Collision Code

by SSJRandomMaster

Act 3 Chapter 22

Act III: Collision of Wills
Chapter 22: Missing Bits
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It only took John a few minutes to reach Ponyville. Soon after landing, he made contact with the lieutenant in charge of the Royal Guards stationed in Ponyville. Luckily, the guards were informed to follow any orders given to them by the others, including John and Corey. The logic behind it was that since they were all pretty much involved in the incident already, they might need the backup, and the guards were better able to do that if they were able to say stuff to them. With that in mind, it didn’t take long to convince the lieutenant to gather the guards to a single point.

John had been in situations where he stood in front of large crowds before without so much as batting an eye. Yet still, as he gazed at the group of guards staring back at him, he couldn’t help but feel a much heavier atmosphere around him. He wasn’t going to pass this off to someone else, though. He did have some very important information to disclose, and an idea of what they could do about it.

“Not long ago I was contacted by Princess Luna,” he began, “She informed me of a disturbance that happened recently, one she can’t pinpoint just yet. But, already, we can make a reasonable assumption to what it’s about, and this time we need to be ready.”

John wasn’t exactly one to take up a leadership position, preferring to follow the orders rather than give them most of the time, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to take command when duty called.

“And if we’re going to do that, we need to change our strategy. Standing on guard as you’ve been now isn’t working. Our enemy is underhanded, either skilled at maneuvering unseen or attacking with great force. If we want to win this, then you have to be as sneaky as they are. No more easily seen armor, no more standing in plain sight. Change your attire, blend in with the crowd, or even go into hiding the best you can. The idea: to be able to get the drop on them before they can us.”

“You heard him,” said the lieutenant, “Everyone prepare yourselves. This will be the last time the enemy will get the upper hand on us,” With a collective salute, the guards were dismissed, off to adapt their new strategy.

Now, to tell the others… John thought to himself, thinking he’d head to the library first.

‘You have my thanks…”

John turned around to see the lieutenant staring back at him, his hand extended out.

“We know our placement here is purely cosmetic…something to help the locals feel safe. In the end, it’s the others and yourself who can put up a decent fight against these guys. But I still thank you for giving us a chance, and placing your faith in our abilities.”

John smiled back at him and shook his hand.

“We’ll win this, no matter what.”
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Our connection to magic is not just limited to our ability to absorb it from our surroundings. Magic exists very strongly in living creatures that can wield it, and even the ways they wield it can speak volumes about their character. By cultivating our connection with the world around us, we can pick up a sixth sense: the ability to sense emotions. Magic is guided by the will of its user, and through careful practice, you may be able to pick up on who your enemy really is and who is not.

However, honing this sixth sense, like most other skills in runic magic, takes time and practice to get right. To be able to sense the magic in another, you must be able to remain in a steady frame of mind. Furthermore, you must be in tune with your own magic to a significant degree. Some strategies to help you achieve this are below…
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Corey’s eyes scanned the pages. Though they felt heavy, Corey had pressed on through worse instances of not sleeping at night, and so he kept going. He wasn’t entirely focusing on the text, though; his head still had quite a bit of fog in it. He was finally starting to understand some of the things about runic magic. Though, this sensory section brought back some memories.

Back then… Corey remembered, straining his memory a bit. It was a bit harder to pick out with what he had gone through up north. And it certainly wasn’t easy to remember that at that time, he had been standing next to him when it happened and didn’t sense anything wrong then. However, he did remember the sensation he’d gotten, I suddenly felt a cold chill… No one else seemed to notice it. Not two seconds later, Lyon died, from the result of some kind of spell. The same one that likely killed Talon too… maybe that was a sensory ability starting to manifest?

Corey leaned back in the chair and sighed, once again reminded of his current situation. His magic wasn’t working right. He probably could have learned to sense something by now, but after Lyon he’d had no time to steady his mind whatsoever. And even now, he still wasn’t completely steady. He couldn’t sleep well at night; he would lay awake, hoping he could close his eyes and finally rest, but after what all he’d heard and what had happened it was hard to fall asleep. He just wasn’t sleeping like he used to.

If only I wasn’t who I am… Corey thought, Then maybe I could have stopped Slayer before all of that happened, before it ever got to that point…

“Corey?” At the sound of Twilight’s voice, Corey turned around, seeing her in the doorway leading into his so-called study room, “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Corey said, “Found another runic spell… I think I’d experienced it before without knowing how I did it…”

“Oh, really?” Twilight asked, walking over to him. Corey slowly turned in his chair. Sure enough, the book was still open to the sensory magic he’d found.

