//------------------------------//
// Chapter 18: Cult 
// Story: Light and Shadow 
// by oop 
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“What do you think happened to them?”
“Back up, give em’ some air!”
“They’re my friends you big idiot, you back up!”
“No You move!”
“No, YOU!”
“Shut up…” Shadow thought to himself as a pair of voices drifted into his conscious mind “I don’t need this.” Thinking about his current situation he added “And my head hurts…” for what felt like the hundredth time in recent memory he found himself blinking to life after a long period of unconsciousness. He had a gut feeling this was going to become a thing with him.
“Oh thank the thunder god you’re alright,” said Mesa as Shadow’s eyes blinked open “What the heck happened to you in there? It was like explosions and screaming and earthquakes and…”
“Shut up Mesa,” said Lightning “Well, it looks like you’re both okay, what happened… wherever you ended up?”
“Give me… like five seconds…” Shadow muttered. There was stone under his hooves but it was warmer than before. Blinding light poured in from a single opening in the cavern. They were back in the dark alter room, but more importantly, they were back to their own specific reality. Low steady breathing on his right confirmed Iris too had made it out safely.
“That was awesome!” Mesa failed to contain himself as he burst out again “That thing just like appeared from nowhere! And then you didn’t even care you just jumped at it! Then it started screaming and all the evil ponies ran away and…”
“I know, Mesa,” said Shadow “I was there.” He turned as he felt Iris take hold of his hoof, apparently struggling back to the waking world as well. Her misty eyes blinked open and she let out a contented yawn.
“Whuh-what happened?” she asked, ears twitching rapidly “This isn’t the cave we were in before! The other cave smelled like grass and dead fire, this one smells like…”
“It’s better not to think about it,” said Shadow, glaring to Mesa and Lightning to convey that it was better not to question further “We’ve been here long enough, it’s time to get home. Lightning do you have the cylinder?”
“All our stuff is back at the bottom of the mountain,” she said “We have to go back there and hope those creeps haven’t got their hooves on it.”
“Well then we need to get going,” said Shadow, helping Iris to her hooves “The longer we stay here the more likely it is something bad is going to happen…”
Lightning and Mesa gave him identical looks of confusion, but neither of them argued. They stepped out of the cave, blinking in the bright sun “Where did those creeps go anyway?” asked Mesa “They took off like their fur was on fire, do you think they left?”
“Oh no…” said Lightning, propping her front hooves on a large boulder to peek down the mountainside, her view was clear an unimpaired now that the mist had cleared “I don’t think they left… Mesa…”
Shadow and Mesa followed suit, training their eyes to where Lightning was staring. Figures were making their way across the plains at the bottom, many figures of many shapes, some with robes visible even from this height. It didn’t take much imagination to figure out where they were going…
“No…” Mesa spoke in disbelief “They’re going toward the camp! Chief! They’re going to…” Mesa trailed off “We have to help them!” he turned toward the path to charge, but Shadow extended a wing to block him “Get out of my way!”
“There’s nothing we can do about them now,” said Shadow “We have to get safely down the mountain and back to the cylinder. Everything else is just going to have to sort itself out.”
“But… my friends…” Mesa said weakly “My family… they’re all down there…”
“By the time you got to the bottom your camp would be pillaged and burned,” Shadow spoke in a cold tone that didn’t suit him at all “If you want to go pick up the pieces after we’re gone, then fine. You’re not from our time anyway.”
He brought his wing back and started down the path without another word. Iris immediately squeaked and jumped to his side. Lightning stared after him for a moment before moving forward. “He never talks like that…” she said “Shadow… he’s never down on himself… or anyone… what happened in there…?”
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The buffalo camp itself was blissfully unaware of the threat approaching from the mountain. Now that the sun had reached its height in the sky and sunrise was long over they were more than a little pleased just to imagine the unicorns abandoning their plans of battle. A few had even begun to celebrate their unearned victory.
