The whole of Equestria is shaking under the power of the army of an unknown warlord, and thanks to his superiority, he has already penetrated the territory of every nation that is defending itself with the last of its strength.
Difficulty: Medium.
-no realm is safe from the darkness that consumes everything it touches-
That's the name of the legendary black army that filled only dusty scrolls in the library in Canterlot years ago. Even princesses Celestia and Luna had no idea about this legend, which in a moment became a terrifying everyday reality.
After negotiations failed and war broke out, the whole country united against the blacks, but after centuries of peace, the current inhabitants of all corners of Equestia were not prepared for the beasts that are in their ranks and without a single victorious battle, they cower in defensive trenches.
The overwhelming defeat has nothing to do with the fact that the enemy have good training, much more advanced technology of weapons and armor, no, their power rises elsewhere and it gives them an incredible advantage over every enemy that crosses their path. Even Princess Luna recognized this on her own skin after she protected the retreating army in a desperate fight, which despite all her power she could not save..................not even herself.
Now the scattered nations and Equestria slowly burned to ashes, the absent princesses and the last resistance defend with all their might the last few remaining territories.
A sharp white light from which there is no escape, so sharp that it slowly penetrates through my hand, which is covering my face. Pain, PAIN! Clenched teeth, whole body as if on fire, white shining pain that penetrates to the deepest part of the body, while the ears are full of cotton wool, unable to hear anything. Dark? After a few minutes of suffering, a wave of relief washed over my body where I found myself kneeling in complete darkness. After the bright light, I still have flashes before my eyes and it's hard to get used to the sudden darkness, but it's still better than the previous bright light.
I get to my feet and start looking around, but it's no use, I can't even see the tip of my nose when I hear a "click". A yellow cone cut through the thick darkness and landed directly on me, I'm like on a shooting range, right in the middle of the target, I don't move, I wait in a defensive position to see what happens next. Clap, clap, clap, clap, the sound is slowly getting closer to me and I feel the nervousness and adrenaline building, my heart pounding and pumping oxygenated blood into tense muscles that groan with the urge to move, ears searching for any sound, clenched fists through which wide brown eyes stare into soft light, the whole body ready on command to take off and eliminate anyone who appears in the light.
When I start to lose my nerve from the slow clatter, a head appears in the light, a small purple head. .....................A purple head?! So it freaks me out that I lost my balance for a moment, I watch how other parts of body appear. ..........Eeeeeee, a pony? Why? He's looking right at me, a little purple pony with a horn on his head and a white cloak over his back and legs. He opens her mouth and makes some noises, almost like she's talking, but I don't understand anything, my brain is racing, I'm trying to understand what's going on, where am I and why does the animal look like it's trying to explain something to me? It takes me a while to realize that it's quiet again, now the little pony is just staring at me with a questioning look.
suddenly rustling sounds started coming from the darkness around me, without a single movement in the face or body, I look into the darkness and look for the source of the sound, when suddenly everything goes silent, the purple animal stands motionless before me with a fixed expression on me. ............................................We look into each other's eyes in complete silence, her sudden smile with the twinkling of violet eyes startled me a little, she takes a step towards me, I instinctively took a step back and placed myself in a defensive stance with my side facing him, my left hand balled into a fist and slightly extended directly towards the Pony. I feel like a complete idiot getting ready to fight Pony, I thought but quickly lost the thought as I they realized they were no longer standing but literally flying straight at me, wings spread wide and a rude look on their faces.
I don't wait for anything, in a second I'm crouched and with a strong kick to the ribs I knock the Purple Beast far into the darkness with its billowing cloak, he didn't make a single sound, I don't waste a moment hesitating over roaring and pounding around, I turn and jump into the thick darkness from the raised platform that is the target of the light beam. The room lights up and the white wood floor cracks under the weight of my impact, I'm not looking for the door, my target is right in front of me, with a quick swing my right fist slams into the wall, going through it like a knife through butter, with the sound of falling rock and a cloud of red dust illuminating the soft iridescent light emanating from my right arm.
I flew down the corridor, no one anywhere but my red dusty footprints and the piercing sound of an alarm, accompanied by a purple white flashing light in every corridor. I don't know where I'm running through long corridors made of red stone tiles, through stairs where I didn't see a single signpost, a single something that would tell me where I am or where I am going, I am driven by a single thought, every building has a roof from which I can find out where I am.
I feel like I'm running in circles, accompanied by the light and noise of sirens through the empty low corridors, when suddenly. MARK! I almost screamed, I stopped so fast that my heavy black shoes skidded across the smooth gray stone floor, I had no idea what was on the tag written, but the Image of a small fleeing animal sufficiently convinced me that in this direction there is freedom from these corridors, that in that direction is the answer to all my questions.
The deafening roar of the sirens with each step increases as if an enraged eagle flies after me, the fleeting violet-white glow, as the only source of light, a shadow theater plays with me in a long empty corridor full of side doors. It wasn't long before I saw living shadows, I slowed down and at the first opportunity I quickly ran around the first corner of the left-hand corridor perpendicular to mine, watching the movement in front of me. I looked around the corner and saw ponies in plate armor and Spears. I couldn't believe my eyes, those animals really wore Armor, they act like guards, everything here, everything I've seen so far only indicates that they are intelligent, but how much? Intelligent or not, that won't stop them from killing me, after all they somehow got me to this place and it's only a matter of time before they find me again and imprison me.
I shook my head to clear the thoughts, I feel like an animal that escaped its cage, I thought. Lost in thought I noticed that I hadn't seen any guards in a while, So I decided to walk up to the intersection of corridors that cross perpendicularly and try to find out if anyone is still moving around somewhere. I crept slowly down the corridor with bated breath, crouching down along the Red Wall as if I were a part of it, until I slowly got to the end of the intersection, I didn't see anyone in any of the corridors, I just had to look back in the last corridor which was in my blind spot. I was ready to peek around the corner when I heard a clinking and snorting coming closer.
I didn't even have time to mentally prepare for what was waiting for me around the corner and I heard a quick clap coming from the corridor behind me that I came from. Without hesitation, without fear, I jumped around the corner and startled the 2 oncoming guards, just one scream from one of the ponies in full armor was all that they managed when a green flash appeared between us, where now stood a light purple pony but without cloak and wings.
He slowly walked towards me while making the same noises as the purple pony before. I didn't know what it meant and I didn't like how he was approaching me, so I repeated the defensive stance with a raised fist to indicate that I was willing to defend myself. He stopped and looked at me in shock at the moment when I silently mumbled. I don't understand you! No matter how he took it, Apparently it wasn't good, he fixed his big blue eyes on me and the horn on her head started to shine, from which a beam of dazzling green light flew out. I don't even know how I avoided it, luck or good reflexes, it doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is not giving her a chance to fire another shot.
Heavy breathing, beams, roars, and the occasional sound of pavement smashing against the stone floor echoed far and wide as I wrestled with the four-legged demon, who, thanks to his teleportation, is very agile and difficult to intercept. Driven to the wall, she snapped the guards out of shock from my ambush and he swung at me with his Spear, it wasn't hard to dodge, but I lost the advantage over Violet, which began to tactically move into a better position. As soon as I yanked it out of his magical grip by the spear point, I quickly crouched down and in a quick turn, still holding the spear by the point tripped the feet of the purple pony moving behind the mimes back and shattered into splinters by the guard's armored hooves. Undeterred by my theft, splinters in his foreleg, the guard pony quickly turned his back on me and ducked his hind hooves at my face. It didn't take much effort to dodge as he is slow due to his heavy armor, I quickly rolled sideways from my crouch to his side and a strong kick from lying down to his front hooves which are currently the only ones on ground, knocking him on his side. I was about to give him one last goodnight, but I quickly sidestepped as I could already hear the sharp clatter of hooves behind me. I watched as I slid across the floor as the purple pony ran between me and the guards and loudly sent them away. Apparently they weren't well trained, as 1 of them still hadn't recovered from the initial shock and the other refused to leave.
The little pony and I stare into each other's eyes, I see how tense he is, how he has swollen veins on his body that are pumping strongly, and furiously swings his purple tail with a shiny mane dyed green, from charged horn glowing with shades of green, when I notice that in the place where the guards came from there is a gate, apparently leading away. That moment of inattention was enough for him to send another green shot at me, in sudden panic I swung my right hand against the beam, which suddenly reflected like light from a mirror.
I stared in disbelief for a moment at my right hand bathed in dancing rainbow colors on a shiny hex field, now I had a Trump and the pony was well aware of it the look he threw at me. I decided to risk it and instead of wasting time fighting I ran to the gate, but I wasn't allowed to because the little animal was already standing there. She's fast, I thought, so I have to go through you, I ran without stopping to meet Violet, who was preparing for the upcoming encounter.
I dodged every beam that flew at me, i knocked some off with the sound of falling pavement, When I was so close I could count how many teeth he had, a glow like a green flame emanated from his eyes, and from the visible exertion and sweat that dripped to the ground and from his horn shot out a strong concentrated beam so deep green that it absorbed all the red color around.
It would have taken a little and the beam would have consumed me, If it wasn't for my Right hand blocking the beam in progress. I saw the Beam shatter around my fingers, I feel some of the beams it burns my legs and thighs until it burns through the pants made of dark heavy fabric. I slowly made my way towards the source of the beam, even though he was pushing me back and it was only with great effort that I didn't give in, the green glow pushed me with such force that in places I created ruts, the moment the beam pushed me back a bit. While feeling the growing pain in my legs from exhaustion and injury, a thick white smoke billows from my right hand blocking the energy directed towards me, I almost touched her horn when the Beam in it intensified and with a powerful scream of an animal, it hit the entire intersection of corridors with an explosion that shook the building, tore the walls, in places the ceiling and threw me against the wall from which I slid onto my ass, with the deafening crash of rubble around us.
In mild gloom, with my head hanging on my chest and unable to move, I watched my clothes torn to shreds, the skin burned to the flesh on my stomach, legs and thighs. White smoke from my right hand, I can feel the wetness on the back of my neck, where the blood runs between my short dark hair and down my neck to my back, under my torn brown leather-reinforced T-shirt. After a moment of pain I felt energy spreading through my body from my right arm, after a short silent hiss, the wounds on my body slowly began to close.
I sit in silence and gloom, watching a thick cloud of dust roll around, with a feeling of relief from the pain, waiting for the moment when I could move.
The dust cloud hadn't settled down a bit and I could already see the glowing horn, I quietly got up with a great effort and crept towards it in an arc, which was impossible due to the omnipresent debris just simple. When I was close enough and the flying horn didn't notice me, I decided to jump on it, It was a perfect ambush unexpected but bad timing, because the moment I took the first step, the purple pony decided to blow away all the dust in the vicinity, now I stand with my hands above my head like a bear standing over its prey.
As soon as the frightened pony saw that I standing so close, she panicked, stood on her back, eyes closed, head thrown back and hooves folded on her chest, she began to build tremendous energy on the horn with the sound of crackling and sparking. I can't let this happen, I said to myself and I reacted like a cat, jumping on her, I grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall, at my eye level. Now we were equal, face to face I watched the animal gasp for air. For a small animal like him it is not very good, as he is not standing on the ground, but is by the neck of my hand, ready to end this fight, I extended my hand to strike and then slowly bent it down.
I had no idea what was happening, a tearful animal with a bloody mouth whimpering in my hand, from which I felt something I have never felt, it is hard to describe it is a cluster of feeling, emotions, shaped by his energy flowing from him, no matter how I looked, I didn't see hatred, aggression, or resentment anywhere, the only thing there was fear, not for him, but for those who I might encounter next, if he didn't stop me.
A blinding pain shot through me, in confusion I stepped back and released the small defenseless animal, which fell to the ground with a loud thud, but it didn't get up, no, it just lay there coughing, panting and clutching its chest with its hooves from the blood it had wiped off from the mouth.
I stood petrified over him and without blinking I watched as he lay on the ground writhing. It wasn't my pain, nor my emotions, I really felt what the animal felt? Stunned I looked at the fingers on my right hand covered in blood.
I didn't know exactly what to think about it all, surely the animal lying in pain in front of me wasn't trying to kill me, just to stop me before I hurt anyone. Even though I was kidnapped, it's true that the first thing he did was not fight, he just walked towards me and apparently It was trying to communicate, I just acted like a Neanderthal. Feeling guilty, I knelt down to him with a determined expression and put my right hand on the injured spot, since she had no injuries, I assumed it would be where she was holding on. She looked up at me horrified with overflowing blue lakes in place of her eyes, gently feel her bushy belly to hit the center of the pain, through the soft fur caked with blood and full of dust that I can't feel because I have no feeling in my entire right hand, ever. I hit an extra sensitive spot, I'm stopped by the helpless look to death of a frightened and desperate animal that has fear but no strength to defend itself.
The colors on my right arm begin to dance as I release a bit of energy into the pony's body as the energy circulates between us to find all the injuries he has, the rainbow glow turns into the spilling of oil paints on a hexagonal field that she watched in fascination with the slowly fading.
No wonder you are in this condition, you have broken ribs and internal bleeding, I thought, she jerked hard, screamed and contorted her face in pain, her hoof started kicking my chest and face as I started to move the rib back to its original place, she doesn't have much strength anymore, that's why her blows are not felt. I understand that it hurts, I whispered, but there is no other way.
When she was literally wailing in tears, I stopped, looked her straight in the eyes, placed the palm of my left hand on her bushy red-purple face, bent down as close as I could to her and with the most honest look into their eyes I whispered Everything will be alright, I promise. It was clear to me that she didn't understand me, but that was not my point, she must have understood my intention, she folded her hooves to her body and closed her eyes, from which rivulets were still flowing, which dried in the dirty fur.
The dancing colors pressed down on the wound again, being sensitive is impossible, the injury is too serious and I only risking her life by prolonging it. She is shaking with suppressed pain and I can see how she is trying not to fight back.
It didn't take long And my efforts paid off, the bones returned to their place and the wounds closed. Exhausted, I stood up, took a step, and collapsed onto my back. So I overdid it again, I smiled watching the devastated surroundings. I would be very nervous lying exhausted like that in the middle of God knows what, but it doesn't matter now, two corridors have collapsed anyway and another one is covered in rubble, if someone comes i will have enough time to run away.
After lying for a while with my eyes closed on the cold floor, freezing in places where my clothes are torn. I realized that I couldn't hear any whining anymore, I just didn't have the strength to open my eyes or rather the desire, the exhaustion doesn't go away and even if death came for the Violet, I wouldn't even have the strength to say bye to her. Whatever happens now, it doesn't bother me anymore, I will leave with a clear conscience that I did what I could.
Clap clap clap, the slow clap is approaching me, disliking what is happening I opened my eyes with great effort, I saw my patient upside down, she stopped the moment I looked at her. The pony took another step and another and another until she was almost at arm's length, her horn glinting slightly until it lit up like you light a match, She slowly backed away as she stretched out her head and I turned my head away. She looked at me for a moment with her horn off and then she repeated it again, she didn't come close to me for the third time, using her magic she pulled my right arm to her face which she gently caressed with her eyes closed, I didn't feel any danger from her. When I calmly withdrew my hand and put it back along my body, I closed my eyes and waited for what she would do, but she sat down and looked at me, her head tilted cutely to the side. I sighed and stroked her head lightly, apparently that was enough as an explanation, she smiled and slowly bent down to me with a glowing horn until she touched my forehead with hers.
"Thank you" came quietly.
"........" I froze
"Are you okay? She asked and slowly walks around me until she sits by my side, While I'm still speechless and just staring.
“gigle…..did you hurt your mouth? she flicks her tail
"I guess you don't understand what's going on, I imprinted our language on your memory, that's what I've been trying to do since the beginning when we met.
"By the way I'm starlight,.......And you?
Still a bit in shock and not believing what's happening, I try to stutter out a few words.
"How are you talking? What kind of language? Her question break us out of the awkward silence.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asks, tilting her little bloody head towards me.
"Yeah, Sorry........ I'm just a little shocked, You can call me Tropy" I reply
"Nice to meet you and thank you once again for saving my life, I wouldn't expect that from someone who is trying to take it away from me.
"You have nothing to thank me for" I turn my head away in momentary shame.
"Are you going to tell me where the hell I am?
"For this misunderstanding, I must apologize to you on behalf of our entire empire, you were summoned" she smiled sweetly.
"Empire? Summoned? I don't know if I want you to continue talking" I close my eyes.
"to get this right, you were summoned to our realm using a magical pentagram that........" When starlight doesn't see any reaction she asks.
"Doesn't it surprise you that someone will tear you from your home and transfer you to a completely foreign world?
"I'm surprised yes, But to tell you the truth, it's not the first time, I admit that I haven't seen talking ponies and I'm a little uneasy about it"
Starlight laughs and settles down next to me.
"Really? How many times have you been summoned? And where have you been?
"second time now" still with my eyes closed and ignoring the animal lying near me.
"The first time it changed my life beyond recognition and I would never expect to find myself in a similar situation again, if you are interested in this then no there are no talking ponies"
"I wasn't really interested in that, I was more interested in the reason why you were called there and now what happened" cheerfully waving her frayed tail and smiling waiting for an answer.
"It doesn't matter, it's been a long time"
"You don't have to be afraid to speak, no one is judging you here, after all, we summoned you, your past won't change anything"
"Then why do you need to know" I grunted feeling the warmth and gentle flow of energy from Starlight's body.
"The past makes the present and the future, I'd like to know what you've been through" When she sees that I don't even respond to a nudge with her hoof, she thinks.
"believe that we all have something from the past that we regret, including me, I was quite bad in the past..." She lowers her eyes with visible sadness. She sits up, straightens her disheveled mane with a hoof, and says in a broken voice
"I ummm........kind of enslaved a pony village, I'm not proud of it but I'm thankful that it happened because I was able to be saved by Twilight who became my teacher and role model"
That woke me up, I look up at her and I stare at her in disbelief for a while until she starts to feel uncomfortable, her blue eyes tremble with tears on the edge, which she does not dare to raise and meet my gaze, in fear of what is to come.
"I admit that it's quite an achievement" I smile and pat her on the side.
"You and I are alike, I didn't enslave the village, but I totally understand how you feel.
"really? I was afraid for a moment that I was overdoing it" She lights up like the morning sunrise at those words
"yeah, I also lost my way and in my grief I did things that I regret to this day and certainly not easily forgivable"
"then ask what you're interested in, I won't be able to do anything but talk for a while anyway" I smile and relax on the stone floor.
