Crossworld Between Harmony: Nightmare's Ascension

by Experimenteer

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Human, Adventure
Length: 68718

Shadows began to merge into light as schemes were set into motion. There one shall bare witness the curse of Nightmare.

Their lives an existence of different time and place, a world that was consumed in war and torment. In the human realm there was the Soulus empire, whose conflict from within had left its glory into absolute ruin and certain collapse. By the end of a bloody civil war, it seemed like peace had finally returned to them at last. Or so it would seem to fact.

After a year of tranquility, a year of harmony, their empire endured, slowly rebuilding its kingdom as well as their lost glory.

However, a new problem emerge that threatens the empire and the very world into eternal darkness. A foreign invader from within, schemed and ployed its darken army, massing with considerable pace and numbers to seize the throne. With the
lives at stake, new challenges must be face along with a terrible toll that must be paid through blood and tears.

The darkness began to settle its move, starting at the unsuspecting of all places. Fortress Ironcloud…

(I would like to give my thanks to the proofreaders and editors on helping me out: Alicorn Priest, Dr.Bob, lolcatsmanseven)

Edit: Just to note that this story is slightly more focus on the human side of the story and that I will be revising the chapters in the days that follow.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-02-27 19:22:26 UTC

Chapter 1, Part 1 - The Lost Investigation (Revised)

CHAPTER 1

When the civil war had came to an end, the empire was able to breathe easier, knowing that their troubles were finally over. A new era emerged from the five years of brutal and bloody toll that scarred the once beautiful land. Under the restoration of the watchful eye of the Partishan, guardian protectors of the empire, peace had returned at last over the kingdom.

One year of peace and prosperity. One year of faultless harmony. A great celebration was underway to honour the fallen heroes that gave their life against the rebellious Scarlet incursion.

With the celebration growing near in just a matter of weeks, everyone was ready and excited of the upcoming event. Yet another scheme was set into motion. A dark and sinister role that stirred from within the hearts of the empire.

The war that everyone thought it ended was far from over.

====

Ironcloud. An impenetrable castle-fortress unlike any other. Its thickened walls were vast and bound under the dangerous mountain peak. Garrisoned over a thousand men, the fortress was an essential role to play in defence against the Scarlet rebellion. It was the beacon of hope, a symbol and its shield from any known form of attack that their enemies would have rarely siege. Able to withstand against several wars and merciless weather, it would seem like nothing could breach the formidable structure.

But that was all about to change when a new player arrived to test their metal.

Everyone thought that Ironcloud would be invincible, flawless, impervious to any known threat. It was an unattainable goal that would lead enemies astray to their utter demise. However, there were words whispering throughout the empire that the mighty structure of empire's achievement, had finally fallen by an unknown force.

No letters, no messengers from a day or two, the council grew mightily worried over the portentous silence and dispatched a scouting party to investigate the latest event. Formed by only a dozen men, they made a slow and painful trip through the mountain, but once they reached the place, they would soon discover the horror that lingered in their wake.

"Double the pace, you blighters. Double your efforts. We almost reach the top." The leader of the party looked skyward at the perilous mountain, staring at the distant towers of Ironcloud. His face took on with a cold and determined look, one who was willing to sacrifice his men in order to achieve success.

The men glanced at their appointed destination and grew weary at the sight of the place. It used to be the signal of confidence, a pride of the empire's achievement, but now, it was nothing more than a sign of fear and an ominous warning for those who would venture into the depths of nightmare itself.

There was a strange, unnatural aura that surrounded the structure that had left the men in tremendous trouble. They suspected right away that the rumours of being taken over was true and that Ironcloud had fallen to the enemy. But the important question of the matter was who succeeded? Who would be so bold, and so foolish, as to achieve such an impossible feat that even the Scarlet couldn't.

They were soon about to find out.

====

When the group reached through the fortress, their faces worn in a mixture of shock and dread to the sight of blood, smearing against the broken entrance. Inside didn't brought much comfort for them as they glimpsed piles of dead corpses that littered by the hundreds.

The rumours were true after all. Ironcloud has fallen.

“By Savior’s light.” One of the men replied, almost closing to a state of collapse. Another couldn't bear the sight of the gruesome display as he hurled out of his appetite. They wore a disgusted look, speechless beyond any words to describe. Some swiftly hesitated, stepping back away of the accursed place, but the leader (officer) intervened and forced them otherwise.

“Ready your arms,” the Partishan leader said, unfazed by the gruesome sight. He then pulled out his sabre and turned to his team with convicted eyes. “It’s not getting any better after this. I suspect each of you to understand that we have a job that must carry out. Any of you blighted basterds want to run away to your ‘luxury’, then do so now, otherwise my report would condemn the man that would be far worse than death. Forward!”

The party were shocked by their leader, but everyone suspected any better than to have Magnus Karl in charge of the investigation. Who would better to lead the mission than the former defender of Ironcloud?

The men entered unwillingly into the jaws of nightmare, unknown to what fate that awaited for them. Some were still distracted by the foul odour that reeked from the dead while others carried on, grimly reminding themselves of the defenders gruesome demise.

The group pressed on through wanton death and destruction, struggling from the foul odour that was coming from the dead. They gruellingly pressed on into the fortress, but one particular soldier was terribly more frightened than the rest and that name, was Geos Vaarka.

Geos was just only a beginner, a rookie, that was recruited after the end of the Scarlet Rebellion. Young, loyal and inexperienced, the rookie was forced into the hardships of military life by his parents in hopes to restore the honor of his family.

The Vaarkas traced their line back to the time when the empire was even born and served countless lords, viscounts and prestigious merchants as either bodyguards, officers or advisors alike.

When civil war broke out, the Vaarkas were ready, as time before them, to offer their expertise to the loyalist. Their uncle was the best amongst the rest of the family, serving as an elite vanguard under many leaders, including the Partishan. However, as time went by, the family was tarnished when their uncle turned traitor to the rebel faction. All of their asset and their reputation were destroyed, resulting this as the darkest day in Vaarka’s history.

When Geos first entered into the military academy there were many people who shunned him away due to his uncle’s past, but that wasn’t the only thing that he was worried about. Right away, when he stepped into the life of duty and discipline, he questioned deeply against his parent’s decision and wasn’t a man in the arts of war, but a humble man who enjoy the little things in life. As the only son of the family it was his duty, and his burden, to restore the Vaarkas long, traditional legacy, but he wondered if his life was something more than being a man of war. Sadly, he would never know.

Another person from the group, a Partishan veteran, named Maurice, took notice of the rookie’s distress. With a scar jutting across his left eye, he simply gave a good pat at the rookie’s back.

"First time you've seen this stuff, huh?" Maurice asked. "Can’t say I blame you, it is a nasty sight. Normally ordinary folk, and even the recruits, would faint by this slaughter. Glad that you still holding out.”

Maurice had served on several fronts during the Scarlet rebellion, gaining scars and prestige along the way. About near to his forties, the veteran had a terrible experience once with a Scarlet swordsman which caused a heavy wound, blinding permanently of his left eye. He was then changed deeply into a resilient, caring and loyal fighter; an inspiration to the newer generation.

Geos was relieved to hear that Maurice was tagging along with the investigation. Of all the days that Geos had spent at the academy, working tirelessly without end and being mocked by his peers, Maurice was the only person that treated him with decency and fairness.

“Thank you, sir. It means alot coming from you,” Geos answered. “But I’m feeling the effects already of what was happening right now. I can’t believe that anyone would do such a thing.”

“We can’t be sure as to who is responsible and yet it saddens me still,” Maurice said. “It’s only getting harder from this forward on when we head deeper into the fortress. Suspect the worse, Geos and keep your arms in check.”

Geos nodded of the veteran’s advice, uncomfortable, yet appreciative nevertheless.

====

Hours the group had trailed into an uneasy feeling, wandering tirelessly through the deserted ruin, with no signs of life except for hungry crows. Firmed in their grip for any slightest of danger, the two Partishans were slightly ahead the rest to discuss the matters at hand of the situation.

The two had known each other when they met in the third year of the war, fighting side by side against overwhelming odds. They were, the lucky ones, at that matter, and they survived from beginning to end.

The gruesome horror that surrounded them didn’t affect much of Magnus’s cold expression. He remained ever so vigilant of the goals that were given to him and never let his senses get the better over him. He was, however, slightly stunned that Ironcloud, the place where he began as a Partishan, had been reduced to an unbearable state and without a sudden notice from the empire. Surely somebody had to contact the military of this latest attack.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” Maurice began, examining over the dead and unsure of whether they were friend or foe. “Their skeletal corpses and armor remain intact, but there are no strands of blood within them. It cannot be this quick for their bodies to rot; something is not right.”

“I agree, and what worries me greatly is that there something foul both air and earth,” Magnus quickly inspected one of the skeletal corpses, holding the clean, slated bones. "It's very odd. Although it feels nothing but of the ordinary, it feels very...unnatural."

"I don't like it one bit. Could this be the work of the Harten and do they have such capabilities to level a thousand?"

“I don't know for sure. The work seemed too clean for any Harten, but this might be the first time that we are dealing something new and something dangerous. I grimly fear that we are beyond the expertise to challenge such a threat.”

Hartens originated themselves since the birth of the empire and since time itself. Legend said that an extinct race from long ago once trapped the embodiments of nature within their very bodies. No one had ever discover the reason for this event and many scholars and theorists had placed their opinions of the cause. All deemed plausible and some were quite outrageous.

But nevertheless, this dead, unknowable race dissolved upon emergence with nature into nothing more than crystalline jewel that scattered across the world. The gems would come to known in ancient tongue as the Shivale or Nature Stone, but to the more pleasant term, the 'Heart of Shard'.

These destructive, yet elegant gems were burrowed deep underground, manifesting upon the accordance with the elements of nature. Splitted into different types of earth, fire and water, the gem posed a serious threat to the upper world and those that wield such power were called the Harten; casters of nature and harbingers of doom.

Maurice winced at his remark, but calmly said. "If this isn't the work of the Harten. Then who would be responsible enough to slay at a thousand then. Surely it isn't those accursed monsters from the north or the ruinous tribes of the east?"

"That is why we are here to find out." Magnus then glanced aside to Maurice, slightly grinning . "I promise you, Maurice. We are going to find out who is responsible for this and put the end of its misery. Yet this disturbs me even more now that the attacker have such power to decimate an entire garrison. Ironcloud is not so easy to claim and such devastation would bring such blight to the empire."

"Or worse, the end of us all" Maurice added.

“...hold here and wait for the others. I'm going to go ahead a bit."

"You? Taking the head start?" Maurice smirked. "Since when did you want to go first?"

"Since I said so. Now just stay put and wait for the group." Magnus headed off into the ruin, leaving Maurice behind. As he was distance away, Maurice slightly sighed and stood in wait. The display of death has recalled of his experience in the rebellion. The horrible blight against their very own kin. But before the rebellion had even begun the empire lived in a harmonious existence with the people, bringing justice and order across the land.

Yet war delivered a great divide amongst its people, separated between a belief that they'd thought it deemed the right one. It resulted at a terrible cost from both side over five years of infighting and a ruthless hunt of the remnant Scarlets and Hartens alike.

Maurice had thought hard of his decision when he sided with Magnus. The group should just abandon the mission to instead warn the council of the situation. But he knew that the idea was different from the case. The council knew that Ironcloud had fallen by this unknown force and didn't intervene to send reinforcement.

Truly, the council wanted Ironcloud to fall from the very start.

He was told by a friend from inside that Ironcloud was a staging ground in plans to overthrew the Savior-King and reformed the country into a republic state. Such idea without a king was madness and what's worse that these turncoat traitors were lead by a corrupted Patriot.

The Patriots aligned themselves as generals and held an authority both the royal army and the Partishans. Since the rebellion had erupted the Patriot project was went underway to compose an efficient fighting force to combat even the skilled Scarlet swordmasters. The project was held in discreet, but much was known that the Patriots were very rare to make.

The characteristics of the Patriot were much similar with the Partishan, able to sense the signs of supernatural presence like the Hartens for example. What's difference between these Patriots was that they had the ability to conduct some sort of energy without the support of the Heart of Shard and without any consequential backlash.

Not affinity to any sort of element, the Patriots may considered to be the most powerful force that the empire had ever created. During the rebellion, only thirty three known Patriots were assigned and fitted for duty. By the end of the war, only thirteen had survived as to this date (Minus one today) and the Patriot project was soon abandoned thereafter.

The council were powerless to stop the Patriot's schemes and didn't have the man resources to arrest a prestigious soldier (Patriot) into court. Not when he had influence from both the noble elite and other Patriots. But since the recent events that befell of Ironcloud the council had seek an opportunity to sent a ruse operation to investigate the scene.

Their true mission, however, was to search for the Patriot's authoritarian seal, and destroy it.

Only Magnus and Maurice knew their objective. The rest were just an additional meat shields in case of something unexpected would happen. Although the goal in hand was to search and retrieve the lost seal, the veterans had a different mind to the case. A rather personal vendetta in which Maurice and Magnus had experienced of the Harten’s cruelty.

The veterans that survived in the aftermath were scarred for life. They'd fought against a formidable opponent and had lost many in the years that followed in the Scarlet rebellion. The two, Maurice and Magnus, remembered of the Harten’s strength and would never forgive, nor forget, of their violent action.

“There are little means of our return now,” Maurice sighed to himself, sensing behind the rest of the scouting party. He turned to them with a vigilant smile and spoke with authority. “Double your efforts men. We follow the officer wherever he goes. There will be no retreat, not even a sense of doubt of cowardice. Our investigation still stands. We must find this attacker and end it with our firm and swift justice. Understand!”

The party hailed to him, responding to its righteous command. All except for one. Geos couldn't believe his ears that was coming out from Maurice. When the group forward march in direction of their leader, he quickly clasped on Maurice shoulder.

"Are you out of your mind?" Geos bluntly asked, lowering down his voice so that others wouldn't listen. Though he was being too precocious of his action, he must say something otherwise. "By the rule of the Partishan, those suspected of an imminent threat must leave at once to warn the military. What you are doing is sheer ludicrous."

"Laws were meant to be broken, son," Maurice remarked, breaking free from the rookie's hand. "I suggest you follow. The mission has change for the better. You would mind your tone and know who you are speaking to."

"Y-yes sir. My apologies"

"If you want to leave then be my guest. Your defiance shall be noted to the council."

With that said, Maurice ended and continued onward, leaving the startling Geos behind to his misery and sadness. He stared at the man, whom he'd thought to be reasonable, but something was different that the rookie could not solve nor comprehend the feud between the Partisan and the Harten

Geos silently cursed himself for his weakness. If only he'd shown a bit of courage, than he wouldn't be here in the first place. If only he wasn't afraid then he would leave this accursed place; whatever the punishment that awaited for him.

But he didn't. Instead, he followed obediently like a good soldier, continuing to his, and theirs, probable demise.

====

As they trailed deep into the fortress, finding nothing but death and destruction, the skeletal bodies of the slain victims were numerous beyond of count. It was a grim reminder of their horrid and gruesome demise.

Near at the center heart of the fortress, one person then saw a sudden change at the skeletons. That person was the young lad, Geos Vaarka.

Always last behind of the group, Geos terribly paused at the corpses and saw the black, tainted liquid, seeping into the bones of the dead. He had never been scared in his entire life and while the rest of the group moved on, unnoticed of the grimly change that was happening over the fallen dead, a shallow voice began to whisper to him.

'Geos...' A voice called out to him, and only him.

Instantly, Geos froze to where he stood and was startled that it knew his name. He didn’t knew what he should to respond, but remained silently on guard.

'Geos...' The voice repeated and ominously added. 'Look...up...'

Geos pondered of this and gazed at the tower window. He saw a glint of light at one of the windows, twinkling in a light purple color. He gave a good long look at the strange light and saw a shadow moving from the inside.

Geos thought he was losing his mind, starting to feel the heavy burden that was weighing down upon his fragile soul. He stared blankly for a while at the lit window when he felt a tap upon his shoulder.

“Hey, are you alright?” Maurice asked, noticing the rookie staring blankly at open space.

Geos snapped out from his trance, glancing at him for a moment before turning back at the window, but the light quickly faded into the dark. Maurice followed suit by staring at the tower. “What in feathers are you looking at?”

“...it’s nothing,” Geos lied, keeping the subject for himself. ‘It wasn’t much to be told about anyway,’ he convincingly thought. ‘Maybe it’s the stench that’s playing tricks on me.’ “Sorry to bother you about it, sir. The smell of rot and the sight of the dead must be taking a toll over me.”

“You’ll get use to it, but I have to agree that smell is horrendous.” Maurice then checked in his pocket and pulled out his rags. “Here, wrap this around your mouth. It isn’t much but at least it would hold some of the smell.”

“I thank you kindly, sir.” Geos said and did so right away. “A dreadful site of the place.”

“Agreed, you’d be surprise how ordinary folk can quickly turn into forsaken monsters,” Maurice stated and tapped on his shoulder. “Come on, move your arse or you’ll get left behind.”

“Understood sir, and thank you...” When Maurice went ahead, a great, heavy burden weighed heavily upon Geos shoulder. He didn’t knew why or understood the reason for this sudden affliction, and yet there was something suspicious that carried Maurice’s tone, almost like that his time was coming to an end.

Geos bluntly shrugged to such idea as he’d trust Maurice since the day he entered the academy, but the question still remain about the mysterious contact that he’d experienced;  the ghostly whisper and the ominous shadow that loomed over the distant.

