Shadow in the Dark

by Thestoryteller

Chapter Thirty. Child of the Sky

Pain. There's nothing in the world (or at least nothing that I can think of) that is worse than pain. For someone to wield the very weapon that harnessed such a devastating power was unbelievable. Yet here Thunderstorm was, lying in a pool of his blood. Chrysalis had absolutely destroyed him, cutting off his foreleg, his hind leg, gouging out his left eye, and gutted his very insides. Yes it was very painful, it was even more painful as black and red magic began to rearrange his body back into place.

But it was not this pain that was causing tears to mix with Thunderstorms blood. It was the pain of what Chrysalis had planned to do. For some reason she was able to peer into his mind and relived every moment of Thunderstorm's in mere seconds. After learning of Nimbus and his power, Chrysalis took the shape of Thunderstorm and headed towards the house of both Nimbus and Sky. Thunderstorm wanted to follow but Chrysalis had not cut off his wings but rather burnt them until both the undercoat of flesh and some visible parts of the bone could be seen.

Of course the Element of Shadow was healing his body but see we have this really stupid thing called nerves. You already know what nerves are and they do? Good, cause I'm gonna tell you anyway cause I'm that kinda guy. Nerves are these things in our enter body that send signals to our brain. And these nerves send us signals such as touch, taste, hear, see, and smell. Of course this includes pain. Basically, when you feel pain your brain is screaming at you, 'DEAR GOD THIS IS PAINFUL. FOR THE LOVE OF THE ALL MIGHTY BAGEL MAKE IT STOP!!!'. Unfortunately, Thunderstorm didn't have any pain killers on him at the moment so he was forced to suffer the pain of his regenerating body.

But despite the horrible pain he was feeling, he slowly got up. He was missing half of his walking limbs, his wings were burnt off, his insides were slowly growing back, and his eye had been gouged out. But none of that mattered, just as long that Thunderstorm was able to get to Nimbus and Sky before it was to late. Mustering what strength he had left he vanished.

And reappeared in the house of both Nimbus and Sky. Thunderstorm coughed up blood as he collapsed onto the floor. The pain doubled once more, Thunderstorm was on the bring of death, but the Element of Shadow refused to let its host die. Thunderstorm heaved and panted, his body ached in pain as he grabbed the countertop of the dining room table, lifting himself up.

Only to face the horror before him.

Thunderstorm's eyes widened, the pain he had felt immediately disappeared only to be replaced by an even greater pain as he stared at the limp bodies of both Nimbus and Sky. A stab wound was visible in Nimbuses chest and his neck had been sliced open. It didn't make sense, but Nimbus wasn't healing. For some reason their was no lightning appearing on his body and was healing his wounds. Instead all that their was was just a dead Nimbus. Thunderstorms eyes then wandered to Sky, whose neck had been snapped. Thunderstorm slowly made his way towards Sky.

When he had reached her Thunderstorm planted his ear on Sky's belly. Silence.

And more silence.

And more silence.

Thump-thump

Then there was a noise. The sound of a soft heart beat. By some miracle Sky's baby was still alive. Thunderstorm could not bring his friends back from the dead. But he could make sure that their child could live. A red bubble appeared in Thunderstorms hoof, he slowly lowered the bubble until it sank into Sky's body. Pulling it back up, the tiny form of a pony escaped the belly of Sky inside the bubble. The tiny child was curled up into a ball.

Thunderstorm coughed up more blood as he reached inside his chest and pulled out the gem that represented the Element of Shadow. He regretted the fact that he was unable to save his two close friends. But the least he could do, was make sure that their child had the chance to live.

Dead bodies and burning buildings. The stench of rotten flesh burning in the noon day sun stung the air. Utter horror was placed upon Flash's face as he stared at the burned and ruined kingdom.

Dark Side however wasn't fazed in the slightest by the current events. In fact he was smiling at the burning city.

"I don't understand." Flash said. "What does this have to do with anything?" Flash asked.