An excited Starlight And a calmed but exhausted Tropy talk about their past, for that one moment all time stopped, all the problems, suffering and destruction that happens behind the walls of the building seem to cease to exist, like this moment is only for them, for two soul mates.
I walk through the corridor accompanied by the sounds of hooves, the tiled walls have been replaced by a uniform wooden pattern so smooth that I feel the desire to touch the white beauty. The change in environment made the very annoying echo that was part of the previous area disappear, if only I didn't feel the ceiling rubbing against my hair with almost every step, even though I'm leaning forward slightly.
Just relax, after our doctor examines you, you will be able to go out. Starlight slowly says to me as she carries my hand on top of her head like a tick for me to keep my balance.
I don't say anything, we've already had this debate, I know she's not taking me to the doctor because she's worried about my health. It never ceases to amaze me how empty all the corridors are, no decorations, no windows, just doors and not a single creature anywhere. Even the lighting looks like it's going to disappear at any moment. When my support notices me looking around every hallway and open door, she speaks quietly, almost in a whisper.
"Everyone was evacuated, only a few of them remained here and I hope we don't run into them, I think ponies so stressed from what's happening outside because of the war, probably wouldn't survive the sight of an almost two-meter creature that looks like it captured me and led me down the corridor in their safe sanctuary"
" Wouldn't it be better to summon me in some isolated place where no one is? I look questioningly at starlight
"That seems stupid to me" Starlight snorts and continues.
"Why would we waste a room with reinforced walls and a platform made of rare materials that is supposed to be almost indestructible because we don't know what will appear on it" She says ironically with one raised eyebrow looking directly at me.
I understood the hint but it didn't work for me.
"So why did you build it right next to a residential area?
Which almost seemed impossible, starlight raised her eyebrows even higher and I feel the slap of her tail on my back.
" Well, because we absolutely knew that the first instinct of a creature that appeared on the platform would be to break through a wall that was not prepared for such a case at all and it was certainly not the strongest wall in the room, prepared to protect civilians" Her wide eyes flash and the mouth trembles with laughter.
"Well sure, who would do such a thing" My sudden ironic smirk is replaced by a deep laugh, similar to starting an ancient diesel atmospheric engine.
My laughter didn't even last two seconds and I was already knocked over by a purple flood of mane with a blue beam in it that covered my mouth with a hoof.
"I said don't raise your voice" She whispers with her mouth a centimeter from my ear.
Starlight? It came from the end of the corridor, not far from us.
"I admit, this wooden floor is much more pleasant than the cold Stone floor" I say as I take off the small animal and look in the direction of the questioner at the end of the corridor.
Startled by the ease with which I picked her up, Starlight stares for a moment in the direction I placed her, Like a soft toy.
Starlight! It came from the already running pony directly towards us.
My sudden rise to my feet is noticed by starlight, who stares at me for a moment when she notices a pony running directly towards us, white cloak and glowing pink horn ready to attack.
One look was enough for me to recognize an old acquaintance.
"Hello Twilight, I'm Tropy, nice to meet you" I humbly say out loud for her to hear me with a slight smile on my face.
"Everything is fine" Starlight joins me.
Stunned princess transitions from a sprint to a trot, still with a look of disbelief on her face.
"Everything is fine" She repeats when she sees that her teacher hesitates.
"My name is Twilight Sparkle, I am the princess and the head of Equestria, welcome to our land" She says unnecessarily loudly with a fake smile, while showing off her beautiful feathered wings.
"Now follow me" Tight and formal Twilight leaves in the direction she came.
After a long walk through the maze of corridors and staircases, our trio arrive at a white steel door, with two yellow vertical stripes, deeply embedded in the white wall.
"Go in" The white coat turns to me, after opening the massive steel door.
“Right now! She's staring at me with Purple sparkles, her expression stern.
"Twilight, We have to g......" Princess interrupts Starlight.
"You have your work to do, you need to stand in for me while I'm gone" She pointed her hoof at the still dirty and bloody pony with an impatient expression.
Stunned by the angry princess, I watch my surroundings and prepare for the upcoming fight. Starlight notices this and walks up to me and pulls the remains of my T-shirt with her mouth to kneel down to meet her sweet gaze.
"You don't have to worry, Twilight is a bit harsh but not malicious" She says with an overly cute smile to convince me.
I cross my arms while kneeling and think silently with a disbelieving expression, staring deep into the blue pools, which blink a few times and after a short silence, sincerity appears on her face.
"Everything will be fine, I promise" Starlight says my words a little contritely, but you can see that she means it completely sincerely.
I place a faintly glowing hand on Starlight's head and speak.
"If anyone else said that" I pet her until she presses against my hand like a kitten in pleasure, closes her eyes and smiles.
Stunned by what she just saw, Twilight doesn't even flinch as I stoop and walk through a low door into a mysterious, dimly lit room.
"What are you waiting for, go and do your duty, now!" The princess shouts to her apprentice, who leaves indecisively.
"Take your clothes off and sit on the bench" The cloak commands as it turns on the room's lights.
"Is a T-shirt enough? I ask in the meantime as I tear the shreds of the ruined T-shirt off of me.
"I don't know what it is, take it all off" Twilight says without looking at me as she examines the device built into the wall with the front covered in large and small displays and a bunch of cables sticking out of the stern.
"Is it necessary? I say, unwilling to expose myself like a test animal to an intelligent creature.
"You're wasting my time! Where's the problem?" A pink glow flares up, tearing off the remnants of my clothing and shattering large leather military boots as she approaches me with brightly colored cables.
“I'm not saying it'll kill me, but my race isn't comfortable being naked,” I say sitting up as Twilight attaches cables with sticky ends to me.
"That's interesting, tell me more about your race, what's the name of your race? where do you live? What do you eat? What are your hobbies? How advanced is your Military? She talks while wrapping cables around me without looking me in the eyes.
I frown at that last question and a lot of images of ponies walking through magical portals and occupying our planet start running through my head.
"My race is human, the plural is people, we build stone houses, entertainment is a very broad term, but I would say that most people enjoy watching the suffering of others" I calmly answer, while the pink magic controls the machine I'm connected to and emits values to the monitors with beeps and buzzes.
"Continue" Twilight says studying the screens.
"Humans are omnivores, we eat anything that moves or grows out of the ground, but meat is mostly the basis of our diet, actually I should say what not........" I stop my monologue when I notice a stiff twilight staring at me like a dangerous animal.
"If you're afraid I might eat you, you're right." I laugh at my joke and watch the pony's reaction before me.
I was about to speak again when Twilight turns and goes back to the screens. Without a word, the machine turns off and the pink glow, like little hands, removed all the different colored cables from me at once.
“Why was I attached to that machine?
"Just a test to see if you don't carry dangerous or unknown diseases, the machine didn't detect anything wrong" She replies and walks away.
"Like I said, I'm not comfortable being naked, can I get something to wear? I'll talk while I put at least a piece of cloth over my crotch.
"That can be arranged later, we have more important things to do now, come on" She sits down, next to a low stone that looks like a halved boiled egg and the edge with a 20cm thick bar all around.. in all matte white a room made of such smooth material that it seems unreal to me.
I get up with a rag between my legs and crouched down, I walk under the low ceiling, past various devices and equipment full of tables, like in a laboratory for the production of living creatures. I sit down on a small round cushion in white, at a relatively large table in relation to the room, which reaches exactly above my thighs, and I wonder why the board is so thick, what is the table for? And how did they even get here?
"Alright, I'll explain where you are and what's going on" The concentrated pony speaks as she magically transfers a pile of books and scrolls to the table, unable to pay attention to me.
"Starlight already told me" I say watching the stunned princess. "Aaaah..ha..ha..ha...that's nice of her..." Twilight utters heavily as she tries to suppress her anger.
"Is something wrong? I'll ask.
"No! It can't last and she screams, then slams her hooves into the table with all her might, but it doesn't budge as if it's been welded.
"It doesn't matter now," The red-faced Purple Pony calms down.
"So now that you know everything, let's skip all of this and get to the point, are you able and willing to help us with our cause?" Twilight says resignedly, once again cleaning up all the documents except for one small stack of documents.
“Are you able and willing to bring me back from where you took me? I deliberately ask, ignoring her question with a serious expression.
“Able, yes,.......but willing.....? With a shrug and a smile on her face.
Her response disgusted me so much that a deep, long sigh escaped my throat and filled the room, leaving me speechless with my head in my hands, my elbows resting on the cold table. I swear that if this debate continues like this, I will not hold back and will walk through the building through every wall. I think in VERY slowly fading anger.
After a moment of silence, I calm down a bit, but the atmosphere is still too tense, I feel like yelling at her about what's wrong with her, but I can't afford to do that to her. she's not my princess, but she's still the highest ranking authority that demands respect. Plus, she currently rules the entire empire, so it wouldn't be wise to argue with her over something stupid. I'm just sorry that Twilight is not at all like Starlight described her to me, you could say that it's almost the opposite and if she's a bitch just for me, to gain my respect, then it's going to end badly.
"Back on topic" The pony sitting across from me interrupts my thoughts and I raise my head from my hands.
"I am willing to make a deal with you, I have seen a clear demonstration of your power, I believe you will be useful to us and for your help I will return you home" With hooves under her chin, Twilight tries to recruit me.
I ignore the urge to ask how she knows my abilities and join the debate with an already minor twinkle in my eye.
"That would be fair if I were here of my own free will! I'm almost shouting and trying to lower the volume of my speech, with crossed arms and a stern, scowling expression, while on my right hand glowing colors are furiously spilling across the hexagon field, from from my fingertips to my collarbone and shoulder blade as I lose control of my emotions again from the absurdity of the deal and the accumulated stress.
"I understand if it seems unfair to you, but you have no other choice, you won't come back without my help" The princess responds calmly and sits straight on her leather pillow, hoping that I will give up.
As I slowly lose my self-control with the urge to break the table in half, jump on the pony in front of me and do the same with her body, Twilight continues her speech.
“Well then, tell me what you want in return for fighting for me?” The pony says calmly, aware of the danger without showing it.
But I can't hear anymore, I'm consumed with rage and I'm fighting furiously for control of my body, my field of vision is slowly turning red, the rainbow on my hand is flying like water constantly crashing against a cliff at tremendous speed, my heart is pounding in a fit of rage, without the only chance to calm down.
I've had enough, to hell with princesses, to hell with war, to hell with all of you, you call me here with such pain that one even thinks about suicide, there is no way back. Thoughts rush through my head aggressively, with ever-increasing rage I grab onto the table to keep from falling with wide bloodshot eyes. They kidnap me and then blackmail me to help them, no..NO..NO!!! IT ENDS HERE, I'LL END IT.....................?
I'm jolted out of my thoughts by a deafening blast, so loud that Twilight jumps away with her wings taut like springs from the table and covers her ears. I watch her for a while, with the anger disappearing and the ringing in my ears, I notice that I'm holding a piece of stone table in my hands, which I'm staring at absently. As soon as the Pincess hesitantly sits back down at the table, my sanity and self-awareness return, I see that I have indeed broken the stone half-circle off the table that I had until now in my hands. It seemed massive enough to withstand the impact of a fully loaded truck.
Twilight just stares in shock at the massive shard I placed on top of the rest of the broken table.
"Sorry, I got a little lost in my thoughts" I say meekly towards the literally staring pony.
"It's not possible" Twilight blurts out after a while
"that table was made of stone that even the most experienced craftsman could not work, no one has ever made a scratch on it" says the still stunned princess.
When I look at the table now, it's really just a gray oval stone with protrusions, dimples, and the top is beautifully straight and smooth, like when a geode is cut open. I didn't notice it before, but it has a beautiful design, like a light gray island washed by dark waves in the middle of a lake bordered by white cliffs, now only 3/4 of the way now see the brilliant white broken bottom of the gray lake.
"It's a beautiful stone" I say, running my hand over the perfectly smooth surface of the stormy lake as I put the rest of the table aside.
"Indeed" Twilight agreed.
"I'll fight for you when we declare our allegiance to each other and you send word to my friends that I'm fine" Now completely calm and fully sane, I caress with a pleasantly cold stone.
"What do you mean?" asks the princess.
"It's simple, you'll swear on your life that you'll try to do whatever I ask of you and I'll do the same, that'll be a trust and an unbreakable contract between us that binds us as long as the war lasts or one of us dies" I briefly explain my idea
Twilight thinks. I can't do that, regardless of the fact that he's a complete stranger, so the princess can't promise her life..........although, but the price for Equestria is low and I would lay down my life for it. What if he can't win the war? I swear my life to someone who becomes just a private soldier and then what? I will be the laughing stock of the whole country, and myself. What if he orders me to do something that will annoy me and humiliate me?
"You probably didn't understand me" I address the panicking pony.
"I'm listening" Twilight replies and sits still with effort.
"I said you would swear your allegiance to me and I to you, neither you nor I have superior power over the other, it's about creating a balance" Seeing Twilight watching me with growing calm I continue.
"It's not a trick to control you, I'll give you an example: best friends who always help each other even if it doesn't always pay off, but they do it because they feel it's their duty, even with the part that if they're in danger, they're willing to put their own lives on the line for protection.” I watch the understanding grow on her face as I explain the idea of an oath to her.
"I understand, it's not about domination, but about achieving the trust of two individuals who don't know each other and don't trust each other" She looks at me with a knowing expression.
"I'm still against it because of my position, but it's the fastest way to solve our situation, I'll go with your suggestion, show me how it's done" The outspoken leader of her empire and even with hints of resistance, she is willing to sacrifice herself for the good of her subjects.
As soon as I get to the crystal castle, I see that a carriage with an armed guard is standing in front of it, so it means that Twilight has finally arrived from Canterlot from the meeting. I hope she is not busy, I would like to finally talk to her. I think to myself as I walk past sharp looking guards in gold armor, they out of familiarity, greeted me with a nod.
The inside seems empty, nobody is here, I continue to the main room, where armed guards are standing in front of the door again, this time even tougher, with stronger armor and huge heavy spears. I can't stop thinking how funny it is that even their soldiers reach up to my chest, I feel like in kindergarten. Without a hint of what I'm thinking right now with the corners of my mouth twitching, I greet familiar faces who without a doubt lead me to a large hall with a big round stone table without chairs. A room of purple and blue crystals that holds a table so large in the middle that if a wedding party were placed on it, it would look like an ordinary breakfast. As soon as I looked for Twilight in the underwater crystal cave, I noticed that she was talking to someone behind such a thick pillar that I could only see her butt and tail, which did not even move. I stood at a discreet distance so I wouldn't accidentally hear something I shouldn't have and I waited for the princess to notice me.
Okay, I'll take note, Twilight says, then steps out from behind the pillar where no one else is coming out.
“What do you need? No interest in her face.
"You said that when you're in Ponyville, you're going to involve me in war and and other important things" I say while I try to be calm and not notice how unpleasant Twilight is.
"I don't have time for that right now, if you don't need anything else, you can go" A winged pony in a read leather decorated coat replies with a hoof pointed at the door without looking at me.
"Have you figured out how to contact my friends yet? I watch her ignore me without saying a word, and when she doesn't answer for a while and doesn't raise her head from the table, I turn and leave the spiky castle.
On my life I swear, I hear those words again. Exhaling a held breath from my beardless jaw, I close my eyes and tilt my head back so that the afternoon sun warms my lightly tanned face. I remember that day as if it were today, until now I feel anger, confusion and helplessness........I rub my eyes......it's true that before debating with Twilight I was planning to join the war, after what Starlight told me about it and that it's the reason why I'm here but damn, that doesn't mean I'm going to be humiliated and blackmailed. The loyalty oath is the best outcome I could have hoped for, but it's totally useless if she continues to ignore me, I just hope Twilight doesn't try to twist it somehow because she is definitely not as nice, friendly and understanding as Starlight claimed.
Confused still in my head, I feel the grass on my bare feet, I look behind me and watch the village full of busy ponies illuminated by the rays of the sun through holes in a few fluffy white clouds across the sky. I walk slowly to the accompaniment of birdsong and other sounds enjoying the sunny day. As I tread the grass from the receding village, I think. I can't survive on apples and sweets for very long, what am I going to do? The only thing left for me is to start hunting and looking for spices in the woods. I smirk at the disgusting work that hunting and preparing animals entails. I don't have anything to hunt them with, I don't know the survival course in the wild, so trap production falls and I can't track either. I slap my forehead and stop for a moment with my eyes closed, looking directly into the sun, while the muscles on my body draw shadows, in the middle of a raised meadow where the grass dances in the pleasant breeze.
Poke.......poke....poke, poke.
“Sight…why are you poking me? I ask, just waking up in the grass.
“Why are you here?” Starlight asks with one hoof on my chest.
“Does it matter? I answer sleepily and fall asleep again.
"Is something wrong?" She says as she sits next to me under the rays of the orange sun that is about to set.
When I don't answer for a while, Starlight repeatedly pokes me and repeats the question. When I still don't answer, not because I haven't woken up, but because I don't feel like talking, Starlight decides that the best way to get my attention is to jump right on my stomach until I spit the air out of my lungs, under the weight of the animal, and now I'm looking up at the sky.
"Are you going to talk to me now?" Says the heavy animal lying on top of me.
"Don't you want to get off me? I'm not an attraction" I say, without a single movement and close my eyes again.
"Come on, tell me what happened this time" She rolls off of me onto the grass next to me on her back.
"I don't like it anymore" I start talking.
"She didn't have time for me again, she doesn't want to tell me anything about the war, she doesn't want to tell me anything about the enemy, she almost never tells me anything when I talk to her" I describe my thoughts disappointedly and continue.
" I don't understand what's going on, you call me here for help and then I'm sitting here and I'm bored, what's the point? so why am I here? What's Twilight's problem?! I shout angrily
"That doesn't sound like Twilight at all, aren't you exaggerating again?"
"Don't say I'm exaggerating, she's always like that when I talk to her" I say and put my hands behind my head.
"It's true that she is often angry, but this really doesn't sound like her" The pony rolls onto its side.
"I think it's since I mentioned that you told me about the war"
"It's possible, I got a loooong lecture about it, I'm not supposed to share internal information, she was so angry that she ignored it when I told her that I didn't discuss anything important with you" The pony remembers with a look to the sky.
