//------------------------------// // There Will Be Blood // Story: Dancing In The Shadows // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// Scalphunter and Frankensteed neared the woods where the pack were hiding. "Not too far now." Frankensteed declared. "Good." Scalphunter threw a glare at Fury. "Because standing downwind of this guy is really starting to stink... literally." "That's righ coming from you." Fury scowled. "You smell like a brewery crossed with a murder scene." "Why thank you." Scalphunter smirked. Suddenly, Frankensteed felt a vibration in his armor. "Hold on." He stopped, pulling out a magic mirror. "I must take this." "I swear, if this about changing your service provider...." Scalphunter scowled. The faces of two silhouettes appeared in the mirror, obviously cloaked by shadows. "Frankensteed." The female voice, matching that of one of their employers, declared. "Sir. Ma'am." Frankensteed nodded. "Report." The male voice, being that of the other employer, "How goes the hunt?" "It goes well." Frankensteed declared, "We are nearing the nest. I can smell it." "It's about time." The female growled, "We didn't pay you to dawdle, you know. The longer you dawdle, the greater the chance that Echo and Sunset will succeed in whatever their plans entail, and actually convince those terrorists to rejoin our society, thus losing our edge in passing the Registration Act. They must be put down before that can happen." "Don't you worry, ma'am, I won't fail you both." Frankensteed soothed. "You better not." The male threatened, "We are already doing everything in our powers to hold the other threat to the act at bay. Keeping that bleeding heart fool from attending the meetings wasn't easy, but we had our ways. A set of fake roadblocks here, a false summons there... It was a lot of work, but worth it. It is important to us and all of our associates that Malus win this fight. If we fail... you will be done." "No offense, but I don't you'll keep him at bay forever." Fury declared. "From what I've heard, he feels strongly about Nightcrawler rights. He won't let the Act go down without a fight." "But it will go down, whether he likes it or not." The female declared. "We just have to do our part, and you yours... as quickly as possible." "I understand that. But trust me, your patience will be rewarded." Frankensteed frowned. "We'll have found those rats' nest by the end of the day. And Echo, The Great Gray Wolf and his pack, and that little spawn in that mare's belly will be as good as gone." "Excellent." The male declared. "Put them down for the mutts they are with extreme prejudice...that goes double for you too, Scalphunter." "Don't you worry, Mr uptight and Mrs prude, we got this." Scalphunter scoffed. "Just be sure to have the check ready to be cashed by the time we get back." "We will." The male declared. "The quicker we get you out of our manes, the better." "Rest assured, the scourge of the Shadow Stalkers will finally be extinguished." Frankensteed pledged. "See that it is." The female glared at them, as she and her husband faded from the mirror. "For all our sakes." "You heard them." Frankensteed told Scalphunter. "Let's not waste any more time." "Yeah, sure." Scalphunter nodded. "Mind if I take a leak first? I can't bring the hurt on a full bladder, y'know?" "Just make it quick." Frankensteed scowled distastefully. Scalphunter walked a short distance away, and stood behind a tree. But instead of relieving himself, he pulled out his own mirror, and tapped the red gem in its handle. Back in the Crystal Empire... Sterling was arguing with Silas. "For the last time, will you stop writing on the wall with that spoon?!" Sterling growled. "All that scraping is tartarus!" "If I'm going to be stuck here for the rest of my days, I'm going to make sure ponies know I was here!" Silas declared. "Like anypony would even care." Sterling snorted. "We'll let history be the judge of that." Silas smirked. "Maybe I should get in on that..." Lunard scraped a talon against the wall. "Oh, boy..." Sterling groaned. Suddenly, there was the dull shudding of the mirror Scalphunter gave vibrating. Ignoring his fellow prisoner, Sterling pulled it out from under his pillow, and was shocked to see Scalphunter's face appear "Hey, buddy." Scalphunter smarmed. "...Hi, Scalphunter." Sterling frowned. "Wow, if that's how you greet an old friend, then I hate to see how you greet your enemies." Scalphunter sneered. "For the record, we were hardly friends." Sterling glared. "We worked on a project together." "Which you bailed on." Scalphunter snarled. "You just couldn't handle the pressure, so you decided to skip out and start your own little foal-making scheme with Echo and Sunset. Talk about crazy..." "Was it the pressure?" Sterling asked. "Was it because I had an amoral psychopath for a partner?" "Easy there." Scalphunter sneered. "You'll hurt my feelings." "The real reason I left was because of you." Sterling declared. "You were totally unreliable, and unfocused. We weren't getting anywhere on the project because of that. So I left." "Really?" Scalphunter scoffed. "I just figured you didn't like how I leave the toilet seat up all the time." "What do you want?" Sterling growled. "Is your little hunting trip not going well?" "Actually, just the opposite." Scalphunter smirked. "I actually call to let you know that I will be introducing myself to bat pony and the fat chick you're into real soon." "What?!" Sterling gasped, standing up in his cell. "Already?!" "Dang straight." Scalphunter smirked, as he glanced at his watch. "And in record time, too. This will be the fastest hit money I ever made." "No!" Sterling snarled. "Leave them alone! They aren't a part of this!" "Well, the big bosses would beg to differ." Scalphunter shrugged, "They want both of them gone. Shame, too... I told you we should had went with that Nightcrawler who could control metal." "Don't you dare, Scalphunter." Sterling growled. "If you hurt either of them..." "You'll what?" Scalphunter snorted. "In case you've forgotten, you are stuck in a eight-by-ten cell, and I am out here, about to make lots of money. You can't do squat." Sterling was about to retort...but only growled as he had none. "Faust, what