Dark side smiled at Flash. "To shed some light on the current situation. And also to let her see the truth."

Flash raised an eyebrow in confusion. But when he looked behind him he saw that he wasn't alone with Dark Side. But rather both Dark Side and Flash were greeted by a Pegasus mare with yellow fur, blue eyes, and a rainbow mane where the back of it had been braided.

"Flash Sentry, meet Cloud. The daughter of the Sky." Dark Side introduced.

The sound of roaring thunder boomed throughout the battlefield between Flash (who is possessed by Thunderstorm) and Soarin (who is possessed by Nimbus). The fight between the two had become very intense. Soarin had wrapped himself in lightning making him travel at an unbelievable speed. Flash was emitting a black and red aura that increased his speed as well. The two Elemental's raced against each other at record breaking speed. Dealing blows at times they got close to each other before backing off and racing away. The two raced side by side each other trying to push the other back. The two flew up against a mountain and twirled upwards. Black and red mixing with yellow magic flew up the hill until they ran out of ground and hovered into the air.

Flash and Soarin's punched each other. A loud bang echoed through the field, the punch was so massive it sent Soarin and Flash flying backwards until they caught themselves and balanced themselves in the air.

Soarin growled with rage as a yellow pike of lightning appeared in his hoof. In response, Flash lifted his hoof as a black and red ball appeared in it. "I will ask once more my friend." Flash almost sounded like he was pleading. "Why are doing this? Why do harbor anger towards me?"

"You know damn well why!" Soarin yelled, throwing the pike of lightning like a spear.

Flash reacted by throwing the red ball straight at the oncoming pike of lightning. When the two came in contact with the other they erupted in a massive sphere of yellow, black, and red magic. Lightning and Shadow magic collided with each other as the massive sphere gave off sparks of lightning and raging black and red tendrils.

When Flash had thrown the small red and black sphere at the oncoming pike of Lightning he had left himself wide open. Soarin took advantage of this opportunity and blitzed towards Flash. Soarin tackled Flash causing the two to have no room for their wings to grab onto the air around them and fly. And so they plummeted towards the ground.

"Why are you doing this Nimbus?!" Flash demanded as he wrestled against Soarin in the free fall. "Do you harbor anger towards me because I couldn't protect you and Sky-"

Flash was cut off as the hoof of Soarin was able to wiggle itself away from Flash's and punched him in the face. "How dare you even try to speak her name!" Soarin yelled with complete and unyielding rage. "I will end you right here and now!" Soarin yelled, holding up his right foreleg a yellow ball of lightning appeared. But was completely useless as Flash kicked off of Soarin and crashed into the ground. As did Soarin.

Both groaned in pain as they sat up. Black and red magic had already begun to crack, bend, and heal his body. The same went for Soarin as Yellow lightning began to heal his body as well.

"This is pointless my friend." Flash stated. "We cannot beat each other, not while we wield the Element's that have the power to heal us."

"I don't care." Soarin groaned. "I don't care if you can heal, I don't care if all of my attacks are useless against you. None of that matters any more. All that matters is that you die here and now by my hoof!" Soarin began to raise his voice in anger. "If I have to die to achieve that so be it! If I'm to burn in the fires of Tartarus in the afterlife, then I'll make sure that you will burn with me!"

"No creature may harm those I hold dear." Flash began to recite an oath. "No force will yield me from protecting my home. May those that dare scorn thy name of my lord and King be struck down with unyielding force. Give me strength so that I will have the power to protect my ponies and friends. The gift of this strength I will use to protect those I hold dear. And not for the deeds of evil." Flash said, a black ball completely void of any red appeared in his hoof. "Do you remember the oath we gave when we received the Element's of Chaos? The oath that we gave to protect our proud and wonderful kingdom. Not to use our power for evil and vengeance! Do you remember that oath Nimbus?!"

