Chapters It was an another cold, autumn morning. In Ponyville, ponies came out from their houses and they started doing their duties. Pegasi were pushing clouds from one place to another, and the viligers spilled onto the village’s main street. The sound from this small community drowned a strange shouts coming from Canterlot’s basements.
"Yeees!! This, power of wildness! Mmmm, it’s so tasty," Black ash flew away a wolf’s body, disappeared when touched by a white horn.
Alarmed, Luna ran into a small dark room. There was no light, but Luna was adjusted to darkness.
The blue alicorn froze immediately and her eyes widened.
"What have you done, Celestia?" she whispered , when she saw bodies of three wolves lying on the cold, concrete floor. Their eyes were empty.
Luna knew that her sister was doing something strange, but she didn’t expect that her own sister will suck of wolf’s spirits and turning them into Solar power - of course if Celestia was still a Solar Princess, then the sucking of magic and changing it into another kind of magic required a dark spell. And everypony (or every unicorn and alicorn) knows, that dark magic is very dangerous. The wizard, who used them can be overran with black power.
"Morning sister," said Celestia with a wide smile, looking like nothing bad has happened.
"What are you doing?! Did you lose your mind?!" yelled Luna.
"Oh come on sis,” the white alicorn waved her hoof and frowned. “I know, that you want this easy power,” Celestia started to move slowly in Luna’s direction with a wide smile. “It's simple. Everything that you need is just two easy spells, nothing more. Come on, I know you want it," Celestia said temptingly when she came close to her younger sister.
"No way. I am not using black magic and I don’t want to do it!" yelled that Lunar Princess with disdain and she stepped back.
"So, you are telling me that you aren’t using a banished force," the white alicorn turned away and came back on her previously position. “Your aura is telling me something differently,” she started giggling
"What? You must be blind if you think that it is black." Luna took an another step back, still looking carefully at her sister.
"Did you forget that I changed it to blue, because that dark color reminded you of your evil past? But what if I took it away?" Celestia's horn h lit up and green and blue aura flew away from her younger sister's horn.
"Now light it up and let's see who are you," white alicorn sat down on her throne.
Luna was confused. With shaking legs and wide opened eyes, she light up her horn. Her aura was black.
"I can't believe..." she whispered, before running away.
"You can run, but you won't hide from the truth." from hall came an ominous laugh.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Spike was clearing a window, when he spotted Celestia which was landing in front of a Twilight’s library
"Hey! Twillight, Celestia is coming here!" he yelled jumping out from a window.
"What does she want?" Twilight asked herself and went to the doors.They were opened with a strong magic shot. The purple body flew through the small library’s room and hit the wall on the opposite side. Twilight closed her eyes during the impact. When she opened them again, something was standing in the middle of her home. Her half-conscious mind recognize a familiar white, winged figure
"Celestia?" she muttered. Her head was hurt like some pony hit her with a hevy book.
Celestia looked very angry.
"I heard, that you practiced dark magic," said the Solar Princess without any explanations. Twillight was shocked and confused. Her muffled brain tried to understand what does Celestia is talking about. When the purple alicorn opened her mouth to say something, her teacher said calmly:
"I order you to leave land of Eguestria immediately and never come back. Just get out of my eyes" and then went away, closing the doors behind her.
Twillight was sitting on the floor leaned against the wall with an open mouth confused and terrified. She didn't know what was going on. A few seconds later, her mind was enable to realize what happened. Tears appeared immediately in her eyes. ||
"Twillight?!" someone called from outside.
"Twillight!" the same voice flew through an open window.
Crying alicorn again went to the doors and opened them. Before them was standing Luna.
"Twillight? Eh, as I can see, Celestia has already been here?" she said when she saw half-conscious alicorn, which nodded.
"Listen Twi. I have to tell you something about my sister, but I'd like to do it inside. Can I? " asked blue alicorn showing hoof inside.
Purple pony nodded again, and Lunar Princess came into library.
"What happpened?" asked Twillight with shaking voice and massaging her head.
"Celestia used a black magic to steal wolves' souls. I told her "Don't do it", but you know her. She never listen. Now listen, I know, that she banished you. It was only a part of her madness plan. She know that Magic of Friendship is stronger than her new power, but you won't be able to do anything here, becuase guards won’t let you to do anything. You must go to the North and protect wolves at all cost. If Celestia find them, and took their souls, we will be doomed. I'll grab a part of my army and I'm gonna catch you there. Please hurry. It won’t take a lot time to find their trails. Fortunately I know where did they go. I will warn them too and tell them to wait for you. Grab your the rest and move out as soon as you can," said rapidly Princess of the night and almost run out from the building.
Twillight was really confused and fogged. How? What? Where? Celestia? She shook her head. A sadness in her eyes where replaced by a determination.
"Spike. You stay here and help Luna, and keep eye on Elements of Harmony. They will be safer near Luna. Find us somewhere on the North," she said, when she was running out from her home.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
"I’m sorry Pinkie Pie, but it's my order. You should leave this country as soon as it is possible," said Celestia with a poker face.
"But, why? I didn't do anything," pink pony opened her mounth in suprise.
"No? You helped Twillight to practice black magic," this white face was like a cold rock. Without any emotions.
"No I don’t! " Pinkie yelled and it was her the biggest mistake in her life.
"Did you shout to me?" solar alicorn raised her eyebrow.
"Ehm, no, no. I-I am sorry..." Pinkie hid her face in her hooves but it was too late.
"I change judgment. I sentence you to death with immediate effect," ordered Celestia and went out. One of her soldiers came to Pinkie Pie. He was a green stallion with a
purple eyes.
"I'm so sorry, but I must do it," he whispered as quiet as he could.
"Why? You supposed to protect a defensless ponies, not killing them," hissed a pink pony with fierceness.
"We must carry out the orders. Please. Forgive me," warrior started sobbed and closed his eyes.
Cutting edge went through pink, soft neck. Pinkie died with a terrified look on her face. She didn't say anything, only in her eyes, which was following Celestia, flashed a spark of sadness. The silence has been broken by a hit of a cold, dead body on the floor. Soldier hid his sword, covered in blood and he was standing over a dead pony. Tears started to drip on the floor.
"Come on. We have to go," said blue stallion in gold armor carefully, and put his hoof on killer's shoulder.
"Will she forgive me?" a crying soldier raised his head showing his used to purple eyes. Now they turned into grey sad and scared dots.
"I think so” answered sadly a blue one.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
"Where is Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash?" asked Twillight Sparkle impatient.
After a meeting with Luna, Twillight ran to Applejack's farm and told an earth pony everything, what she knew. Applejack ran for Rarity and Fluttershy, and Twillight flew for Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash said, that she will bring Pinkie Pie. All ponies established collection point in wolves' camp. A campfire. which was lazily burning down, shows, that this place was comepletly empty. If they want to catch wolves. they must get going, but Rainbow Dash and Pinkie pie were still in village.
"What should we do?" asked Applejack looking around.
Twillight shrugged and said:
"Wait for them."
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Pinkie Pie?" called Rainbow Dash from outside.
Is she sleeping or what? We don't have time
thought pony and went into buidling. When she crossed the threshold, she froze. Pinkie was lying on the bloody floor with a hole in her neck. Her eyes was looking at Rainbow Dash. Without life inside. Empty, grey spots suspended at one point. Rainbow pegasus flew away in fear.
My goodness
it was the only thought during her flight to wolves' camp.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"There you are! Where is Pinkie Pie?" yelled Twillight angrily when, the pegasus landed. She even didn't see a terrified look on blue face.
Rainbow Dash couldn't say anything. She was broken up and loomed something under her nose.
"Can you talk? Where is Pinkie Pie?" Sparkle repeated her question more angry.
Rainbow Dash couldn't take it anymore.
"SHE IS DEAD!! SOMEONE KILLED HER!!" she shouted loudly and hid her crying face on her hooves.
Everypony froze. Pinkie is dead? Did Celestia could do it?
Applejack looked at Twillight with disgust and hugged rainbow pegasus. "Those, dead eyes. My goodness... Those eyes..." loomed Dash.
"It's ok. We‘re here," said earth pony with a soft voice
"If we want to catch those wolves, we must go," said cold heart Twillight and disappeared in bushes.
Applejack thought, that her friend is very similar to Celestia. Five friends started their journey to the North. Only five...
"WHAT?! WOLVES ARE GONE?!" shouted Celestia, when a scout came with bad news.
The soldier was scared. His master was never as angry as she was now. He didn't even breathe.
"Do you know where they went?" asked the evil Princess.
The soldier shrugged. He tried to say something but it was too late. A long spear pierced his gold armor, and moved through his body. He died with an open mouth. His body fell on the floor.
"Yea... keep killing your soldiers and soon no pony will hold our borders," said Luna with sarcasm.
Celestia killed five soldiers already. Dark power took full control over her. Luna couldn't do anything to stop her sister. She must run. Yes, it is the only good options. However, she didn't see her older sister for a thousand year. What if they never met again? On one hoof, Celestia wouldn't be the sister that she knew anymore. The good of the Kingdom is the second the most important thing in Luna's life. She swore to protect Equestria Kingdom... even against her own sister. What now? Rebellion? It's a risk, but there isn't another way to save this country.
Meanwhile, another soldier came into the hall. A dead body, which was lying on the floor scared him. He gulped and said "We found trails of wild wolves. They led to the river, but..."
Celestia looked at the soldier.
"But" what?!" she yelled.
"B-but we lost them," replied the soldier before trying to escape, but a dark force held him in place.
"Soldier, soldier, soldier...," said Celestia with a melodious voice. The fallen princess approached limp body to her and whispered "Don't hurry, because you can have a little accident". Soldier's eyes widened. Fear painted itself on his face. Suddenly, the small body in yellow armor was slammed in sound of cracking glass, into a window.The poor pony fell down from fifteen meters. Nopony could survive this. Luna ran to the window and tried to catch a defenseless victim, but Celestia stopped her, when she was close to the broken window. Close enough to see a smashed body fifteen meters down. The Princess of the Night felt sick and turned to her sister.
"Sister... is that really you?" Princess of the Night couldn't believe, that her loveling sister turned into a monster from a Tardis. Now she was looking at a bent body lying on the pavement.
"Yes, It is me," said Celestia unshaken.
Eating souls can give you great power, but there is only one catch. If you start you won't stop. You will need more, more, and more. Every unicorn has a little part of evil in their soul. This dark part of heart, will ACTIVATEin special situations. Normal ponies, have a simple "evil magic". What does it mean? This small part of our soul is very important, because it pushes us to action, when we are mad, jealous, vengeful and everything else. But unicorns can practice black magic. Then this small part of their spirit grows more, more and more. In the end, this very small piece of dark magic, takes control over them. What are they doing then? You see. But some alicorn are resistant against black magic. One of them is Luna. Why? There are many reasons. Some of them have a powerful psychic control, some may be able to create spell to avoid risk of control by this magic. However, the most interesting group is group of alicorns, that are born with magic of darkness. Just like Luna. Those ponies can use black magic whenever they want without having to worry about it taking control over their souls.
Hmm, they are going to travel near the river? Clever. We won't see their trails on the densely overgrown ground. We should have some dogs, wolves or... WEREWOLF!
Celestia jumped over her throne and ran into the forest. Worried Luna followed her.
Princess of the Sun stood over the grave of Wolf. There were two red roses.
"So sad. This yellow pegasus must be suffer. Poor, poor, poor Fluttershy. Her love is dead. What a pity," she started laughing.
"Sister, I don't know what are you doing, but it is a bad idea," Luna said desperatly and came out from the tree's shadow.
"My lovely sister! You should be glad, because I'll show you true power," said Celestia and raised her hooves.
Her horn lit up in... black. Same as her eyes. It wasn't the same Celestia as earlier. Luna stepped back. She knew, what her sister planned to do.
"RISE, RISE MY DEAR BEAST!" shouted Celestia with a demonic laugh. Suddenly, big, black claw came out of the grave.
It isn't possible! This beast hasn't got a soul! His soul is in Fluttershy!
Luna thought. Suddenly, a dreadful thought hit her like a rock falling from a hill.
This beast had two souls. Wolf's and Werewolf's. If Fluttershy has got only Wolf's spirit. It means… we have trouble.
