“AAAAAAA!” I heard a filly scream in surprise.
“What is it?” A colt’s voice asked and then there was silences for only a moment as a net of some kind wrapped around my body pulling me onto a hard wooden boat.
“What is it daddy?” The filly asked.
“It’s a,” he paused. “Body sweetie, when a pony passes on this is what they leave behind in this world.”
“He’s dead?”
“Yes sweetie, he’s dead.” I pushed my energy into a hard coughed throwing up the sea water that had filled my lungs. I took in a shuttered breath and they backed up as I stood up with a painful grunt. “By Celestia you’re alive!” He ran over to me helping me over to a bed of some kind.
“Water.” I said shuttering. He rushed around getting a cup and feeding me water slowly so I didn’t drown more.
“What happen to you?”
“I cannot say I remember.” I said lying, I knew exactly what happen, but so many days and nights had pasted that I had no clue what day it was.
“Well we’ll be docking in a few days, do you think you need medical attention before then?”
“I'll be fine, I just need rest, and thank you for saving me.” I closed my eyes falling asleep.
“Oh you lived?” His voice asked shaking me.
“Monster.”
“Do not worry little pony, all is well, but I wonder for how long?” He chuckled as memories of him doing things to Luna made my heart scream in agony. “You’re beautiful Luna has been such a warm play mate, I believe the near ten weeks you floated there have made her truly lustful after me.”
“No.”
“You even missed Shining Armor’s and Princess Cadnace’s wedding!” He said with a hearty laugh. “He nearly married something called a changeling!” He rolling around on the floor of my dream laughing.
“Let her go!” I shouted.
“How pitiful! Your dear Princess Celestia had no idea I had been draining her powers for near two months! They never even questioned me when I didn’t come to their aid at their greatest time of need! Also you missed the return of a crystal empire as I was told.” He chuckled. “Apparently Twilight Sparkle saved the land and now Cadance and Shining armor rule over the land so very far away, making my draining of their magic that much easier.”
“Let her go.” I begged.
“Oh not a chance, what your parents did to me was unforgiveable, since they are not around to torture I will do this every moment you are asleep. I will ensure with your precious Luna’s own power that you never sleep peacefully!”
“Leave him alone!” Luna shouted appearing next to him and trying to stab him with her horn.
“Oh my sweet Luna.” He grabbed her slicing open her belly.
“No!” I shouted waking up crying. “What have I done?”
“What’s wrong?!” I looked at the colt.
“I, I had a nightmare.”
“Nightmare, I’m sorry, the sea can get a little rough at times, but you slept for a near two days, we have nearly arrived ashore.” I looked up it was nighttime, then at the shore. We were nearing an unknown ice covered shore with a few huts. I coughed sitting up.
“No it is not your fault.”
“Do you want something to eat or drink?”
“I.” I paused, I couldn’t use my magic, which meant I had no money to do anything. “I would love something.” He brought me over some food and drink letting me eat.
“I have wondered, what is that on your horn?” I looked at him and then at the filly, both of them were earth ponies, which meant they couldn’t feel the darkness of it.
“It’s a ring which stops magic power.”
“Why would you wear such a thing?” The filly asked.
“Testing mostly,” I said lying. “Actually I was testing it out and something went wrong, I somehow ended up in the sea without my magic.”
“How terrible, but you don’t remember?”
“I was, no I’m sorry I don’t, I know I lived in Canterlot and should go back.”
“Well we are at least a few day train ride, it’s an expensive trip, at least forty bits gold for a one way.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, plus the walk to a nearby town to even get a ride to the Crystal Empire which has the only nearby train station is quite a dangerous and a very long journey .”
“I'll be able to make it, I’m sure.” No, I was anything but sure. If I didn’t die from the cold, I would probably die from the beasts.
“Well not in your condition,” the filly said. “You should come stay at our home, can he father?”
“Um, sure why not.”
“No I couldn’t impose like that, it wouldn’t be right, I have no way of paying you back and I would only be a burden.”
“No I insist, a day or two of rest will do you good and I may be able to arrange you a ride to the crystal empire.”
