[Blazing's Entry]
I know I've said before that an entry would be my last one but this time I have the means and the courage. The record isn't in my favor but with how I messed things up there is no other way out.
Chokey was safe all along, in a sense. I didn't need to do anything but my meddling caused only pain.
With both swords at my disposal and their magic dampening ability even my spellcrafted body won't last long.
I have almost ruined three families but her interference saved two of them.
If there is a hero then it's her.
Unfortunately it will take some time for the swords to work so after I impaled myself to the cave floor I found out that after the excruciating pain comes even deeper boredom.
I almost killed HER family. I came to the Cult of Luna completely unaware that it was run by her parents but thankfully it didn't turn out that bad.
Well now even she wouldn't be able to forgive me but that doesn't matter. I bought a ticket to Ponyville and took the road to the Everfree forest where I found the cave I'm now lying in.
Sometimes you can't just make things right. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and move on.
My duty is over. Chokey is safe.
[End Entry]
Sitting on the train from Manehatten to Canterlot, I rest as much as possible and crunch some sweets so I have the energy to beat Void in case he proves dangerous. One part of my plan is complete - I have the artefact from my home and I know where the other of the pair is.
Blades of Balance, a poetic name given to the pair of weapons crafted as a result of Star Swirl the Bearded's experiments with the Elements of Harmony. As the story goes, he discovered that there is actually ten Elements instead of the known five but the others are somewhere else. It makes sense, only a fool would think that harmony is maintained only by good aspects. In fact, pure good is as far from balance as possible, at least that's what my common sense hints at. The theory is that each Element has got its counterpart aside from the Element of Magic which he tried to balance out by research and experiments and eventually, to maintain harmony, he was involved in creation of what was supposed to be an Element opposed to the effect of being able to change the world by force of will.
It's just a legend though. It might just happen that the other sword is only a decorative piece of garbage and Void obliterates me immediately. Hopes aside, with how lacking in energy I was there should have been no way for me to survive my father's attack.
No question there.
Am I immortal then?
Keep asking yourself, that's gonna help.
So probably not but my changeling side combined with the magical body apparently grants me insane amount of survivability, something I feel is a bit more a curse than a blessing.
Well you had hard time walking to the train station. The fatigue is probably a side-effect of the unnatural regeneration.
Great... so if somepony decides I deserve to be wiped from the face of Equestria they have to throw me into a volcano or something.
Or they'll just tell Celestia you said she was fat.
I might prefer the volcano. Damn... I messed up again.
Be fair for once. You've never wanted to do that. You got dragged into this without your consent.
Honestly, I'm just going through the motions. I don't feel like killing Rising anymore, I don't really even feel like dealing with Void.
I just feel empty.
So... let's get drunk?
No. I will just visit Rising to see if his face makes me feel something else and then I'll get the second sword and find Void, probably at Choking's place.
What if she gets in the way?
If it's from her own free will then I will know she's safe and I'm done. If not then we will have an epic boss fight and I'll get the damsel in distress free from the villain and half of the kingdom as a reward.
The train arrives in Canterlot and the evening gloom covers my progress to the location I found in Choking's office.
Rising Thunder's home and then the Cult of Luna. If somepony stands in my way they will die, Chokey's safety is on the line.
[Choking's Entry]
Alright. Now I'm really confused. Some fake Twilight Sparkle is in the castle and Blaze is gone... again.
What's worse, Void is nervous.
[End Entry]
As the entrance to my apartment appears, I don't bother using my shaking hooves to operate something as delicate as a keyring and just begin banging at the door.
"Void! Void! VOID!"
I calm down a bit when the clicking from the other side reveals the blackfire alicorn.
"What is going on?"
Scared for my family's life, I have no time to explain but my desperate expression and my trembling all over is enough for him not to ask pointless questions. I still don't think Blaze would willingly kill a defenseless pony but this is a situation in which I'm not willing to take a risk.