In the right mind, Geos should have said something to him, but he couldn’t be sure if his contact was real or just his mind playing tricks on him. Either way, there was nothing that he could do, even if he told Maurice about it…

No one would.

====

With each every minute that they ventured into the center of the fortress, the smell of rotting bones began to worsen and their exploration brought closer and closer to the Partishan’s objective.

Magnus didn’t cared much for his team or their condition, except only to his mission. He was...the solo type of person. An aura of professionalism and stability was very strong in Magnus, carrying with him his pride like a prestigious badge. He was a warrior of vigilance, loyalty and persistence when getting the job done, but still retained an ounce of honor for his enemy.

When the Partishans were sent to battle, Magnus and the rest were the vanguards of the Empire. They endured the worst that the enemy could throw at them and sometimes lost a bit of their humanity along the wake. Magnus remembered his enemy and he would never forgive them.

The sight of his fallen brethren of Ironcloud didn’t affect him much from the outside, but inside Magnus could feel the burning rage forming into shape. Some of them were decent folk and some were his friends. He cared not much for his assigned team except for his objective...and his revenge...

Then suddenly, Magnus fell dead in his tracks.

The group soon came to a halt as Maurice quickly approached to him. “What’s happening, did you sense something?”

Magnus nodded, grimly. “This feels...very unusual. Do you sense it Maurice?”

Maurice stepped forward and closed his eyes. In the instant, he could sense...nothing.

“There is something wrong with this place,” Magnus remarked. “The air itself feels very faint and the fog is getting thicker as we struggle onto our goal. I am quite unsure on what I am feeling right now, but the...flow of energy seems...gone, like it’s been taken by someone, or something. I don’t know, it doesn’t feel right at all.”

Maurice gave an ominous look at the leader and felt very worried of the event that was happening. The energies of the world shouldn’t just vanish without a trace for it flows freely without care or control. “Such ability to...drain the world’s essence is far more formidable than we could imagine.”

“And what’s worse,” Magnus turned to face Maurice, all paled and grim. “I believe this is not a work of a Harten.”

Maurice stared in a confused look. “What? If this isn’t a work of a Harten, then what is it?”

“I do not know, but the Flow are infinite, boundless without measure.” Magnus stared at his hand. “Even now, our lifeforce starting to wane, reducing us to nothing. We do not have much time. We have to get out of here. Double time, miserable blighters. Double time!”

====

The group became restless, struggling to keep their pace after Magnus gave the command. Without a plan of destination they were going nowhere fast, especially with the heavy fog that was blinding their sight. They couldn’t see their hands up close to their face.

“Stick together,” Magnus cried out. “Confounded this fog, where is this coming from?”

Magnus trailed farther into the blinded path, foolishly walking without a plan or a solid route. He could feel his throat burning, itching with constant bothersome as the fog becomes thicker and thicker at every step. He quickly turned around and came at a terrible shock.

The group was nowhere to be found.

Magnus pondered as to how he manage to lose the others. He tried calling out to them. No response. He tried retracing his steps, but his efforts were futile as he couldn’t see anything from the fog.

As the leader was feeling the sense of fear and loss, paranoia quickly settled in his mind. Unease from his surrounding a strange sound was heard over the distant.

Armed by the teeth with his razor, sharp blade a figure began to emerge from the fog. Magnus focused deeply at the approaching person, unsure whether it was friend or foe, but when he got a clearer view his eyes was wide open.

“No...what is this?” Magnus said, almost speechless and lost of word. He crumbled tremendously with dread that was front of him and steadied his guard before the unknown figure plunged against him.

Then came a terrible scream.

====

Maurice and the group rushed to his aid, hearing the leader’s wailing voice. “Magnus, where are you?” He called out, but there was no response.

The group wandered aimlessly through the densely fog, abandoning in ever hope to find their lost leader. They quickly became nervous by the purple mist, feeling the overwhelming pressure that they were being watched.

Geos on the other hand received the worst part. Unlike the rest of the group that were unaware of the ‘invisible’ plight that surround them, the young rookie was still struggling and fighting off against the mysterious voice from his head. He could tell right away that it was female and her enchanting words were very persuasive to ignore.

Maurice stepped over his boundary, walking further away from the group. He’d felt an unearthly present lurking nearby, breathing down upon his neck like the entity was close to his face. It made him shivered to the bone and in an unsettling reality, he stopped in an instant.

Maurice jumped when he heard a thumping sound. He jerked his head and saw an unfamiliar shadow. Alarmed and firmly tightening his firearm, he approached at the target in an ever so cautious step. Due from the thick fog he could not describe of the target.

“Magnus? Is that you?” Maurice whispered, feeling a cold chill crawling upon his spine. Breaking down in sweat by the prolonged response, he advanced a little bit more and spotted the Partishan emblem within the sight of his range.

It was Magnus.

Maurice eased from his worry and drew openly to face him, but when he confronted the man the only expression that came out was genuine horror. “Magnus…”

Magnus body was ravaged from bruises and cuts. His head was separated from his body and laid beneath the cold, dead hands that was now gradually rotting like the rest of the fallen defenders.

Maurice further stepped away from the horror that was lying in front of him. Frightened in disbelief, he grimly heard ominous footsteps nearby. He'd aimed his pistol at the source of the sound.

*bang*

The large amount of black powder bursted into flame and zipped the iron round out from the gun barrel. Maurice wasn't going to take any chances. It was do our die. The shot made a solid contact at the target's head and saw its shadow, unaffected by the attack.

As the fog slightly cleared away, Maurice took a good long look at the target and was literally shocked. The target was already dead.

Rose from the grave, the fallen defender walked in its bony state and furiously beamed Maurice in deep, glowing violet. The skeleton defender held its broken, chipped sword and plunged towards to Maurice.

====

The world slowed down for just a moment. Maurice knew that he was in grave danger and unsheathed his blade moments before they'd clashed.

Confused and overwhelmingly frightened, Maurice struggled at the undead soldier. He grieved over the loss of his friend, but emotions were quickly subsided. He focused strongly at the enemy and sliced easily of the undead.

Its rib cage were shattered upon contact and, lost of its balance, crumbled into pieces. Maurice had little time for celebration or of moments breath as a grim realization stirred his very heart.

The dead rose in a faster pace and mustered in considerable number. Maurice saw a faint, purple glow from their lifeless body that appeared beyond the thickened fog. He was terribly in disbelief and rushed back to the group.

The sound of gunfire and wailed men was clear to Maurice's ear that they were assaulted by these strange walking bones. He also couldn't believe that his friend was gone. The man that Maurice knew from beginning to end was already dead.

Maurice rushed to the group and wanted to sit down, to rest from his terrible experience, but he knew if he prolonged the inevitable then he too would become like the restless dead and the group would meet far worse than death.

He'd only hope that he was not too late.

====

The group were in a state of chaos and struggled for their very lives against waves of skeletal forces. Already, casualties were down half of the group and the other half would soon join them in the great beyond.

The dead. The dead showed no remorse or even a hint of hesitation. They appeared in the thickened fog, infinite in their numbers and tireless of their attack.

At first, however, the men held out strong in the defense and suppressed against the large numbers, but gradually they had lost their ground and were being pushed back. It wouldn't be long before they would be overwhelm by the restless swarm.

In the heat of a grim battle, Geos was amongst the lucky ones that still managed to held on in the fight, still barely got the strength left while the dead kept on the advance. And what he saw in them was truly no words to describe.

While the rest of the surviving group gazed of empty bones and broken remains of the Ironcloud defenders, Geos, on the other hand, glimpsed the actual truth of the dead's twisted version.

The dead were being controlled.

Geos encountered the black sludge that was attached to the fallen defenders, only this time they were more than just that; they were alive.

The terrible stain formed entirely of each of the defender’s bone and filled them with a strange, black ethereal like skin. It oozed in a wriggly movement and defiled the corpses until they could move like lifeless puppets.

To Geos description, the dead were all but a hollowed shell, controlled and corrupted to its darkly will. There was an unfamiliar mark that was placed upon their forehead. It looked like the shape of a crescent moon.

Geos stared at the mark and the more he looked at it, the more it hurted his eyes. There was something mystic about the crescent mark that he couldn’t ignore. He felt a strange, yet terrible feeling that he and the rest of the surviving comrades were being lured into a trap, or maybe there was something else that he couldn't understand.

Foolishly distracted for a moment, the dreaded hollow suddenly appeared from behind and tackled the rookie into the ground. Geos was faced down, unable to move and paralyzed of movement. He'd tried to break free, but all of his effort were wasted when he glanced its killing blow.

Fear gladly took over Geos. He embraced his inevitable end and squeezed tightly of his hand. As he was about to join the others that departed before him, a soft, familiar whistle sound was heard.

Out from the blue, the hollow's chest bursted from an unknowable impact and succumbed by the attack. Geos was loosed from its bind and met a familiar rescuer. He couldn't help but felt relieved.

"What in blacken beaks are you doing!?" Maurice shouted and lifted Geos back to his feet. He turned his eye at another hollow with a clean cut to the head. "Everyone fall back! Retreat to safe haven!"

"But where do we go?" Geos asked. "The exit's been block."

"There is but one choice left to go. I dare hope the place hasn't been infested with these things yet."

The survivors quickly followed the leader's advance. They formed in a firm wedge formation and dispatched through against the oncoming dead. Everywhere they looked hundreds or more of the fallen defenders of Ironcloud began to rose up against them.

They did not knew that the cause of this sudden outbreak was the work of a sinister plot by their enemies and that only one would survive this terrible ordeal.

But for now, they ran, continuously without any end, until at last Geos saw the very same building where he spotted the mysterious shadow from the window.

====

Geos did not knew that the building was a shrine dedicated for the previous Saviors, the kings and rulers who once reigned the empire. He felt his head was being pounded by a mysterious force, constantly being driven into the state of insanity. The nightmares in his head would not stop nor intended to be.

The survivors entered without any dissent or complaint of the shrine that was defiled in a pathetic, ruinous state. With the dead mounted and gave chase there was no time for second thoughts.

Not even Magnus could act quickly like Maurice did for he was not the man of tactics and strategy. Whether the idea was foolish or some sort brilliance, the shrine was the only place that they could escape.

Maurice remembered Magnus's long and boring stories about his time spent in Ironcloud and a secret passage deep within the shrine that only officers and high officials would know about. If Magnus said was but the truth then this would be their ticket to get out of here.

Two sturdy men barged into the door, one with a musket and the other with a sword. The tired group entered in a haste into the shrine and sealed tightly from behind. The monstrous hollows, that screamed and wailed inhumanely, attempted to break through the shrine.

The group hurried and carried on what they could find. From sturdy furniture of chairs and benches to the smallest ounce of matter, they barricaded the doors, as well as windows, with sheer determination to prevent the hollows from breaching in. On strange event, the group immediately felt the united force of the hollows began to fadely died down as they soon stopped in their tracks.

Maurice cautiously peeked through the broken window and saw the hollows stood motionless. Their eyes gazed at the shrine in a fiery purple glow. In matter of seconds they soon departed from the building and vanished through the foggy mist. And after that there was only silence.

“Thank the Savior,” one of the men said, tremendously relieved that their ordeal was finally over. The men soon followed in a matter of celebration that they’ve survived the onslaught, but Maurice knew that they were still trapped in this forsaken place. They needed to get out of here and fast

“I want a count of the names that were lost in the attack and a supplies check. We are not over yet, my friends, we still need to get out of here before those blighted monsters decided for a second try.” Maurice stepped forth of the darkened hallway. “I am needing volunteers to accompany me. Who will go?”

The remainder of the group were silent, unable to raised their voice. After a minute had passed, Maurice was soon-to-be convinced that he would be going solo, until…

“I will go,” the voice gradually raised his hand and stepped front of Maurice. It was Geos.

Maurice slightly nodded. “Very good. The rest of you shall stay here for the time being and guard the entrance. Let’s go Geos.”

While the rest relaxed, temporarily secured in the front room, the two souls, Maurice and Geos, soon ventured into the darkened hallway, never to be sure on what horrors that awaited for them.

====

With their lanterns as the only source of light, Geos was armed and ready for anything that stood in their way. Maurice then turned his glance over his friend. “You need to relax more,” he said. “It’s only darkness.”

But Geos wasn’t assured of the advice. “Forgive me to be blunt, but I would rather be safe than sorry than to be turned into those...things out there.”

Maurice slightly chuckled. “You have a golden point. They surely have surprise us. But I have to admit, the one who is doing this must be a formidable opponent.”

“How could you be praising over the enemy? This enemy, this vile monster, has turn the entire troop of Ironcloud into a walking, mindless grave of skeletons. Not to mention that they’ve slain half of us and soon to be follow. I’m...not so sure how the ‘Partish Rule’ would cover all of this.”

“And that’s the point, the rules can never cover it all,” Geos was suddenly confused by his remark, but Maurice quickly explained as they strode along the hallway. “The Partish Rule have always guide us, make us, shape us on who we are, but it cannot give us the solution that demands the unknown.

“I was once like you you know, always asking a simple handbook for guidance, but after the Rebellion...it change me completely. We aren’t always perfect for we are just merely humans. It is what we do that shape these rules, not the other way around. Don’t get me wrong, I am scornful of what the attackers did in Ironcloud, but I could not blame them. We did horrible stuff as well.”

Gradually, they made their way into the light and appeared themselves at a large, luxurious library, strangely undamaged in the aftermath of the attack.

The shelves housed hundreds of untold knowledge, locked and hidden away from the world. It was then said that the Savior was the only person that could read these forbidden text and that if its secrets were to be out then it would cause total chaos of the empire.

"What are we looking for, anyway?" Geos asked, browsing at one of the books until he was quickly stopped by Maurice.

"There is a reason why these books stay here in the first place, Geos," Maurice firmly reminded "Best not to be curious about them."

"Y-yes. Of course, sir. My apologize."

After a brief explanation from Maurice the two soon searched the entire area. Over a period of time, they did not found any possible route of escape as Maurice was starting to believe that Magnus tales were all but folly. Maurice was determined and believed in his friend, but his confidence dropped dramatically.

He’d realize now that he has doomed the remaining group for his mistake.

====

Geos was at the opposite table-side of Maurice, still searching for the escape. He then slightly glanced and saw a grim, anxiety expression coming from Maurice. He did not say a word or gave any reaction. He did not want to admit that there chance of getting out was impossible.

Geos drifted farther into the library, distancing himself from Maurice. Although after everything that had happen so far to Maurice and the rest of the surviving group, Geos could not help but felt a slight bit of excitement for he was standing at the very place where Saviours studied and prepared themselves for the coming of the throne.

The knowledge that had been stored within these books was tempting enough and had greatly piqued his curiosity of what secrets could be so serious and pervasive. Since their chance of making out alive was nearly to zero, Geos thought he should take a peek at one of forbidden texts.

This was the reason why Geos distanced himself from Maurice.

Assured that Maurice wouldn’t notice, Geos randomly selected one of the books from the shelves. Out of some strange feeling of instinct, he chose a light book that was no more than twenty pages. The book was called, “The Other Dreams and Nightmare”.

He snickered at the title.

The book seemed recently new than the rest, all old and fragile to break by the slightest of touch. Geos turned and read the first page. It was blank. He then turned another page, but was still the same as the first.

What in the blights is this? Does it say anything here? I must be a fool to pick the lightest cause it’s all useless.

As the rookie turned the pages up to the end, he felt his eyes was starting to grow unusually heavy. Already, he had some trouble of staying awake as his mind was suddenly feeling light and empty. He tried to stand up, but his body wouldn’t respond. It was if something had grabbed hold of him.

With the last page being flipped the flame of his lantern suddenly went out, consuming part of the library into total darkness. Geos then began to hear the female whisper from before, only this time it was much clearer and stronger from his last response.

"Geos...Geos...look up "

Geos ignored the voice, too terrified from what will happen next, but her dark whispers pounded him relentlessly to his very thoughts and conscience. In the end, although, he frightfully followed her command and stared upward at the ceiling. His eyes was wide open.

Up above, Geos saw a large shadow, hanging comfortably at the wooden beams and amusingly watching his every move. It, or she, had an unease vibe of energy that was unnatural, translucent and vague from this world. Something new and something different.

The creature was shaped like an animal, an equine, with the body as black as darkness itself and its hair mixed of blue and purple. Her glaring catlike eyes beamed ever so with interest over the young Geos as she spread out her wings and made a silent decent towards to him.

Geos was unmovable, trapped to where he sit by as her dark and majestic beauty stood inches close to him. He couldn't breathe, couldn't scream for help from Maurice. He only stared straight at the beast before everything went dark. The sound of her laughter was all that he could hear.

"Finally, you are mine.

Chapter 1, Part 2 - The Darken Greet (Revised)

CHAPTER 1 - PART 2

Geos alone had witnessed a dreadful foe; one that would shake the very foundation of the empire itself. He’d stared straight at the monster's glare and long enough to describe the creature.

And what he saw was truly unbelievable.

Neither the enemies as to this date would ever compare the sheer magnitude that posed the threat to the world. Even the hartens would have trouble dealing with this foe.

The world had face a far greater danger that was similar to their ancient foes that they'd vanquished so long ago. The monster's strange and majestic form would be laughable by the eyes of the public, but if they could only see what Geos had experienced, then they too would understand how dangerous the world had become.

Geos couldn't believe that such a creature would exist, but he saw it as clear as bright of days as it was nothing more than a winged beast.

====

"Hey Geos, where the blights are you?"