“Yeah,” Corey said, “Looks like the society discovered a way to sense other magic—depending on the ‘will’ of who uses it, it can cause the senses to act accordingly.”

“Really?” Twilight asked, stopping at Corey’s side and scanning the pages herself, “Hmm… did you ever… ‘feel’, I guess, anything like it?”

“Just once,” Corey admitted with a sigh, “But I never figured out why it happened or how it worked. Didn’t exactly have time to calm down after it…”

“Yeah…” Twilight said, “With all that had happened, you definitely couldn’t maintain a calm state of mind. When did you feel it, though? I just want to be sure…”

Corey hesitated for a moment, as though digging up the memory was a particularly painful one, “Right before Lyon died… I felt this cold chill. Winters back home sometimes got really cold, but this wasn’t like that. It was a deep chill, like I’d just been frozen solid. But it passed sort of like…wind, I guess…”

“Your mood went south too,” said Twilight, slowly starting to think.

“Yeah,” Corey sighed, “And then ever since, it was hard to feel happy again. Not like that’s new to me. Then, of course… well, we both know what happened up north…”

“Up north, you really got bad, yeah,” Twilight said, “but you started to change right after the fight with Lyon. Before that, while you were learning your magic, even while you were being worked to death and back, you were… I wouldn’t say upbeat, but it wasn’t like that. Hm…”

“I’d never met Slayer,” Corey said, “At least, not up north. I hadn’t been in his company until that night and I was already drowning in my own rage. I thought I’d left it behind… but it came roaring back. Maybe that’s just who I am…”

“No, that isn’t you,” Twilight said, “I’m sure of it. But I think I have an idea of what might have happened to you, if your magic’s anything like what’s described in this book. You remember Slayer’s book, right?”

“Yeah, I do,” Corey said, tightening one hand. How could he forget? The mental images of the atrocities Slayer had done were burned into his memory, after all. They would never leave.

“Well, that’s the thing. It was Slayer’s book,” Twilight said. Corey looked up, confused as to why she’d put emphasis on it, “This has happened before. Books that belonged to powerful unicorns always seemed to have this kind of thing happen to some extent. This book exudes an aura of knowledge, and even seems to have been directly enchanted by its creator to react to runic magic.”

“But Slayer’s book,” Twilight continued, “He used it to document his murders while doing them and after they happened. He poured his black soul into every page, every letter. By the time he’d dropped it in the Crystal Empire, the book itself was tainted. And…you spent the better part of a week with it in your hands.”

“So you’re saying…the book poisoned me?” Corey asked.

“The fact you already didn’t like what he was doing didn’t help,” Twilight said, “Like I said, though, it’s just a theory. But it being tainted by Slayer’s aura, together with what seems to be runic magic’s ‘sensitivity’ to the magic around it… I just don’t think it can be a coincidence.”

There was silence for a few seconds, before Corey moved to stand.

“So if what you’re saying is true,” Corey said, “Then what can I do to fix…”

Corey blinked once, but once was all it took. His vision suddenly darkened as his eyelids grew heavy, and he slumped heavily.

“Corey??” Twilight asked, quickly stopping his fall. She staggered a bit herself as she grabbed hold of him, but managed to steady him. Corey shook his head, putting part of his palm to his forehead, “You’re still not sleeping well?”

“No,” Corey flatly responded, “I haven’t been.”

“It’s really starting to pile up,” Twilight said, “You can hardly stay awake through the day anymore…”

“Every night, I’m lying back, alone with my thoughts,” Corey said, “My thoughts always take me up north. I can’t forget…any of it.”

“If you keep living in the past, it’s going to haunt you,” Twilight said, “Take my word for it. It’s not easy to let go of big mistakes, but once you do, you start to feel better.”

“I wish it were that simple, Twilight,” Corey said, “But ‘letting go’ is just something I can’t do. Not with this.”

Silence followed. It was soon broken when Twilight let out a sigh. He seemed to understand it before… what had him back here at this point?

“Hey, what did I say to you before?” Twilight asked, “You don’t have to take on the burden by yourself. That’s why you have the others… and that’s why you have me. And after what I’ve learned, I definitely can’t let you just sit all alone and punish yourself over it. If my theory is right… you weren’t in complete control of it.”

