the rest of the Harmony Element, otherwise I'm not going to see Fluttershy ever again. It then ran out of the house just as I fainted. I just woke up a few minutes ago and rushed straight here in hopes of finding you and to help me rescue her."
I looked back at Fe standing in the doorway, "Fe, I'm going to go to the Everfree Forest with Shadow to rescue Fluttershy from whatever this monster is," I said without any hesitation, "and don't worry, I'll be fine. After all, we Earth ponies are tough," I then looked back at Shadow, "alright let's get going."
"Oh thank Celestia," Shadow said relieved as he stood up.
We then started to head towards the Everfree Forest, but after about a few yards, I glanced back at Fe and called back to her, "and if Star or Arcana comes back, tell them what happened," and with that I looked back ahead as Shadow and I continue running towards the forest that contains ruins of a strange history to save his love one.
…
Ten minutes later, Shadow and I made it to the entrance of the forest and entered it without a second thought. We ran down the path that I remember Twilight and her friends had taken from the show, which then formed into a declining slope that eventually comes to a stop at the top of a cliff. Shadow unfurled his wings and jumped over the edge while I spread out mine and ran off of it, we both glided down to the ground at the bottom of the ravine and resumed on our way towards the castle ruins.
We hurriedly made our way from the base of the cliff and down the path that ran between the two cliff sides that makes up the ravine. As we neared the end of the ravine, I quickly looked around and didn't see any signs of the manticore or any others that lives here, maybe it moved on to another part of the forest, I thought as Shadow and I exited the ravine and soon entered a tunnel of trees that immediately dimmed out the sun above.
In a few minutes we made our way through the tunnel of trees and onto a bank of a calm river, I looked both up and down the river for the serpent that Rarity helped, but there's no sign of him. Shadow ran through the shallow river first with me closely following him where I heard him repetitively pleading under his breath, "please, oh please be okay Fluttershy."
We made it to the other side of the river, although now wet from the trip through the river, but we ignored that and continue down a path that looks like it had been made by a large beast or the monster that had taken Fluttershy, "don't worry Fluttershy, we're coming to save you," Shadow declared as he ran down the path.
As soon as I stepped onto the trail to follow Shadow, a sudden chill like that of a hate filled presence descended on me, causing me to stop where I stood and pause. What was that? I questioned as I looked around for what had caused that feeling, but it was gone as fast as it had appeared. I put it off and resumed following the trail that Shadow barreled down. I was soon at the start of the old bridge that is spanning across the large chasm and to the ruins of the castle that many have forgotten. I looked down the bridge and saw that Shadow is almost nearing the end of the bridge.
When Shadow made it to the other side, he looked back at me and shouted across the gorge, "hurry Aceiro, Fluttershy is probably scared and terrified out of her mind right now," and with that final note echoing in the abyss below, he turned around and rushed through the castle's wide open doors and into the castle ruins.
I hurriedly and carefully made my way across the bridge, but as soon as my right hoof stepped onto the other side, a sudden sense of wrongness made itself known in my thoughts. I looked around for anything that could cause the sense of wrongness, but I didn't know what could be out of place at a degenerating moss covered ruins. So I ignored the feeling by waving it off and made my way towards the castle.
I passed through the disintegrating entrance archway and doors and into the foyer of the palace where the sense of wrongness made itself know again, but this time stronger. I looked around the weather exposed lobby and don't see any signs of Shadow or Fluttershy, "hey Shadow, Fluttershy, where are you?" I heard my call out to the two Pegasus starting to echo around the ruins, but I didn't get a response.
"I don't like this," I whispered to myself as I cautiously made my way to the center of the ruined hall, the sun beaming through the roofless hall and onto my back, drying up the last of the damp spots from my coat. When I neared the center of the hall, I heard a faint whimpering sound as if something is crying.
I stained my ears I walked around the ruined grand hall, trying to pinpoint where the crying is coming from and found that it is coming from behind the ancient pedestal that the five of the six Elements of Harmony were first discovered. I warily made my way around the moss covered platform and what I saw behind the pedestal made me do a take back, for there lying at the base of the monument was Fluttershy, silently crying in a fitful sleep.
"Fluttershy!" I said in panic as I got over my shock and rushed to her side. I quickly checked her for any injuries, but I didn't find any physical harm on her, yet it didn't reassure me as I am still worried about what is still happening to her right now.
