The Endless

by BloomingStar

A start

The next day...

Shard and Venang went to their training grounds located at the east side of the terrace. The area was surrounded with a magical barrier that prevents any release of any kinds of magic to the outside of it. Shard focused in mastering his frost techniques while Venang focused on her fangs and her mobility. The two made an excellent performance in practicing their powers, but Shard was known to have such potential. When he was practicing his already known skills, his mentor suggested to him to make new abilities to strengthen his resolve. At first, he never thought of anything else aside from ice shards, frost force, and channeling dark orbs in which he rarely used because he didn't remember how he had done it before. He couldn't made up his mind until...

He hatched an idea like he thought of it outside the box. Firstly, he stepped back to gather concentration. Second, he jumped not that high, but enough to make sure never get much of a fall damage like he got few years ago. Finally, he went down along with a slam by his front hoof to the ground, causing an eruption then what came out was something quite a look. It created a deep and wide trench in a straight line along with sharply and deadly shards of ice between its sides along within middle of it. Venang was impressed by the kind of ability that he created as the trench disappeared into thin air and left ground still intact.

After a few hours, they finished their training and went back to their quarters to rest their hooves.

"Hey Venang, do you attend a school?" Shard asked.

"Yeah, why you ask that?" She replied

"What kind of school?"

"Ponyville High." She said as she sat in the bed next to him

Hearing this, Shard was suprised. "Really, eh? How come I never see you there?". His curiosity really wanted him more.

"Well, I was wearing a black hoodie jacket. I love wearing it. That's why you can hardly see a batpony there." She said as she booped him at the nose with a slight chuckle.

He was not amused, though, he really could not judge it.

"I see. Well, I hope I can see you in recess and lunch."

"Sure, buddy. I'll see you if I can." She replied as she stretched out her wings with a yawn as she nuzzled onto his neck as her wings covered them like blankets.

After a while, two went asleep. Shard was glad that he can still go to school even if he has a mission to undertake, have a job at least, though, it may be quite violent for him, and a bat pony friend since he had never seen one before, but heard about it.

Two days later at Ponyville High...

Recess...

Shard was sitting alone eating his sandwich as he was hoping Venang to show up. Few minutes passed, yet no sight of the pony with a jacket. Possibly, she was busy at the moment. He continued eating his sandwich at peace until he noticed the pony at the opposite side, a white coat teenage filly. He remembered her, she was one of the trios that went through various challenges to earn their cutie marks. He liked her since she's cute like a real charmer, though, it never meant to think of it more. The filly approached him and then sat next to him.

"Hi there, Shard." said the filly.

"Hey there, Sweetie Belle. How are you?" Shard replied.

"Just fine. I just want to be with my friend here since Apple Bloom is busy in doing the science project while Scootaloo is in the clinic again..." she sighed.

"Heh... Let me guess... she broke her hoof again because of doing stunts in the gym?

"Yeah. She never stops." She chuckled as she gave him a brohoof.

Five minutes passed yet still no sign of Venang. Shard cannot wait any longer since he needs to get back to class for a quiz in Math. He got up from his chair and packed up his bag.

"Let's go, Sweetie. We need to be ready for the quiz," he said as he walked out of the cafeteria.

"Yeah. This is gonna suck" she groaned as she followed him through the hallway.

Lunch...

Shard and Sweetie Belle went outside to eat their lunch at the sugarcube corner. They had a rough time in dealing with the subject since its known to be like the most boring one of all, second to history. They ordered two milkshakes and two chocolate pies as Shard payed for the expenses. After a few minutes passed, they finished and walked back to their school. As they reached the entrance door, they saw a paper at it which says: "Shard, meet me at the swimming gym later after your class". He took the paper and read it again. He would guess it's Venang.

"Shard, who is this pony that wants to see you?", Sweetie Belle asked.

"Just a new friend. Maybe she wants to show me a suprise or something. Anyway, let's go to our Art Class. I will deal with this later," he said as he continued walking down the hallway with Sweetie Belle following him.

Two hours later...

After class, Shard went to the gym, only to find it empty, surely Venang would be there waiting for him. He walked around a little bit until he found a note attached at the locker's room door. He looked at it that says: "Behind you". He looked at back then suddenly, water splashed at his face. After clearing his face, he saw Venang at the pool with a smile on her face. She said:

"Not much of a suprise eh?"

"I suppose so," he replied with a chuckle.

Shard then went to the pool, letting the water breeze his coat.

"Hey, Shard," she said as her wings flapped underwater to keep her in the surface as extra support.

"Yeah?"

"Are you busy this weekend?"

"No. Why?" he replied as he poured water on his face.

"Cause I was thinking if you want to go with me at my hometown: Dark Shallow. Just to show you around." She said.

Shard had never thought of going to a place full of bat ponies, not that he hates them, just the fact that it's creepy for him because of their eyes like they're looking at him either seductively or deadly and their fangs, too sharp. He never had anything to do anyway so he agreed saying,

"Okay, I'll go as long as you can show me your parents," he said with a smile.

