My Little Pony: Lights and Shadows - Part II

by OmegaTale

Chapter 13

So many things to think about; the Elements of Harmony weakening, the CMCs and Zecora having gone missing, and the potential battle they were moving to prevent. When will this cycle end? Would it ever end at all? How were they going to stay together though it? Rainbow, Rarity, and Applejack left to find their sisters, Discord had disappeared after the catastrophe at the Grand Summit, Daring Do having not been heard from for months? It was all so overwhelming.

The Friendship Express rocketed onward, its emergency travel forcing it to skip the various stations along the way as it zipped north-east in the direction of the crossing by Rainbow Falls.

Fluttershy and Shadow sat together, talking over what they thought they could do to help upon arriving. Pinkie and Starlight continued examining their map, trying to predict where the two armies would meet, wanting to be sure they were going to the right place. Spike was off in an attempt to bring them all some drinks, as they had been on the train for hours. Twilight sat looking out the window as Starfall sat across from her, worried about the princess.

“Twilight?” Starfall asked her, earning a look from her. “It’s going to be alright.”

“Even if we stop the war,” she replied, looking back out the window with a defeated look on her face. “How are we going to deal with all of this? There’s too much… I don’t know if I can…”

Starfall stood, crossed the train booth, and sat beside her. “We’ll just have to solve each problem as they come,” he said, somewhat thankful that the others couldn’t hear them. “You’re really good at that.”

She looked to him again. “But the girls… there is something wrong with them, they haven’t been themselves… something is happening, and I don’t know how to stop it.”

“You’re right,” he said, sitting back a bit. “There is something happening to them, but you need to keep a brave face and be their pillar of strength now.”

Her ears fell flat to her head. “I’m just… so exhausted…”

Starfall could never be one of those guards that stands at attention and remains silent when facing the princesses like this, it was against his nature. Seeing her so spent, worried, and frightened shook his very core.

“We will stop this war,” A determined spark in his voice grasped Twilight’s attention. “And when we get back home, Starlight and I will take care of everything, so that you and the girls can rest.”

“Starfall…” Twilight began to say. “I couldn’t ask-”

He shook his head. “You won’t have to. You’ve been carrying all of this responsibility alone for too long, so you are going to rest, and I will carry it for you.” Twilight was about to say something, but she stopped herself, looking down slightly. Starfall rested a hoof on her shoulder. “Sleep. I will wake you when we get there.”

The princess only replied with a small nod, lying her head down as her entire body finally loosened up, having been tense this whole time. Her royal guard looked down upon her, taking in a deep breath as he stood.

“Alright,” he said to everypony. “Let’s all move up one cart to give Twilight some peace and quiet.”

No pony said a word, they all just nodded, trotting out to give the overworked princess the few hours of rest that she could get. Twilight, with her head rested on the cushion, smiled faintly.

---

The Hyperborean Mountains rose up high to the west of the tracks, the station coming into sight. There was no telling how much Gilda and Scorch managed to stall the armies, but they had now come up with a pretty good idea as to where the forces would meet, unfortunately, they were trotting a razor-thin line in terms of time.

Starfall, very gently, shook Twilight, whose eyes fluttered open slowly. “We’re here Twilight.”

She nodded to him, sitting up and stretching as she looked out the window. “Is everypony else ready?” she managed to ask before a yawn escaped her.

“They are,” he replied. “All up and ready to go.”

Twilight hopped down from her seat, beginning to trot over to the door, stopping in front of her royal guard first. “Thank you, I needed the sleep.” She said, thankful to have gotten some shut eye before everything began.

She continued on and Starfall followed behind her, a smile on his face.

As the train came screeching to a halt, the doors opened and everypony went galloping out, with Spike up on Starfall’s back. The station was still a sizeable distance away from where they needed to be, so they made haste to the south.

---

“Gilda,” King Gale said angrily. “This is the third time you’ve claimed that the dragons have been advancing on our position, but our scouts have once again found nothing!”

