Rejected Heroes

by Cobalt Bristle

4. The Assembly

Author's Note:

Not exactly as long of a chapter I had planned, but I ran out of ideas. The same update for this chapter will be the same as the others.
-Cobalt Bristle

Blaze's eyes opened to his brother solemnly sitting near a fire, a pony he'd never seen sitting near him. He tried to open his mouth to speak, but found he couldn't. He couldn't seem to be able to use most of his muscles either, so he did the only thing he could. He inched over to Onyx and poked him the back, causing Onyx to jump.

"What? Where? Huh?" Onyx asked, not able to hide the surprise in his voice.

Onyx looked down and saw Blaze, motioned to Crystal, and helped him to his hooves. "You all right bro?"

Blaze attempted to speak, and was successful. His voice wasn't in the best condition. "I think so," he replied, his voice gravelly.

Onyx cringed at the sound of the once charismatic voice. Onyx handed Blaze some water, who eagerly downed it.

"So, what happened to you?" Crystal asked Blaze, before remembering that they hadn't yet met.

"I..I'm not sure," he replied, voice getting back to normal.

"How are you not sure of something like this? Just look at yourself," Onyx told him, mild shock in his voice.

Blaze looked at the state he was in. His chest was slashed up and down, part of his left cutie mark was missing, and there was significant damage to his wings, leaving him grounded for some time.

"I don't know. The last thing I remember was you telling me to go the park to hang out with Platinum and Cobalt." Blaze paused as he examined his surroundings. "Where even are we?" He asked, directing his question more towards Crystal than Onyx.

"Were on the outskirts of Canterlot near something Onyx keeps referring to as 'the sanctuary'," Crystal explained to him.

Blaze facehoofed, feeling immediate pain afterwords. After recovering from hitting his eye rather than his forehead, Blaze continued. "You really believe the Guardians will still be able to defeat our mother? They were gone before we were born."

"I hope you still believe in the Guardians, as they are one of the last hopes you have left," A pony said, before emerging from its hiding spot.

"Who are you?" Crystal asked, instantly alert.

"Captain Crion Lighthoof of Canterlot. I've been directed by the princess to have Onyx and his friends accompany me to reform the Guardians and combat Dark Storm," Crion told them.

"Let him come," Onyx told Crystal, who was still suspicious, but stepped aside.

"I presume you are Onyx Storm," Crion said, matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but not the one you know when my name comes up," Onyx told him, his voice not revealing any emotion.

After Onyx finished speaking, six more ponies slowly trotted through the same place Onyx had, some sweating heavily. "And who are they?" Crystal asked Crion, pointing her hoof towards the newcomers.

"Those are my companions, some more physically fit than others," Crion explained.

The group seemed to be faring much worse than Crion. Only the guards were still in proper condition. Fallen, Bluesteel, and Redshield were currently laying down, trying to rest and listen to the nearby conversation.

For the first time, Blaze spoke up, but only to his brother. "Onyx, isn't that Redshield and Bluesteel?"

Onyx lifted his head and looked at them, getting a look of fear and nostalgia in his eyes. "Yep," he whispered back.

The group sat in silence for a moment until the more tired ones found themselves to their hooves.

Bluesteel saw Onyx, whispered something to Redshield, and trotted over to him. "Hey, you all right?" She asked him.

"Not really sure," Onyx said, motioning to Blaze.

For the first time, the newcomers saw the state Blaze was in. Crion instantly rushed over to him. He asked Blaze some quick questions, none of which anyone else caught, and soon Blaze's more minor injuries were treated.

"I'm afraid I can't help him out with injuries such as his cutie mark or his wings, but that should help the cuts," Crion notified the group.

"Thanks," Blaze said, the minor cuts along his body gone.

"Why have you chose to camp here? It's a closed in space, perfect for someone to ambush you," the unidentified guard informed the group.

"We don't have time for your base criticism now Sharp, just stay alert," Fallen told the guard.

"Just saying," Sharp shot back, knowing it wasn't a good excuse.

However, Onyx knew that he was right. He didn't know how right he was. As the group continued talking, they didn't notice the black mist creeping into the camp. After some time, Crion noticed it, and took immediate action.

"Everypony, on your hooves! The shades are here!" He shouted to the group.

Knowing it had been discovered, the mist diverted from where it was, shortly turning into three shades.

"It's too late, Guardian," they said in unison.

"Onyx, take everypony else and run!" Crion shouted to the stunned ponies.

As soon as the shades heard Onyx's name, they began attacking. Crion pulled his sword and did his best to hold them off. When Prim had gotten the rest to safety, Crion left her with one last order. "Prim, make sure everypony stays alive. I'm not sure if I can make it out of this." After hearing it, Prim gave a nod and galloped out.

Crion was being attacking by them at once, all of them aiming for lethal points. They struck at him with great finesse, parrying his blows in the process. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold out for long, not without using something he hadn't evoked in years. When he was almost defeated, Crion dropped his sword and raised his hooves, causing a shield of ice to manifest, covering the area in front of him. That's when he was hit from behind with a purple hoof.

“Take this one to HQ. I need to do some... interrogation...” the pony ordered the trio.

The shades nodded, picked Crion up in their magic, and teleported away.

“I will find you Onyx. You can run, but you’ll never be able to escape me. I WILL get the rest of you right where I want you: in my torture chamber,” the pony narrated to nopony in particular, red star cutie mark glinting as she walked away.