“That would be too kind.”
“Not at all.” He said smiling.
“If it was not for the freezing tundra I would refuse, but I fear I must accept. I will find a way to pay you back one day.”
“No worries.” I helped him docked. “You know boats?” He asked noticing me doing a fisherman’s knot. “And without magic?”
“It isn’t the first time I’ve been without magic and been trapped at sea, when I was a filly my parents were stricken ill on a very long voyage ride over the western ocean. I had to learn quickly to save our lives from the ocean’s fury.”
“Well that is something.”
“Yes it was.” I stretched cracking bones and making him shiver a little. We walked with him and I helped him loading a ton of clams into baskets hanging on my back. “Clams, why do you capture them?” I asked and he looked at me.
“Oh they have pearls in them, each one sells for a few bits. I caught a great many this time around.” We walked over to a hut going inside behind them. I set down the baskets and I looked at an unicorn mare and she jumped back into the wall screeching in fear.
“Dear what is it?!” He shouted confused.
“MONSTER, MONSTER!” She screamed in fear then passed out falling to the ground a little hard.
“Go fetch the doctor!” The filly ran out of the room quickly.
“I should leave.” He looked at me.
“No, don’t this is, I don’t know what it is, but.”
“This ring makes anyone with magic see a monster of some kind, I did not mention this to you because I only now remembered. I’m sorry, I should go.”
“Wait.” He grabbed a coat and put it on me packing some food and putting it in front of me in a box. “If this is true then I will help you as much as possible, for every pony in this village is a unicorn.” I stared at him for a moment almost unbelieving.
“Every pony?”
“Yes, I came here shipwrecked, that is the only reason why I am here.”
“Then I should hurry.”
“I bid you well, but run, there are many magic users here which will kill you on sight if you are unable to use your magic.”
“I will.” I picked put the box latching it on my side.
“Head west toward the, wait if that makes, oh no, I don’t know if you’ll be able to make it.”
“I just have to make it to Shining Armor, he’ll be able to see through the magic and help me.” He nodded and I started running. Every pony which saw me screamed in fright and after reaching the edge of the village a group of hunters stopped staring at me shocked.
“MONSTER!” One of them shouted and they readied spears with their magic.
“Not a single break today!” I shouted running pass them easily dodging spears and jumping from one of them onto another sending them rolling as I ran pass them out of their spear range.
I gave up quickly returning to the village as I ran. I ran out of breath but that did not hinder me a moment knowing if I stopped for a moment I would freeze from the cold, and if that didn’t kill me the snowing wind would.
A cheering made me look up seeing the Crystal Empire, it glowed warm as I got closer chipping the ice off of my coat which possibly saved my life from the cold. I stopped sitting down next to a large crystal resting.
“I told you.” I looked around the crystal seeing three unicorn guards, the leader of the three being a mare. “Shining Armor received a note from Princess Luna telling him she had gotten word that a monster would appear and that all crystal guards should be ready to fight the beast when it arrives, and that only unicorns will be able to see the beast for what it is. Now get to your posts!” He ordered and they rushed off.
I gritted my teeth as the unicorn mare in crystal armor started walking toward me eyes out to the ice. I moved silently around the crystal so she didn’t see me, but she stopped a little ways away looking around sensing the ring. I was in no condition to fight, and certainly not a fully armored pony with probably training I never even heard of.
“Come out beast, I can sense you!” She moved around looking but not seeing me as I moved in space of her around the large crystal. She started running around the crystal and I was forced to run but she turned around running toward me and I slid barely coming to a stop inches from her face. She stared at me.
“Who are you?” She asked staring into my eyes.
“Um.” I swallowed backing up and pausing noticing that her horn was fake. It allowed for some magic, but it wasn’t full magic. She stepped forward and I stepped back. “I came from one of the tribes along the coast line.”
“Oh?”
“What?”
“Well I didn’t expect a black colt from a tribe around here, I thought they all had white manes and coats.”
