Past Actions, Future Consequences

by Rill

Ch.6 The Road - Part 1

Shadow yawned.

Despite his best efforts, he could feel his eyelids growing heavier. Even though he knew what awaited him, Shadow could feel his will slowly crumble to sleep’s siren call. Blinking a bead of sweat away, the colt’s eyelids felt like sand paper against his eyes. How long he had been awake was a mystery Shadow didn’t care to think about. All he knew was that he had been up since well before dawn, waiting for the sun to banish the darkness that had taken on a special kind of menace that had once been reserved for the monsters under his bed. Leaning back, he basked in the shade of the lone tree along the side of the road, idly watching as the sunlight filtering through the branches danced across his body while a warm breeze played with the leaves above.

Despite the fact that the sun had yet to reach the top of the sky, it felt like all of the sun’s attention was focused on him, as if he was an ant beneath a sadistic colt’s magnifying glass. Back home, there was a common rumor that Celestia could look down from her sun and see any part of the world that its light touched. Shadow had never believed it for a second since, if it was true, the solar tyrant would have to know about their island, and she would never allow an island of her sister’s supporters to exist.

Shaking his head as the latest wave of exhaustion washed over him, the young alicorn looked at the green and blue canopy above him. Plucking one of the leaves with his magic, the colt studied the pointed, three lobed leaf; the name of the tree springing to mind unbidden. He could feel the leaves crunch beneath his hooves as he walked down the well-trod path through the forest. Overhead, his mom’s light green body was easy to spot against the early spring clouds. As he watched her cartwheel through the air, the colt couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy, knowing that flying so freely would always be beyond him. Lost in his thoughts, Shadow didn’t notice his mom slowly glide in until she was hovering above him “How you doing?” The mare laughed at her young colt’s sudden start. Despite how much he tried to hide it, she knew how much it hurt that he couldn’t be himself, how much he resented having to disguise himself. Smiling, the mare tucked in her wings, landing next to her son. “Don’t worry, last tree of the day is right up ahead,” Wrapping a wing around the colt, she pulled him closer. “Once we’re done here, it’s only a quick trot to White Head.” She laughed at the expression on her son’s face, knowing how much he treasured every second of flight time he got.

Shadow felt his chest tighten as his mom’s laugh echoed in his mind. Scrambling to his hooves, it was several moments before he stopped and looked back at the lone tree. A tree like this would have been a forest monarch back home, a tree that his mom would have gone nuts over. He could hear his mom’s squeal of delight right before she’d fly into the tree’s canopy to inspect every inch of it like it was a prized gem. Shadow couldn’t put his hoof on why he had abandoned the maple’s shade for the cloud-free sky of the fields around it. Maybe it was the memories of tapping it brought back, but despite the heat, the colt knew he couldn’t go back.

As he turned away, he could see in the distance the dark smudge that was the Unicorn Range peeking above the horizon. Slightly closer he could make out a couple pegasi flying above the town he had passed through that morning while the sun was still a distant promise. Feeling the gravel of the road crunching under his hooves, Shadow unconsciously fell into the steady rhythm somewhere between a trot and a canter that had carried him from Manehattan. Feeling his stomach rumble, the young colt tore a wad of grass from the ground with his magic, not bothering to slow down as he bit down on the grass.

Shadow had never been a fan of grass, even when it was prepared and seasoned. Forcing himself to swallow the offending food, he sent the rest of the clump rocketing into the distance. Even as he wished for something to wash away the taste, he knew he’d have to suffer for the moment. For whatever reason, everything seemed to be abnormally dry, and even the water gathering spell his dad had taught him could barely slake his thirst without damaging the surrounding fields to the point that a pony might notice, and the last thing he wanted was somepony to notice something that could lead back to him.