“Why did you actually tell her that you know everything? Starlight wonders.
"Mainly because I was uncomfortable being naked, Plus Twilight was obnoxious, so I wanted to speed up the conversation as much as possible," I answer.
"Do you want to help with this?" Starlight asks lying corpse-like on her side.
" You look exhausted, did you work late into the night again? I ask, but she passes it by in silence, motioning for me to continue with tired eyes.
"I'm still thinking about it.............it's hard to help when I don't know how.....................or where............ Starlight? I turn to see her slowly falling asleep.
"I thought of something, but I'll need your help," I turn on my side and pet the animal so that it wakes up a bit from fatigue.
"I remembered the problem you have with researching the enemy, if I could capture one of them and bring them back alive or dead it probably doesn't matter, I could help with the research and improve my relationship with Twilight"
"That probably won't be so good, you know that neither you nor I can go against Twilight and this requires a lot of planning and soldiers that she shouldn't know about, it's considered treason" She says slowly with her eyes closed.
"That's the best thing about that plan, I'll go alone" I smile at the brilliant idea.
" Are you out of your mind?! With a flash of green she disappeared and appeared with her front hooves on my chest with her head down without signs of fatigue.
"Think about it, It's perfect, if I go alone I won't be risking any lives but my own, which Twilight doesn't really care about anyway, all I'll need from you is that you told me where the nearest enemy base is, Twilight still thinks you told me everything, so...............even you won't go against the princess with that" I gradually smile more and more as I come up with more and more things to say immediately.
" I know you're strong and I don't want to underestimate you but this is madness, even Princess Luna couldn't handle the onslaught of their troops and until now she is unconscious and she was lucky and she was considered the strongest of us." She looks at me with fear and doubt.
"I didn't expect it to be easy, but you're probably right" Thoughtfully, my gaze goes to the red sun in its setting that illuminates the pony standing over me.
Starlight breathes a sigh of relief, she sat down next to me and also watches the sun as she says quietly.
I'm glad I let you talk me into lying down here on the grass" She reminisces.
"Yeah, I still remember how you stared blankly at what I was doing and how I could just rest in the time of war" I smile with a red glow on my face.
"It was a beautiful day, I still can't believe how exhausted I was that I immediately fell asleep." With a sweet smile she looks dreamily into the past.
"It's funny how we were looking for the way home after dark because I didn't want to wake you up because you were sleeping like a baby." I laugh and suddenly realize something, while Starlight blushes in embarrassment.
"That's a good idea" I sit down with my chin in my hand,
"I'll go there at night, I'll ambush one of them and drag them back to us, thus avoiding a fight" I say to Starlight's face.
"I don't know" She looks directly into my smiling eyes.
"what if something happens to you?" Starlight said ahead of me.
We sit in silence, staring into each other as the last rays of the red giant play with the colors of the mane and coat of the pony in front of me. Me stunned by her concern for me and her by my willingness to risk my life, we listen to the rustling of the leafy trees from the forest, which stretches along the meadow where we sit and wait for whoever will be the first to break the gentle and cold silence, because of the disappearing sun that no longer wants to give us warmth and only illuminates the tips of the trees.
When the silence is already Too long and the gloom thickens, I sit right up to her and put my hands on her shoulders.
"Please" I say quietly, staring into her disbelieving face.
"Even if you could do it, how....what will you do if .......How will you drag him to......" Starlight's head is running one thought after another, so loud that even I can hear them.
I still hold the purple fear until she calms down and looks at me again. I wait, I won't tell her anything until I'm sure she perceives me.
"You don't have to worry, I'll be back" I put my hand on her head from the grass that I sweep to the ground.
" So you won't change your mind, you want to do it no matter what I say.............................fine............................... I'll help you" She looks at the ground for a moment and then back at me.
"But answer me one question, do you REALLY want to take that risk just to please the princess or help with the research?" She points out and looks at me without blinking.
"No" I smile.
"Since I've been here I've been shaking with excitement until I get to fight again" My smile widens so that I look like a snarling animal.
Disappointed, I stand with my eyes closed in the village after a failed hunt, I hoped that I would be able to get at least a piece of roast meat before the demanding event. While as the villagers walk around me resembling colorful ants, I hear those words again. On my life I swear. I keep hearing it over and over the last words of the oath. Until the war ends or one of us dies. I laugh out loud. Our agreement won't last very long if I die of hunger, it will be funny without meat and vegetables. I say with a slight fit of laughter.
“You're training for the local lunatic Tropy? the voice chuckled.
"Starlight" I smile as I turn around and open my eyes.
"I didn't keep you waiting too long, did I? Didn't you go crazy in the meantime? Violet giggles right in front of me.
"I don't know for sure, it depends on what news you bring" I smile and follow Starlight who invited me with a nod.
"Of course good, I told you I was only going to find her, not to convince her, Rarity is a good friend of mine, she wouldn't reject me" chirped pony walking next to me.
After a short walk to a small round building, shaped like a circus tent, Starlight stops in front of the door and chats.
"Rarity is very sensitive, try to be considerate and above all don't ask her about nothing about her life and especially the past, you'd better not ask anything at all" She fixed me with a longing look that I take everything she said dead serious.
"Your hypnosis doesn't work on me" I laugh and open the door for her who walks in first into the carefully colored decorated bar covered in dirt and dust.
After entering the dusty round room in the convoy behind the Violet who leads me past a lot of sewing racks covered in gray fabric like the windows. Because of the poor lighting, everything around seems dirty and colorless, as if someone cleaned everything up many years ago and moved away. As soon as we pass the first room, we find ourselves at the top of the stairs in a corridor that leads to a couple of side doors. After passing through the only open door, we notice that on the opposite side, under the only window in the room, which is also covered with a gray cloth, a white pony is sitting at the table with its back to us.
"Rarity?" Starlight said quietly with some concern in her voice.
"I can't believe I'm here" Says the white pony peeking out of the window through the hole in the cloth.
"Why did you want to meet right here?" Says the desperate Rarity, still with her back to us, with undisguised sadness in her voice and subsequent calming down.
"I wouldn't have looked for you and disturbed you if it wasn't urgent," Starlight replies quietly.
"But Why here? The purple mane meows quietly into the silence, while Starlight slowly approaches her.
"Don't be angry, but I coul........." Interrupted starlight stops speaking.
"Of all places, why this?! Rarity exclaims in a sneer of sadness.
"I promised myself that I would be strong when you asked me for help, but when I'm here....I.............." Because of the incoming crying, she can no longer speak, she turns and looks with her tearful eyes directly into the blue ones who stand opposite her.
I stand quietly in oblivion and watch as one pony comforts another in an embrace. The two ponies sit across from each other and embrace, Starlight stroking the mane at the back of Rarity's neck as the soft sunlight illuminates her purple mane, through the holes in the gray fabric of the window, in the dark room. I see Rarity crying with her snout buried in Starlight's mane, in a tight desperate hug.
"I'm sorry" Starlight whispers to the shaking pony in her arms.
"I didn't know you'd have such a problem coming back here after so many years," Continues starlight.
"Me too, I thought it was over, that I was over it, that's why I agreed to it when you asked me" She wipes her tears.
"But when I came, my memories started coming back and I saw her everywhere" She cries again and hugs Starlight harder, with a long flowing cry.
It was stupid of me to watch them and do nothing, but what could I do? I don't know what it's about, I'm not allowed to ask about it, so I just stood there the whole time until the situation calmed down.
As the two ponies separate, they smile at each other as Starlight wipes Rarity's tears from her eyes while her own are wet.
Starlight apologizes to Rarity once more as she helps her up and was about to explain why she called her when Rarity thanked Starlight. This was so unexpected to Starlight that she stands in silence looking at the pony in front of her.
" I... I've needed it for a long time........ whine....... I tried to run away from it, but when I thought it was good it always came back to me, sooner or later I would have to do it anyway, face the past"
" I like to hear that? Starlight stands stunned.
"I'll be fine........................tell me what's so urgent." Rarity says with a small smile and still moist eyes.
It's unbelievable how strong the self-confidence of a pony who just a moment ago was sitting in tears in a hug and comforting from Starlight. Without hesitation, she listened to Starlight's plea and introduced me. One would think that it is perhaps impossible to throw her off balance, but still I was careful about what I said and followed what starlight asked me to do.
After some time I explained to Rarity what the clothes I need should look like, she walked around me with a meter and her horn circled around me like a hungry shark who wants to bite my belly. We discussed measurements, material and cutting methods. Unfortunately, I couldn't show her the old clothes because Twilight destroyed them.
While Rarity was busy working on my suit with the help of Starlight, I went over the plans of the nearest enemy camp and its surroundings. I don't have much information about the blacks, among the documents I found a parchment that captures the knowledge they have about them, but as I said, it's just one parchment with a few warning labels.
-Black Demon-
A two-legged creature one meter tall. Agile, acrobatic and often clumsy. Skinny without a tail. high morale. They don't run away from a fight. Always supported by his mates. Attacks only with upper limbs.
They wear black armor that covers their entire body. Batches are separated by colored stripes on the helmet. A private soldier does not have stripes.
Race- unknown. Place of birth - unknown. Language - unknown. Food - unknown. Mating - unknown. Cubs - unknown. Skin color - unknown. Blood color - green. Race character - unknown. Jump height - one and a half meters.
Armor material - unknown. Weapons Material - Unknown. Weapons - unknown (one handed without shield)
Attention! Extremely dangerous! Extremely fast! Extremely strong! Unpredictable! They never walk alone! As soon as you come across a black man alone, run away.
That's pretty depressing, Are you telling me this is all the information they have for five years of war? How is that even possible? Starlight told me that they never managed to get an enemy body because the blacks take all their corpses away, but this is almost absurd. It looks like it will end up being a suicide mission. I stop thinking about it and continue to focus on the map of the enemy area.
After some time studying documentaries, Violet walked into my room.
I went to another room to have some peace and be able to concentrate.
As soon as I saw her, I greeted her and together we sit in front of the papers and discuss the plan of action for a while, how is the suit and then we take a break for a while and I ask about Rarity.
" How is she?
"Thanks to work, she doesn't think about anything else, I'm happy to see her smile" Starlight replies and continues when she sees that I want to ask something else.
"If you want to ask about what happened to Rarity, please leave it for another time" She stops me.
"I'm not saying I'm not interested in what happened to her, but I'd rather ask about the food, I can't hunt and it's just........" In a moment I'm silenced by a green light covering my mouth.
"Quiet..." She looks out the door into the corridor and closes it quietly behind her.
"Never mention killing animals, anywhere" Says the enchantress, she lets go of my mouth and continues.
"1. You will not hunt, never" "2. We don't kill animals, hunting is considered murder in our country" "3. If Rarity found out, I don't know what she would do and I don't even want to know" The Violet whispers in my ear.
"Okay, well, I'll stop with that, but what should I do? The princess doesn't care what happens to me and I'm running out of time...............I guess I'll have to eat her" I laugh.
"That's what Twilight mentioned to me, she looked scared when she told me you eat meat and when you told her you'd eat her too" She looks at me reproachfully as I laugh harder.
"Doesn't she have a sense of humor?" I ask, wiping away tears.
"I think it was a bad time for such a joke, but I admit that her scared expression when telling the story was funny" Starlight laughs.
"Now you think it's funny, but it hasn't been that long since you cried in my claws out of fear, were you afraid I'd eat you? I smile at her with the look of a crazy clown.
"It's not true, it was a misunderstanding, I didn't cry because of fear of you, but because of the pain in my nose when you breathed on me" She reflects my joke against me and we laugh together.
"So what do you think I should do? I'll ask calmly.
"Haven't you forgotten what to do when you need something?" She smiles at me and blinks in an exaggerated comical way as if she's flirting.
After eating a dangerous amount of cakes, pies and apples without getting diabetes, we returned to our duties.
Darkness, made even darker by the deep forest through which the sky cannot be seen.
A deep night, so deep that it swallowed all the colors of this world and so I make my way through this black and gray lifeless region where not a single animal makes a sound. I don't know if all the animals are dead or just ran away, but the silence around me without a single little sound scares me so much that it gives me chills, because animals only make sounds when they feel safe.
Only thanks to the great invention that I managed to take away from Twilight's laboratory, I can at least see the outlines of the surroundings. It's not much, but it's better than the complete darkness in which even a lit match would drown. I quietly make my way through the thicket of the slowly thinning forest, in which the sky is still not visible. According to the plan, I studied carefully, I should be there by now, the territory between allies and enemies is only one kilometer. According to Starlight, the enemy's base is an old forest settlement with a stone tower that served as a food warehouse from which the ponies were driven out by the war.
When I catch sight of the first lights marking enemy territory, I'm crouched down so I'm almost lying down, slowly creeping out of sight of the lights of their built wall. I don't see a single enemy anywhere, I hope they are not sleeping, I will not drag them out of bed like this for the evening. I laughed in my head at the thought.
As soon as I got into an advantageous position from where I had a good view on a nearby hill, I looked out for my prey.
I am watching a village with five houses in a circle and in its center a huge tower that rises high into the sky and everything is surrounded by a temporary wall. There is not much lighting, it is strange how little light they have there, how could they see in the dark?
It wasn't long before I saw some guards walking through the gate from the forest, which scared me a little. I just hope that none of them saw me while I walked past them like a complete idiot without noticing them.
After some more waiting and no alarm, I calmed down and again began to look for the victim, which appeared unexpectedly quickly. I watched one of the soldiers slowly made his way around the wall, to a part where there wasn't much lighting or anything that someone could hide behind.
That's ideal, as soon as he gets to the darkest part, I'll wait for him, as he gets closer I'll grab him and run away, the worse thing is how to silence him. Then I'll have to get him across the fifty meters of bare, treeless area that surrounds the entire base. I slapped my face and set out with determination.
Unfortunately, I didn't choose a very good spot for observation, not in terms of watching the enemy but moving towards him, I was on a rather steep hill and a few times it was enough for me to slip on a stone or slippery moss, just thanks to the occasional tree sticking out of the rock which I could catch.
As soon as I said to myself a thousand times that I promised to come back when I said goodbye, I really got to the bottom of the hill on which there was already a solid base of grass, not just stone and moss, although there were still a few trees around me, but it was already threatening the risk of someone finding me out. Nobody knows if they can see in the dark, I can't take any chances.
Since it was clear to me that I was very late coming down the hill, I have to move fast to make the date. I was crawling like a snake in water crawling for life.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I hit the wall. I watch the plain I crawled to illuminated by the moonlight, with lots of stumps and plants left after the quick felling of trees. Be a well-made disguise, or the magic that is in the uniform, that no one noticed me, I did not hesitate.
Climbing the wall is no problem, as it is just logs piled on top of each other, something like a beaver dam. Damn, I think when I climb the logs sticking out in different directions and realize I'm going too late, my catch is gone.
Damn it, I'll repeat myself and I'm about to leave because I'm too visible here. As I turn to go down, I notice that from the direction my previous victim went, another black comes back, at least I think it's different.
Crouched and hidden among the logs, I wait for the victim who approaches me along the wall. Only the first rays of the carried light source bounce off the green topaz covering my right eye, one broken neck and a black one is served in front of me, ready to go. Because they are small, they have weak necks and big heads, he didn't even have a chance to scream, it was just a moment like opening a bottle cap.
In no time I have him tied up on my shoulder in thickly stitched fabric and I'm climbing to freedom. Not that I don't want to be an optimist, but it seems too simple for them to be so dangerous, and I think of the moment I jump from the wall into an area full of trampled grass and stumps. I make sure I'm approaching in the right direction, still facing the high rocky hill I've almost fallen off several times, but this time I'll take a safer route around it.
That body is much heavier than I expected, with sweat running down my greasy green masking paste on my face, that isn't supposed to reflect light. I hear the gate of the fortress has opened, from which lights are coming out towards me, I see them with a brief glance behind me I don't even have time to utter a curse word and there are two blacks standing in front of me, right next to the hill among the trees.
This is quite a stupid situation, black behind me and in front of me, all that's left is........that I am straining at all......COME ON!! I scream and run as the enemy approaches me from all sides.
The two blacks in front of me are not in a hurry as I run towards them, they draw short swords of shiny black armor that makes them well visible in the dark thanks to the moonlight.
I'm not going to talk to them or stop for a coffee, I don't stop as soon as I'm near them, I grab my rider's leg and use him as a club. Thanks to the great weight of the corpse, I manage to repel both attackers far enough that I can unfortunately climb the hill while the army of blacks chases after me.
As soon as I cross several dangerous and slippery places with a black sack on my back, I wish it was a sack of potatoes and I run to the top of the hill and rush through the forest towards home. Unfortunately, it didn't last long, the lights like Fireflies in the forest fly around me. Well, there is not much to think about, the only free direction is the upward direction. If I pass them, I can then leave in peace.
But I don't care anymore, I think when a branch from the tree above falls in front of my feet, from where the crack of wood and falling goblins are now coming.
I'm running, zigzagging through the little scum that keeps crossing my path and trying to stop me, with an ever-increasing weight on my back that seems heavier and heavier with each step. As much as it amazes me how fast they are for how small their legs are, there is absolutely no chance of me running away from them. One after the other like an endless line of people interested in the attraction, They jump after me and try to hit me, avoiding their fast and insidious attacks becomes almost unthinkable.
Sweaty and sore from the body still hitting my back, I find myself surrounded, there is no way I can go on or back, no, I am now trapped by a black wall with sharp spikes ready to fend off anyone who wants to pass through it. With a spit, I throw the heavy corpse to the ground, with the memory of the sword from my dimension on my mind, I draw my dagger towards an iron-like material that is quite heavy for its size.
Drenched in sweat and dirty from the ubiquitous wet dirt that I fell on several times after a few attacks by the enemy, I wait to see if the wall will move or if I will have to go to it first, and in the end I will change my mind, I won't wait even a moment. In a quick movement, I throw one of the corpses in front of me so as to defeat one of the skittles, I rush between them and, two blacks tried to stop me, after one I threw a dagger as I ran, which bounced off the helmet with sparks, did not hurt him, but stunned him for a moment long enough for me to catch the second black in a jump by the attacking arm with a small sword and threw him like a doll, while I catch a rather nasty blow from the goblin behind me who cut me across the shoulder blades with his sword.