"Go to 12 Doctor Whooves Road and give them this," I take off my guard badge, give it to Void and continue.
"Tell them they are in danger and if anything happens then protect them at all costs."
"What kind of danger are we talking about? I am not going into this blind."
"Blazing Light armed with some kind of magical sword."
"What in Tartarus-?"
"No time to explain, just go! I have one more thing to take care of and then I'll run there as well. If you show my badge to any guard and ask for directions they will not bother you."
"Alright I am going but you owe me an explanation later."
"Sure, just don't let anything happen to my parents!"
He finally catches on and without any regard for his secrecy he summons his blackfire wings and runs out of the building. If he gets there in time then my family should be safe. Blazing's combat skill aside, the alicorn of Death should have no problem stopping him.
Able to breathe a bit easier, I remember the second concern of today - Rising Thunder. As much as I would love to see him suffer for the part he played in Blaze's death I think that bringing him before the princesses, making him confess and clear Blaze's name is a better outcome than his end. Also after today, the possibility of seeing young Rolling Thunder lose her father seems more personal than before.
I also don't want to see Blaze turn from a killer to murderer.
Rising Thunder's home is located in one of more common parts of Canterlot filled with family houses, the sort everypony dreams of owning and it has everything - two stories, a garden with a swing presumably from the time Rolling Thunder was just a small filly. It makes me consider how someone so obviously normal could have plotted the death of another pony.
The sight of opened door begins to invoke a pavlovian response in cold sweat forming on my back. With no delay this time I rush in again, I'm still late but not too late yet.
Rising Thunder is lying on the floor, bleeding from numerous wounds, none of which seems fatal. Two other ponies are watching the spectacle one of which I identify as Rolling Thunder, Rising's daughter who is bleeding from her nose, presumably from an attempt at stopping Blaze. The second one is a mare I've never seen before but I guess it's Rising's wife. Blazing's new sword is aimed at Rising's neck.
"Blaze, NO!" I shout.
"Go away. I want to do at least one thing right."
"This isn't the right thing."
"How can you say that? HE covered Blueblood's rape attempt, HE stole the money and HE framed me and got me killed!"
No... my weakness and fear got you killed.
"I know but he deserves justice, not this."
"Justice is what I got when I was choking to death hanging from a tree. And that kind of justice is what he's going to get."
"I won't let you."
She walk between the earthpony and the unicorn without either one of them moving.
"You can't stop me."
"You'll have to break every bone in my body to stop me from stopping you," I smile at him. It's something that's never failed to brighten his day. There's always a first time though.
"What makes you think I won't do it?"
Technically nothing but I have one more card to play. Manipulating him in such way feels a bit wrong but it's for the greater good.
"Void told me what you felt... or still feel towards me?"
"What do you know about Void?" he asks, stopping and watching me carefully.
"He asked me to help him in recovering his body from Tartarus but that's not important until you leave this behind you."
"No..."
Blaze's horn glows stronger and following the movement of his hoof, the silver sword swings around and stabs the target. For the second time, it is a wrong one.
"I wish ponies would stop doing that," he comments, rolling his eyes.
In much the same way as his mother I deflected the blow aimed at Rising. Fortunately, the guard issue sword just scratched me. I take a deep breath when I realize that if the blow went a bit more to the left then my neck would have been unpleasantly drafty.
I point at the shocked but relieved faces of Rising's daughter and wife.
"I'll bring him to justice but I'll do it the right way," I say.
He growls at Rising cowering behind me but sheathes his family's greatsword and runs away for the second time today.
Before leaving, I punch Rising just for good measure. All this is his fault.
One last place to go and while I'm in no state to run I can still follow his hoofsteps without being noticed.
The Cult of Luna used to be an organization responsible for helping batponies deal with persecution but now it's just a place where ponies can sort out their religious struggles or ask the lunar princess for blessing in prayers. I'm not sure whether it actually works but the institution still stands.
