Shadows of War

The High Mountain loomed Twilight. Ahead was the Gate of Truth; it was large and was closer to a castle than a gate. Atop it stood ponies each armed with a bow. At the base of the gate were a few monks, each blessed Twilight as she went by.

Battlesong and Golden walked beside her, "Are you sure about this?" Battlesong asked as they came ever nearer.

No, but this burning in my leg has only gotten worse. I fear that this is the mark that Veritas had spoken about. Twilight forced a smile, "Yes, it only a climb up a mountain." She said. She had thought about flying up, but as she read through the books at the convent. She had learned that there was a powerful spell in place that would have blown her against the rock face or cast her to the ground below.

Twilight could hardly see the top of the High Mountain and the Sanctum at its peak. Mainly due to the sun and the fact it only looked to be the size of an apple from the base.

The Gate of Truth opened as Twilight neared. She could see the start of the stone path, and feel the cold wind that howled just ahead.I could still turn back, but I have come too far to turn back now. The way up was longer than Twilight would have thought, at areas she could see narrow paths, snow cover stones and a few spots where one could easily come crashing down to the earth below.

"We’ll wait here a few days before heading back to Lion's Lake just in case this proves as useless I believe it will," Battlesong said starting up the mountain.

"Just watch your step and good luck," Golden said with a slight bow.

Twilight turned and looked at the two, "Thank you, and if either of you finds yourselves in Equestria feel free to come to see me."

After that Twilight passed through the gate and started up the stone path. It wasn't tough going at first, the ground stayed at even ascend for about the first hour. Her leg burned with every step, but it had seemed to even for the most part.

When she came to pillar her leg felt as if it had caught fire, and she needed to stop. Twilight rested against the pillar, the stone had been covered with countless runes, nearly all she couldn't understand. The ones she did were holy, ground, evil, and tread. She didn't know how long she stayed there reading over the pillar again and again, but the pain stops. While it still burned she could walk on it again.

"One hundred feet down another what few thousand to go. I really should have asked how to tall this mountain was." Twilight talked to herself. "And I'm talking to myself, great."

Ahead the climb became harder, steep stone steps were carved into the rock. Some were worn by age they were hard to find.Don't look down, don't look down. Twilight told herself as the steps narrow close to a chasm. Her imaged the long drop, the darkness, and her sure death if she should fall. Which, made her glance down, and cling to the rock face all the more.Great, I just had to look, didn't I?

It was a strange feeling for Twilight as she had not felt this fear when she had learned to fly. It could have been that fact that Rainbow Dash had been the one to teach her, and had little worry of her friend letting her fall to her death. Here one wrong step, a powerful gust of wind or a slip would mean her doom with nopony to save her. Would my friends and family ever learn of how I died if I was to fall? Would they keep looking for me, would they hope I would make my way home? Twilight couldn't help but wonder.

A strong wind blew, forcing her to hold together to the rock face till it passed. The howling was the worst part, as her mind want back to that beast. Once the wind stopped, she started again, slowly at first. The path seemed much longer than it was. Soon the path started to widen again, and Twilight's race heart started to return to normal.

The higher she want the colder it got, and the more her leg burned. Twilight had to rest more than she would have liked, but the pain in her leg made it impossible to walk. The pain would come fast and more intense the closer she got the Sanctum. A few times she had wanted to cry it had burned as if she had put her whole leg into a fire.

Ahead she could see the golden roofs, the high white stone walls, and towering fortress that was the Sanctum. It was not as large as Canterlot Castle, but would still larger than her castle. It wasn't hard for her image why somepony would build this high up, as attacks had little hope of breaching the walls of this fortress.

Twilight had read many books of the stronghold and understood the placement. There was no place to place siege engines, nowhere to build to a camp, and a few unicorns would hold the narrow passes agest ten times their number or more. Meaning they would have to wait till the defender ran out of food, or hope to take this place. And that not taking into account that an alicorn lives here.