It didn't took long for Maurice to notice the sudden disappearance of Geos as he quickly began his search. Still bummed out that the escape route was nothing more than a lie, Maurice was still determined to bring the remainder of his men out of the fortress, no matter what the cost.

"Darn it, Geos. No more playing games and come out already. There is no time fooling around when--wait, what's that?"

Maurice took notice something in the dark that was different amongst the rest. He then brought his lantern up front and saw one of the bookshelves was being opened all of a sudden. With his sword firmly grasped, he proceeded into the entrance. Inside, at first sight, he saw a body.

It was Geos.

When Maurice extended his lantern and focused the light, he saw the extent of his friend’s injuries. Approaching immediately to help him out, Maurice examine these strange wounds on both of Geos arms. From hands until to his shoulder Geos was covered in blacken stains unlike anything that Maurice had ever seen before. It appeared to be grossly inhumane that even the hands seemed to form like protruding claws.

Was Geos becoming like one of those...monsters outside? Maurice thought, unconvinced, as he shook his head on the fact that it was not even possible. He could see clearly that Geos skin and flesh was still intact, but his ability, to detect the energies of the world, disturbingly sensed the dead, empty force originating from him.

And yet, in the strangest way, he felt like he'd recognize this feeling before. Almost as if he was meeting an old friend so long ago.

There was nothing to be said from here on out. Geos had discovered the secret passage that the group could escape and Maurice would be a fool than to shoot him on the spot with him being corrupted by the unknown.

Maurice lifted his friend up to his shoulder and headed off back to the front entrance. He was not going to give up on him or anyone to their fate. If there was a chance that the doctors could fix Geos, to be able to cure him, then that's all it matters to him.

As Maurice, with Geos on his back, left the ominous library, above the silver light was a shadow with a terrible smile. She stood in plain sight on top of the wooden beams and vanished into the darkness. She felt sorry to the unfortunate souls. Almost.

====

Maurice right away felt an ominous presence that was creeping from the darkness. He turned around and saw plainly nothing. He slightly laughed out of it.

"Calm down, Maurice, you must be seeing things."

With his lantern lighting the path ahead, Maurice wandered from thought of the first time he met Geos. Everyone always stayed away from him in the academy since he belonged to a disgrace family that Maurice had heard about.

Maurice listened to the stories, the outrageous rumors, that encircled around him and his family. He could care less of the opinions that based around the Vaarkas. He was mostly concerned, however, of the younger generation.

It was a load of rubbish and pointless to argue the past. What was done could never be change, but time again it seemed like the new generation was doomed to repeat the same mistake, too blinded and stupid to accept the state of reality.

Earlier before their investigation to Ironcloud, Maurice was deeply appalled of the group that Magnus had selected. They were bunch of young misfits, glory mongers and egomaniacs who wanted to prove their worth. It was Magnus's way of testing their ability.

Maurice didn't see not a single ounce of worthiness in them to be called a Partishan. Although well-trained and disciplined, he could tell quite clearly that they only wanted the fame and glory for themselves. It made him questioned of the new generation until he met Geos.

There was a bit of commotion within the group about bringing a disgraced son into the mission, but none raised their defiance upon Maurice's judgment. So truly, by the state that they were in right now, he should have listened to them in the first place and not let Geos brought along into this dangerous mess.

When Maurice returned to the front room and laid Geos at the side he then stretched his aching muscles and pressed his stiff neck. "Blighted nightmare, either you've been growing fat, or I'm growing soft and old," he stated in a gasp of breath and then packed his equipment. "Bah, it doesn't matter right now, I suppose. Once we get out of here, you and I need to discuss your diet."

As Maurice finished with his backpack, "Alright everyone, time to move out. Pack your gears and get ready to move out. We got a long way heading home from this blighted...place."

In the instant, words quickly turned to silence as Maurice stumbled upon a horrible sight. There were large traces of blood all across the floor and bodies of the fallen victims of Maurice's group.

Shocked and traumatized over the lost of his group, Maurice now then realized that he and Geos were the only people left alive in this desolate place. He took further steps away from the slaughter and was quickly armed to the teeth. He prayed that this...monster was still not around so that he could carry Geos back to the library.

Whatever what was coming he must preserve no matter the cost. He had faced many challenges before in the Scarlet rebellion and many hardened foes that he'd slain in the name of the king-savior. He would, and shall, survive this horrible event and emerge, once more, as the victor of this round.

As Maurice was about to lift his unconscious friend, the minute that he took another step forward a shadow appeared from behind and had heard the most dreadful sound in his entire life.

"Hello, old friend."

Maurice stood frozen in the instant when he recognized the voice from the darkness. He felt like he was being hit by a cannon ball as he couldn't believe his ears. He grimly knew that his chances of survival were dashed and was now unsure if they could manage to escape this damnable place.

With his saber on the left and the pistol at the other he deeply breathed in for the very last time and replied just before he faced his fate, "Hello...Ederf."

Maurice swiftly turned to meet his maker and felt his muscles being tensed by sheer force of desperation and fright. He stood face to face at the large body of darkness that came alive on its own, growing bigger by the minute. He could already hear its inhuman voice, bringing much pain to his ears. Its sharply eyes, that appeared moments after, burned deep into Maurice's soul as it descended towards to him.

Maurice cannot describe how he felt at this moment and deeply regretted of not finishing him off when he had the chance so long ago. There was no second chance to make up for his mistake and no time for second thoughts.

He raised his pistol up high and aimed between its monstrous glare.

*bam*

====

The cold, dead silence of the once mighty place had a terrible effect on people. It would leave almost anyone to the point of madness and everyone that garrisoned in Ironcloud were either missing or dead.

The group that were sent to investigate the silence were gone, slaughtered by the wicked monsters just outside from the shrine. All that was left in the wake was Geos and Maurice, and Geos had entered into a dreamful state.

Geos now stood upon the memories of his teenage past, the bitter sorrow of why he came to be. During those goodly days of life, Geos was a carefree soul who despised greatly of war. Sure he would imagine of great heroes and bold feats of rescuing damsel-in-distress, but not the real deal at all. He was too much of a coward to take someone's life.

All in the comforts of home with his stingy and traditional family, everything changed in the instant when they received news about their uncle's betrayal in the following years of the Scarlet rebellion. At that very moment, Geos life was turned for the worse. Their family stripped of prestige and wealth to a commoner life.

For the rest of the remaining years after the end of the rebellion, Geos life and purpose of his existence were nothing more than a tragic story. So much responsibility was placed upon his shoulder to restore the honor of his family. He'd only wished to be away from such curse, but no matter how hard he tried to escape this grim reality of a world he would always return to the role of duty and discipline. What a life.

Geos stood at a another place, unfamiliar from his surrounding. It was cold and pitch black and he was completely lost until a ray of light beamed downward at the strange, blue little creature.

Curious, Geos moved towards for a closer look and saw that the animal was an equine, or something else, but unlike anything that he had seen before; apparently due to the fact that the beast had a horn and wings attached to it.

The beast lied on the ground. It had cuts and bruises all over its body. Did the creature had a fight with someone? And why was Geos dreaming about this rather kind of stuff? So many questions and so little to be answered.

Unsure on what to do at this matter, Geos couldn't help but to feel sorry for the animal. By the look of its state, he could only describe that the blue animal had suffered tremendously. He then decided to approach the creature a bit further and heard a strange sound. Was the equine crying?

The blue animal didn't bother to notice Geos as he sat side by side with the creature. He was a complete and utter fool to be doing this, but since it was only a dream he stroke gently of its messy, soft and elegant mane just the heck of it. It seemed that his action would definitely work for the blue equine leaned onto his lap and was able to calm for a bit.

Oblivious on what to do next, Geos then randomly asked. "Why are you crying little one?"

The blue equine looked up and stared straight with its innocent eyes. Geos had never saw such a beautiful sight. It was if he could see the stars. "Everyone hates me," it replied, wiping away its tears with its hoof. "No one appreciates me for what I have done for them. Why are they so cruel and blind to see my work?"

The sound of its voice was definitely female to Geos deduction. "Don't say like that. I'm sure somebody like you the way you are and your work. Even though I have no idea what's this animal is talking about. Blast this crazy dream of mine.

The equine paused for a moment to what Geos had said, but inevitability she turned her head away. "No, you are wrong. No one will like me, love me for what I am. No one will notice the things I have done for them. Selfish, selfish they all are. After all my work for my beautiful night."

"Your.... night?"

The equine pulled away from Geos lap and stood in defiant. She then slammed her hoof. "It's not fair! Why does she deserve the praise that I don't? Why must I suffer while that wretched sister of mine gets all the attention?" Geos couldn't find any words to answer for he truly didn't understand of her situation. Was this really a dream? It felt almost too real for him.

The blue equine shouted with a vindictive rage to her sister, to her subjects and basically to everything in the world. Her language were unintelligible from this point on, but Geos was glad that he didn't hear the rest.

Geos steadily pulled away, slightly intimidated as he soon noticed a change from her voice. It wasn't anymore the sweet and gentle tone, but more of a menace. He could clearly see her appearance was starting to change as well. Her mane and coat grew dark from her hate and Geos was utterly afraid of its grim transformation. The equine then turned around to face him and smiled evilly with her sharp, pointy teeth.

Geos was utterly paled with fear.

"You will love me, right?" the equine asked. Her gentle eyes that Geos saw from earlier turned cold and pale. "You will not leave me like the rest of those degenerates, will you?" She then started to walk towards to him. Geos took several steps back. "Why are avoiding me? Don't tell me you're afraid of me?"

A perverse energy manifested itself from the ground and around the dark equine. It then consumed the equine entirely in a pool of darkness and the small ounce of light blackened out.

Geos was vulnerable in the dark, unsure on what will happen next. In a long and uneasy silent, a faint purple glow emerged at the corner of his eye. He swiftly turned at the source and was quickly blinded in an overwhelming ray of light. Shielded his eyes from the light, it eventually faded out in time and he had the chance to look. Grimly, he was horrified to what he saw.

A spectral mist of reformed flow of energy surrounded the equine. Its blackened wings spreaded out like it was the celestial of death and eyes as sharp that would pierce the very souls of man.

Flabbergasted with a grim realization, Geos recognized that this creature was from the library and he could feel the sense of danger. He shook his head in a terrible fright and dashed as far away from the monster. It's hideous, darkened features were definable as it followed him with blinding speed.

Geos cried out for help and ran at an endless darken path, but eventually he would always return...in front of the monster's warmth.

"At last...you are mine."

====

Geos body jerked and gasped in fixated gaze. He would likely to scream at the very bottom of his lungs but he found himself too exhausted to do it. With one eye opened, he checked around to be in the front room of the shrine. He didn't know how he got here, but there was little time to think about when he saw large traces of blood...and a body.

The lantern was toppled next to the body that still burned bright in the darkness. Where was the rest of the group? Where was Maurice? Geos stood up and felt his legs were about to collapse. Both mind and body were groggy from his surreal, adventure trip to dreamland, but was it really a dream or something more than that?

Geos proceeded to the body and felt a cold chill running down from his spine. The person was definitely one of the group. But who was he? He turned the face-down body around and his eyes stared in bewilderment.

Maurice lied on the cold, stave stone with palish eyes deeply wide open. It filled them with much shock and fright. His suit of armor was covered, stained and smudged entirely in his own blood and a large gaping hole was presentable in the middle of his chest. There was a terrible experience in his face before his death. So much fear. So much hate within those deadened eyes. Was it torment, regret?

But it didn't matter anymore. There was nothing to be said for the dead.

Geos breathing had gone frantic and felt his emotion was turning out of control. He was now the last person alive in the entire fortress of Ironcloud and must dealt the horrors that remained in the darkness. Traumatized and shocked with an overwhelming doubt, Geos had no words to express over the lost of his mentor and friend. He'd thought that Maurice would be the last to survive this blighted place, but it seemed even the best could not hold out on his own.

Another question came into mind. What chance did Geos have?

Pressured, Geos ominously heard the sound of broken glass and a thumped on the door. Vile skeleton-hollows resumed their attempt and breached through the blockade entrance. Hundreds of them as far as Geos could see poured in into the shrine with all the horror and all the dangers in sight. The blackish stain that infected the bones of the fallen soldiers were clearly visible to him and the transformation of their newly skin-flesh was nearly complete.

Geos stepped away from the precarious horde and forced to leave the corpse of Maurice behind. There was nothing that he could do. He'd managed to gather whatever's left of his friend, grabbing in a quicken haste of gunpowder and his dagger. As the hollows advanced at the target, Geos darted to one of the rooms, but was immediately stopped to notice a dozen of grim violet eyes that glowed in the dark.

The situation was very grim. Trapped and surrounded by these horrid monsters, Geos then directed himself to the stairs, but was quickly cut off by these two hollows that blocked his only chance of survival. It was true that Geos was a coward, yet he was desperate enough to risk it as he charged straight at them.

The first hollow responded by swinging its broken blade, following the second with a fiercely thrust of its spear. This was the moment when Geos would fail at this attempt along with his shorten life. But it didn't.

Geos parried the blow of the first hollow by holding his sword straight in the direction to the second. He then dodged the tip of the second hollow's spear where he drove his blade through its darkly flesh. Its terrible scream wailed in agonizing pain and strangely dissolved into dust. The first hollow readied to strike from behind, but Geos was quick and gave a clean cut to its head.

As the last hollow succumbed to dust, Geos was bewildered by the rather coming event. Why the two hollows dissolved upon contact of his blade? Once more, so many questions that left unanswered.

The stairs was cleared in his path and Geos rushed upstairs while the hollows pursued in their chase.

====

In the hallway the area was pitched black. With only the lantern, that he took from Maurice, lighting the path ahead, Geos was in a dangerous path toward his destiny. A destiny that he dared not want to go.

At the end of this investigation, Geos would learn that there was something far worse than death, as well as life.

Trembling with absolute fear, Geos blindly continued walking at the darkened hallway. What horrors would he find that was far worse from below? What sorts of monsters that still lurked in the night? Deeply in thought, he'd wished to return to the comforts of home and all the goodness of the world. He wanted to return to how they were before.

But fate was not kind to no man and Geos knew that he would never have his decent life.

The hollows that pursued Geos stopped their chase once more, similar to the actions in the front entrance from earlier. The footsteps of the dreaded hollows faded and Geos could only hear the unease and unbearable silence of the dark. A lot of questions was stirring in his mind; a sense of curiosity was in order: Why did the hollows stop? Was this their plan along to lead him upstairs?

For several minutes, Geos continued walking through the hallway on what appeared to be endless. His mind throbbed intensely with pain and by the time he could no longer proceed any further strange illusions began to appear before his very eyes.

Several types of ghostly equines, with multiple types of color, played and worked beneath the warmth of its deviant rays of the sun. Their expression, by what Geos could guess, were joyous and peaceful under a particular shadow that flew over him. He quickly looked up, but could not tell what it was until the creature descended to the ground.

The creature was a winged-horn equine. Its gentle, white and snowy coat had a certain glow by the sunlight while its mane wriggled lively in a different sets of color. Its posture and how it presented itself demanded respect as the equines bowed before to the creature.

It felt very strange for Geos to be enchanted by a horse, but he couldn't help but to sense a need of protectiveness that surrounded the animal. As he was getting used to the scenic place, all of a sudden, the illusion began to fade.

Geos was snapped back into reality to met the walls and the entire hallway covered in a foul, blackish slime that poured profusely in a terrible spill. The environment was very uncomfortable for him. Blighted hell...what in Savior's name is this?

Horrified and shocked, Geos sprang to his feet and ran as fast as he could while ignoring the grotesque display from every corner. He closed his eyes shut, telling himself repeatedly that everything was a ceaseless dream of his imagination. He could swear that the black slime had a mind on its own.

When at his most vulnerable, Geos heard a strange sound that was over ahead. It sounded faint, unrecognizable, but it was a sign that he was getting close. And he was right.

At the end of the hallway he found a sealed door where the source of the sound was at the other side of the room. He listened to that peaceful, serenaded violin that echoed the halls and was already entranced by such talent. But there was no time to be distracted.

If this was correct and that the person responsible for the death of so many lives was beyond at this door, then Geos may had the chance to prevent this catastrophe from spreading. It could be his chance to redeem his family's honor.

Geos prepared his pistol, using whatever's left of the gunpowder he snatched from Maurice. Along with the sword firmly gripped, he then slammed the door and broke it wide open with a pistol aimed at the target. The music then suddenly came to a halt.

Inside the room was filled with priceless artifacts, relics from every corner of the empire that dated back from ancient times. All of these fragile antiquities were stored behind on glass shelves that reminded a nation how wondrous and terrible the past they really were. But now, they're nothing more than piles of worthless scraps.

"How do you like my music?" a voice called out to Geos. "It's been a long time since I played an instrument. How wonderful it is to feel the melody, the sound to bring such colors to life...but I guess nowadays you see few artists that could compose such beauty."

Geos eyed at the robed-hooded stranger with a violin in his hand. He firmly advanced his position, ever so cautious with his surrounding.

The stranger then slightly sighed. "I take it that you are man of arts?" he then turned his head and gently smiled. "Tell me, what do you think of it? Is it perfect? Does it need a bit of improvement? I always tend to ask these stuff when I'm nervous. Say, are you a musician yourself?"

Geos didn't said a word and remained vigilant on the target.