had happened to you, man?" Scalphunter frowned. "You used to be cool and fun... but since you taken on that project and met those two, you changed. No wonder good ol' 'Dad' is concerned about your loyalty." "Scalphunter, please..." Sterling sighed in frustration. "Just leave them be. They don't deserve this. And besides, they won't be of any use to the Forefathers. You were right, my plan was crazy. Their foal won't be some super-Nightcrawler. It'll just be normal. You don't have to waste our master's time. You can do what you want with the Shadow Stalkers, but please... let Echo and Sunset go." "Well, in that case..." Scalphunter began, before sneering. "No." "You rotten motherf-" Sterling snarled. "Sorry, pal, but I am not about to turn down a crap ton of money because you begged me not to kill your precious friends." Scalphunter sneered. "That whole spiel there just proves that you are not the same stallion I worked with all those years ago." "You're going to be sorry!" Sterling roared. "Echo is not somepony who's gonna let you kill him. He will stop you, and probably kill you!" "I would dearly love to see him try." Scalphunter scoffed. "This is going to be fun..." "Scalphunter!" Fury's voice rang out. "Sometime today!" "Oops, gotta go." Scalphunter smirked. "I'll talk to you once I've killed me some Nightcrawlers. Toodles." "Scalphunter, wait-" Sterling yelled, before his irate face vanished from the mirror. Chuckling darkly, Scalphunter went to rejoin his comrades. "What took you so long?" Fury asked. "I was tryin' to drown an anthill." Scalphunter shrugged. Inside their chamber, Echo and Sunset were going over what they had learned, with Sunset explaining Artorias and Elatha's past and the unfortunate circumstances that brought about Snow... "My Faust..." Echo shook his head. "I am no stranger to cruelty... but..." His mind only thought of everything Aether and Artorias had said to him, "I didn't think ponies were capable of something such as that." "I know." Sunset frowned. "And the worst part is that Snow is completely unaware that her father has been close to her the whole time...well, in physical terms at least." "Ah, yes... I can understand the mental scars that 'night' left on both her and Artorias. In fact, that could easily be one of the main reasons he arbors such a hate for the normals... not that I blame him." Echo mused. "But that doesn't mean he should." Sunset glared, "Artorias is obviously on a self-destructive streak. A part of me feels that he's not going to stop, regardless of how many of his pack mates dies, until someone kills him... we have to stop him." "But how?" Echo asked, "Elatha wants me to fight him, so that I can take his place as the leader of the pack... I don't know if I can do that." "Well, I hope it won't have to come to that." Sunset sighed. "But we have to do something. We can't go home till we can make sure that these guys are safe and ponies like Malus won't be able to threaten their lives. Until then, things will never be normal..." "Normal..." Echo mused. "...You know, Sunset, don't you think the term 'normal' is kind of a step down?" "Yeah, I guess..." Sunset shrugged, before Echo's words set in. "Hold on. What do you mean?" "I mean... I am a Nightcrawler, Sunset." Echo frowned. "Always had been. I mean, before I knew who I was, my life... was just miserable. I had no one to whom I can identify with... but now... we have a pack full of them. Maybe... we don't have to go back." "Wait, what?" Sunset gasped, "You're kidding, right?" "Why not? Here, neither of us will be judged because we are into dark magic. You and I can continue our studies here, our baby colt can grow up with others like him. And we won't have to worry about the normals hating him." Echo explained. "Who cares about Malus and all those stuffy politicians?" "Whoa, whoa, we can't stay here!" Sunset frowned. "Firstly, I am not raising our son in a cave... furthermore, what about our mission?" "How about..." Echo glanced at Sunset coldly, "We forget the mission?" Sunset mouthed 'what', before the door to their chamber suddenly opened, revealing Willow. "Forsooth." He announced. "Artorias wants everypony in the main room, as of now." "Well, this can't be good." Sunset frowned. "What do you think's going on?" "I'm not sure." Echo shrugged. "Though I hope Artorias isn't about to announce their next attack." Echo and Sunset joined everpony else in the main room. Artorias had a deep scowl on his face, Aether standing beside him. "Yo, Arty, what's up?" Wave asked. "Yes, why have we been called here?" Nano asked. "Are going on another mission?" Moana inquired. "It's a little late in the day, is it not?" Willow frowned. "And why are you so scowly right now, uncle Arty?" Snow asked. "Good point, Snow." Elatha nodded. "What's gotten your scales in a bunch, Artorias?" "I've called all of you here at this moment because some new information had surfaced regarding the origins of the letter that brought our 'lovely guests' here." Artorias glared at Echo and Sunset, both of them slightly cringing. "As it turns out, the letter was not sent by just anypony... it came from somepony standing in this very room..." The entire group gasped, while Elatha, Echo, and Sunset stiffened. "Whoa, man, are you saying we got a... 'squealer'?" Wave frowned. "A 'squealer' and a traitor." Artorias corrected with a growl, "And I know who exactly it is." "Who?" Nano asked. "Oh, nopony special..." Artorias began pacing in front of them, "Only somepony that I thought I could trust..." Artorias walked past Nano, who stood stiffly, his army training still with him. "Somepony that was once very dear to me. A pony that I would give my life for to ensure his... or 'her' safety." Artorias passed Wave, who tried to stay cool. But the Zebra's eyes darted with worry. "A pony that had seen the horrors and the evil that our enemies are capable of, and should had known how by reaching out there that he... or 'she' might had doomed us all. And should have kept 'her' mouth shut." Artorias passed Moana, whose lip quivered. "This pony clearly thinks 'she' is in the right. But 'she' is wrong. So very, very wrong..." Artorias walked by Willow, who acted as calm as he could. He finally stopped in front of Elatha. The mare tried her best to keep a straight face, as Artorias glared at her with eyes that could kill more than his own powers. "Isn't that right... Elatha?" Artorias asked. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Elatha?! No way!" Wave" Wave gaped. "That can't be right!" "Mom?" Snow gasped. "Elatha would never betray us." Moana murmured. "Yay, verily." Willow agreed. "Her loyalty is unquestioned." "Besides, she's your sister, Artorias." Nano pointed out. "She loves this pack more than anyone..." "You really think so?" Artorias challenged. "Well, Aether had told me that Elatha was the one who wrote the letter that brought these two meddlers here. And Aether never had reason to lie to me." "Aether?" Echo and Elatha murmured as they glanced at the old pony. "The truth had to be told." Aether said coldly. "No matter how heinous." "Elatha?" Moana frowned. "Is this true?" "Yes... it's true." Elatha nodded. "But... why, mom?" Snow murmured. "I'll tell you why." Aether declared. "Elatha brought Echo here in hopes that he would usurp Artorias' position as leader, and take control of the pack for himself." "By Faust!" Willow gasped. Echo shrunk back sheepishly. "Unbelievable!" Nano spat. "What's wrong with you, girl?" Wave asked. "Nothing is wrong with me..." Elatha shot back. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Artorias glared viciously. "Why would you betray me, your own brother?" "...For our pack..." Elatha glared back, "Our family..." "What?" Aether spat. "What are you saying?" Artorias frowned. "Artorias... for as long as I can remember, it had always been only us." Elatha explained, "We were alone and hated by everypony around us... it wasn't till we met Aether that we found other ponies that didn't see us as freaks or something to be ashamed of... Wave, Nano, Willow, Moana... they are our family. Family cares for each other. Family trusts each other. Family protects each other. And we are a family, make no mistake. I consider every member of this pack to be as close to me as a full blood relative." "Aw, girl..." Wave smiled. "Thanks, E." Mona sniffed. "That was so touching..." "Yay, t'was a wonderful speech." Willow nodded. "Darn it, here come the waterworks." Nano wept. "Odd words coming from one who risked their safety." Aether growled. "I only did it because I believe that our pack will face certain death if my brother continues to lead this pack. I did it because I do not want any of my family to perish to fulfill some absurd mission they don't believe in!" "What do you mean?!" Artorias spat. "Of course they believe in our mission! We have been fighting side by side for years! Isn't that right?!" He turned to the others. "I suppose so..." Nano nodded. "Quite some time, yes..." Willow shrugged. "Good times, sure..." Wave said half-heartedly. "So many years..." Moana said listlessly. "You're wrong." Elatha shot back. "They don't believe it, but they are just too afraid to speak up." "And why would they be afraid?" Artorias challenged. "Because of you." Elatha snarled. "Me?!" Artorias spat. "Him?!" Aether growled, "You are out of line, Elatha!" "Oh, shut up, Aether!" Elatha roared, as she glared back at Artorias, "You think Wave and the others just go with what you say just because they think you are some great leader? No! They think that if they do something that goes against your wishes, you will banish them from the pack, and let them be killed by the hooves of our enemies..." "Wha... you blame me for their deaths?!" Artorias asked fiercely, although his voice seem to register... hurt and shock. "Well, think about it, Artorias..." Elatha frowned, "Every Nightcrawler that had left this pack, either by banishment or of their free will either die or disappear off the face of Equestria. Like Quicksilver." "Quicksilver made his choice." Arotrias growled, "I cannot be held responsible for what happened to those who die after they left the pack." "What about those who died in our pack, like Scarlet?" Elatha challenged, "Scarlet may have died a noble death, but the others died fighting a war that you had started. And I fear that the same will happen to the others if you continue to lead them. I only did this because I care deeply about them..." "And I don't?!" Artorias snarled. "I may not show it at times, but I do care about my pack! I do all of this for them! You said it yourself, they are our family! And so were ponies like Quicksilver and Scarlet!" "Yet you either banished them, or allowed them to leave!" Elatha shot back. "What did you expect of me, Elatha?!" Artorias roared. "I had to maintain order in this pack, and if they weren't willing to accept that, then I can't do anything." "No, you could had let them stay, and protect them from the guys that are out there, murdering our kind!" Elatha retorted. "Perhaps if you were a better leader, they might still be alive today!" "Boy, this is gettin' rough." Nano cringed. "No kiddin'." Wave declared. "I've been in this pack longer than you guys, and I've never seen 'em fight like this before." "I don't like this..." Moana shivered, actually leaning on Willow for comfort. "Neither do I..." Willow placed a hoof on Moana's shoulder. "Oh, mom..." Snow whispered. "How dare you?!" Artorias roared. "You betray me, insult the way I lead, and blame me for our pack's losses?! And now you expect this chump..." He cast a sideways glare at Echo. "To replace me?! Where do you get off, doing this to me?!" "I only speak the truth." Elatha growled. "Their deaths are on your head. And I won't stand to see anymore of our family perish because of you!" The den suddenly went silent, everypony on tetherhooks. Nopony dared make a sound. "...Well..." Artorias began, trying his best to keep a level head, but his anger was quickly boiling. "If that's how you feel, then perhaps you should leave..." "What are you saying?" Elatha asked, not liking the look in Artorias's eyes. "Elatha, for betraying this pack, undermining it's alpha, and planning to usurp me, I banish you from this pack!" Artorias roared. "What?!" Everypony else gasped. "What did you just say?" Elatha was frozen with shock. "You heard me..." Artorias snarled. "I want you gone, Elatha. There is no room in this pack for your