Gilda huffed, looking away. “They must keep flying out towards us to psyche us out or something!” she lied, crossing her arms. “I say you should order one more scout run before we continue to the coast.”

The king slammed his talon down on the ground. “No! Enough of these games! Commander! Resume march, the sooner we get to the sea, the sooner we can cross and invade that smoldering wasteland!” The commander griffon saluted the king and exited the tent.

“King Gale, I don’t think we should-” Gilda began to say.

“Silence.” Gale cut her off, turning to her. “I know what you are doing, Gilda.”

Gilda grimaced, but then scowled and looked away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, dude!”

The king circled her to the tent entrance, walking out as she followed. “Your friends, the ponies, may indeed not be responsible for the attempt on my life, but the dragons are not worth your protection. What good will stalling the march do for Equestria?”

He nailed it right on the head, and she could tell he wasn’t just guessing; Gale had a distinct air about him when he was serious. “A war between griffons and dragons won’t solve anything!” Gilda tried reasoning with him, no longer covert since he figured it out. “And even if fighting them would solve all our problems, they're dragons! Fighting is what they do! We can’t win against them!”

“Fear before a battle is normal, Gilda.” Gale said harshly, ignoring the urgency in her plea. “And dethroning that fork-tongued, blue brat would almost make this war worth it alone.” He growled, looking out at the troops as they began forming ranks again. “Now, rejoin your division, by dusk tomorrow we will have reached Fireglow and begin the siege.”

Standing firmly behind the king, Gilda replied, “No.”

Gale’s eyes widened and he turned abruptly. “What did you say?”

“I said no.” Gilda repeated, standing fast. “I will not follow you, and neither should any griffon.”

“Careful, girl.” He snarled, his eyes narrowing. “You speak to your king.”

Gilda returned his glare, not backing down. “You are no king of mine.” Turning, Gilda took to the skies, making a few of the king’s guard step forward.

Gale waved them off. “Don’t bother,” he growled. “She’s too fast for any of you to capture, and it wouldn’t matter; we don’t need her.” Turning back around, he spread his wings. “With me soldiers! Now, fly with me to war!”

---

Ember sat on a rock facing the coast. She sat silently, her gaze across the water focused, yet calm. She hoped that none of this affected her relationship with the ponies, but this was beyond friendship, this was war.

Scorch approached her from behind, sitting beside the Dragon Lord. “Ember? They are ready, just as you commanded.”

The blue dragoness didn’t move, she just nodded. “Good, we take flight immediately.”

“Yes, Ember.” She replied, moving to get up.

Ember turned to her. “Scorch wait…” she said, stopping her second-in-command. “What would you do if you were the Dragon Lord?”

Having not expected such a question, the silver dragoness took a moment to respond. “Honestly? Believe the ponies, find a better way than this.”

“Never took you for the peaceful resolution type.” Ember scoffed.

Scorch scowled a little in return, but smirked a bit. “Been hanging around your friends too much.”

The two shared a laugh, which they hadn’t done in a long time. The laugh died down and they both looked out across the water. The sun was high in the sky, there was still a long way to go.

“Can’t be stopped now...” Ember said quietly. “It’s too late for peace.”

Her friend nodded in return. “Maybe.” She said with a sigh. Scorch patted Ember on the shoulder before rising and walking off from the sandy beach.

Ember was left pondering to herself, her mind all over the place. Listening to the waves crashing against the shores made her stop and listen, closing her eyes. Garble watched her carefully, wondering what she was doing. He had been standing there, keeping a weather eye out while the Dragon Lord was sitting alone.

“What would you tell me, Garble?” she asked without turning.

The red dragon remained silent at first, but then puffed smoke out from his nose. “It’s because of situations like this that I’m glad you beat me in the Gauntlet of Fire.” He replied, his wings shuffling a bit as the sea breeze created an updraft beneath them.

Ember chuckled at the mention of it, looking back at him. “You wouldn’t just say to just charge in and attack the griffons like my father?”

Garble eyed her, and then looked out across the water to avert his gaze. “Scorch was right, wimpy ponies are getting their nonsense into my head too.”