Corey looked away again, but didn’t say anything else.

“So please,” Twilight said, “Just relax for a while. At least until you’re better.”

Corey looked towards the ground, his eyes closed. Yet, despite the fact he was very close to nodding off, the act alone did not relax him completely.

“It’s just not that simple,” Corey said, “I’m alone with the memories… the pain, the cold. That’s all I can feel when I try to relax…”

It was a painful experience, no matter how he tried to look at it. Though it was clear he didn’t lose everything, Corey still felt lost anyway. He’d been lost in his rage before, and had nearly drowned so completely in it he was lost. Now, all he felt was cold and numb, except for the pain he felt. It wasn’t just the shoulder injury that refused to heal that still hurt.

A sudden warmth cascaded over his shoulders and rested there. Corey blinked and looked up, seeing Twilight offering him a warm look. One of her wings was opened over his shoulders.

“Twilight…” Corey said, “wha—“

“Ssh…” Twilight said, putting one hand to the side of his cheek, “Just relax.”

Corey looked to Twilight again, before turning his attention straight ahead of him. She continued to keep her wing over his shoulders.

“Now,” Twilight paused, her face twisting into a truly confused look. She didn’t know if she could pull it off, but she wanted to help Corey right now. He needed to rest. With that in mind, she decided to go with it, “Just listen…”

Corey’s ears twitched as he registered the sound of Twilight lightly starting to hum. At first, the tune sounded…familiar, somehow, before quickly slowing down, taking a different route. Corey removed his glasses and closed his eyes. She was going to try. He might as well…

For a few moments, he sat there, taking in a few deep breaths through his nose. Then, he slowly felt his muscles begin to relax. It had been a while since he’d felt like this while trying to nap. All the while, he continued to listen to Twilight’s humming. It was working well for him. He wasn’t even thinking about anything else, or at least, it certainly became a lot harder for him to think about anything else.

Without even realizing it, Corey’s consciousness finally left him as he entered the world of dreams.
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Twilight felt Corey’s body relax as she continued to hum. As he started to slump over, clearly out like a light, she caught him, using one arm and her wing to gently guide him down onto the desk. Only when she was sure he was completely asleep did she dare stop humming. She looked down towards his face, finding that for the first time in a while, he was smiling.

I’m glad I was able to help you… she thought, Sleep tight, Corey. You definitely need it…

With that in mind, she turned her attention back to the book. There was something she definitely needed to know after hearing what he’d found. Maybe if emotional ties were related directly to runic magic, she could find something that could help him to regain control over it. So, she gently, slowly lifted the book, making sure not to wake Corey up. He was still awfully close to the book and all.

Gently lowering Corey’s head to the desk, she turned back to the book. Twilight moved, aiming to leave Corey to himself, but the instant her wing left his shoulders, he let out a small mumble, and his smile slightly faded. Her brow creased, and she shook her head as a memory washed over her. He’d only slept well once since the incident. But that moment couldn’t be recreated, at least, not this way. Well… at least, not exactly the way it was.

Twilight closed the book, securing it under one arm. Her horn lit up as she thought of how to do this. She pulled one of the chairs, which had been pushed off to the side, next to Corey’s chair, facing it. After sitting down, she then reopened her wings—both of them. With a combination of her magic and her wings, she slowly, gently turned Corey, being very careful not to wake him, until he was close enough. Only after she managed to get one arm around him did she finally stop guiding him with her magic.

Now, her magic was used on the book, opening it and levitating it off to one side. Her other arm wrapped around Corey, pulling him close—he was leaning against her chest now. Her wings then closed around him as well—specifically, his shoulders. Whatever tension had built up in Corey seemed to relax again.

Sure that he would be able to sleep now, Twilight began to flip through the pages using her magic, trying to find any information she could relating to the sensory magic—or, to the emotional tie that those who use runic magic seemed to have with their magic—a stronger one than normal ponies had, for sure.

Twilight was adept at scanning books, though she vastly preferred taking the time to reading them word-for-word. It was a necessary skill for all those reports she had to write before Ponyville, and it probably would help her now to search. Her eyes took in the words. Then, towards the back of the book, she saw it.

… Emotions are the driving force behind all magic, but to achieve a state of control beyond normal limits, it is important that you remain calm, never letting your emotions have direct control over your magic…

Stopping at the page, Twilight opened the book again, levitating in her grasp. Her eyes fell upon the heading, and immediately her eyebrows knit in curiosity.