"...silence, I guess that's understandable," the stranger then placed his violin aside and met eye to eye at the young man. "Well, if you are not here for music then I guess you're here to--"

*bam*

====

*bam*

The barrel of Geos gun leaved a trail of smoke as the target collapsed upon impact from the hot iron ball. He wasn't going to take a chance for the stranger to act. He despised of killing, but if that someone was the main reason for the death of his group, the entire garrison of Ironcloud and the only friend that he ever had then it wouldn't be right not to leave the person alive.

Geos quickly discarded the pistol and walked towards the body with a sword in hand. He plummeted deep to the stranger's chest for good measure, finding the blood of his very first kill splattered all over his face and armor.

Emotion rushed into the rookie's face and when all such hate and anger departed in his system he felt a tremendous dread in his heart. He should be happy and even relieved that he had delivered justice for the fallen soldiers and his departed friend. And yet, why does he feel that it wasn't the case. A grim thought came to realize if he made a mistake. What if the stranger was just a victim, a survivor who'd lost all hope and that the only way to cope the insanity was to play his instrument?

Geos relinquished the blade where it still planted on the stranger's chest. He could feel his mind racing, along with his heart that was about to explode at any moment. What had he done to deserve this? Why was Geos still alive while so many could not?

He covered his head with both hands, squeezing tightly with incredible force. He then muttered to himself, hell-bent towards insanity. "Why me? Why am I alive? What am I doing here?"

The room suddenly began to darken around him. The black liquid slime oozed through the wooden cracks.

"I feel nothing, I feel so lost"

A large shadow formed behind of Geos.

"Am I going crazy? Am I seeing things?"

Grim purple eyes stared at the terrified soldier.

"Who are you...who are...you?"

The stranger's body was missing.

"...who am I?"

So much that was yet to be answered. So much questions that couldn't sate his desire. Geos stood out in the open, defenseless to what came next. He felt a sting, a throbbing pain, that circulated over his chest. His mind went blank like an open canvas and eyes wide open.

Blood trickled down his feet as he saw his own blade pierced right through him. "You should be more careful with a stranger like me, rookie. Cause you'll never know what comes back to return the favor."

The sword yanked out from his chest as Geos knelt to the ground. His hand covered the precarious wound and felt nothing but a sense of overwhelming pain for the stranger smiled with amusement.

"Now, now, you can't pass out just yet," the stranger added as he dragged the face-down Geos to the balcony. "The fun is just getting started. You have something that she desires and you wouldn't want to miss the finale."

Geos could barely hear what the stranger had said, and much to his dismay the world suddenly turned against him. He stared upward at the balcony, minding away from the wound that he received. It wouldn't matter to him in the long run. He was already dead. And yet, as they were just outside, he could almost swear he saw something at the nightly sky, shining in the darkness? Was it a star or was it something else?

"There, this is what the doctor ordered. A nice view and our pleasing crowd. Come on, up you go." the stranger quickly lifted the wounded Geos to his feet. Geos refused to cooperate, but that only made the stranger's hideous smile even wider. With much physical persuasion the stranger directed Geos to gaze down below the square. And what Geos had saw truly terrified him.

From the once glorious fortress to the now barren ruin, the fallen soldiers, possessed and transformed into hideous monsters by the blacken muck, had gathered around by the hundreds, staring at the balcony with their grim purple glow.

Their transformation, caused by the black slime, were like a new skin for the dead soldiers, shaping them into new forms of creatures unlike the world has ever seen before. Armor, weapon and whatever remained of their former selves were discarded with nothing left but their self-composed attire.

"Do you see now, rookie do you see the result," the stranger proclaimed. "This is the result of your empire's weakness, the corruption, lead by foolish leaders who doesn't have the guts to make the right decisions. You believe that the oh so incredible king could stop this and that his...subjects...would try to stop me. You'd be right and wrong on that part."

The stranger grabbed Geos by the sleeves and lifted him off to the balcony. "You will be wondering if this is the end for you and that all that you know will fade into nothing. Fortunately, you are wrong on that part as she requires you to live a bit further. In other words you are going to live. Tell your officers and whatever that's in charge of your little operation," he brought down his hood and stared straight eye-to-eye. Geos could barely had the strength to get a good look of his face and the only thing he noticed was his palish eyes. "cause the nightmare is about to begin."

With the stranger's final words, he let go of his hand, and watched, as Geos fell into the bottom below.

====

The hours went by as the musician stood idly at the balcony, playing his musical instrument with the moon as his audience. His hand motioned with precision, hitting the softly mark while passionately giving it all in a terrific display of control.

Music came back to life in the once glorious fortress, bringing a deep and tragic melody. The ruin building was empty and desolate. No survivors, no corpses, nothing. Just him, his music and a special friend which he quickly took notice.

"I seem to anger you somehow," the musician sneered impetuously. "Did my music disturb your beauty sleep in some way? Why won't you come out and show yourself from this hiding nonsense before I come in there and force you into the light."

At a moment of silence, a dark purple mist slithered from inside the room and gathered at the balcony to emerge its form. Taking a shape of an equine, she opened her catlike eyes and responded bitterly towards the musician. "I see that your attitude is still need of improvement. Such a rude little creature you are."

"Thank you. I take my reputation very seriously and your complaint is dully noted...like the rest that you've been complaining."

The equine harrumphed by his annoyance. "Enough with this bigotry of nonsense," she angrily shouted and slammed her hoof. "Are the preparations ready yet?"

"All is according remarkably well if I say so myself. Now nothing stands between us and the prizes we seek. The only thing left now is the signal from the other end. I hope the deadlines are met."

"Yes...let's hope that this ally of yours proves a worth to my satisfaction. We cannot have any failure on this one."

The musician slightly laughed, which made the equine even more angrier. "You worry too much. I'm sure everything would be fine after this. Since we'd dealt the current situation, our goal is crystal clear, wouldn't you say...um, hello?" He slightly glanced and found that the equine had left.

The musician gave out a slightly sigh. “Oh Nightmare Moon, why you are so random sometimes.”

Chapter 2 - The Unlikely Guest (Revised)

CHAPTER 2

Geos stood alone in the bleak and open world, lost between the mourning dawn that met such warmly rays. His body was numbed from all over and he couldn't remember why he was here. Lying in the riverbed of a random forest, he struggled to get back on his feet, but he couldn't. He was too weak to move.

The memories were but a distant blur and eventually the young Geos came to realize when he felt something in his hand. He then stared at the object of what came to be some sort of badge. The longer he looked at the marvel piece the more the world made sense to him.

Geos knew greatly what it was and every recruit that was eager to join the Partishan must learn to recognize the seal of authority. And in his hand he held such that. The Patriot seal, the authority of the Partishan and, to almost, the entire military empire itself.

Geos had to admit that he had never seen or touch the Partiot seal up close before. What a sight it was to behold. It shined in a mixture of gold and blue untampered gems, the rarest in the world. In another treat it was also the first time that he had ever seen a genuine gem without being seduced or possessed by a mysterious entity from within.

In the humes (human) world, the jewels in the world were the "Shard of Hearts", cursed by a strange force from an extinct race. Theories explained that the ancient race were dissolved into gems when they bound the embodiment of nature. But others, who had a different mind, proclaimed that the ancient race had failed in the attempt and in doing so, the four embodiments of fire, earth, water and air bestowed with their elemental gifts, but punished them as well by transferring their souls into fragile gems, forever imprisoning them into an existence that was far worse than death.

There were only a few gems that remained unaffected by the soul's descent. Those who claimed a pure, unpossessed gem were considered to be the luckiest person in the world and that it cost a tremendous fortune to purchase one. Yet there may be an unlikely chance that the ancient souls could linger to all of the gems and that the few, that everyone thought genuine and pure, to be 'sleeping' in dormant. Whatever the reason and whatever the truth, we still have yet to find out.

It was an instant that Geos remembered everything of his experience, the terrible monsters that assaulted the group, the ruin stones of fortress Ironcloud and the gruesome encounter of a black equine and the hooded stranger. The next thing he recalled was being stabbed and thrown off from the balcony. It was a miracle that he was alive, but the words from the hooded stranger still crept into his thought.

The nightmare is about to begin

Those sentence brought much fear to Geos. The black equine was indeed a threat to the entire world and the hooded stranger was the conductor that shape into reality. These two unlikely couple could bring change to the empire's fate and he grimly shakened on what might happen if they succeed. He didn't know why he was spared while so many were suitable for the job. It would be much more easier than to end him there in Ironcloud so he wouldn't return to his cynical officers and their uneasy glare.

Geos couldn't think straight. His eyes were aching by the sunray light and head throbbing of the worse pain he had ever experience. For some strange reason, the sun was somehow hurting him. It would only take a moment for Geos to get used to the light, but frankly, he was incredibly unease as he rose up for the nearest shade.

When Geos looked down on his chest he saw that the wound where he was stabbed had miraculously healed itself, minded by the blood stains on his military attire. By then after a long march through the forest, he then emerged from exit to find himself staring at the distant city that loomed in the horizon. He was glad to see signs of civilization and descended down the hill toward straight to safehaven.

====

At the precise time of noon, a dignified individual with stylize clothes walked gracefully in the city of Halver. The busy streets was crawling with carts, wagons and many other passersby in their usual, carefree business. On a particular day, the sun shined brightly in the city and radiated a scorching heat upon the populace.

The dignified individual shrugged off from the heat that preceded him to the prison entrance. The sentry that stationed by the gate quickly noticed the oncoming individual and gave him a salute. "Goodsir, welcome. I didn't expect you to come here personally," he said nervously. "How may I be able to serve you?"

The gentlemen wasted no time and spoke with authority. "I'm here for the person by the name of Geos Vaarka and that he's been held up in the prison. Am I correct?"

"Indeed, goodsir. We caught him at the outskirts of the city and he look fairly weak when we saw him. We have done the best we can to nurse him back to health and be glad to know that he is recovering as we speak. Fairly, I'm surprise that you know of this person. A Vaarka, out of all people," he snorted. "A blighter like him should be wipe out in the face of existence."

"You let me worry about that, but I hope that you good reason why he's contained here in all places."

"Truly goodsir, that Geos fellow is a thief and a liar. Saying to himself that he was part of a group in some investigation. Not to mention that he was holding the Patriot seal in his hand when we discover this, and his name."

"Hmm, interesting. I am here to retrieve the seal if possible, and also what pray tell who command him to the prison."

"That would be our watch-chief, Ovi. But surely, what does he had got to do with..."

"You tell him at this moment that watch-chief Ovi is withdrawn from his position and is reassign in service to the Ashen Plains." Behind the gentlemen, a stage coach suddenly arrived with two soldiers coming out from the doorway. The guard looked shocked by the outburst as the gentleman continued.

"You have detained a valuable man whose knowledge about the happenings of Ironcloud is of utmost important to the country and that your force have interrupt the Savior's command and wishes. Make no mistake that Geos was assign to the task and whatever you think about him I care little less about it.

"To the ending, get your blighted arse off from my sight and tell this Ovi fellow to start packing, now!" the guard quickly saluted to the command and scurried inside. The gentleman annoyingly sighed at the idiocy of the city force and soon entered the carriage. He then glanced at the two soldiers. "Bring him to me. I want to see him at this instant."

====

A beam of sunlight crept through the bar window as the cold, miserable man cringed from the rayful of light. Geos rested on an uncomfortable bed in his tiny space of room and dwelled for a short time in his thoughts about the current state. He was lucky enough that he wasn't executed on the spot when he told them about his task in Ironcloud.

It was also fortunate for Geos when a travelling merchant spotted him along the way. The merchant generously offered him a ride...with some expense for the trouble and when he met the city-force at the outskirt of Halver he told them who he was and his purpose.

Foolishly being honest, Geos should have just lied in the first place as the watch-chief claimed him as a criminal and locked him away into the dungeon. It wasn't bad that Geos lived in the prison. He'd enjoy the solitude rather than over-bickering officers.

Alone in the cell, Geos could hear the noises from the other inmates, yelling and banging the bars with whatever they could use. One particular group were calling out to a canine with the key to the cells in its mouth. They were whistling, offering and, almost to guess, begging for the dog to move a muscle. But the dog didn't and just sat there obediently in silent. (Reference to Pirates of the Caribbean)

Geos chuckled at the inmates attempt and already his eyes began to grow heavy and closed his eyes. Sleep didn't brought any comfort either for the restless man. Nightmares poured into his mind, twisting between facts and fiction. The crackling howls of the blackened hollows, the painful screams of his entire group and the inevitable glare from the dark.

From the blackness, Geos was consumed into nothingness, entangled and fettered in chain. The hooded stranger was right in front of him and revealed his distorted face. Geos saw a monster, with eyes that flickered in polish white. Along with a crooked smile that was beyond to describe of how mad the stranger was, another accomplice emerged from a cloud of smoke.

The horrid equine appeared into his nightmare that hailed with an evil laughter. Eyes of a killer, a tyrant and everything that fouled altogether into one single form. Geos tried to struggle to break from his chains, but it was no use, he was trapped like a rat. The equine gazed tentatively of its victim as the paled-eye stranger readied for the kill.

Geos snapped eyes wide open from his perilous nightmare, dripping in cold sweat. His hands was shaking out of control as he tried to calm his panicky terror. "Ancestors please let my blight shall end. I dare not want to see these horrible things in my sleep.

"Why must I be tortured? I have done nothing wrong for I am just and true. If my action lies to my punishment then I promise I'll do better. Please, oh please, let my nightmares be end. I want to go home. I want to go home of my peaceful life."

Geos then tightly grabbed the bars, shaking violently and barking out for release. If his wrong was telling an honest truth then why bother to be decent and fair and just. Why must he remained in his cell and suffered because of his duty? Why was he born as a Vaarka, which the very name brought hate and discontent? He cursed his uncle, his parents and to everyone around him. He'd wished to fade from existence.

Anger blinded his young heart. Geos was consumed to his hate and misery that all hope for ever to be free from tradition suddenly waned into nothingness. Imprison like he was some-sort of criminal, he felt his perfect world came crashing down with no chance for redemption. He'd thought for sure that returning the Patriot seal would bring honor to his family. Oh how fool he was to believe.

Surrendered back to his bed-seat, Geos swore for revenge against the monster that claimed his team and his dear friend, Maurice. He would pay any price to succeed his goal and that his moment was upon him when he heard footsteps upstairs.

Two armored soldiers descended into the dungeon that leave many of the inmates, and Geos, in total silent. They scoured the room until they found what they were looking for and approached to the inmate. Namely, Geos. One of the soldier seized the keys from the dog and petted on the head as he unlocked the prison cell.

The soldier stared at the inmate. "Geos Vaarka, correct?"

Geos nodded, shaken to what he saw. Embroiled in their gray suit of armor, the Soulus guards presented him right in front of his cell and was surprised to meet them in the flesh.

The Soulus guards are more similar to the royal guards, second to the venerable 'electrical titans' who slumbered in the capital. Acted as investigator, protector and crowd controller, they guard the Soulus council and their reputable nobles with great conviction from any known threat and would dispose any threat with great haste in order to achieve security.

To be recruited in the Soulus guard they must at least have several requirements to enter the group. Either to have a decade experience in warfare, possible links to prestigious sources or otherwise being born lucky, the chance to be in their ranks is considered as the highest of honours and many criminals would cringe in fear when facing them.

Geos gazed at the insignia that was engraved in the soldier's metal plate. The insignia was made of gold. It depicted of a large avian bird with wings covered in embrace and its head drooped down, sleeping with two swords crossed near to its neck. A golden halo was above the creature’s head, a sign of retribution and forgiveness.

"Well, are you coming or what?" the Soulus guard asked.

Geos snapped out from staring at the golden insignia and stepped out from his cell. "Where are you taking me?"

"No question," the second firmly replied. "Now move."

The atmosphere was very intense and uneasy in the dungeon. The inmates didn't mutter a single word and remained ever so silent in the present of the Soulus guards. Geos could see very well through their expression. Some stricken with overwhelming fear and some with a deep and unrelenting hate that their cheeks turned boiling red. Many were condemned in a life of prison thanks to the city force and the Soulus guards. None of them had ever forget. There was without a doubt that Geos felt a cold chill when walking side by side with the guards, but he remained collective and followed them upstairs.

Up at the ground floor Geos heard a commotion from the watch-chief office. He couldn't make of the words that was coming from the room, but sounded like there was storm brewing inside.

"This is an atrocity and a loads of horsebull," Slamming the door open, former watch-chief Ovi was dragging his luggage and darted in direction towards to the three who was unaware by their present. "That blighted bastard thinks he could tell us what to do. Just you wait and see, some day he'll be..." As he was about to finish his sentence he quickly became silent when he noticed the guards and the inmate.

The guards watched closely on Ovi's movement, gradually passing through them and into the exit. They could feel the intense glare that was towards upon Geos and suspected right away that Ovi solely blamed the rookie for his blight. In all out of sense, the guards were glad to see Ovi left. The man was despised greatly for the trouble he'd cause with the citizens and guards alike.

As Geos saw the watch-chief left the premises, feeling a great unease from his glare, he hastily added to the guards. "If this has something to do with what I said from last night. I'm speaking the truth."

"We know." They simply replied.

Geos blinked. “Then where are you taking me?”

"No more question. Keep moving."

But Geos wanted some answers, the occurrence that surrounded the guards and his destination. Were they here to bring him to command or the council perhaps? He wanted to ask, but it proved to be futile as the guards weren't willing to respond. There was nothing that he could other than to follow at the time being and hoped for the better it wouldn't be worse than the dungeon.

Gladful to be out from his cell, Geos couldn't handle of the random noises that the inmates were making. There was one crazed person who claimed that he was being watched by an invisible audience and that everything around him was make-believe fiction.

