Chapter 4: No Lights at the end of This Tunnel
The bloodbath was over. It was all over. Silence was the tunnel. Its all over, but death still looms in the air. Rainbow Dash shook her head, and felt the gag that bound her mouth fall, being un-tied by fingers that weren't truely there. trying to fight back the tears. She let her head hang low for a few minutes, while she let the last of her tears fall. She looked up slowly, facing the dragon monster. "YOU'RE A FUCKING MONSTER!" she screamed at him. "HE STOOD FOR NOTHING BUT GOOD, AND YOU MURDERED HIM!". The dragon sat, expressionless, saying nothing. "YOU'LL PAY!" she screamed, after some heavy breaths. The dragon extended his arm, examining it, watching as a red glow eminated from beneath his scales. "He rests in peace now." the dragon said after some silence, watching the glow fade into nothingness once more. "NO. HE IS NOT IN REST, HE CAME TO SAVE ME, AND NOW HE'S DEAD AND I'M STILL CHAINED TO THIS FUCKING MACHINE!" Rainbow Dash screamed. The dragon sighed. "YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE GUTS TO REVEAL YOUR IDENTITY!" Rainbow Dash shouted, panting. "Your friend, Sonic Rain, fought bravely, and died with honor." The dragon said slowly after a long silence. "HOW CAN HE REST KNOWING THAT HE FAILED TO SAVE US!?" Rainbow Dash shouted, feeling rage build quickly inside. "Have you ever..... Killed somebody?" The dragon said, making direct eye contact with Rainbow Dash. "THERE'S A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING! I KNOW EXACTLY WHO I WILL BE KILLING!" Rainbow Dash screamed, thrashing against the machine, not caring for the pain about to follow. The dragon calmly extended his arm, and stopped the knives and hammers before they could hit or cut Rainbow Dash. "Killing..... When you kill, you can feel their feeling, for an instant if you're just a pony, but for a dragon like myself, we can absorb that feeling. He felt no rage, only peace." The dragon said, pausing. "Sonic Rain died knowing that he was fighting for you, he knew that he did the best that he could, and he died, knowing that he lived to the end with nothing but good purpose."
Rainbow Dash let her head drop, these words bringing tears to her eyes once more. "He was in peace. And in peace he died, in peace he shall rest." The dragon said. "Some that I've killed, died, knowing that they did nothing but harm to the rest of the world, and they died in shame, self-hatred, and fear." Rainbow Dash's only movements were her chest as it rose and fell with her heavy breaths, breaking down right infront of her captor. She took a deep breath. "YOU LIVE, DOING NOTHING BUT HARM TO THIS WORLD! HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF!" Rainbow Dash screamed, her eyes widening wildly. The dragon sighed. "I know that when I die, I shall be at peace." The dragon said. "YOU WILL DIE IN SHAME, YOU WILL HATE YOURSELF, YOU WILL FEAR THE WORLD!" Rainbow Dash screamed. The dragon sighed, and shook his head. "A low-minded pony such as yourself would never be able to understand my knowledge of life and death." Rainbow Dash struggled against the chains once more. The dragon did the same, restricting the ponies ability to harm herself by spinning his hand, causing a large gear to fall to the ground. Rainbow Dash said nothing, lowering her head once more, the overwhelmingness of the past hours all hitting her at once. "Just..... Just ki-ill me a-a-already." she said lowly. "I have no such plans," the dragon said, standing. "You are worth much more then a torture victim." He said, walking up to Rainbow Dash. "You're un-aware of what somepony such as yourself is able to be made into." he said, tracing one of his fingers along Rainbow Dash's chin. "You can't make me into anything." she said angrily. The dragon took a step back, an enraged look on his face, as he lifted an arm.
Rainbow Dash's scream was but short as she felt her breath get cut off. The dragon pulled his hand towards him, carrying Rainbow Dash by the throat with non-existent hands. Rainbow Dash felt the chains stiffen, then break, she was floating now, as she struggled against the choking force that held her. "YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM CAPABLE OF!" he screamed, ripping his hand violently across the air, launching Rainbow Dash into a wall. She yelped in pain and fell to the floor, a limp pile of herself. The dragon breathed heavily as he stared at her laying on the ground. Rainbow Dash tried to ignore the pain and distortion that overtook her, and slowly managed to stand, facing the dragon, now with hate on her own face. The dragon took pity on the poor pony, thinking that she could fight. He with ease lifted her once more, and dragged her through the air, and dangled her over the fire. Rainbow Dash managed a scream through the chokehold as she felt her tail singe. The dragon thrashed his arm once more, sending her through the air, into another wall. Rainbow Dash braced for the hit, extending her legs to soften the impact. She hit the wall still rather hard, but felt much less pain and landed on her hooves this time, and began to hover above the floor, her mouth twisted open at the corner as she said something lowly.
She charged at the dragon. He skillfully spun and grabbed Rainbow Dash by the mane, dodging the attack and grabbing ahold of her. Rainbow Dash tried to get free, enduring lots of pain as she kicked uselessly. The dragon kicked her hard in the side, still holding her. Rainbow Dash yelped as she felt the kick, and tried to get free. The dragon kicked her again and then dropped her to the floor. She fell too her side, pain flowing heavily from her mane, legs, and body. The dragon grabbed her once more, this time choking her with his hands. He brought her face to his, only inches apart. "You're foolish to try to fight me." He growled, before hitting her in the gut repeatedly. Rainbow Dash's vision began to darken as her air loss began to get worse, and large waves of pain flowed from everywhere. The dragon dropped her un-conscious body to the floor. "Get her back to the prison." He ordered.
