A Secret's Revenge

by Wayofthepen

Chapter 4: Monster Within

He was playing with his little filly sister for a few minutes when he heard a knock on the door. When he opened the door, a hooded earth pony stood before him. "What are you-!" Was all Nero could say before getting hit in the side of the face by a baton. He turned to see his filly sister screaming, running away. The scene of another pony chasing her was the last thing he saw before being dragged away. Before he blacked out, he was tossed in the back of a caravan filled with other ponies.

The crisp air of the blizzard was ripping at his core. Fire didn't know how long he would make it if he didn't sneak inside the compound soon. He saw a strange caravan leave Ponyville and decided to tag along, but something about this caravan gave him the creeps. When it went inside, he got a good look at the gate. The compound itself wasn't very big, but the walls had been built to sustain even a stampede of Manticores. He got a close look at the area above the gate, and saw only one guard. At this point, he didn't care if he was found or not. All that mattered was killing Tobias and finding his dad. He swooped down and landed under the blizzard's embrace. The pony turned around to find an angry red-eyed alicorn. "Well shi-" Said the pony being flung to the side, down to the front of the gate.
He turned at the sound of laughter, only to find a group of ponies sitting beside a campfire. "Hmm...This should be fun..." He said aloud, an insane smile growing on his face. His horn lit a bright green as the flames of the campfire exploded, setting the group ablaze. He let out a small chuckle at the sight, but remembered why he came in the first place. He dropped down below and started trotting around. After a few minutes of trotting, he found the main hall. Nudging the door open, he found it almost completely empty, but one pony standing in the room. After entering, he could see blood splattered all the walls, and bodies littered the tables. "Someone's been at work, making my job easier." The figure turned around, and took a step closer to Fire. "Yes...Another come to fall. Wait..." The figure said stopping, scanning over Fire. "No, not your time yet. Your future tells a tale of great struggle, alicorn. Tobias is in the prison, having his 'fun'." The figure said, trotting away. Fire both honored and despised the pony, but with Tobias, his mind changed quickly.

Fire took a deep breath, shivering as he pushed open the prison door. It actually was just a tunnel leading to a cracked door. As he began to make his descent, screams were heard. He galloped through the door, and through about four hallways reaching the main cell block. Many ponies lay in cages, both bruised and bleeding. They all looked at him, some having hope in their eyes, and others fear. He trotted slowly to the source of the screaming. Fire rammed the door so hard that it flew straight into the only guard at the other end of the room. "Well, looks like we will have to wait." A low, harsh voice said. "Come to die, my boy?" He said turning to Fire. "I'm going to enjoy killing you slowly. Very...Very...Slowly." Fire said as his insane smile returned. Tobias leaned over the table next to him and retrieved his sword. "A fair warning...I don't play fair." Fire said, drawing his own sword. The two charged at each other, both having rage filling their entire beings.
Fire slid under Tobias, aiming for his forelegs. Tobias leaped into the air, kicking Fire in his head. He staggered, but not for long as he was rushed by Tobias. Fire's horn lit a dark shade of red as the sword in Tobias's mouth flew into the air, stopping him mid-charge. "You can't kill me. I'm untouchable." Screamed Tobias as the blade rammed into his back, forcing him to topple over. Fire put his own blade on the table, trotting over to Tobias. "I have waited...A long time for this...You're a monster, destroying anything in it's way. I am no longer an foal, I am the victor. I am your end." Fire smiled larger, hearing a voice inside him. "Yes...Let the rage take you. It is power, young pony. Take it." The voice called to him, beckoned him. He put a hoof on the sword lodged into Tobias's back, adding weight to it. He screamed as the blade sent more and more blood from his body. His eyes were pleading for mercy to Fire, but he was disturbed by what he saw. "You are no more, wretch." A cracked voice said emerging from Fire's mouth.

He galloped past the flaming bodies, the dismembered remains, the ponies in their cells, and finally stopped outside the door to the back room. All he heard was screaming and a voice that sent chills all over his body. When he stepped inside, he could never have been prepared for what was happening to his son.

He opened his eyes, seeing nothing but darkness. "Where...Where am I?" Fire said, twirling around. He saw light emerging from a square, showing the events that he just witnessed. "Is it not beautiful? The art of murder?" The disturbed voice called out to him. Fire searched around, seeing nothing. "No, I just wanted him dead. I never wanted him to suffer like me." The voice laughed at Fire's remark. "You are nothing. I shall make you strong. After all...I am you."
"What is happening to you?" Flame exclaimed as his son was being surrounded by tornado shielded in flames. When the tornado subsided, a figure similar to Nightmare Moon appeared. His son's mark, his son's colors, but it wasn't him. "Father...You shouldn't have come here. I will take my leave now." That was the last thing the possessed Fire said before blasting a hole in the side of the room. The blizzard made the perfect cover for his escape, leaving his father in utter shock. His son had become a monster.