“Highly Advanced Magic: Do Not Consult Unless Absolutely Necessary…” She’d read that sort of header before, but never did she think she’d see such a section in such an old book. Just from the general look of it all, it didn’t seem like there were any spells related to this heading. Figuring she’d opened the book to this page, she might as well have a look.
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Though we boast an incredible connection with the magic in the world around us, our connections are not truly complete. Each and every day in these times, we’re faced with trials and tribulations that seem impossible to overcome. Through exercising mental and physical fortitude, we can overcome them, and each of these experiences can make this connection stronger. But sometimes, it may not be enough.

This, in itself, is a technique that should only be reserved for those that can handle it, and should only be taught to them once the core requirements have been met. The requirements are listed below:

1) Body
Having a strong connection to magic means nothing if the user’s body cannot take the strain. Runic magic, in particular, still takes a great deal of stress for us to perform with our own hands. In order to counteract the strain placed on the body, an individual must train their physical bodies.

2) Mind
Perhaps the easiest of the four core requirements to meet, though it still requires diligence on the user’s part. In order to attain the complete connection, one must practice their magic. Repetition, as noted elsewhere, will eventually diminish the mental strain that runic magic can cause.
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Twilight read over the first two “core elements” again, remembering how as Corey’s physical state progressed, he was able to control more and more of his runic magic. As for his mind, well, he was already practicing his unicorn magic anyway. Perhaps the magic the pony could use naturally still counted towards that. It seemed that “body” was what Corey lacked more than mind, up until Shining worked him to his limit.

That explains that… Twilight thought, continuing to read the next point.
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3) Soul

This is an important one, but ultimately not born to everyone. In order to be able to fully master the arts described in this book, you must have it somewhere inside you. Not much is known about why some ponies seem to perform better than others at this art, but part of it may be down to simple luck. As of right now, the connections between the circumstances of one’s birth and their ability to perform well at these arts is unclear.

It is important to note that even though “luck” seems to play a small factor in the use of these arts, all is not lost if you do not have this element. It will just take much longer before you can develop anything close to the kinds of arts you need here.
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Twilight blinked. It wasn’t the fact that there were prodigies in runic magic—noted by the author of the book—that got to her. What got her was the fact that she knew full well Corey wasn’t “born” here at all. He’d accidentally transplanted himself to this world, and wound up with these abilities.

I guess maybe he was “lucky”, then…? Twilight asked, But even so… these runic prodigies, then… I wonder if their names were written in the back of the book.

Her brow creased as the shell of a horrifying thought came to her, Including… “Para Norma”?

Shaking her head before she could dwell on that point further, she refocused her attention to the pages, and began to read the final point.
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4) Heart

As noted in many other portions of this book, maintaining a healthy emotional state is not only ideal, but practically a necessity, especially when it comes to this advanced art. Emotions are the driving force behind all magic, but to achieve a state of control beyond normal limits, it is important that you remain calm, never letting your emotions have direct control over your magic.

This attribute is also the trickiest to maintain, especially in these times. If you let yourself drown in negativity, your magic will take on that quality, and if you drown for too long, there is a great chance you may never be able to recover. That is the downside to our connection with magic.

In addition, the user’s calmness is also a factor. Even if a pony is fairly well-adjusted, and actually seems to be happy, if they falter and give in to frenzy, their magic will act accordingly. Maintaining calm even in dire situations is essential to mastering this state.

Under the right conditions, a pony’s “heart” factor can be restored to a better condition. Generally, though, if the user surrounds themselves with trusted allies—with trusted friends—they may well be able to master this step. To see other tips on how to bring yourself back up to speed, please refer to other sections in this book dealing with keeping one’s head clear.
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Twilight reread the last section again. The gaps started to clear up. In addition, it seemed to prove her theory right: that Corey was seriously affected just by being in contact with the book. And he certainly wasn’t in a calm state of mind after what he’d learned about Slayer—not to mention the mess with Lyon. But things seemed to be fixable—Corey was around friends now. He wasn’t around any bad influences, nor was he particularly emotional about anything.

But he’s still got a ways to go… Twilight thought, Which isn’t unusual. Nopony could honestly still look good after almost killing someone unless they couldn’t be saved from themselves. And he can be—even if he doesn’t believe it himself.