“Ah, well not all of us.” She kept walking forward and I stopped making our lips meet for a moment making her back up now.
“You vermin!”
“Wait I’m not a bad pony!” I said running as she shot bolts of fire at me. I ran heading to the crystal castle in the center and dozens of ponies screamed seeing me making guards form ranks chasing after.
“CAPTURE HIM!” She yelled.
“Oh this is going to hurt.” I pushed magic into the ring causing my bones to creak from the pressure as I sent a large blast of power only to be cut from another blast of power.
“STOP!” Every pony stopped and I slid to a stop as Princess Cadance floated to the ground in front of me, Shining Armor teleporting next to her. “We will deal with this monster ourselves.” Every pony backed up and I frowned.
“We were told of your arrival monster,” Shining Armor said. “You will not terrorize any more ponies!”
“I thought I trained you better than that!” I shouted at him and every unicorn backed away as if I had roared at him.
“Do not fear my love, he will be no match.” His horn lit with blue magic.
“WAIT!” I turned as Flim and Flam run in front of them stopping him.
“Move aside, can you not see the monster?!” He yelled at them.
“This is Shadow! Our friend!” Flim and Flam shouted in unison.
“Your friend?” He blinked stepping back. “Shadow, but he’s.” He stepped back. “Why, I do not understand, my head.”
“You’ve been tricked,” Flim said. “This is not a monster!”
“You two can see me?” I asked.
“Yes,” Flam said. “When your magic hit us we saw for only a moment and it somehow allowed us to see you for who you are.”
“Move aside!” Princess Cadance order.
“Tell her going into pony’s minds is not nice.”
“He said going into pony’s minds is not nice!” Flim said and she stepped back wings folding into her side.
“How, you, that must be him.”
“Why.” She paused holding her head. “The pain.”
“Oh I hate this!” I forced magic into the ring at full blast sending out a shock wave and destroying the ring’s power over them. Ponies looked around confused and Princess Cadance and Shining Armor looked at me.
“Shadow.” Shining Armor said as I fell to the floor bleeding from heavy wounds.
“Shining Armor, I need your help.”
“Take him inside now!” He ordered and ponies rushed me inside setting me on a hospital bed. Ponies healed my wounds.
“What happen?” Shining Armor asked as he and Princess Cadance came over to my bedside. “And what is that ring?”
“It’s an experiment which went very wrong, I must get to Canterlot as soon as I possibly can.”
“Not in your condition.” The doctor pony said.
“I have no choice.”
“Why do you have no choice?” Princess Cadance asked.
“When we were making this ring something went wrong, then something evil infected Princess Luna, I’m sure it has infected Princess Celestia already.”
“I shall call on my sister then.” Shining Armor said.
“NO!” I shouted grabbing him. “She must never know of what has happen, if she goes anywhere near them, all will be lost. You know as well as I do what skill she has and what power is hidden. If the infection somehow got inside her then we would lose instantly and the sun would surely be forever blackened.”
“What do we do?”
“I just need to get to Canterlot without causing an uproar. I cannot teleport with this ring on so we must take the train, but cannot have other in the cart. You two must also stay here so that Luna does not know of my coming, or the infection may make her do something dangerous and harm Princess Celestia.”
“I will write back that the monster was slain.”
“No, it will know, it can see into dreams it will know if I am alive or not.”
“I can give you power,” Princess Cadance said. “It will allow you to not need sleep for some time.”
“No, any magic which touches me with good intent will cause you to become infected and harm you. You must write that the beast escaped.”
“I understand.”
“I will rest and heal for a short while, but only enough so I am able to run again.”
“Everyone leave and let him rest.” They all left and I closed my eyes.
“Still alive?” I chuckled seeing him appear.
“Unlucky for you I meet a group of earth ponies. The kindness of this land is unlike any other, you will not be able to claim victory over them.”
“I have your Luna and Princess Celestia under my control and command, one word from me and they will burn this world to the ground.”
“You along with it, you cannot destroy this would without killing yourself and if I know nothing else. You care for your life.”
“We’ll see, oh and look who we have here.” He pulled Luna over to him crying.