Luna couldn't do anything. On her own eyes saw the beast coming back from the underworld.
"YEES!" shouted Celestia still laughing.
"My goodness," whispered a scared Luna.
A big, black monster stood on two feets. He was huge. Werewolf opened his eyes and looked at his hands with long, sharp as blade, claws. He smiled and looked at Celestia
"Go! Find wolves' herd and bring them back here. If you meet ponies...," the evil Princess smiled, "Kill them. All of them."
Beast disappeared in the forest.
The hunted became the hunter.
FOR ALL NIGHT UNITS.
I announce a full MOBILIZATION. All bats must go to their Recrutation Points in whole Equestia. I want all soldiers in Ponyville's forest in three days. Don't be late.
Princess Luna.
"Take this letter and send it to the Night Headquarters. There's no time to waste," said Luna to her bat soldier before she gave him the letter.
Most ponies think, that the bats soldiers are a vampires, but they are wrong. There are just black ponies unicorns, often pegasi,with a blue manes and under a Luna's command. But they have a distinguishing feature- ears similar to bats, that’s why they call them bat soldiers.
"As you wish my queen," the black pegasus salutated and flew away.
"Soldier!" Luna stopped him in half way through the corridor.
"Yes, Madam?" a bat soldier freezed immediately and turned to Princess.
Luna looked at him. Is it neccesary? Yes she thought.
"Wake up Vampires. Their time has come," she said sadly. The pegasus saluted again and disappeared behind the doors.
Vampires. Bloody monsters that live in South's Mountain. I created them. They aren't even real ponies, but brutal parts of my history,
Luna looked through a window, fighting with her pangs of conscience.The sun was gonna slowly going down. If anything won’t go wrong, Luna’s whole army gonna be in the Everfree Forest in two days. Nobody will find them, because Celestia will be too busy looking for wolve’s pack’s trails, and all explorations groups will be moving along the river.
I hope, they don’t find Twillight and wolves before us,
thought Luna, looking trough a window. Another group of Solar knights disappeared in the forest near a river.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hmm... I think Werewolf will need some companions, but I won’t give him my incompetent soldiers. Beast need a beast to help. Hmmm, aha!
Celestia jumped off from her throne. She had wolves. In her hall were five of them. There were dead, but it wasn't problem. After a revived Werewolf, her dark power has grown in strenght. Maybe she could give them a part of her magic. Yes. It's a good idea, Celestia lit up her horn, and the dead bodies started flying, surrounded by a black glow. The corpse fell down on the floor as the magic aura disappeared. Their fur color turned black, and their legs were replaced by a dark fog. The revived souls got up. Their eyes have been replaced by dark red dots. Monsters like this have a special name:
"Shadows! Welcome to the world of the living," Celestia smiled evilly
The monsters stayed in front of her. They didn't breathe. The shadows stood like a black cold tombstone. Froze in one pose and... nothing. Even their red eyes were looking at one point, somewhere under Celestia. Some ponies say that Shadows are the souls, which are lost between two worlds, because black magic pulled them out from the underworld. They wanderer through the world without reason. Only the powerful wizard of darkness can create monsters like this.
“Go! Find those wolves and bring them back to me,” ordered the Fallen Princess and dark clouds with a red eyes disapeared.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Who's there?!" Twillight got into offensive position and lit up her horn. Something was moving in bushes few meters away.
"Nie strielać," Grey came of the bushes with a smile. (it means "Don't shoot". Russian :D).
"Oh. Hi Grey. Where is the rest of your herd?" asked Applejack with a bitter smile on her face.
"Over here," wolf stood up on two legs, rose his arms and turned around like a ballerina. The wolves begin moving out from the bushes on all sides.
"Good to see you,"Twilight said flatly. Wolf grinned more, but something wasn't right for him.
"I expected six ponies, but as I can see you brought only four your friends.Where is Pinkie Pie?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Rainbow Dash started crying again. Everything was clear. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think that it could happen," Grey lost his joyful expression.
"Did Luna visit you?" asked the purple alicorn, ignoring her friend’s condition.
"Eyup, She was in my dreams and scared me!” he said with fake anger; “But it's okay. Everything is alright. She said what happened to Celestia", Grey smiled again and lowered his head. "I knew that something was wrong," he whispered to himself, looking around conspiratorially.
Twillight looked at him with a questionable stare.
"I know, I know. Some wolves are being disappear, so I decided to change a place. I wouldn’t move out if the missing wolves would be very young. Sometimes, cubs lose their way back home, ”Grey raised his finger up like a teacher. After that he put his hand on his snout “but those wolves were very experienced hunters!' he almost yelled.
"So we must move as soon as possible," said Twillight, and Grey waved his hand. The herd disappeared as quickly as they appeared.
Rainbow was still sobbed; "Those dead eyes..."
"Can you shut up?" Twillight turned to her with furious eyes.
Everyone looked at the young princess with an amazment. Rainbow Dash immediately stopped sobbing and froze.
"Twillight... what did you say?" asked Rarity with disbelief ans her eyes widened.
"What? The sobs were beginning to piss me off" she wildly waved her hoof.
"TWILIGHT! W'at the hell is wrong with ya?" shouted Applejack as she came closer to the alicorn almost putting her face on Twilight’s forehead.
"Nothing. I'm fine," Twi turned back to her, and went into the forest’s shadow.
Ponies was still in shock. “What happened with Twilight?” Everypony was thinking, but Applejack knew the purple alicorn’s secret.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When Spike came into Luna's room, he found her looking for something in her wardrobe. Her room was huge, but there wasn't so much furniture. Only bed against an empty wall, a small desk in the opposite side and huge wooden wardrobe next to the bed. In the corner stayed big mirror with golden decorations. The room was lit up by the moon’s luminosity, which was flying through a small window.
"Princess, how can I help you?" the small dragon asked unsure while stopping in the middle of the room.
Luna straightened up, but she didn’t turned her head. Her eyes were concentrated on something in her wardrobe.
"No, thank you, Spike," her voice was overflowed with pain and sadness, but she was trying to speak soflty.
The dragon turned to the doors, and began moving in its direction.
"Wait, stay with me. You are only whom I can talk to right now. Don't leave me,"The princess of the night turned to Spike, and tried to speak calmly, but she sounded very imploringly. She sat down on her bed and sighed as Spike sat down on the floor.
The alicorn began staring at the blue walls of her room. Spike felt a bit uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure if he should say something or not?
This awkward moment was broken by Luna’s sighs. Something weighed heavily on her hearth and wouldn't leave her alone.
"For a thousand years I didn't see my sister". The Lunar Princess took a short breath, trying to not cry. Her voice was shaking. "For a thousand years I was looking at Canterlot with hope, I'll come back soon...," even if she tried so hard not to show her weakness, this time she failed, and some tears ran dow her face. It was painful. Very painful and Spike knew it. He tried to say something, but a strange cloud of aura came in the room through an open window. Luna wiped her tears quickly, before a strange magic dust stopped in front of Luna's face and a red eye with a claret line on a middle, appeared there.
"Vampires are ready for duty my Master," said mysterious voice without any emotions.
"Vampires? What is this?" asked Spike while pointing at the magic dust.
.
"Good. Vampires, go to the North! We will meet you there. When you are there, let me know," said Luna with a serious facial expression.
"As you wish my Master," answered the stranger, and the magic aura disappeared.
"Can you tell me, what that thing was?" Spike repeated his question while pointing at the place where the mysterious cloud use to be.
Luna took a deep breathe. Yes, it wasn't a secret anymore.
"Vampires. Brutal “souvenir” of times when I was a Nightmare Moon," she said calmly, but a flash in her eye was proving that it was very difficult for her to talk about her past.
"Half ponies- half bats?" Spike raised his eyebrow.
"Not exactly. Dead ponies combined with vampires,"corrected Luna, looking at Spike. He didn't understand. "You see, when I was evil I killed many ponies, before Celestia came to defeat me. I revived them, and combined their souls with wild vampire spirits, before ordering them to go to the South and hide in mountains. I gave them immortality and great strenght. However, there is a way to kill them."
"What is this?"
"You must hit them in their heart. Don't expect it will be easy. I made them a special armors. Indestructible plates of my magic. There is nothing on this world what will be able to penetrate it," Luna smiled bitterly and looked at the window.
"How many do you have?" Spike was fascinated, but a bit scared too.
"Hmm... when I sent them to the South, I had one thousand and five hundred. I guess, maybe some have been killed by spiders in caves, so I think it will be one thousand and two hundred. One thousand two hundred evil and immortal monsters. Equestria should be glad, they are under my control," Luna gasped.
"C-can Celestia can take control over them?" Spike’s eyes widened as he imagined the evelasting monsters at the fallen princess’s service. No pony knew what Celestia would use them for.
"No way. As I said, Vampires have a part of my soul. Even when I die, nobody can take control over them, because they'll die too," Princess came to Spike. "So don't worry," she put her hoof on his arm. The small dragon calmed down.
~4~ "We are leaves in the wind..."
"It's getting dark we should set a camp," said an old wolf while looking at the sun, which was very low over an horizon.
The herd has been moving for two weeks without any problems. Grey was the new leader, but he willingly used the services of Twilight. Thanks to her the herd was moving fast and organized. Rainbow felt much better, but she still had nightmares. She couldn't forget those Pinkie's dead eyes, which left their mark in her mind. Fortunately, she had support from Applejack and Rarity. Fluttershy was in the worst mental state, she looked lost between two worlds. In one moment, she was like Fluttershy - quiet and calm, but a few seconds later Wolf's soul would take control over her body and mind - she was becoming talkative and opened for new connections. She tried to talk with her friends, but it was difficult to her. What about Twillight? The alicorn was fighting against herself. With her stupidity. The same stupidity, which ordered her to learn dark power. However, there was still a chance to save her spirit. Friends?The purple alicorn couldn't talk to them. Twillight thought they turned their back to her, but she was wrong. Applejack still believed, that Twilight'll win with consequences of her mistake.
The ponies set up the tents and wolves prepared a campfire, and food. When night came, most of the members went asleep. Except the night guards. Twilight leaned out from her tent and looked around. She spotted a few wolves sitting around a campfire and celebrating. The alicorn shrugged and hid in her tent. It does not matter "what" for her. She focused her attention at a bag lying few meters in front of her.
"I'll only read, nothing more. Everything will be alright. I can control it," she whispered to herself, getting closer.
Someone came in to her tent as a black book started to levitated over Twilight's bag.
"Hey my kamraten! Are you sleeping?" The young princess jump up and turned to the newcomer. She took a few breaths, before answering:
"No. What are you doing over there?"
Grey staggered and grimaced as if he was thinking about something.
"Where?" asked a bemused and half-conscious wolf.
The pony rolled her eyes.
"Around the campfire?" she said with irony.
"A! Oh! Sorry. We celebrate!" the wolf shook his head as he realized what was Twilight was talking about.
"What exactly do you celebrate?" Twilight forced Grey into a bigger intellectual effort. Finally he shrugged and murmured:
"Ehm,I don't know" swaying, he turned to his mates around a campfire and shouted: "HEY! Sasha! Szto are we celebrating?!"
"I-I don't know, ask Wolfrim!" that one shouted. He was in the same condition as his leader.
Grey was looking at his mates for a very long moment. Something was wrong.
"Hey! Ehm, where is he?!" he yelled, focusing his eyesight and trying to find the lost mate.
Guards near a campfire started looking around. Some of them got up and swayed like a ship on the ocean, started to search. One of them almost fell into the campfire, but he regained his balance.
"Over there!" yelled someone and pointed to the wolf lying in some bushes. Only his legs were visibly.
"I think he drank too much and won't be saying anything now!" yelled Sasha with a smile on his face.
"Now we have a reason for celebrating! We found him!" Grey raised his paws and pleasantly turned back to Twilight.
"Yeah! Good thinking! Timoni! Bring us another barrel!" shouted someone behind him and the rustle was indicating that someone moved into the bushes
Wolf was happpy, but only Twilight was confused. She was standing with widened eyes and gazed at Grey.
"Szto? Now you know what are we celebrating. We found Wolfrim," said wolf with a big smile on his face.
"Yeah..." though the alicorn wasn't sure that she really wanted to know.
"Do you want taste this wonderful drink?" asked Grey. Only now Twilight realized, that Grey was holding a big cup in his paw.