Resigning himself to being hungry and thirsty, Shadow let his mind wander to what Zebrica might be like. He knew from Zetani that it lay further south than Equestria’s southernmost desert town. What might he find there? The zebra doctor’s descriptions of his homeland had left the young alicorn entranced. As he had listened, Shadow had found himself standing among the grasses as tall as an elephant’s knees while trying to figure out if that sound he heard was a lion about to attack or not. He had seen himself visiting River’s Bend, seeking out Zetani’s father and telling the older stallion how his son had saved his life. Could he do it? Could he live in an entirely different country among a species that until recently he had never known existed? For sure there was the issue of his complete inability to cook, but while the thought of eating all his food raw didn’t hold much appeal to the colt, he also knew that at least he wouldn’t have to worry about freezing to death in the winter.

Maybe he wouldn’t have to hide what he was. That simple idea slowly brought him to a stop in the middle of the road. Could he live as he had always wanted, without having to hide his wings? As the thought grew in his mind, Shadow’s pace slowly increased until he found himself running flat out. Forcing himself to slow down, the colt couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer joy of the idea. Could he do it? While he hadn’t asked Zetani about his thoughts on alicorns, he doubted that Zebrica had the kind of history with alicorns that his home had. He’d have to keep himself disguised until he was sure, but if that was the case… Why couldn’t he do it? While he had heard about the tensions that occasionally flared between the species, maybe he could put his magic and special talent to use defending towns and ponies from whatever might threaten them. Smiling to himself, Shadow let his legs do their thing as his imagination slowly took over.

As the sun reached its peak in the sky, the world around the colt slowly grew quiet as the birds and insects sought shelter from the baking heat. Even the wind, weak as it was, did little to help. Accompanied only by the sound of gravel beneath his hooves, Shadow’s first thought was that what he was hearing was a figment of his mind which had finally begun to overheat. Within seconds, a brown lump slowly appeared in the shimmering waves of heat ahead of him. As he approached, Shadow could clearly hear the voice again, this time coming from beneath the now solid carriage. The young alicorn came to a stop a few paces from the wooden vehicle as the voice’s owner launched into a profanity and innuendo laced rant that left the colt wondering if anything the incensed mare shouted was even physically possible.

“Excuse me” Shadow interjected while the mare took a breath “Are you alright?” Shadow winced as he heard what sounded suspiciously like a head hitting the underside of the carriage, which was quickly followed by a string of profanity that he figured would be better left unremembered.

“No, Trixie is not ‘alright’. If she was, she’d be in Canterlot right now, not stuck in the middle of nowhere trying to fix her home!”

Shadow took a small step back as the mare unleashed another profanity filled tirade against the universe and any higher power that might be listening. “Do you need any help?”

From beneath the carriage, he heard the mare sigh “Could you give Trixie that saw by the rear wheel?” It took Shadow a moment to dig it out from the pile of tools before giving it to her. “Thank you.”

“What happened?”

“Trixie knew that her wagon needed some minor work, but like an idiot she thought she could get to her next show before she’d have to fix anything. So naturally, she runs over a small bump in the road and her Celestia-damned rear axle decides to snap in half!” From below, Shadow could hear the mare growl in frustration as the saw began to do its thing.

“Can you fix it?”

“Fix, no. Replace…” The saw flew out from beneath the wagon before coming to a stop in the nearby grass. Shadow watched the mare wiggle her way from under the wagon a moment later. “Don’t get me wrong, Trixie is glad for your help.” Walking around to the back, the blue and white mare pulled out a canteen, giving it to the colt after she was done with it. Nodding his thanks, Shadow drained the canteen dry within seconds.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome…”

“Shadow.”

“Shadow. Not to question the universe when it gets off its lazy plot and finally helps out, but is there any chance you could lift this thing?”

Shadow looked over the wagon. While it wasn’t a boulder, he doubted he could lift it on his own. Smirking, he channeled energy into his horn, smiling at Trixie’s yelp as a clone burst into existence. Without a word, the two colts lifted the wagon ten feet into the air, letting it hover for a moment before gently lowering it to the ground.

“…Never mind.” Holding the wagon still, Shadow watched as the mare ripped out the broken axle, tossing the pieces into a pile nearby. “Not the best replacement, but it is the best Trixie can do.” As the mare spoke, she grabbed a small, bark covered log nearby with her magic, guiding it into place before securing it in place. Shadow watched silently as Trixie tore the wheels and hardware off the old axle, fitting them to the replacement.

