Unique: Vengeance is Magic

CHAPTER THREE: A DARK MEMORY

Sky Wind stared at Unique, his hoof still held out to the alicorn, still waiting for the hoofshake that it was not going to receive. The grin on his face was gone, and the look that took its place seemed unsure whether he had heard the alicorn correctly. The room was silent, awkwardly silent, save for the sound of Serenity's humming from the kitchen as she cleaned the dishes used for supper. The silence lasted for only a few seconds, though for the two ponies sitting at the table it may well have felt like hours, before Sky Wind finally spoke.

"What...did you say?"

Unique leaned back in his seat and folded his forelegs across his chest. He glared back at the Pegasus, his sky-blue eyes narrowed, and his face contorted into a frown. ''You heard me, Sky Wind. I said, 'no','' Unique repeated, his voice slightly raised at the end of his reply.

Sky Wind sat there, utterly shocked, his eyes wide and expressing disbelief. "But why? Why would you turn down an offer like this? Do you have any idea what you're doing? You're turning down the opportunity of a lifetime!''

''No, Sky Wind. I know what it is you're really here for. You're here to try and persuade me to fight again. To fight battles for this...'Brotherhood', as you call them. I left the Equestrian military for a reason, Sky Wind, and that was to get away from the fighting, and the past. What in the name of Celestia makes you think I'll become a soldier again, especially for some group I've never heard of?''

''B-but, Unique! Think of what you'll be able to give your family!'' Sky Wind gestured to the room they were in. ''You and your wife can live in a better place than this shabby shack in the middle of nowhere!''

Unique lowered his head, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the red pegasus, glaring at him from beneath a fringe of his hair. The look in his eyes showed that he was starting to get annoyed. ''This 'shabby shack', Sky Wind, is my home, as I've told you before,'' Unique growled, ''and Serenity and I are happy together right where we are, out here in the 'middle of nowhere'.'' Unique added, putting sarcastic emphasis on the last few words.

Sky Wind's mind began to race as he tried to think of a way to convince the alicorn. ''Well...well, then what about your foal when it's born? Do you think you can give your son - or daughter - a decent life here, so far away from other towns and cities? The Brotherhood can provide your child with education and medicine! Can you give your child those things here? What is there here, that you can possibly give your foal when it's born?''

Unique held a hoof to his blue-marked chest. ''I can give my foal a father, who will be there for him, when and where he's needed most,'' he answered, before pointing a hoof at the window, ''instead of being out there in some pointless battle, leaving him and his mother to fend for themselves. As for education and medicine, I'll work harder to pay for it all. Besides, I would rather choose who teaches my foal,'' the alicorn replied.

Sky Wind was grasping at metaphorical straws at this point. He wasn't getting through to Unique at all. ''But...but...but what about your skills? Back in the military, you were one of the best soldiers I had ever known! Your abilities in combat made you the most feared warrior on the battlefield! You can't just let those skills go to waste! You - ''

''Enough of this, Sky Wind!'' Unique snapped. He got up from the chair onto all fours, and walked over to the door ''I told you once already, and now I'll tell you for the last time. My answer is no. I will not join the Brotherhood, no matter what you offer me. I've put my fighting days behind me, and all I want now is peace, and to raise a family with Serenity.'' Unique opened the door, letting the cool night air rush into the cottage, and turned to face Sky Wind. ''It's getting late, Sky Wind. I'm tired, and I want to go to bed. Go back to the Brotherhood, Sky Wind. Go and live your life how you see fit, and let me live mine. ''

Sky Wind did not move. He remained where he was, standing with his hooves balled up, as if he was clenching them in anger. He looked at Unique with wicked eyes, and a malicious scowl plastered on his face. ''So then,'' Sky Wind sneered, his voice adopting a dark, mocking tone that took Unique by surprise momentarily, ''this is what you've become after five years, is it? The 'Unique' I knew five years ago was one of the best soldiers the Equestrian military ever had serving in it, but five years later, you're just a shadow of your former self! Dull and soft, like grey clay! You're not the soldier I fought beside during the war. That 'Unique' back then, was a great warrior!''