"Why not," she said and took the vessel from him, the Twilight sniffed, and shuddered. She looked at her friend. He was staring at her with a big smile. Twilight took a little sip. She felt something hot was flowing down her throat. The warmth moved through her whole body. This drink taste awful, but Twilight's body wanted more. This warmth was kinda comfortable. "Not bad," she said and took another very greedily sip . Suddenly the whole world whirled in front of her eyes, and view became very blurred. Soon she fell on the ground wiithout a consciousness.
Grey looked at the purple body lying under his forelegs.
"Ooo, not good," he murmured before picking up a sleeping Twilight.
"Good night," he whispered, putting her into a sleeping bag, then he went out.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Twilght opened her eyes and looked around. Everything around her was very fuzzy. When Twilight got up, she felt like she was closed in a washing machine with a "turbo" function. The world in front of her eyes was spinning.
What happened?
she thought, and suddenly her head started to hurt like someone hit her with a hammer.
My goodness! What a terrible headache,
Twilight thought again, and her head started to hurt more. She hid her face in her hooves, but the headache didn't want to disappeared.
Grey came into a tent with the the same cup as the last night. He looked at the pony, and smiled friendly.
"Hey, how are you?" he asked genially.
"Ah, I feel like my head will blow up soon," said Twilight while looking at the newcomer, but she was still holding a hoof on her forehead.
Wolf put down a cup in front to her, "Here, it's fresh, cold water," he looked at Twilight with understanding.
Twilight took the vessel and drank the whole cup. She felt a big relief as a headache went away almost immediately.
"What was that? What did I drink yesterday?" asked Twillight, putting down the cup.
Grey smiled wider, taking a cup.
"It was our traditional drink called vodka," he said while getting up. "When you will be ready, find me. I'll be somewhere around," the wolf began to move towards the exit direction. "Aha, I suggest you to eat a big breakfast or you headache will come back," he said before he moved out from Twiight's tent.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Another day, another few kilometres, another evening, and another celebration. Twillight was in her sleeping bag and looking at the black book, which was protruded from the bag.
I will read only some pages, no more. I need this book, there are so many spells to learn,
Twillight got up and went to the bag. Suddenly she heard someone screaming outside. Soon winded Grey ran into Twillight's tent.
"Fire!" he yelled and quickly disappeared. Twillight ran after him. When Twilight was near the exit, she noticed that, something indeed was on fire.The alicorn ran out and immediately froze. The whole forest was burning! Twilight felt like the heat of the fire was burning her fur and skin. Wolves and the others were fighting the fire with water from a nearby river. Though the ashes got into her eyes and pinched her nose, Twilight decided to help in this unfair battle. Fortunately, she was using her magic, not black magic.
Fighting with fire, durable for four hours, but they did it. The deadly flames have been defeated, and camp has been saved.
"Now, can someone tell me what happened?" asked the purple alicorn while cathing her breath and whipping out dust from her face.
Twillight looked at a wolf, which Grey named "Sasza" last night. Then he was behind a campifire so flames hid his grey as stone fur and white nose. He didn't stand out from the other wolves, but even in a herd like this one, every creature has a special think, which distinguishes him from the rest. In the case of Sasza it was a yellow tail and green-blue eyes.
"Em, I could do something bad," he started very shy. "I started playing with fire, and emm, burning stick landed on our woods supply," he smiled very nervously and started to looking around, probably expecting a little help from his friends.
Twillight didn't say anything more. She was too tired, so she decided to go back to her tent. The other ponies did the same thing.
When Twilight came back to her "home" she fell on her sleeping bag, ignoring a black book in her bag.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Days were passing by as fast as the distance between the herd and Ponyville. Only Grey began to disappear, so Twillight obligated herself to take care of the whole herd. It was difficult, but she did it well. When the sun was coming down, she was exhausted and went to sleep after dinner. The book has been completely forgotten by her.
Meanwhile, two familiar silhouettes were sitting under a tree which was standing on a small cliff. The silhouettes of the wolf and pony. The patient listener could hear a subdued voice. One deep, hoarse and the second one soflt, and thoughtful.
" Grey, t'ank ya for help with Twi'" said Applejack while looking and the grey wolf with a black nose.
"My pleasure," the wolf smiled, looking at the sun, which was slowly hidding behind a horizon.
For a few moments, the earth pony gazed at the orange dome slowly disappearing in the ocean of the black trees.
"Ah wish that Twillight wil' be fine. Wit'out ya ah couldn't protect her," the pony said sadly still looking at the sun.
"I can do this a whole time. It's fun for me," Grey looked at the pony, putting his paw on Applejack's hoof. "She is strong. Everything will be alright," he said calming. Applejack looked at him gratefully.
"Ah am worried...," the earth pony paused as she moved her eyes on the black forest under a cliff.
"About what?" the wolf said gently and drowned his eyesight in the ocean of the black mass.
"About us, about this herd, my friends, everything," Applejack said deep in thoughts. "W'at will happen?"she asked with fear in her eyes and voice.
Grey slowly took a small leaf, lying nearby and started to stare at him, turning it around.
"I don't know, nobody has ever known an answer to this question. I remember what my grandfather said me when I was just a pup: "We are the leaves in the wind of destiny. We can't predict where will we fall,"" he said slowly, carefully looking at the leaf in his paw.
"So what should we do?" The earth pony looked at the leaf.
Grey released the small plant, which was slowly falling down on the ground.
"Keep flying. Catch a wind" he whispered as the wind kidnapped the small leaf and carried him into the unknown. Over the black forest into the sun, which almost hid behind a wall of the trees.
"W'at with my friends? A-And friendship?" Applejack followed her look behind the invisible force, which cought a defensless plant.
Grey raised his head and pointed at a small branch over them.
"Frendship...," he repeated quietly, putting his paw back. "It's just like this twig. The wood gives basements to live, the sense of an existence...," wolf paused in sentense like he was thinking what he should say. Suddenly the leaves dried, as he narrowed his eyes. "Only the strongest leaves will remain on the branch," he said, when some dead leaves have fallen on the grass.
"H-how did ya do t'is?" asked Applejack curiously and with a frown, looking back on the wolf.
Grey smiled, before he began to giggle.
"You should know something about us wolves. We know black magic but we learnt to control it. Black magic isn't so scary as you think, and everypony tried to convice you. The black magic builds everything around us. You are born in darkness, you dream in darkness and you'll die in darkness." Power of truth Applejack heard a strange voice inside her head. Grey's eyes moved on Applejack's face. She tried to turn her head, bur she couldn't. Something won't let her do it.
Is he hipnotizing me?
she thought, before loosing herself in wolf's eyesight.
"Celestia doesn't want our "wild magic" or something like that. She can't take, what even do not exist. She wants our black magic." Let the light of truth iluminated your mind , again the strange voice whispered somewhere in Applejack's head. Grey's eyes began shooting black aura.
"The solar princess wanted too much power because she can't understand the point of the Power of Truth," the wolf said as he formed a black fireball hoovering over his paw. "Someponies and somebodies did it. That's why Luna can control her mind and that's why you can sleep safety here. You can't learn this, because you've already had it somewhere in your soul. If you want more, you will lose, just like Celestia." Applejack looked at the dried branch. She wasn't sure that it was her will or Grey who was controlling her mind. The small twig suddenly revived and big, beautiful leaves took place of the dried ones.
"As you see, that black magic can give back life too," Applejack recovered her mind and control over her body. She looked at her friend. He didn't have an ash, flying from his eyes, the black fireball disappeared, and the whisper in her head subsided.
"Amazing," whispered Applejack in speechless in admiration, but a bit unsure too.
"Not amazing, but real," said wolf with a smile before getting up. "Good night my kamraten," he said and went to the camp.
Applejack stood on the cliff, thinking about what happened. She wasn't sure that it was just a dream. She was staring at revived branch over her, thinking about Grey's words. She closed her eyes. The light of the darkness will show you a way, the same strange voice came from her head, before she felt asleep.
Night in the forest is very dangerous. Every animal knows that, even a young, defensless deer, which was looking for something or someone. Shouldn't he be with his mom or dad? So many predators wait for poor kids like this one. Where is his mum? Maybe somewhere around a river, where the small deer left her. No, nothing there. Suddenly something moved in the bushes. Mummy? It was his last thought.
Everything happened so fast. A big black beast jumped onto the young deer, and dipped his teeth into a gently brown neck.
Hmm blood. I need more blood. It is so tasty
thought Werewolf, biting off a big piece of meat from little buck's cold body.
Suddenly, something appeared in front of him. It was like a black fog with red dots.
"Who are you?" asked the gravely beast, standing up.
"We are minions of the great Celestia. She sent us to help you. What is you order?" said the black ghost with red eyes as his companions appeared behind him.
"I already have a plan, but you could be useful anyway," replied the thoughtful beast, sitting down next to the dead deer. "Kill their leader, but do it when he will be alone," said before bitting into a neck of his victim.
"As you wish my master," said Shadow, and five ghosts disappeared.
Oh yes. They will be very helpful. A leader's death will break the herd and then I'll have an easier job bringing them to Celestia
thought Werewolf, before tearing into another big piece of meat. It was his last dinner because tomorrow he'll die. Planed death. Strange, don't you think?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Twilight, for two weeks during her travel, was trying to read the black book, but thank to Grey, she wan't have enough time to immerse herself in reading, until one evening.
At least. I have done everything and now I can go sleep
she thought, and began to lying into her sleeping bag, whe she froze. The black book was in the bag a few centimeters next to her. A temptation was too big big that Twilight took the book and started reading.
"Comae, sui rou te fili sirit...," she started whispered.
"Hello Twilight. Do you have my hairbrush?" Rarity suddenly came into the tent as Twilight's horn lit up in black.
"Run Rarity! Run!" the purple alicorn yelled desperately but it was too late. Black magic held Rarity and drained her power. The black book fell on the ground, opened on the page with a title "Cobra"- spell which can take out someone's magic abilities.
Twillight ran to Rarity, when she fell down on the ground without conscious.
"Rarity! Are you alright? Rarity?!" she yelled, but her friend didn't respond. When Twilight looked at her friend's flank, she froze.
"Where is your cutie mark?" the purple alicorn sat down on the ground, still staring at white clear unicorn's flank.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Rarity has been blinded by a light bouncing from her tent's ceiling. Suddenly something very blurry and colorful appeared in her view. Her dimmed mind recognize Rainbow Dash.
"What happened?" Rarity asked half-awake before looking around. Her vision was clearling and she spotted Applejack and Fluttershy standing next to her sleeping bag.
Applejack pointed hoof to the place where Rarity's cutie mark should've been, but this place was clear.
"Where is my cutie mark?" Rarity tried to levitated a small rock from the ground using her magic, but nothing happened.
"Where is my magic?!" she yelled with tears flowing down her face. Rarity wasn't an unicorn anymore, she become just a horse with an useless horn.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Twillight stood in front of Rarity's tent. She didn't have enough courage to look in those blue eyes. The young alicorn blamed herself for what happened to her friend. Someone's cries came out from a purple tent. The cries hit Twilight's heart like a big hammer, which was thrown by the strongest pony in this world. Her tears where pinching her eyes like a thousand small nails, but it was too late to fix events. Rarity lost her magic forever and it was Twilight's fault.
"I know what happened to your kamrat. You don't have to say anything,"Grey said, coming closer to the hopeless alicorn. Twillight turned to him and looked at his tired eyes.
"It was my fault. I wish I never touched that book!" she cried as she hugged a grey, old wolf.
"You still have a chance to make things right. You can't give her magic back, but you can help her to accept her fate. There is nothing more, than you can do," Grey looked at Rarity's tent as Applejack went out. She looked at them with despair on her face.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
(For a effect I recomended to switch on this music:
Youtube Video
:P)
The sun came down, and darkness covered the whole world. This silence of the night is like pain reliever. The sounds of nothing, what could be more beautiful than this? Everything was sleeping, even the wind was lazily moving the leaves on the trees, composing a calm song of the forest. The black mass of treetops were swinging from side to side, whispering something, that could be understand only by wild animals. This moment was perfect to lost yourself in your thoughts.
The memories of Twilight's deeds, which led to took of Rarity's soul, were to heavy for the purple alicorn. And there was no option to fix her sins. What should she do? Run away? Maybe it's a sollution. She could leave book in camp, and escape. Somewhere, as far as possible.