I roll sideways and find myself surrounded again. I can feel the wound on my back hissing softly as it closes under the cut camouflage fabric made of the dark colors of nature.
I didn't expect the cloth to deflects anything, after all it's just cloth no matter how strong and how heavily stitched this one is, but I really didn't expect the enemy's weapon to pass through them so easily and inflict such damage, even though the cloth is enchanted with protective and defensive spells. My thoughts race as I watch the Enemies move around me. This is really not good if.......... Before I could even finish my thought, I was already dodging a back attack with a quick swipe at my neck, I tried to grab him, while the Second Black's Sword that attacked me from the side.
I'm not thinking about anything anymore, I'm concentrating on avoiding the nimble bastards, who are now circling around me like a swarm of hungry mosquitoes. My reflexes sharpen with each dodge, my attack more crushing, surrounded by a circle of constantly attacking enemies, my body is as focused as ever. With my body covered in blood, I smile in the euphoria of a long-suppressed desire to fight. Like a cat I parry and avoid one attack that is followed by another without the first one ending at such a speed that the trees melt into one.
Blood flows all over my body because the injuries I receive come much faster than I can heal, because I can't dodge anymore, the black ones rush at me like a pack of jackals, they attack quickly and effectively. They are like a machine, a coordinated machine that works incredibly well, one body, one being, look to the left, an attack will come from the right, a moment of inattention behind my back and I see the tip of the blade from my stomach.
In a fit of aggression and frustration, I punch the ground with such force that the ground shakes enough to make most of my enemies lose their balance. One long exhalation in a forward bend with my eyes eager for blood, a trembling body full of adrenaline shoots like a slingshot at the first enemy I see, does not have time to make a single sound and my right hand crushes the helmet with the skull on the ground. I grabbed the corpse and threw it at the approaching enemy on my back, who knocked him down in flight, like a hungry wolf I jumped at him and before he hit the ground I held him with my right hand the larynx, the only place where he did not have armor so resistant. Only a short squeal broke the silence before a high-pitched howl from the blacks around me.
With renewed strength and determination, they surrounded me like a wild animal and attacked one after another until the beast fell.
Where is he? Says Starlight in an unlit wooden house. We should have been back a long time ago, what will I do if someone comes looking for me? What shall I say? But I can't just leave, I promised to wait for him here, but he is already very late, the moon is already setting, if he doesn't come soon........... Starlight is snapped out of her thoughts by a loud roar that echoes through the forest. It sounded like.......... Starlight doesn't finish again as the ground shakes with the wooden floor beneath her feet and then...... grave silence.
KRRRRAAACHHH!!! Something breaks through the ceiling of the house with splinters and wood landing on the plank floor, which withstands the impact of the body with a groaning crack. The frightened pony screams, As soon as she realizes it's Tropy, she jumps on him like a frog and disappears with a green flash.
Meanwhile, Tropy is lying on the ground without a single sign of life, Starlight is literally tearing off shreds of shredded clothing which is far from resembling clothing.
Frightened pony looks for any serious injury on the lying body, his hair is full of dried blood, but he doesn't see any fresh or any wounds. She presses her ear to his chest After finding nothing to indicate Tropy's death, except a body full of gashes.
Heart pounding, starlight takes a breath and calms down a bit, so why aren't all his wounds closing? She asks herself as she watches dozens of thin cuts slowly ooze blood. Starlight was preparing for a similar situation, that it might not turn out well if he came back seriously injured, so under the village of Ponyville where the staff complex is located, she prepared one room as a temporary infirmary and accommodation.
No sooner had she washed him of the ubiquitous blood, bandaged his wounds, placed him in the double bed, and she notices something strange on the floor in a pile of rags from his clothes, a green light picks up the pouch in dark brown leather and brings it right under the pony's snout, who smiles after looking inside it. Covers the patient and she disappears in a flash of green leaving the room dark and silent.
The soft white light slowly turns yellow-orange to an absorbing red-orange that rises high from all the roofs, windows and doors of the houses in the area. Tall creatures flee and leaping over the corpses of their fellows where no one is safe from the flames consume the streets like a hungry creature, with a heat so strong it has no escape that consumes the last living creatures within reach, in the presence of the sharp glow of the flame. Small wooden houses falling apart not only from the effects of the flames, but also from causing significant damage before they burst into flames. Countless charred, dismembered, corpses decorate the streets like pebbles in a fireplace, while a single pony at a sufficient distance from the fire watches everything.
After a moment of shock from what she is witnessing, she begins to approach the burning village, walking along charred bodies, through the remains of stone streets burned white, lined with the ruins of buildings, without a single life, until she comes to a tall building with a bell tower, which is also burning but does not tend to crash. Through the wide open double-winged gate, it is clear that the building is completely empty. Without stopping, she continues and discovers that the deeper she goes, the worse the surroundings are.
With nothing more than ruins and building foundations covering the area, the pony sees a low black flame in the center of it all. When she approaches it, she discovers that it is a burning figure holding a smaller person.
She sits down next to them and looks at the smoldering wreckage behind which the remains of the buildings are still burning.
She looks around for a moment until her gaze stops at the creature in the arms of the figure, she realizes that it is not two figures , but a flame in the shape of a figure holding an apparently dead figure.
"Who is that?" The pony asks, looking at the figure in the arms of the flame.
"What are you doing here?" The flame replies, disinterested in her.
"I was worried about you" The animal looks up at the flame.
"Why?" The flame answers confusedly, looking at the animal.
"What happened here? She indicates everything around, but the flame turns its head and looks ahead again without interest.
"Where are we, I don't recognize it here? When the pony doesn't see any reaction, she calmly continues.
" Did you know the people of this village? Still no response, but she doesn't give up.
" Why are you burning? She tries again.
"You're just as curious and talkative as I remember you, you'll tell me why you're really here"
"As I said before, I was worried about you and so......."
"I've heard that already" the flame pony interrupts his speech.
"And what do you want me to say?" Ask the pony little desperately.
"You don't even know what's going on, there's panic, fear everywhere and you're accused of treason, that you joined the side of the enemies that you're now leading against us, I don't know how much longer I can stand it" She has a downcast head, her first tears slowly begin to appear.
As soon as the first tear falls to the ground, a glow of flame surrounds her, and she lies with her head resting on his lap. The girl with closed eyes and the pony lie with their heads in the lap of flames caressing their heads. The stressed pony relaxed and all the sadness fell from her.
After they've been there for a while while time hasn't moved, the pony then asks.
" Where are we?
"This is, or rather was, the village of Almar, a beautiful village full of various lovely beings" The flame answers very slowly.
"What happened here" The pony purrs like a kitten as she is scratched on a sensitive spot on her neck.
"You can see for yourself what happened" The flame replies calmly.
" Is this the reason for your daily nightmares? After the pony says those words he stops with his hand still on her head.
"How do you know this?" He asks cautiously.
The pony sigh sand steps up to face the flames and says.
"I've known about your nightmares since the first day, every time you fall asleep and I see that you're having that terrible dream again, I go after you and every time I try to ask you what happened.............. .” She looks desperately at the flame who doesn't know what to think first.
"You mean to tell me that every time I saw you, you weren't just a figment of my imagination? But how could you be?" Replies the flame in disbelief.
"It doesn't matter now, tell me what happened here and I'll tell you what's going on in the real world" She sits down.
After a moment of silence, when it looks like the pony wants to make him talk again, the flame interrupts her speech.
Don't worry Glimi, you don't have to convince me to talk.
This is the memory of when I was first summoned, I wanted to tell you when we met, because you confided what you regret the most, but I couldn't.....I'm so sorry.
He looks sadly at Glimi and continues.
All this around was caused by my desire for power, before I was very self-centered and eternally angry, I would do anything to achieve what I desire. Once I was at the bottom after they kidnapped my friend named Noria, whom I met in this world, she was a member of my group of five that I formed to defeat the demon that was terrorizing the whole empire and at the same time after defeating him, the way home. He runs his hand through the girl's golden hair and looks at her sadly for a moment and continues.
But I underestimated his strength, without proper preparation and planning we faced him. He killed two of my party, leaving only me and Alleyne, who was Nora's sister. I swore to her that I would do everything to save her sister and together we set out for revenge.
And just at that moment when I ran into him again, he almost killed me, but he let me live, left me lying badly wounded, and it was only a matter of time before I died. With my will, aggression, and hatred towards him, I summoned something that not only saved my life, but offered me a trade.
If I give him what he wants, he will give me what I desire most, But I was still blinded by the rage of hatred and revenge, I did not hesitate and immediately made a deal with him.
As soon as the flame said this, his right hand stopped burning with black flame, revealing pure smooth skin with a serenely flowing iridescent color on a deep hexagon field that looked like it was varnished and polished from the fingers to the shoulder.
This was the deal, he took my arm and gave me this, with the incredible power in it, I was able to destroy anything that came my way. The flame once again consumed the right arm.
Silence reigned again, Glimi, who is still in shock from what she just heard, stares in disbelief and doesn't know what to say. The flame lowers its head and looks sadly at the girl in its lap again.
What happened here, what I did with these villages is what changed my whole life, the moment I realized I couldn't live like before, I became dangerous for everyone around me and I swore on my life to learn the power to control, which proved impossible.
It took me decades and I was still able to control only a part of that power, so I still have to be careful and control myself a lot so that the power doesn't control me and the next town or village doesn't end up like this one.
Now that you know the truth, I understand if you want to leave and keep a safe distance from me.
"How could you spend decades learning to control that power when you look so young? The pony asks
"Another effect of that power" The flame shows that he doesn't want to talk about it anymore.
......
"But that doesn't make sense, when you have so much power and you're afraid you'll lose control, so why do you fight? Glimi doesn't want to stop talking.
"Because I'm a soldier, I love fighting, when I have abilities with which I can change the outcome of the battle, I won't hide somewhere closed" Answered the flame quietly.
"I'm glad you told me" She smiles and puts her hoof on his leg for a moment before sitting down.
"Thank you for the story, but now I'll tell you. Right now, you're lying unconscious in the room I locked you in so no one could find you, Twilight is completely insane, she's accusing you of betrayal and she wants your head, and it's all about me because we spent a lot of time together, plus attacks on our territory from the base you were in" Blurts out the pony and waits for an answer.
"Unconsciousness? What happened?" Flame says in surprise.
" Well, I don't know, you literally flew back from your mission, broke through the ceiling of the house where you were supposed to be waiting, and have been unconscious ever since. You told me a lot about your abilities, but nothing about what to do when you in unconsciousness" She trembles with impatience for an answer.
The flame stands and kneels before the Glim and utters.
"How long have I been in this state?
"Day 3" Startled by his serious voice.
"Now listen to me carefully, if I am out for this long, it can have serious consequences, it means that my body is too weak to regenerate and be able to defend itself against the power that surfaced, You have to wake me up at all costs" He holds Glimi behind her cheeks and stares sternly into her eyes.
"But how? I've already tried almost everything, treated and bandaged your bleeding wounds, I've tried healing magic, but nothing works" She whimpered.
"Well, listen, if my wounds don't heal, no one will, it means that I have some object in my body that is either poisoned or is in such a bad place that my body is not able to deal with it. Now the most important thing, I'll wake up incredibly weak and have terrible trouble controlling myself, NOBODY can come near me! Got it?'' He shakes the pony to emphasize his words.
"Now hurry, the sooner you solve this the better"
Without saying goodbye, the frightened pony slowly evaporates away, leaving only his empty hands of black flame. She stands up and, looking at her surroundings, begins to slowly extinguish his flame at the moment when a golden-haired Tall Woman in leather armor comes to him with a beautiful smile with thick tears running down it.
I'm glad you finally opened up to someone Tropy.
As soon as starlight wakes up lying next to Tropy in the same bed, she quickly begins to throw off the bandages and look for wounds on his body while praying that he is not poisoned.
YES! She screams the moment she sees that a tiny black piece of something from his body is sticking out of one wound on his back, very close to the spine. Carefully, using magic, she flips Tropy onto his stomach and begins to precisely remove a piece from his body. She slowly pulls out the broken shrapnel of the Short Black Sword piece by piece, when suddenly a signal is heard from all the devices indicating that Twilight's representative should immediately come after her.
But starlight couldn't leave, if she left him like that he wouldn't heal and the risk would be even higher. She continues to ignore the report and inch by inch she pulls out more and more pieces of the sword that already seems almost Infinite. Luckily her magic was skilled enough to carefully pull it out without injuring him, pulling the 15 cm fragment from his back, she noticed that his wound is healing. She happily turns him around, covers and disappears.
When she appears at the great stone table, where an upset Twilight is standing, she doesn't even have time to apologize for being late and is already being yelled at.
"Where have you been for so long?!"
"Sorry I had to..." She tries to speak but can't because of Twilight screaming.
"I bet I just distracted you from planning an attack on Equestria with your new best friend! Twilight is furious.
"No it's not like that, I..." Again she is interrupted.
"So where is he? As soon as he disappears, they start attacking us, it's not a coincidence and you know what happened"
"Let me explain" Desperate Starlight struggles to speak.
"I've heard enough of your excuses"
"Give me answers before I have you locked up for treason"
" Me?! For what? For working like a horse to arrange everything? For doing everything I can to arrange everything you need, regardless of how long I have to stay up and if I even go to sleep? That I represent you whenever you need and I'm doing everything to make sure you have as little weight on your shoulders as possible? Irritated starlight didn't let herself be interrupted
"It was, as soon as the person came, then you changed and started spending a lot of time with him and...."
" At your COMMAND!!! Starlight screamed over the princess.
" You wanted me to watch over him! You wanted me to fight him when he showed up while you watched me almost die! You wanted me to keep my eyes on him! To befriend him and know his every thought and step what will he do!! Aggrieved, Starlight stops checking herself in a fit of rage.
"but that..."
" QUIET!!!!! Mad Starlight yelled at the princess.
"Whenever you go to a meeting in Canterlot, I took care of all your duties, I arranged the needs for the running of our country all night so that I could then watch over the so-called person during the day, whom YOU ignored and did not care at all about what he needed and what's bothering him, you didn't make a single effort to keep your promise and contact his friends, whenever he came you threw him out like some stranger!
"Calm down" says the princess sternly.
"Don't interrupt me!! Yes I got close to him, maybe more than necessary and what did you do? You just ignore and get mad at him because of the misunderstanding that happened when we first met, but I was the one who gained his trust! I take care of him! I'm the one listening to him! I was the one who helped him prepare for mission! I'm the one sleeping with him chasing away his nightmares!
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH HIM?!!! the shocked princess jumps into Starlight's sentence, when she realizes that she heard something else.
"J..." Starlight doesn't have a chance to say a single word when she jumps in again and this time aggressively.
"What mission were you talking about?! The princess begins to foam.
"Well talk, I'm listening" Enraged Twilight with her wings spread and a vein throbbing on her head with her hooves on the table and her face red.
Terrified Starlight stands like a Pillar, With a head full of remorse for what she just revealed, as she musters up the courage to stand up straight.
"SPEAK!! Twilight roared with a glowing horn.
"Alright!! You want the truth You have it, because you kept rejecting him he went on a suicide mission to prove his loyalty and get this while he is lying in the infirmary with serious injuries" A bag appears in a flash of green, which is then thrown on the table in front of the princess.
Without bothering to open the bag, the princess called the guards.
"I knew it..................................arrest her and find the human" waving at the guards.
With a scared expression of what is happening, Starlight tries to say something else to the princess but she can't anymore, with a gag in her mouth and a cover on her horn so that she can't use magic, she is forcibly dragged out of the room without the help of screams and kicking around her.
Oh my God!! I say after waking up in a body that can't possibly be mine, every centimeter of my body is covered with freshly closed wounds that burn like hell, my body in spasms and on fire. I feel something coming to the surface, something I haven't felt in a very long time, something I must not allow.
After lying in complete darkness for a while, I manage to concentrate and while ignoring the pain, I manage to keep myself under control, when I hear the opening and slamming of the door in the corridor and loud voices. I don't want to believe that it has anything to do with me, but the opposite is true, immediately the door bursts open, my mouth is gagged, my hands and feet are tied and I'm dragged like an wild animal through a white corridor.
With incredible pain with every impact with every movement of my body, and hypersensitive After many injuries, I feel faint. I'm trying at all costs to stay sane and not allow my nightmare to repeat itself in this world.
Pain, sharp pain passes through me when I am thrown like an wild animal into a small room and then chained to a device to which ponies are chained so that they cannot move. I now have all my limbs on the ground on all fours like a dog in a sharp forward bend and in incredible pain with still unhealed wounds on my back that don't stop bleeding due to the wrong position. I feel blood running down my naked body, around my shoulder blades over my neck, around my ears through my hair to my nose and then on the ground, I see puddles forming in front of me.
That position is so painful that I managed to crush the gag in my mouth from the accumulated rage and screamed at the guards who were standing in front of the door to untie me and let me lie on the ground.
When the door opened, all I got was a quick hoof in the face and an order to shut up.
I can't handle this, I think When I see that my field of vision is narrowing. Full of despair and fear of what will happen, I gathered the last strength I could sacrifice to break the wooden hooves in which my hands and feet are.
I fall to the ground exhausted to death, with a small relief that did not last long, as soon as the guards opened the door and saw that I was freed from the shackles, They began to beat me...............
Make sure you search every room in ponyville, we have to find him at all costs! I order the guards waiting around me.
As soon as I'm left alone, I start looking for magical traces that everyone who uses magic leaves behind, I close my eyes and try to feel the right one in my mind. Starlight isn't stupid, finding him won't be easy, but it's possible she made a mistake.
All over Ponyville there is a dense network in which it is very difficult to find the right one, thanks to the fact that I have known Starlight very well for many years and her magical trace, I know what I am looking for, but due to the amount of them everywhere, I cannot see her trace.
It resembles colored strings that freely stretch criss-cross depending on where and how far the unicorn moved with magic, each string is unique and cannot be disguised in any way, but there are many unicorns in the Village and therefore the strings overlap and create an uncontrollable chaos in which difficult to find just one single string.
When I'm already desperate and after several hours of searching, until a single guard has brought good news, I sit down and stare at the crystal floor with my head hanging down where my silver-shod hooves stand, I notice something, in the underground area I see a place where Starlight has teleported suspiciously often even though she has not used for a long time. I have you. I smiled and called the guards, who came immediately, and led them to the underground area and solemnly left the crystal room.
