Star Wars: Power of the Dark Side

Star Wars: Power of the Dark Side
Chapter XI: Paths of Loyalty

While this new remission of the Jedi Order into normal pony society was a comfort, Moonshadow could not help but feel a small feeling of malcontent. True, the Jedi would be fully recognized for upholding peace and honor, however there are those that would still remember the pain that they had caused when they had first emerged. She had read the history of the Jedi Order, and while it holds some of the lessons that they preach to their Padawans, it was not however masked in its history of spilled blood and secrets. A contended sigh escaped her nostrils as she remembered Solinara's title. The Warmaster.

The thought of Master Solinara brought a shiver to crawl up her spine. The Conqueror of the Cold Dark. The Slayer of Shadows. The Sith Fear. And so many more titles that she had once wore with pride and honor. She had easily forgotten the teachings of the Jedi Code and allowed ambition and the preaching of a new era for Equestria to take hold of her. One that did not wrap around Equestria very well, Moonshadow was glad that her misguided attempt at peace did not last and offered for a real solution.

Her hoof steps echoed as she wondered the halls of Canterlot. She had stepped out of the Solar Wing and stepped into the Sky Wing. Here was where all of the secrets the Princesses withhold from the public and store it. Whether it is information in the library or it studies and war rooms. While wars that involved Equestria were rare, they were more common than expected. Moonshadow should know, she did belong to the only protectors of the nation for the better half of her life. The walls were made of a smooth yet rough white stone with columns embedded with the white canvases.

Well decorated tapestries painted many images and history lessons along the walls. The decor warm and inviting, like most of the castle. It's endless and winding hallways had never been more studied and more well known. If there was a pony that knew the navigation of the Canterlot Castle, it was a Royal Guard.

She had wandered past a few them. While they were the first to know about the Jedi Order, they held a very close consensus of how the rest of Equestria will act. On the surface, they were the same old cold stare that they gave everypony that walked past them. But using the Force, Moonshadow could sense their apprehension and their mistrust as she passed them. Especially her comrades of the Lunar Guard.

She had never seen them so upset. Some of them were disappointed. Others were outright hurt. And a few looked at her no differently. Moonshadow knows very well that she is not supposed to express negative feelings, it did not mean that she did not feel sadness as many of her fellows hurt her. They saw an entirely different pony when she herself had not changed.

A stray sigh of contempt left her as she decided not to think about it anymore. There were more relevant things to ponder besides her comrades opinions of her. Her contempt changed into mild anger as she strode her way to her destination.

Hanging a right and nearest to the left she stopped and knocked rapidly on the door. A hint of impatience in her knock as she waited.

A light airy noble voice answered in a sing son tone, "Come in."

Moonshadow let herself in and it was one of the new rooms. It sported some of the old architecture of the Jedi, a small circular room that rose into a dome. But while it should have had mono colors it had bright colors of a grey and blue. Residing in the middle who stepped out of meditation was Master Adamas. Quite the character and an even quirkier Master Jedi. Moonshadow had been introduced to her when she was but a young Padawan. Adamas outlived her by about seven years but it clearly did not show on her light features. Master Adamas appeared as young, if not younger than Moonshadow.

The older mare turned and met her steely gaze with a smile, "Hello, darling what can I help you with?"

Moonshadow took a good long while in staring at her superior. The moment had passed and she asked, "Why were you not truthful at the meeting?"

Clearly her alter ego never truly left as she answered prevalently, "Whatever do you mean darling?"

"You know what I mean," Moonshadow countered with a slight sneer, "You and I both know that you were withholding information. You know who the Sith'ari is. I could sense it."

It was rare but many Force users had a special ability that only they could use. While all Jedi were equipped to sense emotions they could not sense motives, except for Moonshadow. Moonshadow had the ability to see past clever personas and impossible to break facades of clear acting. It all crumbled under her gaze. She knew that Master Adamas was not being truthful, despite her A grade acting.

Adamas faltered as she knew Moonshadow's ability, "Yes...I know...I kept it from the others because I want to protect my friend. I cannot abandon every happy memory I had with her. I cannot forsake all those years of companionship and camaraderie because our beliefs do not align. The Sith'ari is destined to make a change in the way that the Sith is. Make them more powerful as well, I just hope that she does this for the better."

Adams turned to face the young Harmony Knight, "That and it would crush Solinara knowing that her student has accepted the teachings of the dark side."

Moonshadow released a deep sigh, she could understand where she was coming from and knew her exact position. Many of her own friends were in the same position as Adamas. Their beliefs were not aligned but are so many years wasted away just because one thing changes in their life? It pained her to know that to someponies, this was true.

