Shadow in the Dark

by Thestoryteller

Chapter one. Discovery

It was dark. No, it was pitch black. An empty void of absolute nothing. But there was something, a bat-pony by the name of Nightwing looked around to figure out where he was.

"What is this place?" Nightwing asked himself. "Is this place a dream? And if so, it's a new one to me?"

"Doomed." A raspy voice said softly.

"Huh?" Nightwing raised an eye brow

"Your world is doomed." The voice echoed through the black void.

"What is this?" Nightwing stepped back.

"It will end in fire and blood." The voice spoke again.

"Fire and blood? Wait aren't these the words I heard when I touched the chaos jem?"

Then an image appeared in front of him. A building on fire and the windows stained red with blood.

"This...this is my...no, no more. I don't want to see anymore." Nightwing shut his eyes but the image never went away.

"All hope will die along with your kind."

"No, no, no more I don't want to see anymore!" Nightwing shouted

"This world will End and It will destroy those you love!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Nightwing cried as he fell to his knees.

---

"Nightwing!" A voice shouted.

Nightwing sat up from his bed with a jolt. His breath was increased to a pant and sweat dripped from his head and neck. He looked towards his doorway to see that Flash was standing in the doorway with aloof of concern on his face.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Fine." Nightwing said still panting. "It was just...just a nightmare."

"Sounded like one hay of a nightmare."

"Yeah, I guess so...wait a minute, what are you doing here?" Nightwing asked. "Aren't you supposed to be guarding Twilight?"

"I do, but I've been given the day off, so I decided to come and see you."

"How kind of our great princess." Nightwing rolled his eyes.

"I know that look, come on let's do something fun huh?"

"What exactly is there to do that's fun?"

"How about we go adventure into the Everfree forest, or maybe spend a day of training, or just relax?"

*knock knock knock*

"If that's Lightning strike I'm going to hit him." Nightwing smiled as he got out of bed to answer the door.

To his surprise it wasn't Lightning strike, but the deer Thorn. Wearing golden armor.

"Nightwing, Fluttershy-I mean the Arbor susurro has asked you to come to the Great at once." Thorn said sternly.

"Why would my sis want us to come there?" Flash asked as he walked down the stairs.

"We believe to have discovered something of great importance." Thorn said.

"Well then, looks like you might get your wish for fun after all Flash." Nightwing said as he put his right hoof on Thorns shoulder and his left on Flash's.

And in the blink of an eye they were in front of the Great tree's door. Startling the two deer guards in front of it.

"What the?" Thorn asked.

"How...how did you do that?" Flash asked.

"It's a spell called shadow stalking. I've been trying to master it for a while, teleports you and anyone you touch to a shadow." Nightwing said as he pointed to a trees shadow.

Both deer guards were bucks that had golden armor, a golden helmet, and a steel tip spear. Thorn walked up to one of then and said, "We are here to see the Arbor susurro."

"The Arbor susurro isn't here." The guard said. "She, a squad of guards, and a unicorn whose name I think was... Comet tail?"

"Comet tail?" Flash asked. "What's he doing here?"

"Don't know but he and the Arbor susurro went into the woods a while ago. We can take you to them if you want?"

"Lead the way guard." Nightwing said.

So the Guard trotted forward into the forest along with Flash, Thorn, and Nightwing following him.

"What do you think Fluttershy needs us for?" Nightwing asked Flash.

"Beats me, but I'm more interested about why Comet tail is here? I mean, what does he have to do with this?"

"That's a good question as well, hey Thorn did you know Comet tail had something to do with this?" Nightwing asked as he turned to Thorn.

"Depends, is Comet tail a light colored unicorn with a light blue mane and eyes?" Thorn asked.

"That's Comet tail alright." Flash said.

"Then I did. In fact I believe that he was the reason the Arbor susurro called for you in the first place." Thorn answered. "Yes, it all happened when he entered the Council room. He said he needed to tell the Arbor susurro something very important and very secret. So all guards had to leave the room. Next thing I knew Flutter- I mean the Arbor susurro asked me to bring you to her."

"Interesting, and for the love of whatever God you believe in you can call her Fluttershy you know?" Nightwing said rash.

"I don't mean to be rude but we're here." The guard said as he came to a stop.

