//------------------------------//
// Revelations 
// Story: Dark Cloud 
// by D5ky 
//------------------------------//

It only took half an hour to reach Detrot from Manehattan.  Ventus pulled into the train station, and was immediately met by a pair of angry guards.  He rolled down one of the electric windows on the left.

“This arrival is unscheduled!  You are not authorized--”

“This arrival is code 624a,” Ventus interrupted, “so to hell with your authorization.  You’re going to keep my train company until I get back.”

Muttering to himself, the guard didn’t dare say another word.  Ventus pulled the train deeper into the station, onto a giant turntable, and into one of the parking sheds.  He deactivated the train, stepping outside into the city.

Detrot was one of the earliest cities to grow so large, and they hadn’t yet optimized their construction of large skyscrapers.  It now looked a bit run-down.  Ventus kept on high alert as he moved through the cracking streets.  Following an address Iron Hooves had given him, he moved quickly across town.  He approached a tall apartment complex, and began ascending stairs.

As he approached the thirteenth floor, he noticed something odd in the magical energies around him.  His mind flashed back to what Iron Hooves had told him.



	”This pony doesn’t like to be met by uninvited guests.  He is constantly on the alert, and usually has a security guard, who can apprehend any unwanted visitors.  You’ll need to keep on the lookout for him; he might be hard to see.”

“What do you mean?” Ventus asked, puzzled.  “I can usually sense when ponies try to sneak up on me.”

“Not when they use shadow magic, you can’t,” Iron Hooves replied swiftly.

Shocked silence.

“What do you mean, use shadow magic?  Nopony can really use shadow magic.”

Iron Hooves smiled.  “That’s exactly what you’re meant to believe.”



He sensed a unicorn falling towards him from the floor above, and jumped back down a few stairs.  The unicorn landed roughly on his hooves, only to be grabbed and pinned to the ground in a hoof-bar.

“That was some nice Shadow Magic,” Ventus told the now visible stallion, pushing him a bit harder into the lock.  “But I’m afraid it wasn’t quite good enough to fool me.”

“How did you see me coming?”  The stallion asked, voice strained from the pain of his leg.

“I'm not your average unicorn,” he replied.  “A friend sent me.  When the winter winds of death plauge our land, the few who know the truth will rise out of the shadows.”

The stallion’s eyes widened.  Ventus, judging it was now safe to do so, released the hoof-bar, and let the stallion fall back to earth.

“You know the password,” he said, shocked.  “Who sent you?”

“Iron Hooves,” Ventus replied.  “I need to talk to The Shadow.”

The stallion led Ventus up the stairs and to apartment 13162.  The stallion opened the door, and gestured Ventus inside.  He crossed the threshold into the dark room.  He had no problem seeing, as usual.  It was a high-ceilinged room, with a large chandelier that was not lit.  The walls were covered in bookcase upon bookcase, all of which extended to nearly the top of the room, filled to the brim with books.

“If you’re standing here,” a deep voice rang through the room, “you’ve obviously proven your trustworthiness to somepony.”

An armchair Ventus hadn’t noticed before spun around, revealing a sky-blue unicorn with dark navy hair, who looked to be in his late forties.  He looked at Ventus, who instantly felt as though his brain was being probed.

“...Well,” he said, a few moments later, “you’re something different.  What are you?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” Ventus replied, assuming the stallion had misspoken in saying 'what' are you.  “You’re The Shadow, right?”



	”Nopony knows his real name.  He’s never told anypony what it is.  But we all know that he’s a brilliant leader, so we follow his commands without question, and thing always end up okay.”



“Indeed,” The Shadow replied.  “Who sent you here?”

“Iron Hooves,” Ventus said, pressing on before The Shadow could comment.  “How does he know you?”

“He’s known me for years,” The Shadow said.  “He saved my life a while back, and he joined my research team shortly after.”

“And… he never said anything about me?” Ventus asked.  The Shadow raised his eyebrows.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.  “He’s never given me any new information, but he’s certainly worked well with what we already had.”



	”I told you guys the truth when I said I’ve never told anyone about you, Ventus.  It might seem like I told The Shadow, but I assure you, I did not.”



“But you didn’t come here just to ask that,” The Shadow said.  “What do you need from me?”

Ventus took a deep breath, preparing himself.

“I need to know… what a demon is.”

Silence.

