I dreamed of a world, created for reliance,
Underestimating reality, ending in violence.

A Shadow in Time

Where is the world when you needed it the most? Outside some Celestia damn prison walls, that's where. Luckily, after hearing the screams from down the prison hall, you have found the missing personnel. Well, just now you found it, and right now you have a mission with side quests. The mission you have planned is to spring the ponies from this jail, followed by releasing Twilight's magic, and finding Chrysalis.

Plans look nice when they aren't ruined.

You feel like you're being dragged into the echo side, almost effortlessly. The sizzling, crackling, snapping sound coming from all around you is a horror. The void continues to pull. Why are you feeling this? A dwelling sickness pulls plugs from inside your brain, and the room spins. What had happened?

Nothing, nothing happened. You are still standing outside of the prison cell, ready to demolish it's steal barrier. So many tools to choose from so far, and nothing has worked. Or, so it seems. You have tried to hit the metal with your electronic leg, cut it with torches, and even so much as attempted to bend it. Hoping to see it fall into pieces. Hoping to see the steel gone, and a freedom of loved ones. Hope hasn't come. Not yet, at least.

So you stand there, watching as the ponies inside cry, as one stays on the bed not moving. Her screaming ending minutes ago. So you stand there, wondering, why is your addition failing? Why is this stupid contraption that is your leg not working? Wait, is this really your leg, or is this something else? You can remember waking up, feeling that pain in your leg as if it was still there, just colder. Colder. The coldness of the metallic leg that embodies your living flesh is colder than anything you have ever felt. What if it isn't your leg? Only, better yet, is surrounding your leg, covering from hoof to hip?
This is all, of course, your imagination. There is no way that something so high tech could possibly be fake. Well, not until you hit the steel door. One. More. Time.

As you hit the door, you hear a loud bang followed by some unwanted bending noises.
The chrome leg lay there, on the floor, motionless. A living body part replacing it's last position, covered in laceration and a single needle left in the skin.

You stare at the leg, along with the ponies in the cell, and the changelings you had helped escape. All of you standing there, speechless. More worry fills every occupants face in that moment.

"Nero?" A voice rings out from the shadows.

"I recognise that voice. Yes, yes, that is Shadow's voice! Oh, we mustn't move with too much haste, but we need to find him. Shadow? Where are you?"

"It is you than! I need you all to listen to me for a second. I am using a mind speech spell, and can only hold on for so long. You need to find a way to destroy the barrier of magic surrounding the prison. Only then can I help with Mr. Emerald." Nothing more was stated by the voice.

Nero looked up to his horn and tapped it twice. The anti magic cone was still in place. "Mythic, I need you to buck my horn as hard as you can. A full kick, if I may."

You look at him unsure, but follow with what he wished. Why not just do this in the first place?
The alarm in the prison sang a new song to answer that. More of a high pitched whistle.

Soon after the cone breaking, Nero placed his horn against the cracking block wall. A ripple of green and orange magic floated throughout the area. He did what he needed.

In a dark blue flash, a new pony appeared. Nero removed his head from the wall, allowing the magic to replace itself at almost light speed. "Shadow." Nero nodded.

"Nero," Shadow started, "I will explain how I know you are here later, but for now, we need to save some ponies from these filthy changelings." He placed a hoof to his head. "No offence, Nero. You too, Snowflake."

"Non taken." They replied in unison.

From inside the cell, the three unharmed ponies stirred. A question floating between the three of them. "Who are you?" Twilight asked.

"Names Shadow, I'll get you out." The pony that answered, seemingly to not notice the hurt pony on the stone prison bead, approached the cell. With as much magic he could conjure up, he shot a pure beam of magic through the cell door, and clipped the anti-magic cone on Twilight's horn. After a few pants, Shadow looked up. His eyes scanned the cell, settling on the broken mare by the far wall. "What in the buck? We need to move. Now!" With caution, the dark purple stallion placed Bee on his back.

"Wait, aren't you that stallion that is always at Fluttershy's house?"

"Hmm, Rainbow is it? Well, what else do you think I would do when hired to protect somepony? It is my job to be a bodyguard. Now, if you are done with questions, we need to get this lovely mare back to my place. Hospital is too far."

You look around one last time, taking in the current surroundings. You know for certain that you won't miss this place. "Shall we get going? The guards will be here soon." You rush forward taking Carrots hoof in your own, and follow Shadow.

Everypony that is escaping with you hears the same noise on the way out. The clinking of armor, sheathing swords, and heavy steps echoed. Every sound sickening, accompanied with the knowledge that they want to find you and your friends, and kill them. Take them in as prisoners, torture, and even kill them. Your attention changes to in front of the group. Something about this stallion in front of you, this 'Shadow', is different from all of the others. He's not pure evil, nor is he pure hero. He is, or at least seems to be, family. Not a changeling, no, but just family. It's like he is a part of you, and the others. What is it about him that makes everything look different?

His cutie mark, that had to be the reason. Why was it a shield and cross-hair? What reason do you have to question this other pony, when he is risking his life to save yours.

"We're here!" Shadow opens the door, a dark red, almost dried blood colored skull painted on it. Inside, he asks you and the other four to sit back. The only one allowed to help was Twilight. Their job? Save Bee.

"Alright, I need you to give her constant pain relief through your magic. Since magic can't fix and wound permanently, we will have to do some series work. The wound has to be cleaned." The shadowy stallion picks up a rag that looks slightly wet, probably alcohol to disinfect, and places it in the wound. The room filled with gags and turning heads as he went on. "Now we must spray some of this in the wound, it will help fight infection." In his magic grip, he places a syringe into the gash, and sprays the liquid inside. As you watch, you can only see how much pain Bee is in. From the constant scrunching of her nose, to the slamming of her hooves.

"We are almost done, just listen to my words, and you will be fine. I need you to try and relax. Think of a place of solitude, and your surrounded by clean springs. Now you sense the flowers, the many scents washing over your muzzle. Birds around you are singing, and bees buzz plain as day." Shadow ended, finally stitching the wound back together.

"There, how does that feel?" He wraps bandages around Bee's body, covering mostly just the wound.

"I-I feel b-better. Easier t-to breath, b-but it still hurts a little."

The room filled with a lighter mood. The world seemed to open up more, and not just for you, but also for the others with you. Bee is alive, and can still make it. You sit there, engulfed by a hug from your marefriend, smiling at all that has happened so far. From the escape, to saving a ponies life, to now what you believe is the finale. Now it is time to plan, and to act.

It is time to start a run down, a model, a map, and a scheme. Now is the time to find where Chrysalis is hiding, and take her down. Take down that Celestia awful queen, and drag her to the obis. Throw her in the void, force her to drown in the echoes of the echo side, and make her perish.

The suffering ends now!

"Chrysalis!"

"What is it? Can't you see I have some important things to finish here?" The dark queen turned her gaze from the map of Equestria, to a close by guard.

"I'm sorry, your highness, but some pony has pulled some heinous acts toward our lands, our people, and you! They have sprung the prisoners from cells C5 and D4, and escaped!"

They eyes that normally had a green glow grew an intense red. "What?! They escaped? Who could have helped with this, this, abomination?"

"I think this might solve the riddle, mam." The guard shivered under the glare of his queen, while placing what looked to be a split metallic leg on the floor.

She took a long gander at the object before rising from her throne, and yelling. "Strings!"

Author's Note

Renamed the chapter, and I am back into this story.