Lost Shadows

by Number Line


Chapter 4

“We can’t take that chance again!” a loud voice echoed, “we tried being reasonable, and look what happened. The damned thing is too dangerous to be kept alive.” Lieutenant Shard bellowed.

“That is not your call to make!”

“Well what then? Let it go free? When the Princesses made it accustom to greet every new THING that came into Equestria with love and compassion, that was the day we became weak!”

“What they decide is not of our concern. The Court was fine with it.”

“And what do you think the Court will do when they hear of this? Huh? Every single guard overwhelmed by a gangling creature. Not to mention the near loss of our captain!” Shard took a minute to recompose himself, “If I had been in charge, everything that wasn't a pony would be considered a threat.”

“Then we’d be at war with every other nation! Have you forgotten that there are citizen who aren't ponies?” Captain Orion of the Night Guard rebuked. “How hot headed are you?”

The doors rang out as they opened to allow Princess Celestia through.

“Your highness.” The two arguing officers bowed as she passed through.

“How is it?” she asked as she walked.

“It’s still out cold. Nothing new.” Orion informed her.

“Your majesty, if I may…” Shard asked the alicorn, “What do you plan on doing with it?”

She gave a long sigh, “For now, we keep it locked up.”

“What!?!”

“Lieutenant Shard, I understand your concern, but to condemn a being without cause…”

Shard was steaming. “Without cause!? The damn thing nearly killed…”

“I know. But we all saw what happened. As they were trying to restrain it, a young private had stabbed him first. Then that’s when it became hostile. What would you call that?” Celestia turned to them.

“I…but…he…it…”

“I’d say it was a sort of self-defense.” Orion finished for him. “If anything.”

“Quite, but still, it’s very dangerous. We can’t let that happen again.” Celestia took a seat.

“So what then?!” Shard demanded.

“Like I said, we cannot condemn a being without proper cause.”

Orion’s ears perked up at this revelation, “So you have thought about executing it.”

This only prompted another long and deep sigh from Celestia.


The pain.

There was so much pain.

Screaming, fighting, and even more pain.

Why this? What was going on? Where am I?

A wall of black was before him, only the sounds and the pain.

But through this pain, there was a soft voice…

“Promise…”

More screaming.

“Promise.”

Then as quickly as they came, it was gone. Seconds felt like centuries. Then a sudden jolt of pain in his chest as a blood curdling scream echoed through the vast emptiness.

The pain endured but everything became silent again. Dead silence. His chest was on fire, and there was no relief.

The sound of what seemed like hooves walking on a hard floor filled the void.

“They’ll pay. You’ll see. They’ll all pay…” a new dark voice told him.

“Trust me. Just…trust…MEEEEEEE!!!!”


In cold sweat, the biped shot his eyes open and frantically looked around. It was dark and he was laying on a surface.

No…no…no…no…please, not again” he pleaded in his mind. He tried moving his arm, but to his surprise and fear, he could barely move them. It was then he noticed a very heavy weight on his chest and other parts of his body. He squirmed around until he felt what was wrapped around him.

Chains

Not the usual ones though; these chains were the heavy duty kind, thick and heavy as Tartarus. Wrapped all around every limb he had and there was an ‘X’ pattern across his chest.

The sudden memory of his dream forced him to feel around and to his relief, there was nothing but the rags he wore and chains.

Hyperventilating now, he tried calling out, but his voice was silent. He kept trying and trying until it started to sting. Residing to his fate, he simply kept breathing fast and soon he began shivering. Using what energy he had left, he rolled on his side and wriggled about until his foot hit an iron bar.

The dungeon! I’m in the sweet, sweet dungeon! Thank you!

But as he was moving about, the sounds of the bar being hit and chains caught the attention of a few guards.

“It’s awake!”

“Inform the others.” A rough voice ordered from behind.


After being dragged by his legs up a lot of stairs and down long halls, the tall biped found himself once again before the same regal white alicorn, but this time, she did not have a welcoming look. And all around the room, fresh new guards, a battalion, all alert as ever will be. There was a long silence. She simply looked down upon him as he lay there, helplessly.