The purple alicorn stood on the small glade drowned in moonlight, which moved out behind a dark cloud. The memories of her life began flying in front of Twilight. Like the ghosts of the past tried to show her, what she lost. Twilight saw her first visit to Ponyville, when forever happy Pinkie Pie ran away from her to prepare a party, where everypony had a great fun.
In front of the purple eyes moved an image of the eternally busy Rarity. However, no matter how busy she was, she always found time for her friends and young sister.
Twilight saw a strong pony working on an apple farm, for which family was the most important thing in her life. The second one were her friends. Very protective and ready to help everypony, even if somepony would come to her in the middle of the night.
Suddenly, an amazing rainbow moved through the black sky, but it disappeared as quick as it appeared. It was the same rainboom as on the competition in Cloudsdale. It was when Rainbow Dash saved Rarity before she hit the ground. Twilight wished to see the Rainboom one more time.
Twilight heard a wonderful bird's song somewhere in bushes, but she knew that it is just another illusion. It was Fluttershy's bird choir. The yellow pegasus was almost like an angel. Living near the Everfree forest, ready to help everypony and every animal on this world. She was like an angel.
But now, everything was gone. The laughter died with Pinkie Pie, Rainbooms stopped lighting up the skies in colorful circles. The clouds, which were as white as snow, seems to be grayer and heavier. The blue skies dissaperead behind this depressing mass. Even the forest was broken up. Twilight could almost hear it crying and sobbing quietly. No more animals will get help from an angel in pegasus body. This angel died, murdured by a monster. A monster which Fluttershy loved. At least she is still alive, but with what cost? Her mind is stocked beyond two souls, and she was looking for something, even she doesn't know for what.
Even Applejack has changed. Drowned in her powerless, she was trying to protect her friends, but she was just a simple earth pony. What could she do? Twilight noticed that her emerald eyes weathered a bit. They were full of helplessness. Applejack has been condemned to watch her friends breaking up and how their earlier personalities dissappearing in shadows.
And Rarity. Yeah, she use to make an amazing dresses. Thanks to her magic, she was able to make perfect stitches, but now she won't be able to sow anything anymore, because stitching by hooves is almost impossible. Twilight's temptation took away Rarity's sense of her life, turning her into a simple horse with a useless horn. Who could predict that innocent curiousity will destroy so many lifes.
Twilight closed her eyes. Too many memories overflowed before her eyes. She couldn't watch them anymore. Shh, listen to the silence. The purple alicorn remembered her carefree childhood, near her brother and loveling Celestia. What happened? Why has everything been ruined? Shinnig Armor was far, far away, and probably didn't know about these events. Will Twillight see him again? Twillight opened her eyes, and the tears ran down her face as fast as the stars on the night sky. She stood there, looking into the dark forest in front of her.
Suddenly, someone's quiet scream came to her mind. Twillight jumped into the bushes and ran into the direction of the voice. She was almost flying over the bushes and holes. A few seconds later she froze immediately. In the distance was standing strange silhouette. Big like a wardrobe with two red points.
"Werewolf?" the alicorn whispered with a terrified, but despite the paralyzing fear she began to looking around. Something was really bad, Twilight could fell this in her heart, which almost stopped beating when her purple eyes stopped on a yellow body, lying in high grass.
Fluttershy
She thought. The yellow pegasus was seriously wounded. Even in the distance Twilight could spot a big whole in the yellow neck of her friend. Fluttershy coughing, tried to say something, but couldn't. A spark of the fright light in her almost dead eyes.
"Again? Can you leave us alone?" Twilight shouted in desperation and with tears in her eyes. Suddenly the rest of her friends came out from the bushes.
"You know what to do. Let her die or save yourself. Your choice," the monster said with a big smile. There was only one way to save Fluttershy. Twillight must give her Werewolf's soul, but then, Twilight won't be able to defeat the dark power.
"Do-n't- d-o i-it," Fluttershy barely whispered before she spat blood.
Twillight looked at Applejack. Her emerald eyes were speaking {Don't even think about it}.
Rarity came closer to Twilight and put a hoof on her shoulder.
"Don't do it. You will convict her to an endless suffer,"she whispered gently.
"I can't leave her. I can't loose another friend" said Twillight, gritting her teeth.
"You have never lost them,"Rainbow Dash stood in front of the purple alicorn, blocking her view.
If Twilight would choose a decission to sacrifice her friend, his plan would be ruined. Werewolf must do something to steer Twilight on the right tracks.
"Come on. Will you leave her to her fate? You are worse than Celestia, but don't worry, I think that Fluttershy would be a very nice Shadow!" the monster smiled craftily.
"Over my dead body," the alicorn hissed and lit her horn up in a black ash as she stepped forward.
"No," everypony whispered.
"Yes! YES! Put my soul into this weak pony! YES!" Werewolf yelled, still laughing. He was laughing until his dead body fell on the ground. The yellow pegasus got up, but something changed in her appearance. Her eyes were red now. Twilight tried to put out a black glow moving from her horn, but it didn't disappear. The alicorn looked at her friends. All of them froze. Twilight's eye became black.
"I'm so sorry. I failed again," she said before she disappeared in a bright purple flash. Werewolf's plan was a success.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Are all units ready?" Luna asked, when her bat soldier landed in front of her .
Three thousands warriors came to the Ponyville forest in two days.
"Yes my Lady," The captain answered before he flew away.
"March out!" The princess of the night yelled and an army of bat soldiers began to disappear into the forestt.
"Why did you gather a whole army here?" Spike asked, looking at a hoard moving into the darkness.
"Celestia could assasinate my officers which would give her full control over Equestria.," Luna said coldly, still looking at the black mass of soldiers, marching in one direction.
Sometimes everything what we know is broken down. We watch how our world is collapsing and disappearing in the ash. The same happened with the Elements of Harmony. Two ponies, one unicorn, one alicorn and two pegasi thought that their friendship was immortal... great... unbreakable! They were wrong. Piece by piece their world was tearing apart.
At the beginning, Pinkie Pie has been murdured. Some weeks later, Twillight ran away overcontrolled by dark power. Few days later, Rarity disappeared. Nobody knows what heppened to her. Applejack woke up one morning and she spotted that Rarity's tent was gone.
For Fluttershy, the burden of three souls was too heavy. She was avoiding other ponies and wolves like a wild animal, which has been thrown in the middle of a new environment.
There were six friends at the beginning- only two of them are left.
It was just another day of tiresome travel and another night of thinking. Grey and Applejack were looking at the stars, shining in the black skies. A lonely tree, which was bent over them, rustled calmly.
"When wil' be on t'e North Region?" Applejack asked, still listening to the melody of the lonely tree.
"Two or three more days. Can you see trees over there?" Grey pointed a claw at the horizon.
It was dark, but the moon gave enough light so Applejack spotted a strange shadows afar off, twisted like snakes .
"Eyuep, Ah can see t'em," she said, narrowing her eyes.
"It's our home," Grey said frighteningly quiet and sadly.
"W'at's wrong my kamraten?" Applejack turned her head to him and looked at him with an uncertainty.
Grey sighed deeply, still looking at his home on the horizon.
"Szto, damn wind," he rubbed his eyes as a tear flashed shyly there. The wolf smiled sadly, looking again at his homeland.
"C'me on, Ah know it isn't wind. Somet'ing is wrong," Applejack was staring at her friend worriedly.
The wolf signed again, but this time very deeply, like it would be his the last breathe.
"I don't think I can get there. I feel very tired. I need a rest. You know what I am talking about," the wolf said rueful, closing his eyes.
"Ah know," the pony whispered before she raised her head to the sky, "Ah know," her barely flew out from her mounths. The time has come for Grey. The unstoppable wall of fog tried to take her another friend. Applejack could only staring at it powerless. The old wolf put his paws on her shoulder and smiled heartily. His eyes were very calm. He knew what will happen now and he prepeared himself for the inevitable. In this the last evening of his life, he will fall asleep and never wake up. He took off his hand from Applejack's shoulders, then he looked at the white globe shinning over them.
"Luna, Luna, Luna...
Vzryvaia voem tishinu,
Luna, luna, luna...
Luna i volk v nochnom lesu," he sang silently and looked at the moon. Applejack tried translate this song in her mind:
{Moon, moon, moon,
yelping flowing through the woods.
Moon, moon, moon
Moon and wolf in dark forest}
Applejack almost burst into tears, but she refrained herself as Grey put a paw on her hoof.
"Don't cry my kamraten because you have a whole life ahead. You and Rainbow Dash must be strong," the wolf whispered but he paused to catch his breath. His end was very close. "Don't think about the past. It's now only a history, nothing more. You both must stay on a branch. Like the strongest leaves," he finished almost loosing his breathe.
"T'y at least c'me back to yer homeland."the pony wailed desperately.
The wolf chuckled soundlessly.
"I came so far and lived so long. I have never thought that I will see my home one more time. It was a wonderful travel but every trip must end. Mine is ending right here, right now. But thanks to you I felt a true freedom, kamraten," Grey smiled again and turned his head to Applejack. His eyelids were slowly closing, but the wolf was raising them up using his remaining strenght.
"Ya ha'e been always free," Applejack smiled bitterly. Her tears began to drip on her hooves.
"Freedom is like flight - without wings if you are alone, just like me," the grey wolf paused for a long moment and took some deep breaths before he continued; "My friends and family died many years ago. Indeed I still have my herd, but it wasn't the same. Those young wolves couldn't replace my kamratens from my childhood," the wolf looked again at the earth pony: "Even You couldn't do it either, but you were special. I've met many ponies, pegasi and unicorns during my travel, but none of them could truly understand me, but you did it," Grey almost slipped from the tree, but Applejack caught him.
Grey breathed frightfully deep.
"Now go. You have friends to save," the wolf said, taking out his paw from Applejack's hoof almost unwittingly and putting it on the ground.
"Goodbye kamraten," Applejack got up and looked at her friend one last time. She tried to keep a stone expression but her eyes were saying that her soul was suffering hardly. Suddenly, the earth pony turned back and went away with a raised head . She knew that it's just a first step into this deadly travel from which nobody and nopony have returned alive. Grey moved into his one way trip. Alone.
"Someday we wil' meet again, ya know?" she said before her figure disappeared in the shadow of the night.
"Yeah, I kno-w" the old wolf said, loosing his breath and consciouness. Even when the world in front of his eyes began to blur, he gazed at his friend until the orange body completly disappeared. "Go with a pride... and you will always succeed," Grey barely whispered and one more time he loooked at the stars over him. He remembered his whole wildlife. The pictures of his past flew in front of his eyes. The momemts of love, hate, fun, pain and happiness, everything was gone.
"Luna... luna... luna...," Grey began to hum his song, but suddenly he stopped. "Show yourself. I can feel you," he said exhausted.
Behind the wolf appeared a confused ghost with red eyes.
"How long did you know about my presence?" the spirit asked, getting closer.
"Since you came here" Grey snorted.
The lost spirit stopped a few meters from Grey.
What? How? I thought I was invisible
the thoughts were tumbling over his semi-transparent head,
"I know why are you here and who sent you to me," Grey lowered his head and began to gaze at a small spider moving on his paw.
The ghost stared at the old wolf. This voice was very similar, but the Shadow's deserted mind couldn't remind to who.
"How..." the black fog tried to say something, but Grey didn't let him to do it.
"Come on. Ja wiżu(know ) everything. Even szto ty jest(who you are ). Timotienko," Grey smiled before turning to the ghost.
A powerful memory hit the remains of his mind, forcing him to take some steps backwards. Now he remember everything. All of his memories returned to him like a big mental boomerang thrown into a big dark abyss. "Grey..." the ghost murmured a long moment later.
"Yes, my kamraten, it's me. I'm glad you finally recognized me " Grey started to laugh quietly.
Something flashed in Timotienko's eye as he hoovered closer. "What happened to you?" he asked very gently.
"Ahh, nothing important. I need to take a rest," Grey said almost closing his eyes.
The ghost came as close as he could, and he put his head on Grey's chest.
"Your hearth..." Timotienko paused as he straightened up. "It's barely beating," he finished.