It was a crazy thought, that someone, at this very moment, was watching a play of a perilous adventures up until to the ending conclusion. That would be just silly, even for Geos, to imagine of him as the main character of the story. Unless it rained chocolate rain then he would truly believe it so.

====

As Geos exited from his coldly bars and the ominous security of prison, at an instant hit, he felt rather dazed all of a sudden. Like his strength was sapped from out of him. The sun was unbelievably a scorching heat today, but surely it didn't mean anything to Geos as he was used to the sort of temperatures.

Emerged in the open rays from the sun, the uneasiness quickly settled upon Geos, feeling the heavy burden weighing upon his shoulder. He could feel his own heart beating faster and his breathing slightly frantic.

The guards quickly took notice of the heavy breathing that was coming from Geos. One guard then asked. "Are you alright?"

But Geos shrugged of these strange ailments and persisted with a forcible smile. "Yes, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Must be the food they've been serving."

The guards smirked amusingly and resumed their advance. Geos could very well hear the guards, speaking at the city-force and their watch-chief. Apparently, speaking more about Ovi's early reassignment duties.

Geos stumbled upon a brown stagecoach with the guards willingly opening the side-door. They briefly told him that a special guest was eager to meet the survivor of the Ironcloud investigation and was interest of the report. Geos swiftly obliged, but only he wanted to get some shade from the light.

As Geos entered the coach, he glimpsed right away of a well-dressed person, wearing a blue coat and a red scarf. "Ah, Geos Vaarka, good afternoon," the gentleman's tone was pleasant well-mannered, raising his black top hat. "Please, please, come take a seat. We have much to discuss about."

Geos sat at the other side of the seat as the stagecoach was set into motion. The two guards from outside were left behind and fadely departed into the streets, returning to whatever their regular duty was. Unknown by the course of destination, Geos instantly distrusted the neighbor passenger and was ever so suspicious of his intent. The question that came to Geos mind right now if the gentleman was indeed a friend. Geos made his last attempt with the city-force and didn't turn out for the better.

The gentleman looked at the window for the moment, lighting up his wooden pipe and blew a ring of smoke. "You don't mind of me smoking will you?"

Geos didn't mind at all and nodded.

"Splendid, splendid." With another huffed of smoke, the gentleman placed the wooden pipe. His tone grew serious. "Alright, first thing in order of business, an apology would be suffice. Forgive me of what the city-force has done to you. I hope they haven't treated you harshly. If only I knew that you were here in Halver I would pick you up like the breezes of wind and when I heard that you were in jail I was deeply appalled because of it. That slob of a watch-chief, bringing stuff about you as a thief and liar all because of your name. Bah, labbergits I say and the blight goes to him. But I guess you're wondering who I am I suppose. Foolish me of making such a long comment. Allow me to introduce myself," he then raised his hand. "The name is Deshu Mos, councillor member of the Soulus empire and head of the commerce trade. At your service."

Geos was utterly flabbergasted. The Soulus council. The very men that managed an entire country, and he was sitting right next to one. Oh, how he was a fool to placed his suspicion of a high and distinct man, whose credit served years in an effort to help the business links across the territories of the empire and its citizens.

The Soulus council is comprised out of four members, each with the task and responsibilities that needed to be carried out. Four important titles to be named was war, peace, commerce and entertainment. These held their own right as daily importance to keep in order from within, and out

"Geos Vaarka, at yours." Geos said, shaking firmly of one of the most powerful man in the state.

Deshu smiled to the man and returned to his pipe. "Right, now with the introduction come to pass." He inhaled and puffed a ring of smoke. "Please, tell me right now. What in blazes happened over there?"

====

The trip was long to whatever Geos was going and he had plenty of time to explain of their investigation in Ironcloud. Geos told Deshu about the ruinous state of the once, mighty fortress and the slain defenders that were converted into blackish forms of hollowed husks. From every detail to the library and the search of their escape, Geos explained it all except of his own. He wasn't sure if it was wise to tell about his condition, the ability to see through things that no one could see, since the empire detested Hartens and other gifted beings like the Scarlet for example.

As the explanation went on Deshu was absorbed by this new information and was deeply concerned of these new monsters that Geos called "Hollows". But what struck him the most was when Geos mentioned about the violinist. "A violinist you say? Have you got a good look of this upstart?"

Geos shook his head. "I have not, goodsir. He hides behind the robes and I did not get a good look at the person except for his paled eyes."

"A chance that this vagabond must be blind. Anything else that you know of this man?"

"No. I haven't got the slightest bit. But he said to give a message to any person who is in charge of the operation."

The nightmare is about to begin.

Deshu tremendously felt disturbed by the message. "What a dreadful fellow. To say such claim when the first annual festival is coming up and soon. This pursuer of chaos must be dealt with and fast before he could bring much harm to citizens of the state. I'm quite however unease that such a man could conjure the powers to raise 'our' fallen soldiers into belittle slaves for his fruition. The world is truly a scary place."

"Yes, indeed, goodsir, but there something else that you should know." Geos added.

Deshu settled for another smoke. "Very well, clarify what you discover then."

Geos was hesitant, feeling that the councillor would find this all but nonsense folly. With some slight of courage, he found the words to speak. "Back at the library while we were searching for an escape. I discover something in darkness. Something new and horrible." He silently gulped, hoping that the councillor was merciful to what he was about to say. "There was a creature that's been watching our every move. I suspect that it was watching from the very beginning when we enter Ironcloud. You will find this strange and odd, but what I encounter was--"

Before Geos could finish his last sentence, the coach suddenly came to a halt. The side door was opened by a Soulus guard and a clear, bright light radiated inside that irritate Geos eyes. "Ah at last, we have arrive." Deshu said, emptying the burnt leaves from his wooden pipe. "Your explanation will have to wait. If you please follow me."

As the councillor exited from the coach, Geos gradually followed, rubbing his aching eyes. The overwhelming light from the sun died down as Geos stumbled upon a large and luxurious mansion. "What is this place?" Geos warily asked. "Where are you taking me?"

"So much question. So much curiosity of youth these days." Deshu chuckled. "Don't ask anymore . Come now, follow me. There is something that I must show you. But be warn though. You'll find her a bit...different that you normally meet and there's nothing wrong if you feel startle because of it."

====

It was soon then later on that Geos realized that this magnificent place belonged to the councillor and he was considered to be a guest in his humble abode. With all such splendor of decorations, it wouldn't be surprised that councillor had purchased only the finest to fit his taste.

As Geos wandered through Deshu's mansion, it became clear that the style of nobility reminded him of his home when he was just a little kid. The only major difference today was that they didn't live in the mansion anymore, but rather, a common house, with raggedy rooms and a raggedy neighborhood. It was plainly grim and disgusting.

Geos followed behind Deshu where he quickly caught glimpse of the amazing paintings that hung from each side of the wall. The portraits that signified the house members of the family; elegance, nobility and grace. It also pictured several of the most famous and diabolical icons in known history of the empire.

Avis Toren, the great savior and founder of a nation, who'd saved countless lives from those darken days so long ago.

Paris Lere, a hero and respected general, whose tactical genius alone thwarted an invasion against the large tribe from the east.

Sullivan Dever, a revered beast-slayer, standing on top of a large vicious wolf from the frozen north. One of many of his perilous hunt.

The list went on and on until Geos could no longer remember the names behind the painting, but each individual deserved the respect and admiration of how their action had changed the world. Their long line of legacy that considered to be the most important and powerful people in their era.

"I take it that you must be famish from your trip?" Deshu began. "The food in the prison is no place for you. The constant idea of stale bread and water, bah, the blights to the city force. There should be a law of such things and treat all with the sense luxury and importance. Wouldn't you agree with idea?"

"Does that mean the prisoners as well?"

Deshu laughed heartily. There was something eerie in his laughter. "The prisoners deserve the very best there is. The fine respect of confidence and an open understanding between each other. It is why we strive to make peace with our monsters in hope for a day without the thoughts of death and destruction. And we struggle much hard than the soldiers in front. Yet, once more, I'm talking nonsense. You must be greatly bored from what I'm saying."

"I disagree, goodsir. It is very inspiring that you want to change the world." Geos said. "But, there's something that I must speak to you about--"

"Hut-tut-tut, there is another time for that. First things first, we eat, we meet our guest and then we talk." Deshu opened the doors to find themselves in the dining room. He then rang the service bell that was nearby where several men appeared in the room, carrying large silver plates and placing them at the long table.

Geos was then escorted to a seat and sat on the opposite side where Deshu Moss was sitting. "I am grateful with the offer, goodsir, but I simply cannot." He humbly protested, but when the servants opened the lid his eyes simply glued at the bountiful of food. All the roast pork, sizzling lemon fish and a pinch of delicious desserts was a feast to behold.

"I'll take it by the way you're saliving on the table means that's a yes then?" And with the coming conclusion, Geos gathered the food into his plate and munched down to his delight. Deshu gladly smiled and lighted his wooden pipe. "Eat as much as you like. We still have much work to be done after this. I hope you like seconds."

====

There was enough food to feed an entire party and Geos was stuffed with great delight. Unable to fit all those delectable meal into his belly, Geos took some snack and packed into his pocket in case if he were to be hungry. Who could tell that councillors would be so generous and so decent as a host.

After a long and satisfying lunch, Geos followed the councillor into another area where he was lead into his study room. It was quite enormous for just any study room and felt more like a library. Although small compared to fortress Ironcloud's grand extension of volumes of secrets and forbidden stories, it was much considered being called just a mini-library with personal and recorded transactions of the councillor's regular business trips.

The context of books that neatly tidied and organized on the shelves meant that councillor Deshu was favorable with his private collection. In importance, Deshu was mostly intrigued to lost knowledge that faded during the 'Brighten Times'.

The Brighten Times, or the Singe of Years, was not meant of a glorious golden age brought by the people or discoveries or any new invention, but rather the opposite if that you will and it was considered to be the darkest days of humes (human) era. More than a thousand years ago, before the birth and emergence of the Empire, there were other kingdoms that expand and cultivated across the land until the dreaded beings called the Attreans invaded their land and scarred the world forever.

Many kingdoms were lost on the years that followed, but eventually they managed to drive out the invaders. All their knowledge, all their progressive inventions, were either burned, lost or destroyed upon the Attrean's wake and many scholars and adventurers today had strived to seek the remains of the kingdom's long lost cultures. So far, some succeeded to find these ancient artifacts and some ended in gruesome demise.

At that moment, the door shut tight from Geos behind as the councillor sat down to his seat. He then checked the papers, probably the latest deals and transaction from everyday merchants, and sighed briefly with a emotionless expression. "Now that we are here, without the interruption from the outside world, you may speak to your hearts content on what you want to ask. If this information is relating to the incident on Ironcloud then it is vital that we hear the rest of the detail in privacy."

Geos stuttered for a bit, looking straight at the councillor's cold, calculative personality. Was he the same person that Geos met at the carriage? And what did he meant by 'we'? Geos didn't saw anyone else except the councillor. "Understood, goodsir. I have additional information about the investigation in Ironcloud." He said, slightly bit hesitant at the councillor's glare. "But I must admit it's a bit queer in my part when I have to say to you. You may think this to be...laughable."

"Laughable you say." Deshu chuckled, not feeling very sympathetic. "If this is quite laughable and that you are avoiding this new information because of it then I would have left you in that prison to rot for the rest of your life, but clearly, if this is laughable then I have nothing to laugh about. You are here for a reason and now I demand you tell me what else you saw in that crumbling stone of a structure."

"O-of course." Geos gulped. "After we were attack by the fallen soldiers, we managed to barricade ourselves at the Savior shrine and me and Maurice headed down to the great library in search for the hidden doorway that we could escape from that horrid place. We were hopeful that we might find it, but unfortunately we were wrong. Our fate was sealed and we were trapped with no chance of escape."

Just as Geos explained the further details of his gruelling experience, a shadow crept from just behind the corner, staring at the man with its purplish glow.

"It was horrible, goodsir. To see our own comrades be turned into horrid blights and against us. Yet, at the library, while I was exploring the area, I suddenly stumbled upon a book with the title called 'The Other Dreams and Nightmare' and when I open a page it was completely blank. I thought that I have fake book or something, but clearly that wasn't the issue as I felt suddenly heavy when I turned the last page of the book.

"Something was there in the library, goodsir and it wasn't a humes (human) or the monsters outside from the shrine." Councillor Deshu was slightly questioned to where it was going and lighted once more his wooden pipe. "My mind drifts into emptiness, a sudden lightness that I am unable to think. And at that moment I quickly hear a feminine whisper, a command if you will, telling me to look up. I follow of what she said and there I saw...a black creature."

Deshu arched an eyebrow, placing away his wooden pipe. The shadow from behind was intrigued by this and advanced closer to Geos.

"It had dark, implex wings, stretching out like it was some sort of a malevolence of death. And I could be right if considering that she was an animal from equine origin."

The shadow gradually walked towards much closer as Deshu noticed his eccentric guest.

"Eyes like a cat and body as dark as the night. It had a horn from her forehead that mystically glowed with radiance power. I have never felt so afraid in my life to this day and that the only thing I could say..."

Deshu and the shadow guest waited for the response, verily interested of what Geos had to say next.

And what Geos said was something...different.

"She was the most beautiful creature that I have ever laid eyes upon."

The response utterly shocked Deshu as well as his guest. It was then that Geos heard a scream and a loud collapsing sound, and when he turned around he saw the bookshelves that tumbled inward and books that turned into a large pile of mess. How in the world did that happen? But after a closer look, Geos began to saw movement at the pile. "What in Savior's might?"

Deshu groaned and briefly sighed. He scratched his head in annoyance of the disruption and approached the large pile. "How many times do I have to tell you to watch your step." He said, mightily displeased. "Do you know how long it would take for me to sort these books out? Probably take me days or so to fix them and I have not the time to do such things."

Geos paused to hear someone under the pile. He couldn't make out of the words, but it sounded apologetic by the mess that it had caused. It was only a brief moment of unease silence before the councillor laughed in amusement. His hands clapped for an applause which slightly surprised Geos. "My dear fellow, you sure have a way to make somebody laugh. I take it that you have learn from your friend of yours." He slightly shook his head and extended his reach into the pile. "Come on, up you go. You don't want Mr. Geos be waiting for you. Your excessiveness to books and curiosity shall be the death of you if you keep this up."

The voice under the pile seemed compliant of the councillor's comment. It then countered back with a harsh statement that made the councillor burst once more into laughter. Geos didn't care much of what the person had said that made the councillor so cheery all of a sudden. The only thing important right now was who was under the pile of books.

Geos suspected right away that it was the guest that Deshu was referring to. It wasn't convincing that a person who had the opportunity to be summoned by a councillor--since councillors were relatively busy with their daily duties and no time for others--would be so clumsy to knocked down the bookshelves and made an irritable mess. Geos would have thought that the guest under the pile of books would be decent and professional in front of a powerful councillor.

Yet even so, in a strange and bizarre sight, councillor Deshu just laughed it off like nothing has happened. They were more like...friends at that matter and Geos couldn't help but to be curious of this mysterious fellow. Where did this person came from?  Military? Different faction of state? A secret organization, like the Partishan, for example? Again, he felt like he was getting nowhere with all these unanswered question and he was frustrated because of it.

The councillors are organized groups of leaders, selected by the Savior, who took responsibility in order to bring peace and harmony from within their nation and foreign threat. To those that bore such title, the life as a councillor is a brutal and challenging position as they are targeted by noble elites in gain the position of councillor title.

Everywhere they go the councillors had to tread caution to their surrounding, unable to tell where or whom to trust. Friends, families and even a visit to a royal physician would lead to a quick and terrible end. Although security has been doubled, the councillors were not safe and was lead to a lonely life. The only people that the councillors would trust were their Savior and the Electrical Titans, known as Exorcists, who kept a vigil watch in the distant.

As Deshu finally yanked the guest out from the pile Geos was about to get his answer. And the first thing he saw was that the councillor was holding, was a hoof. A violet hoof in correction and was utterly shocked of the outcome. Not only that it wasn't a person, but rather, in a fearful revelation, was an animal.

In the right sense of term, a pony.

"I...I..." Geos tried to respond but the only thing he did was staring at the violet pony. Flabbergasted and shocked.

Deshu amusingly smiled, noticing the reaction that was coming from Geos face. Ironic that he would do the same thing when he first met the pony so long ago. To thought that Deshu Moss, one of the four powerful councillors in the empire, would be startled and afraid by an energetic, determined and charismatic young girl like her, for example.

"I take it that this is the second to be shock by this unlikely guest." Deshu said, sounding slightly apologetic. "Yet we cannot let fear and uneasiness guide us now shall we? Yet an introduction must be in order to continue this charming procedure." He then turned at the violet mare. "If you may, my dear."

The violet mare nodded at the councillor and stepped into the spotlight. She slightly coughed and cleared her throat. "Thank you, Mr. Moss." She then stared at the frightened young soldier with considerate eyes. "Hello there, my name is Twilight Sparkle, or to my alias term, Lumena. Apprentice to Princess Celestia in the kingdom of Equestria and temporary ambassador. How do you do?"

Geos continued to eye at the talking pony a minute further until finally, with tremendous amount of stress, he collapsed and knocked out cold.

Deshu arched an eyebrow at the collapsed soldier before staring at Twilight, who was irritated by this. "Hmm, this complicates things."

Twilight sadly sighed. "Indeed."

