"Very good, you're getting alot better." Rainbowdash said as Twilight managed to get herself off the ground and even did a couple flips before bringing herself to a crash landing. "Thanks, but i'm pretty sure that I have a long way before I am "flight ready"." Twilight told her loyal friend. Before Rainbowdash could speak Celestia approached the duo. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything..." Celestia said. "we were actually just finishing up." Rainbowdash said. "Oh, ok. Twilight I would like your help with something." She said, turning her gaze to Twilight, who was trying to get her wings back into an idle position. Her attention quickly turned to Celestia. "Really? I would love to!" She exclaimed. "This is probably some egghead stuff, so... I'm out, see ya Twilight." Rainbowdash said, making a break for ponyville. "Follow me." Celestia said leading Twilight inside.
When they got inside, Celestia lead the way to what was supposed to be the abanded wing of the castle that was closed due to disrepair. As they continued, Twilight saw that it was quite stable, just a bit dark. And suddenly a scream peirced the silence. "Oh no." Celestia said, rushing off into the darkness. "Wait for me!" Twilight exclaimed, taking off after her mentor. She ran until she caught up to Celestia, who had subdued a black colt with red hair. Beside him was a young unicorn who was grasping her throat in an attempt to regain her breath. "He suddenly broke free... I had no idea they were so fast..." The unicorn was trying to explain. "It's ok. You're safe now. We're going to handle this from this point on. Just get him inside his cage and make sure he can't get out again." Celestia said, with a soothing voice instead of one with scorn. The unicorn used her magic to lift the colt and place him inside a cell.
Twilight rushed to her mentor. "What was that?!" Twilight exclaimed, confused. "He was a Volk guard. They were Sombra's Elite guards who believe that he is still among them. Even though they all watched him get blown to bits." Celestia explained. "They attack anything on sight and so we try to keep them contained. That's why I asked for your help, We currently a Promeathean Volk guard, they aren't as violent, and they take orders from anything with dark essence." Celestia finished. "What does that have to do with me?" Twilight asked. "When you opened Sombra's cursed door, you were exposed to high amounts of his dark essence. Your body even manged to contain some of it..." Celestia explained. "So you can command a Promethean guard. Cadence sent him in from a torture chamber that was found in the ruins of Sombra's castle. Poor guy was strapped into a stretcher, they were probably trying breaking his will, so he might be somewhat normal. Just trained... like a dog." Celestia said, her voice pitiful for the colt.
That's when they reached room 101, which contained a purple alicorn who was following her gaze. He was young, they were probably the same age, and he was quite handsome. "He's an Alicorn!?!" Twilight exclaimed, shocked. "Yes, I don't know much, but I'm guessing he was the prince when Sombra gained control. His parents were probably lost in the chaos." Celestia said. She opened the door and the colt stood up. Twilight walked up to the colt and he fell to his knees in worship. "Stand." Twilight commanded. He quickly followed the order. Suddenly a crash was heard from outside the cell and the black colt was charging at them shouting. "For Sombra, The true king!"
Suddenly the colt jumped on top his fellow guard's back and quickly subdued him, landing several hard and possibly fatal blows to his skull, quickly causing the colt to go under. He relaxed as the colt's breath balanced out, leaving him unconsious. The colt walked back to Twilight and placed himself at her feet. "Stand." Twilight said, this time more relaxed about his loyalty to her. He rose quickly. "what is your name?" Twilight asked. The colt remained silent. "I said... what is your name? Respond, that is an order!" Twilight commanded. The colt suddenly spoke, his voice was calm even though Twilight had been on the brink of yelling. "I do not have a name, You have not named me yet." He spoke, remaining silent from that point on. Twilight turned to Celestia, who simply shrugged. "I give you free permisson to speak, as well as free permisson to think and all other needs of a normal guard." Twilight said, with her voice being as commanding as she could be. The colt instantly passed out, hitting the floor.