"I guess it's time for me, don't you think?" The old wolf smiled exhaustedly, still looking at the small black spider, which was standing now on his leg.
"No way! I can save! I know, I can do it. If I-I give you my soul you'll..."
"... become a monster like Fluttershy," Grey interrupted his old friend. "Just do what you have to do. Shorten my torments," the old wolf rised his eyes, as the small spider slowly disappeared in high grass, "please," the dying looked imploringly on the black fog in front of him.
"I'm so sorry," Timotienko said before he flew through Grey's body. Wolf's heart immediately stopped beating and the grey corpse fell on the ground.
"Soon I will meet you. Goodbye kamraten," Grey whispered with his last breathe. His dead eyes were looking at the moon, hidding behind the trees.
"I'm so sorry, my kamraten", the ghost repeated, gazing at the still warm body of his friend. "I will avenge you," the black spirit whispered before he disappeared.
Now, only a dead wolf left on a small cliff near. His grey-brown eyes were looking at the direction of the snow-covered trees painting themself on a horizon. His home, so close, but still too far. At least Grey saw his homeland one more time, before he left this world. It was a beautiful death, maybe the most beautiful of the wanderers?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Grey was buried on the same cliff the next morning. A small wooden cross marked the place of the endless dream of the another wild hearth. Applejack stood at the grave in silence and gazed at the mound, where was lying a small branch. The same which was revived by Grey the night before. Suddenly Applejack heard someone's steps, it was just Rainbow Dash.
The pegasus wanted to say something, but her words couldn't erase a scarf on a Applejack's hearth
"H-he was a good friend," she said unsurely.
Applejack didn't respond, but the tears started to flow down her orange face. Rainbow Dash put her hoof on Applejack's shoulder.
Unexpectedly, the pegasus jumped up and flew high, over the ground. Straight into the sky. Applejack was looking as her friend was flying through another white and grey cloud on the blue sky.
"It's for you and the rest of my friends, wherever they are,"she whispered as she stopped. She took some deep breathes and began to fly onto the ground. Before everyone could figure out what the pegasus was trying to do, a huge rainboom crossed the sky. Epic rainbow circles were moving through blue skies. They were visible from a long distance. Long enough to let Twilight and Rarity to spot them. Immediately they remember how those colorfull circles created their friendship. Then they were a symbol of the beginning of the new, beautiful chapter of their friendship. But now they were a symbol of the end.
Rarity turned back and ran into the rainbow's direction blindly. Twillight was unable to decide. Should she go back to her friends or keep running. After few minutes she was trotting back to her friends. She knew, that together they will find a sollution to her problem. Twilight will find a way to take control over her mind again. "No, "WE" will find!" she thought, moving through bushes.
~7~ "Everything was planned"
Finally, the North Region called..
"... Land of Death," some wolf said, looking at the black wall of the trees.
Applejack looked at her mate curiously.
"Why this name is so tragic?" she raised her eyebrows. The wolf showed the dark forest in front of them. The white and black colors were everywhere. Maybe somewhere there would be one small green plant, but probably it is cover by thousands of tons of the death and snow.
"Yeah. that explains this sad name." the pony nodded.
"So, what do we gonna do now?" the wolf shrugged when the emerald eyes looked at him.
"I think, we should meet with Daszkin," he answered like it was the most obvious thing on this planet.
"Yeah, good thinking, but who is he?" Applejack said raising her eyebrows.
"He is deputy leader. Wolf left him here to keep our herds under control." he smiled and reached out his paw to Applejack.
"And call me Wolfrim".
Again darkness surrounded Werewolf, which didn't know it is a dream or reality. He wasn't even sure that his plan was succesful, or not. Did his soul was in Fluttershy or in the underworld? Hey! Is there a light?! Werewolf noticed that something is moving righ there. It looked like two ponies.
"There you are, cowards!" Wolf sprang up from the ground ready to fight, when Werewolf jumped into the light.
"You stupid wolf-pony. Do you think, that you can stop me?" The monster laughed, looking at wolf-pony with mockery.
"I'll tear you piece by piece. I guarantee you a slow and painful death." Werewolf bared his white fangs, as he took a step forwards.
"You’d have to kill me before I'd let you do something Fluttershy," Wolf's was very calm.
"You are dead. Did you forget? Your rigid, cold body is being eaten by worms, because you were too big coward to defeat me." The beast was slowly moving in two ponies' direction.
"You are weak. You powerless, stupid hybrid. Do you reall think, that your stupid feelings to this dump pegasus can save her soul?" Werewolf walked past the wolf-pony and started moving around him.
"You are rubbish. Nothing more. What do you think? Why did you have two souls?" the monster sked stil having a mockery in his voice.
"Because it was a curse..." Wolf paused unsure.
"Ha! Bullshit!"the evil creature snorted. "Do you really think, that it is a stupid curse? Tell me. Who were your mother and father?"
"My mother called Star of the North, and my father- Grand Hook," spoke Wolf proudly but the fire in Werewolf's eyes extinguished his temperament.
"Piece of shit. Your wolf friends didn't tell you, that it isn't possible?" laughed Werewolf still circling around Wolf.
"W-Why?" Wolf was surprised. "It's true! If it's a lie, why I look like a combination of wolf with a pony?" he yelled.
"Poor, poor Wolf," said Werewolf with a fake compassion and smile on his face. Suddenly he took serious expression.
"The queen of Changelings called Chryssalis is your truly mother. She is mother every beast born in dark magic, since King Sombra tought her how to use black power. You are just a small part of her perfect plan to destroy Equestria," the beast came closer to Wolf and lowered his voice, "and thanks to you, she did it," he finished with a smile and took few steps backwards.
"No, it can't be true. I...no," Wolf gaze at the ground confused.
"Believe or not, but it's a true. Why did you came to the Ponyville? Why did you look for?" Werewolf keep pushing on the Wolf's psyche.
"I-I don't know" the wolf-pony said sadly before sat down on the ground.
"It isn't big surprise. You are dumb, just like your lovely pegasus." Werewolf stood in front of Wolf.
"You were just a simple box to carry my soul, nothing more. Your task was only to bring me into Everfree forest and die. Chrysallis knew that Celestia wouldn’t surrender her desire for power. Not when she has a big source of magic under her nose. Imagine that she used only one black magic spell," Werewolf smiled evilly.
"It can't be true. I-I-I brought death and destruction,"the wolf-pony whispered with disbelief.
"It's a true. Everything was planned. Your herd, war for a reunion wolves, your crusade to the South, your love, your death and Twilight's banishment," Werewolf came closer and moved his head very close to the Wolf's eyes, "Now tell me, who are you and what have you done?"
Wolf-pony's eyes widened when he looked at Werewolf. His legs was shaking and tears appeared in his eyes.
"You are a monster" he whispered defenseless. Werewolf smiled and went very slowly to Fluttershy.
"I didn't do anything. You went to the Ponyville and you almost killed this stupid pegasus. You should ask yourself: Who is a true monster? This big wolf who was sitting in your heart and waiting for his time, or this small mutated pony, who brought a beast into the Ponville?” Wolf lowered his head and tears fell down on the ground.
"I am a monster," he barely whispered, Werewolf snorted.
"Of course, you are. Now excuse me, I have a dumb pony to kill," he said when he was closing to Fluttershy.
One bite and I will take control of this body. I love this. Killing defenseless ponies. Is it something more beautiful?
"Who's there?" asked harmlessly Fluttershy. Because of two deaths, she was totally confused and not able to protect herself.
"Your destiny," said Werewolf and prepared himself to kill pony. Suddenly, he felt a pain in his rear leg. Something bitten him.
"Oh dear, don't try to stop me," the beast said befire looking back. The wolf-pony was lying near his paw with the fangs driven into his thigh.
"But, if you really want, I'll kill you firstly. No! Wait! I won't kill you. I will let you see how I am killing your love." Werewolf shook his leg, and Wolf's head fell on the ground, then the monster jumped into Wolf's direction.
The battle of Fluttershy's soul has begun.
~8~ Everyone has a weakness
"Hmm... It's like this old wolf died." Celestia was standing over Grey's grave with a smile on her face.
"Maybe he would like to join us?" alicorn asked herself.
Black, magic ash surrounded her green horn, which was white only few weeks ago.The aura lit up the wolf's body. Celestia put out her horn and waited.
"What it's going on, why did he not wake up?" The alicorn asked in surprise a few minutes later.
The magical ash covered her green horn and Grey's grave again for a few seconds.
"You stupid, lazy," she yelled during the third try, however her black magic and her insults didn't work.
Celestia didn't want give up, the grave lit up the small pile of earth again and again.
"Szto do you want?!"someone shouted behind Celestia. The alicorn turned around and gasped in shock. Glow covered the wolf as bright as the moon's light.
"Szto do you want?" wolf slowly repeated.
Celestia shook her head.
"I want your soul, is it too much?" she smiled and lit her horn.
Grey started laughing.
"Do you think, that you can go whenever you want and take whatever you want," he said, but Celestia ignored his words.
She'll give him a part of her new power and this spirit will be under control.
"Come on! What are you waiting for?" mocked wolf.
Celestia put more power into her horn. She knelt down, her head felt like it was about to blow up and her eyes began to sting.
"What, is... going on?" she moaned. The alicorn stopped using her magic. The wolf started laughing.
"What?!" Celestia exclaimed in anger
Grey was laughing for a few minutes.
"Do you have your black magic book?" he asked calmly.
Celestia nodded and took her book from her bag. The book flew into Grey's paw.
"You know... you are the dumbest pony I've ever met," he said, and suddenly the book started burning.
The fallen princess jumped into Grey's direction, but something raised her into the air.
"Tell me. Do you really believe, that this "wild power" exist?" wolf asked very calm.
The alicorn didn't answer. She tried to escape, but this wolf was too powerful.
"What is going on?" she asked fearfully.
Grey snorted.
"Think. At least now."
Celestia was quiet. Grey raised his arms and took deep breath.
"You are really dumb," he said with a resignation in his voice.
“Look, wild powers don't exist. It never do. Your "Changing Spell" or something like that is bullshit. In this world we have five kinds of magic: Friendship, Power of Love, Solar Power, Lunar Power and... Dark Magic. I think, you were the worst student in the school if you didn't know that wolves and other "evil creatures" only use dark powers, got it?"
The solar alicorn tried say something, but she couldn't.
Grey cleared his throat.
"I think you do. So now, maybe you will ask me, ‘who the hell am I?’ " The wolf bared his teeth, "I'm sorry, but I have bad news for you. You are talking with the most powerful wolf of the North Region."
Celestia gulped and opened her eyes wide.
"What?! A wolf is the most powerful creature there?! Impossible, You lie!" She shouted, Wolf sighed.
"Then. I'll show you." he smiled as wide as he could and flame blew from his eyes
"I'll show you the worst nightmares of your life," he said again, but his voice was different. Like the lord of the underworld was in his heart. "Your scream will branch off through the darkest worlds. Your soul will suffer for centuries."
Celestia lost her mind. When she woke up, she was tied to a pole in a middle of... what was this place? There was nothing but fog. Suddenly somepony walked out from the grey mass. It was..
"Luna?!" Celestia yelled surprise and fear.
The Princess of the Night didn't answer. The blue alicorn stood very close to Celestia.
"Sister?" asked the white alicorn unsure. Still nothing.
‘Sister, I miss you. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. ’
Suddenly, Celestia heard a small voice inside her head crying.
‘I wish I could be with you. I want to come back, for this moon is so empty. ’
Luna, who stood in front of the Solar Princess, lost one of her hairs.
‘Celestia... sister... please, don't leave me,this place is so cold. I said I was sorry! Why don't you want me to come back!? ’
Another hair fell down.
‘Sister. Come on! the skies are so beautiful at night! Come on! No? Why? But... you promised. You promised me. I don't want to watch the fallen stars alone. Please... sister ’
More memories and blue hairs were falling down.
"Please! Stop!" screamed Celestia, but the whispers became only louder.
Soon Luna lost all of her hair. Her face had a lot of scars and wrinkles. Her eyes... have gone.
‘Why did you take this power?! WHY! Nevermind... Again I lost you, did I even find my sister? I don't know. All you wanted was more, more and more of power... and now? I'm alone. Again... ’
The face of the lunar alicorn become... she looked like... a death. Her skin disappeared and only bare bones were in front of the solar pony.