"Thanks, dude. I really appreciate your answer."

Still the fear struck him since he couldn't tell the kind of parents that Venang has. What if they would be overprotective or being aggressively hostile at him. Only time will tell when he gets there.

Two hours later at the train station...

Shard and Venang were on board on the train on its way to Dark Shallows. It took like three hours of the travel time until the train stopped at its destination. After exiting from the train, Shard observed the surroundings of the town, very foggy and dark to tell. As they continued their way to the town square until they reached her home, a cave some sort with a large front door and blue torches.
Shard would really freak out if her parents would try to kill him like he would ever take away their child or anything that could malicious related.

As Venang knocked on the door, it slowly opened with an eerie sound as Shard gulped in fear. From the door, he saw her parents, a female bat pony with a dark silver mane and a male one with a dark blue mane. The color of the coat: Gray. Just the same as their daughter. The parents looked at him with a smiling expression at their faces, thinking that he would ever be killed by them. The father started to first say,

"What's the name of your friend, Venang?"

"Mom and Dad, this is Shard Vine. A colt that studied in the same school as me. He is also my companion."

"Wonderful! Our little filly is growing up so fast," the mother said with glee as she turned her face to Shard to hoofshake with him, "Hello there, Shard. First time being here right?"

"Yes. I got to say, this town is kinda creepy to be honest. No offense though," he replied as he scratched the back of his neck.

"It's alright, we hardly get any visitors here."

"And don't worry, we won't kill or even bite you. We are not that kind of creatures even if we were blood sucking fiends. Come inside, we want to know more about you," the father said as he noticed the young colt shaking with fear almost like ready to get a heart attack.

The two young ponies went in and sat down at the living room. Conversations began as her parents asked him question. Like lots of questions out of their curiosity.

"So, Shard, what do you for a living?"

"Just traveling that's all. It's my usual thing."

"How old are you?"

"Same as your daughter. 11."

"Have you ever heard our culture?"

"Uh... not really," the colt asked with confusion as to why her parents asked that kind of questions.

"Oh, okay. Just one last question: Is it true that you are a draconequus? Princess Celestia told me a draconequus that was a normal earth pony colt. She also told me that his gifted with powerful dark energies that could surpass even Discord and the Elements of Harmony. We hardly believed of what she said since you are just pony"

That kind of question made Shard twitched a little since nopony could ever understand his birth origin even his bloodline. He was the only one that was known to be created as normal. He took a breath and explained the answer to their curiosity,

"Okay, the answer is... Yes I'm a draconequus, but born as a normal pony like everypony. I was gifted with dark magic, but I hardly used them since my specialty right now is the element in ice and a special dark power called 'Blight'. My mother was a draconequus and my father was a normal earth stallion. They raised me to handle my own life, though, they had a hard time dealing with my problems at school. Tragically, they sacrificed their lives to let me survive when a fire broke out at our house. I was never told if they found them after the incident, no sign of their bodies. They just presumed them dead."

After the long explanation, the parents were intrigued and shocked by what he told about his parents' presumable death. Venang, who was sitting on the same chair with him felt bad for him after hearing the loss of his parents. Her ears drooped as she wrapped her left front hoof around his shoulder while nuzzling on it, hoping to comfort him.

"I feel sorry for you, Shard," she said with a sad expression.

Shard just shook his head as he wrapped his one front hoof around her saying, "It's alright. They gave me a chance to redeem myself in life. I will honor them no matter what," he replied in a confident tone.

"Well thank you for your time, Shard. I hope you will enjoy your stay here at Dark Shallows," the father said.

"Venang, you and your coltfriend should go outside and play for a while. Me and your father are gonna prepare for dinner," the mother added.

"Okay! Let's go, Shard. Let's play with our powers," the young bat filly said as she grabbed his hoof leading him outside.

"Don't you think we're gonna get any trouble for doing it?"

"Don't worry, there's a plain area that we can use to play there. Hope you can catch me using your powers!" She said with a smile on her face.

"Very well then. Powers it is!" he replied happily.

MEANWHILE AT CANTERLOT PRISON

"Eternum, I'm very sorry. I never thought that you would be a... different..." Phan Tom said as he touched the magical barrier that kept him from going out and using his magic. Walls were too magic proof.

"Please give me a chance to prove myself that how sorry I am. Please, Eternum, can you ever forgive me?" he said as he looked down in shame.

"He may forgive or may not," said a voice in front of him.

He looked up only to see...

"Princess Celestia?"

"Yes. Phan Tom. I was just listening of what you said. I believe that he will give you a chance, but it is up to him," she said.

"How?"

"Just wait for him. He will decide of what he will say," she answered in a serious tone.

"Okay. Thank you for that," he said with a little smile on his face.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Note:

Next Chapter coming soon...