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The squad of rescuers landed back at where they had taken off. It was late at night, and they were tired, shamed, and saddened heavily. They had to keep Sonic Rain's body out of the public's sight, and tell the princess that they failed their mission entirely.
Soon, the ponies were sitting silently infront of the princess, their eyes low, voices quiet. "We... We... We failed our goal..." The second in command pegasus said lowly. "Sonic Rain died fighting for us, he saved our lives."
The princess looked sadly at the group. "I'm so sorry," she said softly. "I know how hard it must be." she paused, looking down. "Even if we didn't save Rainbow Dash, or anybody, I'm sure that they are still alive."
The pegasi wanted to tell her that they probably weren't, but they decided that it would be better if they just let her be at somewhat peace. "Their captor, he...." One of the pegasi had started to speak, but his voice trailed off.
"We will honor Sonic Rain's courage at sunrise." The princess said, her voice sad but gentle.
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Rainbow Dash slowly awoke, feeling the same heavy chains binding her to the floor. She sighed, feeling defeated. She looked to where the orange pony would have been, but she was no longer there. She gasped, wondering if she had been killed. Surely she would have been back by now, Rainbow Dash thought. Then she saw her, the orange pony. She wore guards armor, and stared with no expression. "Are you okay?" Rainbow Dash asked. The orange pony looked down at her. "Keep your mouth shut." She said, with no emotion. What had happened to her? "What.. What happ-" Rainbow Dash's sentence was cut with a yelp as she felt a heavy kick. She looked up at the pony she once knew, fear overcoming her.
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The dragon sat in his throne of evil. "So..." he started. "We've broken her?"
"Yes, sir. She now walks as one of us." A soldier said.
"Perfeeect." The dragon said, thinking of his plans for Rainbow Dash. He sat, his mind wandering on with the potential weapons Rainbow Dash could be turned into.
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Rainbow Dash let her head drop to the floor, sadness overcoming her. She now knew what the fate of many of these captives was to be, a mindless slave, to capture more, and make more. The thought of the army that could be led by this terrified her. She shut her eyes, trying to let the bad thoughts out. The only thing that flashed was the sword sliding across Sonic Rain's neck. Rainbow Dash screamed, the thought coming back to her. Tears attacked. Unable to hold back crying, Rainbow Dash covered her face with her hooves and silently cried.
Rainbow Dash's eyes were sore and red, but after about an hour, Rainbow Dash was able to keep from crying more, partially because she heard lots of comotion, and she heard chains, and lots of yelling. She lifted her head in curiosity and looked towards the source of the sound, and she saw a large, dark coated wolf, fighting the guards, trying to get out of the chains. A wolf? What the hay was he doing here? Rainbow Dash thought, watching as the struggling wolf was struck down and chained, into the spot where the orange pony had been. Why a wolf? The thought kept running through Rainbow Dash's mind, trying to decipher the puzzle. After hours of thinking, she saw movement from her side, and looked. The wolf stirred, then jumped to a start, struggling against the chains. "You can't keep me here forever! I will get free and kill you all!" He screamed. Rainbow Dash stared curiously at the wolf, wondering why he was captured.
The wolf dropped to the floor a mess, saying random things under his breath, the occasional tear breaking free. "My family..." She heard him say more then once. The wolf eventually raised his head and looked around, his eyes landing on Rainbow Dash's, striking her with fear. "What are you staring at!? Nothing to see!" He said angrily. Rainbow Dash broke the stare, looking elsewhere. After a long pause the wolf spoke again. "I'm sorry, it's just that-" he began, stammering. "It's okay." Rainbow Dash interrupted, speaking softly. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Okay? How could I be okay?!" He snapped, followed by another apology.
Rainbow Dash looked at the wolf, kindness in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, it's just..." the wolf's voice trailed off, his eyes getting lost elsewhere, tears threatening to break free.
"I understand, we're all going through rough times." Rainbow Dash said reassuringly.
The wolf lowered his head, running on again about random things.
"Clearly you're not okay." Rainbow Dash said, trying to comfort him.
"OF COURSE I'M NOT OKAY! I JUST WATCHED MY WIFE AND KIDS GET MURDERED!" He screamed at her suddenly.
Rainbow Dash gasped, feeling horrible sadness for the un-known wolf. "I'm so sorry...." She said quietly.
The wolf turned his head and tried to muffle his tears.
Rainbow Dash didn't know what to say. Everything was not alright, nor would it ever be. She didn't want to lie, because the wolf was clearly ready to break at anything. She lowered her own head and tried to get lost in thought, leaving the wolf to be alone.
"I'm sorry, I'm just... It's just that...." The wolf said.
Rainbow Dash spoke in a comforting tone, "I understand, I'm sorry for your loss. What you need is to just relax, you need help and you need to accept that help."
The wolf turned his head again. "I don't need any help." he growled.
"Yes, you do."
The wolf said nothing, burying his face again.
He'll accept help when he's ready, Rainbow Dash thought, leaving the wolf alone.
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"A wolf? We got a wolf?" The dragon questioned excitedly.
"Yes, sir. Ready to be tested. If we can break a wolf, we can break any pony." The news bearer said.
The dragon grinned, getting lost in thought again.