“I hope those chains aren’t too much.” She tried to sprinkle some sincerity into her words, but failed and everypony in the room noticed. Not being able to drag this on, she took in a deep breath and exhaled. “I suppose there is no easy way around this.”

He just laid there listening, a gimp fish on a riverbed, as he knew his fate.

“I am…advised…to order your immediate ‘removal’ from Equestria.” She spoke firmly, “But because of the fact that you were deemed Extremely Dangerous, I am left with little to no options.”

Then there was silence, that familiar friend, and it lingered.

A sudden boom rang throughout the room as the doors opened. All eyes fell on the newcomers. At the helm, Princess Luna led the group of Twilight, Cadence, Shining Armor, and Lt. Shard; the latter looking very displeased. Shining’s head was wrapped with a few bandages, and the gaze that Twilight was giving was one of no mercy.

So, this is it, huh. From the snow plains of the Frozen North, to the Everfree, then back here to…wait. How do I even know these places?

Because you’ve read about them. Remember?’ A smoother voice called out.

What is this? Who said that?’ His eyes darted back and forth, trying to find the source. The others just watched as the biped twitched about.

“Watch out! The thing’s trying to escape.”

Aw, I get the feeling that they don’t like us.’ The voice in his head said.

Us? What are you talking about? Who are you? Where are you?

Come now, don’t tell me you have forgotten about me.

He slammed his eyelids shut as he felt another headache coming.

Careful, don’t overwork your mind again. That little show we pulled was a ‘one time only’ act…for now.

The thumping began to get louder.

Oh boy, here it comes…

As he lay there, squirming, he vomited, again, but did not pass out.

The others just watched with horror and disgust.

“What a revolting creature.” Shard exclaimed.

Calm down, I’m on your side.

He slowed his breathing and loosened his muscles.

There, now just be calm and collected. We’re in a bit of a twine now, and you constantly freaking out isn’t helping us.

“Is it done?” Shard asked in an annoyed tone.

Coughing a bit then drawing in a long breath, the bound biped allowed his head to rest on the hard floor.

“I believe so.” A guard answered.

Just play it cool. Don’t overreact again otherwise it’ll be our head.

“If you’re done desecrating Princess Twilight’s floor…”

His eyes opened weakly and looked to see Shard standing over him and raise a hoof, then with great force, Shard’s hoof met his face.

“Lieutenant Shard!” Luna barked.

“Now we’re even.” He growled.

“That’s enough Lieutenant! Leave it be.” Celestia ordered.

“As you wish.”

Luna glared daggers in Shard, but he didn’t care.

“As I was saying, I have little to no options on what to do with you.” The white alicorn gazed at the tied biped. “You are clearly too dangerous, but if you prove otherwise, we have no choice but to decide on your execution, given there is a just cause.”

“Kill it.”

All eyes went to the purple alicorn.

“Kill it and be done with it!” she shouted.

“Twilight!” Cadence and Shining gasped. Luna and Celestia were speechless.

“Twilight, listen, this is a big deal, we can’t just go…” Shining was cut off.

“Kill it!” she shouted again, “Kill it before it tries to kills us again!” tears ran down her face.

“Twilight! Look at me!” Shining grabbed her and forced her to look into his eyes, “I’m still here. We’re still here,” he motioned towards Cadence, “you need to think this through.”

“I. Don’t. Care!”

The sound of chains being scrapped on the marble floor drew their attention.

“Careful.” Shard drew his sword as every guard readied themselves.

Grunting, the biped drew all his strength trying to sit up straight.

“Don’t even think about it!” Shard pushed him back down.

“Lieutenant Shard, leave it be!” Luna ordered.

“Sorry your highness, but we can’t take that chance again.”

“Shard.” A simple word came from Celestia’s mouth, and the pony knew he was beat.

“Very well.” He said with a defeated sigh.

Once free to move, the biped struggled and grunted sitting up again. Once stable, he looked around, finally getting a good look. The guards, full of hate and fear, the princesses were much the same. With a final grunt, he positioned himself on his knees, despite the pain from the chains.