I can't believe that after so many years, after so much trust that I put in you, you betrayed me, You had my complete trust but that was not enough for you, you had to go against me and against Equestria itself. I say to a handcuffed Starlight in a small black room with a gagged mouth who doesn't say anything just stares at me while drooling from her mouth.
I didn't expect that we would get into this situation, I believed that one day you would replace me and you would rule Equestria, but it was probably too long for you. Starlight jerks and screams angrily through the gag, but nothing can be understood, only saliva flying around her.
Don't worry, you'll calm down enough here, no matter how many years it takes, and don't worry, I've found where you're hiding your friend, just the guards will capture him and put him in the catacombs, so he'll be useful as he wished, he wanted to help with the research, so he will help with it..............with his own body. Starlight's eyes are red, full of tears, she sits as if in a daze, with her hooves tied so that she doesn't attack me in a fit of rage, she starts throwing herself around. I am standing in the open door of a small room, looking at the enraged animal that sputters, roars and throws as if for life, when its strength has run out, she sit facing me.
You have no reason to be upset, I'm the one you hurt, my heart is pierced by your knife..................but it's probably my fault, I gave you too much trust and freedom , it was only a matter of time when you will abuse it and try to overthrow me. I come closer to the door and continue.
For everything that that person has done, what he has done to you, he will soon pay, don't worry, I will personally take care of it. I smile right into the bound pony's face, which is slowly turning from purple to red. Crack..... the wooden shackles binding the pony's front hooves broke, she stood up in an instant and jumped like an enraged hungry wolf before I even blinked. Squeak....Crack....Starlight stops ten centimeters in front of my face, staring into her bloodshot eyes with the expression of a madman full of despair.
I think solitary confinement was a good choice, take care Starligh I have to go, The door closes in front of the foaming at the mouth pony.
"Princess Twilight, we found him, the guards are taking him to the lowest holding cell of the Catacombs" Reports the guard who just arrived.
"Excellent, make sure that the guard guarding his cell doesn't know him" I command and head in the direction where my favorite person will be waiting for me.
As soon as I arrive at the small brick house, i order the guard guarding the entrance to take me to the cell where the imprisoned person is, who salutes and then leads me through the strong gate and leads into the depths of the Catacombs. The underground Catacombs are a nasty place, only for the worst criminals who need to disappear from the world and never be seen again. It is a complex of many floors and labyrinths so that if someone managed to escape from his cell, he would not be able to easily find his way to the surface.
I follow the guard through a disgusting dirty environment that hasn't been cleaned in decades, because the cleaning here was canceled after several cleaners went missing and their bodies were only found by the smell of corpses after several weeks. That's why the Catacombs corridors look so hideous, full of settled dust, dried dirt, vomit and especially blood, liters of blood decorate the floor, walls and sometimes even the ceiling in almost every passage we walk through. Prisoners in these walls have never had an easy life and not here at all, because the guards do not treat them as prisoners, but like an old television, if the image is grainy and does not do what it is supposed to, it must be hit and no matter how hard and how long it takes, until the guard has a clear picture they are more than willing to use all kinds of tools to get it working properly, the only thing they have to avoid is completely breaking the TV.
Disgusted by the vile environment, with poor and often absent lighting, I feel the tiled floor shake under my silver horseshoes. It didn't take even a minute and the guard in front of me stopped.
"Yes? Sure, I'll arrange it sir" The guard speaks into the air.
“What's going on? I ask.
"We must leave the Catacombs immediately" The guard replies.
"That's out of the question, I need to visit the prisoners first" I protest because I don't intend to return to this place.
"I'm sorry your majesty, but it's an order I can't ignore" The guard stands at attention with all due respect to me.
“So...” I'm cut off by a strong jolt that shuts down most of the lights in sight.
“What's going on! I scream.
But the guard doesn't react to that anymore, he pushes me in front of him towards the exit with pleas to hurry up. More and more tremors are felt from the surroundings and even the sound of screaming guards is getting closer as they pass me and run in the opposite direction with heavy clubs and sharp weapons. I stop when I hear the roar of the dying guards far down the maze, while a guard stands beside me, begging me to continue. But I can't, if something happens, I have to help, it's my duty. As soon as I turn around, my escort is standing in front of me trying to get me to turn around and leave.
After several pleas on his knees, explaining that the guards can handle it and he received a direct order to escort me out from the highest authority of the guards, I turned and walked where the satisfied guard was leading me. This time the shock was so loud and close that smoke began to billow down the hall, I'm not going to run away from what's happening anymore, I turn around and ignore the pleas that are being called out.
When I run around the corner where the smoke is coming from, I see that there are holes in the walls that are stained with fresh blood. I hesitate with a little apprehension, but only for a moment, I run to the hole and look to see if I can see anything in the long corridor that leads through many walls, but nothing can be heard anymore, only a cloud of dust rolls over the ground and a lot of blood that has no end. With another shock, the already weak lighting stops working, the corridors plunge into deep darkness due to the absence of windows and no other source of light.
I flash my horn and immediately I hear a scream, after which I run through the dark and old faded blood-soaked walls, which with each step is more fresh, which is reflected in the pink glow of my horn.
I run to the intersection and listen to where the scream is coming from, I look at the three turns but I can't make out where the voice is coming from, so I choose the right corridor in which I can't run very fast, because my light doesn't reach far enough for me to notice the debris covering the chipped pavement in time.
More and more irradiated dust flies in the glow of my horn until I arrive at another large hole in the wall where a screaming guard lies on his last strength. I can only see his head, which is closest to me with wide eyes in the dark, I go to him and am about to treat him at least a little, when the rest of the body on the side, covered in blood, starts to appear oozes from the dismembered body, his abdomen rises and falls quickly and sharply in the flood of blood that flows from it, from dozens of deep wounds resembling teeth and claws that have separated some parts of the flesh from the body to the bone. I kneel down next to him and try to calm him down so that he doesn't scream, but he doesn't hear me, he doesn't notice anything, he just stares into space and calls out for help, he can't be understood because of his unnaturally twisted neck and sunken chest from which bones stick out and oozing thick red blood as he tries to move and stand up, but just thrashes around in a pool of blood with three missing legs that look like they've been bitten off, while the head lies limp on the ground and just lets its body drag back and forth.
After briefly thanking him for his bravery, I save him the trouble with a quick flash and close his eyes. I get up and head for the new scream that comes from the breached wall near which I am our already dead guard.
I run through an endless dark tunnel, with a few meters of illuminated walls in front of me, which are almost invisible due to the thickening dust. I stop in the sudden silence, a chill runs down my spine, when I turn to make sure that there is nothing in the corridor and that there is nothing, only grave silence, every step I take sounds several times louder because of the narrow corridors and the stone pavement that is present everywhere which reflects sound far away. With a small presence of fear, I walk through the darkness with the ever-present echo of my hooves and less and less visibility due to the ever-thickening dust around me, losing my sight to less than a meter, which is dangerous when the bodies of the guards and debris from the walls and floor are lying everywhere. I jump over the corpses and try to hear at least one voice, at least one living pony must have stayed in those corridors, but it's probably not like that, I'm completely alone. I stop and turn my head back and forth in the long corridor without a single sidestep. Nothing, as if I was buried underground, in a coffin, the only thing that surrounds me is darkness, flying dust, corpses and everywhere present blood on the walls and floor.
In a fit of stress, I started hyperventilating. Calm down! You'll get out! Whatever was there, it's gone now! The guards know that you went down, some are already looking for me...........I realize that something is happening right now. Yes, the guards......my lovely loyal ponies who will find me and get me out of here.
Feeling calm, I exhale and step straight ahead when there is a tremendous bang, with a flash of lightning I turn behind me to see through the thick dust a black smoke with red eyes staring down at me from the ceiling. I take a cautious shaky step back, and with my throat tight with fear and my ears down, now hidden by the silver-blue crown, I hear the smoke hiss and watch me intently.
Don't run....Don't run! Face it and DON'T RUN!!! screaming in my head full of fear. As soon as my hoof completes a step back and hits the ground with a loud echo my heart stops as I see the red eyes close and in a swift movement towards me, sharp claws swing through the wall that stands in their way to me and the falling rubble is about to take my life.
After my shield was shattered by the enemy I summoned between me and the claws, I jumped back and prepared to fight as I stared at the sharp bright white teeth from the blood that opened hungrily under his red eyes. I sent a powerful beam in his direction but it just went through and the shadow rushed at me with a mad roar.
I try with all my strength to deflect the attacks of sharp claws and teeth, but my shields do not stop him, all I can do is retreat and send one beam after another into the black smoke that is getting closer and closer to me. When it's so close that I have to tilt my head to see the red eyes, I turn and start to run away, but I don't have a chance, the moment I turn and take a few steps, the wall flies apart in front of me, from which shadow claws fly at me. Even my strongest Shield couldn't fend them off and it went straight through my left thigh like butter, with a scream I let out a beam so strong that it fills the whole room in which the shadow disappears, I fall to the ground because of a sore leg from which blood gushes from three long wounds all over thighs. Suppressing tears of pain, I stand up and see red eyes glowing in the distance, which soon fly at me, I am about to release another large beam, when the shadow disappears. Aaaaahhh!! I scream as the wall right next to me explodes and its debris hits my head.
I lie and feel black smoke rising overhead, my body weakens, due to injuries and a concussion, in a spinning world, I see a flash of claws, I summon the strongest shield I am capable of, through which the claws pass but get stuck in it. With an effort of will I stand up, I stagger a bit back from the shadow that is trying to break free from my shield, I strain all my strength for the last attack, I concentrate and try not to fall due to weak legs that tend to give way. With a crack my shield shatters and the shadow rushes right at me with a terrible scream as I muster the strength for the last spell, bowing my head and clenched teeth with a pink glow that illuminates the broken corridor and rubble like the midday sun.
NOOOOO! I hear a scream while, as in a slow-motion movie, I am hit by a powerful spell in my right side and subsequently thrown into a hole in the wall, where I fall and due to the force of the spell that hit me, I slide until I hit the rubble on my back, where I stop. I open my eyes as I lie down and in the corridor where I was just standing.............stands............Starlight?
I KNEW THAT YOU..are....traitor?.............after rage comes despair when I see that Starligt is standing and looking directly at me , hit as if by an out-of-control truck at full speed where now there is no one, only darkness. ...............Star.................li..........The world goes dark, I just see how my eyes are slowly closing.
The moment I heard it, my whole world came crashing down. All that I believed in and hoped for and all that I knew shattered into shards like a falling mirror of my mind, through the uncontrollable darkness of despair until it hits the bottom of reality, which will come much faster than I could have ever hoped. With glass shattering in my ears and chaos in my head, I staggered for a moment in a daze, Still in disbelief to what is happening that it is reality, no, I refuse to believe it, this is not reality and I will not accept at any cost that it could be.
My dream world, in which nothing like this would ever happen and which I was not going to leave, shattered into dust and only a faint memory, from which I was torn out by the gag in my mouth and the sleeve on my horn. At that moment I realized where I was and what was happening, I had to explain everything to Twilight, But the only thing that came out of me was a muffled roar because of the gag. I tried to go to her and let her know that I still wanted to talk to her, but the guards wouldn't let me go to her, on the contrary, I was moving away from my goal, from my sanity, which made me start tossing and screaming like a madman.
After a moment of helplessly kicking around me a meter above the ground in a yellow glow, while two guards lead me to my cell, I slowly calmed down and just calmly float through the air.
I can't believe that after all that I sacrificed for her, she would throw me away so easily. I think as soon as the prison gate closes behind me. the yellow light carries me softly down a corridor with lots of open side doors and rooms of one square meter without lighting, in which they also sit me. As soon as the yellow glow leaves me, one of the guards comes to me with wooden hoof covers that are connected in a V shape.
"Don't worry Starlight, as soon as the princess cools down she will let you go, but you have to wear this" He waves her wooden hooves in front of me.
"They are special for you" The guard smiles at me as he puts covers on my front and back hooves and closes behind him the heavy wooden door that fills the room with black darkness.
Alright all ponies now listen the princess has called a meeting we need to get to Canterlot asap...
Do you think it has something to do with those foreigners?.................
......
.......
I am glad that you have all arrived, it is necessary to prepare and discuss the options in case the negotiations fail............................... ..
....
....
No princess, we can´t accept something like that............
There is no other option......
How can they want such a thing?..........
........
......
Quick!.......everypony to safety!....
......
......Applejack don't stop........
.......
..... Where is Rainbow Dash?.....Twilight where are you going?.....nooooo.....
......
......
NOOOOO!!!..........Someone... anyone..HELP ME!!!
.....
....
Everything will be fine.... Everything will be fine.... Everything will be fine.... Everything will be fine.... Everything will be fine...................................
A widening white beam sharp as a knife piercing my eyes snaps me out of my memories as I lie curled up in a ball shaking fears and in my head I keep repeating....... Everything will be fine....... Everything will be fine......
I sit down with the help of the guard and with an absent-minded look at the purple pony standing right in front of me while my eyes water from the harsh light and the dry hay that covers the floor of the cell from which it is dusted.
Just as I begin to realize where I am, what I'm doing, and if it really is my body, I feel a sharp pain in my leg that she is bruised from the handcuffs, as I inadvertently press on the injury I flinch and cry out.
As soon as my ears start to work properly and start putting letters correctly into words that I understand, I suddenly hear the words - found, friend, Catacomb. It's taking me longer to piece it together because I'm still halfway out, then it dawned on me and suddenly another and another, literally a train of thought which they combined into a single one that put one word on my tongue, doom. I start tossing and turning, trying to free myself from the bonds, but I'm still too weak.
I suddenly realized that Twilight is standing right in front of me, I want to tell her everything, but I can't, it's not possible. I'm already feeling completely sane when the princess approaches me and quietly says that she's going to torture him. I take the opportunity and I want to grab her, somehow pull her so that she understands that I want to talk to her, But I am stopped not far from her by a chain around my neck and with a burning pain cutting into my skin, but I do not give in and try to reach my goal, while I feel how warm blood runs down my chest, a little more, I think to myself as Twilight turns and walks away.
The door closes and then opens again, a guard sits in front of me, whom I knew well, to remove the shackles from my front hooves, which are broken.
"Wow, starlight, you have power," the guard assesses the broken wooden handcuffs and then removes the gag.
"stop the princess immediately! I blurt out without thinking.
" Is something wrong? Why are you even closed? The guard looks at me confused.
"please, her life and everyone in this village depends on it" Desperately please.
"you know I can't..."
" Please!! I'm looking for at least a little understanding in his eyes.
"Well............" He stands up and using the magic device on his ear tells someone that the princess is in serious danger.
"I granted your wish now you are........" The guard is interrupted again as he feels them trembling gently on the ground.
I look at him with a firm expression and just say, take off my handcuffs.
I'm running for my life, I'm not looking right or left or at the terrible pain in my back leg. I don't need someone to tell me what caused the shock, I know it very well and I know I have to stop it before it's too late.
As soon as I run out of the prison gates I want to teleport straight to Twilight, But I show up at the Catacombs. I curse as I realize that teleportation doesn't work in the Catacombs, I quickly ran inside before the guard could block my way. I run past the busy guards running around the lobby getting ready to fight, I magically repel two guards standing in my way and blocking the stairs to the underground, I jump between them and run down the stairs.
I don't even make it to the bottom of the first flight of stairs and the lights go out with a gentle jolt under my hooves. Thanks to the fact that Twilight often sent me here, I know every corner and it's completely clear to me where I should run.....but I don't like the constant shaking and darkness. I gather my courage and run up the stairs and corridors with a constant green glow around me. The deeper I run, the stronger the tremors are, I no longer see a single guard fleeing towards the exit. Maze of corridors full of cells, long stairs, maze, stairs, maze, stairs, maze, stairs, when I'm already sweating like someone poured a bucket full of water on me, I get to the staircase that leads to the deepest floor, from which terrible noises are heard.
I suppress the pain and run towards the roar of the shocks and lots of fresh blood, through holes and debris, no longer stopping at the bodies lying on the ground when suddenly there is not a single sound to be heard, while I stand in the rolling dust and listen. I catch a flash of pink light out of the corner of my eye for just a second, I immediately take off in that direction and try to zigzag through the debris as fast as I can as I run into shattered corridor areas where black smoke fights a pink shield, which then shatters. I see how everything around turns pink and it's clear to me what's going on.....I have to stop them both before they kill each other. as soon as I run in the direction from where the greatest light shines, the shadow also comes out, I run as hard as I can, my whole body concentrates, the pain in my back leg from constant running burns and every time my foot hits I have to clench my teeth to overcome the pain. When I see Twilight, kneeling with an incredibly huge radiant energy ready to attack the shadow flying against her, without stopping or thinking I run towards her and i send beam that pushes her into the next fragmented corridor through a hole in the wall, while I try to stop myself because of the pain. When I see how Twilight lying on her side in the gloom and blood, while I stand where Twilight just stood, I just manage to smile at her and I'm knocked down by a black shadow.
Absorbed in the darkness, I float with relief from the aching body, which suffered under the onslaught of muscle tension that is tortured to the last drop, unfortunately it does not last long. With the sound of the pavement breaking I fly through the wall I was pushed against by a shadow biting into my spherical shield around me, due to the impact with the wall the shield cracked enough so that in no time it shatters against the claws of the shadow, which throws me further to where I slide on my hooves, where after stopping I collapse on my ass and immediately have red eyes in front of me. they sent more claws at me and I barely had time to react to stop them with another shield, which cracked under the force of the onslaught, but held on. I look into the red eyes in the omnipresent black smoke that surrounds me and presses with such force that I succumb to the pressure until I lie on my back, with all the strength I have, I try to keep the shield intact, but I can't, clenching my bared teeth, I let out a mighty roar as I push against the shadow, and in green shards, claws from blood fly at me, from which there is no escape.
The claws bit into the floor where I was lying a moment ago, I rolled over for the last few moments and I want to run, but I can't, I feel a sharp pain that prevents me from moving. Blood running down my nose and down my left shoulder, I brace myself to keep from getting tangled up and watch the shadow turn towards me, ready to kill me.
HOW LONG WILL YOU LET YOURSELF BE CONTROLLED?! I scream as hard as I can right at him, expecting some kind of response, but the only one that came was a swipe of claws on my barely standing legs. Blood splatters on the wall, which immediately begins to flow to the ground, as well as from the claws of the shadow, which is now looking at the bloodied animal with wounds on its face, legs and chest with tears in its eyes.
