Chronicles of Arche

by Spellbounder

Ch.23- Corrupted illusions

The lifeless eyes of the changeling stared directly at Arche. Deep within the confines of his basement, the only light being the illumination of the large vat, glowing green with the embalming chemicals mixed with the blood of this creature. Spin really had his work cut out for him. Its purpose still stands, a reminder of what he must do. A promise to not just the princess, but his fallen friends as well. Zed Blaze’s words still haunting his mind.

“I only exist because YOU will it, Arche. You can try to suppress it, take your little pills and pretend you’ve found peace. But I know you, and I also know you’ve never forgotten your duty as a soldier.”

The pills only suppressed the pain, not erase it. After his walk down memory lane, both at the Equestrian Games and in his dreams, he wouldn’t dare swallow another one. You could hide a scar for as long as you can, but it’ll always be there, no changing that.

“Change……..to change my way of thinking again……how many more decades will I lose contemplating the what if? No, there’s a better way to handle this.”

Looking back at the vat, Arche noticed his reflection. Even after getting some sleep, he still looked tired, warn down, like the war truly was over, when in all actuality, it was only beginning. Moving closer to the vat, he now saw a reflection of his former self. Young, happy, with both eyes. In a better time, a better life. He had forgotten that Luna showed him the times he was truly at peace with himself. Almost made him want to smile. Then the reflection suddenly changed within the blink of his eye, showing the bloody remains of Zed. The horrific side caused Arche to leap back in fear, as the dead pony began to laugh.

“AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! Look at what’s become of you. Hiding in your little basement. The great Admiral Arche, hero of Equestria, now a forgotten hermit.”

“Shut up, I won’t allow these visions to cloud my thinking any longer. I must do what is right…what a true soldier would accomplish.”

The reflection slowly began to walk out of the vat, taking shape and form of the deceased Zed Blaze. The wounds on his body were still fresh of that day when Arche’s life witnessed a living nightmare.

“You can’t get rid of me…….even you have realized that. Take those pills, what good comes of it? You might as well just hide under your covers and pray for a quick end. There’s only ONE plausible solution to end this. And it’s something a so called true soldier cannot endure. You really want peace to return to you? Justice for what happened to us that day? You’ll have to show your true self. Fearless, blood driven, not caring who has to pay for your rewards. Kinda like how you handled this boy here.”

He’s referring to the dead changeling itself. Mere mention of it fills Arche’s mind with the screams. Couldn’t force it out of his mouth, but he did enjoy watching that monster pay for attacking the wedding. But still, what this crazed illusion was suggesting was everything he stood against. Arche promised Luna he’d handle this peacefully, then at last rest. Denying his word to the princess was something he could never forgive himself for.

“Arche, no matter how much you think it over, you know this is the only way to truly redeem yourself for your failure to save us.”

“ENOUGH! You…..You are not Zed Blaze…..my friend…my comrade……he’d never turn a dark eye no matter what his fate was. He was a stubborn stallion…..but he was a good soldier…..a good pony…down to his core. You aren’t him……you’re nothing more than another nightmare in my broken head.”

The illusion remained silent, staring at Arche, but its wicked smile remained. As if it won no matter what the poor stallion would say.

“You honestly think that……I’m real because you have nopony else to talk to about this. I’m real because no matter how much you pretend to be a loyal good boy to the guard, to Celestia, deep down you’re a bloodthirsty tyrant. You despise Celestia for leading you down this path…..her orders of peace led to your imprisonment in that hive! Every day when you see her face, you curse her name, you loathe how she’s brought Equestria into a land of corruption and war because of her idiotic sense of friendship conquering magic! If not for the changelings, it’s for Sombra, or Nightmare Moon for that matter! This hate for true justice has built up inside you for years, until finally the wedding was the last straw!”

Arche just stood there, slowly beginning to shake. His teeth grinding, tears dripping down his eye. But he wouldn’t dare break down and cry, not in front of this cursed nightmare of his dead friend. If this was really what he was thinking in his head or not, he’d rather scream and deny it than dare admit such horrible thoughts.

“You’re wrong…….”

“Am I? Am I really, dear Admiral? I exist as your deepest regrets. Your repression from decades of sorrow and misery! If you unleash that hatred, hatred on Celestia, hatred on the changelings, hatred for EVERY IMBECILE THAT WRONGED YOU……..you can bring Equestria into a new era.”

Arche had enough, making his way back upstairs. The illusion was already there, sitting on the couch.

“A so called god in charge of every pony? Can’t even stop Chrysallis by herself.”

“Stop it….”

“If she couldn’t help you then, how could she help now?”

“I said….stop.”

“Pearl would be ashamed of you.”

“STOOOOOOOOP!!!!!!!!!”

Using his magic, he levitates the coffee table, hurling it into the couch. Screaming with rage, he levitates the couch next, slamming it into walls, the windows, the tv, then rips the whole thing in half. He screams and cries for what seemed like hours, cursing his own name before finally stopping at the sound of his door knocking.

“WHAT!?!”

He opens the door fast as he can, causing the mail pony standing there to jump in fear.

“AH! Sorry to disturb you….Admiral…”

The poor lad couldn’t help but notice some of the wreckage inside Arche’s home.

“Something….wrong sir?”

Arche kept breathing heavily, giving the pony a menacing glare as he snatches his mail from his hoof using his magic.

“NOTHING…..I’m fine…..good day.”

He slams the door shut, walking back to the remains of his living room, looking through his mail. One was a letter informing him of an upcoming meeting with fellow higher ups of the Royal Guard. Just what Arche needed to really kick off his day, with another narcissistic lecture from Blitz.

“Could things…….possibly get worse!?!”

Suddenly, the sky began to grow dark, then brighten within seconds. As if night and day was happening simultaneously.

“What in the…..”

Slowly walking outside, he sees the sun and moon hovering above at lightspeed. Ponies around him looked in confusion, confused out of their minds. Arche however, knew whatever madness was occurring, it involved the Royal Sisters.

“How shocking, seems Celestia and Luna can’t even do their own damn jobs right.”

“Enough…..I have to see what’s wrong.”

He quickly makes his way to the castle, unware of what awaits him there, in the form of large monstrous beast…..with horns.

Author's Note:

Back from the dead, and with another chapter!