“...You don’t know?” The Shadow asked, eyebrows raised in suspicion.  “That’s surprising…”

“What does that mean?” Ventus asked, puzzled.

“Nothing, nothing,” The Shadow said hastily, before getting to his hooves.

“If you’re asking about Demons, I assume you know nothing about Dark Spirits or Daemons either, right?”

“Wait, what?” Ventus was lost.  He had never heard those terms before.

“Didn’t think so,” The Shadow sighed.  “Looks like I’m starting from the beginning.”

He began pacing the room as he started explaining.

“My grandfather began the search for dark magic nearly 200 years ago.  He never told my father what had happened, but I do know something attacked him in his forest home, killing his wife.  He vowed to hunt it down and destroy it.  I don’t know what his research involved, but I do know what the results were.

“Demons are beings of total darkness.  Nothing more evil has ever lived in this world.  We still don’t know where they come from or why, but we know they do come.  They don’t have physical bodies.  They exist only as large clouds of black smoke, and they have to possess somepony in order to use any magic.  But they are beings of darkness, so once they’ve found somepony they can possess, they can use dark magic to extents that we can scarcely even begin to imagine.

“Most ponies, however, are not fit for possession.  Usually the host body of a demon will be overwhelmed by the dark energies after a short time, and they usually wind up dead when the ordeal is over.  Still with me so far?”

Ventus was still with him.  Not only that, but certain events were starting to make sense.  Forest Shade, Applejack, and Summerlight, for a start.

“I understand,” Ventus said.  “Is there any way to kill them?”

The Shadow shook his head.  “None that we know of.  Demons are eternal.  They come and go, but as far as we know, they never die.”

Ventus nodded.

“That’s all we know about demons so far, but I’ll tell you more about two other things, which are equally as important in this context.  The first: Dark Spirits.  Tell me, do you know what happens when you die?”

Ventus was shocked he was even being asked.  “Of course I don’t!  Nopony knows that!  Not even Princess Celestia--”

“What Celestia doesn’t know could fill several books,” The Shadow said, dismissively.  “She hasn’t traveled the world like others have.  No, we know what happens when you die.  Your spirit ascends into the heavens, and you come to the crossroads.”

“Crossroads?”

“Indeed.  You take one of two paths - light or dark.  What happens after this, we have no idea.  Anypony who goes down either road never comes back.

“But how do you know about them, then?” Ventus asked.  “If no one has ever returned, how did they--”

“I didn’t say that,” The Shadow interrupted impatiently.  “I said nopony’s ever returned from the paths of the crossroads.  But you can stop yourself from reaching them.”

“How?” Ventus asked, awed.  He knew he was hearing the truth, and this was something not even Celestia knew about.  He was listening raptly.

“If you can use dark magic, you can bind your soul to an object on the earth.  This pulls you back from the crossroads and traps you in a state of limbo, somewhere between life and death.  Now, if the object you’re bound to is a regular, everyday object, you’ll just be stuck in limbo until that object is destroyed.  But if you bind your soul to a very rare type of crystal, not only will you be able to return one day, you can still affect the living world.”	
“What crystal?”

The Shadow smiled.  “I think you know.  It’s very rare, but it exists.  Figure it out.”

Ventus racked his brains.  Very rare, allows you to affect things you can’t normally affect… does that mean it amplifies your soul’s power?  And if that’s true, it’s got to be…

“Focus Crystal,” he took a guess.  “Instead of focusing your magic power, it amplifies your soul’s power.”

“Correct,” The Shadow said, impressed.  “Magic Focus Crystal.  Once you’re trapped in limbo, you’ve already made the transition from equine into something else.  You will never be equine again.

“Dark Spirits feed on fear.  It makes them stronger, increases what they can do.  If they can enlist the help of another dark magic user, they can return one day.”

“How do you communicate with a spirit?” Ventus asked.  “I mean, you can’t hear them, right?”

“Right,” The Shadow said.  “But your thought-communication spell that Celestia ‘invented’ is limited.  There’s a stronger, better way to do it that can be used, and can be casted on the focus crystal.  Then, you just read each other’s thoughts.  This ensures that the two of you have nothing to hide from each other.  Then, you begin searching for a powerful unicorn.

“You need a unicorn who can survive great amounts of dark energy.  For you see, the way to come back is to rebind your soul into that of another.  You begin using their magical ability to regenerate your own.  This, in turn, transplants dark blood into their body.  That’s why they need to be strong - if their body rejects the dark blood, it will kill both them and you.  You get no second chance.  Since they didn’t have dark blood before, there’s no way they can have their soul bound to the earth.  Therefore, since you’re still bound to them, you are dragged with them down whatever path they’re dragged down, and you’re both gone forever.