Celestia started to crying.
"PLEASE, STOP! I can't stand this any longer! Please..."
However, the nightmare didn't end. Celestia gazed at her sister's skull. Suddenly, the skull started to scream a loud, not normal, squeaky scream. The fallen princess tried to cover her ears, but she was tied up so she began to jerk.
At last everything disappeared. Luna and the fog. Celestia was alone again. She was tired and broken.
Grey slowly appeared from the darkness. The alicorn was still tied to a pole. She raised her terrified, tired eyes at the wolf.
"Please. Let me go," she whispered.
Wolf smiled.
"Oh no my dear, not so fast. We have a whole night to fun. Your nightmares have just begun," and Grey disappeared.
"NO! nooo... please. I'm sorry. It's all my fault," cried Celestia.
"You know, I don't care. Maybe it's your fault, maybe not. It's only a revenge for my friends, which you sentenced to an endless condemnation," said the wolf from nowhere.
"Princess Celestia?" Somepony's silent voice moved through the darkness.Was it Luna? No, she couldn't be. Maybe it was Grey?
"Princess Celestia?" somepony was worried about her.No, it wasn't Grey.
"Princess? Are you ok?" The voice was louder.Celestia woke up, she was lying on the grass in front of the Gray's grave. Near her stood two soldiers in golden armors.
"What happened?" the solar alicorn asked while getting up from the ground.
"We found a white unicorn," said soldier pony.The fallen princess shook her head. She was half-conscious.
"Did you see somepony else?" Celestia asked calm.One of the soldiers gulped.
"Y..yes my lady. The purple alicorn, but..." second soldier said in fear.
"But she ran away," the first soldier moved toward and covered his friend.Celestia tried to figure out those news.
‘So we have Rarity, I guess. Hmm,. I think she can be very useful to us, ’she thought.
"Show me her," she said and bypassed her soldiers.The two ponies were shocked. Their princess didn't punish them, she wasn't even angry. Maybe there is still hope to save her?
'Let see, what do we have here," said Celestia, when she came closer to imprisoned Rarity.The unicorn was sitting in a middle of the small glade, surrounded by guards.
"What are you doing here? I think you should be with wolves," the solar princess leaned forward and looked at Rarity's eyes.
"It's not your business," Rarity hissed with hostility.Celestia went around the prisoner. Something caught her attention.
"Where is your cutie mark?" she asked surprised.Rarity took deep breath.
"As I said. It's not you business," the unicorn said sadly.
"Hmm... Did Twilight take your power? Oooh, poor pony," the fallen princess stood in front of the white pony,The unicorn didn't answer. Celestia lit up her horn for few seconds then the magic ash disappeared.
"Look at your side," said the princess and Rarity turned her head, afraid.
"What?!" she opened her eyes widely. She had her cutie mark back. "How did you do that?" she asked shocked.
"You can keep you magic, but you must help me," said the fallen princess.
"What do you want?" Rarity looked at Celestia with hate.The solar alicorn smiled.
"Where is Twilight?"
"I don't know. She disappeared after we defeated the Werewolf," said the unicorn.
"Why Were you hiding in bushes?" Celestia narrowed her eyes.Rarity lowered her head. She tried to come back to the wolves’ herd, but when she came to this place, she met soldiers in golden armors. She hid in bushes, but the branch broke under her hoof.
The princess seeing her silence, turned to her soldiers.
"Move out. Pack yourself, and go to the North Region," she ordered and turned again to the unicorn. "You come with me. You could be useful" she said, and walked away.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Daszkin!" yelled Wolfrim. Only echoes answered him. Wolf stood a few seconds, looking at dead trees in front of him.
"DAASZKIN!" he yelled again, but this time louder.
"I think he can't hear you," said Applejack with irony.Wolf smiled to her, and yelled again.
"Szto?! Who are you?!" someone's shout come from the forest.
"I think you were wrong," said Wolfrim mockingly. "Wolfrim! We came back!" he answered a stranger.
"Wait for me! I'll be there in no time!" voice came from the woods again.
Few minutes later, a big, black wolf came out from bushes. Applejack thought, that this wolf was very old, because his fur had some grey hairs on his back and legs. His slow moves were showing, that his joints were hurting. His one blue eye was very calm. Too calm. Under an second's eye eyelid was shinning a thin red line. The health eye looked like, this wolf would die tomorrow. However Applejack noticed that there was something more. Something untouchable. She didn't know what was it, but it made her soul quiet. She stopped worrying about her friends, past or even about Grey. The wolf's snout was long with a white strip on it. Scars proved, that this wolf had a lot of battles in his life.
"Daszkin! How are you, you old wolf?" Wolfrim yelled happy, when newcomer stood in front of him.
"Aahh! Better don't ask. My back hurts so much. I'm too old for looking after a herd,"Daszkin's face contorted in pain. He looked around worried.
"Where is Wolf and Grey?" he asked.
"Wolf died. He saved a defenseless pony against - you know," answered Wolfrim.
"Aahh... I know. I guess he found peace," the old wolf got sad.
"I don't know. As I heard, his soul is in the pony's heart. I don't understand how?" said a younger animal.
"Anyway. Where is Grey?" the black wolf asked, but he knew the answer.
"Sorry, but he died. We buried him not so far. Maybe we'll go there later?" said Wolfrim.
"Yes. It will be good to see an old friend, one last time," said sadly the black wolf, then he looked at Applejack near a tree few metres further down.
"And who are you?" he asked.
"Applejack. The earth pony from Ponyville." The pony came closer. "I knew Grey. It was a good wolf and fantastic friend," Applejack lowered her eyes.Daszkin put his leg on her shoulder and looked at her with compassion. But his smile wasn't honest
"Anyway, I think you had a long road here, so come with me. The rest of the herd is waiting for brothers and sisters," black wolf turned back and come happily into a bushes.
"Time to move up!" yelled Wolfrim and disappeared in bushes.Applejack didn’t move for a while.
"Rainbow Dash. Come out. I know you are here," she said.The rainbow pony walked out behind a tree.
"How did you know?" she asked surprised, then came closer. Applejack smiled mysterious.
"You know. I don't like this black wolf. Something is wrong with him," said the pegasus.
"Yeah. He didn't look so sad, when Wolfrim told him about Grey's and Wolf's dead." Applejack and Rainbow Dash went into a bushes, where two wolves disappeared.
The echo of the hooves striking the ground carrying on through out the woods. A long time has passed since Twillight left her friends. She thought, that it's the only way to save them.However she was wrong, now she was alone in this dark, gloomy forest, where they only friend you have is your echo. Twilight could hear it, and it was beginning to make her furious.The purple alicorn wanted to come back to her friends, but what if she couldn't find them? Then she will remain alone in the middle of the forest, somewhere up North, surrounded by her own voice bouncing off trees, and hitting her with the stenght of a tornado.
The leader of Friendship Magic was broken. One part of her conscious was saying, that she made wrong decision, while the other part was saying that she was right. Which part was telling her the truth? Twilight didn't know. The purple alicorn hoped that her friends are alright...that Rarity is alright.
Suddenly she stopped, was that... smoke? Wolves' herd didn't continue to travel? It was very strange. Twilight trotted fast towards the camp's direction.
___________________________________________________________________________
"You know? This forest is very creepy", Twilight heard some pony's voice on her right. The purple alicorn jumped into a bushes and laid down.
"Indeed, but I'm worried about our princess, something bad has happened to her." exclaimed hoarse voice.
"You're right, but what can we do? She is our Master and we must execute her orders," quiet voice stated sadly.
"Maybe we can kill her? Or something to stop her? " said gruff voice said hopefully.
Twilight moved towards carefully Why didn't I try to get a good look at them earlier? she thought while mentally kicking herself.
"No. Are you crazy? Did you forget what happened to our friends? Gold shield was torn to pieces!" somepony yelled hoarsely.
Twilight found good looking position, now she could see those ponies. The first of them was a blue unicorn with a grey tail and purple mane. His cutie mark was a long, silver sword with a gold handle. His companion was a black earth pony who was sweeping his white tail nervously. His cutie mark was covered by a red cloak.
"Yes I remember! Do you think it's easy ordering around soldiers, even though you know that those soldiers will break everypony's values!?" shouted the black stallion.
The unicorn looked at the commander with compassion and put her hoof on his companion's back.
"No matter what happens, I'll always serve you, Captain Long Sword. You are a good soldier," the unicorn whispered.
Hmm, So he is a captain thought Twilight, What if I kill him? The black magic ash began to bleed from her eyes. Twilight shook her head and magic sand disappeared. No! I won't be like Celestia.
Suddenly something moved in the bushes, near the soldiers.
"What was that?" said the blue soldier.
Something came out from bushes
"Who are you?!" captain Long Sword yelled. The unicorn grasped his shining sword using a magic.
The stranger stepped forward.
"Rarity?" whispered a suprised Twilight.
"Hey, ain't this mare one of those ponies who ran away with those wolves?" exclaimed the black earth pony.
Rarity was terryfied, she tried ran away, but unicorn throw something in her direction, and white unicorn fell onto the ground.
"You're coming with us. Celestia is looking for ya" stated the black earth pony. As his cloak moved, Twilight could see his cutie mark. It was a butcher knife.
Twilight quickly jumped out from her hiding place and lit up her horn.
The soldiers turned around in the direction of the newcomer, but it was too late. They fell down with broken necks at same time.
Twilight walked up to Rarity, who was lying on the ground with associated hooves and staring at the dead bodies with disgust. Even in the darkness Twilight could see her terrified face.
"Are you ok?" The purple alicorn asked and released Rarity's hooves from thin rope. The unicorn got up and started to ran. Twilight caught her skirmish friend using her magic and levitated the unicorn towards her.
"Rarity, calm down. You're safe now." Twilight said soothingly. Yeah. She is alright, thought the princess of friendship. Rarity stopped ranning so the alicorn put her on the ground.
"Why are you here?" the two friends asked simultaneously.
"You first." Rarity stated quickly. Twilight rolled her eyes.
"I wanted to return to our group, I saw a rainboom and remembered that the same rainboom created out friendship." she explained.
Rarity looked at her curiously.
"You're turn, why did you run away?" Twilight questioned.
Rarity took a deep breath, "After you escaped, I knew there was no hope in getting my magic back. I felt useless so I decided to find you. I thought you still can help me to restore my power".
"It's all my fault," Twilight cried while lowering her head, "I should've saved Pinkie Pie, I should've thrown away that black magic book" tears were now trickling down her purple cheeks.
"It's not your fault." Rarity said sternly, trying her best to comfort Twilight.
"Captain, Sword, where are you!?" somepony yelled in the distance.
"We must go." Rarity exclaimed, but Twilight was laying on the ground and kept crying.
"I should be dead." Twilight whispered. Oh come on! the unicorn thought as she grabbed her friend's head.
"Come on, we have to go! You won't help us if you die!" Rarity almost shouted, knocking some sense into Twilight.
"R-Rarity?" the purple alicorn asked in surprise.
"We must leave this place right now!" said Rarity jumped into bushes holding Twilight.
"Hey, the captain is dead! Quick, call the guards! Move, move, move!" somepony shouted as the two friends were galloping through the woods.
Rarity and Twilight were running until the shouts were starting to become quieter and quieter.
"I th-think w-we lost th-them." the white unicorn gasped when the noise of soldiers disappeared in the background.
"Ma-maybe, bu-t I won't s-stop", said Twilight cathing her breath and looking at her friend galloping behind her.
Twilight turned her head toward at the same moment, when Rarity disappeared.
___________________________________________________________________________
The sun raised.
"Look, there's somepony over here!" hollered a blue earth pony soldier who was standing near a small but deep hole in the ground.
Another two brown earth ponies came to their comrade and took a look. Indeed, inside the hole was a white, unconscious unicorn.
Where am I, is this my room? But how? I was in the North Region, what's going on? Where is Wolve's herd, where did they go?
“Hey sis, ya got up early,” I heard somepony’s voice behind the doors.
“Ap’le Bloom?” I asked uncertainly before coming closer.
“Eyup, it’s me, why are ya so suprised?” she asked when I turned the handle and opened doors.
“Ah had a nightmare, nothing more,” I calmed down, but something wouldn’t left my mind. Something was wrong.
