My New Life
Chapter 37 - Cursed
"I missed you so much!" I said, planting kisses all over his face.
"I missed you, too." He said, hugging me tighter.
"How are you alive though? I thought I had killed you." I said, more tears welling up.
"It is sort of obvious. That wasn't me. I was switched out months ago, back in the hospital."
"Are you saying that beast had been in the hospital all that time?"
He nodded. "Yes. They used some of my DNA to make that creature and then kept me as a prisoner for a long time."
"But how did they get your..." I was saying then I trailed off. "That mosquito."
He nodded again. "That's right. But it turns out that they needed me for much more than that."
"What do you mean?"
"They needed my body and the secrets that I knew."
"That's why you are human?"
He nodded.
"But how did they split your bodies? Only three ponies know that spell. Me, you, and... Him ." I stated.
"That is one of the secrets I held."
"You taught them how to split things?!" I asked in rage.
"I had no choice. They were threatening my family."
"And you didn't think that we could handle ourselves."
"No, I knew you couldn't handle yourselves. Not against what the changelings were making."
"What would that be?"
"More wendigos."
"Oh please, I killed the one impersonating you with ease."
"That was a prototype. It still had my emotions in it. They have made an army of changelings that have the abilities of the wendigo. And they are all emotionless."
"Still, I can take care of myself."
"Says the one that was easily taken down by changelings."
"They snuck up behind me."
"You would have sensed them if they were normal changelings."
"Well it doesn't matter now. We have you."
"At least part of me."
"But why didn't you try to contact me? You know we are magically connected."
He slumped his shoulders and sighed, beginning to remove his other bracer. He then showed me his right forearm.
"See these markings." He gestured to some scorched skin in the shape of flames. "It isn't just a burn. It is a curse mark."
I took his forearm into my hooves and upon closer examination, I found small symbols embedded in his flesh. "I have not heard of such a thing before. Please explain."
"It means that my magic is sealed."
I blinked in confusion. "So?"
"So?" He tensed up. "So?! I can't help you guys in the oncoming war! I don't even have wings!" He showed off his bare back, which was covered in scars from what I presumed to be torture. "See? I am absolutely useless!"
I stepped towards him and started to trace some of the scars on his back. "I don't see anything except the scars of a brave man who gave up all of his power for his loved ones." I wrapped my legs around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "And that is why I love you."
"I love you, too." He petted my head without turning around. "But all the love in the world won't stop the onslaught of wendigos that the changelings control."
"I still don't understand how they were even able to create such beings. That involves the blending of DNA, and few know how to use such dark magic." I said sitting back to ponder.
"Well they have somepony."
"Who? Who do they have?"
"A pegasus by the name of Flash Fire."
"A pegasus? That makes no sense."
"I thought so too. But he somehow has the knowledge to do such things, as well as being able to create and control flames. That, combined with Chrysalis' and Kron's magic, is how I was given this curse mark. He actually burned the seal into my flesh."
"Well, at least you are still alive. Which reminds me. How did you survive that lightning strike from a couple weeks ago? And why did you want to get struck in the first place?"
"I was seeing if I could use the lightning's power to break the curse. All that happened was the curse mark took the brunt of the electricity. It seemed to absorb it."
"That is strange. It is almost like it protected you." I said, tapping my hoof on my chin. I shrugged and walked over to him. "Oh well. I am just happy you are safe." I kissed him again. I then looked around. "We should probably try to get out of this pit soon, so we can tell Tia about all that we have learned."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Alright, but before we get out of here, can you do me a favor?"
"Of course sweetie."
"Shave off that horrid beard. I swear it is like kissing a cactus. Yech!" I pointed to my mouth and fake gagged.
"Oh come on! You know how hard it was to grow this thing?" He said, stroking his beard.
"I don't care. Do it, or me and Bubbles will leave without you."
"Like he would leave me. He knows who's the boss, right buddy? Bubbles?" He looked around and found him sitting on my back.
"Yes, he does." I laughed as I stroked the lizard's chin. He began to bob his head up and down as if he were mocking Pure.
"Fine, fine. I will shave it off."