The Shadows Saga

by Tagshadow

The Third Sister Ch. 8 Thought you were Dead

Tor burst into the Apple Family farmhouse panting slightly. Applejack looked up from the table where she had been eating breakfast.

“What in tarnation’s wrong Tor?” She asked with a concerned look on her face. Tor looked at her desperately.

“You need to get the Apple Family off of the farm, Discord’s shadows are just outside Ponyville!” He explained breathlessly. Applejack’s eyes widened briefly before she dropped everything and ran into the living room. “Get everypony to Ponyville! I’ll go ahead and warn them!” Tor called and jogged back out of the house.

----

Tor broke through the door to the library panting hard enough to die; Twilight was looking at him with a horrified expression on her face.

“Tor! Dear Celestia what’s wrong?” She demanded, Spike poked his head in from the other room and jumped in, helping Tor sit down.

“I’ll get some water.” He said and ran into the kitchen. Tor fought for breath.

“Shadows… outside Ponyville… Discord… attacking…” Twilight gasped.

“Oh no.” She whispered. “Wait here, when you feel a little better head for the town square, I’ll get the others. Spike! Help Tor!” She called behind her as she galloped out of the library.

----

Now they all stood in the square; the mane six, Tor, Spike and Quick Thrust along with the entire Ponyville militia outfitted with their weapons. They waited silently awaiting a grim fate. Applejack had left her family at the library and Fluttershy had told all of the animals to hide, it was only they and the shadows.

What should we do? Tor asked looking around the deserted town.

What should YOU do, you mean. Silver corrected him. You should lead your ponies no matter where that takes you.

Thanks. Tor thought sarcastically. Then he heard the pounding of hooves in the distance, he tensed up and looked at the other ponies in the square.

“Get ready everypony.” He said quickly and the first dark figures came into view. An innumerable amount filed into the square until it was full, but Tor could still see more crowding the streets around them. Some of the militia members dropped their weapons, legs trembling. Even Quick Thrust looked nervous. Tor’s friends put on brave faces but he could feel their fear. The middle of the shadows parted making way for a dark chariot made of ebony decorated grimly with the wooden skulls of ponies, on the chariot sat the most scarred stallion Tor thought possible. He sat with a large sword strapped to his back; his fur was a blotchy red and he was covered in thick scars, there was a deep stab mark on his throat and half of his face had been torn away leaving exposed muscle and teeth; the eye on that side of his head was missing. Tor felt his friends flinch at the sight, but there was something familiar about the pony that wouldn’t let Tor look away, then he noticed the torn, gray military coat the pony was wearing.

The chariot stopped in front of the militia, the pony on top looked at them with disgust plainly on his voice, his horn lit up.

“Remember me?”

----

Every single crewmember stood on deck staring at the see, some looked at it blackly while others were talking amongst themselves. At the sight of McCutchen they stopped and immediately stood at attention.

“Go check out what it is.” McCutchen said to Pilot while motioning to the brown water. Pilot saluted quickly and flew down to the water. Everypony waited silently as he dipped a hoof in, sniffed it, and then licked it.

“Chocolate milk!?” He exclaimed. Several crewponies broke out laughing while others just looked at each other with utterly confused looks on their faces. McCutchen raised a hoof to get their attention.

“Okay everypony! Shows over! The sooner we get back to work the sooner we get to land!” He called out to the crowd. The ponies dispersed back to their chores but Tag noticed several look at the chocolate milk thirstily. Pilot landed beside Lop and McCutchen.

“What do you make of this?” Lop asked McCutchen who just shook his head.

“We’re going to need to do a lot of cleaning when this is all over.” He sighed and looked at the sky, clouds could be seen rolling in the distance. “Is there anything else that can happen?” A pegasus galloped over to them.

“Cap’n! Land’s been spotted west of here!” He reported. He hoofed McCutchen a spyglass that McCutchen then used to look in the specified direction.