In front of them was Fluttershy, Comet tail, three guards (two does and one buck) all wearing light green armor and various weapons, and a pony that the three did not expect to see. Sunset shimmer. Behind them was a large cave.

"Hey sis how's it going." Flash said. Fluttershy looked at Flash with a scowl on her face. She then walked up to him and stared straight into his eyes.

"Um...sis? Why are you giving me that look?" Flash asked as he took a few steps back.

"I think you know perfectly well why I'm mad." Fluttershy said.

"...Uh...nope drawing a blank."

"Well...I'm mad because you nearly got yourself killed by some pony named Clutterstep and you didn't tell me!" Fluttershy yelled.

"Oh...that's why your mad." Flash said nervously.

"I mean what made you think that's okay?!"

"Alright, alright, you two break it up." Sunset said as she got separated both Flash and Fluttershy.

"Family matters aside. What's the reason you brought us here, cause I know it wasn't because you wanted to yell at Flash." Nightwing said.

"Well... I guess I should start with when Comet tail was gonna ask me something secret." Fluttershy started. "He asked me if we had encountered any Timberwolves that didn't have any stink in their breaths. And I said 'we actually had captured some Timberwolves like that. Comet tail then explained why he wanted to know and told me about how this Clutterstep had attacked You, Flash, and Comet tail."

Flash and Nightwing both glared at Comet tail who had a sheepish grin on his face.

"Anyways, he then told me that he would go get Sunset shimmer. Once we got her I led them to one of the Timberwolves that he spoke of. They then castes some kind of spell on it and next thing I knew we were in front of a cave and waiting for you."

"Comet tail." Nightwing said calmly. "What spell did you use?"

"It's a tracking spell." Comet tail answered. "It allows the caster to see where it's been."

"And it's been here? What does that prove?" Flash asked.

"It hasn't just been here." Sunset said. "It's only been here, nowhere else."

"So what your saying is-"

"This the place the Timberwolf was made." Comet tail finished.

Nightwing and Flash let that news settle in. Flash then turned to Fluttershy and said, "Sis I want you to go back to the Great tree immediately."

"What? Why?" Fluttershy asked.

"Because I don't want you anywhere near here. Now go."

"...Fine. But our conversation isn't over, got it?"

"Trust me I know."

"Thorn and Sunset, you head back as well." Nightwing said.

"Why us?" Sunset asked.

"Let's just say that this is something personal to Flash, Comet tail, and I, and leave it at that." Nightwing glared once again at Comet tail.

"Alright, be carful you three." Sunset said as she and Thorn followed Fluttershy.

Once gone Flash turned to Comet tail with a calm look on his face.

"Comet tail?" Flash asked.

"Yes Flash?"

*smack!*

"OW!" Comet tail cringed as he held his right hoof to the red cheek that Flash had smacked. "What the hay was that for Flash?!"

"You just told my sis that I almost died, and now I have to sit through one of her arguments!" Flash yelled.

"Hey I'm in the same boat you are, do you have any idea how angry Sunset is when she found out I almost died?"

Flash and Comet tail yelled back and in forth at each other while Nightwing sat on the sidelines and watched.

'It's days like these I'm thankful that I am an only child.' Nightwing thought as he walked in between Flash and Comet tail. "Guys!" Hey yelled getting the two stallions attention. "Family argument, later. Cave that could have answered, now."

"Oh, right." Comet tail said sheepishly.

"Let's get moving shall we?" Flash asked.

"Let's."

And so without further hesitation the three walked into the cave, Nightwing in front, Flash in the middle, and Comet tail behind them. The cave went downward for a while until it came to a dead end. A stone wall in front of them.

"This doesn't make any sense, there's nothing here." Comet tail said.

"There must be a secret passage way, or something." Nightwing said as he rubbed his hooves against the stone wall. "There's gotta be."

'To your left is a rock, push down on it and the door should open.' A voice said in Flash's head.

"Huh? Did...did you guys say something?" Flash asked.

"Yeah, I said look for a switch or something." Nightwing answered.

Flash looked to his left to see a hoof sized rock. He push his hoof down on it and the rock sunk into the ground. The wall in front of them began to open as it was pulled upward revealing a stone hallway with lanterns lighting the place.

