Shadows of Katsura

"If things are this bad, why can't we just use the Medallion?"

Barnes sighed at the question he heard over a hundred times in the past few days and looked at the young Shadow standing beside him.

"You know what that Thing does to us... it goes against the clan's values" Barnes finally said, looking up at the night sky.

The Shadow clans village rested between the hills of an exotic valley. Thick, beautiful forests covered the hills and a small river ran through the village, slightly illuminated by the faint orange lights, coming from the countless wooden houses that dotted the landscape. Barnes inhaled the nights fresh air and smiled:

"So, when you guys moving out?"

"We march out at dawn" The Shadow answered "Everyone's resting before tomorrow... I just... I'm not sure we can save Kronos...... If we fail, whats to stop the enemy from unleashing a spree of vengeance on our village? If we could just use the Medallion -"

"We will not lower ourselves to their level" Barnes cut him off "Shadows of Katsura were formed for a reason... I will not be a monster"

"Not even to save the children?" the Shadow asked.

Barnes closed his eyes "... I don't get to make that call... I'm only a janitor"

The Shadow looked down and nodded after a moment "I better get going, good night Mr. Barnes"

The pony walked away and Barnes remained standing, watching the young soldier with an expression of grief.

A high pitched child's voice suddenly broke the dead silence "Whats this 'Medallion' about Mr. Barnes?"

Barnes jumped in place, startled and noticed David's head poking out of a near by house, leaning on a windowsill: "God... I forgot you live around here" Barnes sighed, catching his breath. David giggled and began meaningfully staring at Barnes.

Barnes shook his head: "Its called the Masters Medallion. A very powerful artifact, that can supposedly enhance your cutie mark talent - a thousandfold. So if your cutie mark talent is baking cakes -"

"I can make the best cake in the world?!?" David jumped up in excitement.

Barnes smiled "Yes, probably a thousand of them"

"Cool!" David grinned "Can it make my cutie mark appear?"

"David" Barnes shook his head in disapproval.

"What?" David asked in an innocent voice "Hey! I Know! What if a soldiers wears it! Will he be really really cool?" Davids eyes lit up in excitement "And strong and powerful?!? Wouldn't that be really cool!!!"

"No.. David" Barnes looked down.

"Aaaww, why not!"

"You're still young" Barnes reached out and ruffled the colts hair. David giggled then suddenly looked right at the elderly pony:

"Mr. Barnes... you're not just a janitor"

"Oh yeah?" Barnes smiled.

"Yeah! You're a good person!" David gave a very broad smile when suddenly a distant explosion faintly rang in the distance. A house on the very edge of the village suddenly caught fire.

"...what was that..." David quietly asked.

"I don't know..." Barnes slowly answered "Stay inside!"

"But-" David began.

"STAY INSIDE!" Barnes roared and sprinted toward the distant flames.

* * *

"Sam, I am not only your father. I am the leader of this village"

A tall, purple pegasus was staring down at a small colt, sitting on the wooden floor of a small house. The only visual resemblance they shared was the purple color of their fur. The older pegasus looked worn. His scarred face remained a cold, unbreakable mask of sheer power and discipline. Sam slowly realized he couldn't remember the last time he saw his father smile.

"Your irresponsible behavior shames not only your household, but your entire village" The older pegasus muttered.

"Sorry" Sam quietly said, staring down at the floor.

"Every other kid in your class has already started on a warrior path, or began apprenticeship in another honorable field that benefits the village. Carpentry, construction. These are all honorable jobs if you don't have the will or strength to wield a sword into combat. You can become anything you want. Yet you spend your days making a fool out of your self and everyone else - by hanging TOILET PAPER OUT THE CITY HALL WINDOWS - DURING MY SPEECH!" The pegasus roared then collected himself and straightened up. "You are my son, I expect more from you"

"I'M SORRY YOU HAVE A WEAK SON!" Sam suddenly screamed out.

The older pegasus sighed and slowly stood up "Your weakness does not disappoint me Sam. Your lack of determination and responsibility does"

"Dinners ready" a soft voice came from another room and a mare slowly walked in: "Come on" she waved the two inside, ruffled Sam's hair and gave the elderly pegasus a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks mom" Sam weakly smiled and rose to his hooves. She smiled back to him, her hoof subconsciously reaching for a little white pendant over her neck. Sam looked at it for a moment and asked "Mom, does it do anything?"

"Oh... not really" She looked at it and smiled to herself "...just... an old family relic" She crouched down next to Sam: "I heard its been passed down from Katsura herself, from parent to child... when your old enough, I'll give it to you" She let out a small laugh: "And when you have kids, you can pass it down to them"

"Don't I have to get married for that?" Sam asked raising an eye brow.

"Yes" she nodded

"Eeeeeewww" Sam closed his eyes making a face. The mare's laughter was suddenly interrupted by a distant explosion.

Sam's father immediately jumped toward the window. His hand subconsciously reached for his sword.

"Honey, what was that?" the mare asked in alarm.

"... either an accident or an attack" he said in an even voice.

"Inside the village?" The mare gasped "But... our scouting parties... shouldn't we have received a warning?"

"Yes" the older pegasus nodded "... Unless the enemy force was overwhelming... and the scouting party was cut down so fast, they couldn't report in -"

A whole series of explosions rang across the village, now considerably closer. The older pegasus gritted his teeth, unsheathing his sword and briefly looked at the mare.

"Stay here, don't leave the house no matter what you hear from outside"

The mare nodded, her expression turning into an emotionless mask. Her husband nodded back to her and turned to leave.