weak-minded beliefs. I won't allow your spineless rhetoric to sully the others' minds. And Snow can join you." "What?!" Snow gasped, before whimpering, "No! I don't wanna go!" "Artorias, no, you can't be serious!" Elatha protested, "Do what you will with me, but don't punish Snow!" "Well, Elatha, you should had thought of that before plotting against our leader." Aether scolded. "Yo, that is messed up!" Wave snarled, as he joined Elatha's side. "Come on, Arty, you can't kick her out!" "Please don't! Elatha and Snow won't survive out there!" Moana yelled. "See some reason, Artorias!" Willow urged. "Those of us who leave always end up dead!" "My decision is final." Artorias declared coldly, "I want them both gone." "But sir, she's your sister." Nano urged, "And Snow is your-" "Not any more." Artorias snarled. "Family do not stab others in the back, especially those who had done everything to protect them." "Well said, Artorias." Aether nodded, as he glanced at Elatha and Snow. "I only pray that you will fare well out there..." "You can't be serious!" Elatha gasped. "We can't leave!" Snow sniffed, on the verge of tears. "This is our home! I don't wanna go!" "Echo, we have to do something..." Sunset whispered. "You're right, my dear." Echo nodded. "It's time for an intervention..." "Now, both of you get out of my sight." Artorias snarled as he turned away. "And be thankful that this is your punishment and nothing worse." "Alright, that's enough!" Echo stepped forward. Artorias glanced over at Echo, with a derisive glare. "How can you be so heartless?" Sunset asked. "Elatha's your sister, and Snow is your dau-niece!" She caught herself, noting the whimpering filly's presence. "You can't do this to them!" "I can and I will." Artorias growled. "And by the way, I want both of you gone as well. Those who are willing to help the normals are enemies to our cause just the same." "But we're trying to help you." Echo declared. "We don't want, nor need your help." Artorias said coldly. "Really?!" Sunset snarled. "Need I remind you that you guys are stuck hiding in a cave, and that there are ponies out there threatening your lives? Echo is pretty much your only chance at changing it! If you don't listen to him, you'll all end up dead, sooner or later!" "We'll take our chances." Artorias grunted. "Artorias, please..." Elatha urged, trying her best to not break down. "This must stop... all this bloodshed and fighting... this will only do more harm than good." "That's your opinion." Artorias sneered, turning away. "Will you just listen to me?!" Artorias rounded on him. "I don't listen to traitors." Artorias spat. "Then listen to reason." Elatha urged. "If you keep leading us on guerilla raids and hate retalliations, it will eventually destroy us!" "That's your opinion." Artorias glared. "It's fact." Elatha yelled. "Fighting hate with hate only prolongs the cycle." "...You don't know what you're talking about." Artorias said, slightly perturbed. "Please, Artorias, I beg of you." Elatha whispered, reaching out to him. "Stop this madness... think about your family, think about me... think about your dau-" "QUIET!" Artorias roared, turning around slapping Elatha across the face. This elicited gasps from everyone, as the dracony mare began to sniffle at the pain, "I am going to finish this Faust damn mission, and I am not going to let anyone stop me... especially you." "Mom!" Snow cried as she rushed over to her side. "You would strike your own sister?" Echo snarled, "Is fighting this doomed war so important to you that you would forsaken your family for trying to help?!" "If it means salvation for all Nightcrawlers, then I am willing to do anything that is necessary." Artorias declared. Echo stifled a snarl. In that moment, he realized that Elatha was right. Artorias has no intent of stopping, and no amount of talking or reasoning will ever change that. The only thing that can sto him now is to oust him from command, and there is only one way to do that. "Now all of you begone from this place." Artorias ordered, "You won't be told another time." "...No." The entire pack lit up in shock, as Artorias turn to face Echo, who stood there defiantly. "What...did you say?" Artorias growled. "No more, Artorias." Echo snarled, "I had tried to be civil. I had tried to resolve this peacefully. But every step of the way, you refuse to listen. A stallion incapable of reason is a stallion incapable of leading this pack." "He can't be serious..." Aether gasped. "Can't he?" Elatha asked. "Echo is always serious." Echo smirked. "Artorias, I challenge you for leadership of the Shadow Stalkers pack." Echo declared. "Are you nuts?!" Wave gaped. "You can't possibly hope to win!" Nano declared. "I can't bear to watch..." Moana frowned. "It will be a massacre." Willow groaned. "You're kidding, right?" Artorias sneered. "You, some measly Nightcrawler, against me, the Great Gray Wolf? You have no idea of the big mistake you are about to make..." "This is no mistake." Echo growled. "You may be a savage, but I like to think you still have some sense of honor. You and me, in the training grounds, a battle till one of us breaks, no Voldemare charms..." To emphasize his point, he yanked and threw the charm onto the ground, causing more silent gasps from the pack. "If I win, you will step down from alpha, and Elatha and Snow will be allowed to remain here. If you win, you will never hear from any of us ever again." "Don't be a fool, boy." Aether snarled. "Not only it is foolhardy to face Artorias, but to do it without the charm will surely result in your death! You will not be able to-" "Enough, Aether." Artorias cut him off, before giving a devilish grin at Echo. "Okay, Echo, I accept your challenge... but it will be you funeral." "'Tis a bad idea, friend Echo." Willow declared. "Challenging Artorias is a fool's errand." "You've already fought him before." Nano urged. "Why would you want to face him again?" "Because I must." Echo declared. "Everyone meet down at the training grounds in ten minutes." Artorias ordered, as he glared at Echo. "I intend to make an example out of those who think it's smart to face me..." A short time later, Echo was in his and Sunset's chamber, preparing to fight. "Are you sure