"Wha.. What did I do?" Twilight leaped back, suprised. "You gave him permisson to sleep." Celestia explained. It's going to be a while before he wakes up, he proabably hasn't had sleep for a thousand years, maybe longer. He awoke as the words were said. "ow, my head." His gaze suddenly locked onto Twilight and he fell to his knees. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to show weakness." He cried. "Tell me, what's your name?" Twilight asked. His gaze went back up to her, suprised that she hadn't struck him. "My name is...is...is...I can't remember..."He trailed off . Twilight wanted to cry, this poor colt who was just as old as him, being taken from his life of comfort and being made into a into a soilder. He can't even remember his own name, Sombra really did take everything from him. "My name is...Arc-ane-fla-me, Arcaneflame! That's right. My name is Arcaneflame." He said, turning to Twilight. "And you are my new master , I'm guessing?" He finished. Twilight turned to Celestia again, who this time nodded her head. "yes, I'm your new master, My name is Twilight Sparkle."
"Follow." Twilight said. Arcaneflame followed without question. After a minute or two of walking, Twilight spoke. "So Arcaneflame, what is your special talent?" She asked? "I specialize in magic and organization." Arcaneflame responded. Twilight stopped dead in her tracks, he was just like her. "Remove your clothes for me, I need to see something." Twilight said. He removed the clothes that he had been found in, bloody rags with holes in them. Twilight saw it and gasped. His cutie-mark was almost like hers with only a slight variation in the pattern. His mark contained only three white stars while hers contained five. He must know powerful magic, she thought to herself. They walked until they reached her room. "You are to guard this door, no-one is to enter without my permission, do you understand?" She asked. "yes, ma'am!" He exclaimed. "Good, I'm going to sleep. I'll see you in the morning." Twilight said, entering her room.
Twilight woke up to the sound of Arcaneflame's voice. "Miss Sparkle! Wake up! You're having a nightmare! It's just a dream!" He was exclaiming, she was screaming. She awoke when Arcaneflame pulled her to him, caressing her. She stopped screaming and held him tightly. "Oh my Celestia, I had the worst nightmare. It was about Sombra. He was doing horrible things to me, all the blood..." She trailed off, sobbing uncontrollably. Celestia burst into the room and knocked Arcaneflame to the side and pointed a sword at his throat. "What did you do to her?" She yelled, digging the tip of the blade into his throat. "No Celestia! He helped me! I was having a nightmare and he woke me up! Don't!" Twilight exclaimed, throwing herself at his side. Celestia looked into Twilight's eyes and pulled the sword away from him. She hugged Twilight. "Good to see that you're alright." she whispered. She stared at Arcaneflame for a few moments and left. "I'm going back to my post...." He said. "No wait, Don't leave, stay with me..." She pleaded. He turned to look at her. He stood there for a few minutes and walked to the bed, placing himself next to her, she cuddled him and put his arm around her. She fell into a deep sleep.
She awoke to the smell of food, she felt the bed to find that Arcaneflame had left the room. She went down to the dining room to find that it was Arcaneflame who was cooking. "It smells delicious. what is it?" Twilight asked, placing herself next to Arcaneflame. "Egg Sandwhiches, I used to make them when Sombra was in a very bad mood. These always kept him from executing someone. So I guess I make a very good sandwich." He told her. "About last night..." Twilight began. "I understand, you were having a nightmare, you needed to cling onto somepony for comfort..." Arcaneflame started. "No, I actually wanted to ask you something." Twilight began again. Arcaneflame turned off the stove and finished the sandwiches. "yes?" He said. "Did you ever serve Sombra as his torturer?" Twilight asked.
"No, I was his master chef as well as his head butler. I never saw his torture chambers until he threw me in the stretcher, I don't remember anything besides that, then I woke up on the floor with you staring at me, I felt dark essence inside of you and guessed Sombra had given me to you. I was so happy on the inside to know that he had spared me. Where is Sombra now?" He asked, rubbing his hooves with a rag. "He was detroyed when we liberated the Crytsal Empire. You were turned into a Promethean Volk guard and we found you on the stretcher. I told you to act like a normal guard and you know the rest." Twilight explained. Arcaneflame stood there for a few moments and spoke again. "So... I've been free this entire time?" Arcaneflame questioned. "No, There is still some magical residue in you that compells you to follow orders from anyone with dark essence on them, But I think I can break the spell now..." Twilight said.
