The hatred of the shadow

Malonex and Lock were walking for a whole day without any special events and they didn't had much to talk so they were silent most of the time.

It was noon as Lock wanted to ask Malonex something to finally break the silence. "Hey Malonex, what do you think about science?"

Malonex raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

Lock began to explain. "Well I once worked as security guard in a laboratory and the scientists always talked about how their inventions would change the world and that magic will be unneeded one day."

Malonex laughed a bit about these claims. "I have already heard of some ponies that think they could find a way to replace magic but at one point they all accepted that magic can do thing they will never be able to do and they leaned to work together with magic and not against it."

Lock nodded a bit. "So, what is your opinion on science?"

Malonex thought for a moment before he answered. "I have nothing against it, don't forget that magic is its own kind of science but I still would always prefer my magic instead of some inventions. I have no use for machinery when I have the power to defeat every creature that tires to oppose me."

Lock nodded a bit and they walked in silence again. After a while Lock got the feeling that they were watched and whispered to Malonex. "I think somepony is watching us."

Malonex nodded slightly and began to look for magic auras. Sometime later he found something. He whispered back to Lock. "You are right, there is defiantly somepony. The aura is very well hidden."

The didn't stopped walking for even a moment. Lock looked around a bit but he couldn't see anypony. "Where is this pony I can't see it."

Malonex began to search in his bag for the right potion. "The pony is hiding extremely good and somehow also hides his aura, I don't know how."

Lock began to get nervous. "What are we going to do?"

Malonex found what he searched and showed the potion to Lock. "We will stop for a moment and sit down. When I tap three time on the ground I will crush this potion. It will spread a gas that weakens everypony physically that breathes it. After a few seconds the gas will vanish. You will use your magic to create a air sphere around your head."

Lock nodded slightly and they both stopped and sat down Lock acted like this was normal and took out a sandwich for himself and began to eat.

Malonex began to tap with his hoof and at the third time Lock immediately created a air sphere for himself.

Malonex threw the potion at the ground and the gas began to spread. After only one second it covered a big area. He waited patiently and watched as the aura reviled itself, probably wasn't the pony able to hide it anymore. He saw that it was sitting on a branch and it began to sway.

A second later the gas already vanished and the pony fell from the branch directly between Malonex and Lock on the ground.

It was a light gray pegasus mare with a spiky dark orange mane. Her cutie mark was a black wing that was made of smoke. A second later a bag fell on the ground next to her. Malonex looked at the mare for a moment and then looked at Lock. "She will not wake up again in the next three minutes. Tie her to a tree. We will ask her question when she wakes up."

Lock did as he was told and took out a rope from his bag. He tied her to the next three and then he took out another sandwich for himself. Malonex began to meditate.

Like Malonex said, the mare woke up after three minutes and mumbled. "Wow, what happened?"

She opened her eyes and looked around with bright orange eyes. As she saw Malonex and Lock sitting there she tried to ran away but then realized that she was tied to the tree.

Malonex heard her struggle and opened his eyes. He stood up and walked to her while Lock laid on the ground and looked at the sky.

As Malonex looked directly at her he used his magic to see her aura and something about it looked strange for him. "Who are you?"

The mare looked away. "My name is a secret."

Malonex heard Lock saying in a sarcastic tone. "Hello 'A-secret' my name is Lock."

Malonex just groaned at that joke and asked the next question. "How were you able to hide yourself from us?"

The mare looked at him and smiled. "You are about to find out."

Malonex noticed that the magic inside of her began to act and she started to turn into a shadow. The rope began to loosen but Malonex reacted. He sent out his shadow and it connected with the one of the mare. He used his magic to force her to get out of her shadow again. The mare looked shocked at him. "What? How did you do that?"

Malonex eyes began to glow with dark magic and he lifted his crystal hoof, that had now the shape of a blade, to the throat of the mare. His expression turned into a devious smile. "Try that again and you will wish you are dead. Tell me where you learned that? And stop playing brave I can see your fear in your eyes!"

The mare began to panic. "From my father!"

Malonex lifted the hoof even further so the mare could already fell it at her throat. "Who is you father?"

The mare answered quickly. "Insidius!"

Malonex was about to cut through her throat but stopped and her heard that name. "What did you say?"

The mare looked at him confused. "Insidius. Do you know that name?"

Malonex thought for a moment. "Yes, I know this name."

The mare began to smile at him. "Then you must be Malonex, son of warlord Tenobris! I knew I could find you! I searched for you everywhere in Equestria."

Malonex stared at her for a moment and then lifted his hoof again. His face was now filled with anger. "What do you want here and why do you claim to be the daughter of my father's advisor?"

The mare guickly answered. "Two years ago we sensed a great darkness and since then we tried to find Tenobris. We wanted to help him with whatever plan he had."

Malonex thought if he should believe her and decided to ask her a question she could only answer if she really was Insidius daughter. "What were the last words my father and Insidius said to each other?"