"Alright, let's move." Comet tail said, Nightwing followed him. Flash stayed behind as tried to find the source of the voice. "Hey Flash! Yah coming or what?"

"Huh...oh right." Flash said as galloped towards the two. Looking back at the cave where he heard the voice.

"Hey Comet tail I've been meaning to ask." Nightwing said." You asked for Flash and I but you didn't ask for Lightning strike. Why is that?"

"Actually I did send a messaged to get Lightning strike but he wasn't there." Comet tail answered.

"Huh. Wonder where he could be?" Nightwing asked.

---

"For the last time I am not Flash, I'm his brother Lightning strike!" Lightning strike yelled as he was tied to a dangling rope above a large vat full of a purple liquid.

"Oh don't bother lying, just because you dyed your mane red and somehow your eyes, doesn't mean that I won't recognize you." Discord, who was hovering in front of Lightning strike with his arms crossed, said.

"I. Am. Not. Flash!" Lighting yelled.

"Fine then. Into the purple water you go."

---

"Wherever he is, I'm sure he's fine." Nightwing said.

"If you say so." Flash said.

"Guys look up ahead." Comet tail pointed to a large old fashioned door.

"Allow me." Nightwing said as his crystal lit up. An aura engulfed the key hole and a sound of locks moving was heard from behind the door. Once the sound stopped the door opened.

Revealing a large room. That was empty, minus a single desk with a couple of stamped papers on it. The three stallions walked carefully towards the desk. Once in range Nightwing used his magic to levitate the papers up to reading level.

"What's it say?" Comet tail asked.

"It says...read me." Nightwing answered. He flipped open the first page and began to read it out-loud.

"Dear creature that has is currently reading this. I'm writing this note to congratulate you on finding one of my secret bases. Sadly I am not present at the moment to congratulate you myself, but what are you gonna do?"

Nightwing flipped to the next page.

"But any-who you deserve a reward for finding this place, so in the desks second drawer is a couple of files that contain some information for a certain bat-pony named Nightwing, do please give it to him."

Nightwing used his magic to open the second desk drawer and sure enough there was a file there that read on the front 'secret information'.

He opened up the file and saw that there was a set of papers in it. Nightwing levitated the papers and flipped open the first paper. And it said,

Experiment one.
Name: Clutterstep.
Race: Earth pony
Test: Combination of pony DNA and wolf DNA.

Summary: Wolf DNA is only compatible with the DNA of a primitive pony. Without the primitive DNA the wolf DNA is useless.

Test results: SUCCESSFUL.

"That explains why Clutterstep was able to control the wolves." Comet tail said.

Nightwing flipped to the next page.

Experiment two.
Name: Timberwolf.
Race: Timberwolf.
Test: Modified Timberwolf.

Summary: Timberwolves weaknesses are it's smell, the smell is highly detectable and the Timberwolfs prey can leave before being attacked. However the smell comes from the magic inside the possessed wood, with only a little magic the Timberwolfs cannot regenerate.

Test results: SUCCESSFUL.

"That explains the fake Timberwolfs." Flash said.

Nightwing flipped to the next page.

Experiment three
Name: Classified.
Race: Unicorn.
Test: Unicorn DNA and Classified.

Summary: Unicorn DNA is a very interesting set. It is the most unique think I have ever seen. Unfortunately the DNA given to the unicorn rejected it.

Test results: FAILURE.

"Wonder what kind of test that was?" Flash asked.

"Whatever it was it's classified so there's nothing we can do.

Next page. After next page was the same thing until they came to a different page.

Experiment twenty four.
Name: Classified.
Race: Unicorn.
Test: Unicorn DNA and Changeling DNA.

Summary: Changelings have the magic to change their appearance, voice, and shape. The magic within them allows them to do so. However the tests only work on mare unicorns for some reason.

Test results: SUCCESSFUL.

"Changeling DNA? That can't be good."

The next pages were like Experiment three. Classified. Until they came to a page that shocked them all.

"Guys look at this." Nightwing said as he beckoned Flash and Comet tail to come closer.

"No way." Comet tail said in disbelief.

"That's impossible." Flash said.

Experiment thirty-seven.
Name: Thicket.
Race: Deer.
Test: Magic DNA and Buck DNA.