'War'. A subject that Unique had always avoided in a conversation. A subject that he had spent the past five years trying to forget. At the mere mentioning of the word, Unique's mind was already starting to flash with memories of the battles he had fought in. The stallions dying around him, both friend and foe. The bolts of deadly magical energy flying around and past him. The look of fear and terror in the eyes of the fallen that lay still beneath his hooves...

So many memories, all of which had been pushed far into the deepest depths of his consciousness, where they could not enter his thoughts. So many memories, all of which had now broken free from their prison, and all because of a single stallion.

Now Unique was starting to lose his temper. He took a few steps towards Sky Wind, baring and clenching his teeth as he struggled to suppress the rage that was building up in him. The thought of using his magic to forcibly - and painfully - remove the Celestia-be-damned pegasus from his home, and from his sight, crossed his mind. Had Serenity not chosen that moment to enter the room, having finished cleaning and putting away the dishes, Unique may very well have done just that.

The cheerful smile on Serenity's face changed into a look of worry and confusion as soon as she entered the room, and saw her husband and his old brother-in-arms locked in some kind of death-staring contest. She gasped in surprise, which alerted the two stallions of her presence, their eyes looking to the mare for a brief second, then back at one another. Her own eyes darted frantically back and forth between Unique and Sky Wind, her mind trying to understand the situation.

''What's going on here?'' Serenity asked, a concerned tone in her voice.

The angry frown on Unique's face softened as he turned his head to face Serenity. Just her being there, with a worried expression on her face and in her eyes, seemed to calm the alicorn down a bit. His attention diverted from the cause of his anger, that being Sky Wind, Unique mustered a small smile and replied to Serenity, ''It's...alright, honey. Everything's alright'' Oh Celestia, Unique hated lying to his wife, but with her being pregnant, the last thing he wanted was for her to get stressed or worried. It wasn't helping matters that Sky Wind had to come, of all ponies, to his home, with some Luna-forsaken proposal for him to become a warrior again, and for some organization he had never heard of before and whose motives just seemed...shady, to him. ''We're just having a minor,'' Unique returned his eyes back to the red Pegasus, his frown returning to his face, though it lacked the intense fierceness from earlier, ''disagreement. In fact, Sky Wind was just about getting ready to leave, weren't you?''

Sky Wind said nothing, but continued to glare at the alicorn, before looking over to Serenity, his gaze fixed upon her for a few seconds. He then looked back to Unique, with a cruel smile on his muzzle, as he raised a hoof and pointed at the mare.

''I see, now. Now I understand. It's because of her isn't it, Unique? Your wife, she's the reason why you've gone soft and pitiful. Ha! A simple filly has soothed the savage beast! Oh, Unique! I almost actually feel sorry for you!'' The red pegasus began to chuckle, his laughter like the giggling of a deranged mad pony.

Unique's temper was very close to reaching its limit. It would only take one more insult. One more wrong word, before he...

''How embarrassing for you, Unique! And to think you were once the mighty Bloody Alicorn!''

That did it. Unique vaulted the distance between him and Sky Wind, and grabbed the surprised pegasus by his throat, eliciting an alarmed gasp from Serenity. Still grasping the pegasus by his throat, Unique then slammed Sky Wind against the wall, so hard that Sky Wind swore he felt bones in his ribs and spine cracking from the impact. Sky Wind was now pinned against the wall, raised inches from the floor, and struggling to breathe. His eyes looked to Unique, and his pupils shrunk in terror at the sight he saw.

Unique's face had twisted into a terrifying expression of rage, pure rage. His sky-blue eyes now had a tinge of crimson red to them, which shared the same furious expression. The alicorn bared his teeth, revealing that his canines had lengthened, and razor-sharp like vicious daggers. When Unique spoke, his voice sounded unnatural, as though an otherworldly demon was speaking through him. Just the absolute anger in his new devilish voice seemed to shake the cottage more than the volume at which he spoke, the venom and ice dripping from every word - if that combination was even possible - both chilling and poisoning his very soul.

''Don't you DARE utter that name in front of me! And don't you EVER dare associate me with that monster! I am not him anymore, Sky Wind, and I will NEVER become him again! I will not become that monster as long as I still live! Not for you, and not for this 'Brotherhood'! For the last time, Sky Wind; I will NOT join the Brotherhood, and the Brotherhood can burn in the pits of Tartarus for all I care, along with you!''

''UNIQUE!''