I can't handle this, what should I do? I say to myself as I see more claws flying towards me. How can I reverse this? I ask myself with my eyes closed.
Please..if you are still there PLEASE HELP ME!!!! I tangled the pooled blood in my head and noticed the momentary hesitation of the attacker, which gave me enough time to to jump in front of the claws and send a concentrated beam directly between the red eyes to get to the one I'm looking for.
everything has stopped, two bodies in the rubble stand facing each other and without signs of life.
“Tropy? where are you? My voice echoes.
"You shouldn't have come here, I gave you a chance to kill me, not to talk" His voice echoes in the black nothingness
"But I don't want to kill you, I want you to go back to normal"
"What's the point? wherever I am, this will keep happening for as long as I live" Tropy asks sadly.
"No it won't! I promise, just come back" I plead sadly.
"Where do I go Glimi? To the ruins I created again? To look again into the faces that condemn me and see me only as a murderer and an uncontrollable monster?
"But......ton somehow...." I don't know what to say.
"Enough, that's enough, it's time for you to end it, you're strong enough for it, do it for me" With these last words, the connection ends and they both start moving again.
“NOOOOO!!!!! I scream as a shadow rushes at me.
Full of anger, how dare he ask such a thing of me, I fend off one attack after another as I attack and dodge, ignoring the pain and everywhere the blood that is present that flows into my eyes, this time I will not allow it, this time I will be strong, THIS TIME! I scream as I push the shadow back with a powerful spell, I use the spell to fly straight towards him, since I can't even walk properly, and with all the strength I have left I fly to the ceiling and a beam so strong came out at the shadow that it topped moving under its power. THIS TIME....I will push harder on the shadow.....THIS TIME!!!..... tears well up, I press again until the shadow starts to fall, while my horn hurt...... ......I WILL NOT LOSE ANYONE!!!!! in the last scream, bloodied and bruised, I give everything that beats in me and I see how the darkness begins to disappear under the pressure of the green glow, as well as my consciousness.
I wake up in shock. It's dark again................ I exhale in disgust, I'm tired of waking up in the dark in fear of not being able to see even though I'm waving my hand right in front of my face and I don't even know where I am. I want to get up but I can't, I found out that something heavy is lying on my thighs, after feeling it I find out that it is something soft and hairy.
Just focus for a moment and the room is lit up in the colors of the rainbow. I stop noticing the signs of destruction around when I see Starlight lying on top of me. When I see the amount of blood that is dried in her fur, I immediately roll her into my lap and slap her face with bloody cuts, but she doesn't wake up, so I put her muzzle to my ear, but I can't even feel her breath. Quickly bend my head to her chest while her head tilts back and I wait for a heartbeat......................... Ba.Dam.................................... Ba.Dam.......... I close my eyes in relief and listen to the pony's life beating.
I feel pressure on my shoulders and hear a voice booming.
"I didn't know you liked me so much" Starlight says with her hooves on my shoulders.
"I just...." As soon as I heard her I started to get up, but the hooves pulled me back into the soft fur with the force of a fly and then she hugged me.
"I'm glad you're okay," She rumbles softly from her chest.
"What happened? I ask confused, but in a moment everything starts to come to mind.
Starlight doesn't say anything as she still holds me in her arms with her head resting on my hair.
"I have to tell you something"
"Don't you want to deal with all the blood coming out of you first? I asked with concern.
"I have to tell you something, I've been thinking about it for a long time and recent events have helped me to make up my mind" She says while ignoring my concerns about her health.
“I would like to............TWILIGHT!! Starlight cried out in sudden realization.
I walk through the colorful corridors while carrying Violet in my arms, who after protesting that she won't let herself be carried like a foal, was unable to take even two steps because she is weak and injured, I simply picked her up like a baby without asking questions and waited until she stop getting upset. She guides me through the ruins of corridors with debris and corpses everywhere, which are literally everywhere, I feel terrible when I see what I have done again, the only thing...
"Don't worry about it" Starlight says with a hoof on my face.
"I..." The hoof pushes harder until I can't speak.
"It's not your fault, let it be" She says and lowers her hoof.
After walking through the ruins for a while, we come to a lying Twilight, who looks dead, but her stomach rises with every breath. I kneel down next to her and with the help of the green glow put the princess on my shoulder, complaining a little about her weight.
"Are you going to carry us both? Aren't I heavy too? She asks nervously.
"You're both like a feather" I say and struggle to my feet.
After my short laugh and a few hoof blows, I continue behind the rainbow glow with a distinct green, towards the exit of this floor.
After several tens of minutes of walking through the colorful environment, I sit down and put the ponies next to each other with sweat on my forehead.
"Are you sure we're going the right way? I lie down with my eyes closed.
"I told you it had to be here somewhere, we just have to find it" Starlight says while looking around and beaming at our surroundings.
"But you've been saying that for about a quarter of an hour, I don't know how long I can carry you" I lie exhausted while sweat is pouring from me.
"I know, but that's the way it is, I feel we're close to the stairs but I can't see them anywhere, we just have to keep going" She tries to encourage me.
"Then tell me what to look for and I'll go see for myself" I suggest.
"It can't be described, it's a feeling that drives me"
"Couldn't it be that after you hit yourself in the head, that feeling is leading you the wrong way?
"What do you mean? That we're lost and I don't want to admit it? Starlight gets mad.
"I'm not saying anything like that, it just seems to me that we've been wandering for a long time," I sat down against Starlight.
"I never get lost, I always know where I'm going and here I know it by heart" She snorts offended.
“Now what do we do? I say quietly, but not enough.
"Maybe if you didn't destroy all the walls here, it would be easier to find a way out" She shouts angrily.
"Sure, thanks for being honest" I get to my feet and walk over to her.
"I.....hmm..sorry, I didn't mean it like that" Starlight is startled as I start to approach her.
"Fine" I lift Starlight into my arms while she doesn't understand what I'm doing.
"Don't worry" I laugh as I watch her look around nervously waiting to see what will happen.
“And what..........? she stops as she watches my hand go towards the high ceiling.
"Isn't it possible that I broke the stairs? How about you shine a light on the ceiling if they're somewhere? I say triumphantly.
Starlight smiles and begins to scan the ceiling with a weak beam of light when suddenly we see them. A short distance from us are really damaged stairs just below the ceiling. We both cheer enthusiastically before the question arises of how to get there as the ceiling here is about five meters high.
After evaluating the possibilities, we sit down again disappointed. It's bad, Starlight can't walk, Twilight still hasn't woken up, plus you both need to be treated quickly, how do we get out of here when I'm exhausted and out of options?
After a few useless and a few dangerous ideas, Violet stops and looks at me.
“You told me once that you were able to create anything you wanted from the environment around you, how about stairs? She looks at me excitedly.
"There are two hooks, I'm exhausted and this would take a lot of my strength and.......the other problem......" I close my eyes and concentrate.
“Is something wrong? She asks.
"No, sorry, I was just thinking, I thought of something"
"What's the other problem?
"There shouldn't be any more" I say as I approach the helpless Starlight.
BANG....SNAP....BOOM.... The heavy iron double doors slam open with such force that they shatter the pavement behind them.
I walk out of the darkness through a door into a dimly lit room full of guards pointing spear points at me. without stopping I walk towards the guards who are ready to stab me, but as soon as I get close they duck and the ponies watch me leave the Catacombs entrance hall with furious expressions.
I head straight for the Crystal Castle, ignoring the frightened looks and screams of the citizens of Ponyville standing or fleeing in terror. As soon as I enter the castle, I walk into the great bedroom, ignoring the aggressive, pushy guards, and put the two ponies off my shoulders and onto the large double bed, where they both lie unconscious. First I sit next to Twilight and look at her injuries, I see that some are still open and bleeding I close them as well as the three deep wounds on her thigh. As soon as I finish, I cover her and go around the bed to the other patient, who is in a much worse condition and after studying her body, I don't understand how it is possible that she is alive and on top of that she was talking to me normally. After closing countless wounds that are too big to close on their own, I wipe the sweat from my forehead and continue for a few more minutes, wrapping her smaller wounds with a bandage I got from the angry guards, behind which I slam the door as soon as he leaves the room. guiltily I run my hand over her face where the blood is dripping from the long wound across her face where it crosses the other two and continues down her neck under her mane to her back. When I'm done, I cover Starlight, feeling tired, and sit on the floor and lean against the bed.
I'm about to close my eyes when I'm woken up by a knock on the door, I quickly stand up and ready for the worst I wait to see what happens. When the banging turns into a literal crackling, the door flies open and several demon-like ponies in black flames fly into the room, I'm not going to risk anything and so I walk in front of the bed, where even the little demons are headed. In a defensive stance with my left flank towards them, I wait for a reason to attack which I didn't have to wait long for. The middle pony runs towards me and jumps a few meters in front of me with hooves pointing at me, I don't have to think what to do, my muscles react instinctively in a movement that is as natural to me as walking itself. With the movement of my left palm, I deflect the attack to the left, then step to the right, turn to the enemy, and with the movement of my shoulders, my right arm also starts to move, which, thanks to the movement of my whole body, destroys anything in front of me, with a sharp undulation of a luminous rainbow, my right flies against the ever-floating the beast I had deflected aside barely a second ago, but all I manage to do is take a step back. A winged demon flies between me and the attacker with a hoof aimed at my face, as the impact absorbs my right forearm and deflects the attack in the direction of his flight, I instinctively duck and a third black flame flies over my head. AAA!..I turn around for the sound that leads from Starlight, which has been bitten by the last demon, which is biting her like a hungry dog with blood gushing around its mouth and flesh twitching, while Violet is still unconscious and apparently screaming in her sleep. Time passes unbelievably slowly, I feel the pulse in my ears, I feel the very drop of sweat running down my neck, I see the dark wings of the demon waving as if they were being carried away by water, while gentle flames fly away from the pony in a jump overhead and disappear in space. I feel my senses sharpen, my mind is ready for battle......I grab the back hoof of the pony that still hasn't finished jumping over my head and throw it with half a turn like a frisbee at a biting flame as my stiff and cold abs groan , as my feet are still firmly in place. I don't wait for it to land and turn back to face the winged demon who has stopped by the head of the bed in the meantime and is rebounding for another attack that currently has the advantage as I am unable to react quickly enough to parry it. I get the first rather painful blow on the left shoulder, but thanks to this, my torso returns to face the winged one faster, and with a high leverage I hit him with my right forearm like a baseball bat on the back between the wings and the head, which hits the ground like a boulder with a furious scream. With a quick look at the biting demon that is knocked down by my thrown demon, I notice out of the right corner of my eye that there is one more attacker left in front of me and it is flying in a jump again against me with raised hooves. In flight, I grab him by the throat with a hard impact and hold him firmly in my outstretched right hand as the rainbow whips and my heated body craves blood, the stern look of a mad killer on my face. The hooves shuffle in front of my face and try to hit me when in the………
"STOOOP! I hear a scream from all sides, I watch my surroundings motionless ready for another attack.
“Whatever is going on here you must stop immediately, this is not right! The voice from the space keeps coming out as if every object in the room is saying it, while the demon in my hand is foaming at the mouth.
“What's going on?! How is this possible?!” The mysterious voice says again.
“Who are you and what do you want? I yell as I release the weight of my right hand and look at the two demons next to Starlight who stand ready to attack.
"Stop what you're doing immediately human, nothing is as you think! As a majestic dark pony steps into the room from the mist.
"You still haven't answered me" I face her, still wary of a possible attack.
"We are the Lords of the Night! And YOU!...learn to know your place when we speak to you!" She says loudly, walking towards me.
"It doesn't matter what title you hold, or how superior you think you are, there is NO ONE I wouldn't bring to my knees" In the euphoria of battle and unwilling to listen to the words of an arrogant stranger, I rush out to the dark pony.
With the impact of my left foot on the ground and with a long thrust with the help of my whole body, I throw my right fist like a shot from a rifle against the right upright dark shield, against which my hand stops with such force that it creates a small shock.
"Do you understand your place yet human?!" She says haughtily.
"Then I'm going to start taking you seriously" I smile, my body shaking with adrenaline and the desire to fight again.
As the Night Lord stands motionless with her shield raised around her, I send one crushing blow after another harder and harder, taking it as a challenge, I've never met anything so durable.
"I warned you, now you will pay for your insolence" She says grumpily, only to be drowned out by my loud laughter.
Every blow, every strike to the shield as I zigzag and dodge between the magical tentacles that try to grab me is like a dose of Endorphin straight into the vein, faster..stronger..FASTER..STRONGER!!!!!!! The force of the last blow lifted the books and other things around the room almost to the ceiling, I jump back in front of the tentacle that tried to grab me and with clenched teeth in an outstretched fist for the next blow one tentacle grabs me from behind by the waist and another by the outstretched right hand, I don't even make it move and every limb is wrapped.
"That would be enough! It's time for you to understand that there is a difference in our power and finally.........." The dark pony's speech is interrupted by my roar, which fills the entire room.
I strain my muscles to the limit with a constant hoarse roar as the dark pony begins to laugh, but her smile doesn't last long, with the intensity of the rainbow glow increasing, I feel the power pouring into me, filling every part of my body, every muscle filling as a hungry mosquito squeezes itself almost to bursting. I grab a tentacle with my right hand and tear it off with a sharp jerk, in a second other tentacles follow that hold the rest of my body and I fly irresistibly, intoxicated by the power, through the tentacles standing in the way to the shield which again stops my blow, which creates a pressure wave..... ... .......CRACK..CRACK...the shield shatters and the rainbow enters the vicinity of the dark pony who stares confused and insulted, not knowing what's going on. One step and I'm standing face to face with tall pony who is looking straight into my eyes while I take a deep breath with a smile on my face.
“Your titles mean nothing! I say as I look into confused green eyes.
"I see hope for a bright tomorrow with you on the battlefield by our side" She stands again proudly and poised.
"I won't be recruited, I'm already committed to Equestria"
"But your actions speak otherwise, we have watched your last actions, destruction and death follow you in our homes"
"I...I didn't want any of this" Knocked off balance.
“Like right now? She points her hoof for me where the demons are.
"What do you mean? They're enemies" I say without turning around.
"You have many internal struggles that make you a dangerous creature, if you don't come to terms with who you are, we don't want you living among ponies"
"What do you mean? I have no idea what you're talking about"
"We've never seen what you're experiencing right now, you're dreaming and awake at the same time, how is that even possible?
"A dream? this can't be...." the Lord of the Night interrupts me.
"This is a dream after all and what you have caused is serious, look for us when you can and we will try to help you." She says as she floats in white light and disappears.
This can't be a dream!..........I didn't go to sleep!..........with the last glimmer of light, the world of the previous reality began to shatter and all that was left was the cruel truth .
“It was a dream...” I blurt out at the sight of colored ponies rolling on the ground.
"Why do I always find you here when I look for you?
"Who knows?
"It seems to me that you spend whole days here, what attracts you here?
"I have nothing else to do and it's nice here"
“Don't be like that, tell me the real reason or are you ashamed?
"It brings back memories of a long time ago when I was really happy"
"Are you going to tell me a story?
"Not this time"
"Why not? I like your stories"
".........."
"Please, I'm really curious about what memories lying in the grass can bring up for you.
"It brings me back to the days when I met one person who taught me to love nature and we spent a lot of time in it"
"Why did you stop talking?
"That's the whole story"
"That was short, are you sad because she's not here with us?
"You could say that"
"What do you mean?
".........."
"So tell me"
"She is dead"
With pain in every cell of my body I sit on the bed in the candle lit room as I don't know where I am so I look around and notice Twilight lying next to me. I stretch out my leg to wake her up, but I notice that it is partially bandaged, just like the rest of my body. The first thing that comes to my mind is how I got here and why my body hurts like I fell off a rocky cliff. I think about it but there is a fog in my head that covers everything, I poke the Princess but she doesn't wake up even after several attempts.
The moment I get out of bed, I feel a terrible cutting pain in my back that makes me fall to the ground, I feel like I have a hot steel wire laid from my nose to my back. As soon as the pain subsides, I look at my back, using magic I remove the bandage, which hides a long red pulsating scar that runs along my spine to my neck and left cheek, which I see in mirror next to the bed.
I quickly take off the rest of the bandages as well, I stand as if scalded, one scar crosses another, some are almost invisible and others are large and swollen, striking in the eyes due to the lack of fur around it. I'm sitting in front of the mirror with a disbelieving look, I'm trying to remember what happened to me, but the fog in my head won't go away, when I notice that I have a bandage left on my head. Only now do I notice that the bandage that is wrapped around my ear and on my back legs, just like the one I took off, is tied in a strange, unusual way, no one does it like this.
As I stare in disbelief in a trance at the crisscrossing bandage that creates the pattern of the starry sky, I feel like I'm missing something, that I have some incredible truth in front of me which will change my whole life and is just waiting for me to say it, but it doesn't work, I'm standing in front of a wall so big that I can't see through it, I just hear whispers from the other side but I don't understand what the voice is saying. The feeling is beginning to be terribly burdensome and lies on me like a stone heavier and heavier every moment, my throat tightens and I lean my head against the mirror with difficulty breathing.
"What am I missing!" I gasped, feeling a rush of grief.
"WHAT HAPPENED? Why am I here?! Already desperate and frustrated by the ignorance and emotions I feel that I don't understand, I look into the mirror five centimeters from him.
"SO TELL ME!!! I scream at myself in the shattering reflection of the mirror which I hit in anger and collapse to the ground crying for no reason with shards around me.
“What's going on?! Twilight wakes up to screaming and breaking glass, then comes to me.
"Is something wrong?" Twilight asks, and as she sits next to me, I'm curled up like a bundle of misery.
"I..I don't...I don't know" I can't get any more out of myself through crying.
"You have to know what's bothering you" She carefully lies down next to me away from the shards and covers me with her wing.
"I'm sorry I was mean to you, after everything that happened, what's about to happen, I panicked and got carried away with anger" She continues with sincere regret.
"I know it's a lot for you and I'm also sorry for what I said to you, I know you're doing your best" I whisper with the tears easing.
After another moment I calm down and sit still feeling anxious as Twilight hugs me and apologizes again.