When he enters the building I quietly follow him. Void's interference could show me whether or not I can trust him. I'm leaning towards yes but he might say something which might make me rethink it if he thinks I'm not around. Being here on time, I'm not scared about my family anymore because I'm pretty sure I can stop Blaze myself.
The temple is completely deserted. On Sunday it's not too surprising but the complete lack of anypony around shows that Void has done his job.
Blaze levitates the silvery greatsword with ebony handle towards its counterpart, an ashen greatsword with ivory handle, hanging in the main room on an enchanted rack protecting it from theft. The magic fades and both swords hover before him in telekinetic grip.
In a burst of black flames, Void appears.
"Ah... Blazing Light, short time no see," he says in his blues singer voice.
"Void."
"How nice of you to remember my humble presence. What brings you here?"
"I'm here to get you out of Chokey's life."
"Jealous?" asks Void and winks at Blaze.
"No, I just want this to end and for her to be safe from some Tartarus demon."
"I can assure you I pose no danger to miss Darkness."
"What about your mission to get your body back?"
"Miss Darkness is helping me of her own free will."
"Free will or not, opposing Celestia will put her in danger and I won't allow that."
"I still do not get why you have never told her you loved her."
"Because I would be the worst thing that could happen to her."
That idiot. There are no words to describe how...
...what?
Do I love him? Hardly. Do I care about him? Deeply.
I reveal my presence.
"Stop referring to yourself as a thing, Blaze."
He visibly jumps but recovers immediately and attacks Void with both weapons. His swing is almost instant but Void teleports a short distance away and lets out a burst of magic towards Blaze. Controlling both swords and unable to move, Blaze screams when the black fire hits his face. Void doesn't press the assault and heavily breathing Blaze just keeps shaking his head over and over.
"Why are you here?" Blaze eventually asks when nopony seems eager to continue.
"A spell summoned me here, remember?" answers Void.
"I mean here at this temple."
I step in.
"I'm sorry to say it, Blaze, but I was worried after seeing you at your parents' house and after I heard you asking about our family's sword I thought you might hurt my folks to get it so I asked Void to keep an eye on them."
Blaze looks directly at me and I see one of his eyes, hit by Void's spell, is milky white. His jaw drops as the realization sets in.
"Your... family? I've messed up everything... again, my father was right all along. I'm a screwup."
I try to stop him when he begins walking to the temple entrance but he just pushes past me without second look.
"This... has to end," he groans.
Void pulls me to him with one of his wings.
"A poet once said - Even though we forget in times of strife, death is a gateway into new life," he says loud enough to resonate through the room.
Blaze doesn't stop.
"It's too late for me."
"I have done things you cannot imagine, kid, so believe me when I say there is never too late to make things right."
When Blaze disappears through the doorway I struggle and get out of Void's wing embrace.
"What do you think you're doing?" I ask angrily.
"We have to go, I feel Celestia coming. She must have sensed me using my power and will not hesitate to wipe this entire place out to 'save' her ponies from me."
"I can't leave Blaze alone in that state."
"You will not be able to help him from prison or a grave, come on!"
"I'll think of... something, just don't do anything stupid!" I shout at the door and then get closer to Void.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
A sense of falling proves to me we've left the temple.
We've teleported only a short distance and are now hiding between chimneys of nearby buildings and watching princess Celestia descend towards the temple. I'm a bit worried about her blowing up the place just for being in connection to Void but despite what I percieved as her uncontrolled, and very much substantiated, hatred towards the blackfire alicorn she just leaves few short moments later and we begin flying towards my apartment.
"Void?" I begin.
"Yes?"
"How is Blaze still alive?"
"I do not think 'still' is the correct term here."
"What do you mean?"
"The runes on his body prove that it was forged by a powerful magic and bind his soul to it. The spell used to bring me back killed him, of that I am sure."
"You mean somepony brought him back from the dead, is there anypony with that kind of power?"