“That’s Heaven’s End…” He thought out loud. He handed the spyglass back to the pegasus who trotted back to his post. He turned to Pilot. “Make course, we’re going to Heaven’s End.” He ordered. Pilot saluted and flew back up to the ship’s wheel. McCutchen turned to Tag and Lop. “Get down and start rowing, I want to get there as fast as possible.”

----

Tor looked at the stallion with a horrified expression on his face.

“Tac!?” He exclaimed. “Wha- ho- why are you here?” Tac’s face turned into a devilish grin that showed off his exposed teeth.

“I’m here to take revenge.” Came a monotone voice. Tor gave him a strange look but didn’t dare to pursue it. Tac stepped gingerly off of the chariot and took seemingly measured steps until he stood face to face with Tor. “Tell me, where is your brother? I would very much like to exchange words with him.”

“Tag isn’t here!” Twilight interrupted. Tac turned his attention to her; his smile became a hideous scowl that made Tor shiver.

“Twilight Sparkle, I had almost forgotten about the part you played in my death.” He thrust his muzzle into her face. “And I had almost forgotten that I need to repay you first.”

“How are you alive? Tag killed you back at Canterlot and stole your soul!” Twilight asked defiantly. The smile returned to Tac’s ruined face.

“It’s a story that I’m sure your all familiar with; I was a body without a soul, a mind to good to go to waste though, so lord Discord saw fit sacrifice somepony else to give me this.” He drew the large sword and held it in his mouth, showing no signs of trouble in wielding it. “So similar to that stupid Tagia of Tag’s and yet so much… better.” There was an insane glint in his eye as he put the sword away. “It’s even got a name too; Dumo. I’m the exact same as you Tor, dead but forced to live anyway. Yet I was unlucky enough that they couldn’t get the blood out of my coat, or even repair my flesh or larynx… so I have decided that I would spend my second life taking yours!” He struck an offensive pose and Tor drew Torais in defense. Tac’s face curled into a painful looking smile and he let out a dry, hoarse pant that might have been a laugh. “But lord Discord would have me take you alive, and when I say that, I mean all of Ponyville!”

“Do you expect us to just surrender?!” Rainbow Dash demanded putting herself between Tac and the others, she held a short sword in her mouth that was dwarfed by Dumo.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash, I remember your bellicose personality, it reminds me a lot of Iron Hoof. I hated Iron Hoof, always disagreeing with my strategies. Made it much harder to sabotage Equestria’s army.”

“You mean to say that you’ve been an agent of Discord’s for so long?” Applejack demanded standing beside Rainbow Dash. Tac let out his panting laugh again.

“Applejack, you would not believe how long I’ve been playing this game, I’m sure Quick Thrust knows what I’m talking about.” The voice said, Tac turned to the aging pegasus who stared at him with shock.

“You mean that you were the one… that sent the 1st Flying Spear Division into the Strait Stronghold?” He asked quietly. Tac’s eye glinted.

“Oh yes, I knew full well of the ramifications, that’s why I sent them in. But I didn’t think that Shadows could be so deadly!” The voice said while Tac laughed. Quick Thrusts eyes were filled with sorrow and anger.

“You… you’re despicable…” He said through barely contained fury. “Just you wait, when your shadows aren’t at your side, you’ll have me to answer to.”

“Given those circumstances I’d say you have a fairly good chance of winning too.” The voice said. “But I don’t intend to leave any line of defense open. There’s a reason that I was Equestria’s top tactician, you and your stupid Ponyville won’t last one day.”

“Just try to back up those words, you’ll find that we’re more than just a town full of pushovers.” Tor said angrily, he put a hoof on Tac’s chest and pushed him away. “You’ll find that you got a lot more than you thought you would.” Tac’s face returned to a grimace with hatred behind his eye.

“Tor I wouldn’t do that if I were you, I’m sure that I could slice you in half before you would even get an arrow on that string.” The voice said. Tor held his gaze.

“But you won’t, because you need us alive. And I’m sure Discord would be very upset if me or any of my friends were to be killed.” He reminded him. Tac frowned and looked away.