The main gate was open, as she neared but once she passed through it, the iron gate closed, and a pair of thick oak doors creaked suit behind her. Above her were murder holes, and as nopony had fired anything she took that as a good sign. Seen he knows I'm here. Twilight wasn't sure if that was a good thing or an ill one yet.

The halls were filled paintings, tapestries and white rugs. The floors were marble and had a golden vine pattern. There were few windows, and those were only arrow slits. Now and then she would pass heavy wooden doors, she had tried to open a few but they were locked. She walked for a long time, unsure of where she would find the lord of this fortress. It was a maze of halls and locked doors, there were few windows, with most of the light coming for crystals and candles. A few times Twilight walked in a circle, which had lead to taking note of anything to add in telling the halls apart. The paintings were the best as no two were the same, the tapestries gave little help in the matter as they either had six golden wings with a crown in the middle of a field of white or a sliver fleam on a striped field of black and red.

Twilight wasn't sure how long she had walked those halls when she came to a pair of great oak doors. They were not locked like the others, but even with magic were hard to move. The doors lead into a room with long table piled with books, scrolls, maps, crystal, herbs and many things she wished her own castle had. She didn't think as she took one of the scrolls in her magic and unrolled it. It was noted on the iron ponies. Mainly due to interest in the matter and needed a break from the hours of walking she read into it.

As I feared my spell had trapped the souls of my soldiers in the armored form. The soul gems keep them trapped even when destroyed, able to think, however, I'm unsure if they feel but I fear they do. I should have found another way after that battle, but what choice did I have. Enemies were everywhere thanks to... I will not even write that name best they are forgotten and burn in the lowest level of hell, I wondered if I should be joining them for what I did? Twilight read, and took note of a drawing of the gem below. A bit of fear formed in Twilight's mind, what spell did he cast to create those iron ponies. Celestia may have known or Starswirl. However, she was not sure if they would even know.

She then looked over other scrolls and notes, most were on the iron ponies, other on the kingdom. She found notes on the bandits and the outlaws, a few orders to lords to send troops to towns and areas to deal with them. Yet, Archangel focus seemed to be on the matter of the iron ponies, and the Devights. "So a little spy from Celestia's brood, or maybe I'm going mad." A powerful filled the room. Twilight couldn't find where the voice had come from.

"N..No I was jus..."

"Reading matters that you have no business knowing," the voice cut her off.

Twilight looked all around her and but still could see the pony speaking. "Cou... could you please show yourself?" she speaks in a fearful tone. If this was Archangel then he could see her, and doubtless knew more than a few spells to incapacitate if he wished.

For a long time, there was no word or sound, time seemed to stand still as Twilight kept trying to find where the voice had come from.I could make a run for the door. The thought seemed odd to her. She was the Princess of Friendship and should be more knee on spending friendship. "At least tell me of whom am I speaking to too?"

There was no reply or sound, other than her breathing. Then the voice breaks the silence, "How is it that you, enter my home, walk my halls, read my notes and do not know whom you speak to?" There was a long pause. "I should be asking you your name, as you are my uninvited guest who has the smell of corruption."

Corruption? "I'm Twilight Sparkle, the bearer of the Element of Magic, Princess of Friendship." She forced her voice to sound normal, even if fear ate at her heart and mind. "And what do you mean by corruption?"

"Ah, so Celestia given is making ponies princesses of concepts, tell me is there a princess of tea as well or did Celestia claim that title for her own?" The voice laughed a bit, "No matter, as to the corruption you have been marked or near one of my hated enemies. As if you were given wholly over to them, you wouldn't have been able to enter this place, and I have to kill you if you had somehow found a way."

Twilight felt dread wash over her at the thought of her death. Would she have even put up a fight? "I... It was the King's Woods monster I was near... Battlesong says it was a Devight."

"Tell me then how is it that you and this Battlesong didn't become that beast next meal, or why it didn't seek to claim and alicorn mare for itself?"

"I don't know, it just let us go, but it haunts my dreams."

There was another long silence before it he speaks again. "Take the horn ring from the table and place it around your horn."