this is the way to go?" Sunset asked worriedly. "It is the only way." Echo declared. "Artorias cannot allowed to lead this pack for even a day longer." "I know." Sunset nodded. "But still... he's a savage brute. He could really hurt you." "Don't worry, Sunset." Echo smiled. "I can do this. Trust me." "I do." Sunset nodded. "It's just-" There was a knock at the door. "Come in." Echo nodded. Wave entered. "What are you doing here?" Echo asked. "You gotta bail, Alchemy." Wave urged. "You can't fight Arty. That's suicide!" "That remains to be seen." Echo said boldly. "Actually, it doesn't." Wave declared "He'll tear you apart, dude!" "I held my own against him before, didn't I?" Echo pointed out. "Now that I know what I'm for, I have a much better chance." "You got squat." Wave retorted. "You don't know anythin' about Artorias. The guy's evolved himself." "He's what?" Sunset asked. "Over the years, he's toned and trained his body so he can deal with almost anything." Wave declared. "Dark magic, spears, arrows, anythin'." "Seriously?" Echo frowned. "Why the buck do you think they call him the Great Gray Wolf?" Wave said exasperately. "I don't know how, but Artorias's own dark magic had messed with his body a little. His affinity for wolves caused him to develop inequine strength and speed, even more than what his dragon blood had given him, and his senses are like off-the-chart. He's practically a huge oversized wolf that can fly and breath fire!" "I am not afraid." Echo glared. "I have to do this, for Elatha and Snow's sake. Surely, you would understand." "I do. I want them to stay probably more than you do." Wave growled. "But I have seen Arty at his best and worst... and trust me, if you tick him off... it will be end of you." "...I have to do this, Wave." Echo declared. "For good or ill, I must stand up for this pack's future." "Whatever you say, pal..." Wave sighed, as he let the room. "Just don't think you'll be able to stand after Arty's through with you..." "You still want to go through with this?" Sunset asked Echo. "Even after what Wave just said?" "Yes." Echo nodded. "It doesn't matter how powerful he is. He must be stopped." "Oh, Echo." Sunset sighed. "Always so stubborn..." She kissed him on the lips. "For luck." "Thank you, my love." Echo smiled. A short while later Echo and Artorias met in the training arena, with Artorias wearing his armor again. The others were gathered on the stone "benches," all of them looking on with worry. "So, this is what it has come to, Echo?" Artorias taunted "You aren't going to try to tell me how barbaric this is or tell me to have equinity?" "No." Echo declared. "You have made it clear that you are beyond reason... and quite frankly, I had grown tired of reasoning." "On that, we agree." Artorias nodded, "You really should had stay out of this. It would be a shame if your foal loses it's father." "Oh, don't worry." Echo smirked. "He won't." Aether stood in front, acting as an impromptu referee. "I offer you my deepest condolences for this monumentally stupid action." He told Echo. "Keep them." Echo said flatly. "Artorias, please remove your charm." Aether instructed. "Of course." Artorias complied. Tensions were at an all time high, as everypony watched Echo and Artorias circle each other with baited breath. They both glared fiercely, each trying to stare the other down. Their hearts beated like drums, as the first move was waiting to be made. And thus, it was. Echo and Artorias let out a roar as they charged at each other. Artorias lunged with his right claw raised, only for Echo to fling up a tendril of crystals, blocking the attack. Momentum did it's bidding as they flew past each other, scuffing along the floor. The two regain balance as they stared each other down. "I'm ready for your tricks this time." Artorias crushed a clawful of crystals that he caught when his attack was blocked, "You won't get the best of me." "Neither will you." Echo declared. The two stallions charged each other, engaging in hoof-to-claw combat. Echo tried to analyse Artorias' movement, but the Dracony's savage movements were beyond analysis. Taking advantage of Echo's confusion, Artorias swung his claws, Echo barely eing able to dodge. Echo laugh a kick, knocking Artorias back. Undaunted, Artorias pounced Echo, and proceeded to punch him in the face several times. As his face grew bruised and bloody from the assault, Echo marshalled his thoughts. Using his crystals, he stopped Artorias' next punch, and flung him across the arena. Just as Artorias was recovering, Echo then tackled him, ramming him against the wall, using his hooves to pummel Artorias's underbelly. But Artorias then grabbed him by the torso, and with a single toss, flung him against the opposite wall, the impact leaving a dent behind. "This is awful!" Nano gasped. "Alchemy's not gonna last." Wave noted. "Come on, Echo..." Sunset urged. "Starting to regret challenging me, are you?" Artorias jeered, taking in Echo's groans. "You have to put a end to all this." Echo growled, easing himself from the dent, only to fall to the ground, "Your 'mission' will only end badly, with everypony here dead." "And how would you know?" Artorias sneered. "Because my brother tried to do the same thing." Echo retorted, as he used his crystals to help him back up to his hooves, "He too was wronged by the normals, and he tried to bring vengeance upon them. But in the end, he ended up dying... and this power I have... is all I have left of him." "Oh, please..." Artorias snorted, prompting a glare from Echo. "I heard of your brother... and quite frankly, the reason he is dead was because he didn't have a army like I do. Your brother was probably some poor lonely sap that try to make a point but failed because he was too weak... just like you..." Echo's eyes twitched at the insult towards his brother. "You motherbuckin-!" Echo roared as his eyes wisped and with a hoof thrown forward, a wave of crystals struck Artorias dead center, slamming him against the wall again, the crystals denting his armor. "Don't ever talk of my brother that way ever again! You got that?!" With a snarl, Artorias let out a gout of flame, severing the crystal tendril. "Or what?" Artorias taunted. "Or this!" Echo snarled