"Come on Fluttershy, wake up," I insisted as I patted her cheeks and didn't get a result that wasn't her crying, whimpering or both. I moved my hooves away from her cheek and towards her tear soaked eyelids and carefully opened them, and gasped as I saw that her eyes have turned from their usual cyan color to a dull gray color, and despite the fact that I have her eyes wide open, she did not stop crying or woke up from the strange state she's in.
I felt something stir in the back of my mind, causing me to shift my gaze over to the white element marking and saw that it was giving off a faint glow of white light. The glow of light grew stronger and suddenly expanded until it had incased Fluttershy in it comforting and reassuring light, I then saw her eyes returning back to normal to their natural cyan color.
Fluttershy's eyes slowly closed shut and then fell limp in my hold as whatever had control over her disappeared, what was that? I thought to the white marking, but I never got a response from it, like always, "what happened to her anyway?" I asked out loud to the air as I gently laid Fluttershy back onto the ground while her breathing returned to normal and was no longer crying or whimpering.
"She'd relived her worst fears and nightmares," a voice called out from the other side of the pedestal, answering my question and surprising me from the sudden action. I quickly made my way around the pedestal and suddenly stopped in my tracks when I saw who was standing in the center of the ruins; Shadow and there's something off about him, but I didn't give it much thought as I realized that it was him who answered my question.
"What do you mean she'd relived her fears and nightmares?" I called out from across the foyer to him, "and how did you know that she way anyway?"
"Because I'm the reason why she was reliving her worst nightmares," Shadow answered with a grin that sent a shiver down my back.
"Why would you do that to her Shadow? You love her to much to see harm done to her, especially by your own doing," I stated and his grin turned into a frown, but it quickly turned back into a grin.
"Well you see, she just happened to be there and well you see, I didn't want her ruining my plans prematurely," when he said that, the surrounding ruins around us starting to darkened and becoming colder even though Celestia's sun is shining above through the missing roof.
"As for how I did it, I had help from the element of darkness," Shadow called continued as shadows started to form and float around him, "which it is still with me," he declared as raised his left foreleg and the shadows around him converged onto it and formed into a phantom version of the Entropy Element that I wear.
All of a sudden, I remembered the warning that the spirit of Will gave me last night, making me draw my eyes away from Shadow and his shadow element and towards the black marking of the real element on my left foreleg. I focused on the marking, trying to pick up some form of feeling from it, but there was no response from it, just an empty void from it.
"And you want to know something?" Shadow called out, causing me to look away from the empty shell of the element and at him just as he started to pace in a circle around me, "I've never felt so free before now in my whole life," he clarified with another smile.
"Why are you doing this Shadow and how did the Entropy Element break free of its physical form?" I asked Shadow as I follow him with my gaze, never letting him out of my sight for any sudden actions.
"You have Star and his constant warping to thank for that," Shadow answered as he rounded my backside, "because you see here Aceiro, the Entropy element told me that Star's Space Element holds great cosmic power that weakened the dark element and thank to that final long distant warp, it was just enough for the essence of the element to break free."
"But why are you doing all of this?"
"Why this is all for you," Shadow answered as he came to a full circle and stopped in front of me, where I then noticed that we both and the ruins around us had been completely surrounded in a shadowy dome, but what Shadow said surprised me from that fact.
"What?" I said disbelieved at what the oddly acting Pegasus just said.
"Yes, all of this has been to get you out here," Shadow stated, "so we can see which of us ought to be the rightful bearer of the Element of Entropy. So arm yourself and fight," Shadow once again raised his hoof with the shadow element on it, and closed his eyes and saw his brow scrunch in concentration.
"I don't want to fight you Shadow," I called out to him just as living darkness leaked out the shadow element and starting to enshroud him, which then suddenly phased into a solid suit of armor that's black like that of mirrored obsidian that greatly shocked me from Shadow's control over the element.
"I said arm yourself," the now armored Shadow declared as he noticed that I haven't made a move.
"And I said I don't want to fight you Shadow," I countered.
"Fine, if you're not going to engage me willingly, then I will have to engage you myself," and with that he took off and flew right at me. I quickly rolled to my left and immediately felt Shadow's air current as he soared past me.
"Stop Shadow," I demanded as I rolled into a crouched position, ready for anymore aerial assaults from Shadow, "I don't want to fight, because I don't want to hurt you," I called out to Shadow just as he pulled around and hovered there in the air, looking down at me with hurtful intentions written in his eyes.