“But, if the binding is successful, you regenerate to the point of full strength again, and you are soon able to break the bond between you and your host.  When this happens, you become a black cloud of smoke, very similar to a demon.  The only difference is that you can create a makeshift body of your own, that is very similar to your own, to possess without any opposition.

“At that point, you have become a daemon.  You are almost immortal, since there’s only one way for daemons to die.”

“Which is?”

“The soul the daemon used to regenerate leaves certain coding in his own soul.  If the daemon tries to attack it’s host pony, the host pony can sometimes force the daemon back within themselves.  The daemon will fight tooth-and-nail to escape, of course, but if the host pony dies before it gets out, the same thing happens - they’re both dragged down the crossroads, never to be seen again.”

Finishing his explanation, The Shadow sat back down in his armchair.  Ventus’ head was spinning from the sheer amount of new information he had just stuffed inside it.

“How did your research team learn all of this?” he asked.  “How did you know what spells to use, what crystals to use, and things like that?"

“We have done a lot of world traveling,” The Shadow said.  “I mostly stay here, but my operatives go pretty much everywhere.  Equestria is very limited on its knowledge of the darker side of magic, but that doesn't mean all cultures are.  We got the spells from them.”

“And all of this without Celestia ever knowing?” Ventus asked.  “Why?”

“Well, it’s illegal,” The Shadow said, narrowing his eyes.  “Celestia banned all new dark magic research nearly half a millennium ago.  We had to do all of our work in secret, because all three things I've told you about tonight still exist in this land.

“But unfortunately, I’m going to have to ask you to leave now,” The Shadow informed him.  “You've spent a lot of my time, and I need to get ready.”

"To do what?"

"To flee Equestria, of course," The Shadow replied.  "This place is going down, and I don't want to be here to see it.  Most of my dark research team is joining me."

"Wait," Ventus said, hurriedly.  "If you won't tell me more, can you direct me to someone else?  I have more questions that need answering."

The Shadow thought for a moment.

"If you need questions answered, there's only one who can do it, no matter what the question.  We call him 'The Eye of Truth.'  He speaks in riddles, but he can help you."

It wasn't much, but it was something.  Ventus decided it was worth a shot.

"Where do I find him?"


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Ventus approached the ominous-looking forest with apprehension.  The Whitetail Forest looked even worse than the Everfree, but he was sure there wasn't anything in there that he couldn't handle.

He stepped into the thick darkness beneath the trees.  Able to see straight through the darkness, he glanced around as he walked.  It was eerily silent.  Not even the chirp of a bird or the buzz of an insect; the only noise was the echoing hoofsteps of Ventus.  So naturally, when he heard a new noise to his left, he jumped about a mile into the air.  He whipped around, magic at the ready.

"There's no need to fear," a deep voice rang out.  "For nothing will harm you here."

A silhouette emerged from behind a think tree trunk.  It took Ventus a few moments to realize what it was; a Zebra.

"Zebra?" he said, straightening up.  "Why are you here?  What do you want?"

"I needed a place to hide," the Zebra said.  Ventus wanted to guess this one was male, but it could be hard to tell, especially when they're wearing cloaks.  "So in this forest I abide."

"Maybe you can help me, then," Ventus said.  If this Zebra lived here, he might know.  "I need to see the Eye of Truth."

"Looking for The Eye of Truth, you say?" What little of his mouth Ventus could see split into a smile.  "In that case, you have come the right way."

He turned to Ventus' left.  "I know where he dwells, you see.  If you wish to meet him, follow me."

Ventus followed behind him as he began walking through the trees.  Ventus didn't say a word; he was too busy wondering what The Eye of Truth would tell him.  Soon, they came to a wooden hut, built into the side of a large tree trunk.

"Here?" Ventus asked.  The Zebra walked up to the door and opened it.

"If The Eye you wish to see, you must first place your trust in me," he simply stated, holding the door open.  Slightly apprehensive, Ventus crossed the threshold.

There were no masks or potions as there had been in Zecora's hut.  Instead, the walls were covered in papers.  Ancient writing he couldn't read, symbols he had never seen before.