She immediately answered. "Insidius said: 'I will follow your orders, our enemy will cower in fear' and Tenobris responded: 'Yes, in fear and in my hatred'!"

Malonex was surprised, he didn't expect her to know this. After a while he decided to cut the rope and the mare smiled at him. Malonex expession was still cold and he said "Tell me your name and what happened the last years that took you so long and if you are lying..." His eyes began to glow for a moment.

The mare nodded happily even though Malonex scared her a bit. Lock looked at her, he was interested in hearing the story. "My name is Tacit. Two years ago we sensed that a great darkness was released and then vanished."

Lock interrupted her. "That was probably the events at the Summer Sun Celebration."

Malonex nodded and looked back at Tacit, who began to talk again. "We tried to find Tenobris and at one point we found out that he already died and that he had a son named Malonex who tried to take over Equestria. We tried to find you but as we began to travel towards Canterlot we heard of the new law that made every kind of dark magic highly illegal."

Tacits expression began to darken a bit. "One of our old neighbors told the guards that my father practiced dark magic and before we knew it we had magic hunters in our necks. We had to run through forests and sleep in caves. For the a whole year we managed to flee but they never lost out trial so we couldn't reach you. One day my father broke one of his legs and after one day the hunter caught us."

Tacit looked at the ground and sadness filled her eyes. "As they reached us they said they could see that we both are dark mages even though I am not even a unicorn. My father stood up against them and told them to leave us alone. The hunters said that they would give us one chance to give up but my father told me to flee and that he would stop them. I flew in the air and began to flee as fast as I could."

Tears fell to the ground. "Some of the pegasi hunters tried to follow me but they were shot down by my father. I heard their shouts and screams as they tried to defeat my father. Then I heard a loud explosion and as I looked back I saw that there were my father and the hunters fought was a big crater. The trees at the edge were burning in dark flames. I flew back to see what happened but as I arrived I found that nothing survived."

Tacit took a deep breath and looked up again. "I decided to search alone but it took me a long time to even find out where you were because I couldn't sense you like my father could. After nearly one year of searching I finally found your prison but I had no clue how to get you out of there, I wasn't even sure if you really were Malonex. I watched the prison for the rest of the time. Then you broke out and I followed you."

Malonex looked at her for a moment and then turned around. "Well then sit down. We are going to rest for an hour. Either you are ready to travel or we will leave you behind and I give the orders here!"

Tacit smiled and they all sat on the ground together. Lock gave everpony a sandwich and they began to eat in silence until Tacit wanted to start a conversation. "So where are we going?"

Malonex stopped eating and began to tell her. "First we are going to a tavern where I can get rid of this cursed crystal that I am bound to."

"You are bound to a crystal? How does that work?"

Malonex looked at Lock. "Could you take out the crystal?"

Lock nodded and began to search through his bag and after a while he found the crystal and place it on the ground and Malonex began explaining. "This crystal once was a natural dark crystal. After the dark magic was replaced with light magic it got the characteristic to oppose every kind of magical attacks. Only a very powerful spell can destroy it."

Tacit raised an eyebrow in confusion. "If it is impossible to destroy it with magic why don't you just..." She stood up and lifted her hoof over the light crystal and before Malonex could stop her she stomped down. The crystal responded by kicking her against the next tree and giving her a burning mark on the hoof.

Malonex walked to her and looked at her hoof. "If it would be that easy, don't you think I would have done that by now. Didn't Insidius ever taught you anything about light crystals. They are nearly indestructible."

She just groaned as answer and Malonex began to look if she was hurt somewhere. Lock now walked to them too. After Malonex was sure that only her hoof was hurt he turned to Lock. "Lock go to my bag and give me the light green colored potion."

Lock nodded and a second later he gave Malonex the potion who opened it and let one drop of it fall on the burning mark. "That should stop the pain and help you hoof healing. Next time ask me before you do something like that. This magic is way too dangerous for actions like this."

She nodded a bit and stood up again and they walked back to where the light crystal was still lying and sat down again. While Tacit was still looking at her hoof, Lock came a question to mind. "Speaking of magic, how were you able to turn into a shadow you are not even an unicorn?"

Malonex began to grin a bit. "She wasn't able to do it. She made the pitiful attempt to do that."

Tacit looked insulted at Malonex. "I can turn into a shadow perfectly, you just interrupted me!"

Lock stopped them before Malonex could say anything. "Well how does it work now?"

Tacit giggled a bit. "I thought unicorns know everything about magic. That is a natural ability that every shadow pony is born with. I don't know how exactly that works."

Without another word Lock looked at Malonex who knew what he wanted. "The ability to turn into a shadow is the result of a high amount of dark magic. That is also the reason for the gray coat and improved vision at night. You can compare it to pegasi and their ability to fly and walk on clouds."

Lock nodded a bit. "Well I am no expert in magic so I am just going to believe you for now."

Then Malonex stood up. "I think we better get going. If we want to reach our goal we have to walk for some days."