“Shadow!” She begged crying. “Don’t leave me.”
“Isn’t that cute? She thinks you left her.” Tears run down my face.
“Luna I promise you, I have not left you, you know me and I would never leave you for as long as I live!” She lit up a little.
“Shadow.” She disappeared.
“Disgusting love, I'll have to go through the third degree now for that!”
“She knows I will never leave her, I am coming and you will not stop me from killing you for good this time.”
“Well see about that.” Memories of him torturing Luna’s mind appeared making me shake with rage, but healing all the while. There is truly no horror greater than watching the one you love in pain, and knowing there was nothing you could do to stop it.
“I’m coming Luna, know that nothing rather it be on earth hell or heaven will stop me from saving you from this monster.” My mind cleared of the dreams letting me truly rest and wake up what seemed like seconds later.
I got up fully healed and ready for a real fight. I walked to the throne room having a guard lead me there. I walked up to Princess Cadance and Shining Armor.
“You look better.” Shining Armor said.
“Have you set everything up?”
“Yes, we will have our guards take you to the train, we have made sure that no pony will board it once, and it will run straight to Canterlot without pause.”
“Thank you, and oh I must ask a favor before I leave, there is an earth pony in a village of only unicorns, he saved my life, he is a clam harvester. Please give him a gift for me, and tell him thank you, for I fear if this ends badly I will not be able to thank him myself.”
“I will deliver it myself,” Princess Cadance said. “So do not worry.”
“Thank you.”
“Guard.” A guard came over with armor.
“No, I have a set in Canterlot, if I put any other armor on it will be absorbed into the ring and I will not be able to move again.” The guard moved back. “But thank you.”
“Go my friend.” Shining Armor said and I turned running with four guards. We got to the train putting me on the first cart.
“We will be going with you.” I looked at the earth pony with a fake horn. In fact they all had fake horns on them.
“Very well.” One went to the front and the train started moving. They sat down relaxing a little bit looking around. One of them brought over a food cart.
“Eat, everything will be paid for.” She said.
“Thank you.” I ate a bunch of food and had my fill of cider. We ended up in Canterlot after a long ride. “I thank you all for helping me this far, but if I fail you must not be related to me for any reason.” They nodded and I ran out of the train as it stopped and ponies screamed seeing me.
I ran stopping at Hammer’s shop hiding inside locking the door behind me as guards ran pass the door. I turned looking at Hammer, then three unicorns passed out from fear.
“Ah.” She said a little confused.
“My armor, my black one, where is it?”
“In the back, let me grab it.” She went into the back and I went over to the counter looking at the ponies passed out. She brought out a black armor unlike my first armor and I looked at her confused. This one was considerably more beautiful than my first armor, and it seemed to radiate power.
“Well I fixed your old armor but you had given me so much that I made you a new black one as well. I found other materials like the one you gave me for a pretty good price, this is without a doubt my best work I have ever done.” She set the helmet next to it.
“I don’t know what to say, it’s, beautiful, this is more powerful than my first set.”
“Thanks.” She helped me put on the main body and the ring on my horn shattered making me smile as my power rushed into me filling me with real power. “Whoa.” She said stepping back seeing me glow with magical power unlike any other.
“Oh.” I said letting out a black mist breath. “I will not lose in this.” She put on my helmet and I grinned feeling really good as my body completely healed from the armor effect.
“Wow, those stones did wonders.”
“You have no idea. Thank you, if I come back I'll come for my armor, if I pass on you will see my first armor fade and rusts. If that happens you may sell the other armor for it will mean I have died, and give my armor to Princess Luna.”
“Are you going into battle?”
“Yes, good bye Hammer it was a pleasure.” She nodded as I unlocked her door walking outside. Guards looked at me and I stomped my hoof making all of Canterlot shake and every pony bowed.
“Caption!” One of them said.
“Forget your hunt! Evacuate the city! NOW!” I yelled and ponies rushed around as I walked up to the castle opening the gates for me. Laughter made me frown as all the guards passed out cold, magic leaving their mouths. In fact every pony on the streets had fainted, magic leaving their mouths as well.