“Them pony folk knew they were outmatched the moment they saw us,” said Stone head, who was sharing a pint of barley with the rest of his stampede “Those were just big words when their cocky angel leader got hurt.”
“I’ve got to hand it to that kid, Mesa,” said another “It took guts to go into a full charge like that. Did you see them working on the camp while we were talking to them? They’ve got some kind of magic enough to throw stone!”
“Either very brave or very stupid,” said Stone head gruffly “And knowing that fool of a child he is I’m guessing it’s the second. He won’t be coming back to my tribe for a foolhardy move like that.”
“Well he’s got to come back at some point you know,” said one of the most inebriated of the group “After all if he don’t come back the lineage breaks…”
“At which point Song would be forced to choose an heir,” said Stone head, a confident smirk playing around his lips “If the kid stays away, as he very well should, this tribe is as good as mine…”
“You mustn’t speak with such power hungry words,” said another, older looking buffalo “Greed begets ill fortune, which we have quite enough of as is…”
“Oh be quiet,” said Stone, downing the last of his drink “All our problems will be solved once I’m chief of the tribe, you just wait and see…”
“Bandits!” Their chatter was interrupted by the exclamation of a returning scout, barreling towards the chief’s tent “Ready your weapons! Bandits approach from the mountains in a flood! To horns! To horns!”
“It seems the Gods were watching you after all,” said the old buffalo, patting Stone head on the back as he took off to prepare.
“I have yet to see a group of bandits I can’t handle,” said Stone head confidently “Come along men; we’ll defeat the menace and be home before supper… men…?”
Stone head observed the terrified expressions of the rest of the stampede and turned his attention to the mountainside where their collective gaze was trained. A shudder crossed his broad shoulders at the terror before him. This was indeed no rag-tag group of petty thieves, but a full flood. His vision blurred together with dozens of coats in a color conglomeration as he went lightheaded from shock. They would likely be In for a very long ordeal indeed…
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“Shadow,” said Lightning worriedly “I know you don’t want to talk about what happened…”
“You’re right, I don’t,” said Shadow, interrupting her “So don’t talk about it.”
They had been walking down the path for just over thirty minutes now, but it was quickly becoming obvious that it was a longer route than it had seemed the night before. Shadow had to keep a wing around Iris’ shoulder to guide her across the rocky terrain. Mesa had ventured a ways ahead of the rest of the group, more confident but no more knowledgeable about the mountain than they were. Lightning had stuck close behind him until just recently, the curiosity at Shadow’s sudden mood swing stealing her attention.
“Shadow, you have to talk to me about it at some point,” she said, not sure herself if she was trying to be encouraging or demanding “Will one of you please just tell me what happened?”
Iris bowed her head and Shadow glared, he moved forward, dragging Lightning a little ways down the path before hissing in her ear “Iris doesn’t remember what happened, and I want it to stay that way…”
“Shadow…” said Lightning, voice cracking slightly “You’re… you’re scaring me…”
A look of concern flashed temporarily over Shadow’s enraged complexion “I’m… sorry” he said, childish nature again pushing aside the trauma “But… that thing… I don’t want to remember it either…”
“Okay…” said Lightning, knowing all too well what he meant “Then just forget about it okay? It’ll be easier that way…”
“But I can’t…” said Shadow “It was just too much… too… terrible… Lightning, I was more scared than I’ve ever been in my life. More than when the snake tried to eat us, more than when Discord took over Canterlot…” he sighed “It’s like everything is leading up to… something…”
“Well if it makes you feel any better,” said Lightning “It’s going to be another thousand years or so before that something else can happen.”
Shadow laughed, the lightening of the mood did make him feel much more like his old self “When we get back to the present, we’re getting ice cream,” he said “all three of us. All fun adventures should end in ice cream!”
“Oh come on, what about me?” said Mesa indignantly “Don’t I get ice cream too?”
“Absolutely!” said Lightning “Wait a minute, how do you even know what ice cream is…?”