Twilight smiled, looking back to the sleeping Corey. There was still hope, after all. However, her brows creased, and she turned her attention back to the book, which still floated in front of her the whole time. Quickly, she took the book back into her hands, the glow vanishing from her horn and the book.

But what is this advanced art? she thought, It’s obviously something that requires total control of a pony’s emotions; something that requires them to train themselves to handle such a power.
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Only when all four of these core conditions have been met can this technique be used. When in use, the user’s very spirit seems to be in tune with the magic around them. This technique has only been mastered by a select few among us, including our ancestors.

This technique will—
…
…
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Twilight blinked. No, that wasn’t right. When she turned her attention to the next page, she found that she wasn’t staring at any relevant information compared to this secret art. In fact, she realized, it seemed to skip straight to the author’s notes; the first entry describing what was probably “Esper Wisdom’s” first student. At first, her mind couldn’t process it at first. But as she searched between the pages again and again, the memory finally returned to her.

Some pages…are torn out… Twilight thought. She stared at the information drought—the part where the advanced art’s information cut off, her brows arched. Just what happened? Was this technique misused?
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If there was ever a moment when he wasn’t sure how to proceed with making himself known, I was now. This was definitely a moment when his presence could easily make things worse. Standing outside of the study room, just around the corner of the entrance with his back to the wall, John stood in total silence. He had arrived at the library minutes ago, but long ago enough to hear the start of the moment. Corey’s insomnia wasn’t a well-kept secret. John had known for a while now, and he was sure everyone else did too.

But just like days past, John couldn’t help his friend. Yet Twilight, someone who had known Corey for no more than a month had gotten through to him more than John ever could in all the years he’d known Corey. He didn’t resent Twilight for it, though. In fact, he praised her for her ability to give Corey the help he needed, even if only in small doses. No, any resentment John held was towards himself: for his own inability to do what he wished he could, and for lacking with Twilight had.

However, John knew he couldn’t stew in self-loathing forever, and thus broke out of it. Finally deciding to take a chance, John peered around the corner to look, and what he saw warmed him. Corey was still seated at his desk, but Twilight was sitting right next to him, allowing him to lean back against her bosom, held there in her arms. Her wings had wrapped around his shoulders for warmth. And John could see it. For the first time in a while, Corey was genuinely smiling…and definitely asleep. Twilight, however, wasn’t quite looking at him, her nose in the book they had found out in the Everfree. He couldn’t see what she was looking at, but she did look troubled.

John stepped fully into the entrance, lightly tapping on the frame to announce his presence. Twilight looked up in a moment of surprise, quickly calming when she saw who it was. John raised a finger and placed it on his lips. He had intended on talking to both of them about what he’d just learned, but he didn’t want to risk waking Corey now. Luckily, he didn’t have to.

Twilight closed her eyes and let her magic flow into her horn. Moments later, a strand of magic extended out of the tip and reached for John. John watched as it grew closer and attached to his forehead before vanishing from sight. However, John felt as though his mind had a window in it.

“Huh?” John thought.

“Mental link,” Hearing Twilight’s voice in surround sound definitely took him by surprise, but John managed to not say anything to it. He chuckled lightly. She really was a mare of many talents, always having a spell ready when needed.

“Thank you,” John thought, now knowing Twilight was receiving, “I wasn’t sure how much longer he’d last.”

“I’m glad I could help,” Twilight responded, lightly setting the book aside and looking down at the soundly sleeping Corey, “Everything that’s happened…it’s really taken a toll on him.”

That was an understatement. John knew Corey hadn’t really faced hardship in his life. Not to say that John wasn’t unaffected himself by all this; he was, but Corey was reeling from every battle he’d been in. And now, after the incident with Slayer, Corey was still broken in just about every sense of the word. He was just a hollow shell of his former self. How long it’d take before he could recover, no one knew. But right now, he was defenseless, vulnerable against anyone who might want to hurt him. But John had let too much happen to him, and he was tired of it.

“Twilight, I promise you: I won’t let anything else happen to him ever again.”

Twilight finally looked at John directly for the first time, and noted how serious he looked. She didn’t need the mental link to understand something was up.

“What happened?” Twilight asked.

Almost as though they were listening, waiting for their cue, five ponies walked up behind him. Twilight knew all of them, yet somehow, it was as though she were seeing them for the first time all over again. All of them had clearly been getting ready, changing the very way they lived for when the moment was coming. And now the moment was nearly there. It would be, very soon.