“What is this?” Shard demanded.

You know what to do.

With a smirk, he looked back up to Celestia.

“Guards!”

And he bowed, as a prisoner would do at the chopping block, giving a clear shot of his neck.

The entire room went quite as the grave. Confused guards looked to one another, and Twilight herself seemed shocked.

“Impossible…” Shard became dumbfounded.

Come on, get it over with already.

“Enough.”

Just raise your sword, swing down, and like the purple one said, be done with it.

“Enough!” Celestia roared.

But he just remained bowed, waiting for his fate.

“Shard!”

But the swing-happy lieutenant took it the wrong way, as he raised his sword and swung down.

Clang!

“She said ‘Enough’.” Captain Orion blocked Shard’s sword with his own and pushed him back. “Stand down, soldier. That’s an order.”

Shard glared at him then looked around, the guards were giving him questioning looks and even Celestia seemed appalled and angry with him.

“You’re weak! You hear me! Weak!” he shouted to the captain and marched out.

“Says the pony who nearly cut off a bound prisoner’s head.” He said as the doors closed behind Shard.

“Captain Orion!” Luna ran over.

“Your highness.” He bowed.

Luna approached the still bowing biped. She saw that his eyes were shut and shaking. She looked up to her sister who looked as if she just seen a ghost. She turned her attention back to the creature and raised his head with her hoof forcing him to look at her.

“What are you?” she asked more confused than scared.

He opened his mouth but a wheeze was all that escaped followed by a coughing fit.

“Can it not speak?” Orion asked.

As soon as he asked, the biped raised his head higher, showing the front on his neck. Then Luna and Orion shared looks of horror. There from one end to the other, were scars that depicted several deep cuts.

“Well, that answers that.”

Celestia, Cadence, and Shining slowly and cautiously walked up to see.

“How terrible.”

Lowering his head, he saw Shining, then sighed and he looked away.

If I could, I would say sorry, but…

“So it can’t speak, that doesn’t elude the fact that it’s dangerous.” Twilight spoke from her position, with as much malice as before.

“Twilight…” Celestia began.

“Just do it already! Order it!”

“Twilight, it willing gave us the chance to behead it. It clearly knows right from wrong.”

“Then why did it attack? It was wrong and needs to be punished and…”

“That’s enough Twilight!” Celestia stood high above her, “We all witnessed what happened, we wronged it first. It was only trying to defend itself.”

“But…”

“I said enough.”

Twilight hung her head and began sniffling. Cadence put a hoof on Celestia’s shoulder causing her to relax a bit.

“Twilight, look at me.” Cadence began as she walked over and lifted Twilight’s head, “I nearly lost a loved one too. I don’t know what I would’ve done. But nopony was lost. Shining is still here.”

“But…what about…y-you?” she sobbed, “T-this…THING…would’ve …” she couldn’t finish her sentence as she continued sobbing.

“I know. But it didn’t. Look at it now. It knows it did wrong. And it was ready to pay the ultimate price for it, willingly. But to take a life, for no life, that is wrong too. I know I should hate it as much as you do, but being a princess means taking a step back, looking at the bigger picture. Look at it.”

Everyone, even the guards examined him.

“It was out in the wild. It’s…clothing…is bit…stale. And from what we know, it took on timberwolves. And now, being in a whole different environment, maybe it saw us as hostile before we did. I don’t know. But I do know we need more information before we make any final decision.”

Well said. I like her.

He rolled his eyes as he thought about it as well and looked down at himself.

My clothes aren’t…yeah…yeah they are.

“So why don’t you go and clear your head for a bit. Shining?” she turned to her husband, “Maybe you should go with her.”

“Of course. Come on Twiley. I’m not going anywhere just yet.” He led her out the doors.

Once the doors were closed, the three let out breaths they were holding.

“Thank you, Cadence.” Celestia smiled.

“She just needs time.”

“Indeed, but in the meantime…” they focused their gaze back on the biped, “What do we do with you?”

Can we have another moment?

They looked at one another then back at him.

I guess not.