Chains Of Darkness

Celestia and Luna both walked to the room that was established to the council. They looked around and noticed the empty hallways it was a nice surprise instead of the guards following them around. They looked up at the solid wood door that was in front of them, the solid red oak door stood strong decorated with gold trim and finishing.

"Are you ready?" Celestia asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Luna smiled. Her sister however did not return the gesture.  They both pushed open the doors and walked into the bright room, there hoofsteps were silenced by the carpet as they approached the council.

"Ahh princess'es we've been waiting for you."

"Cut the chatter you know why we are here. Did you finish your votes yet?" Celestia asked looking at the head council member dead in the eyes.

"We did and we all agree that the rings should be kept open. They do nothing wrong and even generate revenue for the country." He said.

"You have got to be kidding me. You want to keep these gladiator rings open?" Celestia asked. "You first have the nerve to even allow these things to be open and went behind our backs after telling you flat out no.

"We do, they are making the country a huge amount of profit it's not like anyone of them dies. Even if they did most of them are criminals."

"I don't care about the money the fact is that they are fighting! They are being treated like slaves, they fight to the bone. It's not even like the grand magic games." Luna said backing her sister up. The council however didn't care.

"Shouldn't you be worrying about the dark guilds? The whole reason that you instilled the council was to help manage the country." You said that it should be a majority vote to decide on things as well. We voted nine to zero in favor of keeping the rings open. So long as there are no death's they will stay open, besides you could use them for your guard if you wanted." The head council member smiled.

"You're right...if that is what the council wants then that is what we must agree on." Celestia sighed a few tears hitting the ground.

"Sister you just can't.." Luna was interrupted by Celestia's hoof up to her mouth.

"It's done there is nothing we can do." She said leaving the council's hall, she made sure she slammed the doors shut.

"You can't just let them tell you what to do!" Luna shouted.

"I'm not going to stand by idly and let this happen, we will be doing something about this. They are right though we did agree on this, so we unfortunately have to hold up our agreement." Celestia looked at her younger sister as they walked through the halls. She sighed deeply before looking up at the ceiling. "For now we play there game of keeping these things open." Celestia grinned looking at her sister.

"I see so you do have a plan?" Luna asked raising an eyebrow.

"Not yet, in due time." Celestia giggled as they made it to the throne room.

"You have got to be kidding me. I will not stand for this, how many of your damn opponents do I have to defeat?!" A young cold asked in rage.

"Until you are defeated you worthless slave." A cruel and rather fat pony grinned leaning over.

"So all I am is a tool for defeating ponies and making money for you. Just because you like to watch ponies fight. That gives you the right to treat us like hell, I swear if I ever get out of here Celestia will know of what you are doing." The colt said getting in his masters face. The chains that bolted him to the ground stopped him from getting any closer. The slave master just laughed seeing the expression on his slaves face.

"Celestia is trying everything in her power to get these things banned, the problem is the council won't budge. We pay them enough to keep these things open. Thanks to how our politics work you won't be getting out of here ever! Unless for some odd reason the council ends up retiring or dying." The fat slave master laughed even harder. His fat blue belly jiggled as he rubbed it as he ate a hayburger and hayfries in front of his starving slave.

"I hope that they die, along with you." He whispered as a few tears streamed down his face. His white coat stained a bit as he cried, the chains clinked and jiggled as the pit fighter cried softly.

"Look here all I have to tell you is if you don't win this fight don't come back at all." He spat as he stood up unchaining his slave as a few guards entered the room and began to escort him out of the small dark room. The young colt's and guards hoofsteps echoed on the smooth rock floor, the halls trapped the sound from the roaring fans from above they sounded faint and small. The colt took a few deep breaths as he was sitting now on a bench. He counted down the five minutes until the fight began.

Meanwhile...

"Twilight why are we even going to one of these things? I thought that Celestia wanted your help to discover the dark guilds." Spike said trying to keep up with his alicorn friend.

"Look I know what she said, besides I all ready sent a few members from the guild to scout out and see if the rumors are true." Twilight said with a roll of her eyes. She finally found her seat and looked at the V.I.P spot and sighed. Twilight was starting to get annoyed by all the V.I.P treatment ever since she became a princess. She did have to admit though that the seats were great and the sound of screams from the others spots seemed minuscule to her. Spike didn't even take a second as he sat down and pulled out some popcorn. Twilight giggled as she too sat down looking at her little friend.

"So.....why are we watching a bunch of brutes slug it out? Isn't this a bit barbaric?" Spike asked surprised at where they were. Twilight cleared her throat as she pulled out a book. Spike rolled his eyes. 'Of course it's a book, it's always a book!' Spike thought silently rolling his eyes.