"Necromancy, while frowned upon, is not a forgotten art so the knowledge exists but the price one has to pay for performing spells of that sort is high enough as it is and they might fail anyway."
"So there is somepony able to do it."
"No. The knowledge may be available but there is no magic user with enough raw power to create a magical body and bind a soul to it without breaking its will aside from a wielder of Element of Magic."
"Maybe whoever revived him messed him up?"
"I doubt it. Enslaved souls usually don't retain their ability to speak and are just used for their past skillset."
"Yeah, I was just hoping..."
"He did not have it in him to seriously consider murder?"
"Kinda that."
"Let me tell you this - I still think you two should at least try things together. I also know that even the strongest can break under enough pressure and do things they would not do otherwise."
"He's been like that since I've met him though."
"Then maybe there was nopony to show him he was wrong for so long that he now cannot comprehend that things can be different."
"You know you're really nice?"
"Not really. I just hate pointless things and chances ruined by fear and ego."
"Oh come on, admit it! The dreaded avatar of Death is just a big softie."
"I consider myself intelligent enough to do without the need to be unpleasant."
"So, if for some reason I wanted to see Blaze again... is there a way to find him?"
"I am sorry but I cannot help you with that."
"Should I remind you I'm willing to go to Tartarus with you to get your body back?"
"I did not mean it that way, I just have no idea where he could be and finding him using magic will be impossible thanks to the Blades of Balance."
"The what now?"
"The two swords, one of which was being kept at Luna's temple."
"That thing? I thought it was just a sword with magic used to keep it sharp."
Void sighs at my obvious ignorance about apparently one of the most unique items in the world.
"While this statement will be incorrect in almost all possible ways it should suffice. Wielding both swords will make him immune to magic."
"Wait, isn't his telekinesis and his body magical?"
"I oversimplified the effects. His ability will remain untouched but thanks to his new body, he will die eventually."
"How much time does he have?"
"No idea, it all depends on how powerful the one who revived him is."
"Got any idea who that might be? There can't be that many ponies skilled enough."
"The first one who comes to mind is Twilight Sparkle but with her studying under Celestia there is no way she knows enough and even with her being an Element bearer I doubt she is powerful enough yet. Next one would be Luna herself but I do not see any reason for her doing so. Oh wow... is it THAT simple?"
"Did you just say 'wow'?"
"Listen, the only ones with power even slightly approaching what is needed to bring back the dead are the gathered Elements of Harmony or just the Element of Magic wielded by somepony really powerful. Without those, there are only few alicorns capable of doing so. How many alicorns do you know?"
"Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Twilight Sparkle, you and Scream."
Void is now looking at me like a teacher giving directions to his new pupil who is using brain for the first time.
"Minus the ones we've already counted out and the impossible ones."
"Eehm, Luna, Cadence and... Scream?"
"Getting closer but Cadence is too young and unskilled to do something like that and while Luna probably has got the knowledge and even the power to do so I still cannot see a reason why she would do it. Which leaves us with the only one with enough magic, knowledge and even a special ability of manipulating souls."
"Wow."
"Wow indeed."
"Can we ask her?"
"I definitely will if I get the chance."
"Considering she's your owner, can't you contact her somehow?"
"SHE'S NOPONY'S OWNER!" shouts Void blushing and dropping down like a rock as his wings freeze mid-swing.
"Sorry, couldn't resist."
"Pfff. No, I cannot contact her the way I am now."
He tries to fake sulking but my main worry is out of the way and we just descend towards the apartment building and finally stop in front of the door of my home.
"Oh creeperberries!" facehoofs Void.
"Eh?"
"I used my power just outside the apartment earlier. How could I have been so stupid?"
"What's going on, are we running again?"
"Not this time, she already knows we are here."
"Who?"
"Just open the door, there is nothing we can do."
With a click, the door opens and we both go inside.
"Greetings, our loyal subjects."
It's princess Luna.