Howling Shadows

by 10 Florins

Chapter 7: Requiem

"Lucence?" Twilight puzzled, "That place was abandoned after the 300 year's war. Nopony has been there since. Why in the wide world of Equestria do you want to go there?"

"The book, Twilight, the book! It told me Lucence holds the answer I'm looking for!." I could barley contain my excitement. The Lucence royal palace was the answer, after all, to a question I asked myself an innumerable amount of times. What can I do to change it?

Twilight gave me a peculiar look, and began, "So you're the one he spoke of." I spun around in confusion and gave her a puzzling glare. "Mason visited me in a dream, using ancient magic. He was Starswirl's apprentice, you know. He told me that I would guide a pony to change the world, that I would send him to the final destination on his journey. He never mentioned that it would be a Changeling."

"Y-you knew?" I gulped.

"Of course I did! They're not hard to pick out in a crowd if you know the right spells. But you never approached me with malicious intent, which got me curious. The rest is history, really." She concluded.

I stood there for a moment, mouth agape, and wondered at all the opportunities she could have taken to end me. But she didn't. Maybe there's hope, after all. Collecting my thoughts, I responded, "So... You're harboring a fugitive?"

"Not a fugitive," she giggled, "A hero. One that needs to get some sleep. Can't forever change the world if you're drowsy, now can you?"

"Fair enough." I was rather tired, what with the sudden revelations and all. Before I hit the hay, though, there was one last thing to do. "Twilight?"

".....Yeah?"

"...Thanks for being my friend." That night, I had a wondrous dream where I spent my days doing normal activities, with lots of ponies. A simple dream, but special to one who doesn't know what it's like.

The morning came ended my dream too quickly, for I woke up in a running position. The sheets had already been flung off at some point, and the pillows lay at the wrong end of the bed. Quite the dream indeed.

Twilight trotted in, with an enthusiastic "Good morning!" Upon seeing the room, however, her perkiness dropped a decimal. "Had fun last night?" she queried. I shrugged. "Well, you've got a long day ahead of you, so I can fix that! Breakfast is on the table." As I made my way out, she began lifting the bed's guts towards order again.

Nothing fancy, just some orange juice and eggs, sunny side up. Twilight was a book worm after all, I doubt if she even poured the juice without reading a manual on it first. I was just licking the last hint of orange from my mouth when I was tapped on the shoulder.

"Here, Shadow, take this. It will help you to communicate with spirits."
I started, "How did you know-"

"I'm a genius, remember?" She had the look of a school filly holding the school in her hoof. "You'll need it to talk to her."

What Twilight handed me glowed with a color you could feel. It became clouded in light, but shimmered in the dark. A small orb whose presence invaded the mind. It gave me chills.

"Where did you get this?" I asked, slipping the object in my bag.

"Princess Luna herself. After the Nightmare Night incident, she thanked me with it, saying that not only can you speak with spirits, you can also visit ponies in their dreams. It was forged by her own magic, after all." Princess Luna? Should she be giving me this? Catching onto my expression, she reassured, "You need it now more than me. Before this, it was just collecting dust."

"I suppose you're right. Actually, if I'm gone longer than I need to be, I can just tell you in your dreams. That's rather useful." After pointing that out, Twilight gave me a wink and said, "Just no funny business, alright?"

That was perhaps the first time I ever truly laughed. Much to my surprise, it came out as a bellow that shook the walls. My own laughter was something I had never experienced until now. "Alright, alright. But really, thanks for sending me on my way. I've never really had a proper farewell."

"Well maybe you just didn't meet the right friends yet!" The door opened by her magic, and she said, "You'd better get on your way. Second thoughts can be cautious friends, but they can also hold a pony back when action is needed."

It really did feel like a good tie to leave. As I trot off, I turned back and yelled, "Wait for me, Twilight! I think I want to live in Ponyville after this is over!" She didn't reply; she didn't have to. The warm grin on her face was answer enough.

Head down and wings spread, I bolted into the sky with a new-found vigor. Ah, the chill on my back, the clouds bursting in my wake. Nothing could compare. Almost nothing, that is.

The trip to Lucence wasn't long, thankfully. The citizens who once populated it settled into present day Ponyville once the princess had given up hope. Most of the were poor, hungry, or both, so they couldn't travel far. It may seem cold, but their past plight now served my present gain. A gain not unappreciated, mind you, or even I would have called it heartless. The journey would take an hour, maybe one and a half if I took a relaxed pace. I decided to use the time to reflect.

So much had happened over what now feels like so little time. I learned to integrate with ponies, fend for myself, I even killed. I can still see their faces, too; Sear and Kale's. They may have been murderers themselves, but I wasn't. I know in my heart that it was necessary, but I can't shake the feeling that there was some other way I could have escaped. And Twilight. How I find myself thinking about her. She's kind, motherly, and she's the only true friend I've ever had. And best of all, she knows what I am, and can still see past it. I'm glad she doesn't hate me based on what nature deemed me. She really is a good friend.

My thoughts dispersed as I approached the great walls of Lucence. High and mighty, they once protected some of the most important ponies back then. It was similar to Canterlot, in fact. The dark brown drawbridge lay cracked in the water, leaving the front gate open to visitors. Grand. The word popped into my mind as I pass under the stone walls. The vast road it led to branched into countless roads and alleys. All the houses still stood, for none were made of any less than brick. Plant life infested the streets, though. No amount of good architecture could change that. Bushes and trees paved the road, while vines coiled around every lamppost. It was almost indistinguishable from a jungle, even the presence of wildlife tingled at the back of my neck.