“That is very true, but I’m sure lord Discord wouldn’t mind if I mutilate you a little bit.” Tor nodded.

“Would you even have the guts to?” He wondered. Tac looked right back at Tor with raging white fire in his pupil.

“Let me tell you what’s going to happen, you may think you’re smart but you have no idea what’s going on behind the curtain, no idea what lord Discord and I have planned for you and Ponyville’s pathetic little citizenry. First I’ll take all of your friends, one by one, and force you to watch as my lord breaks their minds just like he did to your insignificant insect of a brother, then I’ll cut them up and pick them apart slowly in front of you until all you can hear are their anguished cries, when on the doorstep of death only then will I kill them, not even with Dumo, I’ll do it with Torais, your own weapon. After all that’s done and the bodies have been disposed of I’ll take you before the lord himself and let him judge you; I’m sure he’s still very unhappy about you betraying him. Then, if you’re still alive I will force you to watch as lord Discord’s chaos magic tears apart the land I’m sure you’ve grown to love. If that still isn’t enough I’ll let you see your brother again… as I beat him mercilessly, every night, but I will not let him die, he must suffer for an eternity for what he did.” Tor could hear the rage coming through the monotone voice. It took all of the willpower in his mind to stop himself from crying out, he heard Fluttershy break down crying behind him. The entire crowd was silent; all of his friends were speechless with fright, all except Rainbow Dash.

“You think you’re so tough? Huh? You think your so scary but you’re not, your just a scared pony hiding behind an army of shadows, nothing, I’d like to see you actually put some weight behind those words of yours!” She challenged him. Tor had to admit he was impressed by her pure confidence in the face of danger, but he wasn’t sure if it was confidence… or ignorance.

“What are you doing!?” Tor hissed. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“I’m not afraid of anything until I see proof that I should be!” She said not breaking eye contact with Tac. He stalked up to her until he was less than an inch away.

“Don’t go picking fights you can’t win, especially when I have an army that will attack anything that even remotely threatens me.” Said the voice.

“You don’t scare me!”

“Do you expect to live through a battle against my numbers?” Tac asked; he appeared impressed. Rainbow Dash waved her sword threateningly in the air.

“We can certainly try!”

“Rainbow Dash, don’t be foolish!” Rarity exclaimed. “There’s no point if it would cost so many ponies their lives.” Then Tac saw her.

“You… you were the one that was talking to the dragon… Spike, back in Canterlot… and if I recall correctly Tag was over at your place for dinner before.” He stepped right in front of her, Rarity tried to hold his gaze but looked away.

“I think I might take my time with you. Carve you up like Tag did to me, show you to him as a little gift when he returns.” She looked back at him with a horrified expression. Rainbow Dash jumped back in front of Tac.

“I’d like to see you try!” She said waving her sword again. Wordlessly and without any effort Tac drew Dumo and smacked Rainbow Dash in the face with the flat of the blade. The entire audience drew in a sharp breath. Rainbow Dash sputtered on the ground and coughed of a speck of blood. She looked back up at Tac with pure hated in her eyes. Tac only looked back at her with a disappointed frown on his face.

“I shall give you until noon tomorrow to give yourselves up peacefully, do so and you shall not be harmed. Do not make me come for you.” He stepped back onto the carriage and the parade of shadows followed him out of Ponyville. Fluttershy wiped her eyes and quickly got on her knees beside Dash on the ground, she started to examine her wound. Tor let out a shaky breath; he looked back to the other ponies.

“What now?” He asked.

“We plan our next move, I don’t think that anypony’s goin to want to give in to them.” Applejack said. Twilight nodded in agreement.

“There’s no guarantee that anypony who surrenders will not be harmed, for all we know surrendering means death.”

“Please, before we continue, I need to now who I’m killing before I kill them.” Quick Thrust said darkly.

(If it helps you get the joke, just imagine Tac sounding like speakonia or virtual reader thing of your choice.)