Chapter 3 - The Transfer of Meeting (Revised)

CHAPTER 3

On a dark and stormy night. In a place far, far away beyond space and time. There came a magical land of Equestria, and on top of the spire, in the capital of Canterlot, lied a majestic princess, looking above at the starless night. A saddened princess, who'd lost the only thing that was precious to her than life itself. And that was her little sister, Luna.

For what had been liked a couple of weeks seemed almost an eternity for her, and she grimaced of the situation at the other realm, the newly discovered world that was beyond space and time. A place where Twilight dwelled right now, in fact. She could hope only that her faithful student would be alright for if something were to happen to her then she would not know what to do next.

Today was a grim and gloomy eve just like before and the day before that. The princess was completely drenched by the pounded rain and shivered by the terrible coldly breeze. But it didn't matter to her. Nothing was far so great than to fail her sister twice in a row.

The princess entered back inside the spire and descended towards to the royal hall. The rain outside was heavy and pounded like falling rocks. Darkened clouds hovered the sky, preventing the warm rays of the sun, as well as the stars of the night that peer into the harmonious land. The inhabitants were quite worried that something had happened with the princess. Even the nobles were bothered by this and demanded an explanation of the rather unusual, endless drought.

However, the nobles didn't get any, and the princess simply confined herself in the castle with an exception for a few and loyal subjects that she'd selected.

In the hallway, as the princess wandered through the path, she quickly caught a couple of the servants, cleaning the fine pottery works and well-painted portraits. When the servants saw the princess they simply bowed down in respect before they darted to their work. The princess couldn't help but felt unease whenever the subjects were staring at her. It was almost as if they were afraid of her even though she was a kind and noble ruler.

When the princess looked at the servants, before they darted off somewhere else to do their cleaning work, they had nothing to be afraid of. They were just the cheery bunch of ponies without a care in the world. It was kinda refreshing for the princess that, in such a gloomy and miserable weather, they were still some smiles to be about and it placed a smile on her face. But only for a moment.

The princess had reached her destination and stumbled upon a large blue door. The guards noticed and bowed before the princess, entering at a pitch black room. Promptly after the guards sealed the door firmly shut and tight, the princess casted a spell that suddenly gleamed the entire room in a bask of light. But not just the remarkable warmth of the mighty sun, but rather the cold, silent silver moonlight that her little sister was in charged for the task, and that was to raise the moon.

Not everypony knew the state of the kingdom that posed for the princess. Not everypony, except to only a few, knew the state of Luna's condition. For in this very room, at the middle where sapphires and amethysts glittered above in imitation of the starry constellation, was a lonely, golden glass casket and a sleeping little sister who couldn't wake up.

The princess stood near to Luna's casket, staring sadly at her dear little sister. She could still see the wound as bright as day. That precarious, hideous wound that Luna bore. It was a very large cut in the center of her stomach, with an ominous, dark green colour. The princess thought that the injuries would be curable, but when the doctors tried to restore Luna back to health, she knew that this was no ordinary cut.

Whatever methods being attempted proved to be in vain or even stopped altogether for fear that Luna's condition would worsen. Even the princess, with a millennium of experience in the fields of magic and vast untold knowledge of crafts and arts, was overwhelmingly stumped by this incurable disease. She sensed that the wound was somehow enchanted, but at the same time did not have the presence of magic. By what she could describe, it felt all too natural.

Even though they were unable to restore Luna to the prime conditions of health, they were other ways to prevent the wound from spreading even further. When the doctors examined the cut they told the princess that it was...eating her, gradually draining her very life-force until there was nothing left. And with that, a casket was constructed.

Crafted by the best artisans from across the land, along with the best and brightest of enchanters, they created a permanently sealed casket that would give Luna enough time before her probable demise as well as a search for a possible cure. Although the glass casket worked, to which the princess thought it more than a coffin, there was no telling how long the casket would hold. At the very instant, she could see green veins protruded across Luna's body and closer to the head.

They were running out of time.

There was a brief knock by the door and the room suddenly went pitch black. Light slightly cringed and seeped into the room where the guard's large shadow covered over the princess. "Forgive of my intrusion, your majesty, but you have a meeting with your daily appointment at the throne room.

The princess wiped her tears away, not wanting any pony to see her weakened state, and faced the guard with a calm and demeaning manner. "Thank you for the notice." She said, smiling. "I'll be there shortly."

The guard slightly bowed and gradually closed the door. The room was eternal as the blackest of night. No more of the glittering stars of amethysts and sapphires. No more of the cold silver moonlight. The only source of light at that very moment was the warm radiance of the topaz light, radiating from the princess's horn.

"Farewell, my dear little sister. I shall soon see you by tomorrow." With a painful goodbye, Princess Celestia walked out of the door and exited the lunar room. As the last light darkened the room, the only thing that remained was the ominous green glow of the lonely casket of Princess Luna.

====

Geos didn't know where or what he was doing, but in the end he would see it all. The start of a once beautiful nightmare. And he was the main attraction.

On an unfamiliar spot, Geos stood on a platform where thousands of observant eyes gazed right towards him. The crowd roared and cheered for his next, and what might be probably his last, high performance. All eyes were on the stage, Geos' finality before departure. He was on the spotlight, the main attraction of the show, and his eyes ached by the bask of light.

Bewildered completely from his surrounding, Geos shortly then heard the announcer's voice. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, may I present the main event! Our grand hero, who have risk thick and thin for your entertainment, will make his final debut before his candles are out. Let's give a round of applause to Geos Vaarka, the hero of the empire!"

An invisible crowd clapped in a high amount of volume that ringed Geos ear. He winced by the sound of their frolic happiness and begged for them to stop. When he dropped down to one knee, the announcer then proceeded on with his persuadable speech. "Ah, a man who doesn't take time, ladies and folk. We wouldn't want him to be waiting now would we?" The crowd laughed. The announcer silenced the audience and steered at the red curtains. "Feast your eyes upon this you goodly folk. May I present another special guest that would participate Geos performance? And...open up!"

With a gesture of the announcer's hand, the red curtain progressively unfolded to reveal...nothing.

As Geos thought behind the curtain, a pain unlike no other scorched deep into his chest. He violently coughed and closed his mouth. Blood spilled into his fingers, and when he saw it wasn't the color of red, but rather the dim shade of black. Dread won the young, impulsive man, and when he raised his head back at the curtain for his finality...a bell suddenly sounded.

Geos had woken up from his hellish nightmare, dazed and confused. The bell towers outside rung several times before the deep sound of gong had ceased to silent. He found himself lying on a couch; an expensive couch to be exact with a ridiculous amount of decor.

While Geos examined to be some kind of office, with fancy style of nobility and grace, he soon tried to understand the nightmare that he had experience. Yet no matter how hard he tried the blacken dream was all a blank to him. Either that he didn't want to remember or something was entirely a mystery to him. The next thing that he tried to recall was how he had come into this room in the first place? It didn't take long to guess that he was in the mansion of councilor Deshu, one of the four important figures of the council, and reporting to him about a serious threat that decimated the forces of Ironcloud as well as his team.

The last time he remembered was in the councilor's study room and then after that was...

At the exact moment, Geos quickly came to realize before the door from behind gradually opened. A maid appeared with a silver tea set and placed them on the table. "Good evening, sir." she applied the cup and poured him some tea. "I hope you don't mind, but I cannot help but to see you in a miserable state in such manner. Must have been an awful when travelling so far away and come back as a different man. Care for a lump or two?"

Geos paused and felt the extraordinary heat rising up to his face. "T-two please." He quickly stammered, trying to avoid her luscious eyes.

The maid warmly smiled at the soldier and said her goodbye as she leave him with his drink. And after that the room was utterly quiet. Geos was almost sure that it would be the creature, a coloured mare with large and ridiculous eyes, that was at the doorway. He sighed with extreme relief to convinced to himself that the entire ordeal was nothing more than a fantasy; a dream to be exact.

Worried for nothing, Geos sipped his tea which he found the bitter taste to be quite extraordinary to relax his nerve. When he glanced up front, he instantly saw on what appeared to be large and ridiculous eyes. It was no dream. It was a real deal. The mare sat at the opposite side of him and he literally chocked in his own drink.

"Hey, are you alright?" The violet mare gazed with concern.

Geos wasn't hallucinating by the slightest. He could really hear 'her' voice that was coming from this...pony. "I don't know what's worst." He stated, shook his head and looked at the mare before his head drooped down. "Either the drink has some strong stuff in it, or I'm just losing my mind?"

The violet mare didn't know what to respond to that, but her friend from aside, with a cup of velvet tea, did. "My dear fellow, you are not dreaming, nor the drink has any strong stuff. Except of the bitter taste of course which I do mostly enjoy." Deshu chuckled. "Yet you have every right to be a shock by this."

Geos raised his head at the councilor. "Who...what?"

"Allow me to explain." The violet mare interrupted, which she could feel the uneasy stare from Geos as he moved back in a distant. "Upon your situation we are aware upon the plight that staining in your thoughts. We also quite aware that the incident in fortress Ironcloud was rather horrific and for that we apologize for your ordeal. Yet, although safe and well-protected under the ranks of the Soulus guards, the nightmare is far from over." The violet mare then placed her hoof in her chest. "This is why I am here. To help solve this problem."

Geos couldn't help but not to understand the words that the violet mare had said, which annoyed her greatly to the extent. This made Deshu laughed and clapped his hands out loud. "Oh, I knew that would not work." He expected in utter amusement. "You really had got to stop with these formalities, my dear or you'll destroy him completely with such dramatic speech of yours."

The violet mare harrumphed. "It isn't dramatic. This is how royals do where I come from."

"But you're not. You're in Soulus. And in Soulus we do things differently here. Although, I think it's because your appearance leaves a mark to unexpected guests. It is quite understandable for everyone to be literally surprise by this."

"Which I still don't understand why everyone react so violently about it. I mean, sure, this isn't the first time that happened to me, but I will like it better if they know about me instead being cooped up in this mansion."

Deshu had to agree with Twilight to some sort of degree, and it would make his job easier at a long run. "I understand for your concern, Twilight. I really do. But please, a direct confession to the entire world? Where did you come up with that? Your mentor? It's an idea of a hopeless cause when the world cares to put a sword without a second thought. You know very well that the world isn't ready for--"

"Umm, excuse me, good sirs?"

The two sidetracked with their debated discussion that they literally forgot about Geos, whom he was now more confused than ever. Both stared each other for a moment and burst out in a heartfelt laugh. "It seems we have carried away with our bickering." Deshu added.

Twilight giggled. "I agree."

Deshu smiled at the mare and then cleared his throat. "You must be wondering Geos as to what's going on around here or why is there a pony in my office? Allow me to give you a brief summary. You may want to have another set of tea before we go..."

Indeed it was a brief and sudden explanation that Geos couldn't believe his ears. It would take more than tea to understand any of it. The violet mare, known as Twilight Sparkle or to another term, Lumena, was sent from another realm beyond a place called Equestria; the land of multi-coloured, talking and intelligent ponies. The reason for her appearance right here and now was to stop a serious threat that spearheaded across the empire. The creature of the night: Nightmare Moon.

No matter how ridiculous and vain the names were, Geos thought they were just that: ridiculous and utterly the dumbest, most preposterous names that he had ever heard in his entire life. Who would name a villain Nightmare Moon in the first place? Sounded more like a name from a children book?

Nevertheless, Geos digressed that notion as this 'Nightmare Moon' was truly horrific and diabolical in nature that he shuddered to thought about it. The explanation continued on with Twilight as she told him about the situation that they were in.

"So far we have manage to stop Nightmare Moon and her accomplice from taking ground, but soon they would take the opportunity in the festival that is coming less than a week. We tend to believe that you may know their next move."

"Next move?" Geos said, confusingly. "I have never even heard the name of this creature? How do I know where or what operation they will be at?"

That was the question that Twilight and Deshu were about to find out. Like a signal, Deshu carried out a small chest from his cabinet and placed in the middle of the table. The chest had a dark blue color with an intriguing design of plantlike vines that was made out of gold.

Geos pondered of the contents inside the chest, but strangely enough he heard a faint whisper in his left ear. He turned to the source only to found no one in sight. The councilor then equipped with a heavy set of gloves and gradually opened the lid.

The strange whisper began to grew loud  in both of Geos ears. He quivered with unbearable unease until he saw at last the cause when the councilor held it out from the chest. It was a tiny blue crystal, no, a gem to be exact, glowing in an unusual light. It was even more unusual for Geos because, in his very own eyes, saw a fainted figure within the gem.

Geos coiled in distant for he knew what it was.

"You know, I have always wondered why such a beautiful piece could be such a threat to us all? In all such elegance, I wanted to feel its coldly surface; the sharp edges and its entirety with my bare hands." Deshu stared intently at the beautiful object. "Do not be afraid, Geos. This small piece of item would not hurt you. By now you start to hear its whispers, correct?"

Geos simply nodded, hesitant of the councilor's action.

This made Deshu grinned with amusement. "The strange voice beyond the gem. A very irritating title at the long run that I have to say. I mean, at this close range I still cannot hear its whisper; only the eerie sense of queer within that perfected jewel. It sent shivers down my spine knowing that there such things in exist today after the decree."

After the end of the Scarlet Rebellion, the Soulus council, along with permission of the Savior-emperor, had officially decreed that all those who bore the Shards of Heart, must be relinquished immediately and permanently destroyed all throughout. The method to destroy a gem was complex and was sent to the Partishans with great precision. A simple smash with a hammer or any blunt weapons would not be efficient, for, once the gem is shattered, would sent a powerful energy that would destroy the user and the folk around. Think more like an explosive, waiting to be detonated by careless hand. The secrets that the Partishans use was still a mystery as known to date, but you could see 'coloured' smoke rising from their chimneys that the deed was accomplish.

"I apologize, good sir, but I do not understand. What has it got to do with me?"

"Well that's the tricky part." Twilight pointed out. "And the most challenging. You see, we are not going to do with it, but rather, it is you that must do instead."

Geos blinked. "Wait a minute. Are you saying that I must..."

"That's what Twilight is trying to say," Deshu stood close to the frightened soldier with the gem close to him. "Congratulations, mister Geos. You now have the honour to hold this marvellous jewel."

====

Geos shot wide eyes open on what they had asked him to do. What they 'proposed' for him to do. He directed his gaze for a moment at the tiny, blue stone to hear once again the irritable whisper that called out to him.

It was rather strange that neither of them could hear the voices from the stone, otherwise Geos was about to lose the very senses of order and sloped down to insanity.

There was a moment of disbelief that made Geos shook his head and had easily thought they were nothing more than a joke, a frivolous game, to check if his mental mind was still strong enough to reason and/or logic.

Unfortunately for Geos, that wasn't the case as he wouldn't be standing in present before the councilor. If this was a joke then he would have a good chance in line for comedic role.

Words weren't near to describe by the extent that Geos was troubled in. At that instant, he pleaded, in his own mind, to reconsider this foolish order. He would do anything: a new, degraded position to the farthest reaches of the empire or a command to scrub every boots of the guards.

Geos would follow to the letter...except for that.

"I know what you are thinking." Deshu easily guessed the young soldier's thoughts. "I wouldn't risk in the world to touch...this with my bare hands as you are very well aware the nature of what the accursed gem could do." He then gently placed the piece at the table. "Yet here I am, asking you to do it. There was not on this earth that any soul would dare hold it. Yet here I am, asking of you to grasp a what seem as a harmless piece of rock."

"You do not need to worry about it, Mr. Geos." Twilight added. "If this goes out of...hand then we are here by your side if something bad would happen. You have our word."

Why did Geos felt like he was getting dragged into some sort of story that he couldn't turn away? He could feel in his bones that a horrible adventure had opened before him and into the road alongside the violet pony.

In truth, Geos was the one who had to risk it. They weren't the ones who were about to hold a precarious gemstone in the palm of their fingertips...or hoof.

After a deep long breath, Geos had no choice but to follow the command that was given to him. At first, he hesitated in several attempt before he managed to muster the courage and held the sapphire with only just two fingers.

So far nothing has happened to him yet.

Slowly, but assuredly, Geos advanced to three to four fingers until he clutched his entire hand. He squeezed tightly of the gemstone into a rounded fist and waited nervously for it to take its effect.

The first known signs happened just after five minutes when Geos felt a cold sensation that surged through his entire right hand. A blue, eerie glow appeared that spread to his entire arm where it quickly made its way to Geos thoughts.

Strange and peculiar memories from unknown origin opened to him. Memories that didn't belong to him but to someone else. It was a sudden occurrence of a place, a person and the lost chapters of the years. Chapters that felt more like a story from beginning to end.

They were the tales of a man, a woman and everything between that shared their life with love and kindness. It was a tale about a humble family. A refined family where they left their homeland to seek anew and found a fortune. But to all such tales not everything turned out to be a happy one.

Geos saw the horror where the wife was murdered in cold blood. A bandit ambushed the lovely couple upon the empty streets that forever scarred the husband. Lost without his beloved, he was driven to madness in search for the wife's murderer.

That was the last time that Geos saw the mad husband before everything went to dark. He could see such beauty and horror that the sapphire had shown to him. Yet there was one more thing that the gem had to reveal.

The passage went deeper than ever before within the sapphire surface and into the heart of its core. There Geos stumbled upon a massive creature with devilish, golden eyes. It then glared at the young guest and greeted him in a persuasive tone.

This was then that Geos came to realize that unmistakable voice. It was the one that whispered to him; it was the voice from the stone.

Just seconds after that, the creature zoomed towards to Geos, and when it entered to his body a sudden snap of power was released. Right in front of Deshu and Twilight, they saw the cold wind being conjured up from Geos hand and froze the entire table.