as he threw his hooves forward, sending two fist-like microcrystal tendrils speeding toward him. Artorias sidestepped one tendril, then grabbed the other in a claw, pulling it hard. Echo was pulled over to him. He punched Echo hard, sending him into the air. Echo opened his wings, stopping his movement. "Return to sender." He growled, diving down at Artorias. Artorias was knocked off his hooves by the dive, but recovered fast. "You call that flying?" He spread his own wings and took off. "This is flying!" "So it's a dogfight you want, eh?" Echo snarled. "So be it!" The two flew around each other, releasing fire and crystal blasts. Artorias punched one of Echo's attacks to dust. He then released a burst of flame. As Echo moved to dodge it, Artorias saw his chance; he flew straight up into Echo, ramming him through the ceiling and into another cave, on that was quite dark. He then threw Echo down to the new cave's floor. Echo let out a bloodied cough, as Artorias picked him up by the neck and slammed his hoof into Echo's stomach. "Gahhh!" Echo gagged. Artorias punched Echo's stomach repeatedly. "You can't win, Echo." Artorias snarled. "You may have had months to hone this power of yours..." He then punched him in the guts again, "But I've had over ten years." The Thestral let out a growl as he raised a hoof, causing a tendril to burst out and punch Artorias in the stomach. "Gah!" Artorias groaned, as he stumbled back. Echo pressed his advantage, as he broke from his grip, and wrapping microcrystals around his hooves, began pummeling Artorias's face, hitting him hard with each blow. Artorias fought back with more claw slashes. Echo received several cuts, but responded with more punches. "Enough!" Artorias let out another fire breath, causing Echo to leap into the darkness. "Where are you?!" Artorias snarled. He raised his head up, using his wolf senses to sniff out Echo, who was about to make an aerial sneak attack with a sharp tendril. "There's no point hiding..." Artorias chuckled darkly, as he then sidestepped Echo's attack and as soon as Echo got into range, he grabbed the Thestral, and got up in his face. "The nose knows." With a primal grunt, Artorias flung Echo through another wall. As he leapt through after him, Echo kicked him hard, knocking them down. "What is the point of all this?" Echo asked. "What will you do if you succeed, or fail?" "That's none of your concern." Artorias spat. "And what about Elatha?" Echo asked. "Your own sister..." "Not any more." Artorias retorted. "And what about Snow?" Echo asked. "Elatha's sweet, innocent daughter..." "You think you have the right to judge me?" Artorias smirked. "You, who doubts himself, and his mission? Only a weakling does that." "Can a weakling do this?" Echo growled, angered by the taunt. Echo created a wave of crystals, just as his brother used to do, engulfing Artorias. "Ragghhh!" Artorias struggled to escape the flow. "Does this look weak?" Echo asked. "Very." Artorias snorted, finally breaking free. "Then try this!" Echo declared, lashing out crystal tendrils and whips. Artorias dodged the attacks. "Pathetic." He sneered. "Is that the best you have?" "Not quite." Echo smirked. Echo sent a spiral of crystals at Artorias. As the Dracony dodged it, Echo rushed over. Forming a crystal spear, he stabbed Artorias in the shoulder. "Gah..." Artorias grimaced, gripping his stab wound. "What's the matter, savage?" Echo taunted, growing rather irate. "Your precious wolven mentality failing you? Is the Alpha not so tough after all? You don't deserve to carry that title. You're a joke. A fraud. You don't even deserve to call yourself an Omega. It's no wonder your pack all turned on you." Upon hearing those words, Artorias's rage had finally reached it's peak. All noises became silent as all he could hear was his own heart beating rapidly. All though was erased from his mind, replaced by the snarls of a savage wolf, consumed by rage. Wisps began pouring from Artorias's eyes, much bigger than any other Nightcrawler Echo had ever seen before, as a glint shined through his eyes. Artorias raised his head toward the sky and let out a loud howl... "What in Faust's name?" Echo stepped back, a bit unnerved. Instantly, Artorias lower his head and glared viciously at Echo. "You want savage?" Artorias said coldly, "YOU GOT SAVAGE!" Artorias charged Echo, roaring loudly. Echo flung a hammer at him, but he shattered it with his claws. Artorias did the same to all of Echo's constructs. He then unleashed a burst of flame, torching the entire cave. Echo managed to escape by taking to the air, but suffering singing on one of his wing. As he wobbled downwards, Artorias leapt at him like a panther, slashing a deep gash in Echo's side with his claws. "Arh!" Echo yelped, losing his concentration, clutching his gash. As the hammer collapsed, Artorias tackled him, pinning him down hard, as Echo felt a rib bone crack. "Time to end this." Artorias snarled, his eyes burning with dark magic. He raised his clawed hoof as it began to pulse with dark magic. The others, having made their way up to the cave, rushed in. "Oh no..." Willow gaped. "The horror..." Moana wept. "Artorias, stop!" Elatha called. "Don't do this!" Sunset yelled. Artorias ignored them, focusing completely on Echo. "You made a poor choice facing me..." He snarled. "And now, you will die for your stupidity..." Artorias extended a claw, which started to glow. "No..." Echo gasped, knowing what was about to come. "Please..." Just before Artorias touch the claw to Echo, he stopped. Seeing Echo in such agony reminded him of his own torment... Years ago... Artorias was lying on the factory floor, collar around his neck, the thugs around him. "No, please!" He begged. "No more!" "We're not done with you yet, freako." The head thug sneered, as he held up a knife. "What say we play doctor next?" "Don't..." Artorias gasped, as the knife descended on him. "Stop!" The present... Artorias realised his claw was in the same position the thugs knife had been, all those years ago. A pang of conscience ran through him. He couldn't bring himself to kill Echo. 'Come on, snap out of it.' He told himself. 