“Did ya see some wolves or something like that, wandering nearby?” My eyes were moving from the end of dark corridor to another.
“What, wolves? Nope, Ah didn’t see any wolves ,” Apple Bloom looked at me like on an idiot.
“Alright, Ah thin…” I broke my sentence when my eyes stopped on the Apple Bloom’s flank. There was a cutie mark.
“What is this?” I asked while poitning my hoof on this strange anomaly. She looked at me with fear.
“When did ya get yar cutie mark?” My question made her even more scared and tense.
“A-Ah, er, when ya were sleeping, yes, at nig’t,” she replied rapidly before looking around nervously. She looked like she wanted to ran away.
“Yes? Look at me!” I yelled. Her eyes quickly shifted to my face.
“Can ya tell me, why your cutie mark looks like a g’ost?” after this question, everything disappeared.
“What is going on….,” suddenly I lost control over my body and my mind. I couldn’t move. My head was stuck in a pose and my eyes were looking straigh ahead. I felt like a monument or something like that. Shh, I hear something behind me. Something very quiet. It’s somepony’s voice. I wish I could turn my head back. The voices became louder. Just like somepony would move closer and closer. Yeah, now words are becoming clearer. Wait a minute, is somepony singing? At least I can hear a melodic voice. Shh. ||
“Hush my baby,”
What the hell? Isn’t it Fluttershy’s lullaby?
“Hush my baby,
Hush quietly.
Don’t cry.”
I have a bad feelings about it. This song is becoming louder and louder.
“Hush, my baby
and go to bed,”
Now I can heard this voice loud and more clear. Indeed it’s Fluttershy’s lullaby, but the voice isn’t hers. It sounds like a monster or something worst. I am so scared, did I stop breath? When?
“Hush my baby,
Close your eyes…,” the monster stopped singing, and my heart almost stopped beating. My goddness. Every part of my body was screaming 'RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!'. I put a whole force to move my legs, but I couldn't raise them. They were standing just like someone put a lot of glue under them. More than heard I feelt something in front of me. My eyes wide opened. I tried to scream, but I couldn't do it either. I was getting more and more crazier. This sillence was destroying my mind and I couldn't do anything to save it.
“CAUSE IT’S TIME TO DIE!” Suddenly something jumped out from the darkness into my face. Before the black stain covered my eyes, I could see Fluttershy’s face. The face without eyes and mouth covered in a blood. I couldn't hear my breathe. Did I die?
“Applejack?!” who’s there?
“Applejack!” again. I know this voice. Is it…
“Applejack! Wake up!”... Twilight?
I opened my eyes. Where is she?
“Applejack! Help!” Rarity? Hold on, I’ll find you! The sound of trotting broke this darkness’ silence. “Hold on!” I shouted, but wait. How do I know where I should go? Which direction? I can’t see anything.
“Applejack! Help me! Please!” Rarity was crying.
“Leave me alone! Don’t touch me!” I heard Rarity’s voice again. It looks like she is fighting with somepony.
“Applejack!” I start to gallop in random directions. The sound was everywhere. Suddenly my heart starts to hurt badly. I put hoof on my chest, and sat down. I couldn't catch a breathe.
“Applejack, why didn't you save me?” Rairty whispered. It sound like she is badly wounded.
“‘old on! Ah gonna find ya! Where are ya?” I yelled in desperation while getting up, but an another wave of pain hits my poor heart so hard almost collapse on the ground.
“Too late,” those words were very quietly and a loud sigh destroyed my mind. It sounds like a tornado hit me in my face.
“Applejack?!” another voice flew into my ears. I start looking around with new hope. There! I see her! This rainbow tail and mane! I could recognize them everywhere! Even if I was blind.
“Rainbow Dash! Ah glad t’ see ya,” I felt a big relief when I getting closer. Yes, it’s Rainbow Dash. I felt, that I getting my mind back.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash?” I start to worry as she wasn’t moving. She was just sitting in the middle of nowhere and looking at the darkness.
A rainbow ash flew away from under of my hoof, when I try to shake her.
“Hey, what....” I jumped out with a tears in my eyes. I didn't even know when they appear.
All of my friends. They are dead or missing. I have their blood on my hooves. I can feel it and I can't get it off. No, no, no, it can’t be true. Why am I here? Why… please, leave me. I-I tried to help them. I need to be alone. Please. Ghosts of the past, go away.
I need to be alone.
Please.
______________________________________________________________________________
Applejack woke up terrified and she looked around nervously. A familiar red color told her, that she is in her tent. The sounds from the outside were proving, that the nighttime was coming to the end. Something was lighting Applejack’s ‘home’. After a few seconds, the earth pony spotted a small oil lamp which was standing near her sleeping bag. The earth pony stood up and went outside. The cold wind hit earth’s pony face.Her tent was standing on a small hill in the middle of Nowhere.
She wasn’t sure that she was still in the North Region. The green grass was shinning, due the sun looked behind a horizon. Everywhere were colorful flowers, even on the trees. “Is this the land of the death?” Applejack asked herself, while she was moving slowly through this green ocean, which was shinning like a stars on the night skies. But Applejack wasn't looking at this beauty of wildness. She was trying to remember what happened and how long she was sleeping.
Suddenly a simple spark lighted up in her mind. One, small part of memory was coming back to her and becoming more clearer. Applejack remember something, but she couldn't catch it’s trace. She looked at the black clouds which was swimming trough the red skies. "It is going to rain soon" she thought and suddenly something hit her mind as strong as a fallen rock. Her heart immediately broke up, and orange pony fell on the ground.
"It is impossible" she whispered, looking at a small drop swinging on the green blade, where the sunshine made a small rainbow.
"R-Rainbow Dash" the tears quickly started to stream down her face.
The emerald eyes disappeared behind her orange eyelids. Everything became silent. The birds stopped singing their happy song, the trees stopped dancing in winter's melody, and grass stopped whispering something, what would be understand only by Fluttershy. Everything was gone for Applejack. She wasn't caring about anything. Her heart becoming queiter and queiter. Her heartbeat began to slow down. Applejack was dying, but even she didn't know why. When her mind was far, far away from this world, suddenly she heard something’s or somepony's steps.
"Applejack?!" the voice with a fear and wounder, broke this beautiful sound of silence.
She tried to open her eyes, but her soul has already ran away. Where? Maybe in the better world? Maybe she wanted to find her friends? Nobody knows.
"Applejack?!" Szto happened?!" someone was yelling, but Applejack didn't want to respond. She was happy where she was. Here in this darkness, where her heart was filling up with a strange feel of satisfaction.
"No, no, no. No way, come back," the same voice was trying to bring the pony's soul back.
"LIKONI!" the stranger shouted as loud as he could.
"How can I help you?" said the newcomer.
"Applejack is dying, help her!" yelled the first one.
"Let me see" said Likoni.
Sillence has came again. Applejack couldn't hear anything else.
___________________________________________________________________________
Applejack woke up. The red color of her tent welcomed her again. In front of her, on the green glass, was a sleeping figure. The familiar black fur was moving up and down very calm.
"Daszkin?" whispered the earth pony and the wolf immediately jumped up on his legs.
"Applejack? Are you ok?" asked the black wolf while he was sitting down near his friend.
"Ah think so, what happened?" Applejack was still confused.
"Ja ni wiżu *I don’t know*" said Daszkin and shrugged.
Suddenly Likoni came into the tent.
"Ah, good morning my little pony. You were sleeping for two days," said a wild doctor with a stone face.
"What, two days? H-how?" Applejack tried to got up but everything started to wave, and she lost stability. Applejack would fallen if Daszkin didn’t catch her.
"You are psychically exhausted. Too many unhappy events happened in a short time. I am suprised, that you didn't fall into madness," said Likoni before turning into towards the open flap.
"I'm sorry my kamraten, but I need to talk with Daszkin," said the doctor while disappearing behind a red piece of material.
Daszkin followed him.
When the black tail disappeared behind a red wall, Applejack slowly got up. Again, the world starting to wave, but the earth pony slowly and shakily went to the entry. She wanted to know what are they talking about.
"Szto?" Applejack guessed that it was Daszkin.
"Ja ni wiżu, szto si stao," stated the doctor. Now Applejack wished to know wolf's language. She knew only some basic words like 'Spasiba' (Thanks), 'Szto' (What), 'Kamraten' (friend), 'Parati' (please) and 'Losi ekura' (Excuse me).
"Ja sorria, aber ja ni poradam tu nit" Likoni voice was full of resignation. .
"Jona trocił kamratens. Ja ni bytu lopatyki. Szto to ja wiżu jeas nieprabitu. Ja jeaste zlo likarz" the witch doctor sat down and gazed at the ground.
"Ni porytaj me tu jako pupus. Du jea baco guten likarz. Du łatak meim dipa welce razu" Daszkin replied, while crouching near his friend
"Du ni projmujesz? Jona kan zrypać sem! Nie tu jona trima. Du musteć łatak zjom!" Likoni jumped up and looked at his surprised friend.
Applejack started to feel sick, so she decided to return to her sleeping bag. She couldn't understand anything from this conversation, but she had bad feelings about it. The two wolves were talking for a few hours in their language. When they finished, Daszkin looked into Applejack's tent. The earth pony was sleeping.
"She need to rest. Too much happened during their travel," he whispered before heading back outside. "I'm glad I found this place, because the fields like this one, are very rare. Especially here in the North Region," the black wolf was moving slowly trough this one of the lasts, green oceans. "North Region, the place, where the hope is the first to die" he thought while looking at the dead forest, which was not so far away. "The land of the death - the home of deads" Daszkin repiled, before his body disappeared in the wind. Like a black fog. We are leaves in the wind of destiny whispered the wind, and a silence has become.
TO BE CONTINUED.
*Bonus
Altight, it's a small bonus to my story. I thought that I could do some pictures of my OCs and upload them here :D. I hope it is good idea.
So, let's start at the begining:
Sasza :D
Daszkin.
Those pictures (and more) you can find on my Deviantart account here ----> http://daszkin.deviantart.com/
A Changeling ran into a long, made by wild trees some kind palace's hall. Everywhere on the floor were sleeping worm ponies. Their breathings was mixed into a one, rhythmic sound. The green-black mass was waving. In the middle of this 'big bedroom" was a huge, wood throne, where something similar to alicorn, was sitting and reading a book, which covered it's face.
The Changeling started to jumping quietly through sleeping bodies.
"My Queen,"whispered the newcomer when he got closer to the throne.
No response.His master was still reading the book. changeling squinted and tried to read a title of the book.
D-A-R-K M... Aha! Dark Magic
he thought.
"Queen Chrysaliss?" said the child.
Chrysalis put down her lecture and looked weary at her servant.
"What do you want?" she yawned.
"I have some reports for you, My Queen," worm pony bowed to her.
"Mm?" The queen of the swarm looked at hi with curiosity.
"Wolves' herd came back to the North Region. Luna and Celestia followed them with their whole armies. Canterlot is defenseless," mad smile appeared on the soldier's face.
"Great, but what of that stupid, small alicorn Twilight and her friends?" Queen got up from her throne.
"They are with a herd, but not all of them. The pink one is dead, and the young princess is losing battle with dark power, " soldier smiled wider.
"Hmm, fantastic! Has Celestia been over controled by a black magic?" Chrysalis came closer to her scout.
"Yess my Lady, before you ask, a wolf named Grey is dead. He didn't know about the poison in his drink. Your beast completed his mission. The yellow pegasus has been overrun by demon soul," Changeling started to laughing.
"Wonderful! When this beast come to this herd on the North, wolves will split up, again. Then our agent will "reunite" them and we will have a great army of bloody thirsty monsters which will kill all those freaking, princesess," the echo of Chrysalis' laugh started to bouncing between the walls.
"I knew it, this plan was too perfect! We do not need this stupid "magic of love" anymore, now we have true power! Dark Magic!" her shouts woke up every changeling in the hall. Woke ponies started to flying up to the sky.
"GO! FLY MY CHILDREN! Take Canterlot for me! Catch every, single unicorn there, and kill all earth ponies and pegasi when you see them!" A loud cackling laugh drowned out the sound of the flying cloud.
"Yes... yes! It's time for revenge," Chrysalis whispered to herself with a wide, mad smile. A black ash was flowing from her green eyes.
