Creeping Shadows: A Heart of Nothingness

Corvus had been congratulating their packmates and were about to thank them for helping clear their head when they felt a spirit screaming in agony. They followed the feeling to the same hospital room they had woken up in. They marched through the doorway, paying no attention to the equines jammed in the doorway, and tried to pinpoint the spirit's location. They turned to face a male equine lying in a hospital bed convulsing in pain. Corvus called to the equine's mind as they removed their lenses, awakening their Seer's and Veil-Piercing eyes they made eye contact. Corvus let their souls reach out to the equine's and felt his being. As Corvus studied the equine they knew he was doing the same in an attempt to learn their intentions.

He was playing with his sister in the park. He was protecting a stranger from bullies. He was working in a factory, assembling toys for younglings. He was visiting his younger sister after years apart. He was distracting the beast attacking his sister so that she could escape. He was lying in a bed trying to make the pain leave his body. He was looking into a pair of otherworldly eyes, trying to understand this strange being in front of him.

Corvus understood, this equine was visiting family when the Corpse Hounds attacked them. He had blocked the hound's way to protect his sister. He had lost an arm and had his stomach punctured. He had lain there as his soul was being eaten at, corroding and fading, his body tearing and breaking. He was resigned himself to his fate, willing to face his death so that his sister may live.
Having realized what Corvus intended he closed his eyes and with a smile nodded, accepting their next actions. Corvus removed the glove on their right hand and lightly touched the equine's forehead, releasing his soul from his body and severing his connection with the material plane.
They heard furious scream from behind them.

"WHAT HAST THOU DONE?!"
Corvus sealed their eyes and replaced their lenses and glove before turning around. They saw the dark pseudo-angel. Luna, glaring at them with pure hatred.

"Freed him." Was their response.
Their words seemed to infuriate her even more and she resumed screaming.

"HOW IS MURDERING THAT STALLION SETTING HIM FREE?!"

"We did not murder him, we saved him from endless pain. We saved him from the Corpse Hound's venom."

"Wha-what?" She stuttered. "That doesn't excuse you ending his life!"

"He was already dying, he would have died from his injuries or been destroyed by the venom. We freed him of his suffering."
Corvus moved to leave the room when suddenly they felt their souls being torn apart.

When Celestia saw the grey colt kill that stallion she knew he was using powerful dark magic. When he started moving she put her hand on his shoulder to stop him so that she could help him be rehabilitated. Then black smoke started pouring of his body and he screamed in pain. Before Celestia could use her magic to help him the colt shoved her away and backed into a wall. She was about to comfort him when she heard the voice of Beatrix Felix.

"Don't touch him, I won't let you kill my friend!"

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked in confusion.

Benjamin Galith supplied the answer "Corvalius is a being of darkness, if they don't defend themselves high amounts of hostile or unrestrained light aligned energy will destroy their souls and burn them alive from the inside out."

"Ha!" Came the triumphant cry of Luna "We knew it was evil!"

"What makes you think We're evil?" Came the strangely melodic voice of the grey colt's mouth.

"You are an evil creature of darkness!"

"If all things dark are evil then you are as well."

"HOW DARE YOU! WE ARE NOT A THING OF DARKNESS!!"

"Then why is your power darkness aligned? Besides what's wrong with darkness?"

"Darkness means evil and destruction!"

"No, Darkness shields creation from Light."

"What do you mean?" Questioned an eager Twilight.

"You've already learned far more than you should have, be grateful that We explained that much"
With that Corvus and their pack once again moved to exit the room and were interrupted again, this time by a quiet whisper.

"Please stay, you're too young to be wandering all on your own."

Hearing this Corvus turned to face the flower-like female without stopping and asked "How old do you think we are?"

"W-well you look like your around 107 years old."

Ben spoke up at that "Actually I'm 26"

"I'm 22." Chimed in Trick.

"17."
All of the equines had faces that put their previous fish impressions to shame as the purple one started speaking.

"You're all that young?"

"So?" Questioned Corvus.

"But that's impossible! If you were that young you wouldn't even be able to walk or speak!"

"Say what?" Ben asked in confusion.

"Nopony that young would be able to function by themselves!

"Is that what you all are ponies?" Trick asked her.

"Of course we are, and so are you."

"No, we aren't"

"Of course you are."

"No we aren't."

"Yes you are."
It went on like this for several minutes before they all entered what appeared to be a dining hall.

"Well then, why don't we all have something to eat?" Celestia spoke.
After a minute the humans, ponies, and Corvus were seated at the table with salads in front of them.

"Where's the meat." Came the voice of Ben.

"Don't be ridiculous, why would you want meat?" Responded Twilight Sparkle.

"To eat."

"You can't eat meat." She said while walking up to him and reaching for his mouth. "You aren't built to digest it. If you were you wouldn't have completely flat teeth..." She had opened his mouth and taken a look at Ben's teeth, only just now realizing that he had sharp canines.

"You're a carnivore?!" Twilight shouted while backing away.
At those words the present guards pointed their spears at Benjamin Galith.

"No I'm an omnivore."

"A what?"

Corvalius Dakenistaire was the one who answered "An omnivore: a creature capable of consuming and digesting both plant and animal matter."

"What?" Questioned Rainbow Dash.

"It means he can eat both meat and plants." Answered the grey colt.

"I told you we aren't ponies!" Beatrice Felix said smugly.

"Then what are you?"

"They are humans." Stated Corvalius Dakenistaire.

"They? Then what are you?"

"You don't need to know."

"So you really are 26, 22, and 17?"

"Yes they are."

"Then how can you be functioning?" The purple female asked.

"Humans start developing earlier than a year after birth, reaching full maturity at 25 years of age." Corvus stated.

At that all of the ponies shouted "What!?"
Not wanting to deal with the ponies' questions anymore Corvus stood from the table and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

"Training." Was the only answer as Corvus exited the dining hall.