Again, Ember started to laugh. Garble cracked a smile, unable to resist as his Dragon Lord enjoyed what time they had left before the clash. She stopped, looking up in the sky as she realized it was time. Spreading her wings, she took flight, her red guard following after her.

As her shadow passed over the water, hundreds upon thousands of others followed after. The dragon horde took flight north, towards the Griffon Kingdom.

---

The sun began setting on the horizon, setting the land below ablaze with crimson light. Just beyond the coast of the sea between the Dragon Lands and the Griffon Kingdom. It was a clearing along the road, surrounded by the vast forest engulfing most of the lowlands.

The ground trembled, animals looking up and fleeing from the open. To the north, from the tree line emerged the ranks of the griffon army, marching as an orderly host. Each had on identical sets of armor, forged as a symbol of power for the new king, and the kingdom they were charged to defend. In front of that army, King Gale led his soldiers, a scowl on his face as he looked out across the open field.

From the south descended the masses of the dragon horde from the sky. Some were armored, but most chose to arm themselves only with their claws and fangs. There was no order in their assembly, they landed down on the southern end of the open field, snarling, growling, and some of them breathing fire up into the air. Ember stood in front of them all, returning the sharp glare across the field at the griffon king.

There was a stillness in the air as the two forces stared each other down. The field quickly became void of wildlife, the tension razing all of the beauty and elegance of the land straight to the ground. The dragons clawed at and scarred the earth below them, itching for the chance to attack, while the griffons stood still, keeping to their ranks.

Though they were too far off, the Griffon King and the Dragon Lord honed in and focused on one another. This was how things would be settled, this was how the rivalry between their kinds would finally end.

The dragons roared and hissed, all too eager for Ember to give the command, but she did not. In a moment of hope on her part, she waited, wanting to see a sign, any sign of peace from their adversaries.

Gale watched as the enemy did not act, as if baiting him to begin. He sneered from underneath his helmet. “Very well.” He growled. Spreading his wings, the griffon army took a step forward, releasing a war-cry all at once that echoed out far across the land. Reeling up on his hind legs, Gale cried out, “ATTACK!” The ranks of griffons followed their king, rushing forward while holding their lines.

Ember, after a shake of her head, roared out as loud as she could, the dragons behind her doing the same. She spread her wings and took off towards the opposing army, the horde doing the same. Garble made sure to keep close to her, knowing that this was going to be his defining moment.

It was like everything else in the world went silent as the two forces rushed towards one another. The earth trembled from the march, and the wind picked up from the beat of strong wings. The setting sun continued to lower further and further as the armies drew closer. Ember felt her heart racing, just as Gale did, their warriors prepared to fight until the end. Just as the sun’s final light disappeared from the land, the griffons and the dragons collided.

Crashing into each other, the sound of metal striking metal and flesh pounding flesh rang out like a series of war drums. Just as it always had, the battlefield swiftly turned into chaos. The overwhelming strength and ferocity of the dragons was met by the orderly, and well armored tactics of the griffons. Shouts and cries echoed all around them, the fine line between their forces immediately giving way.

Fortunately, the dragons outraced Ember and she struck the line from behind the defense of several of her own. Though not eager to fight, she tore past her dragons and joined them in the frontlines, refusing to sit and watch from afar. Garble was a monstrous sight to behold, careening through the griffons like a hurricane as he protected his Dragon Lord.

Gale managed to keep in front as the armies clashed, but soon found himself pulled back behind the griffon’s first few lines for his own safety. He worked his way back forward, but found difficulty in navigating through his own forces. He did, however, quickly spot Ember and worked his way in her direction.

It wasn’t long before the griffon king passed through his lines, coming face to face with the Dragon Lord, who was already winded from her endeavors at the front. Gale struck her off her claws and down onto the ground, but before he could pursue her, he found himself heaved backwards. Garble was quick to follow this up with a claw strike to the king’s head, bashing him backwards and sending his helmet flying off of him. He rose, one eye squinting through pain, the red dragon standing firmly between him and Ember.