“I don’t,” said Mesa with a smile “But you guys are all getting excited about it, so why shouldn’t I?”
“Shadow’s rich anyway,” said Lightning with a smirk.
“Um…Shadow…?” said Iris quietly “Isn’t Mesa going home…?”
Shadow shrugged “I don’t know,” he said “Maybe we’ll never get rid of him.”
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The battle at the base of the mountain had begun. Rock hard skulls slammed against creatures of all shapes and sizes, woolen coats and barriers of magic nullifying the strikes to the point that the heavy blows merely glanced off. Scouts of the smaller or more agile among them hauled away foodstuffs and precious metals, stampedes pursuing them being drawn back into the thick of battle.
Among all of this Nature Song was battling alone against at least five deer that were taking it in turn to charge. Song was fortunate enough to be well versed in combat as she blocked each attack successfully, intent on keeping the bandits away from her own tent.
Unfortunately it started to seem like a losing battle, her movements slowing with each consecutive strike. It seemed inevitable that they would soon push past her and ransack one of the most sacred areas of the camp.
“Get back you devils!” Song exclaimed, charging one of them directly, landing a solid blow but barely stopping another from charging her tent. Fatigue was creeping in on her now, and she winced as a pair of horns connected solidly with her flank. She regretted that this could be her final battle, with poor Mesa never coming home…
Just as she was prepared to launch forward with the last of her might however, a white flash shot in from her left, blindsiding one of the deer who knocked over the one next to him. Song’s reflexes never left her, taking the chance to topple the others. She turned in utter surprise to see the oracle, cloak gone, looking younger than she had ever seen him.
“Don’t forget,” he said confidently “I too was the chief of this tribe once, and I will not let it fall to ruin.”
“Old habits die hard I suppose?” said Song, starting to recover “I hope I don’t live to become as fragile as you.”
“We’ll see how fragile I am before the sun sets I’ll wager,” said The Oracle, glaring as he spotted a group of masked unicorns emerging from the space between two tents.
“Dung,” cursed Song “These ones have magic, what do we do now?”
The Oracle gave another confident smile “We’ll show them it isn’t just those of their species that know the magical art…”
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“There it is!” Mesa exclaimed, skidding down the last gravel covered bit of path “That took long enough didn’t it? I don’t know about you guys but I really need something to eat!”
Lightning followed quickly behind him as they practically galloped toward the cave in the mountainside. Shadow was a little ways behind them, still making sure Iris was maneuvering safely. She insisted that she could continue just fine without him, but he wasn’t buying it.
“Shadow, I can make it the rest of the way really,” she said “I can smell the pool, we’re almost there.”
“You couldn’t make it over the pool last time,” he said, smiling despite himself “Come on, and I’ll fly you over, and don’t say you’re scared, I know you like it.”
“What if I just don’t want to get used to it?” said Iris bumping him lightly “Some of us don’t have wings you know.”
“I say take your opportunity where you can get it,” said Shadow, already flapping his wings “I’m going to grab you, you ready?”
“I guess,” said Iris “Just say when okay?”
“Okay,” said Shadow “Ready in three…two…”
“Would you two quit flirting back there?” Lightning called back “We’re going to leave you in this millennium if you don’t get a move on!”
Iris uttered a loud squeak, going tomato red at this comment. Shadow grabbed her without finishing the countdown, his own embarrassment shocking him slightly. They proceeded carefully through the crack again, light entering the cavern with them now that it was morning, making the cave seem much less intimidating and far more livable.
“Here it is!” Lightning said quickly, procuring the cylinder from the dusty corner she had been sleeping in “Have we got everything packed up? I want to get out of this dark age A-S-A-P!”
“Alright!” said Shadow, trotting over to Lightning, trying to figure out the necessary boundary for the device’s impact, Iris sticking to his side like glue.