'End this...' Artorias' indecision allowed Echo to gather his remaining strength "Who's the stupid one here?" He spat. A pillar of crystals erupted from around Echo's midriff, pressing Artorias against the ceiling. "Ohh..." Artorias groaned. As the crystals slackened, Artorias fell to the ground, disoriented and in pain. But Echo was quick to act as he began pummeling him with his crystal tendrils. Eventually, Echo finished him with an crystal-formed fist uppercut, sending him to the ground. "Who's the strongest Nightcrawler now?" Echo taunted. "Not bad for a 'weak' and 'normal loving' Nightcrawler, don't you think?!" "Hurrr..." Artorias groaned, struggling to get up. "Oh no, you don't..." Echo sneered. Quickly, he used his crystals to pin his body down, leaving his wings flapping like crazy, but that didn't last long, as he generated a pair of pincers, and clamped down hard on them. "W-what?! What are you doing?!" Artorias asked in horror. "I'm going to put you in your place, once and for all." Echo snarled, as he began pulling at them. "Is he...?" Nano gaped. "Aw, no..." Wave gasped. "He's going to pull his wings off!" Willow yelled. "Please don't..." Willow sniffed. "Argh!" Artorias yelled. "Stop... please..." Echo was too overwhelmed with bloodlust and displaced anger to listen. "Knock it off, dude!" Wave urged. "He's beaten!" Nano added. "That's enough!" "Victory is yours!" Willow added. "Please stop!" Moana added. "No more!" Elatha urged. "Echo, please!" Sunset called. "That's enough!" Sunset's voice snapped Echo back to reality. As he glanced at what he was doing, he recalled the words of his brother... "But then he saw my wings... and it set him off... he began grabbing one of them and began pulling. In that moment, I realized what he was going to do, and I cried and screamed for him to stop... but you know what he did? He laughed... he laughed, and laughed... and tore it off. I was in so much pain, that I could barely feel it when he went for my other wing, and the pain grew worse when he ripped that off too." "What am I doing...?" He gasped with horror. "Okay, that's enough!" Willow yelled, as the pack rushed over. "Yeah, step off!" Wave added, as he suddenly shove Echo off him effortlessly, as his pincers dissipated to nothing. "I... I..." Echo released Artorias. "I'm sorry... I didn't..." "Are you alright, Artorias?" Moana murmured. Artorias groaned as he lifted himself to his hooves... and in an instant, Artorias charged at Echo, letting out a snarl, only to be blocked by Nano. "Let me go!" Artorias roared as he struggled to break free, "I'm going to kill him!" "Let it go, sir!" Nano growled, "You've lost!" "Let it go?" Artorias snarled. "My sister betrayed me! She stabbed me in the back! It's because of her that I suffered such pain! Her and her wretched letter! The one she kept from me. From you!" "Oh, for the love of... we all knew about the letter!" Wave yelled. Immediately, Artorias stopped struggling, and Echo and Sunset's eyes widened at the remark. "Wait... you knew?" Artorias gasped. "All of you? But... Elatha... she..." "She volunteered to take the fall for all of us if you ever found out." Willow sighed, "We thought we were okay until we realized you were going to banish both her and Snow..." "But...but why?" Artorias murmured. "We had been fighting side by side for a long time..." "We're sorry, Artorias, but Elatha is right." Moana frowned. "This hate campaign has to end, before something bad happen." "Indeed." Willow nodded. "Tragedy should be saved for the theatre. And to be honest, you have been rather... callous and unyielding as of late." "You all doubt my leadership?" Artorias frowned. "After everything I've done for you? For keeping you safe?" "How safe can we be if you keep leading us to attack the normals?" Nano asked. "Every attack you are risking our lives for a goal that doesn't exist." "Not you too, Nano..." Artorias pleaded. "I'm sorry, but joined this pack because I didn't want to be a weapon of war." Nano declared. "You promised that would never happen to me... but you broke that promise by asking me to participate in these act of 'terrorisms'... well, no more." "It was for the greater good." Artorias declared. "To keep us alive. To ensure our future." "Sorry, Arty." Wave shrugged. "Our future doesn't seem so 'ensured' right now." Artorias looked around, silently urging the others to say they trusted him, believed in him. But no such reassurences came. "...Fine. I see how it is." Artorias growled. "If you don't need me anymore, then I will do you all a favor and leave." He shoved Nano aside and stormed past Echo and glared at him, "Well, congratulations, Echo. You are now alpha of this apparently disloyal pack... good luck with them." Echo nodded flatly, still a bit shocked by what he almost did. "Wait, sir, we don't want you to leave." Nano frowned. "You could have fooled me." Artorias snorted. "Artorias..." Elatha whispered, "I'm sorry it had to be this way..." "So am I." Artorias said bluntly, as he continued walking down the tunnels. "So am I..." "Artorias, wait!" Aether yelled, following the former alpha. Seconds later, Echo also turned and left. "What the..." Sunset frowned, following him. Echo stormed his way through the tunnels, aghasted with himself. He couldn't believe what he had almost done. Inflicting such agony on another pony, an agony his own brother had endured, was something he felt he could never do. Yet he had just attempted it. He was awash with shame over it. "Echo! Echo!" Sunset called, as she caught up with him. "What was that back there?!" "I'm sorry... I... I got carried away." Echo muttered. "Carried away?" Sunset frowned. "Echo, you nearly ripped off his wings!" "So what if I did?" Echo's temper flared, causing Sunset to step back. "In case you hadn't noticed, Artorias was going to kill me. Like wolves, I had to assert my dominance!" "Dominance? Echo, we're not wolves!" Sunset declared. "We're ponies! You were only supposed to defeat him, not break him!" "What's the difference?" Echo asked. "Elatha wanted me to unseat him, and I did." "Elatha didn't want you to tear his wings off!" Sunset retorted. "You of all ponies should know what that could have done to a pony! Think of your brother!" "My brother? My dead brother? My brother who had never known a ounce of