Tales of Past Times: The Scourge

..."Next time, there will be no second chances..."

Twilight cringed, shoving the memory deep into the back of her mind. She sighed, continuing down the hallway. It was dark, not just outside, but the lighting inside were oddly dim as well. She saw a faint light in the distance, knowing it was the meeting hall. She approached the door, taking a few deep breaths. With a small sense of confidence she swung open the doors, putting her 'princess face' on, just what she was expected to do. Inside sat four ponies, two of them being elements.

Twilight eyed the first, closest to her seat. Fluttershy, Element of Kindness, head of the medical department. She seems to be the only one not changed by the war. Well, at least she gave up her fear of death...

Twilight then moved to the next pony, Rainbow Dash. Rainbow has grown so much since the start of the war. She is a hero among our ponies, but equally feared as a murderer. I guess you get named that when you control an army. She has...No, we have done unthinkable things to win this war, all for the price of what? Even so, she will never be the same hyper, sweet, energetic Rainbow Dash I once knew.A knot formed in her stomach, as she knew things would never be the same. At least she wasn't the worse changed by it.

Twilight looked around to the other three seats occupied with other ponies. She immediately recognized them as her main force of righteousness. The first, to the far right is General Beak, previously serving under Commander Frost, but due to his disappearance, now he controls the army.

Twilight then looked at the pony in the middle. She wore dark robes, and a hood that completely covered her face. The only thing visible was her eyes. Those cyan eyes. I forget her name, but I suppose asking wouldn't make much of a difference either...

The last chair was unoccupied for some reason. Twilight wondered why the last wasn't here, or here yet, but she quickly shrugged it off. Taking a seat, she cleared her throat. "So then, let's get started shall we?" She asked, receiving nods from everypony.

"First order of business, Hoofington is lost. I'm sure we all know what happened?" Twilight said, looking around at the few.

Rainbow nodded, "An attack completely unexpected from the scourge. We are used to their attacks being up front and direct...However, this was not like the others. Instead of being attacked from the outside," Rainbow forced her hoof against her face to relieve some of the stress, "we were obliterated from the inside out."

The hooded pony looked over at Rainbow, "What do you mean? Did someone betray us?"

Rainbow sighed, "No, nopony betrayed us thankfully, but now we have to be much more careful on what we do. More careful of what we drink." Rainbow looked at her glass of water, denying the urge to drink due to thirst.

"What a minute...Are you saying they somehow got the plague in the cities water system?" The hooded pony asked, surprised of the new methods of the enemy.

"It seems that way. Though this is highly unlike the scourge to do something so...smart. We cannot forget their leader. Isan is extremely powerful, and not even I know what he is capable of." Twilight said.

Beak nodded, "Griffon learned that the hard way."

"I agree." Rainbow Dash said, "But they were weak, and let their guard down too soon. To be honest, they had it coming."

A silence filled the room after Rainbow's remark. "Fluttershy, what do you say on this?" Twilight asked.

Fluttershy never looked up from her trance, seemingly dead. "Okay then, continuing on..."

--=--

--=--

After the meeting was over, everyone left. Rainbow went off with Beak, and the hooded pony disappeared without a trace. Twilight was about to leave but a certain yellow mare stopped her. "Twilight..?"

She's worried about something.. "Yes Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy came a little closer. "Twilight, as a friend, I want to know the truth. I know what you told the others about Isan was a lie."

Twilight squinted her eyes, "Your point?"

"I want you to tell me. Tell me what happened to the man we once knew as a hero."

Twilight closed her eyes, "I can't..."

"Tell me!" Fluttershy said, much louder than her usual tone. Twilight was a little surprised by this.

"Fine. I'll tell you...But promise me something."

Fluttershy perked up, "Anything."

Twilight turned around, looking Fluttershy straight in the eye. "You must never Pinkie Pie of this."

Pinkie Pie...? Fluttershy thought. "I promise. Pinkie promise." She said, getting a small chuckle from Twilight.

"It's glad to see that not everything is forgotten." Twilight smiled.

Twilight sighed, her smile fading into one of sadness. "Well Fluttershy, here is the truth. Isan wasn't always like this you know. Well of course you know, I mean you're the first to meet him. But, he wasn't always like...This. And it's..." Twilight sniffed, her sadness quickly resorting to rage. "And it's all his fault! If it weren't for Discord then none of this would have ever happened!"

Fluttershy lifted her hoof in an attempt to confort her friend, but was quickly swapped away. "Twilight..."

"Forgive me Fluttershy..." Twilight said.

She sighed again, "Discord was never gone. That...Thing we imprisoned was only a shadow of his former self. I don't know how and I don't know when, but Discord got to him. By the time I had heard of his sickness, and the magic corrupting his body, I sent a potion that would eradicate the evil...But I failed."

"I don't know how he did it, but Discord...Or should I say The Lich King expected it, and countered the potion. Isan was confused, angered by the burning sensation the altered potion gave him. He was easy prey for the Lich King. Once he heard I created the potion, he sent out to kill me, and he almost did. Driven mad by the whispers of darkness, he left Ponyville."

A silence filled the room. "That's not everything is it Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

"Before he left he said he was leaving to protect everyone. To protect her." She said.

"Her?"

"Pinkie Pie. Now I hope you understand why you can't tell her."

"Well then maybe there is still a chance to-"

"There is nothing we can do Fluttershy. Isan is gone, only that monster remains." Twilight stated firmly.

Fluttershy nodded, "I understand...This is so much to take in, but thank you for telling the truth Twilight."

"Of course. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to lie down. Good night, Fluttershy."

"Oh um...Good night Twilight." Fluttershy said, turning the other way, heading down the hall.

--=--

Twilight reached her room and flopped down on her bed. From the corner of her eye, she looked out to the moon. Memories flooded her head of his presence, but she quickly shoved them away. "He's never coming back Twilight. Just forget about it..."

Yet, the longer she looked out at the midnight sky, the greater the desire, the lust to see him again grew. A single tear fell from her eye, making its landing in the soft bed sheets.

"Oh Frost...If only you were here, then this war could finally be over."