"See I was reading about these old school gladiator rings. I wanted to see a few real fights. They seemed like it would be a good learning experience. Plus, I wanted to see if they are really as brutal as the books describe them." Twilight said looking intently at the ring.

"Shouldn't you know be looking for these dark guilds. You know Celestia and the council wanted you to find?" Spike sighed looking up at his friend.

"Oh please, you of all the dragons are not wanting to take a break?" Twilight asked raising an eyebrow.

"You do have a good point, I guess I do deserve a break." Spike agreed as he kicked back. Twilight just silently facehoofed and sighed putting her focus back into the ring.

In the arena....

"Well would you gentlecolts like to tell me who the hay am I fighting?"

"If you would shut it perhaps the announcer will tell you." A guard coldly stated pushing the colt out.

"Are you folks ready to see a great fight?" The announcer said loudly and excitedly. The crowd responded in unison cheering loudly stamping on the seats making loud echo's through the air. Twilight looked confused as Spike stood up cheering loudly.

"What are you doing, didn't you just say that this was barbaric?" Twilight asked giggling.

"Well after seeing everypony getting so into it I thought I would go along with it." Spike replied standing up cheering. Twilight just giggled looking at her friend.

"That's what I wanted to hear, now let's announce our competitors!" The announcer shouted! The screams were even louder, so much so that people who were not even close to the stadium heard it. "Alllllllllllllll right ladies and gentlecolts!" The screams started to die down almost on que. Twilight noticed how strange it was from suddenly going from a roar that could shake down all the leaves for fall...well down to something so quiet that she even noticed Spike was quiet. The announcer cleared his throat before readying himself to speak. "We decided that saving the best for last wouldn't be a game changer so we're doing it first!" He shouted as the cheers started back up again. He waited before begining to speak again.

"This is crazy they are getting so hyped up about this." Twilight mused looking at the crowd.

"I guess they weren't kidding when they said that they were going to do the best fight first." Spike noted.

"How do you know it really is going to be the best fight?" Twilight asked her ears perking up.

"Don't you listen, he just said it." Spike told her. Twilight just silently facehoofed her self again.

'Great reasoning Spike.' Twilight thought.

"All right in the west entrance the young colt to take the game by storm. You know him and most of you probably love him! His record of 27-0-0 surely says that you will be hopping on the bandwagon in the future! It's Snow Blade!" The announcer shouted his microphone echoed through the ring as the soon awaited and not surprising reaction of shouts started. A few fans even had posters of him saying that they loved him.

"Well it certainly sounds like the crowd likes me." Snow smiled, granted he knew that they liked him for the wrong reason.

"All right and in the east entrance you know him he is as hot as fire. Some might say he is a dragon or a phoenix, only in a ponies body his moves are that hot folks! He has a fighting spirit that can't be matched by any other in the entire league! It's Phoenix Flame! His 25-0-2 record shows he might have a loss though folks. We'll see as the top two fighters in the nation go at it!" The announcer shouted. The crowd went berserk as the final name was announced, Twilight just giggled at Spike who was cheering now too.

'Phoenix Flame what a very....creative name.' Twilight thought with a smirk on her face.

Both Phoenix and Snow walked out into the arena the crowd sat silent as the guards took off the chains off of Snow. Twilight gasped looking at Phoenix's chains. She was shocked that they were magic nullifying chains.

'The other fighter has on regular chains, why is it that he has them on? Maybe they just ran out of regular chains?' Twilight thought now standing up on high alert.

"Well now this should be fun you're the top fighter, how interesting you don't look like a pony who would be undefeated." Phoenix grinned insulting Snow.

"Well you don't look like a pony who should have two ties under their belt. Guess that's why you're number two, looks are deceiving" Snow said giving a backhanded compliment.

"Also folks we have a special visitor today watching the fights. It's Princess Twilight Sparkle!" The announcer said. The crowd went back to a full roar that could be heard from the next town over.

"Well look at that a princess is watching this, and not to mention a guild master." Snow whispered quietly.

"So much for no special treatment..." Twilight sighed.

"Hey I think you forgot to mention my name!" Spike shouted in anger raising a tiny fist.

"Well I guess there will be no holding back then if a princess is watching." Phoenix chuckled.

"I don't enjoy fighting like most of you brutes but I will if I have to." Snow said picking up a sword from the weapons rack.

"Well folks looks like Snow picked his weapon of choice a sword not to mention two of them!" The announcer shouted as he picked up a second one. "What weapon will Phoenix pick up?" He commentated.

