Past Shadows

by ChaosDragoon

Chapter Twenty Two

Sweat rolled down Discord’s brow as he was turned and twisted so Ozark could see every inch of him. Ozark let out a small chuckle before he said, “The gods where not kind to you brother. They gave you a mismatch of animal parts. I can’t decide where to start.” Ozark stroked his chin in thought.

“You only see the artwork on the outside, but you’ve never been able to look past the outer layer to see the true inner desire of artwork,” Discord said.

“Shush, I’m looking for that now, but with all these mismatch items. It’s hard to find. For example,” Discord felt his wings extend as Ozark walked behind him and pointed to them while adding, “Two separate wings. Now I know you’re body it supposed to be a mismatch of animals, but they could have done without the wings.” One of the orbs that had changed into a sword quickly changed shape into a large pair of scissors. They opened up and floated towards Discords extended wings. Discord tried to struggle and get away from them but his body was trapped in Ozarks magic.

“This won’t hurt a bit,” Ozark said before the scissors quickly snapped shut cutting Discord’s wings. Discord whaled in pain as blood spat from the stubs where his wings once where. Two black orbs floated over the stubs to keep Discord from bleeding to death. When the orbs torched his back, Discord whaled in pain again. The orbs felt like they were filled with Salt water and lemon juice.

“Y-You said it wouldn’t hurt,” Discord said before he began to hyperventilate. Ozark just shrugged his shoulders and walked around Discord again to once again look at him. Discord felt his Lions Paw and his Griffons claw lift up and extended as Ozark examined each limb.

“You still only see the outer artwork, you can’t see what inner artwork the gods have given me,” Discord said, hoping to delay any more pain. Ozark looked up at Discord and his eye narrowed like he was trying to see something far away. Discord suddenly felt a sharp pain in his mouth before he saw his one long fang float towards Ozark, its roots hanging from the top. He wanted to move his hands over his mouth and try and consul the pain but his arms where stationary. Ozark flung the fang to the side before he went back to examining Discords limbs.

“This will never do. Your Griffon claw is perfect but your lions paw is flawed and needs to be take care off,” Ozark said. Discord’s eyes widened when he saw a black sword float over his shoulder ready to strike down. The sword lifted up and swung down. Discord screamed in pain when the sword pierced into his flesh but stopped half way when it hit the bone. He quivered as tears swelled up in his eyes. He screamed again when the sword lifted from his flesh and swung down again, but Ozark’s aim was off as it went through fresh flesh and struck the bone again further down his arm. The sword was ripped from Discord’s arm and with Ozark’s tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth he aimed carefully and swung down. The sword went into the first cut and severed Discord’s lion arm from his body. Another black orb fused where his arm was and the feeling of salt water and lemon juice once again covered his wound.

“No,” Ozark said before he repeated it again, “No, no, no! Without your lions paw your griffons claw looks all wrong.” He scratched his chin before he shrugged his shoulder again.

Fluttershy’s wings moved over he bent back ears as Discord screamed in pain again when his griffon’s arm was amputated from his body. Tears began to form in her closed eyes and she whispered, “Please stop.”

Ozark looked over at her, the large scissors about to cut Discord’s serpent tail off. He walked over to her and kneeled down. He placed a hoof under her chin and gently brought her face to face with him.

“Do you wish me to end his suffering?” Fluttershy nodded as tears still fell from her cheeks.

“Get your hooves off her!” Rainbow Dash yelled trying desperately to break free from her crystal bindings.

“Explain why he doesn’t deserve his punishment? He brought about chaos throughout Equestria and if not for the princesses, he would continue his rampage,” Ozark questioned. Fluttershy sniffled and pulled away from his hoof before she hid behind her mane. Ozark smiled before he turned towards Discord and added, “As I thought.”

“He’s a friend,” Fluttershy stuttered. Ozark stopped and turned back to her with a confusing look on his face. Fluttershy winced before she added, “He might have done horrible things in the past and even after his release, but after we rehabilitated him. He became a friend.” Ozark looked at her for a few seconds before he began laughing. He clutched his ribs with his right hoof. He wiped away the tears from his eye before he shook his head.