"The kingdom of Timbuktu is no more Thunderstorm." Soarin reminded Flash. "It was burned to the ground along with that oath. We are nothing more than two soldiers who have no kingdom. No home. No family. Nothing!" Soarin grew even more angry than before. A lightning pike appeared in his hoof once more, this time it was not yellow but instead it was completely red.

There was no more use in trying to use words on Soarin. Words had no place in the battlefield as they would on,y fall upon deaf ears. The only type of language that was known on the battlefield was the way you fought your opponent. So if Flash had to beat the trash that was clouding Soarin's mind to get through to him. Then so it would be.

In a village far from the ruins of Timbuktu lived the peaceful earth ponies. The village consisted of twenty wooden houses, a river, and a large and plentiful field of crops and farms. Houses where waterwheels spun through the water in peace. The entire village consisted of earth ponies except for one. A Pegasus filly who was eight years old, was picking water out of the well with a metal bucket. The filly was none other than Cloud, the daughter of both Nimbus and Sky. The young filly hummed to herself happily as she carried the bucket of water back to her house. Completely unaware that she was being watched by three ponies.

"Can she-" Flash was about to ask until Dark Side answered his question.

"See us? No, we are merely seeing the memory of Cloud."

"I almost forgot about this." The adult Cloud said in amazement. "To think that I could forget something like this my whole life."

Flash turned to Dark Side once more with an agitated look. "You still haven't told me why your showing me all of this."

Dark Side rolled his eyes. "I suppose it's time for me to tell you...the...the..." Dark Side tried to say the word but couldn't bring himself to say the word.

"Truth?" Cloud guessed.

"Yes that. I've been meaning to shed some light on the past of Thunderstorm so that we can end the fight between both him and Nimbus?"

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Flash asked.

"Simple. Cloud will take over and show Nimbus what truely happened." Dark Side said.

"But...I don't even know how to take over Flash's body yet."

"Oh don't even bother trying to lie to me Cloud. Obviously you know how to take over Flash's body. I've seen you do it to him when he's sleeping." Dark Side pointed out.

"Wait...if you know about that then that means..." Cloud's eyes widened in horror as she clasped her mouth and her cheeks turned bright crimson red.

Seeing the look on Cloud gave Flash an uneasy feeling. "Um...what does-"

Cloud cut Sentry off by grabbing his shoulders and screamed, "I was just curious! I swear I didn't mean any disrespect by it. It's just that I always questioned what stallions always do for...you know...fun."

"Wait...what exactly have you done with my body whenever I sleep?" Flash asked, a little scared of the answer.

"Ummm..." Cloud trailed off.

In the peaceful town of Ponyville, all was quiet in the silent night. Nothing could be heard except for sound of crickets chirping. All was asleep, minus those that were awake during the night. In the castle of friendship Royal Guard Flash Sentry was sound asleep in the guest bedroom. He had been given the room and was allowed to receive the wonderful gift of sleep every night thanks to Twilight's orders.

Of course Flash protested against her judgement and said that he should guard her during the night. It wasn't until Twilight threatened to send him to the center of the sun that he agreed to her terms. And so he slept.

And then he awoke.

But this wasn't Flash who was awake, instead it was Cloud's soul that now controlled Flash's body. Flash removed the covers and walked out the bed. Flash then walked up to the dresser and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He then began to admire the way he looked, his muscles, his wings, and his posture. After having a good look at himself Flash grinned. It was now time for him to the very thing he had always wanted to do.

Beat the hell out of everything in sight.

And that's exactly what he did.

"Stuff?" Cloud half heartedly chuckled.

Unsatisfied with the answer he was given, Flash turned to Dark Side, "What has she been doing to me in my sleep?!" He demanded.

"Believe it or not, it's not as bad as you might think." Dark Side shrugged. "But your avoiding the situation Cloud, take control of Flash's body and show Nimbus the truth."

"But...I... I can't." Cloud stammered.

"Can't or won't?"

"Both!" Cloud shouted.