"Will you shut up for just one second!" Phoenix yelled at the announcer. The announcer took a gasp of offense, the other ponies just laughed at the scene that just unfolded.  "A ha I got it!" He shouted kicking over the weapons rack. He pointed to his hooves to the crowd and to Snow.

"You are going to use your hooves? Are you insane no wonder why you don't have a perfect record." Snow sighed.

"For somepony who doesn't like fighting, you sure do like to say stuff about it." Phoenix told Snow with a smirk and wink.

"It looks like Phoenix has opted to go with no weapons....This is odd folks normally he uses hoof weapons." The announcer stated confused, the crowd even started wondering what was going on.

"Why would you not fight with weapons?" Twilight asked herself.

"Maybe he has dragon scales so he hits harder." Spike pipped up looking up at his friend.

"For the one who was listening a moment ago, you sure didn't hear he usually uses hoof weapons." Twilight quoted.

"Oh yeah I totally knew that." Spike brushed off the response.

"Alright folks well this is an odd choice can't say what he is up to. Although the time for wondering has to be put on hold, it looks like the fight is ready to take place!" The announcer yelled happily as a bell rang.

"Well this will be an easy win." Snow thought as he started his assault. He swung with both weapons while hovering above Phoenix. They were simple strikes to see how his opponents took their stances.  He noticed Phoenix was now in the air as well.

"Oh folks it looks like both of these pegasus are bringing it to the air! What's going to happen next!"

"Maybe if you shut up you'd see!" Phoenix yelled weaving out of Snow's attacks. Snow took advantage of this and hit Phoenix with the hilt of the sword. Knocking him down to the ground Phoenix smashed into the ground, he looked up and saw Snow coming straight down for him. He quickly rolled out of the way struggling to get out.

"Oh and it looks like that fall took it's toll on Phoenix folks."

"Oh would you shut up I'm just fine." Phoenix rolled his eyes standing up.  The crowd roared seeing Phoenix stand up.

"Well I'm impressed, but I'm sure these ponies want to see a real fight." Snow said taunting Phoenix by throwing the sword at him.

"So you want a real fight do ya?" Phoenix grinned. Snow nodded kicking the sword to Phoenix, he kicked it straight back and cracked his neck. He had a big grin as he looked at Snow.

"Take the damn weapon otherwise I'm going to win this in a matter of seconds." Snow sighed.

"No thanks I'll think that this will prove to be more interesting." Phoenix grinned putting his hooves together. The crowds eye's went wide with shock as Phoenix had flames coming off of him.

"What the hay!" The announcer shouted. 'I heard the rumors but to see it in pony is crazy.' He thought standing up.

"You have got to be kidding me Twilight, does he have fire coming off of his hooves? Or am I going even crazier than usual." Spike asked. His eyes popping out of socket almost. Twilight just stood there her mouth agape and eyes just as wide.

"I think all of us are seeing it." Twilight murmured. She had to shake herself out of her trance like state as did most of the crowd. "So it is true that there are more ponies that can use magic, but to see one in a ring like this." Twilight whispered to herself.

"Whoa hold on a second folks, the rules clearly state no magic so I'm afraid that this fight might be as good as over." The announcer said looking still shocked. His heart racing even skipping a few beats it felt like.

"Actually the rules say no unicorn magic." Phoenix corrected.

"He does have a point plus this just looks like it got more fun." Snow chuckled. 'Just what in Equestria is he?' Snow thought picking up his second blade.

"He is right according to the rules it looks like only unicorn magic is banned, so uhhh it looks like the fight can keep going." The announcer said dumbfounded reading through the rule book.

Phoenix laughed as he rushed straight at Snow catching him off guard. Snow grunted as a bit of blood was coughed up from his hit in the stomach. The strange part is he felt the heat of the flames but didn't catch on fire.

"Oh come on weren't you just saying that they want to see a real fight, I'm not even using this magic the way it should be used. That is until you show me you can take a few hits." Phoenix grinned as he threw a few more punches two of them hit Snow sending him sliding a few inches back.

'What does he mean not even using it right, it feels like I'm being punched by a dragon. I can't keep being put on the defensive though.' Snow thought spitting up a bit of blood. He leaped to the air and threw a kick at Phoenix, he blocked the kick but sent him staggering a bit. Snow tripped him up using the blade of sword cutting Phoenix's hoof a bit. He stumbled onto his back, Snow took advantage of this and jumped right onto Phoenix.

"Could this be it?"

