The Search for Light: Finding New Hope.

Chapter 7: The Message

The arena stays silent, everypony to horrified to even move. The princess leaves her seat, quickly reaching the fallen pegasus. “Silver.” She stares down at Silver, watching as the tendrils slowly wrap around him. She shifts her eyes quickly, glaring over his entire form. Her eyes stop at the spot on his wing. A small glowing, black crystal.

The tendrils of pure darkness slowly come to rest over his body. They start to retreat to the spot on his wing. After the shadowy tendrils sink back into the crystal, Silvers eyes shoot open, gasping, and panting heavily. He closes his eyes tightly, as he stands slowly, his entire body trembling as he does. “Silver? Are you alright?” The lunar princess speaks slowly and calmly at a low tone. “P-princess.” Silver’s tone is low, and barely audible. And, in his voice, is a hint of something else, something more dark. “I have a message for you.” His voice grows louder, his body stops trembling. Now standing straight and firm. His eyes relax, slowly opening. Revealing to the princess eyes full of pure darkness.

Eyes that are very familiar to the princess. “Neros.” The princess says, keeping her eyes locked onto Silvers. “Hm. So you do recognize me Luna. I’m so glad. But, as you  know, this reunion is not going to be a happy one.” Silver speaks in a foreign tone, his voice full of darkness and malice. “Don’t worry though. I am still not strong enough to enter this world in my physical form.  Only small bits of my energy can. And they won't last long. So I’ll make this brief.” Dark aura spreads from Silver, surrounding the two in a dark bubble, shutting him and the princess off from the rest of the arena. Luna goes from her solid stare, into an angry glare. “I know what you're going to say Neros! And my answer is still the same. I will never join you. . . “ Luna trails off, looking down at the ground. “No matter how much you made me love you.” She says to herself. Silver lets out a sigh, as he looks down at the ground.

“Come on Luna, dear, don’t be like that. We are both beings of the darkness. We both know that the light has cast us aside, not even giving us a second thought. The power of the darkness has made me strong. And I know the strength it had given you too. Together, with our dark powers combined, we could be even more powerful. Nothing would dare cast us aside again. Don’t you see that, my dear luna!” Luna drops from her angry glare, taking on a more soft expression. “Yes Neros. I do see that. But you are wrong. We are different. We both may be beings of the darkness, but I have long since realized that no matter how dark something is. No matter how much it consumes you,  there will always be a light to show you the way. I followed that light, and still do. My darkness is filled with many lights. Lights that keep me guided in the right direction. But you have turned your back to them. You are pure darkness. Evil darkness..” A tear rolls down Lunas face.

“You still have a chance though. You can turn around, and face the light with me. We can be strong, together, again. Not as a force of evil. Not as a force that will bring ruin and despair. But as a power that can help guide people through the darkness. Please, Nebulous.” Luna reaches out to Silvers form. He reaches out and smacks her hoof away. “Never call me by that name! That is not who I am anymore!” Silver cringes, the darkness in his eyes flickering away. “I must be leaving now.” He pauses for a moment, glancing down at the passed out mare, still laying on the ground. “Oh yeah. This pretty little thing is. . . We’ll, I’m sure you will remember soon, or maybe not. I know she will. .” he stops for a moment, looking between the mare and the princess

“Anyways, Luna. My offer will stay open. Farewell for now, my love.” The darkness fades away from his eyes, and the crystal embed in his wing evaporates away. Silver, now free from the dark control, collapses back onto the ground, right next to the purple mare.

The council from the judges table instantly surround luna, asking questions of concern and wonder. Astral walks over to the fallen silver pegasus, easily placing his unconscious form over his back. “Princess. I’m going to take him to the infirmary. Smokey, bring that mare as well. Everyone else, give the Princess some space. She’ll talk when she’s ready. Right Princess?” Luna gives him a small nod. He smiles and nods back, walking out of the room with Silver, Smokey, with the mare, in toe. “I knew it was a bad idea. Letting a highly unprepared, undertrained, cadet take the final test.” Luna gives Smokey a glare, one scary enough to silence death. Luna looks up to the onlooking, confused, crowd of the arena.

“I am sorry about these events. But I assure you, everything is ok. All of you are free to return to your barracks, or place of stay if you are visiting.”  Luna pauses for a moment, looking at the three most concerned ponies in the crowed. “And, any close friends of Silver, feel free to check up on him as soon as possible.”

With that, the arena clears instantly, leaving the despondent princess and the judges alone in silence. After a couple minutes, the judges leave. Now, finally alone, the princess lets tears stream down her face. Sniffing slightly as she wipes them away. “Nebulous. What have you become? I knew you were bad before. But now, you’re just pure evil.” For a few moments longer, the despondent princess just sits there, weeping alone.