There were a few on the table, but Twilight knew which one he met the anti-magic ring. If she placed it around her horn she would powerless, and at the mercy of a pony who said he would have killed a few moments ago. She held the ring in her hoof, unsure if she should place the ring around her horn or not.

Twilight slowly placed the ring around her horn, at first she felt normal but knew if she tried her magic she would be unable to even light her horn. She waited with great unease for her host to appare. It wasn't long till she saw a bookshelf side to one side, and a dark figure stepped out and into the light.

His fur was dark white, the feathers on his wings were started out the same color as his fur but transitioned to black. His mane and tail were they were a light shade of black, and cut in the fashion of the royal guard. His gaze was stern but held a kindness as well, Twilight couldn't help but think of how they reminded her of Celestia's eyes. "I am Archangel, now have a seat."

Twilight sat in one of the chairs as Archangel walked up to her focus on her leg. She looked herself and nearly jumped, a large blood red mark was up to her knee. It was a mix of strange symbols and runes. "What is this?" Twilight asked, fear clear on her voice.

Archangel didn't reply as he studied it, he would take hold of Twilight's leg and look closer now and then. "You're lucky," His voice broke the silence. "You must have a noble heart other ways they would have placed it there. If they had you would already be lost." His horn lit up in a golden glow, Twilight could feel the warmth and kindness of his magic. Slowly another mark appeared above her knee, this one was as white as snow.

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked equal parts worried and interested.

"Saving your soul and those you care for."

Twilight watched as the white runes and symbols formed a wall against the red mark. "What do you mean by that?"

Archangel glanced up from his spell. "Simple, that mark would have soon reached your heart turning it as corrupt as the one who placed it upon you." He looked back to spell. "More than likely you wouldn't have noticed the changes at first. A thought here and there, but soon you would start to act on them. A fly what harm would it be to crash it with your magic, why shouldn't I have my pleasure with that stallion or mare. If your friends were lucky they would be the first you killed before you got a taste for torture, or summoned some Devights, as they would doubtless wish to breed some halfbreeds. Maybe that what this Beast of the King's Wood thought when it saw the mark."

I would never do that to my friends, I would never help that monster. Even as she thought a bit of doubt started to take hold in her mind. Could that have been why I watch Battlesong and Sapphire, thought of rising my tail in that inn? Then there’s, Luna, she had fallen to darkness and nearly cast the whole world into an everlasting night. "Can't you remove it?" She asked.

"Aye, but it will take time. The one who marked you has many names, but his true name is only known to him. In the west, he is Dread Stallion, the east Father of Lies, the south Terror of the Deep, and the north The Father of Nightmares, and that leaving out what other races call him." Archangel said as he worked on finishing his spell. "However, why my ward will keep it at bay, it will still affect your mind, and if you leave the High Mountain it will weaken. So you must remain here till I'm able to remove."

No, I have to get home. Twilight wondered if that was indeed her thought or something else. As she could understand reminding here, she would have done the same. "Can I inform my friends and family where I am?"

Archangel muttered something to himself but replying. "Aye, your not my captive but my guest. However, Celestia will most likely send a few agents to ensure you're not being held here against your will."

Twilight thought she heard him mutter something about, 'that sun-loving mare' and 'fool of mare doesn't listen.' Once the spell was done, Twilight asked. "Can I remove the ring?"

"Not yet, I as I do not know you and I have little love or trust for Celestia. For all, I know she has fallen to darkness like that sister of hers." Archangel replied.

"No, Celestia is a good and noble pony!" Twilight said a bit loader then she wanted. "She would never side with monsters and killers."

Archangel didn't reply, and Twilight couldn't tell what he was thinking. After a long moment before Archangel spoke, "Be that as it may, I will not change my thoughts on Celestia. I have many reasons, all of which are mine alone. Now, I'll have Old River show you to your room." He said before calling out for said pony.

Not long after an iron pony with an obsidian gem in its head entered the room. It looked it master to Twilight, "River, show our guest to a room in the west wing, and be sure to show her the meal hall along the way." River bowed its head in understanding. It turned to Twilight and motioned for her to follow.