//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Rose of Dawn // by AshenTerra //------------------------------// Ducking down behind my hiding space I turned myself into a shadow as a group of guards ran by. Ok so before I continue, let me get you all caught up with what happened, after the guard tried to stab me with his spear I kicked him in the face, causing blood to trickle from his nose, causing the other 11 guards to rushed me, (to make thing simple I'll call them by where they stand according by the clock, guard 1 being the one I just kicked,) guard 6 swung his pole in a wide arc, jumping out of the way I landed on guard 2 as the pole smacked guard 4 while guard 5 ducked under it, guard 3 slashed with his sword only to have his sword stuck in a pillar of stone that rose up from the ground rendering him without a weapon, guard 5 used his crouched position to lunge at me, grabbing his arm I ducked and spun kicked his legs out from underneath him and using his momentum throwing him at guard 12 knocking both of them unconscious, guard 11, trying to skewering me, stepping to the side I took his pike, twisting it out of his hands, as he stumbled I slammed my palm into his face knock him onto the ground. Turning around I saw Kyu had her jaws shut tight on guard 8’s arm as he struggled to get her off, using the pike I took from guard 11, I slammed it into guard 10, then pole vaulted over guard 9, landing on guard 8’s chest, grabbing Kyu I ran off towards the cluttered streets and hid in an alleyway full of barrels. Once the guards passed I rematerialized, looking over the barrels once more I turned to Kyu, “Well that was fun.” ‘For you maybe, but I never want to do that again, bleah that guards blood taste is still in my mouth.’ “Yeah yeah, come on let's get out of here,” rolling my eye’s I picked up Kyu and started to make my way to the nearest gateway out, as I was about to exit a loud voice boomed something along the lines of. “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!” The force of the blast of sound was enough to send me flying backwards into more walls causing panic once more. Looking up to see who had sent me flying I saw a pony with deep blue fur, a long flowing mane that looked like the night sky, as my eyes drifted upwards, I saw a horn resting upon her head, shifting my eyes to match hers I saw movement behind her as a pair of wings were settling neatly against her back. Looking down at me she spoke three words “What art thou?” Then everything faded to black. Opening my eyes I saw blackness, moving my hand to my head I heard the sound of chains sliding across stone, ‘What the hell?’ looking around I barely able to make out the shapes of the bars that kept me in this dark room. Closing my eyes I felt that their was something missing as if there was something in front of me that I could not reach, frowning I tried to turn myself into shadow, crying out in pain as the chains holding me lit up in a golden glow seiring my wrists and ankles, falling to the ground I cut off the connection the shadows causing the chains to cool down. “You won't be getting out so easily, those chains will burn you if you try to use magic of any kind and the more mana used and powerful the spell is the heat produced by the chains intensifies.” “Who are you! What do you want! What do you do to Kyu!” As a light lit up the cell I looked at the one that spoke, tall woman that looked identical to the that was at the gate, but she has white fur instead of blue fur and her hair had three different colors, and surrounded by 6 guards, walking up to the cell bars she spoke in a warning tone, “I am Princess Celestia, you are being held here for association with the spirit of chaos, Discord and you shall tell us your master’s plan or you will share his fate,” “What do you mean! I didn’t have anything to do with this, I fell out of the sky after you defeated Discord, and I have no idea who Discord even is.” I yelled as I stood up, leaping towards the bars causing Celestia and the guards to step back, “Tell me, what did you do with Kyu.” even with the chains I was able to use the shadows to darken the room. Celestia with a look filled with dread, spoke in a shaky voice, “I-I d-don’t k-know w-who you're referring to.” Using more energy, I ignored the pain from the chains and drew the shadow towards me causing Celestia to step back again, “What did you do with the fox.” “W-we h-had t-to contain i-it so we would be able to be rid of the chaotic beast.” “You mean that you’re going to kill her? WELL ARE YOU!” “Um, well, yes?” Celestia slowly walked back as the light got darker as the chains began to glow. I could barely feel the chains burning my skin as my anger started to take over. Deep inside my soul I felt something snap. (third POV) “GRRAAAAHHHH!” With a cry of pure rage Dawn erupted in an explosion of shadow causing the chains to shatter. Celestia cried out in pain as a tendril of shadow slammed her into a wall. Reaching her hand to the door Dawn converted the door into shadow and warped the shadow into a staff with a spear point on each end. Charging towards the guards, Dawn merged with the shadows and used the shadows to form wall that surround the guards then proceeded to leap from shadow to shadow stabbing the guards as she passed them, finishing off the last guard Dawn dispelled the shadows and walked over to Celestia, Dawn then proceed to grab Celestia by neck and lifted her off the ground. "Where is Kyu," Dawn tightened her grip, starring Celestia in the eye. “D-down the hall, up the stairs, third door on the left” Releasing Celestia, Dawn turned and walked away, reaching the door Celestia had said, Dawn ripped the door off the wall and through her spear at the guard, pinning him to the wall, walking to the cage Dawn looked in side, seeing Kyu passed out within the cage Dawn picked the cage up and retrieved her spear. "Come on this way, we must find her before she escapes." Hearing guards around the corner Dawn kicked down the wall opposite of the door, with the cage in hand Dawn ran through the hole and continued to burst down the walls till she was out of the castle. "Halt in the name of the princesses you are under arrest." Three heavily armored guards ran in front of Dawn with their weapons drawn ready to attack. Before the guards could make a move, four pillars of stone shot out of the ground, three of them killing the guards and the fourth launched Dawn into the air and away from the castle, landing on the ground Dawn took off into the forest. When night fell Dawn found herself in front of the mouth of a cave, walking in Dawn set down Kyu's cage, Dawn laid down on a rock and passed out.