Twilight hastily responded to prevent such disaster, but Deshu soon stopped in her track. "Patient, my dear. Let us see what will happen next."

Geos hand burned with an overwhelming sensation that he could challenge the entire world. But there was something wrong that he couldn't achieve. Something that halted him from doing such wicked and terrible deeds. Eventually the power from the gemstone swiftly faded and was reverted back to its dull, normalcy state.

"Geos..." Deshu said with a calm and steady voice, unfazed by what had transpired in his office. "What did you see in the stone? Did you see what kind of man he was?"

Geos stared at the councilor in cold, bluish eyes. An effect caused by the gemstone. When his eyes gradually returned to the original color of black, he responded with a nod. "No. I couldn't recognize him. Everything is so fuzzy after that. I barely manage to remember all of it."

The answer was as much suspected and Deshu sighed in disappointment. He then persisted with another question. "What about a symbol? Do the couple have any significant item that they could relate to?"

Geos looked utterly confused. "How did you know about the-"

"Don't interrupt me, Mr. Geos. Now answer the question."

Twilight was little concerned at Deshu's sudden change of tone as Geos shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary, goodsir. I didn't see anything by what you...wait," he paused briefly. "There was something that I remember...a bird of some kind. Yes, there was a bird outside from the couple's window and they have it engrave on their banner."

"What kind of bird?" Deshu impatiently asked. "What color does it have?"

"I think it was red of some sort, but I'm not sure, goodsir."

Deshu pondered by the description and rubbed his chin. "A red bird...a robin perhaps? Cannot recall anyone having that sort of description except the nobles. But who would use a robin as an emblem--" Deshu interrupted his sentence to realize of one known family. "It couldn't be. I'm sure that...no I must be joking myself. But could it?"

There was no way that Twilight or Geos suspected when the councilor's face grew in a bright color red. His response was grim and reacted so furiously that the two were slightly intimidated by his temper. Although the councilors were known for their patience with a clear and calm manner, it had to be something terrible to break Deshu's nerve.

"My dear, Twilight." Deshu hastily said with a hint of immense anger in his tone. "Would you be so kind as to lead Geos to the captain? I am sure that his talents would prove most excellent upon the task at hand."

"Are you sure about this?" Twilight asked. "Isn't the decision a bit rush on your part?"

A cold smile had shown around Deshu's face that made Twilight twitched with unease. "None at all, my dear. I'm sure this good fellow here would be an asset to the team and the hunt for this, 'Nightmare Moon' stuff. Although it would resolve in my conscience to cross out the list of known suspects, I am rather curious if we have found a collaborator of this disturbance of peace."

"But what if--"

"Now please, my dear. Hush-hush. Don't make me say it twice." Deshu stated to the point. "You have your orders. Follow them through as plan. I'll notify the captain when you guys arrive."

Twilight didn't utter a word of response and bowed in obedience. She had never seen Deshu so fired up before like that. What could possibly be that provoke the councillor's fiery temper? There was a moment where she was tempted to ask, but she knew quite well that in this world, a simple question would get you killed. There was more to Deshu behind his kind and cheerful expression, and she wouldn't dare to see the other curtain.

It didn't take long for Geos to notice that he had overstayed his welcome. Already felt the tap from his leg by Twilight, he gradually exited the office and out from the mansion where a carriage awaited for them in destination to the barracks.

Deshu looked out from the window as the carriage rolled away from his view. He didn't expect them to be involved in the conspiracy. It had been a long time since he remembered. The businesses and contracted deals that he and, his partner, had profited for all these years. "Was it really possible? Could Joaris have already known? Surely he wouldn't dare to break the agreement?" He was annoyingly irritated for an answer, but all he could do now was to sit and wait.

As the bells started to ring, Deshu handedly started his meaningless chores of paperwork. And truthfully, he was getting tired of the same old task.

Chapter 4 - Introduction of the Two (Revised)

It turned out to be an awkward day for him.

Geos was flat out puzzled by the situation that he was in and did not suspect of tagging along a talking beast into another dangerous mission. He thought that once he had finished his task from Ironcloud then he would return to his safe, regular routine of life.

But all that changed when councilor Deshu, head of commerce, and his accomplice, Twilight Sparkle, from another world, tested him that he was a genuine Harten. He couldn’t believe it out of all people that he was one of them. What could possibly get any worse?

"So...you think Nightmare Moon is beautiful, huh?"

Geos silently sighed and cursed himself. He should have shut his trap back at the mansion.

From the opposite seat of the coach, the violet mare, Twilight Sparkle, stared straight at him with her large, cute and googly eyes, waiting for Geos response. She was indeed a curious creature, with no way to shut her up.

Geos tried the silent treatment on Twilight, hoping that she would get the message. He wasn’t interested on answering her ridiculous question, but her google eyes were strong enough to make him persuaded otherwise. How was it that he always falls prey to cute animals?

In the end, he had no choice but to answer.

“Yes. There is no denying to what I said from earlier,” He stated, acting on with a brave face. “I said what I said and I mean it. She was definitely an extraordinary creature that I have ever laid my eyes upon, if not for her genocidal spree upon Ironcloud and my group.”

Twilight had a pain look on her face. Her ears slightly drooped. “I am sorry about your friends and the things that have happened,” She sighed. “I know that is taking a lot of used to since you are talking to something different, like me for example, but I wanted you to know that you can count of me as a friend if you need anything.”

“I appreciate the offer, ma’am,” Geos slightly smiled. “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem and please don’t act so formal. Just call by my first name.”

“And which name would that be: Twilight or Lumena?”

“You can call me Twilight if you want to, but others prefer to call me Lumena instead,” Twilight made a face. “Everyone thinks Twilight is but childish.”

“There is no denying about it. Twilight is a ridiculous name.”

“Hey!” Twilight raised her voice.

Geos slightly chuckled at her reaction. “But in this case I will try my best…Twilight.”

After their little conversation, it was smooth riding from here then on. The silent was almost unbearable at that matter. The sound that they only heard was the spinning of the wheel on the hard, gravel stone road and the trotting clop of horses.

Both gazed at the opposite of the window, hoping that time would pass by until their arriving destination. But time was a cruel and unjust mistress and they were bored in their wit. Geos acted first as he couldn’t take the silent anymore. He had to say something, anything to be ‘unbored’.

“How do you fair the city, Twilight?” Geos asked, breaking the silence. “From where you come from I suspect the buildings and structure is quite same as yours, correct?”

Twilight turned towards to Geos and remained silent for a moment. There was something that Geos notice upon her google eyes. A sudden click of spark. Guess Twilight was more bored than he was.

“To be fair, the place is quite different from my home-realm,” Twilight answered, smiling brightly. “The most difference part is the colors. The buildings here are painted grim and dark with grey and black. I see some light colors, but only slightly. Wish I could explore this town.”

Geos raised his left eyebrow. “I suspect that the councilor wanted you to stay inside his mansion?”

“You have no idea,” Twilight sighed, shaking her head. “Councilor Deshu is overprotective, like a father figure in a good way. I understand why he was doing it. When I was at the Great Dune Sea of the east I had the freedom that I could possibly want and--“

“W-wait, hold up there,” Geos raised his hand, interrupting Twilight conversation for a bit. “The Great Dune Sea of Machire? You’ve been there?”

-The Great Dune Sea lied at the eastern side of the border of Soulus. The nation, Machire, is a mixed field of green and yellow of forest and sand. It is also a nation where two different tribes from opposite faction were united in a single banner in the aftermath of the Brighten Times.--

“You should have seen that place, Geos. It is truly a wonderful,” Twilight started to raise her voice, excited to share her story with him. “It isn’t what you heard of from the Partishans and the newspapers and even books for one thing that they are giving you,” She abruptly stopped in the middle and laughed nervously. “I’m sorry. A lot from here told me that I talk too much.”

“No, I don’t mind,” Geos shook his head. “I’m open for stories. It would be quite interesting to hear of what did after you come to meet me.”

Twilight made another smile. She was glad that there was someone who didn’t disregard of good stories. “Make comfortable of yourself, Geos. This tale would be a long one,” She then tapped on her chin, “Now where do I start? Hmm, I guess I could tell you how I got here in your home realm in the first place.

“Alright, let me tell you how I met thirteen men upon the doorstep of my home in Ponyville.”

There was another thing to say the familiarity between the two and that Geos never shun away of a good story. A good listener when he was a little, he was always fascinated with books. In fact it was his dream to become a writer and publish his very own book about great heroes, villains and damsel in distress.

Twilight told him about her adventure and the dangers that came along the way. She traveled with the thirteen men across Machirin where she faced great adversity that she herself would dare not dream of.

There was much great joy, she said, and there was great sorrow that she hoped to save. Geos learned that at the closing end of Twilight’s adventure, three important men were killed in a great battle. He could see tears coming out from her eyes.

Twilight explained that the three men were like brothers to her and that they taught her how this world works. She said that if it wasn’t for them then she wouldn’t be here in the first place. Geos wanted to apologize, but Twilight managed to brave on with a sadden smile, saying it was okay.

In the end, Twilight had learnt the importance of losing a friend and that there was nothing that she could do to save them. She had to be courageous, for them, and persevere through the hardship that was in front of her. It was the least she could do to honor their memory.

“I’m sorry,” Twilight sniffed, wiping her tears away. “I know it’s kinda sappy, but I have to get this thing out of my chest. You’re the first humes (human) to listen to my story and I thank you for it.”

“You mean you didn’t tell this to anyone, at all?” Geos softly asked.

“I have, and tried, but the Machirins never mourn the dead. If they do then they would sing songs and drink the heavy kind of ale until they passed out. They cheer on as if nothing has happened. In truth, I envy them sometimes.

“Plus when I came to this nation, I was in Deshu’s mansion the entire time and even Deshu was too busy to listen because of his work.”

There was a brief moment of silence in the air. Geos had to say something good, something great to comfort her, but there were no words to express of the magnitude that she was going through.

It was a bit of a sudden that, after a few short hours, Geos understands this mare, this pony from another realm a lot clearer now. Here he saw a small, fragile, innocent creature being sent into a world of danger and horror. How brave she was that she managed to keep it strong through all that pressure.

There was no need to tell that if she was making it up or not, Geos knew that when he looked at her eyes it was serious, real and genuine. He had no further to say after this.

Words meant nothing, but action will.

Geos was about to stand from his seat and give her the biggest hug that he has ever given. He was about to do it…until the carriage coach came to a stop.

The driver called out to them that they reached their destination spot. Twilight looked at the window and first opened the side door. “Guess we have some business to do,” She said, returning to her usual self. “Come on, Geos. Let’s go.”

Geos watched as the mare exited the coach. How was it that as he was about to do something important, something came along the way and interrupt the scene? He just shook his head and heavily sighed.

Twilight’s adventure story had left Geos an impression on him. She was a sweet girl…for a pony.

The driver lead them deep into the forest on the outskirts of town. He told the two the instruction of the meeting place and pointed the direction where the smoke was rising from the horizon. He tipped his top hat to them and drove away.

Nighttime approached as the sun almost drawn to a close. The two followed the path of the driver’s instruction and while they strolled through the quiet nature, a heavy thought laid on Geos mind.

The thought of being a Harten troubled him greatly as society had a growing hate of them. No matter what position, whether noble or commoner alike, those that aligned themselves with the power of nature had always ended in blood.

Ever since the end of the civil war that determined the fate of the nation of Soulus, the Royalist succeeded as triumphant victors over the rebellious Scarletians. In the aftermath that followed, the order was underway as the remnant Scarlets were hunted almost to extinction.

The Hartens, those that have the ability to wield the nature through the Shard of Heart, received the same fate like the Scarlets were as society judged them too dangerous and unpredictable to control. They were spot-on accurate.

At this very moment, Geos had become an enemy of a nation. There had to be some kind of mistake he thought and that he tried to convince himself that Twilight and the councilor were making this up. But who was he kidding. After that spectacle display when he touched the accursed jewel, it seemed fate had conspire him otherwise that his life was now completely in ruin.

What could be vainer than that?

The sun was finally set and gone as night descends onto the forest. While Twilight and Geos had lost the trail of smoke, they could see a distant light that was ahead of them. As they grew closer, they arrived at an encampment where two figures stood in wait for their arrival.

Geos could tell right away that the two were Soulus guards, but who was the rest that was behind them? He had never seen the likes of them before. Then it came to realize in the instant that the group were just a bunch of mercenaries.

They were about a dozen of them with their thoughts distracted from their drinks and their merry song. Their rude display of childish and carefree manners was indecent with not even an ounce of military discipline. However, Geos spotted some high-quality equipment that these mercenaries wield. Who were they?

Unsure to how Geos was able to interact with these bunch of men, his eyes was startled to see Twilight approaching to the mercenaries. There were a lot of things that come into mind and one part that the mercenaries would attack a talking, violet pony in sight. If that were too came to reality then he and the two Soulus guards would have the time of their life against a dozen of these battle-hardened brigands.

And yet in a twist and bizarre kind of way, the only reaction from the mercenaries when they spotted Twilight was a loud and hearty cheer. “Ah, Lumena (Twilight),” One of the mercenaries spoke energetically as he rose up his mug to her. “You’re sight for sore eyes. Did the councilor decided to give you the space of privacy and what-not?”

Twilight chuckled at the comment and slightly shook her head. “Hardly. Councilor Deshu is still overprotective as always. Anyway, time to pack your gears gentlemen, we have the mission to go ahead,” the mercenaries cheered even louder as they quickly prepared themselves that was coming ahead. Twilight then stop a nearby mercenary and asked. “Have you seen Holver? I would like to speak to him while we headed off.”

The mercenary snorted, finishing the last drop of ale. “Hah! That old coot! Always the stubborn one till his dying breath. He’s cooped up over the hill, thinking about nonsense and stuff. Blighted heart-wraith he is and he didn’t come along for a drink with us. I don’t suspect of you to his shiny bald head.”

“Or his scribbly beard!”

The mercenaries who caught the last remark laughed heartily before they faded through their tents.

Geos glared silently at the mercenaries and was disgusted of their indecent display. All of them were a bunch of hooligans and misfits similar to the men that he accompanied when they climbed to Ironcloud. He couldn’t understand why Twilight would be in league with a bunch of rag tag miscreants instead of the calm and efficient work of the Soulus guards?

Twilight then thanked the man and proceeded forth to the hill with Geos and the two guards closely followed. Geos glanced back to see no reaction from the guards. He couldn’t tell if they were feeling the same way as he was, working side by side with the mercs.

Soulus guards are regarded for their efficient and swift methods when combatting rioters and traitors alike. They have worked entirely by the law and never shun away the guidance that they followed. Hired blades or otherwise foreign armies who worked alongside with the guards would find themselves difficult to handle for they have the tendency to be untrustworthy and other times squabble amongst each other.

Then Geos thought about something. If the guards had less regards to other forces, do they feel the same way with Twilight? A talking beast from another world? The chance of cooperation between the two races would seem unlikely at the long run.

At the top of the hill laid an old man whose beard was grey and eyes that long for the eternal sleep.

Holver had always love nature and the music that surrounded him. It was quite peaceful when he had not needed to worry about today’s problem. The song of the birds, chirping their song and the inviting aroma of pine-scented trees was different to where he came from, but it seemed very little when everything in this land was almost perfect.

Yet if there was one thing that Holver missed the most was that he always look above the nightly skies and watch the stars dancing from the distant. Here, for some reason, Soulus had no stars, just smog.

When Holver arrived to Soulus from an early youth, he was a bit startled by the abundance of trees and yellow fields and the garden of flowers that his family had immigrated close to the open lake. Like an ocean of green he would always wander beneath the olden forest and listen to the very nature that surrounded him.

As time passed by and his heart was filled with joyous satisfaction, Holver knew that the peace would not last. The civil war erupted between the royalist and the scarletian and it has affected everything and everyone, including his family.

Holver luckily survived from a Scarletian raid that took away his family and his village. He watched through it all as his love was murdered in cold blood before his very eyes. Rage had filled his broken heart and those that were lucky to make it out in one piece demanded vengeance.

This came to the birth of the ‘Lucky Few’, a mercenary group where the lucky and the fortunate survive through randomness. Holver smirked and thought the summary of the company was kinda vague. Guess that was the reason why there were so many requests from Soulus and around the world to get the job done.

As Holver watched the sun drawing to a close, he made one last great puff of smoke from his brown-wooden pipe before he organized himself upon the arrival of his esteemed guests. He could hear the instant of the crunching grass that was around the corner.

"I see you made good use of the gift I bought." A feminine voice spoke to which Holver recognized it right away. It was sweet and innocent voice of a pragmatic learner of Twilight Sparkle. Holver emptied the ashes from his pipe, placed it at a small case and tucked away in his leather coat.

“And I deeply enjoy it much,” Holver spoke in a deep and fatherly tone as he turned gradually to her and smiled. “Thank you for the gift. I didn’t think you’d know my birthday?”

“Please,” Twilight rolled her eyes and hugged the elderly man. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”

Holver slightly chuckled and returned the hug. “You are probably right. Oh, Twilight, it is so good to see you again. I have never thought that we would be working together like the old days. Oh how fun this would be.”

“Indeed it is. Have you received the letter from Councilor Deshu?”

“I have and…” Holver sadly sighed and did not like what the letter said. “Never thought to see the day when we have to face the Haliv family, out of all people. Sad shame it was, they were one of the few people that give my family a second chance of life.”

