Shadows of the Revenants

by MegaCartmanX

Chapter 3: Let's Start From the Beginning

All the creatures, still trapped in the cave, circled around a small stack of wood that the Young Six gathered along the walls. Smolder used her fiery breath to ignite the wood and start a fire as a means for some much needed warmth and light. As the Young Six all gathered around the simulacrum, Revenant began his storytelling, starting from the beginning of it all.

“It all started just a couple weeks after me and the other legends left Equestria the first time we came here, the first time I met you skin suits. I was busy working with Loba to find my source code, the one thing that keeps me "alive" if you will, when all of the sudden I got a message from Blisk. He tells me to forget about the source code before I get into big trouble. Being the insubordinate fool I am, I refused his warning and went to go after the code anyway. That is where I messed up one too many times. Blisk found out and took the source code before I could get it for myself. After that, Blisk knew that I was a threat to his economy, so he hired Gladiator.

“Gladiator is a special bounty hunter who had once been a part of the Syndicate’s detective squad for forty years. His skills are admirable, and he won’t let anyone or anything beat him. After being promised thousands of credits for my capture, Gladiator has spent a week looking for a special weapon located here in Equestria that can stop me.”

“What is the weapon and what could possibly be found here in Equestria giving the user such power?” Gallus inquired.

“It is the Medallion of Aporrófisi, an ancient artifact that was crafted to banish evil long before Celestia and Luna’s reign. It gives the wielder the power to steal the life force out of any living being, and not only that, but it turns their physical form into stone.”

“Why does Gladiator need it to defeat you?” Smolder asked.

“I am a simulacrum, which means that I cannot be defeated by any means physically, otherwise I’d come back as another version of myself. But with the medallion, Gladiator can take my life force and trap it in the medallion, preventing me from dying or coming back in another body. That is why I must find this medallion before he does. If the Syndicate gets their hands on it… there is no saying what they will plan on doing with it.”

“That’s terrible, Revenant.” Silverstream said. “I mean, I know that you have done some pretty bad things yourself, but even you don’t deserve something like that. No one should have their life stolen from them.”

“Maybe in your eyes, skin bag.” Revenant replied. “But to them, I am merely just a tool. A puppet waiting to have my strings pulled. To them I am nothing.”

“Don’t say that, Revenant! You are not just a tool, and you are most definitely not a puppet.” said Sandbar. The simulacrum looked over at the pony with a deadpan expression. “You have changed, I know you have. You went from a murderous death machine to being the only robot I know who has a heart… well, figuratively… and maybe Pathfinder was the first… look, the point is that we know that you are not the robot you once were. You can change, and you have. You are not a tool, not anymore!”

The words that came out of the earth pony’s mouth almost made the simulacrum feel something bubble up inside of him… something he hadn’t felt in 300 years.

“You really think I can beat them?” Revenant said to Sandbar. The pony nodded, the others doing the same soon after. Revenant chuckled to himself. “I don’t know if it's just a weird day for me, but you skin suits have given me hope.” Revenant stood to his feet and looked the Young Six in the eyes. “Let’s find that medallion and kick Gladiator’s… butt.”

The Young Six cheered and rejoiced, happy to see Revenant back to his determined self. With that out of the way, the seven of them all got back to the rocks pile, ready to dig their way out of the cave. Lining up side by side, Revenant gave the go and soon each creature was working together to pull away all of the rocks that blocked the cave entrance.

One by one, the rocks were slowly but surely decreasing in numbers, giving them all a sense of hope to escape the caves. However, they soon stopped their hard work once they felt the ground shake underneath them. Revenant held his hands out to his side in order to maintain balance while the others grouped up with each other.

“Earthquake?” Revenant asked.

“Not likely. The Everfree Forest isn’t known for having earthquakes. This is something else.” said Smolder.

“Then what is it?” Sandbar wondered.

Just then, the cave walls behind them burst open, revealing a steady stream of water that began to flood the cave. They were all in a state of panic by that point, even Revenant. Everyone, pony, simulacrum and all began to hasten their labor, working faster than ever in order to remove the rocks before they would drown. The team was hard at work, using their teamwork to pick up the pace.

All of them… except Yona.

While the rest of her friends were busy working to stay alive, Yona had been consumed with fear, as the situation began to remind her of something she never wanted to experience again. The cave flooding with water reminded her of her nightmare the night before, and right now, it was as if that nightmare was becoming her reality.