"Then you're just making this easy for me to hurt you," Shadow stated as he dived at me, forcing me dive towards me, forcing me to dive forward so I don't have to confront my friend, even in his darken state.
I jumped to my hooves and then whirled around and faced Shadow, three of him, "what the heck?" I said taken aback at three smug looking Shadows standing in front of me.
"I guess that you have never learned on how the Element of Entropy works," all three of Shadows spoke as once as they moved towards me, "it's amazing how much power this element has, even if it is in its spirit form," all three Shadows added as they took off into the air and right at me. I rolled to my left, but Shadow must have quickly caught on to my tactics, for when I was in the middle of my dodge, I felt something slam into me and disrupting my strategy.
I slid across the cracked stone floor and into one of the crumbling pillars that is lining the hall. I let out a groan as sat up and rubbed my head, "you're getting predictable Aceiro, trying the same trick for the third time, shame on you," I heard Shadow's voice coming from three different directions around me. I looked up and saw that Shadow and the other two clones had surrounded me and were closing the space between me and them.
"Please Shadow, stop this, because this isn't you," I begged as I stood up and faced the middle Shadow that I hope is the real one.
"You're wrong Aceiro…" the one of my left started, "… this has always been the real me…" the one on my right continues, "… it just has been buried deep until the Entropy Element brought it out," the final one in the middle finished what the other two started.
Something clicked in my head when Shadow said that. All of this started because of the Entropy Element got free, I thought as I contemplated what the three Shadows said just as a plan started to form in my head, and I don't like what I have to do, but I'll do it for Shadow's sake, "fine then Shadow, if you want a fight, then I'll give you one."
"About time," one Shadow proclaimed as they crouched in readiness, "now arm yourself and fight me."
I let out a breath as I lift up my right hoof and glanced down at the white marking of the Will Element, alright, time to use a lesson from Star's sessions; ask, then I closed my eyes in thought, okay, look here Will Element, I don't know your full power and frankly, I'm a little afraid of it, but I need to use your power to save my friend from the darkness that has consumed him. So please, lend me your power so that I can save my friend.
I felt a warm feeling started to spread from my raised arm and throughout my body, driving away the cold just as the warm feeling became heavy throughout my body. I opened my eyes and right at the bracer form of the Will Element and a fully armored arm along with it. I looked away from my arm and towards the rest of my body and saw that it is the same armor I had somehow made before, but with only one difference this time. The armor where the Entropy Element is located is now black like Shadow's armor instead of the pristine white it should be, but I didn't care for what it looks like now, I'm just glad that my prays have been answered, thank you, I thanked the element as I lowered my arm as I faced the three Shadows.
"So finally the real battle begins," the one on my left said.
"Yes, you're getting the fight you wanted, now bring it," I teased them all. The Shadow on my left let out a roar as he fell for my tease and leapt at me, but I ducked and swung my wings upwards, felling them clipping underneath the Shadow clone's chin and propelling him towards the one on my right, causing them both to be caught up in a jumble mess.
While the two Shadows are trying the untangle themselves, the one in the middle took off and flew towards me. He then did a quick turn and swung an armored wing at me, however I raised my right arm in defense just in time before his wing slammed into it with a force that surprised me, but I held my ground, where I then saw surprise form on his face at how I stood up to his assault.
"Shadow, this isn't you," I proclaimed, "this is all the Entropy Element's doing," in the corner of my eye, I saw that the two other clones had finally untangled themselves and are getting up. I quickly wrapped my arm around his wing and hooked it while I looked at him straight in his eyes, "so I'm going to beat it out of you so I can save you," then using as much strength I can muster, I pull him towards me and then swung him around as I pivoted on my hind legs and into the two Shadows like a baseball bat and they flew into a pillar with a resounding crack.
All of a sudden the Shadow in my grasp disappeared in a puff of shadows as well as one of the Shadow clones I slammed into the pillar, "I should've known," I said unsurprised as the shadows in my hooves faded away.
"You're going to pay for that," I heard Shadow angrily uttered. I looked up and saw Shadow flying straight right at me. He tackled me in the middle of my chest, with my armor taking the most of the force, and we flew back into the center of the hall, Shadow then starting to throw blows at me in a blind rage, but I raised both of my arms after Shadow got a few blows in. "I'm the real bearer of the element of darkness. You don't even know the full power of the element, so why do you have the honor to wear it?" Shadow yelled between his blows with my armor taking in most of the blows.