“Beast.” I said and the magic went back into their mouths waking them up again, they hurried running around. I teleported into the throne room.
“You are truly annoying!” Princess Luna’s body said and Princess Celestia looked at her confused as the guard fell to the ground.
“GET OUT OF HER!” I screamed and he flew out of her body hitting the wall cracking it. He got up coughing a little. Princess Celestia looked at us confused. “How dare you do that to my beloved!” He smiled walking over Princess Luna knocked out.
“Oh please, as if it was hard, I conquered this land long ago. You have lost, the fight is over.”
“Did you forget something?” I asked grinning.
“The ring,” he said with a faint expression. “H-how did you get it off, even at my greatest power I was unable to scratch it!” He said taking a battle stance.
“Princess Celestia, please take Luna away from here.”
“You are a fool, I have gather magic for long enough to be more than a match for you, I will not lose this victory!”
“You may try.” My body filled with magic as it enhanced our speed. Black wings ripped out of my side as he took flight allowing me to follow after him. With each clash of magic the sky erupted, in an almost too beautiful spark, as if thousands of fireworks exploded in the sky lighting up the now morning sky, going for minutes which to us was like hours.
He missed a single blast ripping through the forest blow Canterlot and I hit true with mine sending him crashing through the throne room on fire. He got up shaking as his form started to waver.
“Shadow!” Luna said and I jumped in the way of his blast protecting her but cracking my armor badly, making me fall to a knee.
“I told you to leave!”
“She teleported back.” Princess Celestia said and I stood up.
“Please we can help you.” I smiled.
“Perhaps you are right. I’m sure Princess Celestia can feel her power returning to her as we speak.”
“I can.”
“Damn you all,” he said breathing hard. “I see now my folly, and I will not escape death this time, my form will break down no matter what I do. I was trapped for far too long to come without pain, and with the three of you I stand no chance in a fight. So I must use plan B, if I can’t rule, then I will destroy everything so there is nothing to rule.”
“Aaa!” I turned seeing Princess Celestia and Luna fall to the ground in pain.
“NO!” I shouted as the sky turned red.
“The sun will roast this planet, and there is nothing you can do!” I looked at them screaming in pain and I sighed.
“Very well,” I said as tears ran down my face. “Luna, keep me in your heart, and know that I will forever love you.”
“What?” She asked confused tears running down her face from the pain.
“I cannot let you die.” My body started to warp as it became magical energy in its purest form. “I will not allow this pure world burn for one single pony’s mistake.”
“No you fool!” He shouted. “You’ll kill yourself!”
“I would die anyway!” I shouted at him. “You fool.” I ran at him and he couldn’t move fast enough as I ran my horn through his chest destroying everything he was and releasing both of them from their torment.
“Shadow!” Luna said running over to me.
“Princess,” I said as everything started to fade. “I love you, don’t not forget me, I’m sorry I made you cry.” I wiped a tear off her face only to be added with more tears.
“We can save you!”
“No you can’t, the grip he had could only be undone with an extreme amount of magic, I used every last bit I had to stop him. No one needs to die other than me, and saving me would surely bring him back, and I could not live knowing it. He killed so many, do not let him come back because of me.” Tears ran down her face.
“No, I don’t want you to go!” I kissed her healing her and Princess Celestia.
“I must, remember I'll always love you.” Everything faded seeing Luna reach for only air as I passed away.
“Luna.” Princess Celestia said coming over to her laying on Shadow’s grave.
“Sister.”
“It has been over two months.”
“I know, but if I leave he’ll think I left him.”
“He is in the heavens sister.” Tears ran down her face. “He watches over us with kind eyes I’m sure of it. Please come, I am going to have Twilight deal with Discord so that nothing like this happens again. Please come with me.”
“A little while longer.” She cried lightly.
“I understand.” She walked away.
Princess Luna looked at Shadows grave reading, to a honorable knight in midnight armor, and true love of Princess Luna, may he rest in the heavens.