The tower rose above all, making it an easy find. It stretched up from the roots of the castle, nearly matching surrounding mountains' height. It too was covered in vegetation, with trees at its base giving it support. As I flew closer, I spied a window at the very top, whose wood had long since rotted. I dashed to the window, ever inching closer to the end. I shifted to my true form, ready to face what came next. The sill provided a perch for me as I peered inside. Affirming my theory, I stepped in.

"Haven't had a visitor in a few thousand years, right Princess?" No answer but the whisper of a passing wind. But there they lay, the bones of a long forgotten noble girl, watching over another. The story was true.

I pulled the orb out of my bag, and held it up to the remains. An image of a young, beautiful mare appeared, perfectly fitting with the skeleton that lay in front of me. I spoke again, and this time the mare stirred.

"Are you the princess of Lucence?"

Sniffling, she replied, "I am. What do you want?" But as she looked at me, a sharp realization came to her. "You're one of HIS kin! LEAVE NOW!"

"Settle down, I came to share something with you."

"I DON'T NEED ANYTHING FROM YOU! GO AWAY!"

"Listen, I know of your story, of how you were betrayed. I've come to make amends." Crying, the mare stood up. "You cannot possibly fix what evil has transpired here. ALL OF YOU SHALL SUFFER!"

"I need to tell you, I know what love is. I've found it for myself, and I wanted a chance to free my race of their plight." Now face to face with me, she laughed in doubt. "So that's it? You just want to rid yourself of your problems by using me? I long since abandoned any thought of retracting my spell!"

I took a step back, and spoke. "Not for me. For others who suffer like me, born into an unforgiving existence." I pulled out the object that I had suffered under before, Kale's knife. Its harmful nature would actually serve a purpose of good, for once. I raised it high, and bore it down through my own left arm. The knife was of high quality, and thus was more than a match for bone. In one fell swoop, my arm lay on the floor in a pool of blood.

The agony was great, but the cause greater. I couldn't stop there. "I will suffer for what he made you suffer through all those years ago..." I wearily argued. She turned to me with a sad look in her eyes, ever the nurturer. "No! I can't bear to see more pain. Please, stop!"

"I can pay- HNGH!" The full weight of the pain hit me like a train. It was as if needles had been shot through my arm, even in the half that was no longer attached. "That's enough! Why would you do this?!?" She pleaded.

"For... m-my love..." I let go of what little consciousness I had.

I floated along in a cosmos unfamiliar, yet welcoming. The sensation of a hard wood floor suddenly came to my attention. I was back at the library. I looked around, and all seemed normal enough. But then I turned to my left, and saw an unusual sight. My arm was still there.

"Well hello, Shadow!"

"Twilight? Is that you?" Her image was right before my eyes, yet I could barley make out any details.

"Of course it is! How is your trip going?"
Now I understand. I'm in a dream, and the orb linked me to her. "I need to tell you some things that are important. I may not be coming back from this. I need you to be strong if I don't." Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she held my hoof.

"Don't say that! You will come back! You have to!" she cried.

"I know. But I can't make a promise I can't be sure to keep. And I won't do that to you, Twilight. So if this is goodbye, I had a wonderful time. Before I go, I have to tell you-

Fate was a cruel mistress. I awoke in the bed of the tower, severing my tie to her. Groggy and disoriented, I let my gaze wander around. At last it stopped on the princess, kneeling at the side of the bed.

"Princess?" I started, jolting her ghostly nerves into action.

"You're awake! I was afraid you'd never get better."

"How long have I been out?" I asked, propping myself up. With both my hooves. "What the..." She saw me startle, and placed her hooves on my arm.

"I healed you. You're nothing like he was, you understand love. It's a shame you didn't live in my era."

"So does this mean?"

"Yes. You of pure heart and brave soul don't need to suffer this way. I give you my blessing, as well as the magic that lifts the curse. You and yours are once again whole."

Never had so much relief and joy spring forth from me before. All I could manage was a simple "Thank you." It seemed to suffice for her, as she faded into a world unknown, leaving this one behind. She left only a small ring, engraved: Night Shine. A christening for a new life, free of draining others. Fitting.

My return to Ponyville was well received. Twilight cried upon the sight of me, and ran into my arms.

"I thought you were gone for good!" She smiled. I ruffled her mane a bit, and said, "I did, too, Twi. I did too. But I came back, and I have something very important to tell you." She looked longingly into my eyes as I returned the gaze.

"I love you, Twilight."

Author's Note:

I know that the bit of romance here at the end was kind of unexpected. Even I didn't give it much thought until I sat down to write this conclusion. Hope you enjoyed my first fan fiction, I plan to write more in the future!

Comments

[Mother3Forever]

So many ways to start a sequel, I dunno where to begin.

[The1templar]

3400383 well Chryssy might be a good start. ;p also I am watching you author.

[Jphyper]

Charming little story. It's pretty good for a first story, but there are, of course, still several issues to work out. The biggest issue is the pacing. The events go by far too quickly. If this was a movie, we'd be watching it in fast-forward. A story like this should have at least four times as many words as it has now without adding additional significant plot points. You've written only the important stuff. There's a whole bunch of unimportant slice-of-life stuff we need to see in order to build empathy for the character. In addition, you didn't set up his feelings for Twilight. The princess realized he found love, but we readers have no idea what she's talking about at the time. It's what's known as a plot hole. Confusing the readers is something a writer should never do unless Pinkie Pie and/or Discord is involved, and even then, it should be kept in moderation.

Another issue is that you cannot have more than one character speak in a single paragraph. Every time you move on to a different character's dialogue, you need to start a new paragraph.

For more information and other writing help, click here to go to FiMFiction's writing guide.

[10 Florins]

3409525
Thanks for the input! I'l take my time on my next story, and see if I can do better. I have a few friends that I'l start asking to proofread my stuff, so that should help weed out the problems.

[changlinggod45]

Not to bad a good 1st story