She charged up her magic and placed it on his horn. A light flowed into his horn and a great black collar appeared around his neck. It cracked and then shattered, leaving Arcaneflame gasping for air. Twilight was breathing heavily. It took a lot of power to break such an ancient spell that was left untouched for so long. "Are you ok, Arcaneflame?" Twilight asked, prodding him with her hoof. Suddenly, his body changed dramatically, He quickly became flesh and bone, his eyes darkened, and his the wear of the not eating, drinking, or sleeping began to show on his body as it began to wither away into a shell. "Arcaneflame!" Twilight exclaimed. "Guards!" She exclaimed even louder. Suddenly guards burst into the room. "Go get Celestia and Luna, tell them that Arcaneflame is dying, I need help quickly." Twilight ordered the guards. They ran out of the room and twilight began to comfort Arcaneflame, sobbing uncontrolably.
"Twilight, I'm not going to make it, I can feel my soul leaving my body slowly..." Arcaneflame began. "No! You're going to be alright, Celestia and Luna will know what to do." Twilight said, stroking his hair that would come out in clumps. Celestia and Luna rushed into the room and gasped at what he had become. Twilight turned to face them. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! HELP HIM!" She exclaimed at the top of her voice. The sisters looked at each other and nodded their head, they rushed to Arcaneflame's side. They began administering high doses of magical aura to his body in order to cause his body to begin creating magic he can use. This pattern continued for a few minutes and after a while, they gave up. "I'm sorry Twilight, he's too weak." Celestia said. "No!" She exlcaimed and rushed over to him. He was trying to use his magic. She tried to help him by giving quick shocks of magic. This pattern continued for a minute before she gave in. "I'm so sorry, Arcaneflame." She said to the nearly dead alicorn colt. "I just want to say that before you die, that I...I...I..."
"I love you, Arcaneflame" Twilight said, kissing him.
In that moment, all of time stood still as a spark ignited inside Arcaneflame and a stream of magic flowed from his body into his horn. Twilight was pushed back as magic encircled him. His cutiemark glowed bright. And his eyes went white. "I see the love that you feel for this colt, it moves me truly. He has spent his life not knowing true love. I will heal him for you. Consider it a gift for returning my elements to me." The ethereal being spoke with what sounded like the disorted voice of Arcaneflame. "Wait... Who are you?" Twilight asked. "I am the Tree Of Harmony. You saved my life, and now I will save his." Magic surrounded Arcaneflame and turned purple. All the magic flowed into his body and Twilight watched in awe with tears in her eyes as it restored his muscles and revived his dead eyes. A burst of light filled the room and when Twilight could see again, she saw that Arcaneflame was sleeping on the floor, resting from the pulse of magic that engulfed him. Twilight rushed over to him and layed down next to him. "Arcane?" Twilight leaned closer to him. Arcaneflame's eyes opened and he spoke. "I have something to tell you..." Arcaneflame said. Twilight leaned closer.
"I love you too." And Arcaneflame pushed their muzzles together in a passionate kiss.
Several years have passed since the Arcaneflame had been released from his magical prison. And now here he is, waiting in the emergency room as the doctor comes to tell him that the delivery had been a success. He rushes in the room to find his wife sitting in the room with their new son. His name has already been decided, Prometheus. He holds their new son and his son smiles at him, letting out what appears to be a laugh of joy. He gives him back to his mother and they embrace for the first time, as a family. But something still resides inside Arcaneflame, and it now resides inside Prometheus, a magic so ancient that it leads back to the dawn of creation. But that...is another story...for another time.
Thanks for reading.