At the mare’s signal, the two Shadows slowly lowered the wagon. While it wasn’t the heaviest thing he had ever lifted, and even though it had only been in the air for a few minutes, Shadow could feel the first hints of a headache. Gritting his teeth as the new axle groaned under the wagon’s weight, the colt sighed as the former oak tree held. Smiling in satisfaction, the two colts picked up the few remaining tools that Trixie hadn’t already stowed away.

“Though she is not much of a gambler, if you had not come along, even Trixie would have put bits on her spending the night along the side of the road. Thank you.”

The two identical colts shrugged as one at the mare’s thanks. “Eh, it’s not like there was much else to do.”

“Other than head south…”

“True.”

Trixie watched the two colts’ back and forth banter, amazed at how one worked off the other, and at the same time utterly confused as to which colt was the original. “Um, not to interrupt” The showmare said at her first opportunity “But which of you is the real Shadow?” The two colts glanced at the other before looking back at Trixie and pointing a hoof at each other. Smirking at the answer she should have seen coming, the mare tossed the old axle’s remains into the wagon before closing the door. “Seeing as how my plans for today have been shot to Tartarus, if you help Trixie get her wagon to a nearby campground, she’d be more than happy to give a private performance as well as a dinner fit for royalty.”

Before he could open his mouth, Shadow’s stomach used the opening to second the mare’s plan. Traitor Shadow thought as the clone looked at him in surprise. Glancing up, he could see a knowing smirk on the unicorn mare’s face as her two questions were answered “Deal.”

Shadow smiled to himself as he felt the still warm water lap against him. Opening his eyes, he floated along the lake’s surface, his wings slowly flapping beneath him. Overhead, the night sky was ablaze with light as more stars than the colt thought possible lit up the sky. How long had it been since he had taken the time to enjoy the beauty of his Queen’s creation? Back on the Tranquility? Before that when he still had a family? Letting out a gentle sigh, Shadow closed his eyes as he left the quiet world behind, letting the lake’s gentle waves buffet him, massaging aching muscles while washing out the dust and grime from days on the road.

Quietly laughing to himself, the young alicorn couldn’t help but recall the look on Trixie’s face when his clone had abandoned any sense of restraint it had as it threw itself into the lake seemingly before the wagon was even fully on the island. The showmare’s look of indignation at the clone’s abandonment had been funny, but the way her jaw had practically hit the ground when he summoned close to two dozen additional clones, all of which immediately created a miniature stampede for the island’s small beach as soon as they spotted it, had been priceless. In truth, Shadow created those clones partly to show off to Trixie, but also because if he treated one clone better than the others, he’d never hear the end of it. Trixie, for her part, had taken the shock surprisingly well, going so far as to ask him to teach her the spell.

Flipping over in the water with a small splash, Shadow slowly paddled for the island, still feeling lethargic from the performer’s promised meal which, while not being up to what Shadow considered royal levels, had never the less been one of the best meals he could remember eating in years. While the unicorn mare had been setting her home up for her private show, the young alicorn had explored the small island, eventually coming across a number of blackberry and raspberry bushes laden with fruit. Within a minute, Shadow had stripped the plants of every last berry, bringing back a moderate sized pile of berries that had escaped his hunger.

Trotting out of the water, Shadow wings felt like somepony had tied lead weights to them. Shaking himself like a dog, everything within ten feet got an impromptu soaking as the colt relieved himself of the part of the lake that wanted to go with him. Igniting his horn, the young alicorn felt the welcome heat wash over him as he dried himself, paying special attention to his wings and his back half. A quick glance reminded him of what he had seen when he had removed his bandages. The sight of a coat of short black fur had brought the colt no end of relief, so much so that he had tossed his wrappings into the flames of the campfire before going for a swim. On a whim, Shadow sent a quick pulse of magic through his horn, conjuring a small grey cloud of smoke above him. Trixie’s show had grabbed Shadow’s attention from the first moment and had refused to let go. While he had seen a number of traveling performers back home during various festivals, none could compare to Trixie’s performance. Within seconds, she had her audience of colts mesmerized by her spells and illusions. While he had been impressed by her show, the one part that had caught Shadow’s attention the most was at the end when Trixie vanished in a cloud of smoke, only to appear at the back of her audience.