“If I had known that, then I wouldn’t have done all the horrible things to him,” Ozark said as his sadistic crooked smile formed on his face. He turned towards Discord and added, “See you in Tartarus dear brother.” A black hatchet appeared above Discord and imbedded its blade into Discord’s temple. The magic holding Discord vanished and he flopped to the ground. The orbs on his wounds disappeared and as they did, blood jettisoned out. Fluttershy began to sob and hyperventilate as she stared at Discord’s wide open, lifeless eyes. Ozark smile grew before he turned towards Celestia and Luna.

“Now: which one of you will be next?” Ozark said.

“You won’t lay a hoof on their heads,” Twilight yelled trying to free herself from the crystals. Her horn glowed then dissipated as she felt her magic being sucked towards the chalice.

“Who’s going to stop me? You? I highly doubt you can do a thing. The princesses are bound to the wall of their castle and can do nothing to save themselves or their kingdom. Any resistance from the royal guards will be met with the hideous creatures once called Changelings. I’ve won, accept your fate,” Ozark explained.

“Weaponry will stop you! You hear me Weaponry! Fight back! Don’t let him win!” Flash yelled. Ozark chuckled and shook his head.

“That pathetic unicorn is being kept busy. He’ll never be able to take back control,” Ozark said with a smile.

“He’ll stop you, I know he will,” Flash argued. Ozark looked at him and his smile only grew wider. The crystals holding Flash suddenly shattered.

“Flash, your hooves! you can get help!” Twilight yelled. Flash nodded and extended his wings. He flew high into the sky.

“Leaving so soon? Don’t you want to get revenge on the pony that killed your sister?” Ozark said. Flash stopped in mid-air. He turned towards Ozark who added, “I thought you wanted to confront the monster that killed her, that made her scream in agony while I ripped her skin from her bones. I made sure she suffered ever-single-second.” Flash’s right front hoof shook in anger before he suddenly dive bombed towards Ozark. His right front hoof bent back ready to strike.

“Flash don’t! He’s baiting you! Twilight screamed.

----

Weaponry jumped back as a large shadow claw slammed into the ground. He looked up at the massive shadow creature that had kept him at bay. It continued to delay his attempts to take back his body. The creature seemed to be nothing but a gelatinous blob of shadows that had parts of its body morph into weapons.

“I will not allow you to hurt my friends any longer!” Weaponry roared as six orbs floated from his horn and became six weapons. Tendrils shot from the shadow’s body. The six weapons intercepted each one. His sword sliced one; scythe spun like a wheel and split another in half. His axe and halberd amputated two more. His shield blocked two more and his morning star crushed another.

“You dare use the powers I granted you against me!” the shadow yelled as its distorted voice shook the large room. Weaponry felt one of the tendrils wrap around his right back hoof and pulled him up. His weapons suddenly flung towards the tendril but more shot out of the shadow’s body and combated the weapons. The shadow’s tendril moved Weaponry closer to it as a large mouth formed.

Suddenly black aura raced out of Weaponry’s horn, eyes, and nostrils. He felt like shards of glass where being racked through his horn, eye sockets, and nose. When the last bit of magic was taken, the shadow flung Weaponry towards a pillar. He gasped for air as his back hit the pillar and he fell to the floor. The weapons he had created shattered into black sparks. Weaponry slowly got to his hooves and his horn glowed. Instead of black aura, a tan aura formed around his horn and three tan orbs floated from his horn and created three swords. He strained as a forth orb floated from his horn and created a sword. The four weapons began to shack and suddenly shattered into tan sparks.

“You are nothing without me!” the shadow said as it chuckled. Weaponry collapsed to the floor. His body felt weak and emptied of magic. He watched as the gelatinous shadow slithered closer to him, its tendrils twitching with excitement as it added, “Once I take your essence, I will be in full control and my resurrection will be complete!” the tendrils shot towards Weaponry who could only watch as they drew closer.

Suddenly a sliver streak jetted past Weaponry and zigzagged around the tendrils, severing them from the shadow. It shrieked in pain as other tendrils withdrew from the silver streak. Weaponry watched in amazement before he heard a pillar behind him fall and in one motion was suddenly flung over him and slammed into the shadow. The silver streak zigzagged around the pillar to avoid it as the shadow slid back a few feet.

