Shadow's End

by MellowSoul

Fallen be the Vengeful

Author's Note:

Gave the swords an SotN effect. Glowing swords are cool.

In the midst of an open field, a blue Pegasus wandered. Her expression was somber for reasons yet unknown. The only shred of clarity was an obvious omen something significant weighed on her mind. The farther she drifted from civilization, the stronger her despondence grew. It was as though she stood face-to-face with a tidal wave - a wave that threatened to consume her in an eternal sea of melancholy. This was more true than she realized, for unbeknownst to the mare, not far behind, something was stalking her, waiting to claim her as its first and final victim...

---

There was no telling how far Rainbow walked before she discovered the direness of her situation. Not only was she far from home, but the silhouette following her was ready to strike at any moment, right when she was at her lowest...

"Look out!" A feminine voiced shouted. Rainbow snapped back to reality just in time to see two beings descend behind her. The first was a purple Alicorn draped in black. She held a brightly polished sword with a gold handle in her right hoof. The other appeared to be some sort of reptilian creature Rainbow had never seen before. He too possessed a blade, though it proved the polar opposite of his other. The sword itself was darker than the depths of space, with the handle seemingly crafted from a deep blue ore.

"Who are you guys!?"

"We'll explain later," the Alicorn replied, "Stay behind us, and don't let it touch you."

"What are you tal-"

Rainbow paused, spotting the shadow between them. Reality itself seemed to warp around the sentient void, rippling its edges designed solely to extinguish creation.

"What the hell is that!?"

Ignoring the distraught Pegasus, the Alicorn and her companion lunged forward. She made a quick stabbing motion, activating her blade's magical effect. It shined as bright as the sun, stunning the shadow long enough for her to plunge through it. Now locked in place, the cosmic being stood helpless as the Alicorn's assistant impaled its head. His own enchantment took root, absorbing their foe in a veil of smoke. Rainbow stared in shock at the disciplined display of power.

"Who are these guys...!?"

---

"Either of you mind telling me what just happened?" Rainbow demanded.

The partners locked gazes for a moment, then nodded.

"I doubt you'll believe us," the Alicorn replied, "but we'll explain to the best of our ability."

"I'm listening."

"My name is Twilight Sparkle. This is my brother, Spike."

"Other than the color scheme, I don't see the resemblance."

"He's not my blood brother, but we've been together so long he may as well be."

Spike waved. His eyes were tired: vacant even.

"Rainbow Dash. Now that the introductions are out of the way, what was that thing?"

"You."

"Come again?"

"The creature you just saw is a manifestation of negative emotion - one of many. They spawn by feeding off the despair of their hosts. Once they've become strong enough to exist in the physical plane, they destroy their creators."

"You mean it was trying to..."

"Kill you. Yes."

"But...Why!?"

"They've existed since the evolution of sentient life. No one knows how or why. All we know is, they're a threat to our continued existence on this planet. That's why we're here. Our job is to hunt them down and contain them."

"You're right: I don't believe you. You expect me to believe two people can save the world on their own? Get real."

"I don't blame you for being skeptical. It's not an easy thing to come to terms with. I didn't believe it at first, either."

"How is fighting monsters supposed to solve our problems? Doesn't sound realistic to me if I'm tellin' the truth."

"We've had to contend with the same entities more than once. The only way to seal them for good is by loosening the grip of our inner demons. That's the only path to victory in the long run."

"Yeah? Well I ain't tellin' a stranger what's on my mind, that's for sure."

"You'll have to, eventually. We can do a lot in one day, but it always catches up with us, sooner or later..."

Twilight and Spike turned away, clearly more distraught than they were letting on.

"Think about why we're doing this, and how we would feel if we let you down..."

The pair spread their wings and flew into the distance.

"She's a real bundle of laughs..." Spike uttered.

---

Twilight and Spike returned to the castle in Neo-Canterlot City. Upon entering the grand hall, Celestia warmly greeted them.

"Welcome home, my children. Was your mission successful?"

"We rescued the target from the immediate threat, but she's hesitant to open up."

"I expected as much. Rainbow's profile suggests a hardened exterior. I suspect her public image may be a factor subjecting her to mental strain."

"Can you get through to her?"

"Did you tell her I sent you?"

Twilight shook her head.

"Excellent. That should increase my odds, if only marginally."

"Anything helps."

"Before you return to your quarters, it would be wise to test your will. Tell me, what is your purpose in life?"

Twilight saluted as a sign of loyalty and respect to her secondary maternal figure.

"What keeps me content, fulfilled, and offers me the feeling that my life is valued!"

Celestia smiled.

"You've passed with flying colors."

"Thank you...For everything..."

"Of course. It is my duty as Princess of the sun to ensure the safety of our people. Luna will join you in the dream realm tonight. Until then, rest well."

"We will."

"I'll be joining you for supper. For now, I bid you adieu. Never forget that you are loved, and your contributions mean the world to those in their darkest hours."

Twilight nodded.

---

In the second story of the castle, Spike and Twilight approached the eastern wall. A magically-concealed scanner examined Twilight's retinal data.

"Personnel confirmed. Access, granted."

The shape of a door gradually replaced the wall near the panel. The pair stepped inside. A large elevator detected the change in pressure, powering a dim grid of light. It was like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. They descended to their hidden base, away from prying eyes...

Comments

[Sollace]

I would have normally given the story an upvote, but since I can't really do that right now, have this cookie instead.

media2.s-nbcnews.com/i/newscms/2017_45/1295167/mega-cookie-20171109-tease_6971236b7bd26befae770a06faedaaca.jpg

[MellowSoul]

10993061
Thanks. I fixed the grammar error I mentioned earlier in the forum. That was almost enough for me to pull out my hair with rage, especially considering I edited everything twice to make it flow as smoothly as possible.

[Sollace]

10993109
Believe me, you did good. There weren't any mistakes I could spot, and even if there were, it's no big deal.

Some longer fics, I could re-read and edit it a thousand times and there would always be that one error that no one caught. It's part of what makes us human, and I've learned to just accept it and ask for help.

[MellowSoul]

10993389
Yeah. It's not the most frustrating thing in the world, but it can be facepalm inducing at times.