She paused and sighed, "I'm...sorry."

The ghost of a smile crossed her lips as Adamas replied, "Don't be. You were acting on what you felt in the Force. You were reacting to something that sparked questions and you wanted answers. Your master has taught you well. Lunara has always been a show and tell type of mare."

There was silence between the two mares. Neither one of them wanted to spark a particular conversation. Moonshadow was not prepared to talk any more to Adamas. Outside of the last day, Moonshadow had never really seen Master Adamas before. True she had heard the stories of Master Adamas. The Battle of the Northern Wastes. Siege of the Crystal Caves. Like bed time stories for Jedi, holding some facts and some lies. And here the mare was, the pony who had witnessed much and had seen EQuestria as it used to be. There was a rumor that the reason she has lived so long was because of a trait of the Force. Said that she has the resilience of diamond. Moonshadow was never really one for semantics.

But after she had extended time spent with the mare, she was beginning to understand why. Whether or not it was true, remained a secret that only Adamas knew. Moonshadow inclined her head respectfully to Adamas, "I will let you return to your duties, Master Adamas."

Adamas snorted, "Only if I can help it. The Council will be reawakening soon and then the real drag of the Jedi will begin. As you were, Knight Moonshadow."

Moonshadow turned and left the room, her mind wandering to places of solace knowing that such things as discussion only cemented with her master not others. That much should be expected as they were the only two Harmony Knights left.

Twilight dropped the holocron to the cold dirt of the forest floor and keeled over as the contents of her stomach finally left her throat. In a fiery volcanic burst it came forth and fertilized the ground around her. It burned as it came up and her lungs felt heavier with more muscle and weight. She could no longer handle the sights and smells of what had wrought in front of her. She kept her composure for so long merely out of survival.

A deep thrum echoed in her ears as she remained hunched over, waiting to see if more made its way to the top of her throat. The all too familiar deep baritone voice of her master rang out in the silence of the forest, "You were put in a situation where one breath meant the difference between life and death. you have proven that you hold great knowledge. That even though I have taught you nothing, you understand that you cannot gain knowledge without survival. But you must become comfortable with sights like this. You must familiarize yourself with scenes of violence and war."

Twilight sucked in a large breath and calmed her irritated words. She rose and saw the image of Venator in full next to him. The holocron thrummed next to her. Her eyes drawing away from her robed master and looking over the environment around them.

Twilight had landed in one of the only clearings in the Everfree Forest. The belt of trees gently swaying in the wind and the vegetation darkened and gave a grim feeling to Twilight. They were ill colored and drooping. Not an unusual sight but one rare to be as large as this.

She looked to her master and stood up, his hooves crossed in front of him, "It appears that your experience with friendship and magic has made you very...soft...nothing that can't be fixed. In time."

She said nothing but gave a knowing nod. Though she would not be happy with this, it was her only way. She sucked in a deep breath and said out, "I am ready to learn, my master."

Quickly remembering her place. Venator gave a motion she had seen Celestia give to some ignorant ponies, and she knelt in the dirt. Her head bowed and a cold smile crossing her master's face, "Good my apprentice. You must remember your place, Twilight. I am to give you knowledge, and in return you give me loyalty. Such is the way of the Sith. If either party compromises this symbiotic relationship, the other must kill the offending party."

This malicious and individualized approach of learning was foreign to her. She felt an invisible constriction around her throat and she choked it down. How could Venator kill her if he was dead? Twilight wanted to ask but then again she did not want to know also. She would rather not know at this point in time.

Venator's voice calmed and slowed, it still held a harsh tone but it was a little bit more easier on her ears, "Your first lesson. To understand and know the Sith Code."

Twilight knit an eyebrow, "Code?"

"Yes," Venator nodded, "The Sith Code. The lifeblood of the power of a Sith. With this Code memorized and retained, power and knowledge will come to you unwittingly."

Venator stepped closer, his size dwarfing her and she gazed up at her master. He leaned down, "But first you must forget everything you know about magic. You must strip yourself barren of any magic."

Twilight's eyes grew wide and her mouth drew open as she absorbed what he had said. He nonchalantly just told her to forge everything she knows about magic. To forsake what she spent years upon years studying. The very thing that gave her the ability to defend herself and her friends.

What he asked and how he asked it, it sounded so trivial. She sputtered, "I...I don't...I don't understand master."

Venator's voice drew cold again, "The Force and Magic are two polar opposites. Magic is like clay, you can mold it and shape it to what you desire. The Force molds you and shapes you like clay, manipulating how it sees fit. The Force is a belief, it is a non material thing that requires faith and connection to.

"In order to show loyalty to both me and the Force, you must forsake magic and everything you were taught about it."