kindness in his life and was just trying to get justice for all that the normals had dealt upon him?!" Echo snarled. "He died, hated by everypony who refused to see his suffering!" "What?!" Sunset spluttered. "Synchro was going to tear this country apart! He may have been your brother, but that wasn't martyrdom, it was terrorism! He killed a lot of ponies!" "And they killed thousands of us!" Echo shot back. "Just because of one gene, they believe that they have the right to make our lives a living hell! Look what they did unto this pack! They used Nano as a weapon, they tried to lynch Willow and Wave, and they harassed Moana! And they used Artorias and Elatha as their little playthings for their own sick amusement! For once I see that we are not the monsters! THEY ARE!" "That's not true!" Sunset shook her head. "Sure, what happened to this pack was cruel, but there are good normal ponies! Look at Shining-" "Shining?" Echo sneered. "As in the pony who was going to destroy all my research and have me detained for the rest of my life even though I tried to save this country?" "What? But-" Sunset started. "And what about Cadance?" Echo cut her off. "She just stood there while her husband went out of his way to see me caged!" "Echo, please stop this!" Sunset yelled. "I realize that things haven't been easy as of late, but now is not the time to be playing the blame game here! What would your father say if he heard you talking like this?" "My father?" Echo glared darkly at her. "Which one, Sunset? My real father, who abandoned me at the first sight of trouble and never came back? My stepfather, that Faust-bucking monster that terrorized and destroyed both my and Synchro's childhood? Or the father that only saw me as his little test subject, and practically sold me to be used by the Order of Darkness thus starting this whole damn mess?!" "What?" Sunset gaped. "What the buck was in those tapes?!" "What does it matter?" Echo shrugged. "Every single happy memory that I had since that explosion had been nothing but a lie! All my life, I had been used to fulfill their selfish gains!" "Echo... what's going on with you?" Sunset asked worriedly. "This isn't you..." "What is me, exactly?" Echo inquired. "Because all I can see now is that I am nothing but a worthless dark magic-powered batpony who is trying to bring peace, which doesn't exist, to two races that hate each other to the point of wanton genocide. Everything I have done up to this point has done nothing to change that! Well, I'm done!" "Done? What are you saying?" Sunset frowned. "I am saying to hell with the normals!" Echo roared. "If all they care about is seeing us destroyed, then I might as well let them play their little games." "You don't mean that." Sunset shook her head. "Don't I? I am now the Shadow Stalkers' alpha. I can protect them far better than Artorias could." Echo boasted. "But what about our foal?!" Sunset pointed out. "We were doing this for him! We were going to make sure that our foal was raised in a world he wouldn't have to be afraid of who he was!" "Well, I was a fool to make that promise." Echo said bluntly. "It's like everypony else had been saying, you cannot delay the inevitable. Malus will win, even if we did succeed. All I'd been doing is playing their game... as with everypony else's." "I don't believe that. And neither do you!" Sunset gripped him by the shoulders. "I know... I know you have been through so much in your life. I know what it's like to have your own world turned upside down... but you can't simply give up on everything you believe in!" Sunset took his hoof and put it to her belly. "This is real! Our love is real! Our foal is real! There is no game that's being played here! Echo paused... before glaring at Sunset, and pulling his hoof away. "Really? In case you had forgotten, this foal and our love only came to be because we were pawns in his game!" He spat. "What? Sterling?!" Sunset asked. "Yes!" Echo yelled. "That son of a mule went out of his way to use my brother and the Order of Darkness so that I, some hapless Nightcrawler, and you, a disgraced student of Celestia, could come together and make some powerful weapon to play war games! Just like our so called 'friendship', this marriage, our foal, and everything else is a LIE!" "YOU'RE WRONG!" Sunset screeched. "Our love isn't a lie! The same goes for Sterling. He does cares about you! He ever stopped caring!" "And how would you know?" Echo snorted. "Because... I've been visiting him!" Sunset blurted out. "You... what?!" Echo yelled. "Yeah, it's true!" Sunset nodded. "Why would you go behind my back like that?" Echo growled. "Because I know you still held a grudge against Sterling!" Sunset yelled. "Of course I still hold a grudge!" Echo spat. "He tried to kill me! He's a monster!" "No he's not!" Sunset shot back. "He's a good stallion, I know it! I've seen it!" "I don't believe this." Echo snarled. "You still have feelings for him, don't you?" "I... no!" Sunset blushed. "Of course not!" "After everything he did to us?" Echo spat. "Are insane, or just plain stupid?" "Don't you call me stupid!" Sunset growled. "You're the one who's willing to give up everything he's worked for, everything he believed in! What's happened to you? When did you turn into a quitter?" "I'm not a quitter." Echo glared. "I've just seen the light!" "What light?" Sunset snorted. "It looks more to me like you've lost your way. If you turn back now, you're nothing but a coward." "Stop it." Echo growled. "A spineless..." Sunset declared. "I said stop!" Echo yelled. "Weak..." Sunset continued. "ENOUGH!" Echo roared. His crystals, which had been bristling like crazy, suddenly burst out, and Sunset let out a gasp. Echo's crystals punched a hole in the wall. The two paused, as Echo realized what he had almost down. He glanced at his hooves, as the crystals simply fell to the ground. He then looked at Sunset, who was both horrified and practically in tears. "S-sunset... I... I..." He stuttered. Mortified, Sunset took several steps back, a look of utter terror on her face, then ran off down the corridor. Echo, fresh shame pouring down on him like rain ran off down the opposite corridor, unable to escape the terrible true of what had just happened.