“Yeah…” said Mesa, still standing awkwardly at the entrance to the cave “I guess it is…”
Shadow and Lightning looked back simultaneously realizing that they had been blocking out the fact of the necessary farewell. “I guess you’re heading back to your tribe now, huh?” said Lightning, her happy tone much subsided.
Mesa nodded as Shadow walked back “Stay safe out there man,” he said, offering a hoof bump “See you in a thousand years I guess.”
“I’ll try to last that long,” said Mesa, smirking as he slugged Shadow’s hoof then slammed his skull against Shadow’s. He didn’t even flinch, despite Iris’ squeak.
“Come on guys, the longer we’re here the more trouble we’ll be in.” said Lightning, holding back her own emotion “Can we just go already?”
“Alright! sheesh,” said Shadow “I didn’t realize you were in such a hurry to get your flank tanned by your brother” he walked over and stood by Lightning, Iris doing the same.
As Lightning pressed the green button, not giving a moment for her emotions to well up, the blur or color started all over again. Mesa’s smile faltered as he watched his friends start to fade away. He would be going back to the tribe now, or lack thereof to be more precise, if he was lucky he might be able to get back in Song’s good books, go back to being a normal tribe member… after this adventure all that was going to seem so bland…
His hooves moved for him, and before he or anyone else could comprehend it, his brown coat had joined the swirl of colors about to shoot forward in time. The flickering lights slowly faded, leaving the cave again lightless and empty.
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The buffalo camp was falling, this much Song knew. They were outnumbered three to one from the onset of the battle and their numbers had only fallen. Without the virtues of magic or powers of flight the buffalo were falling victim very steadily to their attackers. Song had gathered the last thirty or so buffalo at the center of the camp to form a defensive barrier around the women and children.
“Fight to your last breath!” she called over the cacophony of battle “It matters not if your life is ended on this day but what you choose to make of it at this moment will last forever!”
But the words fell on deaf ears, the tribe wasn’t stupid. The fact that their demise was almost totally assured did not escape any of their minds. But still they stood against the onslaught, without any hope of victory they fought on. Because Song was right, if it was death they faced it should be as honorable a death as possible.
Within minutes Song found herself knocked on her back, the vicious fangs of some wolf-like creature snapping at her neck. She closed her eyes, thinking only of her tribe, knowing that this would be her final battle. The jaws came even close as she felt the very last of her strength slowly creep out of her body.
A sudden sound, like that of bells, broke her from her fainting state, accompanied by a brilliant flash of light. The creature trying to force its weight onto her slumped and fell sideways. Song squinted into the sunlight, making out the steadily fading form of a familiar enemy.
“You’re too much like my sister to die today Song…” she heard from somewhere far away “It’s not over yet…” The sound of approaching hooves and the sight of many varied flashes of light were what filled Song’s perception as the world slowly faded to black.
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“Shadow…” a vague feminine voice floated through a growing consciousness “Shadow… wake up… come on now…”
As electricity snapped between his nerves once again and higher thought processes took shape, he noticed the tone of worry tingeing the voice, as well as the vague familiarity of the tone. He tried and failed to bring himself to his hooves, only succeeding in a sort of shuffling twitch on the ground. Remembering he had eyes, he opened them, taking a moment to register a pale blue face and a flowing, star-filled mane.
“Mom…?” he muttered, finding his strength, at least enough to sit up “I had the weirdest dream… I dreamed I went back in time…”
“Well you’re safe now…” said Luna, sounding very greatly relieved “And you’re still in trouble…” she said her tone shifting from concern to fury
Shadow’s eyes widened as they better interpreted his setting. A smaller, black and white form was pressed against his side, and a red coat was collapsed nearby on the other. Iris and Lightning were both here, knocked out, and for some unexplainable reason they were in the Everfree forest. Oh crap, it wasn’t just a dream.
He realized with a sinking feeling that his mother wasn’t the only one glaring down at the pony pileup. Saber was standing nearby, looking more alarming than ever in deep blue barding. Zecora was there too, looking angrier than the other two combined, and was, to his dismay, the first to speak.