Twilight shook her head, not in disagreement but in disbelief. She voiced her thoughts, "How would I even go about doing that?"

Sensing her loyalty in question his tone was quick and vicious, "Are you questioning your master?"

Twilight shook her head quickly, "No it's not that...it's just..."

"In dorder to forsake magic you must sever the link." Venator pointed a hoof to her horn.

Twilight tapped her horn, the firm and ridged appendage procurring from her head had been not just a symbol of her magic ability, but it was also a part of her. This was something huge, it was a part of her. Twilight tried not to sound desperate, "What if...what if I don't-"

"If you still have it you will come to rely on it more than the Force," Venator said quick and fierce, "If you are unwilling to prove your loyalty then I can-"

"No," Twilight lifted a hoof and interrupted her master, "I meant no disrespect. I apologize, my master."

Venator cooled himself, "Good, now be quick about it and you can begin your path as the Sith'ari."

The image of her master shrunk away and disappeared into the holocron and she let out a sigh. Her nerves were not cool or calm. She knew unicorn anatomy, there were more nerves in her horn than any other part of her. To think that she needed to cut it off, it was absurd.

But she had to do this, for her friends and family.

She looked around and saw in the cacphony of trees a nearby quarry. Whetstone Quarry if her memory served correctly. It suppiled stones to many masonry buisnesses in Equestria. Twilight walked that way and with her mind suspended on what she had to do, she arrived there quickly.

The ground opened up at her hooves. A wide three mile wide quarry. The bare earth to kiss the autumn air. White and cobble stone lied at the bottom. She looked and knew what she had to do, her heart beating hard against her chest. It itself felt like a rock inside of her.

She slid down and she looked around finding one of appropriate size. She used her telekinesis, likely for the last time, the lavender aura sounding and lighting around the rock. She hovered it right into her outstretched hoof. She held it and it was as big as her hoof, the white stone had a slight edge to it. She breathed uneasingly, she had gotten injuries in her horn before but she could not imagine the pain she would have to suffer for this.

This was the end, this was the last that she would ever use magic. She was princess of magic, she was forsaking herself and all for what? For something that she has never seen and never knew about until a day ago? But she could not help and think about what could even possibly coming. She knew that this threat was greater than her, and greater than magic likely. This Force resisted magic, or vice versa.

There was no going back now. She could never return to her old life. This Sith life...there was no leaving now. She was Sith now, what ever that entailed.

She turned and found a large boulder taller than her. She leaned her head against the cold stone, sending shivers over her. She breathed quickly, readying the rock in her hoof. Biting her tongue with great pressure she pulled her hoof back and smashed it with all the force she could at her horn. A jolt of pain shot through horn at the blow, stifling a moan of pain in her clenched teeth.

Again she smashed the appendage, her nerves shooting through her head and the pain intensifying to a level she has never known before and likely will never know any greater pain. She smashed again this time her painful moan escaped her and it blew out with a shaky breath. Her knees buckled at the impact. She could feel the horn bending and conforming against the stone at the base.

Tears fell from her closed eyes as she smashed it again. And again. And again. Each one a painful scream rippled over the cool autumn air. With each blow she could feel her magic slowly leave her. All her magic spells all her magic leaving her forever. A common misconception amongst the populace is that horns can grow back like a lizard's tail, they don't. It is like a pegasus getting their wings clipped or overly injured. Once its gone, it's gone forever.

She felt blood trickled down her head as she felt light headed and on the verge of falling unconscious. A fiery pain shot through her as she smashed it with the slightly edged stone. She was half way through now, she could tell. Her screams wailed across the winds and broke the silence of the forest. Not only was she feeling immense amount of pain, she felt a hate grow within her. She felt the emptiness of the leaving magic be filled with hate and anger towards her master.

Her blows now fueled with hate and fury, she smashed with renewed strength despite her strength sapping. A unicorn or alicorn horn offers a small amount of magical strength to the pony. Something that she would not have for the rest of her life. With a deafening crunch and stone smacking stone, the deed had been done. She severed her horn.

She finally lost feeling in her legs as her wound dripped blood profusely. She collided with the cold ground and wailed in great pain. She felt cold and warm in different spots. She felt mucus leave her nose as she snuffled at the great pain in her head. She balled like a hurt filly as she wrapped her legs around her to try and comfort herself from the pain.

She did not care what anypony would say, she had died that day. And somepony, much darker took her place. She laid there and stirred in hate and rage like she had never felt before. Where she felt magic in her soul, she felt something much much darker take its place. An icy waved washed over her as the feeling cemented around her and in between sniffles she felt all her strength leave her. Accepting the cold and empty void that she gazed into.