“I’m gonna enjoy this…” Grable growled, advancing on him.

Gale snarled back, moving forward as well. “Come and try then!”

Suddenly, a wall of magic rose in between them, splitting the two armies apart perfectly, and running from the back side of the field all the way to the roadway, where six ponies and one small dragon stood. All heads on the battlefield turned to them.

Twilight and Starlight both finished casting their co-op spell, the wall pulsing as it disappeared, sending the two forces backwards a few yards, separating them further.

“Stop this now!” Twilight shouted, soaring down in between the two armies. “We can explain everything that’s happened!”

“Twilight…?” Ember said as Garble helped her back up.

“You?” Gale growled. “Get out of our way! It’s too late for explanations!”

Everypony else galloped up to join Twilight. “She’s right!” Starlight added in. “And we can prove it!”

The dragons all muttered to themselves as the griffons looked around at one another. Gale began to lose his temper, his beak curling in a snarl, but then Gilda landed down in front of him, a stern look on her face.

“You are all gonna listen to what they have to say!” she shouted, keeping her glare on the king. “All of you.”

Ember looked back at the dragons, who all looked to her. She was still trying to catch her breath, so she just nodded, all of them backing down. With the tension temporarily brought down, the ponies were able to take a breather themselves, having just galloped all the way from the station.

All of this started with the three attacks on the nations; the dragons raiding Equestria, the griffons advancing into the Dragon Lands, and the unicorn that attacked Griffonstone. When we spoke to eye witnesses from the attacks, we discovered something strange.

The dragons raiding Equestria didn’t plunder any goods they found, which could have included gemstones. The griffons that advanced into the Dragon Lands managed to force the dragons to flee, but then withdrew back to the north without claiming the area, or remaining to await reinforcements, which the griffons are known very well for being battle tacticians.

And then there’s the unicorn attack; eyewitnesses claimed that the unicorn defeated the guards and managed to infiltrate the castle by only using magic. When I sent Gilda to watch over King Gale for any aggressive acts towards the dragons, I asked her to question the guards who were attacked about the unicorn and write me back what she found out. In her letter, Gilda stated that the guards were haunted by terrifying visions and sounds, rendering them useless as the unicorn entered the castle unchallenged. Then King Gale claims the unicorn to have made an attempt on his life, even though after successfully infiltrating the castle, the unicorn teleported to escape. So after flawlessly making a public appearance of attacking the castle and having an easy opening to attack you, King Gale, the unicorn disappeared, allowing you to assume that Canterlot was behind the attack.

Let’s fast forward to the third day of the Grand Summit. Just as Discord managed to force you to all listen and talk to each other, he is mysteriously left incapacitated as random griffons and dragons from both of your armies moved to attack Gale and Ember. And then, instead of those attackers being captured and questioned for acting out without your orders, everyone then acts out against your orders and the brawl began. After researching this with Starlight, my suspicions were confirmed by Princess Celestia in that the magic used during the summit to inflict this upon everyone was indeed dark magic. The same dark magic that caused the griffon guards to be unable to protect the castle, and the same dark magic that created the phantoms of those griffons and dragons that attacked the Dragon Lands and Equestria ALL at the same time.

So, in conclusion, the unicorn that attacked Griffonstone did so while casting dark magic to place all three of our nations into a state of war with one another. Then, when the two of you showed more hostility against each other at the summit, decided to only target you two, and leave the ponies out of it. Not only are the ponies of Equestria innocent, but so are all of the dragons and griffons.

As Twilight finished, the griffons and dragons around her all mumbled to each other, not able to find a flaw in her explanation. The dragons found it a bit boring, but couldn’t deny her point, no matter how hard they tried. The griffons looked more than convinced, all but King Gale.

“No one unicorn could pull all of that off.” He huffed, eyeing them all with skepticism. “How do we know what you say is even possible?”