“How dare you?” she exclaimed, her hooves kicking up copious clouds of dirt as she stormed toward Shadow “What thought did you give to what you do?” he cowered, but her ineptitude to institute fear while rhyming gave him the bizarre urge to laugh as well.
“We aren’t happy kid,” said Saber in a voice low enough to be a growl “My sister’s been gone for a full twenty-four hours, not even just missing, but somehow you managed to drag her off the face of Equestria!”
“Did you not learn from your mistake in the ageless corridor?” asked Luna angrily “Or even the lake of desires? You seem to have developed an insatiable want for danger of yourself and others!”
Shadow’s ears fell flat against his head, wishing he hadn’t woken up at all. It wasn’t just his fault was it? Unfortunately three pairs of angry eyes told him otherwise…
Zecora stepped forward, lifting Iris up on her back, who squeaked in her sleep “It would be best if my daughter returned to home,” she said “In her condition it’s better to play alone.”
Luna looked on the verge of interjecting, but whether because she still felt the need to teach Shadow a lesson because she knew it would be better not to argue, she merely stood aside to allow the enraged mother to pass. Shadow watched her go, a hole forming in the pit of his stomach.
Thankfully Lightning began to come around at this point, hazily sitting up and looking from side to side, “Well… looks like we made it back…” she said wearily “Hi Saber… am I late…?”
“Yeah… just a little…” said Saber, helping her to her hooves “Next time, at the very least, tell me where exactly you’re going to risk your life…”
“Aw crap…” said Lightning “I really thought I was going to get out of this one… stupid spinny dial didn’t have days on it…” she wobbled a bit before seeming to decide it would just be easier to lean on Saber for support.
“So this is the artifact then?” queried Luna, a blue aura of magic enveloping the cylinder as she lifted it up for inspection. She didn’t say a word after that, apparently expecting a response.
“Um…yeah…” said Shadow “Green is forward, red is backward, and those numbers are how many years you want to travel…” Luna didn’t respond for a moment, so he dared a question “Do you know what it is?”
“As a matter of fact I do” she said “This is the time turner’s spinning wheel, it’s a relic that has been lost for centuries. And to think it was in the ruins of my own castle this entire time…”
“Not to offend you Princess,” said Saber respectfully “But rather than bother with the gadgetry involved shouldn’t we try to figure out the punishment for these two?”
“Well Shadow already owes me a week at the castle he skipped out on earlier,” said Luna, an icy glare touching upon her features “After this he’s earned himself a much more extended sentence of…well, let’s say till summer’s end.”
“But summer hasn’t even started yet!” Shadow whined.
“Then maybe this will teach you not to interfere with things that are none of your concern,” said Luna sternly “As for your sister, Saber, her punishment is your responsibility.”
“And what about me?” came a familiar groggy voice from nearby. Mesa, who up until now had still been asleep on the leaf-mold, was standing on his own four hooves.
“Who…” said Luna, ice in her voice “Might this be…?”
Shadow gulped.
Now it should be, well really must be, mentioned that Vinyl slept throughout most of this endeavor, still in Shadow’s small house. She had woken once or twice to get food or ponder the other’s whereabouts, but with no compelling reason to stay awake for more than a few hours she simply didn’t.
If she had been slightly more aware of her surroundings at the time she could have heard the whir of insectoid wings buzzing near the door, which creaked open seconds later. If she had remembered to magically lock the door after Lightning and Shadow left she would not be, moments later, blissfully unaware of a pair of evil green eyes floating nearby. And most importantly, she failed to notice the weight of a certain amulet leaving her neck as a meticulous hoof plucked it off her sleeping form.
The dull blue glow temporarily illuminated a black face, pony-like in shape but very different in stature. As she held the amulet up with a hole-ridden hoof a smile graced her lips.
“Oh mummy will be so proud of me…” she said with an evil grin. Then, without disturbing the silence again, she stole out into the night.