"Look, do you just not want to do this because we've sent Flash into a state of panic because we haven't told him what you do to him when he sleeps?" Dark Side asked, pointing to the currently depressed looking Flash. "Or because your too afraid to face your own father!"

"You don't understand!" Cloud yelled as she matched the height of Dark Side's voice. "I'm just now learning that my own father is currently possessing some innocent pony and is fighting Thunderstorm and you just expect me to just waltz on out there and tell him, 'Hey there Nimbus, I'm your long lost daughter from about a thousand years ago. You want some tea and crumpets while we catch up?'" Cloud mocked.

It was at this point in the story where the reader would expect someone to give Cloud some reassuring words of courage to motivate her into getting out there and talking some sense into her father. Unfortunately Flash was in a state of depression so that left Dark Side to give her some motivation. And Dark Side gave her the greatest form of motivation there was.

And slapped her in the face.

"Knock it off." Dark Side said calmly. "Stop letting fear control your actions. Whether you like it or not both the Element of Shadow and the Element of Sky are going to be caught in a eternal struggle because they will both heal whatever wounds are made. The only way to put a stop to their stupid fight is by showing Nimbus the truth."

"First, ow!" Cloud cringed, holding her red cheek. "Second, doing that is easier said than done."

Dark Side rolled his eyes. "Fine, if force won't motivate you then maybe this will." Dark Side said, a wheel of film appearing in his hoof. A piece of tape was placed on the wheel with the words 'Cloud's nocturnal missions' written on the tape. "On this here tape is a full documentary of everything you've done to Flash every time he's gone to sleep. Now then you have two options. One,-"

And just like that Cloud was gone in the blink of an eye."

Back outside of Flash's head the battle between both Flash and Soarin was beginning to show some signs of slowing down. But as the battle had dragged on, the land had taken the large blow from the fight. Boulders and rocks turned into nothing but dust, snow turned from bright white to pitch black, and the whole landscape was on the bring of total destruction. But Flash wasn't fighting at one hundred percent. He couldn't bring himself to use his full power on Soarin, he just couldn't.

Flash decided that attacking Soarin head on was a very stupid idea. So he resorted to hiding behind one of the large rocks that had managed to not be destroyed during the battle. Flash had to think of a way he could stop Soarin without injuring him. Easily failed possibilities raced through his head. That is until a massive pounding began to bang inside his head.

Flash softly cried out in pain, clutching his head as the pounding grew louder and heavier.

From inside his head there came a gentle and soft voice that spoke, "Sorry Shadow, but I'm taking over now."

Flash's eyes widened. He knew of the voice all to well, but to think that she would be emerging now was almost unthinkable. "What do you think you're doing girl?" Flash demanded. "You can't possibly face the Element of Sky-"

"You mean my father?" Cloud corrected.

Flash's shock doubled. "How did you...Dark Side, of course."

"Don't worry, I'm not angry at you for not telling me. I completely understand why you did it, but I want, no, need to speak with my father."

With that said Flash's body began to become engulfed in a blinding white light. It was a light that shined so brightly that it touched the sky itself. Unfortunately it gave away the location of where Flash had been hiding. Soarin easily saw the beacon of light that pierced through the dark grey clouds above. Soarin landed a couple of feet away from the Boulder, a lightning pike appearing in his hoof. He raised it and was ready to throw it.

And then someone emerged from behind the rock.

A Pegasus mare, with yellow fur, blue eyes, a rainbow mane where the back of it had been braided, emerged.

Soarin stopped. Still as a statue, Soarin was unable to remove his eyes from the mare before him. Not because she was the daughter of Nimbus, but because she resembled Nimbuses beloved, Sky. Nimbus wanted to believe his eyes, he wanted to believe that the one before him could've been Sky. But his mind knew better, he knew that the Element of Shadow was a deceiver, a trickster, a lier.