Weaponry looked up next to him as a large earth pony stepped next to him. His coat was a blazing red with a blond mane and tail. He looked down at Weaponry and smiled warmly as he extended a hoof to help him up.

“Oh hay yes! All the mares are going to line up to be with me after this!” a voice yelled from the silver streak as it zigzagged around Weaponry and the earth pony before a sliver Pegasus with a grey mane landed on the other side of Weaponry with a big smile on his face.

“We’re not of the living any more Silver Speed. What mares are you talking about?” the earth pony asked. Silver Speed looked at him and sighed as he shook his head.

“Why do you always have to ruin my fun Strong Hoof?” Silver Speed asked before he looked down at Weaponry who was stunned at their presence there. Silver Speed’s smile only grew as he posed and added, “I know, I’m that awesome.”

“You cannot delay the inevitable! The shadow roared as it used its tendrils to fling the pillar towards the three. Sliver Speed and Strong Hoof got ready to intercept the pillar when a two lightning bolts, one yellow, the other a crystal blue shot over them and collided with the pillar. The two bolts vaporized the pillar. For a few seconds the room fell silent before a flash of yellow and crystal blue appeared in front of the three ponies. The two unicorns, one yellow with a crystal blue mane and tail while the other was crystal blue with a yellow mane and tail looked back at the three ponies.

“What have we told you three?” the yellow unicorn began to say.

“About fighting without magical cavalry? The crystal blue unicorn finished.

“Thunder Kraken,” Weaponry said he looked at the yellow unicorn before adding, “Lightning Rush?” as he looked at the crystal blue unicorn.

“You seem to be at a baffle,” Lighting Rush began

“But be prepared, for our enemy is ready to battle,” Thunder Kraken finished as he stared at the gelatinous shadow.

“Bring as many ponies as you wish! I will absorb your essence!” the shadow roared. It was about to shot out more tendrils when eight golden arrows pierced into its shadow mass. They suddenly glowed before exploding sending a shriek like a lobster being placed in boiling water. Parts of the shadow flung into the air before disintegrating like paper in flames. Weaponry’s eyes widened before he looked next to Silver Speed. He watched as Sacred Arrow walked past him, her golden bow hovering above her horn. She stepped past Thunder Kraken and Lightning Rush and glared at the shadow. Parts of the shadow where reforming itself.

“You will not hurt our commander!” Sacred Arrow yelled. Weaponry heard an eruption of cheers and hooves stopping on the ground. He turned behind him and tears began to swell up in his eyes. Two hundred and ninety-five royal guards comprising of earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns stood behind him glaring at the shadow as pegasi hovered in the air gripping their spears in their hooves, earth ponies gripping swords, hatchets, and daggers between their teeth, and unicorn horn’s lit up lighting the large room in a rainbow of colors. Weaponry got to his hooves and walked next to Sacred Arrow, tears still flowing from his eyes.

“Cry-Foal,” Sacred Arrow joked. Weaponry wiped the remaining tears from his eyes and stood tall towards the shadow.

“You would lose your essence for one pony!?” The shadow roared.

“You don’t understand our ways dark creature,” Strong Hoof said

“We stand together as one, no matter what’s in our way we’ll fight for the pony next to us!” Sacred Arrow yelled.

“Even for a pony that killed you?” The shadow said. Inside the shadow was smiling. It knew bring back the past would dissolve their trust in Weaponry and he could consume them all.

“Weaponry would never hurt us!” Silver Speed shouted.

“That’s right, he protected all of us!” another pony yelled.

“You controlled him and made him kill us! He fought to stop you,” a unicorn in the back yelled. More and more ponies argued with the shadow and clamed Weaponry as their commander no matter what. Weaponry felt the tears start to come back but he restrained them.

“You’re a threat to Equestria and the alicorn princesses!” Weaponry roared. All arguing and yelling at the shadow ceased as the ponies behind Weaponry fell silent before Weaponry continued, “We stand as one entity to eliminate all threats against Equestria, against our princesses, against pony kind! Group Eighteen!” Weaponry’s horn glowed and a large tan org floated out of it and formed a sword.

“Charge!” Weaponry shouted.