"Shadow, stop it," a familiar voice cried out to Shadow, causing him to pause in his assault on me. I saw Shadow glance over to the left and a look of bewilderment formed on his face, compelling me to look over to where he's looking at and there I saw standing in front of the ancient pedestal is Fluttershy. "Please stop it," Fluttershy begged with tears forming in her eyes, "this isn't you Shadow, so please stop."
"Fluttershy?" Shadow said, sounding unsure.
"Hey Shadow," I called out to him as I pull back my left hoof, taking advantage of his hesitation. Shadow looked down back at me with confusion still written on his face, "You want the Entropy Element? Then let's see you grit those teeth for it," I then punched him as hard as I can with the Entropy welding hoof in the face.
Just after the black bracer made contact with Shadow's face, there was a surge of darkness that absorbed the light around us and then felt Shadow's form disappear, making my hoof now hanging uselessly in the air. "What just happened?" I groaned as I push myself up from the floor and looked around and saw that I'm no longer at the castle of the royal sisters, but in the middle of an endless plane filled with moving shadows, "and where the heck am I?"
I looked over to my right, expecting to see a dazed Pegasus so I can get my questions answered, however I don't think my questions aren't going to be answered, for there I saw an armor-less Shadow curled up in a shivering ball, "oh no, Shadow," I said in a panic as I shot up and went to Shadow's side to see if he's alright.
"I can't handle it, let me go, let me go," I heard him mutter under his breath.
I reached out to him and shook him, trying to shake him back to his scenes, but he just continues to repeat the same thing over and over, completely unaware of what's happening around him.
"What's happening to you Shadow?" I asked out loud concern for his wellbeing.
"He's starting to resist," a cold toned voice said behind me, causing me to quickly turn around and at a large shapeless shadowy being, "but he won't last long."
"Who or what are you and what have you done to my friend?" I demanded lifted my right and willed my bracer into its bladed form and held it in a ready position to attack.
"Don't you recognize me bearer of the dark and light element?" the shadowy creature asked me, "after all, I had chosen you to bear me after Nightmare misused me."
I then realized what the shadow creature is, "you're the spirit of the Entropy Element," and then I felt my anger rise, "what did you do to Shadow and what do you mean he's resisting and not for long?"
"All I did was granting him my power," the spirit answered, "but right now, for some reason, he's starting to refuse my power, therefore I'll just have to make a slight… attitude adjustment in his mind so he'll be more accepting with my influence," it then proceed to make a move around me and towards the still shell-shocked Shadow.
"You stay away from him," I ordered it, understanding what the dark spirit is suggesting as I stepped between it and Shadow, "I'm not going to let you harm him."
"You have no right to order me," the entropy spirit angrily, "you're my bearer and yet you've neglected my gifts and not accepting me while I have remained alone and unused on your left arm," it said as it pointed to the black bracer of my armor, "Now move aside while I make this one my new bearer," it then quickly jump to the left, and pulled back a tendril of shadows and thrust it at Shadow, but I mirrored its actions and stepped in front of it, while raising the black bracer in defense.
The spirit's strike hit the element, bouncing off of it and hitting the ground a foot away from Shadow's balled up form, "as I said, I'm not going to let you hurt him anymore," I repeated as the spirit drew its shadowy appendage back to its side.
"I must have a bearer," the Entropy spirit declared, "for I have gone to long without the proper one, so chose, will it be your Pegasus friend Shadow there or you?" it questioned as it draw closer to me till our eyes are level and we are staring at each other.
I broke my gaze away from the shadowy spirit of the dark element and towards Shadow behind me and saw that he's still mouthing the words from before, the sight of Shadow's state made my decision. I looked back at the spirit and stared back into its eyes, "it's going to be me, I'll be your bearer," I confirmed in a strong clear voice as I lowered the black bracer and my defenses in acceptance.
"Very well," the spirit said in confirmation as it pulls back the same arm of shadows that I blocked and thrust it towards me, somehow piercing through my armor and into my chest, making me remember all the nightmares where this scenario has happened. My vision started to fade as I felt a cold feeling staring to "you finally let me into your heart," the spirit spoke as I was starting to be consumed in darkness…
"Hey Aceiro, wake up," Star's voice cut through the dark, causing me to quickly open my eyes and right into the sun shining brightly through the roofless hall of the castle ruins.