I sit across from the Princess who is looking at my scars while I calm down and try to focus on what is hidden in front of me. While I remain silent Twilight wraps a bandage around each wound and finally lays me on the bed and covers me.
"You should be sleeping" Twilight says as she lays down next to me.
"What happened?
"Sleep, it will be morning soon" She says half asleep.
But I can't sleep, I lie with my eyes buried in the ceiling with the thought of emptiness inside me, I think about what happened to me, where did all these emotions come from? Why can't I remember anything? What weighs me down so much and is missing at the same time?
The night flew by, the sun came out in a split second and Twilight takes me to breakfast in the dining room where the table is full of food. I sit down with the Princess on the pillow next to me, she puts a sandwich on a plate in front of me and offers herself one too.
"You should eat, your body needs strength" Twilight says between bites when she notices that I haven't even touched the food.
"Why am I here?
"For you to eat" She pushes the plate closer to me.
"But, I don't understand"
"Don't say you forgot what food is for?" The Princess giggles.
“You know exactly what I meant! I growl at Twilight.
"Come on, there's no need to get upset, it's too early for that, if you want to know something, just ask" She tries to calm me down.
"Why am I here? I first look at the Princess who has a full mouth.
“Because it's breakfast? Smile at me.
"That's enough! I slam my hooves into the table and stand up, but the movements were too fast for my weak body.
"Don't touch me! I yell at Twilight as she tries to help me up after falling to the ground.
"I just want to help you" She says sadly.
"Really? then why are you acting stupid and not answering my questions? what happened? Why was I sleeping in your bedroom? Why do I have scars all over my body? I'm hurling words at Twilight like an avalanche.
"Let's eat first, there's no need to deal with something unimportant in the morning" She smiles and acts as if every question I have is just a trifle.
I angrily bite into my sandwich while Twilight smiles at me and chews on a piece of cake. As soon as we finish I want to start asking questions, but I don't have a chance, I didn't even have time to open my mouth and a guard came to take me away while Twilight waves me goodbye with a big smile to the infirmary to be looked at by the nurse, who with a gentle nod indicates that my injuries have healed nicely. She writes something down on the boards and starts taking off my bandages, which are classically wrapped next to each other and not like before.
"Did you treat me?
"What do you mean?
“When I got these injuries, you treated me and bandaged my wounds? I ask grumpily, she is also acting stupid to avoid the question.
"I, yes, I treated you" She answers nervously.
"How long ago?
"I don't know exactly, it's about a day or two"
"Not this" I stop the nurse when she wants to unwrap the bandage from my ear and head.
"How did I get these injuries? I continue to ask, just as I'm sure she won't take away the one thing that connects me to the emptiness inside me.
"I, I don't know, no one told me anything, I was just supposed to treat you"
"You know what could have caused this injury? I point to the long scar that ends on my face.
"Sorry, I have other patients, I can't remember, if you have questions, find me after office hours" says the nurse hastily and leaves the room.
"That was very strange, what is going on here? The first moment I saw how the bandages were tied on my body, I knew that it was not done by anyone around and certainly not by her, but why does she claim that she treated me? I am thinking out loud while what I walk through the corridor of the castle.
I haven't been able to find out anything new all day, nurse didn't show up at the castle and for some reason I'm not allowed to leave it on the Princess's orders, every guard I ask looks like he's a wanted criminal and I'm a policeman, unfortunately there's no one else in the castle. I haven't seen Twilight all day, either she has a really busy schedule today, or she's deliberately avoiding me, but she won't last long, I'm waiting for her in the evening, she has to sleep after all.
I sit in front of the replaced mirror that was broken by me and look at the scars on my body. They look like some animal has scratched me, but I don't know any that would be able to do that, after a while my eyes go to my face where I have two small scars over my nose and one long one that starts at my left cheek, goes under my mane. No matter how I look, I don't believe it's real, what could hurt me like that? Thoughts of injury raced through my mind before I looked up at the mirror and an ear bandage entered the patterned field, the crossing bandage hypnotizing me, filling my head with anxiety and confusion. I put my hoof to my ear and with my eyes closed I let myself be swept away by the chaos that has no end, a bunch of questions come to the surface along with the increasing deviousness as if in my head a bubble full of information that I can't grasp and it keeps getting closer and closer to me, but the closer it gets, the more anxiety I feel, as if I subconsciously suspect that what's inside is something terrible, but i need to know what it is.
I open my eyes and again stare with a fixed expression at the ear partially covered by the hoof and at that moment I feel it, something comes to the surface, some repressed memory that I can't recall and I only see outlines, the outline of a memory that for some reason is very important to me and I feel it slowly being drawn, like the first letter of a name that you can't remember.
“Starlight, you should..
"WHAT SHOULD I DO?!! I turn my head sharply as if I have no spine, towards the door, snapped out of my trance and so ready to lose a memory that was so close.
"You should be asleep by now" Twilight replies.
“Really? Do I look like a filly to you?
"Someone has to watch out for you"
"Okay, so you can tell me straight away..where are you going?" I ask as Twilight turns and walks towards the door.
"I remembered that I forgot to arrange something"
“YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!! I scream.
"But I have to"
"No, you've been avoiding me all day, nobody wants to talk to me and I want to know why" I say to the Princess who is standing with her back to me by the door.
"I'll tell you everything when I have a moment" She answers me and opens the door with magic, while I close it immediately.
“You always said I was your best friend, so why do you act like you hate me?
"You're talking out of the way" She says to the door without looking at me.
"So tell me what happened to me, why am I sleeping in your bed? Why am I cut all over my body? What happened so badly that you are hiding it from me? What should I do to make you talk to me?" I say with sadness in my voice.
"All I want is for you to get well and I won't fill your head with anything you don't need to know" Twilight turns to me.
"And I want to see that your apology is sincere, that you trust me and listen to what I tell you, tell me what happened" I say as I walk over to Twilight.
We stare into each other's eyes without moving, I make it clear that nothing will change my opinion and she will not leave without answers to my questions. Sighing helplessly, Twilight sits up, runs her hoof over her face, and speaks after a moment of silence.
"Okay, as you wish, the reason why you sleep in my bedroom is because I wanted to keep you under surveillance, I was worried about your health and so I took care of you myself. No one knows exactly how you got those injuries, according to the nurse you must have done it yourself from sleep, they say the guard pulled you out of the cell screaming and in tears, they couldn't wake you up and you were tossing and turning like crazy, you must have had a terrible nightmare"
"But, what? Disappointed by the information I received, I stare at her in disbelief.
"I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid you'd think you were crazy"
"That can't be all" I say while my insides are oppressed by an unsatisfied emptiness.
"That's it, I have to go now" Twilight gets up and leaves the room with a brief glance at me as I sit motionless with a disbelieving expression on the ground, obscured by the closing door behind her.
"That can't be all, no, no! What am I missing? Why do I feel so anxious when I try to think about it?" I say to my voice, clutching my chest, feeling like a rock is on it.
"She didn't tell me something, but why would she? Everything she said sounded so sincere, SO WHY DOESN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO ME?!"
"Why is everything so weird? Why does everyone I look at turn away from me? What happened? Twilight must have been hiding something from me, but what? and why?"
When my eyes suddenly light up and with a smile that sees a crack in the story, I lie down in bed thinking that I should go to sleep, i will have a lot of work tomorrow. I think with a lunatic's giggle.
"Why do you always have a secret from me? Don't you trust me?
"It's not about trust, I've learned over the years of my life that those who talk too much harm themselves"
"Is that supposed to be a saying?
"Yes, one of the many that I stick to and more than once have saved my life or gotten me out of an unpleasant situation.
"Am I an uncomfortable situation for you?
"Ha ha, I keep saying you have a good sense of humor"
"Don't get off topic and tell me, why don't you tell me how old you are? After all, it's not important information for your survival"
"It's somehow very important to you, what do you plan to do with that information?
"I think you're unnecessarily paranoid, it's no wonder that no one wants to talk to you, lest one day your secrets rob you of your last friend"
"Alright you blackmailer, come closer and I'll whisper it to you. I don't really know how old I am"
"WHAT?! how could you not know?
"Aw. you don't have to scream in my ear..I understand it's weird, but the truth is that I lost track a long time ago"
"So what time did you stop counting?
"....."
"Don't laugh and answer me"
The first ray of sunlight steps into the bedroom and lands on the pillow Twilight is lying on, while I quietly sneak out of the bedroom and walk across the purple floor. It doesn't surprise me that there are guards at the main door, this castle is guarded day and night and the guards here are only the best of the best, it will definitely not be easy to get through, but that won't stop me
I go into the library and put a bucket in front of me, pour ink into the bottom, into which I put torn papers from...no one needs to know, mix it well and add more paper until I create a paste that holds its shape. As soon as I manage to form two solid black balls, I put them aside and throw the ball of sap I collected in the lab into the bucket. Using magic, I heat the bucket before the sap has time to dissolve, divide the balls into four smaller ones, wrap the smallest one in a bandage and soak it in the liquid sap, put it aside and do the same with the other ball, in the meantime, the first ball had time to dry, so I wrap it with black paste and again with a bandage, which I soak in the sap until I have only two balls, which I also wrap and soak in the rest of the sap.
As soon as I'm done with both, I clean the bucket in the closet and go back to the main entrance, while I'm standing around the corner, I try to create a flame, but I can't. I would never have believed that I would feel how big the difference is between heating something and lighting it on fire. I think when I'm concentrating on lighting the ball with a stabbing pain in the horn.
A thin flame leaves my horn and touches the ball, which immediately ignites thanks to the sap, I use it to light the second one and throw it as far as possible into the corridor, while I throw the other one into another corridor a little further and hide behind the door that is just around the corner from the main entrance.
It should only take a moment but it felt like forever, I finally smelled the smoke, as soon as the pitch burned on the balls, the ink paste started to burn creating a thick smoke that rolled down the hall and thanks to Twilight's orders that all windows must be locked, the smoke has nowhere else to escape.
"FIRE!! I hear the guards yelling as they walk past the door I'm hiding behind.
After about ten guards have passed, I slowly sneak out of my hiding place and run to the door where no one is, I excitedly run to it, but I am immediately shocked because it is locked.
"Who would lock the door they guard? I grunt angrily.
With the last hope, I rush to the lock and try to magically unlock it, but I can't, I hear the clatter of hooves approaching and with growing panic I lean against the door, which suddenly they open. I lie on my stomach for a moment in shock until it dawns on me how stupid I am, because a long time ago one side of the double-leaf door got stuck so that it wouldn't open and I tried to move it.
"Search every room, we have a possible trespasser" I hear the guards as I carefully close the door and run away from the purple castle.
"Okay, it's time to find out some information" I say to myself enthusiastically with a pleasant feeling of being touched by the rays of the still rising sun.
There are not many people on the streets, I only see a few ponies who are opening shops and some are repairing their shops, with a shocked expression I realized the state of my surroundings only now. A lot of damaged houses, collapsed roofs, collapsed walls and some houses completely fallen down, destroyed paved roads and in the middle of it all a thorn sticks out of the ground, how to I get closer to it, I find that it is not a thorn, but some kind of iron plate and it is round at the top.
“What is it? I want to touch it but I'm stopped.
"Don't touch it, it's very sharp" A familiar voice says to me.
"Rainbow, I'm so glad to see you" I spin and hug her.
"Me too, but we don't have to overdo it" She pulls away from me.
"How long have you been here?
"I should ask you the same thing" Rainbow Dash says coldly.
"What do you mean? I look at her confused with a hint of fear knowing what's coming.
“Shouldn't you be in bed?
"What's wrong with you all? When did I become a filly? I'm a full grown mare and I can do whatever I want!" I reply irritably.
"Just calm down, there's no need to get upset" As soon as she says that, I feel a twitch in my eye.
"Come here, they must have forgotten to remove the bandage from your head" I step back as she approaches me.
"Why are you even here? Did you fly in from the front line just to pick on me and make fun of me?! The weakness I feel is fueled by the rage building up inside me.
"I'm hungry, let's go eat" Rainbow says and turns away from the center and away from the signs of the fighting.
"I, yes, I would like to" I walk by her side with a resigned expression.
We are sitting in the bakery where there is no one, while Rainbow brings a tray full of muffins I look at her, she has changed a lot in the time she has been leading her own army on the front line, no only in appearance but also in nature. If the cheerful and optimistic beauty Rainbow Dash is now rather blunt and rough with a short mane and lots of scars on a toned muscular body and a hard expression on her face.
“So, how's it going at the front? I ask after a long silence as Rainbow stuffs herself with muffins.
"Nothing new, we still manage to fend off every attack that comes, nothing really has changed since that dark day" Rainbow speaks with her mouth full until food falls out of her mouth.
"That's fine..and why are you here anyway?
"I've been called as reinforcements for a special mission, but I'm not going to participate in it"
“YOU, you don't want to be on a special mission? what happened? I grab a muffin from the overflowing tray and listen intently as I chew.
"It doesn't matter, now I'm just waiting for them to send me back" Without interest, she stuffs the whole muffin into her mouth.
"But I'm interested, you love special missions" I sit closer to her.
"That's true, but I'm not going to take orders from someone I don't trust" She chews with a frown.
"Weren't you chosen as commander? You're the best commander we have."
"NO! Twilight chose some stranger, because of which I've been staying here for two weeks in the castle and waiting if I'm needed" She says in a raised voice and again starts stuffing herself with muffins that visibly calm her down.
“That doesn't sound like Twilight, ever…wait, you've been here for two weeks?
"I..I overdid it, I haven't been here that long" She stutters and loses her hard expression for the first time.
“How long have you been at the castle?! I'll give her a hard look.
"I arrived yesterday, it just feels much longer" She laughs nervously with her mouth still full and scratches her neck.
"Oh, that's a shame, I slept the whole day, I missed you too and I would be very happy if you visited me next time and woke me up" I put all my acting talent into that lie and with an expression of immeasurable sadness with lowered ears and huge eyes I look at her.
"Don't be sad, of course I haven't forgotten you" Smile at me.
"I came to see you, I sat next to the bed and told what I experienced, I wouldn't leave you behind, you've become really soft" she smiles and stuffs her mouth with muffins.
"I'm glad" With a smile on the outside but full of anger inside.
"Well, come on, I'll take you to the castle" She throws the last muffin into herself and gets up.
"Wait, I was hoping you would tell me something about what happened outside in the square" I sit and wait for another fictional story.
"Nothing extra, just a failed enemy attack" She motions for me to get up and follow her.
"What's that iron thing stuck in the ground?
"I don't know"
"You don't know or you don't want to say?
"I don't know"
“What did Twilight say?
"Starlight come on, I won't wait for you all day" She turns and prepares to leave.
"Then just tell me and I'll go" I say to Rainbow while her back is to me and I slowly sneak away to the back entrance.
"Twilight said it is a weapon, I don't know more, come on"
“Starlight?!! I hear a call behind me as I run out of the building.
"Something's not quite right here, I have to figure it out before it's too late" I say to myself as I run.
I hide behind the shack as soon as I hear Rainbow Dash calling me and flying around, I would really like to teleport away now, but it's still too much for me. After a while the call starts to fade away, I quickly run out from behind the building and run but not very fast due to constant pain into the forest through which I run to the apple farm.
As soon as I run to the barn, I start looking for Apple Jack, but the farm is empty, there is no one, I don't wait for someone to come back and I run into the forest, luckily it was just in time when I saw a shadow behind me as someone flies across the sky. It was worth hiding behind a tree in case he wanted to land, because at that moment a pony with a short rainbow mane landed with a thud, looking for me.
"Starlight, I know you're here, stop fooling around, you'll just make everyone worry" She walks past and looks around.
With quick deep breaths I feel myself starting to panic, I try to calm down but I can't help but think about what is happening. Why are there so few ponies everywhere? No one in the castle, in the village and here on the farm too, where is everyone? that our enemies would finally overwhelm us? But why wouldn't they take us straight away? And why are those here acting so strange?
Thoughts are running through my head so fast that I have to catch her until I fall to the ground, I don't understand anything that is happening here, my eyes are slowly getting dark due to the lack of blood in my head when I hear a voice a little distorted due to the ringing in my ears .
"I found you, it's time to go home" says the voice and drags me out of the forest like a bag of garbage.
Everything seems so distant to me, as if I was sitting behind the eyes of another pony and just watching what was happening outside without being able to feel anything and everything I could see and hear sounded garbled. I feel the pressure in my leg when it hits the root and a few drops start to flow from the abrasion, when I suddenly realize that I'm not moving anymore, I'm lying motionless while the sounds of fighting are heard around me, which suddenly change into footsteps and another voice that despite the bad perception , I know very well.
"I had a job, give me that leg, your bandage came off"
"That..but..when?
"Are you feeling okay? Why are you looking at that bandage?
"You treated my injuries?
"Yes"
“And how…what caused my injuries?
"Although I wish you wouldn't remember it, you have every right to know it"
“What am I supposed to remember? Wait, what happened to Rainbow Dash?
"Umm well...
After knocking, Twilight enters the room and happily hugs Violet who is lying in bed.
"I'm glad you're okay, I was worried about you" She sits down next to Starlight on the bed.
After a moment of disbelief, Starlight calms down and turns back to me.
“What's going on here? Why is everyone acting so weird and where is Rainbow?
Hearing her name, Twiligh turned to me with a questioning look, while I returned the shrug.
“What's this about?” Starlight asks
"It's okay, Rainbow is a bit ill-mannered after spending so much time at the front" Twilight replies calmly
"And everything else that happened?
"It's my fault, I wanted to protect you as much as possible, but I just made it worse"
"You did your best" I'll support the Princess.
"Never mind, just sit back and relax" As soon as Twilight says that, Starlight flinches like she's been bitten and looks at me.
“What are you afraid of? I kneel beside Starlighr on the bed.
"Because I don't like this, it's too suspicious" Violet says which I hold in my arms so she doesn't run away.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Starlight struggles to free herself from my grip.
"You need Twiligh to wake you up, you need to stay calm"
"But. But. But" She tries to escape me.
"Trust me" I say quietly, Starlight reluctantly sits in my arms and waits to see what happens when the pink glow hits her.
"Done" Twilight finishes and motions for me to let her go.
Starlight collapses on the bed the moment I release the squeeze, she just lies with her eyes closed for a moment and then sits up as we both stare at her in fear of what's to come.
“How are you feeling? Twilight asks as Violet stares at us speechlessly.