The alicorn heard hoofsteps running across the wooden floor towards him. Turning his attention away from the gasping pegasus, Unique saw Serenity at his side. The sight of the fright on the mare's face seemed to bring Unique out of his frenzy, though he did not remove his hoof from Sky Wind's throat. Serenity placed her hooves upon her husband's shoulder, and look straight into his eyes, her own emerald eyes a mixed expression between demanding and pleading. ''Let him go, Unique. He's not worth it.''

Unique stood there, looking at her. His rage began to slowly subside as he began to come out of his frenzy, quickly coming to terms with how his actions had worried the poor mare just now, worry which Unique had wanted to avoid burdening her with. The red tinge in his eyes disappeared, returning to their original sky-blue colour. He looked back at Sky Wind, who looked close to passing out from asphyxiation. Unique closed his eyes for a moment, and then released his hoof from Sky Wind's neck. The pegasus fell to the floor with a thud, gasping for air and going into a coughing fit. The pegasus, after filling his lungs with precious oxygen, hesitantly looked up at Unique, that look of terror still plastered upon his face.

Unique did not look back at the pegasus. He stood there, his eyes still closed as he slowly began to calm himself. His face was scrunched into a scowl, and his breathing was heavy. ''Get...out...''. His voice was as quiet as a dying whisper, but loud enough for the Pegasus to hear him.

Serenity stayed there with him, taking his hoof into her own and stroking it gently, which seemed to aid in his calming. She shot a glare towards the pegasus, with a look that silently told Sky Wind, You better do as he says, and while you still can. Sky Wind awkwardly shuffled away from the alicorn until his back hit the cottage door, which had remained open the all time. He began to rise onto all fours, and as he did the terror on his face faded away, and a smirk came and took its place. Halfway outside and inside of the cottage, Sky Wind pointed his hoof at Unique. ''So, your other self is still inside you. Behind all that softness and not-wanting-to-fight-again talk, he's still alive.''

Unique turned his head slightly, though not enough for Sky Wind to see his face. Not that the pegasus needed to see his face to know his next words were like icy, razor daggers piercing the poor alicorn's heart.

''You can't hide your true self behind this lie that you call a life, Unique. You can plough as many fields as you like, and grow and harvest all the crops you want, but no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise, you are - and always will be - a warrior, born to fight, born to kill, born to spill the blood of others, and take their lives,'' Sky Wind lowered his head slightly, and his tone deepened, ''and deep down, you know it's the tru-''

CLANG!

Unique stood in front of the bedroom window, gazing up at the moon ruling over the stars scattered around the heavens. There were very few clouds out tonight, and so he was able to see the shadowy silhouette upon the surface of the white sun of the night; the silhouette of Nightmare Moon.

Just looking at that shadowed portrait brought back awful memories for the poor alicorn. Memories worse than those which Sky Wind had awakened within him. Memories of a princess to whom he had pledged his loyalty to, only to be betrayed by the very charge he was sworn to fight for, to protect. Memories of believing he was ridding the land of dangerous assassins and necromancers, when in truth he was hurting innocent ponies whilst under the influence of the corrupted moon princess. Memories of the great battle against Celestia's forces - those remaining who had not fallen to Nightmare Moon's brainwashing spell - as they fought upon a darkened battlefield, the two sisters engaged in their own fight high above them, before they took their fight towards Canterlot, leaving the soldiers behind to continue their struggle.

And then, there was that one memory. The one memory he wished he could forget. The memory that wrought him man sleepless nights, as he tried in pathetic attempts to convince himself it was all a dream. It was the memory of himself, standing atop a dirt mound, looking down upon ten thousand terrified soldiers. Half of them had been fighting for Nightmare Moon, but soon had regained their senses when the wicked mare was subdued by the power of the Elements of Harmony. All of them, except for one - the alicorn standing atop the dirt mound. His white coat slowly changed to the colour of night-black, and he had an evil twisted smile glued to his face. His once sky-blue eyes had changed to a colour of crimson red, accompanied by soulless black pupils that would surely paralyze even Death himself with dread, and were opened wide, wild with a frenzied lust. His feathery wings were twisted upside-down, the wing-tips looking sharp enough to slice clean through metal.