Almost as soon as he had dispelled the assembled clones, the two magic users had set to work teaching the other. Trixie’s smoke bomb spell, to hear the mare tell it, was a stroke of genius on her part as she had developed it to deal with the hassle of having to carry physical smoke bombs on her. The fact that it meant she no longer had to buy them and could use the bits for other props was an added bonus. The spell itself was deceptively easy, and within an hour Shadow had gotten acquainted with the spell to the point that the lake’s surface had become hazy. Trixie on the other hoof had struggled with Shadow’s spell. Despite her effort, she had been unable to create a single copy of herself. After several hours of frustrating failure, Shadow altered the spell slightly so that instead of creating physical copies, it would create intelligent illusions of the caster instead. Ten minutes later, the young alicorn had found himself staring at a half dozen Trixie clones, unable to tell which one was real. The mare’s ensuing laugh had brought a smile to his face.

Looking up, Shadow could barely see the lone clone standing on the edge of the strip of sand watching him. “How is she?”

“Asleep, thank Luna.” The clone replied as it fell in step next to Shadow “and thankfully, she made sure to dispel her copies before going to bed.” Shadow bit back a laugh at the clone’s report. “If she hadn’t I don’t know how long I would have lasted.”

“She’s not that bad.”

“Maybe, but would it kill her to refer to herself in the first person once in a while?” Shrugging, Shadow paused as a gentle wind kicked up out of nowhere. Taking a deep breath, both colts could smell the intoxicating mixed scent of trees and wildflowers. The clone looked over at its creator, at how Shadow held his wings out stiff, letting the wind play with his feathers. “If you want, now would be a perfect time.”

The alicorn looked over at his clone. Why not? With the only pony likely within several miles asleep in the wagon, what was stopping him? Crouching, Shadow waited for the next gust of wind before leaping into the air, his wings carrying him above the small grove of trees with their first pump. Feeling a strange pressure welling up in his chest, Shadow raced for the stars, pumping his wings as hard as he could. Below him, the ground fell away like it had just stepped off a cliff. All at once, the young alicorn flared his wings, ending his ascent as he hung motionless above the ground. Looking down, Shadow could see his campfire, now a small candle flame among a vast sea of darkness. Off in the distance, the town he had passed through that morning glowed quietly among the rolling fields while Canterlot burned brightly from its mountainside perch. Smiling, the colt closed his eyes as the wind played with his mane and tail, feeling more alive at that moment than he had in months.

Tucking in a wing, Shadow felt gravity embrace him again as he fell. Opening his eyes, a slight change in his wings sent him into a spin as the lake rushed toward him. At the last moment, the colt pulled back, limbs outstretched as he shot over the lake’s surface, the tips of his wings tapping the water’s surface with each beat. Straining what felt like every muscle he had, Shadow shot back into the air. As he rose into the air, a small shift of a wing put him in a flat spin, cartwheeling head over tail into the sky as he held his wings out erect. At the top of his arc several hundred feet above the lake, the young colt didn’t fight as the star studded sky passed over his belly as gravity grabbed him again. Through it all, Shadow had a smile plastered on his face. How he longed to do this! As he let his emotions decide his moves, the young orphan could almost hear his mom shouting his name, cheering him on as he flew in a way that neither had seen any other pegasus try. Blasting across the lake’s surface, Shadow rolled himself until one wing was pointed at Luna’s sky and the other skimmed the lake.

Pulling back, he shot into the sky once again. At the top of his final arc, he flared his wings, as he held his forelegs above his head. This is why I am so glad I named you Shadow Dancer. The simple compliment blossomed across his mind; reminding the colt of the first time he had flown like this, his mom the only pony to see the show. That had been more than enough for him as she had embraced him afterward on that moon lit night. Smiling at the memory, Shadow gazed up at the moon hanging gently overhead. On a whim, the colt lowered his head; bowing toward the symbol of the mare he called his queen. Letting gravity finally take over, the young alicorn locked his outstretched wings, in no hurry to return to the ground.