Four, dark figures came out from the forest of dried trees and bushes. The sun hid behind the horizon and only moonlight fell from the sky. The moonlight showed newcomers’ silhouettes, when they stood on a high rock raised high above a small field.
"Daszkin, call them," a grey wolf said quietly.
A black wolf nodded and howled. The echo moved through the woods. Even a few minutes later, Applejack and Rainbow Dash could hear his howl bouncing between trees and then went silent.
"Hmm..., I think they are too far" Rainbow Dash stated uncertainty.
"You know, we, wolves, can hear sounds from many kilometers," said Wolfrim with a smile.
"Really?" The rainbow pegasus looked at him with a fake curiosity.
"Yes. Better be careful, because in this forest are still wild and deadly beasts, which ones can hear your heartbeat" something flashed in his eye.
"Which "beasts"?" pegasus started to feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"For example, this wild wolf right behind you," Wolfrim smiled wider seeing how Rainbow Dash was running away with a scream. Indeed, there was a wolf behind her.
"Wolfrim, we set up a camp near a field,"A stranger informed before gazing at Dash who was catching her breath,. "I think, you shouldn't be so loud," he suggested.
"I-I know. Beasts, wolves and other creatures," gasped pony.
"No, because you will wake up every animal in this forest,"wolf said and disappeared in some bushes.
Rainbow Dash was confused. She heard a strange sound from behind her, it was Wolfrim and Applejack.
"Haha, very funny," stated dryly.
"Yes it was. Especially..." started Applejack, however she suddenly jumped into the air with a scream, for she heard a deep "Boo" behind her.
"DASZKIN!" shouted the earth pony while turning towards the old wolf.
"Do not shout. Who knows what is in this forest?" said Daszkin with an innocently smile.
Wolfrim was still rolling on the ground with laughter. The rest joined him and the night's silence was broken by laughter
Suddenly, something appeared in the bushes near a glade.
"What is this?" Applejack stopped laughing and pointed at two yellow points in the darkness
"Szto?" Wolfrim looked at it's direction. " They're wolf eyes that are shinning in the darkness. when the moonlight reflected from them".
"Hmm... interesting," said the pegasus standing between them.
"Now ponies. You will see the whole herd," Daszkin exclaimed with a smile.
The shinning points started to appear in the forest's darkness. More, more, and more. They looked like stars that fell from the dark skies and were lost in the woods.
"Beautiful," whispered the ponies. Wolves started to coming out from the forest. Travelers came out from bushes too and started to welcome their brothers, sisters and other members of family.
"Good to be at home," said Wolfrim with relief and happily in his eyes.
"Now, you should go sleep. Tomorrow will be a hard day," said Daszkin while moving into a shadow.
"Don't forget to give me a full report. After Wolf's and Grey's death, I am leading us," a grey wolf stopped a black wolf.
"I know, I'll give you your report," said Daszkin without turning his head, disappearing into the forest.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"You can't defeat me!" yelled Werewolf, when Wolf fell on the ground, after a big punch in his face.
Wolf-pony looked at monster.
"I... won't let you... to kill my love..." gasped wolf-pony gasping at monster. He tried to got up, but his broken leg hurt too much.
"You are either really dump, or really brave. But it doesn't matter," said Werewolf moving closer to the wounded wolf-pony.
"I... won't... let you to kill my love," said Wolf slowly and bit quiet. He (uklęknął<- to check) with a pain on his face. His leg was badly broken, it wasn't even straight. The beast started to move in his direction cackling. Wolf could feel how the strange power started to filling his heart. This "something" made his soul burn. It was something uncontrollable like a fire in the forest. Wolf stood up, his leg wasn't hurting anymore. From his closed eyes, started to flying out black flames, which started to spreading out on pony's body.
"What the hell?" Werewolf shouted in suprise before taking a step back.
"You can take out to my body, you can take out to my herd, but I WON'T LET YOU TO KILL
FLUTTERSHY!" yelled wild demon jumped in the direction of the confused Werewolf.
Wolf could see this terrified on his opponent’s ugly face. This beast couldn't have any chance with the demon of the wildness.
Suddenly something covered Wolf's eyes, when he was very close.
"Hah! Thank you my little friend. This power will be very useful to me," he heard the beast's voice over his ears.
Wolf tried to say something, but he couldn't. Something was holding his face too tight. Wolf started to feel sleepy as Werewolf was sucking out his power. Pony stocked in this deadly grisp.
"Mmm... yes, I can feel it," something started to pressing Wolf's head harder and harder.
"H...how?" Wolf whined defenseless.
"I am son of dark magic, you fool," answered the beast smiling.
Wolf lost consciousness and his limp body was hung few centimetres above the ground.
"Oooo..., no power? What a shame," said Werewolf and started to smahing a small wolf-pony’s head.
A loudly "crack" broke the silence and dead body of wolves' herd leader hit the ground again. His red eyes turned into grey points, gasping at the darkness. Under a blood flowing from his mane, a dread look was painted on Wolf-Pony's face
"Now, let's finish my job," said Werewolf before turning towards Fluttershy's soul.
"Poor, stupid horse with wings. Lost beyond life and death. I don't know who is stupider, your love or your friends. If death wants your death, then you should die. Nobody can change his fate," said calmly the monster while coming close to the pegasus.
"Who's there?" Fluttershy's voice was innocently, as always.
Werewolf bit Fluttershy in one second into her neck. "As I said, your destiny," repeated slowly, while straightening up.
The lost soul sighed surprised. Blood started to stream down her yellow fur. Fluttershy tried to stemmed the bleeding, but the red liquid wouldn’t stopped running down from the wound. The helpless victim fell on the ground with wide opened eyes.
Werewolf was looking at the tussling pegasi with a smile on his face.
"I love this job,"laughed the beast. He could killed her in one bite, but where would be the fun in that? Fluttershy choking, tried to said something, but her words turned into gasping noises as blood began trickling from her mouth and nose. Her suffer ended a few minutes later, when she completely bled out. Her hooves hit the ground so hard, tt's sounded like the all the mountains in the world were collapsing at the same moment. Fluttershy was looking into a darkness until her own eyes became black.
"Mmm, blood is tasty," said Werewolf licking his tooth. "Now I can take full control over this body and destroy that stupid herd. But how? Hmm, I'll think of something later," Werewolf muttered to himself while sitting in the middle of the light's circle.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Fluttershy woke up.
"Where am I?" she asked herself, but it wasn't her voice. This one was deep and hoarse. Yes, I did it. If everything is according the plan I should be... thought Werewolf looking around, In North Region. Perfect he finished with a smile.
As quiet as he could, he started moving into the bush's direction. Suddenly he froze.
Is it..? Beast narrowed his eyes. Something was lying between wolves. Something colorful.
Ahh, second stupid pegasus. One of the Elements of Harmony or something like that. Whelp, where is you harmony now? He started to laughing in his mind.
Hmmm, I have an idea how to destroy this herd and those ponies will help me, He thought, jumping quietly over the sleeping wolves.
A few seconds later, he was very close of Rainbow Dash.
No, I can't kill her right here. Those wolves would hear her scream. Hmm,” he was standing over the pegasus for a few seconds. A small leaf fell on his head “Oh, I know, those ponies are dump, so I can do this, Werewolf almost jumped up. The monster's fangs shined in his smile, when he was lowering his head very close to the pegasus' ear.
"Rainbow Dash? It's me Wolf" he whispered as quietly as he could trying to make his voice similar to Wolf's. It wasn’t difficult, the rainbow pony opened her eyes and violet circles looked at the yellow pegasus.
"Wolf? I'm really glad to hear you." the blue pegasus stood up immediately with happines in her eyes. Yes, they are dump. Now I hope, that Shadows are nearby a thought flew through Werewolf’s mind.
"Yeah, listen, I saw something in the bushes over there”,The demon looked at random directions straight ahead. “I gonna check it out, you stay here, okay?” The fake Fluttershy put her hoof on Rainbow Dash’s chest.
"No, I go with you," denies pony while removing yellow leg.
"Stay here," Fluttershy smiled with some kind of satisfaction, but Rainbow Dash didn't see it. It was too dark.
"No way. C'mon," said the Element of Loyalty.
"All right then, follow me," said the beast while walking into the bushes. Not aware that the pony was following her 'friend'
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Two ponies were moving through the woods for a while.
Where are those Shadows? I thought they were following us. Werewolf was beginning to loose his patients. He was ready to kill Rainbow Dash on his own, when something moved behind a tree.
It was a dark figure with red eyes.
There you are. His anger disappeared quickly. Now I must catch this pegasus. It won't be a problem for me he thought before turning back.
"What?" asked a suprised Rainbow Dash.
"I smelt something, wait here" lied imposter and looking around, and sniffing.
"There, behind you!" the demon’s voice unexpectedly broke the silence. The pegasus jump forward then turning back.
"Hm, there is noth...". Fluttershy's hoof closed her blue mouth. Rainbow Dash tried desperally to jump and fly away, but she couldn't feel the ground under her hooves. She couldn't opened her wings either. The yellow pegasus "hugged" her very strong.
"Got ya," said Fluttershy happy. "I can't believe it. Do you really thought, that Wolf can talk when pegasus' soul was still alive?" asked beast with surprise .
"Mph?" Rainbow Dash asked, or she tried to.
"I think you want to ask me Who Am I? , don't you?" the yellow pegasus grinned. "Whelp, remember this beast, who tried to kill your friend? Yes, it's me, don't worry about your friends," Werewolf in the pegasus' body took a dramatic pause. "There are in hell." he whispered with satisfaction. Blue pegasus tried to fling herself, but the beast was too strong.
"Calm down, stupid horse. You gonna join them soon," a scary laugh broke the forest's silence.
"Shadows, now!" yelled ‘Fluttershy’, and three black ghosts flew out from bushes and behind a tree. The first one flew through blue pony, killing pegasus in one second. The second one was flying through the already dead pegasus and took her soul. It was a white, shinning cloud similar to Rainbow Dash. Lastly, the third shadow turned the rainbow pegasus into an empty shell.
Fluttershy throw away her empty "monument" which turned into ashes before it hit the ground. Colorful ash covered a nearby tree.
"Victory, sweet victory," Werewolf started to laughing again.
"Masster, what are we gonna do with this spirit?" asked one of the Shadows.
"Her? Hmm, take it to Celestia. Maybe she will turned it into a Shadow. She will suffer for ages, wandering on earth," Beast moved into wolves' herd's direction.
"Now, excuse me. I have a herd to destroy," said before disappearing into the darkness.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"What is this?" asked Applejack while crouching over a rainbow ash lit up by a rising sun.
"Hmm, Likoni! Come here for a minute," yelled Wolfrim. Few seconds later, a brown wolf with gold rings in his nose, came.
"Szto?" asked the newcomer, but when he looked at the ash, he has already known what is going on.
"Szto to?" asked Wolfrim for sure pointing on the rainbow dust.
"Hmm...," the brown wolf crouched thoughtfully.
Applejack come closer to Wolfrim,
"Who's this?" she asked with curiosity.
"It's our shaman. He can heal your wounds on your body and on your soul. He know every belief in this world, including those on the North he...."
"Yes... it is Shadow's work," the shaman interrupted.
"Shadow?" Applejack looked at the wolf in surprise.
"Yes, Shadow. The lost soul summoned by a black magic. Those red-eyed, black clouds execute their master's orders. When you touch them, they will kill you immediately. They can even drag out your soul and turnyour body into an ash" explained the walking dictionary letting out a gasp before touching the rainbow dust.
"So, somepony has been killed by a Shadow, and turned into sand, right?" said the earth pony still being unsure.
"Yes, as I said", nodded brown wolf. The ringing of the gold rings confirmed his answer.
"So... who is it?" orange pony pointed a hoof at the strange anomaly.
"I don't know who, but this guy used to be very colorful. I see here, red, green, blue, purple..." said the shaman taking some ash on his paw.
Applejack’s face turned into a pale mask. Her heart almost stopped beating.
"I know who is it," she whispered, terrified.
Wolves looked at her with curiosity.
"Who?" asked Woflrim.
Applejack was collecting words for a few moments. She looked at her friend and tears trickled down her cheeks.
"It's, it's, R- Rainbow Dash" she stammered before falling onto the ground and losing consciousness.