"Dad wait!" Sam ran toward him "Im coming with you!"

"NO!" His father roared "You will stay here!!"

"Dad -" Sam began but the older pegasus harshly cut him off:

"NO!! RIGHT NOW - I'M NOT YOUR FATHER - I'M YOUR COMMANDER AND YOU WILL FOLLOW MY ORDERS!" He barked at the colt and Sam began slowly backing away, his face twisting in horror.

"YOU WANT TO PROVE YOUR WORTH?!" His father shouted "PROTECT YOUR MOTHER AND PROTECT YOUR HOUSE!!! DO WHATS EXPECTED OF YOU!!!"

Sam fell on the floor, staring in horror at the towering soldier above him.

The older pegasus waited another moment, before running outside.

* * *

David waited exactly long enough for Barnes to fade out of view, before he jumped out the window and ran after him. He saw fire and smoke rising up in the distance. The sound of clashing steel and blood chilling screams echoed across the village. His heart was racing. The only thought hammering inside his mind was - 'Are they safe'

His father. Mr Barnes. Sam. Star. Everyone in the village.

He ran into an open square and saw a large group of Shadows huddled together. Sam's father was standing in front of them, sword raised, screaming at the fires raging behind him:

"BROTHERS AND SISTERS - THIS IS OUR HOME!!! OUR VILLAGE, OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN STAND BEHIND US!!! I LOOK AT YOU AND I SEE BRAVE, HONEST PEOPLE! NOT ALL OF YOU ARE WARRIORS - BUT ALL OF YOU ARE SHADOWS - FOR IT IS YOUR WILL THAT GIVES YOU STRENGTH!!!

OUR ENEMY MARCHES FORWARD TO END OUR LIVES!!! THEY OUTNUMBER US FIVE TO ONE - BUT THEY - WILL - NOT - CROSS - THIS LINE!!!

THEY WILL NOT DESTROY OUR FUTURE!!!

SHADOWS - STAND READYYYY - WE WILL HOLD THIS LINE!!!"

The Shadows roared, raising their swords and spread across the square in perfect rows. It all went quiet, and then a wave of countless enemy soldiers, jumped out of the darkness and sprinted toward them. The forces clashed and deafening sounds of breaking metal and dying screams filled the air.

David stared at it, in shock, as ponies died in front of him. Painfully, violently.

He couldn't tell them apart. He could only see ponies that looked the same, violently killing each other.

Why.

For what.

He couldn't tell.

And then he saw Star. The girl that he saw just a few hours ago, smiling as he gave her a flower, was now stricken with horror, standing the in the middle of that madness. David called her name. She didn't hear him. She was just looking around in confusion. Afraid to take even a single step.

And then an enemy soldier appeared before her. She looked at him in surprise. The soldier looked her.

He raised his sword -

And David screamed. He screamed so loud that all other sound seemed to fade far away, as Star slowly fell to the ground.

David fell on his knees, grabbing his head, pulling so hard on his hair that it hurt, but it did nothing to dull the pain that had overwhelmed him. And then rough, familiar hooves, scooped him off the ground and carried him away from the square.

The elderly pony was heavily breathing as he held David tight, running further and further away from the battle... further and further away from Star. David looked up, as tears rolled down from his eyes, his face twisted with horror.

"... I tolled you to stay inside..." Barnes said in a quiet, shaking voice as he carried David away.

Then an enemy soldier emerged from the darkness, blocking their path.

Barnes froze. His eyes darted across the surroundings, scanning the area. He slowly put David back on the ground and shielded him from the solder.

"...run... David" he said in a firm voice and began slowly marching toward the enemy soldier.

"Mr. Barnes!" David cried, frozen in place. The elderly pony gritted his teeth and marched on without looking back.

The enemy soldier smiled, pointing his sword at the elderly pony.

Barnes was unarmed. He roared, breaking into a run. Grabbing a shovel that someone left lying around, he screamed and lashed out at the soldier. Wood clashed with metal and the shovel broke in half.

Barnes had somehow deflected the enemy strike, got in close and smashed his hoof so hard into the soldiers teeth, that the soldier flew a meter away and crashed hard into the ground.

A second later, five more emerged from the darkness.

Barnes roared, and charged at them barehanded. The soldiers lashed out with their swords, and Barnes heavily fell on his knees.

David was frozen, his mind could not process what was happening, as Barnes slowly turned his head toward him and whispered the word:

"Run"

before an enemy soldier brought his sword down on him.

And David ran.

He didn't know where he was going. He couldn't see anything. He just ran further and further away from the unbearable screams rising behind him.

He slipped and fell down, crashing hard into mud. He slowly rose on his hooves and saw a young Shadow, laying beside him. The Shadow was missing his legs.

David jerked backwards, uncontrollably shivered and threw up.

The young Shadow slowly turned and looked at him. David screamed in panic and fell backwards. The Shadow smiled:

"... the Medallion..." he whispered "...they want the Medallion"

David froze, as the Shadow went on:

"There is a loose stone, at the northern fountain. It opens a hidden basement. The Medallion's there..." The Shadow smiled and closed his eyes.

David sat there for another moment before he broke into a sprint.

Hundreds of voices echoed inside his head, as his hooves carried him along a familiar path.

- "Its called the Masters Medallion. A very powerful artifact, that can supposedly enhance your cutie mark talent - a thousandfold.

- "What if a soldiers wears it!"

- "Can it make my cutie mark appear?"

- "Can we decide our own cutie mark?"

- "What if a soldiers wears it!"

"... What if a soldiers wears it..." David whispered as he ran north.