But most hideous and terrifying of all was that laugh. Oh sweet Celestia and Mother Faust, that laugh! That demonic laugh made Discord's sound like a cuddly kitten mewing, and that was while he wasn't pretending to be one. And that laugh echoed across the battlefield, and was heard by all the royal soldiers, their hearts gripped with fear and their mouths agape in awe before the monstrosity that stood before them, laughing as blood dripped from his stained hooves.

The monstrosity that was better known, as the 'Bloody Alicorn'.

''Unique?'' The alicorn ceased his reminiscing upon hearing his wife's sweet voice, and turned around to face Serenity. She looked concerned, and there was a hint of worry in her glimmering eyes. After the events that had transpired over an hour ago, it wasn't surprising. Unique had come close to killing his so-called 'friend' tonight, after all.

Serenity walked over to her husband, and sat down with him by the window. Once she was comfortable, she rested her head against the alicorn's shoulder. The fine hairs of her mane felt like luxurious royal silk against his body. They sat there by the window, nothing but silence between them. After several minutes of quietness, Serenity finally spoke. ''What happened tonight...Unique, it wasn't your fault.''

Unique sighed and closed his eyes. ''Serenity, we both know I'm to blame. I should have thrown that bastard out of the house the moment I saw him.''

''So why didn't you?''

''Because I was curious to know why he had come. Of course we knew each other, but he was hardly a friend back then. And after tonight, he is a long way from being one.''

Serenity chuckled a little. ''Well, he's gone now. And if he knows what's good for him, he won't come back to bother us.''

Unique turned his head to look at his beloved. ''But that's not the point, Serenity. He found me. I thought that the past would never find me here, yet from out of the blue Sky Wind turns up. In my home. In our home.'' He sighed again, and hung his head. ''But the past is the least of my problems right now. I let him get to me, Serenity. I let my other self take over, right in front of you. Then I looked at you, and I saw how frightened you were. I caused that fear in you.''

''Serenity,'' Unique began as he reached his hoof out and laid it upon his mare's bulging tummy. ''What kind of father can I be to our child if I frighten you as a husband?''

Serenity suddenly straightened herself up and, to Unique's surprise, grabbed both his shoulders with her hooves and stared hard into his eyes. ''Don't say that! Don't you ever make yourself out to be somepony I should be afraid of! What happened here tonight, Unique, was the fault of that damned pegasus, not yours! You told him you didn't want to fight for meaningless causes, and he just kept going on. Yes, I was afraid when you...changed, but that was only because I was worried about you. I will never be afraid of you, Unique, because I know what you really are inside. A kind, hard-working stallion who would do anything to help others. A stallion who stands up for what he truly believes in, not what others want him to believe in. You have done wrong things in the past, Unique, but so have we all. But you are willing to do what is right here and now to atone for those wrongs. And look at what you have here and now. You have a good life, you live in a cottage in the most peaceful and out-of-the-way village in Equestria, and more importantly, you have me, and pretty soon, you'll have a son or daughter. So don't make yourself out to be some kind of horrible pony, Unique, because I know you're nothing like that. Otherwise, I would never have married you.''

Unique listened to Serenity's words, allowing them to sink in and work their magic upon him. Her speech was touching and gentle, her words held so much love and care. Unique cold not help but smile as he brought the mare he loved dearly closer to him, planting a kiss on her lips, and holding her in his arms, wrapping his wings around her like warm feathery blankets.

They sat there together in silence, looking out of the window and at the starry night sky. In silence, they enjoyed the warmth they radiated upon each other from their coats, and from the closeness of their bodies. The silence lasted for a good long minute, before Serenity broke it.

''So make sure you don't forget what I told you, Unique, or you won't be getting any of my world-famous dandelion salad surprise again,'' she chuckled, nuzzling her husband's neck.

''Oh no! Whatever will I do without your delicious dandelion salad surprise?'' Unique joked, putting on a mock display of horror and panic. ''Oh, the thought of it all!''

Serenity giggled, which was followed by a yawn. Getting up from the floor, she moved towards the bed. ''Come on, you comedian. It's getting rather late, and I need my sleep.'' She paused on her side of the bed. ''And so do you.''

Folding his wings in, Unique got up from the floor and made his way over to the other side of the bed, using his magic to raise the covers as he laid himself beneath the sheets, releasing his magical grip on the sheets when he comfortable enough on the mattress. Serenity slipped into the bed and edged her way closer to Unique's side, snuggling up to the alicorn who wrapped a hoof around her. Serenity kissed Unique on his cheek, as she moved her hoof under the covers and placed it upon her womb.