He turned around, and jumped in fright as he was now eye-to-eye with the Zebra, who was standing right behind him.  Ventus hadn't even heard him move.

"When do I meet The Eye?" he asked again.  The Zebra was beginning to give him an odd feeling, an uncomfortable feeling.  The Zebra just smiled.

"Oh come now, you're not that dim.  Can't you tell?  You've already met him."

"Wha--"

"You never asked whom I may be.  For you see, the one they call The Eye of Truth... is me."

Ventus' mouth fell open, as he stared in shocked silence for a few moments.  "You?  You're The Eye of Truth?"

"Indeed," The Eye of Truth replied.  "Now, what from me do you need?"

Ventus shook his head, trying to return to reality.

"I hear you can answer any question?"

The Eye nodded.  "My power reveals all, knowledge both great and small."

"I need to know... what I am."

The Eye raised an eyebrow.  "You are not a pony?  You look like one to me."

"I don't know," Ventus said.  "But I guess that's why I'm here."

"I will summon my power within," The Eye said, "and then we can begin.  But first, I must meditate for some time, if you wish for the truth sublime."

The Eye took a seat on the hard wooden floor in the middle of the room, and closed his eyes.  Ventus followed suit.

Fifteen minutes they sat there, but to Ventus, it might as well have been eternity.  The moments crawled by slower than snails as he sat, waiting for the answers that Celestia didn't have, that even all of the dark magic books in the archives didn't have.

"From the depths of my soul, I summon the power to see all truths," The Eye suddenly muttered, his voice growing even deeper with each word.  For the third time that day, Ventus nearly jumped out of his skin, surprised at both the broken silence and broken rhyming.

"Let pure truth flow forth, that I may answer the questions of the needful ones."

The Zebra's eyes reopened, now a particularly eerie shade of violet.

"Ask away," The Real Eye of Truth said.  "I will remember nothing of this conversation when the trance breaks."

Questions Ventus had held for decades began bursting forth like an eternal waterfall.

"Why have I lived for so long?  How have I survived injuries that should've killed me?  Why do my eyes go dark like they do?  Why was I born the way I was?  How--"

The Eye raised a hoof, stemming the flow of questions.

"I know what you need to hear."

Ventus stood, silently waiting for the explanations.

"Dark Blood does more than enable you to use dark magic.  It completely alters the way your body works.  Your body is at it's peak.  Your healing rate is unmatched.  This lengthens your lifespan exponentially.  Even I don't know how long you will live.  I'm sure you've discerned by now that you have dark blood."

Ventus nodded.  He had guessed he had dark blood, and now he knew why he had survived that Minotaur's attack in the Crystal Empire, and why stopped aging as well.

"But what runs through you is not merely dark blood.  It is something far more evil than that.

"You are darkness; darkness is you.  It created you.  It molds you.  It supplies you.  It saves you.  It blankets you in your deepest emotions, your most dire and desperate situations.

"It is forbidden darkness.  It is demonic darkness.

"Ventus Nightingale.  You are half-demon."

Ventus' mouth fell open, but he didn't even have time to process what this meant before the eye continued.

"Nothing like you has ever lived before, and nothing like you will ever live again.  This is all in your father.

"Yes, you have a father.  And this tale begins, and ends, with him.

"For you see, your father is Varázslat Sötétvarázsló.  Son of Erősszél Sötétvarázsló, the unicorn responsible for thousands of deaths, the terror of Unicornia, the instigator of dark blood.

"My power cannot see anything beyond this realm, so I do not know all of the details.  But I do know that Varázslat, through methods that are unknown to me, became a full-blooded Demon after his death.  Your mother could sense him within the house all night long.  She convinced herself that she was hearing things, and went to sleep.  He possessed her, and altered her.  His reasons for doing so are unclear, as he disappeared from this realm immediately afterwards.  But the result... was you.

"Dark blood enables all to survive for millenia, and Varázslat had more children in life as well as in death.  One of them you know quite well - Sombra Sötétvarázsló, now known as King Sombra.  He is your half-brother.  The other child of Varázslat also has a large role to play in this tale, but his role will help Equestria, not destroy it.

"Ventus Nightingale, you walk a very dangerous path.  You do not yet realize how much rests on your shoulders.  I leave you with one final piece of advice.

"When the final light of day fades away, return to where your role with this began."

The Eye took a deep breath, and his eyes slowly returned to their previous shade of grey, leaving Ventus completely dumbfounded by all of his new knowledge.




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