Flaring his wings, Shadow trotted to a stop on the beach. He knew the sand would absorb any sound he made, and while he denied it to anypony who said otherwise, Shadow knew that he lacked any sense of subtlety when it came to take-offs and landings. Pausing for a moment at the edge of the beach, Shadow focused on the water. A moment later, a small wave rose from the lake, throwing itself across the beach and erasing every hoof print in the sand. While he doubted that Trixie would notice anything strange about the hoof prints in the sand, Shadow didn’t feel like taking the chance. As he walked back to camp, the young alicorn could feel the proverbial curtain being drawn on his day. Across the slowly dying fire, Shadow could see his clone staring at the dancing flames. With a yawn and a smile, the clone silently nodded, letting his creator know that everything in camp was fine. Nodding his thanks, Shadow smiled at the clone’s lazy salute as he dispelled the other colt. Feeling the time spent awake over the last few days finally catching up with him, Shadow donned his vest, slipping his now sore wings into their hidden pockets. Strapping on his bags before lowering himself to the ground, Shadow yawned before closing his eyes, letting the heat and crackle of the fire lead him into a hopefully dreamless sleep.

---

Luna floated silently above the world. While Equestria slept below her, the moon and stars above glowed, lighting the world below with a soft, pale light. Sighing in contentment, the lunar princess flapped her wings, the ground slowly passing beneath her as she flew. Despite the joy of stretching her wings, Luna couldn’t stop herself from thinking about the current situation. Despite her best efforts, she had lost the alicorn colt’s trail. While it wasn’t the biggest issue before her, every day he remained missing added more stress to the younger Royal Sister’s duties. As Ponyville slowly passed beneath her, Luna found herself revisiting everything she had seen in the colt’s dream, hoping to find something that might help her.

From his reaction, she was almost certain he wouldn’t head for the Gryphon Empire, or rather what little remained of it, and Luna would bet a month’s worth of her royal stipend that he would avoid Canterlot. Assuming both were true, where would he go? Luna shook her head. Without more information, she could only guess, and she couldn’t keep guessing if she wanted to find him again. As the Everfree Forest gave way to grass covered plains, the princess’s mind turned to what they’d do once she located him again. Luna knew they had to talk to him, but would he come quietly? Despite her sister’s skills with dealing with other ponies, Luna was certain having Celestia catch the colt would be a mistake. The flame covered demonic version of her in his dreams made that clear. Could she retrieve him? Would he come with her or would he put up a fight? Questions swirled around her head, fighting for attention.

Below her, grass gave way to water as Luna soared over the only major body of water between Canterlot and Manehattan. Feeling her stomach rumble, the solar diarch let gravity slowly pull her down as she turned for the lake’s island. She knew it might be a longshot with the drought, but perhaps there were some berries on the island that would slake her hunger until she got to Manehattan. Gliding above the lake’s surface, Luna noticed a slight orange glow on the island. Flaring her wings, the princess landed silently on the island’s beach. Taking a moment, the princess cast a simple silencing spell over her hooves, not wanting to wake whoever was on the island.

Passing through the small stand of trees between the beach and the camp like a ghost, Luna stopped in confusion just beyond the fire’s glow. Why would somepony leave a fire burning, especially given the circumstances, if they were going to spend the night in a wagon? Luna’s ears perked up at the nearly inaudible sound. Turning her head, the lunar alicorn froze in place at the sight of the red vest. Could it be? Ignoring the spell on her hooves, Luna slowly crept around the fire, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. Barely lit by the flames, the colt she was looking for was curled up on the ground, fast asleep. Luna couldn’t believe her luck. Just as she was starting to worry, the fates allowed her to find the colt, and fast asleep no less! Standing there, the princess tried to ignore the conflict in her mind. One simple spell and the colt would find himself waking up in Canterlot, yet even as she charged her horn, Luna paused. If she took him now, what about his companion? What would they do? More importantly, what would the colt do when he awoke to completely different surroundings? Even though he was a colt, Luna had no doubt that Shadow could cause trouble if he panicked. If he knew how much power he possessed… Luna shuddered at the thought of having to fight an enraged alicorn, even one this young.