But Starlight just stares with wide eyes as if life is happening before her eyes.
"I understand, it was a plan so that I could heal in peace and not deal with what was happening" Says the already fully aware Starlight.
"I'm glad that everything is as it should be again" The princess rushes to Starlight with another hug.
"I'll leave you lovebirds alone now, I've got to go, I've got a lot to do" Twilight pouted and left immediately, only giving Starlight one last smile in the doorway.
“Can you finally stop this? I call the princess and there is only receding laughter from behind the door.
"Lovebirds?
"Twilight is joking that you told her we were sleeping together" I turn from the door to Starlight.
"What's funny about that?
"Well...she took it to mean we were having sex"
“WHAT? How could she understand that?
"I did say that...we sleep together and I protect you from nightmares.." Violet realizes how weird that sounds and red looks at her hooves while sitting on the bed.
"She's been making fun of it ever since I explained it to her" I lean against the wall as I sit next to Starlight.
"So you're getting along well now?
"That's right, after I helped stop the attack on Ponyvill and her, we get along well."
“Is that what caused the village to be so destroyed?
"Yes, it was an ambush and it couldn't be prevented" I look at the ceiling in disappointment.
"Did someone die?
"They all managed to escape"
"I'm glad"
"I have to go into town, then I'll stop by later" I stand up and walk to the door.
"Wait, I'll come with you" Violet jumps off the bed.
"Are you feeling up to it?
"Of course" She says with a firm and steady step.
We leave the castle and go to Rarity, who is already waiting for us in the square with a tied package, I just take it over and with a greeting and a few words exchanged between the mares, we continue to the forge.
“Remember when we were in the Catacombs? Starligth asks.
"You should be asking if I'll ever forget it" I utter in disgust.
"I wanted to tell you something important, but I didn't get around to it"
"Can't it wait? We're quite pressed for time"
“I noticed, I'm not stupid, I saw you and Twilight looking at each other, so why don't you tell me what's going on?
"Because I want you to be calm" I say as we walk along the broken houses and past the ponies who greet us.
"But I want to know what's going on! You don't trust me, do you?
"Well, if you must know, the truth is that the army is approaching us to stop our offensive and eliminate the rest of the resistance, that's why we are all preparing to fight, it won't be long and everyone we're off to the front" Starlight looks at me in disbelief as I speak.
"That's terrible, all the more I need to tell you" Starlight stops me as she grabs my orange tank top.
“Okay, I'm listening, what's on your mind? I turn and kneel before her.
"What's happening and happened, a lot of it reminds me of a friend I lost and I'm afraid that the same thing will happen to you"
"Before you came, I was in a terrible depression that I tried to fight off with work, I couldn't even sleep because I had nightmares and so I worked for days without sleep and that lasted for weeks, I survived only on stimulants so I wouldn't fall asleep and I could have continued working" She continues her sad monologue as she studies my reaction.
"My best friend who had a similar past to me and you, we were always together and when the war started she got involved in the fighting a lot even though I asked her not to, but she couldn't tell, despite her mistakes and fear, she was honest and couldn't watch someone destroy her home and do nothing. One day a special battle group was formed for an important mission and she volunteered, disobeyed me and despite all my protests went on a very dangerous mission from which no one came back, I went looking for her many times but because of the advancing enemy army, it was more and dangerous. Since then, I just waited and blamed myself every day for not stopping her, because I knew what the special mission was and how dangerous it was. I don't want it to happen again with you" She silently looks at the ground.
"I'm sure you've heard that many times, but it's not your fault if she was so convinced that she had to go to battle, even if you forced her not to go, she would live, but she would never forgive you" I try to calm Violet down.
"Thank you for saying that, it means a lot to me"
"You don't have to worry, I won't disappear" I want to smile, hug her and comfort her, but I can't, I can't because I know what's going to happen and already my heart hurts at the thought.
"I'm waiting for you, I hope everything will be as you wished" says the blacksmith waiting in the shop at the counter as soon as we enter.
"Hello, let's go right now, I'll just prepare this" I say while I put the box on the counter and unpack it.
"You're already at home here, everyone greets you and it looks like they like you" Starlight smiles as she watches what I take out of the box.
"A lot has changed, a lot of them I helped or we just talked, the main thing that helped was that Twilight accepted me and publicly listed me as a visitor to help in the fight"
"That sounds like a lot of work, you managed it at a pretty fast pace didn't you? She laughs and waits for a reaction, but I can't give her one.
"Yes very much" I say quietly.
“So how fast did you do it?
"You're right, it didn't take long" I say as I put on a long brown glove that goes up to my shoulder, where I fasten it with a strap across my chest.
"So how long?
“Do you need to know it to the exact days or minutes? I accidentally said unnecessarily rudely.
"I..sorry..I'm just curious, I've slept through so much and I just want to know the answer to at least something" She says in such a tone that my heart sinks even more.
"Two months" I say quietly with my back to her.
“Wh..WHa…WHAT?!!!
"It's just another joke right? HA HA HA that was a good one" She desperately tries to deny what I said.
"It's not a joke" I put my hand on the table while the blacksmith fixes the iron plates on my left hand that are attached to the glove.
"But how is that even possible? When I look at her, I see she's having a nervous breakdown again.
"What happened to you...What I did to you was absolutely terrible and I will never forgive myself for it, but believe me, only the best came out of it" I say Starlight while the blacksmith joins the iron plates for me.
"But..."
"Only thanks to you there is a good chance that we will win the war and everything will go back to how it was before"
"I'm sorry that I slept through everything, but I'm glad that everyone and everything is going well"
"And finally a masterpiece" A long object wrapped in cloth is placed on the table.
"it looks great, thanks so much for your hard work" I say after peeking under the fabric.
“Wait, why are you wearing armor? Starlight asks
"Because I'm going to fight in a minute" I take the item in the cloth and prepare to leave.
"You're not going anywhere!
“What do you mean? Stunned by the sudden harshness in her voice.
"I won't let you go into such a big battle alone"
"You're not going anywhere, you're not strong enough to join" I stand facing the door while Starlight stands behind me.
"I'm strong, I feel full of energy and if this is to be the last battle, you need everyone"
"YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!! I yelled into the door while the blacksmith went into the back room instead.
“What's wrong with you? A shocked Starlight slowly walks towards me.
"Nothing, you're not going to fight" Still angry.
"You don't have to be afraid that I will die" She says when she looks at my face, which has tears running down my face.
"You won't die because I won't let you go there" I turn away from her and walk through the door.
"That's not for you to decide, this time I'm going to fight, I won't let what happened with Trixie happen again" She runs after me.
I ignore whatever she says, I know I have to stop her from joining a battle that will cost her her life. But she apparently doesn't care, because I'm enveloped in a green glow that holds me in place, for now she turns me towards her to get a good look at me.
“What's wrong? Starlight asks sadly
"War and Suffering"
“In all the time we've spent together, you've never been so withdrawn or sad when talking about war or death. Don't you want to tell me what's going on?
"Nothing happens"
“Then why are you like this? Angrily, she takes a step towards me.
"I...." I can't say anything, I just look at her with a sad look that I can't control.
"We should go" Violet says as she wipes a tear that's running down my face.
After returning to the castle where Starlight took her armor, we will walk through the demolished square to the end of the courtyard, where four ponies in heavy full-plate armor are already waiting by a cart behind which a pegasus in light leather armor is harnessed.
"We all are, MR. Ben prepare us for immediate departure" Princess Twilight orders in silver and gold armor without a helmet.
"Yes Princess....everything is ready" Says the tall pony who is much taller than the others.
As soon as the low door of the car slams shut, we immediately set off and take off at tremendous speed between a few clouds, where we fly peacefully with a beautiful view of the countryside. I look at the armors of the three soldiers that look more like works of art, the gray ornate armor full of red symbols of drawings and sharp protrusions for protection looks like I wouldn't be able to save that much money for one complete armor in my lifetime, but compared to the armor of the Princess and Starlight it's just cans. The princess looks amazing in her full plate silver armor, which looks like it has grown a golden creeper, with lots of thorns and sticking out short branches that are razor sharp.
"Get ready, it's going to be a hard landing" MR Ben shouts at the two soldiers in front of him who cannot be seen because of their face helmets and then turns to us.
The chariot begins to shake and toss with increasing speed as we hurtle towards the ground amidst the debris surrounding the ongoing battle, as stones, knives and spears fly past us. With the fourth impact, the car lands and we run for the nearest cover while MR. Ben and two soldiers cover us with their own bodies.
While crouching behind a wooden U-shaped pile of wood, the sounds of intense combat, iron clashing iron, cries for help, rage and dying are the most audible.
"The main enemy army has not yet arrived" Informs MR. Ben with the red mane.
"That's why we can inflict the most casualties on them before they arrive, if they stick together there is a high chance they will overpower us, for now we are outnumbered" Twilight shouts over the sounds of the battle.
“What should I do? Starlight asks.
"You will be with me, you and I are support, using magic we will attack from a distance and protect our soldiers" The Princess orders.
"I'll go ahead immediately and try to help the front line soldiers and break up the enemy line as much as possible" I tell Twilight.
"If something were to happen, I'll give a signal, now run" says the princess as she leaves with Starlight and the two soldiers who flew with us.
With a nod to Ben, we run together towards the center of the battle.
we make our way through the formations of armored soldiers to the constant tumult of battle that echoes before us. Beams are flying behind us, while thrown knives and spears are flying against us that shatter or bounce off the shields that the Unicorns materialize around the soldiers in the back rows, including Twilight and Starlight.
With the heavy aftershock that comes from every impact of the running Ben, with the clang of heavy armor, we are approaching the front line where the fighting is fierce.
I pull down the back of the long cloth held by the pale rainbow. I peel off the cloth as I run to reveal a black one-handed sword that cuts through the enemy line like butter. While parts of the goblins' bodies fly around me, Ben covers my back and uses his heavy hooves to crush everything he comes across.
As we advance deeper into the crowd of enemies, our soldiers follow us and prevent the Blacks from closing us in a circle.
A flurry of knives began to rain down on us, but they were stopped by a quickly appearing pink-green shield that also protected the soldiers behind us. With a look at Twilight who just nods at me, I turn around and my black and gray blade again cuts more and more black armor around me, staining my brown pants green.
With the mighty roar of our soldiers, we shatter the lines of the enemy, who relentlessly attack despite being surrounded in two large circles.
I collapse to my knees resting on my sword, breathing heavily and sweat pouring down my face. I look at the numerous holes in my clothes that I don't even know how I got as I watch the colors of the happy dancing rainbow on my hand fade.
“Can you make it? Ben asks as he crushes a few blacks that have gotten out of the circle and are running towards us.
I nod to show that I do, but the truth is that I feel very weak.
With a distinctive roar, our soldiers celebrate the victory they have waited so long for and are now savoring to their heart's content.
I look back at Starlight, who is in an embrace with Twilight, among the bouncing and dancing soldiers.
I would like to rejoice like the others, but my joy was stopped by the shaking of the earth, which is getting stronger every moment.
THOOOO
A horn sounds from our ranks, indicating that everyone should line up in battle formation.
confused as to what is happening, I look back to see another army, led by a tall bipedal figure in black spiked armor riding on a black throne.
I look desperately at the huge army that our tired troops cannot match.
I struggle to my feet, leaning on my sword, and face the oncoming army as Ben and I stand in front of our army, first to hit.
A row of blacks line up in front of us, screaming and jumping. These black ones are different, they don't have pure black armor, but apparently they are worn and dented by many battles, I'm afraid that this will be the elite.
Before I take a step forward, the Princess is standing next to me, calling out to the armor sitting on the throne.
"I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, the ruler of all of Equestria, challenge you to a duel, if you defeat me, I will give up my right as ruler" She says Nobly.
“Your defeat is certain, why should I waste my time with you? The black armor thunders.
"Because even if you tear ours to pieces, we will always fight because you will never break our desire to be free again" She shouts triumphantly as I stare at her in disbelief.
After a moment's thought, the armor is raised and with a metallic clang it descends from the high throne and down the stairs. Frightened by what the Princess said, Starlight runs to us.
"I won't let you risk your life" I stop Twilight who wants to go towards the enemy.
“Exactly, what if he kills you? Starlight grabs Twilight to keep her from leaving.
"There is no other option, I won't let all my loyal ponies die while I hide" She turns to Starlight.
"In that case, I'll fight him" I say, pulling my sword from the ground and immediately stepping forward.
“No! come back! Twilight and Starlight are calling after me.
But I don't listen to them, I know what is going to happen and there is no other way back. Suppressing the horrible thought of what's to come, I stand against the black armor that looks down on me.
"I don't want you, I want a princess" He growls.
"You can only get her through my corpse" I say with my sword resting on my shoulder.
"I was hoping you'd learned your lesson from the last time, but it looks like I'm going to have to kill you for real this time" He says angrily, swinging a spiked hand at me on his black armored gauntlet.
With a step to the right, I avoid a direct shot from the giant and with a strong swing my sword with sparks and fragments is reflected from his arm that attacked me.
I take a few steps back, looking at the broken piece of the sword.
With a thunderous laugh, he turns on me again.
I avoid every blow he sends at me, breathing heavily. For how tall he is, he's very fast and deadly at the same time, just one direct hit and I'll be happy if I can stand up.
His arms whiz around me as I dance around him and when the opportunity presents itself, I land a crucial sword blow, but I'm unable to hurt him. His armor is a masterpiece that doesn't have a single vulnerable spot.
I slash at him with the blade splintering along its length as I find a weakness in his armor in his armpit. After every strike he makes, he always straightens up and braces himself for another strike, as soon as he does it again, I grab the sword with both hands with the point pointed at the weak spot and lunge at him with full force.
I narrowly dodged the legs flying towards my chest, the blow of the heavy steel fist, which I had to cover with my arm, pushed me back a little.
With the sound of falling pieces of iron, my left arm swings loosely to the ground with shattered armor covered in my blood.
I hear Starlight scream in fear, I hear the giant's deep laugh and the wild screams of the black soldiers. I stifle the pain from the shattered hand, while tying it to my torn tank top around my neck.
The giant won't even let me tighten the knot and runs towards me with a tremendous roar.
There is no other option but to end it immediately, in a straight stance with the sword pointed at him, I wait until the last moment before he is close to me. With a lightning dodge in front of the thrown hand, I jump to him and cut the gap between the armor with the point of my sword. All I managed to do was somersault to the side when I got elbowed in the head.
I kneel on one knee and lean on my sword with a disappearing rainbow, watching the red drops of blood drip from my face onto the ground.
With a feeling of incredible weakness and pain, I feel how once again the earth shakes as the giant runs.
I raise my eyes from the last remnants of determination, look at the approaching giant and gather the last strength for the last attack in the blinding rainbow glow.
It took my breath away how quickly he dodged my stab and immediately swung his leg, which hits the sword I'm covering my side with, the sword shatters on impact and with the impact on my right hand, which is behind the sword, I'm thrown a few meters, where I stop after a few rolls on back.
I must have been unconscious for a while, Starlight sitting next to me in tears and Twilight standing with her back to me and staring at the giant.
"So...sorry, I couldn't...I did it" I say with difficulty, while I feel that almost every part of my body is broken
"Why did you go to fight? Twilight told me what's wrong with you, so why?" Starlight says between sobs crying over me.
"That's why I was called here to fight for you" I say quietly as her tears fall down my face.
"Now it's YOUR turn Princess" A big black giant walks towards us.
"What are we going to do? We can't beat him" Twilight spoke up nervously.
"But we can" Starlight says, wiping away her tears.
"Take my energy" Starlight says determinedly.
"No" I answer, to the Princess' unpleasant look at me.
"But why not? It will make you strong, like when you fought Princess Luna" She tries to talk me out of it.
"I won't do it because in the state I'm in right now, I'd deprive you of enough energy that it would kill you" Starlight looks at me dumbfounded.
"We have to go, there's no time to argue" Twilight says with a look at the giant who is already a few meters away from us.
"Promise me you'll never blame yourself" Stralight whispers to sleep in my arms as she slowly closes her fading purple eyes.
As I hold Violet in a tight grip and feel the life drain from her, a tremendous amount of energy flows into me that heals all injuries and the rainbow on my hand begins to glow in color again.
"Trops we have to…" She stops talking as the giant shatters her shield and retreats towards us herself.
With a kiss on the forehead, I carefully put the cooling Starlight on the ground. I stand looking at the ground as Twilight rushes over to me.
"There was no other option..."
"Shut up!!...YOU don't talk to me" Full of rage at myself, I yell at the princess who crouches down like a filly.
With clenched fists, I stand full of hatred for the world that stuck another knife in my heart. Twilight leaves behind me as the giant approaches me. It stops right in front of me, I raise my head, in front of which is an armored black chest, waiting for what I will do.
It will never end, my life is only suffering, no matter what I do, those dear to me will never stop dying because of me. How am I supposed to live when every cell in my body is suffering from the energy that caused her death to pass through it? It's not mine..it's not.. why is it in me?..why did it have to happen? Why didn't you let me die? why? Why?! Why did you leave me with a mindless life again? I have to be stronger, I can't go on like this. I have to be stronger for you, for what you sacrificed for me, I have to...
"You're shaking with fear, aren't you? You'd better run away before I kill you and your little friends for good" The giant's bass booms, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I can feel my whole body dripping with sweat, my muscles are as tight as a rock and a dark aura spreads around me, while I stand in nothing but brown ripped pants and my skin begins to change. Clenched teeth, fists and every muscle suppresses the incredible urge to succumb to rage, to vent all my pain on everything within reach, to discharge everything I feel. As the dark aura slowly recedes, I feel a familiar energy spilling over my body, while my eyes wet from the constant tears see the giant attacking me.
I said move! His hand flies through the air and wants to drive me into the ground like a hammer to a nail.
Without movement, emotion, or visible effort, his armored hand above my head stops against my left arm, over which a rainbow is poured, aggressively swinging from side to side like crazy.
"You filth how dare you!!........" A dead body in armor tumbles to the ground with armor dented all over his stomach into his body as blood pours out of his helmet.
"Eventually he got over it, I was worried"
"Me too sister, now we must honor the death of the fallen and build our empire stronger again"
"I don't think that's going to be enough for one of them" The majestic black alicorn, who is watching the battlefield from a high rock with her sister, says in concern.