“They’re coming.”
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Night soon came as it always does. The moon rose high above the clouds. If one looked closely, it seemed as though it were floating directly above Ponyville itself. The town in question was void of any signs of life, the guards who watched over it having vanished without a trace. he only sound that could be heard was the blowing wind along the grass, and light thumps which grew louder with every passing second. Soon, something appeared over the horizon: a darkened figure whose cloak flailed in the wind. His path was clear: a straight path to Ponyville, with no resistance in sight. Yet still, halfway through his walk, the figure stopped, standing motionless out in the open.

Seconds passed with nothing, only the figure standing alone. That is, until something began to shift around his feet. In a fraction of a second, four figures jumped out from the ground. Of them, two landed while the other two remained in the sky due to their wings. One charged towards the cloaked figure, a sword in hand as he slashed at his enemy. His blade was avoided, the figure stepping out of the path with notable skill. The attack did not end there, however; the guard continued to slash with great speed. But the blade only cut air; soon, the guard was met with a strong kick to his abdomen, sending him skidding back.

But as one was knocked back from the confrontation, another joined in. The second guard’s horn ignited dangerously in an amber light as a laser fired at the figure. Or rather, the ground at the figure’s feet. When the shot made contact, the ground’s color and surface rapidly changed, and the figure found himself slowly sinking. By reaction, as to not be trapped, the figure jumped as hard as he could, leaping out of range of the newly formed quicksand. But he never reached the ground. At least, not safely.

One he was in the sky, he was within pegasus territory, and they were not ready to accept his visit. One rammed into the figure, sending him spiraling out of control. Unable to maneuver, the figure couldn’t stop the other from striking him down towards the ground. He hit hard, but the figure did not falter, quickly picking himself up off the ground. But once he was back on his feet, he found two guards were already upon him. Backing away from the two sword-wielding ponies, the figure found himself on the defensive again. The instant he found an opening, he stepped forward and made his move.

In a flash, one of the guards was disarmed, his sword now in the hands of his opponent and used to defend against the second sword. It was clear in a few seconds that the guard’s skills were above the figure’s, but that amounted to nothing when he found his sight obstructed. Using his cloak to impair the guard’s vision, the figure took quick advantage and struck the guard over the head with his knee, effectively knocking him out. The figure then turned to the guard he’d disarmed, only to see something surprising: another sword, flipping in the air towards the other guard.

The first guard he’d knocked out had anticipated what was going to happen, and had tossed his sword in advance to aid his comrade. In a burst of speed, the guard grabbed the sword in mid-flight and brought it down with all his might, breaking the blade which the figure tried to use for defense. With nothing to stop it, the blade sliced through the cloak, and a splash of blood came out. The disadvantage was very clear now as the figure jumped back to gain some ground. Worse still, their confrontation seemed to have drawn in more guards. The figure instinctively knew that if this continued, he would not win.

“Very well, then,” the cloaked figure began to glow as fire ignited around his feet, “This battle is yours.”

Before the guards could rush him, the fire shot out into a spiraling tower inferno, eventually breaking into ashes and revealing the figure was gone. The guards looked at the ashy ground where their opponent once stood, but showed no reaction to him having gotten away.

“Return to your posts,” said the leader of the guards, “We scramble again within the hour.”

As ordered, the guards moved on, returning to their hiding spots or finding new ones, as the case was. On this night, no one was getting into the city without their permission.
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Far removed from the battleground, the figure limped into an abandoned cave, lying back on the hard ground as he checked his wound. The cut was deep, but small. Within minutes, he had stopped the bleeding and treated the cut.

“Through humiliation, they’ve found resolve,” he noted. His battle with the guards had concluded far differently than his initial intel on them had him believing. He had thought he could move further, closer towards Ponyville before anyone could spot him. But right now, it seemed he would have to make do with where he was now.

“Indeed, the battle was theirs,” the figure repeated from moments ago, resting his head back on the wall of the cave, “But the night is still young, so sleep on, Ponyville.”

Slowly but surely the figure fell asleep within the darkness of the cave, no one able to see the faint glow emanating from his body.

“Sleep on…”

Author's Note:

Next chapter starts up the next arc. Might step up the update rate here so it gets done faster. I think you'll see why within a few updates.

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[Luna is back]

Called it, how many times have I called it?