"Ah!" I cried out in pain as quickly covered my eyes with my hooves.
"He's alright," I heard Star announce to somepony as I sorely push myself into a sitting position and peeled my hooves away from my eyes where I saw that the white armor had vanished and the two polar elements had turn back into their marking forms.
"Oh thank Celestia," I heard Fe's voice call out as I felt something tackle me from behind, which was then soon followed by two arms wrapping around my middle and igniting the bruises on my chest and arms, "I'm glad that you're safe Aceiro."
"Yes I am Fe," I winced, "now can you let me go please? You're hurting me with my bruises."
"Oh sorry," Fe apologized as she let me go and I let out a sigh of relief as the pain lessened. I looked around the hall and saw Fluttershy with Shadow lying next to me, whom the latter is slightly crying in the embrace of his love one.
"Hey Aceiro," I looked up and saw Star, Arcana and Fe standing around us, "would you care to tell us what happened here?" Arcana asked me.
"You're not going to believe what I'm going to tell you," I then started to tell them what happened after Star and Arcana had left this morning, "… and then I became its bearer again," I finished my tale half an hour later.
"So Shadow was possessed by a spirit that resides in the Entropy Element and you beat it out of him," Star condensed what I said.
"That's right, but I don't like it that I had to do it though," I regrettably told them as I slowly got up, not wanting to agitate the bruises anymore then I need to, "so what took you guys so long to get here?"
"Well after we came home from me setting up the location for the wedding and Arcana talking with Twilight…" Star started, "… Fe told us what happened to Fluttershy and that you and Shadow went here to save, but I immediately knew that something was off due to Fluttershy's cottage didn't have any signs of damage that Shadow described."
"I became worried when Star said that," Fe added, "so I told them that I'm coming with them to see if you're okay," she then turn towards Star, "I'm sorry, if it wasn't for me and my customs, you and Arcana would've been able to get here in time before Aceiro got hurt," she apologized as she hung her head.
"It's not your fault," Star reassured her, "I couldn't warp all of us here anyway even if your customs allowed contacts with other ponies, because I'm still recovering from that long distant warp last night and could only do a single warp within a limited distance," he explained.
"Oh Fluttershy, I'm so sorry," I heard Shadow sob, drawing all of our attentions towards Fluttershy and Shadow still together on the ground, "I'm so sorry of what I did to you, please forgive me Fluttershy, I wasn't in control of my actions. So I'll understand if you want to cancel the wedding because of me."
Fluttershy brought him closer and started comforting him, "it's alright Shadow, I already knew that it wasn't you in control of your actions, because you would never do this willingly. As for the wedding, it is still on, because I know that you love me and I love you too."
He looked up to face Fluttershy with disbelief written on his face, "really Fluttershy?" she nodded in confirmation. Shadow then noticed the small crowd around them and looked around, but when his gaze settled on me, he started to tear up, "oh Aceiro I'm so sorry, I had tricked you to get you here alone and then forced you to fight me even though you didn't want to."
"You have no reason to apologize Shadow," I said as I came up to him and kneeled down next to him and Fluttershy, "it was entirely the Entropy Element's fault, not yours," I stated.
"But," Shadow started as diverted his eyes away from mine and towards the floor, "while the element was controlling me it told me that the reason it was able to gain control of me is that my heart is filled with dark feelings thanks to my past that formed into the monster that's me. So it's really my fault that this whole thing happened," he then started to cry again, "and the worst thing is that my cutie mark is that of a black heart, so what it said is true."
"Shadow, stop it!" I howled at him, causing him and Fluttershy to flinch from my sudden outburst, "It's true that your past has been filled with hardships and that your heart is filled with dark feelings just like your cutie mark."
"Aceiro…" Fe hesitantly said my name.
"However," I continue, "your cutie mark also has the image of that of a white dove, which represents your loving feelings for Fluttershy and your friends. So the Entropy Element was wrong, because your heart isn't completely filled with darkness, it is also filled with light."
"I can now see why the Will and Entropy Elements have chosen you to be their bearer," a calm voice spoke up behind us. I quickly got up and turned around to face whoever spoke, but soon regret making those actions as the bruises made themselves known when a sharp pain lance through my chest and front legs, causing me to shut my eyes in pain.