Twilight and Starlight both looked at each other and nodded at the same time. Touching their horns together, they focused hard, their magic aura becoming dark and twisted. A magic beam shot out from them as they copied the spell that they described. Several dozen griffons and dragons became trapped in horrific nightmares, unable to move, as phantasms formed depicting them, flying overhead and disappearing in a matter of seconds. King Gale was left wide-eyed in disbelief at what the dark magic could do.

Stopping the spell, all of its effects became canceled. Twilight then turned back to him. “You see? Whoever that unicorn was had more than enough magical talent to cast these spells and put us all on the path to war.”

Everyone began muttering again, but this time, King Gale kept his beak shut. Ember looked to Twilight, so incredibly happy that she was able to do it, despite Ember’s own disbelief.

Pinkie let out a sigh of relief as Fluttershy looked over to Shadow, a big smile on her face. Shadow smiled in return, but suddenly, his smile disappeared. Everything became so dizzy, and the world darkened around him, his vision and other senses going blurry.

Fluttershy cried out to Twilight, who came galloping over as quickly as she could, but Shadow blacked out before the princess reached him.

Even though he knew that the timing of this was once again horrendous, Shadow eagerly looked around, seeing nothing. The tension had been extinguished, and the battle ended, so that made this much less stressful for him.

As always, his vision slowly starting coming first. The sky was dark, overcast as the clouds above threatened the land with rain and thunder. As it came more into focus, Shadow could see that he was running quickly, down the mountain he came to realize was his home. His hearing slowly came, and all there was to hear was him wheezing and gasping for air, like he had been crying.

What is this? What was going on now? He didn’t have long to wonder, as he felt his hoof catch a stone and his entire body crashed down onto the cold ground. He just lied there, his eyes blurry, but not from the vision, from the fact that they had tears in them.

“Erebus!” sounded off a voice from behind him, the sound of quick hoof steps following afterwards.

“Get away from me!” he shouted in reply, his entire body trembling. “It’s all my fault… everything that’s happened… it’s all because of me…”

Whoever it was had stopped moving towards him. “No, Erebus, none of it is your fault.” She said softly, trying to soothe him. “Please, don’t go…”

The tears flowed out without resistance as Shadow felt it all at once, all of the fear that was building up inside of him all those years ago. “I have to…” he said, slowly standing back up without turning. “I have no place here… I can’t do anything right… I’m a terrible pony…”

Shadow watched in utter silence, both in mind and in words. It began to rain, the thunder rolling across the sky. As the water dripped from his lowered head, it soaked the ground beneath him, now void of his shadow because of all the darkness.

Two white-furred arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a warm embrace. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back on what he could only imagine was her chest. “You’re not a terrible pony… you’re my brother, and I love you.”

Opening his eyes, he could see the outline of her head, looking down upon him with a warm smile, although she too was crying softly. “I love you too, Etherus… goodbye…”

Breaking free of her embrace, Shadow felt himself go into full gallop away from the mountain. As he ran, he didn’t look back, he galloped as hard and as fast as he could, the rain drenching his fur and blending in with his tears. It was as he ran that his vision began to blur out, his hearing fading as well, but he had no response, Shadow was left in a complete state of shock after seeing all of it. He felt the darkness take him, so unsure of his past and who he really was.

Shadow opened his eyes, seeing Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Spike looking down at him. There was a voided look in his eyes, the combination of fear and sadness conquering him. Starfall was the first to help him up from behind, everypony was asking him questions, but he couldn’t hear them… or rather, he chose not to. He just remained there in silence, left wondering about what this vision meant for him.

Twilight, remembering what Celestia had told her, gasped. “We need to get back to Ponyville! Now!”

Garble picked Shadow up as the others were helped by dragons and griffons alike, all flying with haste back to the train station.

Author's Note:

Hey there everypony!
That was a close one, huh? Just as the battle begins, BAM, super princess/protegee magic power!
The war may be over, but now Shadow has experienced the fifth memory, what does that mean for him and our pony heroes? And just who is this mysterious sister of his?
See you all next week!
Stay awesome everypony!