He would not be tricked so easily. Soarin once more raised his hoof, ready to strike down the one that dared to even slightly mock the form of Nimbuses beloved. But it was put to a stop as Cloud closed the distance between her and Soarin. Placing her hoof on his forehead, the charred and ruined battlefield had vanished. Replaced with the scene of Nimbuses house. Soarin also vanished, in his place now stood Nimbus.

"Why did you bring me here Thunderstorm?!" Nimbus demanded, believing that the mare before him has Thunderstorm.

Cloud spoke in a calmer and more quite tone than her father, "To show you the truth." She said, motioning her hoof to the right.

It was almost like he was staring into the past. There, right in the very home that Nimbus and Sky had purchased, was Thunderstorm. Running Nimbus through with a viscous looking blade. The blade should've have felt nothing more than mere paper cut. But Nimbus could never forget the sting and pain that blade had caused. But the pain that the blade had caused couldn't even hold a candle to the sting of his friends betrayal.

"Why are you showing me this?" Nimbus demanded.

"I've already told you." Cloud said, still calm. "To show you the truth."

Nimbus looked away, he knew of what happened next and he could not bring himself to watch it once more.

*SNAP*

The sound was able tear Nimbuses heart in half. He did not see it, but he knew that it was all to real. Sky had been killed. With her neck snapped, her body had become limp as she fell to the ground. Thunderstorm chuckled as he sheathed the sword and walked out, the changelings following behind.

The hatred that Nimbus bearded towards Thunderstorm had begun to grow as he stared into the cold dead eyes of Sky. And then something occurred to him, supposedly Thunderstorm was right next to him. It was almost to easy.

But then something halted his actions. The real Thunderstorm appeared in the kitchen, his body mangled and beaten. He was in tremendous pain as his body was healing itself. And then you probably know the rest, Thunderstorm walks over to Sky, takes the unborn child out of the womb, gives the child the Element of Shadow, and then Thunderstorm dies.

As the unborn child floated in the black and red sphere the Element wasted no time in merging itself with the child. Once the gem had disappeared into the child's body, the sphere rocketed upwards, breaking through the roof. Both Nimbus and Cloud followed the sphere as if they were ghostly spirits.

The two followed the sphere as it flew into a cave, where it hovered above the ground. As time passed the little filly grew and grew until it would no longer have any use for the sphere. But the little filly stayed inside the sphere for five years, and in that time the Element of Shadow was filling the young Filly's head with knowledge of how to speak, walk, write, learn, and other.

Then the time came where the little filly no longer needed the sphere. And then she walked to a village, where she grew up and that other stuff. And then the vision faded.

Soarin stared incredulously at Cloud. His jaw unhinged and his eyes wide.

Cloud smiled awkwardly as she gave Soarin a hug. "I'm so happy I get to meet you dad."

Soarin looked at Cloud. The hatred he had felt for his friend had dispersed, replaced by the joy of seeing Nimbuses daughter. His eyes ceased glowing yellow and began to fill with tears as he returned the hug to Cloud. Clutching onto her, he started to cry, tears flowing uncontrollably down his cheeks and onto Cloud's fur. Cloud buried her face into Soarin's chest, slightly crying herself.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Soarin whimpered over and over again.

"You have nothing to be sorry for my friend." A new voice entered. Soarin looked up and in front of him stood Thunderstorm. "And you said that you never cried." Thunderstorm slightly smiled.

"Thunderstorm. I'm...I'm so sorry for what I did."

"Hey, it's alright. I blame myself for everything, I let that changeling take my form and hurt the ones I cared for. But your here, my best friend."

"Don't just stand there you big jerk, come over here and give us all a hug." Cloud said.

Thunderstorm nodded and embraced both Soarin and Cloud. As the two hugged they failed to notice that they were slowly turning to dust. But they did not care, they were happy and that's all that mattered. And their entire body's weren't turning to dust but rather their skin was, washing away leaving behind the body of both Flash Sentry and Soarin. But as the three vanished into the wind they were smiling. It was a wonderful smile, a smile of joy, a smile of peace, a smile of reunion.

It was a smile of happiness.