''Goodnight, my love. May your dreams be sweet tonight.''

Unique's eyes started to close as he chuckled. ''After what you did to Sky Wind tonight, I will dream well enough, Serenity.'' His head sunk into the soft pillows as the thought entered his mind. ''You have really good throwing aim, you know.''

''Well, it was more luck than skill, but it was a good throw, wasn't it?'' giggled the mare.

It wasn't long before both husband and wife entered blissful slumber, whisked away into the world of dreams, and outside the moon and stars shone down upon them, watching silently from the heavens, like transcendent guardian angels making sure that all was well in the world down below.

In the forest that stood outside of the village at the base of the hill, something stirred within the shadows...

Sky Wind made his way to the edge of the forest, where he was supposed to have rendezvous with his master half an hour ago. He held a hoof to his head in a futile attempt to rid himself of the painful swelling that had appeared there prior to being struck by his own helmet. He swore under his breath. That mare had quite a throwing arm, and if Unique hadn't been in the same room as them, he would happily torn it from her body and beaten her with it. To have been hurt by a simple pony was humiliating for Sky Wind, and anypony who humiliated Sky Wind was always marked for death by the crimson pegasus.

But his revenge fantasy would have to wait, as would the throbbing pain in the swelling on his head. Right now, he was late, and if he continued to make his master wait any longer for him...well, he had seen plenty enough of what he was capable of doing to know that he had better hurry up.

When Sky Wind arrived at the rendezvous, there was a large pony clothed in a worn and tattered cloak waiting for him. His cloak covered practically his entire body, covering him from head to hoof. His tail - blood-red in color, and with a nasty jagged tip -  swayed side to side as the red pegasus approached him. The pony's face was obscured by the cloak's hood, through which his ears and a long, sharp horn poked out though holes in the top. All Sky Wind could see in the darkness beneath the hood was a pair of menacing purple eyes, and red slit-pupils.

Sky Wind gulped as he fell into a bow before his master. When the hooded figure gave him a nod of his head, Sky Wind rose up from the floor. ''So, will the Bloody Alicorn join our cause?'' questioned the hooded pony, his voice deep as an abyss, and cold as a dying whisper. His cruel eyes burned into Sky Wind's own, filling the pegasus with an intense feeling of dread.

''I...I r-regret to s-s-say...I mean, Unique r-refused your p-proposal, my lord Abbadon,'' stammered the shaking pegasus, fearful for how his master would respond to the news. To his surprise, his response was not to kill him, but instead he sighed and hung his head, as though disappointed. ''What a shame. Truly a shame.''

Suddenly, his head shot back up, and beneath the hood, Sky Wind saw the most twisted, maddening smile he had ever seen in his life. ''Oh well. That means we can execute Plan B, then,'' the hooded figure exclaimed in a perky tone. The hodded figure pointed a hoof towards Sky Wind, prompting him to stand to attention. ''Proceed to the village at once and meet with our fellow brothers there. They are to burn the settlement to the ground, and execute any pony that survives. You will observe the attack from the air, and eliminate any pegasi that try to escape. No pony is to leave that village alive.'' The hooded figure's eyes narrowed and his voice dropped to a hushed tone, quiet as a whisper, but loud enough for the red pegasus stallion to hear his words. 'I trust you know the consequences should you let even one survivor escape, correct?''

Sky Wind gulped again, bringing a hoof up to his throat as he remember what happened to the last pony to fail one of the master's tasks. He nodded his head.

His master smiled. ''Good. Now, get going. It is late into the night, and by this hour, not a single soul will be stirring. They will not know their fate until it is beyond late.'' He chuckled, a sound which could only be described as a grating noise. ''Most of them will die while they are still dreaming before everypony realizes what's going on. They will be the lucky ones.''

Sky Wind started to turn around to begin heading to the village and fulfill his orders, but paused for a moment to turn back to his master. ''But what about the Bloody Alicorn, my lord? What is to become of him?''

His master slowly turned to face him, that evil smile growing even wider beneath his hood, his eyes crazed and wild. ''I shall put his name to the test.''

.