"Easy there Aceiro, you just participated in a fight between two polar elements, your body needs to recover from it," the voice said, now sounding concerned. I open my eyes and there I saw a tall silver regal looking alicorn standing a few feet away from us, "although, I'm surprised that you're still standing," she said amazed.
"D?" Arcana and Star said in synch with surprise written in their voices.
"There's another princess?" Fe exclaimed at the sight of the alicorn, "How many princesses are there?"
"Who are you?" I asked the mysterious alicorn.
"Where are my manners?" the alicorn rhetorically asked as she went into a bow, "I'm the creator of the Entropy Element; Destiny, and it's a pleasure to meet you Aceiro, but please call me D," the alicorn stood up and looked at Fe, "and no, I'm not another princess Miss Fe, and I think there's only three princesses."
"Wait, you created the Entropy Element?" I asked disbelieved at what I heard.
"And why are you here D?" Star asked.
"Yes I did," Destiny answered mine as she looked at me and then towards Star, "as for why I'm here, there are a couple of things I need to do here," she then walk up towards me and raised a hoof at me. I quickly raised the Will Element and D promptly stopped in what she's doing, "whoa easy there Aceiro, I'm just going to seal the Entropy Element so nothing like this will ever happen again, now will you let me see the Entropy Element?" she asked as she is still holding out her hoof.
"Okay, but first answer me this, why did you make the Entropy Element and how are you?" I asked the silver alicorn.
"I'm Destiny a neutral goddess and I created it because the Reality Elements needed balance," Destiny replied, "Now will you let me seal the element so the power within won't be unleashed again?"
I hesitantly lowered my right and raised my left with the black element marking in response and held it out for her. Destiny waved a hoof over the element marking and it phased into its bracer form in response to her action, "okay this might tingle a bit."
She touched the Entropy Element with her hoof and just like she warned, I felt a numbing sensation traveling through my arm and I saw a faint silvery glow around the bracer. "There that should do it," she declared as the glow around the bracer faded away and then removed her hoof off of it. Destiny then looks away from me and towards Shadow, "and now for the final thing," she stepped past me and up towards Shadow.
The alicorn then did something I would never have expected; she bowed to him, "this is surely an honor, for I would never have thought that I get a chance to meet a Des and its' Counter in the same place after all of this time."
"What's a Des?" Star asked confused.
"As well as a Counter," Arcana added.
Destiny stood up and looked at them both, "Well you see you two; a Des is a descendent of the original bearer of the Entropy Element, and Shadow here is a Des…"
"I'm a what of a what now?" Shadow said shocked at this information.
"As for what a Counter is…" Destiny continues, unfazed by Shadow's outburst, "you see here, when I was creating the Element, I needed to make sure that the bearers of the element won't be corrupted and go insane by its power. So I added a special failsafe to it to keep that from happening: Counters and as the name applies, they counter the effects of the Entropy Element, and Fluttershy here is Shadow's Counter, unfortunately some bearers sometimes never find their Counters and wreaks havoc around them."
"I'm a descendent of the original bearer of that element?" Shadow said scared.
"Don't worry young Des," Destiny assured him as she looked back at him, "as long as you're not holding the element and you have your Counter nearby, you should be safe from its effects," she turn around and started walking towards the entrance of the hall, "now if you'll excuse me, my time here is running short."
"Wait, I still have some questions," I called out to her and she looks back at us.
"Farewell, and let us meet again in the future," with that she looks away and takes a step forward and disappeared into thin air.
"For crying out loud," I frustratingly yelled, "what is up with gods and goddesses disappearing and leaving with more questions than answers?" I voiced the question that the others were probably thinking.
…
Destiny stood in the shadows of the ruins surrounding the three bearers and their friends, when she saw Aceiro help up Shadow and Fluttershy, a troubled thought made itself known to the goddess, Shadow is a Des, then the Entropy Element should've stayed with him instead of going back to Aceiro. Something doesn't feel right here and I'm sure that Aceiro is the cause of it, she watched the group make their way out of the ruins and leave the castle grounds. I need answers and I think Fate can supply them, with that Destiny disappeared into the shadows.
...
A consciousness stirred within a stone prison as it awakened inside of it. The consciousness reached out with its mind and was pleased with what it found, "so the time has finally arrived for my return."