//------------------------------// // Part 4 // Story: The Dark Coming // by LordLogan //------------------------------// 'I must get help!' Soarin thought as he began to creep away, unsure and scared of what he found. He tried to be very quiet but couldn't resist looking back towards the lit room as he moved towards the cellar doors. Foolishly not paying attention, he bumped into a shelf knocking off an iron helmet and iron sword. The metal made a loud clashing noise against the stone floor alarming some male pony voice to yell, "Hey! Who goes there?!" Frightened out of his mind, Soarin runs towards the doors and tries to open them but they wouldn't budge. "Hey! What are you doing here!?" a new voice said behind him. This one sounding like it was coming from a female. "I…uh…uh…" Soaring tried to talk his way out of this and could only stare at the figure in the shadow that had a pointy head. He tried hard to see who it was but couldn't make it out. The shadowy figure moved closer slightly and revealed herself. She was a light blue pony with a cape covered in stars and matching wizard's hat. "Who dares to enter the domain of The Great and Powerful Trixie!?" Soarin's heart started to race not understanding what was happening and terrified at what might happen to him. Another figure stepped forth from the shadows behind Trixie. Soarin may not have known this female pony but he instantly recognized the new figure. He wore black and purple tights with yellow glass goggles. He was a member of The Shadowbolts. Soaring panicked and went to kick open the doors and, fortunate for him, the flew open and heput his goggles on and soared out. "Well what are you waiting for you fool? DO NOT LET HIM ESCAPE!" Trixie demanded and with that, the Shadowbolt picked up the iron sword with his mouth and zoomed after him. As Soarin flew for his life he noticed the sky was much more engulfed in dark clouds. It seemed that the area all above the Everfree Forest was engulfed in darkness. Glancing behind him he saw the Shadowbolt was on his tail, with a sword! Soarin's heart pounded as he tried to fly faster but it seemed the faster he went, the Shadowbolt matched the difference and worse yet, it felt like he wasn't getting any closer towards Ponyville or Canterlot. Suddenly two more Shadowbolts were flying next to the one with the sword. "Oh no, oh no!" Soarin started to sweat before it flew off. When he turned to look forward from his view of his chasers he was struck from above then below by the two new Shadowbolts. The strikings threw him off course and slowed him down. This gave his original chaser the chance to attack from the side and slice with the sword. Soarin couldn't dodge it and was slit along his stomach from a top left to low right diagonal. The wound wasn't too deep but he was bleeding and was painful. Soarin pushed harder but knew he wasn't going to make it to Canterlot. He aimed down as he got close to Ponyville. The Shadowbolts started to realize they were not going to be able to stop him without notice and decided to fall back to tell Trixie. Soarin didn't realize as he couldn't risk looking back again. He needed medical attention and fast! As he looked down he saw four ponies walking towards a cottage. One was a lavender unicorn, one a beautiful white mare, an orange pony with a cowpony hat and a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane. The rainbow one looked familiar and then he had no choice but to descend as he was losing consciousness. All he could do was hope to make it to them in time. Twilight looked up and shouted, "Rainbow look! Somepony is falling!" Rainbow Dash shot up and caught the bleeding pegasus. "It's…it's Soarin, from the Wonderbolts! He's hurt! I'll take him to the hospital, you guys tell Pinkie and Fluttershy!" "Understood Sugarcube! We'll let em' know!" Applejack said before Rainbow zoomed off into the air. Soon after, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were running out of the Everfree Forest and towards the three mares. The forest was all engulfed in darkness that you could no longer look in it. "Twilight! Rarity!" yelled the scared pegasus. "Applejack!" yelled the pink pony. "What's the matter girls?" the lead mare asked. Pinkie was the first to respond, "Well Fluttershy and I went into the Everfree Forest to get Angel some berries but didn't know where they grew so we went to ask Zacora but she wasn't home but her door was open then Angel started freaking out then we ran out of the forest and we were chased by darkness and…" Pinkie had to stop to catch her breath. "What she means is something seems terribly wrong girls" the shy pony squeaked while shivering some. "What ever shall we do!?" yelped the perfectionist pony. Twilight squinted determined eyes, "We'll tell the Princesses of course!" and the five mares trotted off towards the hospital to get Rainbow first. --- Back within the deep, dark Everfree Forest where a self-proclaimed great and powerful unicorn met again with three Shadowbolts. "Well did you three take care of the spy?" "Well…err…sort of your powerfulness." "What do you mean sort of?!" Trixie started to raise her voice in anger. "Well we got him good" they threw down the sword which had some blood at the end, "but he…got away." "WHAT!? 'HIM GETTING AWAY' WAS NOT AN OPTION! HOW COULD YOU ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN!? Ugh, if we didn't need you to fend off those foolish Wonderfools I would obliterate you fools right now! " The Shadowbolts were slightly nervous. Unaware the full extent of The Great and Powerful Trixie's abilities, "We're sorry, we won't fail you, or him, again." "You had best not! Now go guard the premises this time! Nopony is to get in. I have work to do." As the Shadowbolts left Trixie entered the room where Soarin's eyes had been stricken with horror. Within the room was a slab raised vertically with a cuffed Zacora that was gaining consciousness, "Uh…where am…I? Did I…die?" Trixie was at a boiling cauldron with some ingredients smiling, "Oh, you're awake. Very good, do you know why you are here?" "You fool, how could I know the answer to that!? Are you a dumber than your hat!?" Trixie's put on an angered face, "Well you lay before The Great and Powerful Trixie to serve a purpose. That purpose is to create for me the unstoning potion that you have developed!" The zebra was confused, "I made that for when a cockatrice has stoned, what power do you try to hone?" Trixie smirked, "Power itself like you wouldn't believe!" "And how will my elixir achieve, this great power up your sleeve?" "Why by releasing Discord from his imprisonment of course." Zacora gasped. "Once he's free he'll give me power stronger than any unicorn! In return for his freedom. Then I'll be for sure greater than that one named Twilight Sparkle!" Trixie fantasized her all powerful might. "No I refuse to mingle in your dark ambition. To destroy all Equestria is Discord's mission." Zacora proclaimed with a strong will unfortunately, Trixie was prepared, "I figured you wouldn't agree so easily so I made a few preparations for just the occasion." Trixie levitated some scalpels from a table and laughed maniacally.