Summary: Deer magic rests in the magic of trees and plant life. But the antlers of a buck is made of the same material of a unicorns horn. It only lacks the magic.

Test Results: IN PROGRESS.

"But...how can that be? Thicket is locked away in Canterlot." Comet tail said.

"He must have escaped. Hang on there's one last page left." Nightwing said as he turned to the final page."

"Now I know what you might be thinking 'what does this have to do with anything that's happened to you Nightwing' well you see long ago I used to wonder what harmony really is. And then, I got my answer. The path to harmony is through order and equality. Without it we are given the choice to make a choice. And whenever we do, we choose wrong. The answer to why I am doing this to you is on the back of this paper."

Nightwing turned the paper around and on the back was a picture. A picture of a village that looked like it was all set ablaze. On the streets of the village was ponies. But just any ponies, bat-ponies. All were on the ground, blood everywhere near the corpses.

Nightwing covered his mouth with his hoof as he knew what the picture meant.

"I...I don't get it? What does this picture have to do with anything?" Comet tail asked.

"Nightwing there's a finally paragraph at the bottom. Can you read it out-loud?" Flash asked.

Nightwing didn't respond, he only looked at the final paragraph and began reading out-loud.

"You know what this means Nightwing. The Order has returned. After a long time we will finally achieve our one purpose. To bring order and equality to Equestria. And of course kill you in the process. Oh I almost forgot, you didn't really think I'd let you find this and expect that there wasn't a trap. Look to your left and you will see your demise."

Nightwing, Flash, and Comet tail all looked to the left.

"This must be some kind of joke. There's nothing there but stone." Comet tail said.

'You must leave now before it's to late.' The voice in Flash's head said.

"What?"

"Flash are sure your alright?" Nightwing asked.

"I don't know...I think I just heard a voice that said, 'you must leave immediately.'"

"Why? There's clearly no trap here." Comet tail said.

Suddenly Nightwings crystal began to glow red.

"Uh Nightwing...is it supposed to do that?" Flash asked.

"It only does that when powerful magic is detected." Nightwing answered.

"Why would it do-" Comet tail began until he was interrupted by the whole cave shaking like crazy.

"W-w-what is h-h-happening-g-g?" Comet tail asked as the cave shook.

"Oh no." Nightwing said as he hovered above the floor of the cave.

"What? What is it?" Flash asked as he picked Comet tail off the ground.

"We need to get out of here. Now!"

Before another word could be uttered Nightwing grabbed Flash and Comet tail and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

---

"What the?!" Sunset said as she was startled by Nightwing, Flash, and Comet tail some how teleported to the balcony of the great tree. Where Fluttershy and Thorn was as well.

"Never gonna get used to that." Flash groaned as he held his head with his hoof.

"Are you guys okay, I was worried when the earthquake hit us." Fluttershy said.

"That wasn't an earthquake." Nightwing said.

"Then...what else could it have been?" Thorn asked

"That." Nightwing said bluntly as he pointed at a mountain far away that looked like it was shaking.

Then all of a sudden a large stone fist punched through the side of the mountain making the entire side crumple to pieces. It was then that the being responsible for the earthquake emerged from the mountain.

"Oh-" Flash started

"My-" Thorn then said

"Lord." Sunset finished.

From the mountain was what looked like a creature that stood on two legs. Two arms that connected to its body, and a face that had no eyes, ears, mouth, nose, or hair.

"Nightwing." Flash began. "What the hay is that thing?!"

"A giant Flash. A stone giant." Nightwing said. "And if we don't stop it ponies are gonna die."

"And how do plan on stopping, that?!" Sunset asked.

"We hit it with everything we got. There's no time to waste, Fluttershy tell all of your guards and soldiers to prepare for battle. Flash you go get the Wonderbolts, we might need their help. Comet tail and Sunset send a message to Twilight, princess Celestia, and Luna." Nightwing ordered. "As for the us we need to evacuate all the deer to ponyville."

"All we can do now is hope that we can stop this thing before its to late." Nightwing said as the others began what they were told to do.

Author's Note:

Well here it is, chapter one. Took a while to find all the kinks in the story. anyways chapter two will be coming out soon. That's all I can say really. Oh well