Malonex and Lock lead the way while Tacit followed them smiling. While they walked Malonex whispered to Lock. "Keep an eye on her. You are responsibly for her from now. If she it seems like she plans to thwart my plans kill her and if she interferes my plans you will face the same consequences as her."

Lock looked at him surprised. "You can't ask this from me. I can't watch her all the time."

Suddenly Locks crystal parts began to feel like they were on fire. Malonex leaned closer to him. "I appreciate your help but here applies a solid hierarchy and I will not tolerate it if you disobey my orders."

The pain finally stopped and Lock looked at Malonex and rolled with his eye. "Fine I will do it but you could just have said that..."

After a while Malonex began to lead the way and Lock and Tacit walked behind him talking. It was most of the time about what happened in Equestria over the last years till Tacit came a question in mind. "Are you a shadow pony or half shadow pony?"

Lock was surprised by that question but then remembered his crystal face half and his crystal leg. "No, Malonex gave me these. Why do you ask?"

Tacit answered. "I just didn't thought a normal pony would help one of my kind. Can I ask you why?"

Lock raise an eyebrow. "Well that is kind of a personal thing but I think I can tell you."

He took a deep breath before he began. "I will try to keep it short. One day a pony brainwashed me and tried to make me steal form Malonex but one my way I was attacked by some monsters. Malonex scared the monsters away and gave me this."

He pointed at his hoof and his face. "I forgot everything that happened and Malonex told me. After that we confronted the pony that brainwashed me and as the pony was brought to prison I went back home."

Tacit looked at him for a moment. "That explains why you know him but what made you help him to probably conquer your home?"

Lock laughed a bit about that direct question. "Well you aren't as foolish as I thought. Well to explain it to you. After I got home to my wife and foal they were shocked at what they saw. At first it wasn't that bad. I learned to accept that they couldn't act completely normal around me anymore."

He stopped there for a moment and gulped before he went on. "On the day of the Summer Sun Celebration I decided to make a surprise for my family so while they went to the ceremony. I decorated the house, I bought a cake and waited for them to come home. But as they came back my wife told me what happened. She said that she wasn't in the mood for a party and then told my daughter to go to sleep. After she was sure that the foal was sleeping she told me get rid of my hoof and face."

His voice began to be quieter. "I asked her why and she said because a monster made them. So I began to defend Malonex and said that he fights for what he thinks is right. She said that she doesn't care what I think about him, I should only get rid of these crystals before they make me a monster. I said that this wouldn't happen and that I would die if remove them."

He stopped again and Tacit petted his shoulder. "She screamed at me, she said that either I get rid of them , no matter if I would die, or she wants to never see me again."

He took another deep breath. "I began to shout at her. I said that I am thankful that I still live, even if I have to live with this hoof and half of my face always covered. I said that I am no monster and neither is Malonex. After I said that she told me to leave. I should pack my stuff and never come back. She said she didn't want her daughter to be raised by a corrupted monster..."

Tacit was shocked as she heard that. "What did you do?"

Lock sighed. "I left without a word It took my stuff and never went back. But I didn't gave up on my daughter, so I went to the princesses. I wanted them to give me the right to raise my daughter. I asked for a audience and only a day later I was ordered to the castle. But it never came to the audience, in fact I never saw one of the royal sisters."

Tacit raised an eyebrow. "Why that? I thought they called you to the castle."

lock laughed a bit but it sounded bitter. "They didn't call me for a audience. As I arrived I was taken to the dungeons by some magic hunters. They stared questioning me about my live and where I got my hoof and face cover. After I told them everything they said that they had to research before they could let me go."

Tacit asked Lock a something before he could go on. "What should they need to research?"

Lock just shrugged. "I don't know maybe they just searched for an excuse to hold me there. I spent four months in a lonely prison cell without any way to get out or even see the sun. After that they threw me out and said that I am not allowed to come near the castle ever again. This was the moment I gave up on my old live. I began to work as a locksmith and tried to earn enough bits to live. One day Malonex called me for help and I decided that had nothing in my live anymore so I helped him."

Tacit walked in silence for a moment before she managed to finally say something again. "I am sorry for you that you lost so much. But may I ask why you want to support us umbrum?"

Lock laughed a bit this time with happiness. "Because the only pony I can call a kind of friend thinks that it is right."

Tacit wasn't sure he she could believe him. "Even if that means killing some of your kind."

Lock waited for a moment before he answered. "If it comes to war I will not support any side but I will support the pony that saved my live and risks his to free for a, now over thousand years trapped, kind. Does that sound like a dumb idea?"

Tacit shook her head resolved. "No and I never thought that but I didn't expected that a normal pony would ever understand."

After she finished her sentence Malonex laughed a bit devious. "But I still have a few other plans than just freeing the umbrum."

After that Malonex was quiet again and Tacit looked surprised at Lock who just shrugged and smiled. "Maybe he is a bit evil but if he wasn't this all would be very boring."

After that Lock and Malonex both began to laugh and Tacit began to question the idea of going with these two.