Letting her magic fade, the princess slowly stepped away from the sleeping colt. She’d have to consult Celestia before making any moves. Pausing at the fire, Luna smiled as the colt slept, seemingly at peace. She was glad that he wasn’t alone. She was also relieved that one of her hunches had paid off. If he stayed on this road, he’d pass through Ponyville, assuming he avoided Canterlot. Luna paused as a stray thought entered her mind. If he avoided Canterlot, she and Celestia could get Princess Twilight and her friends involved. If they did, they might be able to delay the colt long enough for her and Celestia to approach him. Setting a small log into the dying fire, Luna let herself blend into the surrounding shadows once more. Taking to the air once again, the princess knew that even if he wasn’t the pony the Sprites were after, they couldn’t let him wander around on his own. Innocent or not, Shadow had more potential magic at his disposal than most ponies could comprehend, and that potential had to be focused and shaped, if not for his protection, then for any pony he met. Luna smiled as a breeze sent her soaring. While she doubted he’d want to be Celestia’s student, much less be in the same room as her, maybe she could convince him to let her teach him. While it had been over a millennium since she had taken on a student, Luna felt a fire ignite in her at the thought of a new student. Having a student would be a welcomed change of pace. Looking at her moon, Luna put on a burst of speed. She’d talk with Celestia about everything she had found and her ideas, but for now she had business involving a damaged ship and its crew in Manehattan to deal with.

---

Colonel Ash watched as a line of soldiers hurled balls of white hot flames at pony shaped targets. As the line of troops fired as one, the sprite officer found himself wishing - not for the first time - that the targets were more than blackened slabs of pony shaped rock. Returning the range officer’s salute, the colonel smiled as he heard another round of fire hit the targets. It was no secret that he wasn’t a fan of their treaty with Equestria. While he knew a number of Sprites who felt the same, he was one of only a few in any positon to voice that opposition. Growling to himself, the officer returned a Captain’s salute as he stalked past the junior officer and her company. Caught up in his thoughts, it took the senior officer a moment to notice the sergeant in front of him, and another to notice that the sprite was marching in reverse while saluting him. “Stop being an idiot and walk normal!” The colonel barked, returning the NCO’s salute “What do you want?”

The sergeant fell into step beside the colonel. “I found him, sir.”

“Found who?”

“Him, sir” The sergeant lowered her voice “The pony responsible for the breach.”

“Where?”

“On a small island in Equestria.”

“How many know about this?” The sergeant barely heard the whispered question over the noise of marching feet.

“Just you and me, sir. I told everyone else that I had a normal patrol.”

“Good. Make sure it stays that way and you just might get promoted.”

“Yes sir.” An exchange of salutes later and the colonel found himself forced to walk to his office. It would not do for him to be seen running like a Private fresh out of boot camp. As he walked across the parade grounds, the colonel recalled the mess that was the assault. Colonel Ash knew he had blown that mission badly. This time he’d make sure it ended with the right pony dying.

Breathing out to calm himself, Colonel Ash pushed his head out of the badly burned log. The scout’s report had been accurate and he found himself glad that he had reached the fire when he had. Opening his eyes, the officer paused as his eyes adjusted to the light. Around him, the glowing coals and embers pulsed orange and black as they burned. Taking a deep breath, the sprite basked in the heat, feeling it reenergize him. Pulling himself out of the log, he crouched, letting his training take over as he scanned the area. He stopped as he spotted the lone form sprawled out on the ground at the edge of the fire’s light. Focusing energy into his clawed hand, a grape sized ball of flame burst to life in the colonel’s hand. Focusing the light on the prone form, the officer paused at the sight of the colt, cursing his luck. Turning the fireball’s light from the sleeping colt, he scanned the area, knowing that there had to be another pony nearby. As he did, he recalled the failed assault, and the sight of the young pegasus filly’s charred body. While the colonel’s disdain for ponies was well known, he detested the idea of killing children. The filly had been an unfortunate casualty, and while her death was unavoidable, the assault’s failure convinced him that if he got the chance, he’d deal with the threat himself so that only the pony that needed to die; did.