"Took to long." Phoenix said looking at Snow's confused look before headbutting him. Snow reeled back in pain as his eyes started watering from being hit in the nose. He felt more blood flow out now, he heard the drops hitting the ground slowly. He struggled to his hooves as he charged Phoenix with a should charge. Phoenix took it with blunt force before punching Snow in the wing.

"Oh and it looks like Phoenix just dealt a huge blow to Snow!"  The crowd gasped as did Twilight and Spike.

"Just like I thought your record shows, but why do you have two ties?" Snow asked coughing on the ground. He began wheezing for air.

"I didn't want to have a flawless record duh." Phoenix thought as he held his side as he began to fall to the ground.

"This looks like it might be it folks is it going to end in a tie?" Phoenix struggled to get up but he did slowly. "Wait a second it looks like Phoenix might be the winner. It looks like it as Snow seems to be struggling with even moving on the ground! That's it the winner is Phoenix!" The crowd was met with a mixed array of emotions of happiness and excitement, some were sad about Snow receiving his first lost. Twilight however teleported right down into the arena after enough waiting.

"What's this it looks like the Princess Twilight is in the arena." The crowd went silent after a few minutes. She ignored the stares as she walked with Phoenix into the locker room.

"What do you want, an autograph or somethin?" Phoenix quipped looking at Twilight at who had been following him.

"Watch your tone with her." A guard pipped up although there was some fear in his voice.

"No what I want to know is about your strange magic, I've noticed a few others with magic similar to yours." Twilight peered into Phoenix's eyes. He just stood up and walked away.

"Well here's all I can tell you, it's that until you own me you won't know a secret. It's in my contract so I'm not telling you a thing, even if I could I have better things to do then to be questioned by a princess." Phoenix spat as he walked. He went into the changing room he lit his fist in flame once again. He punched the locker sending it flying into a wall. 'Stupid little prissy princess wants to ask me questions. Funny how none of them give a damn until now.' Phoenix thought sitting there quivering in rage.

"What was that about?" Twilight asked herself. A small echo followed by a small chuckle.

"Please do excuse my prized fighter. He was just following our contract, which he just broke by showing those powers."

"Who are you?" Twilight asked the light green pony in front of her.

"Me well I'm Green Leaf, the pleasure is mine Princess Sparkle." He said kneeling before her, he took her hoof and kissed it gently. Twilight shivered out of the weird feeling before pulling her hoof away. "As for his weird behavior you see most of these slaves despise the outside ponies....Especially the princesses." Green said looking at Twilight.

"I don't get it aren't they criminals?" Twilight thought.

"While most of them are some ponies are captured and forced to be here. As for my Phoenix I have no idea what happened he was arrested and instead of serving time he chose the option. He always goes on about being innocent. While he was proven innocent a few months ago he still has to serve in the ring under my orders. Unlike the others who are slaves who are captured and do whatever their masters tell them ponies like him are an odd case. You see while he does belong to me I see him as nothing more than profit so I have him train all day every day. He is not a slave, but he is also not free." Green told Twilight who seemed to be studying him.

"I see so why don't you let him go if he was proven innocent?" Twilight asked.

"See that's the thing is he is to much of a profit, so the court and I agreed that he will be under my control for the rest of our lives. All I have to do is give 15% of the profit to them. It's great honestly." He laughed lighting a cigar. He puffed out the smoke and chuckled while doing it.

'He is sick so is this so called court system, I ought to shut this whole thing down surely the council and Celestia must know about these conditions.' Twilight thought.

"I'm ready to leave whenever you are." Phoenix said looking at Green.

"Oh I'm ready, you're going to be begging me to stop with your punishment. I'm going to break your body, mind, and soul" Green said.

'I can't let this happen we could use a pony like this at the guild. While I can't save them all right now I can at the very least save Phoenix. I'll also get my answers and get a strong ally in the process.' Twilight thought before she cleared her throat.

"How much?" She asked. Green stopped before turning around confused.

"How much what?" Green asked.

"How much for the ownership of Phoenix?" Twilight asked.

"Please like you have enough for this worthless pile of scrap." Green said.

"Twelve thousand bits." Twilight said. Green just laughed before turning around.

'I will get to know your secrets dammit.' Twilight thought grinding her teeth.

"Fine one million bits." Twilight said  with a cold expression.

"Di-did you....you just say one million?" Green asked. Twilight nodded.

'She can't be serious why is she doing this?' Phoenix thought looking at Twilight.

"You have a deal!" Green said as he handed the paperwork over to Twilight. "Now let's go talk business. Phoenix get packed you're moving." Green said. 'Court system be damned with this much money I won't have to worry about another thing again. I can still make money off the other four of these idiots too, this is great.' Green thought walking with Twilight.