Colonel Ash paused at the sight of the wagon, surprised at finding himself sighing in relief. Going through his options, the officer realized he couldn’t simple blast the wagon into splinters. If the colt woke up, he’d be forced to kill him as well, the idea of which turned the sprite’s stomach. Praying that the colt didn’t wake, the officer stepped out of the shallow fire pit.

---

Shadow felt himself slowly wake. Lying still for a moment, he listened to the crackling of the fire. Hearing his back pop as he bent it, the colt groaned as he reveled in the simple pleasure that he felt as he stretched his legs. Opening his eyes, it took the young colt’s mind several seconds to comprehend what it saw. Scrambling to his hooves, Shadow’s horn burst to life as he grabbed as much of the lake as he could and threw the pony sized ball of water across the rapidly spreading flames, while his sister’s screams echoed across the island.

---

The lone Senior Officer stopped in his tracks. Whipping his head around, he watched in horror as the colt burst to life, screaming at the top of his lungs. Cursing his luck, the colonel felt the land’s magic swirl around his hand, a ball of fire the size of his head forming in the blink of an eye. Turning back to the wagon, the sprite was in mid throw when he felt it. While he hadn’t been present at the breach, he had committed the report and the breach’s attached magical signature to memory. Unable to stop himself, Colonel Ash shifted his target, his fireball flying just above the ground for a second before slamming into the trunk of a tree next to the wagon. Whirling around, the officer watched the shock on the young pony’s face vanish as his horn sent a ball of water crashing into the tree, dousing most of the flames. Colonel Ash barely kept himself from cursing and revealing himself to his new target. Out of all the ponies possible, the cause of all this trouble was a mere whelp of a colt! Growling to himself, Colonel Ash let the magic in his hand concentrate as he watched the colt.

---

Throwing another ball of water across the flames, Shadow knew he was in trouble. The flames were spreading too quickly and he could feel a headache starting to form. In the light of the flames, he saw Trixie stick her head out of the wagon “Star! Run!” He shouted as a ball of water twice his size dashed itself against the grass between the wagon and the flames. For her part, the showmare rushed to her harness, her horn burning like a star as she got her wagon moving. Shadow jumped back as a wall of fire roared through where he had just been standing, cutting him off from Trixie. Scrambling back as the flames slowly closed in on him, the colt watched as the fire seemed to chase after the wagon. Ignoring the growing agony in his head, Shadow ignited his horn, lobbing a ball of water the size of Trixie’s wagon over the fire before detonating it above the showmare and the flames behind her.

Any relief he felt at Trixie’s escape from the island quickly abandoned Shadow as the flames seemed to roar in anger around him. Turning, Shadow bolted for the lake. In his haste, the young colt forgot that the floor of the stand of trees was a tangle of exposed roots. Glancing back at the pursuing wall of flames, Shadow felt a hoof catch on a root, sending him tumbling before he could think. As he crashed to the ground, Shadow heard his left wing snap before instantly erupting in agony. Biting back a scream, the young alicorn forced himself to run, his horn lighting the way. Seeing the beach ahead of him, Shadow didn’t slow down, throwing himself into the lake moments before the flames could catch him.

Sinking beneath the waves, Shadow kicked for all he was worth, gasping for air as his head broke the surface. Extinguishing his magic, Shadow focused on swimming, kicking one leg at a time as he bit back every scream that wanted to escape with each breath. It felt like an eternity to the injured colt as the shore slowly approached. Feeling the sand beneath his hooves, Shadow dragged himself out of the water before collapsing on the strip of wet sand. How long he lay there, he didn’t know. It could have been a few minutes or a few hours for all he knew or cared. Gasping in pain, Shadow slowly trickled magic through his horn, the area around him brightening in its dim glow. Barely holding a scream in check, the young colt dragged himself up the small beach. He didn’t stop until he found himself underneath a large patch of bushes. Allowing himself a glance back at the inferno he had escaped; Shadow watched as a tree crashed to the ground, sparks shooting up into the night sky. Turning away, the young alicorn surrendered to the darkness, never feeling his head hit the ground.