“I know it is hard to swallow, Holver, but if there is any slightest chance that Nightmare Moon is in cahoots with the Halivs then it is our job to check it out.”

Holver snorted at her statement. “It never is. Guess it’s time to head out then,” As he stood up he then noticed a timid, young man behind the two guards. “I see that we have a rookie amongst us.”

“Hmm? Oh, I forgot, Holver, this is Geos. Geos this is Holver. He is coming with us to the investigation. Hope you don’t mind.”

Holver gave a suspicious gaze at the young rookie. “Care to explain why? I don’t mind at all with the numbers, the more the merrier, but rookies would just slow us down.”

“Believe me that I say he’s worth it,” Twilight glanced slightly back at the two guards before she leaned close to a whisper. “He has a…special talent that could help us in our situation.”

Holver raised an eyebrow and once more gazed at Geos. “By special talent do you mean he’s a…?”

“Yes.”

"And the councilor wouldn't mind bringing him alon-"

“Nope.”

“I see…” Holver strokes his grayish beard. “You sure are taking a lot of risk here. If they find out that he’s…”

“No one would find out. We made sure of it.”

Holver sighed in defeat. He couldn’t win against those google eyes. “Guess there’s no way of convincing you otherwise. Alright, I’ll go ahead with your plan, but would you mind if I ask some question with your friend…alone?”

Twilight turned to see Geos in a worried state. “Don’t worry about it, Geos,” she said, trying to calm him down. “Holver is a good friend of mine when I first came here to Soulus. He won’t bite.”

“If you so say so.” Geos gulped.

While Twilight and the two guards leave the two alone, Holver gave another suspicious gaze. “So, how much do you know you were a Harten?”

“An hour ago, but the idea of what is a Harten I know very much.” Geos couldn’t help but stand stiff-straight at the mercenary leader. Compared between the two, Holver was twice as large as a grizzly bear.

Holver then suddenly grinned and friendly tackled him. “You do not need to fear me. In truth I’m rather fond of Hartens. Had a friend who was Harten once though I cannot recall where he is right now. Anyway, the reason why you are here is because I want to tell you two important things, and a question, before we head out.”

Geos nodded nervously.

“Alright, number one: never call me goodsir. Stop with this formality and stuff cause it’s making me feel old for some reason. Just call me by my first name.

“Number two: relax. I know that look when you arrive that you hate us. Don’t be. I do not know what these high-officials been teaching you, but I trust my men like they were a family, including Twilight for one. You may see them as chaotic; I see them as an efficient and loyal group of people that I have the honor to know each and one of them.

“And last but not least a question and you’d better tell me an honest answer.”

Geos gulped loudly this time; sweat trickled down from his head.

“Alright, so I really need to know between the two of us,” Holver then looked around to see if there was anyone around eavesdropping on their conversation before he asked. “How do you fair with Twilight?”

Geos blinked at the question and quickly lost his balance.

“Guess that was too much, huh?

Chapter 5 - The Haliv (Revised)

The night wasn't very good to begin with. Darkness covered the streets of Halver where citizens and merchants hide away from looters alike. It used to be a peaceful city, where trade flowed through every part of the empire. Although the civil war came to an end, crime still ran rampant throughout the nation.

Local militias and city guards were unable to halt the crime syndicate that plagues the city of Halver. The citizens pleaded Councilor Deshu to send the Partishan to stop this growing crisis.

It would be easier that way, Deshu thought, looking down from the safety of his mansion. He despised the night. It seemed much darker than ever before. Even with all this power of authority, he couldn’t help anyone but himself. With the reconstruction of the empire slowly in progress, the Partishan is stretched thin battling Scarlet remnants and rebels all over the nation. He couldn’t afford any assistance to his fair city except the mercenaries he hired to maintain order.

Deshu sighed, rubbing his head in deep thought. He should have focused the security of the city, protecting the people, and yet there were more pressing matters that needed his attention. He had spent a great deal of time and money to ensure that his secrets wouldn’t shed into light. The families that he destroyed, the shadowy deals that he made, the lies that he used and promises that were broken.  All those things he did just to keep the empire away from the truth.

It was almost perfect and Deshu knows it. The one thing he didn’t suspect was a stinking beast of a mare from another world. The burden of taking care of her by the command of the Grand Exorcist, he could do little to object. His loyalty was to the Emperor, but to be in the presence of the Grand Exorcist was beyond imaginable.

Exorcists are the guardians of Soulus, the Electric Titans that safeguarded the citizens for more than a thousand years. They’re aggressive power of the sky shook the very ground as they fell like stars, crashing down from beyond.

Deshu had studied countless books on the relation of Exorcists, but none of them could bring the satisfaction he needed for his studies of their leader. None had ever witnessed a Grand Exorcist for it rarely appears itself to the public. Until several months ago when it appears itself right in front of his door.

He made an oath to safeguard Twilight and assist her in whatever she needed in order to combat the threat called Nightmare Moon. For all the titles and names, Nightmare Moon was the worst thing to be said than Twilight Sparkle. Couldn’t they at least have better names? But it didn’t matter to him anymore. He had gotten used to the fact that there is a realm where cuteness and fluffiness prevail and stupid names that he must endure. The very thought of Twilight’s world made him shiver.

On his personal desk was an old leather journal with his initial D.M on the front cover. The journal had seen worse. Most of the cover had worn out and lost its deep color luster. When he opened it he could barely read his writing at all as the ink waned till the pages turned almost blank.

He knew he should have bought better ink. The first couple of pages were beyond readable. He couldn’t remember what he wrote in the journal, except of course the fact that he was rather spoiled in his youth.

For over forty years he had kept his journal, close and guarded. There were a lot of bad memories that he dare not want to speak. He wasn’t the good, obedient son that his parents had wanted. At some point, he knew that his past would have come up to him. He doesn’t know what to do after this.

As he flipped through the page up to the last, he silently read the eligible writing of his. It was the topic about the case relating to the Noble House of Haliv. They were supposed to be the last family that he had to destroy in order to gain the position as the councilor.

It was supposed to be easy. A simple job that he needed to do to erase whatever secrets the Halivs had upon his family. They were nothing more special than the rest that he destroyed so why he couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t the case.

Deshu sighed, regretting on not finishing it sooner than he’d hope. He then looked outside from the window. The night was getting darker than usual. He stood up from his seat and headed downstairs to fetch some candles. He needed the light. They all do.

On a cold and blistered night, a stormy weather rained down on the riders and the carriage as they were on their way to Noble House Haliv. The destination to the mansion wasn’t far and it would take about least an hour or so. With that said, Geos was bored to its wit.

Inside from the carriage lied a slumbering mare, leaning peacefully on Geos lap. It was strange at first for Geos to be talking to a queer creature, but eventually he had gotten pretty well along with her. Plus, and admittedly in secret, he found the mare to be quite adorable when sleeping.

“You should know that where we gain must be without any mistake. Joaris is never the tolerate type to see informality.” Holver quickly informed, sitting at the opposite side. He scanned the paper files that were given to him by the Soulus guards. And what he read he found it to be interesting. “Joaris Haliv: widower, businessman and owner to several mining industries. Bloody beaks, I did not suspect Joaris to be loaded with that much gold?”

“Widower?”

“The filing said that he’d lost his wife,” Holver turned his head to the window, shaking his head. “Magna. Illness had gotten her. She’ll be missed. Have the chance to chat with her once when my family settled here. A charming woman, there’s no doubt about it. ” Geos was silent for a moment as Holver scratched the back of his neck. “It doesn’t matter now. We have a job to do. If Joaris has suddenly gone mad then it is my job to put a bolt in his head. I dare not know what he has in store with that amount of wealth.”

Geos remained silent, still, nodding at his statement. He didn’t know what to say at this point rather than to get this over with. He had enough excitement for one day.

After their brief discussion from Holver, Geos turned his eye on the violet mare that was snuggling on his lap. She must have been very tired to whatever she was doing. When he first met her back at the mansion, he already noticed the state that she was in. Sure, she was groomed and tidied and neatly from top to bottom, but there was no denying her bagged eyes. When did the last time she had some sleep?

According to what Holver explained earlier at the camp, Twilight had stayed in Soulus for a couple of months, helping Councilor Deshu with the preparation to stop Nightmare Moon. He had also learned that Holver and his mercenary gang were just one of the many contacts that Deshu had employed across of Soulus.

Geos gently stroked her neck as she curled her body in response. For a moment, he couldn’t help but to feel a bit giddy at how adorable she was. After a moment scratching her delicate ear, he couldn’t help but to hear her purring. Holver seemed to notice his action and slightly grinned with amusement. “She’s really fond of you know. Never seen her as much get close to anyone beside Deshu and I.”

“Guess she must have gotten used to us.” Geos examined, but Holver snorted out loud.

“Hah, you must be joking? She’s literally one of the weirdest creatures that I have ever met, mare or not. You should have seen her when she arrived in Soulus. She’s unsociably withdrawn talks a lot and acts like a child without a care in the world and when Deshu introduced her to me it took over a week for us to get used to. That includes Deshu as well, except he offered her his personal library to ease tension. Let me tell you, she’s as much a fanatic to knowledge than Deshu ever was.”

“I’m guessing that you and Deshu are in good terms?” Geos asked wonderingly.

Holver grinned and took a bite of beef jerky from his pocket. It was a relief that Twilight was asleep otherwise he would have to suffer the wrath of her googly, non-threatening glare. He chuckled at her uneasily, disgusted look when she discovered it. “Deshu is my source of income. Nothing more. He gives us a job and we get paid for it. Hardly a friend. Politicians are a bunch of lying snakes.”

“Does that include the target as well?”

“Joaris Haliv is an exception. One of the few that earned the company’s respect.”

Their conversation was briefly finished with Twilight grunting in response from the noise. The two were then silenced right away, but not leaving without a silent chuckle. As the three remained in wait for their destination, Geos passed the time around by watching outside from the window. All that he could see were dark trees that stretched far and wide with tiny hints of light in the distance.

How long since they left the city of Halver? Minutes? Hours? Perhaps Geos should have brought his watch since he couldn’t tell what time it was. He then wondered how he was going to get his personal gear. Was the councilor would be willing to retrieve his stuff? But what did it matter when a loyal soldier of the Empire now turned to an enemy that everyone despised upon. The Hartens were never the type of role models to inspire except to be put into the blade and die. He feared he would be next in line once this business was settled. If that were the case, he must be ready when given the chance to escape. He would wish not to harm his fellow, or former, comrades.

There was nothing for Geos to see outside from the window. Most that he could see were dark trees and a lot of it. He was bored to his wit and wanted to get out of the coach. While Twilight still sounded asleep and Holver glued reading the paper files, he looked outside for one last time in order to find something to see, something that would keep him away from this sufferable boredom.

A lantern was dangled just outside of the coach, leaving an orange glimmered light that shine in the darkness. Geos couldn’t turn away from the light and found it strangely mesmerizing, hypnotic even. His eyes then grew heavy, suddenly exhausted without giving reason. He gradually closed his eyes just for a moment's rest and when he opened them everything turned out to be different.

He remembered the inside was supposed to be red and instead replaced with a bland and hideous gray color; the furniture all worn-out with tears and scratches. Twilight and Holver were nowhere to be seen except for a black hooded figure that was seated at the opposite end.

The ominous stranger stared silently at the rookie, giving a strange and uneasy aura. It uncovers its hood to reveal a grotesque face, almost melting even that Geos could see its skeletal bone. Its broken smile was joyous, excited, as if it suspected some company. The laugh of it was the sound of a child.

The rookie remained frozen to where he was, frightened and confused, as the monster stretched its black, ethereal hand. It contacted him through the forehead where dark veins began to appear on his skin.

What Geos describe right now was the worst pain unimaginable. There was something alive that was crawling into his head, a voice that whispered into his ears. It was a child that he heard, but it was sadistic, cruel and twisted. He screamed in agony, pleading for the monster to stop, but it continued relentlessly as the dark veins spread across to his entire face. There had to be an explanation to all of this. Some evidence that it was all but a dream.

The pain was endless and as hard he screamed there was no one here to help him. Nothing but the monster’s dark amusement to enjoy with.

Geos muttered under his breath, expressing pain and anguish from his sleep. His erratic movement slightly got Holver’s attention as he shrugged and continued on to his work. There was no question that the rookie was having a bad dream, but what had got to do with Holver was none of his business.

‘Another day, another night of babysitting, wonderful,’ He thought. ‘Maybe next time once we finish this deal I should stick with guarding trade caravans from now on.’

Today was a full moon tonight and that meant the company was supposed to be at the tavern right now, drinking and singing songs. To them, it was the time to remember the people of the villagers who had fallen from the war. Out of the thirty members of Lucky Few, they were now short to a dozen left.

Holver was a bit saddened that most of the members were just in their twenties, fewer close to his age. The young deserved much more than a life of fighting, and he was getting tired of politicians playing their pointless game against each other. It was time for a change.

After their village was destroyed, Holver and the survivors volunteered to join the royal military, but with their heritage originated from Machire in the east, they were ridiculed and shunned by their offer. So instead they become mercenaries, serving as scouts to gather information on the enemy. In due time, the company made a name for themselves throughout the empire and they saved countless lives in the progress. Even the Soulus council took notice of their deed.

Once the war came to an end, the Lucky Few were granted an audience with the Council and were recognized as an important group. There they then met Councilor Deshu and offered their service ever since.

A year after rebuilding the empire from the ground up and Holver still had countless things that he had to fulfill. And the strangest part that the Councilor has given was to safeguard a strange, mare called Twilight Sparkle. He stopped what he was doing for a moment to stare at the slumbering pony, drooling over Geos pant. Her mane was pressed, curled messily in a chaotic fashion. She adjusted her head to get some better comfort.

It had been a long time since their introduction and Holver could hardly believe that he would befriend a talking beast. As awkward as it sound to stand side by side with an unusual creature, he definitely knew one important fact and that was to never invite Twilight over for a drink. Beside the point after his adventure with the equine, he realized that she was passionate whenever work came to a horizon and deeply cared for the safety of his men. Those kinds of qualities deserved some respect.

He looked down at the pipe that he has taken out of his pocket and gave a good long look at the marvelous gift. There were a lot of gifts in his time, but never like the one Twilight presented to him. The pipe was top quality brand, crafted with the finest wood and not the usual cheap stuff. By the look of the design it was well-suited for a noble, but instead it was his to enjoy and he couldn’t be happier. The only problem now was what kind of present he should give to Twilight.

A light knock was heard just outside of the carriage. Holver peered from the window to see Kear, one of the senior members of the company. “How are the passengers?” He spoke, wriggling his heavy grey mustache.

“Sleeping at the moment,” Holver replied, snorting. “By the time we get there, Geos would feel very wet under his leg thanks to Twilight.”

Kear curiously looked inside at the two sleepyheads. “I see what you mean. Still, we can’t have Joaris be waiting. You know what he’s like if we are to be late in time.”

“Oh, don’t remind me. I still remember his ‘mad chatter’. So how are we close to the mansion yet?”

“Not far from where we are. By this speed we should be at the Halivs in less than an hour.”

Holver gave a slight nod. “Very good, have the men get ready. He would be quite surprise to see his old friend again.”

“Who? Joaris? There’s no denying the fact that he’s going to be ecstatic.” Kear heartily laughed and yelled out to his steed forward to the men.

As Kear was no longer in his sight, Holver pondered warily at their destination. Ever since his wife has passed away, Joaris became distant to everyone, including the Soulus council. Holver hadn’t talk to him since the civil war began and was fearful that their meeting would bring up old wounds.

He looked at the two sleepyheads for a moment and checked his ornate dagger with a robin seal on the hilt. There were two things that he would always treasure and one of them was Twilight. If what the report said was true and that Joaris had fallen over to the enemy, would Holver have the strength to finish what he started?

A bright silver moon was behind the blacken spire of the mansion. The entire building was a palace, far remote of towns or cities. Yet when they approached to the place they saw the state of its condition. The mansion was in a state of disrepair. Cracks could be seen on the wall and the place was almost about to collapse at any minute. Holver couldn’t believe that it was the place that he remembered in his youth.

A chilling aura surrounded the mansion that gives Geos an uneasy feeling. It felt similar to the one like of Ironcloud: cold, grim and dead. Tiny traces of light orange and yellow were seen in the windows. They were relief that it wasn’t abandon yet. The entrance between them and the mansion was a long, single bridge, guarded by Joaris’s personal watchmen. There was nowhere to cross to the other side as Joaris built his home on an island.

One of the watchmen noticed the movement ahead and alerted the rest. He lifted his lantern up to give a better look and shouted “Halt” at the approaching group.

The company and the carriage came to a sudden stop. More Watchmen appeared to the scene as Kear dismounted his horse. He walked a few steps forward, bowing slightly at the guard. “Good evening, goodsir. I apologize for the disturbance, but we are on an important matter of business.”

“And my business is my own. Get lost!” The watchman spat, pointing his spear. “We didn’t receive any news of arriving guests. State your business.”

“Of course, my apologies,” Kear said. “We have come from the city of Halver to ask Joaris Haliv some questions about the recent statement given by Councilor Deshu Moss of Commerce. He wanted us to inspect the premises of Joaris’s operation.”

The watchman pondered for a moment, exchanging glances with the others. “…I need to see some evidence if your word is true.”

“But of course,” Kear reached for his coat and pulled out a letter. He presented and gave it to him. “I hope the content of the letter is adequate enough to sate your curiosity.”

The watchman for a moment browsed at the letter and painfully nodded. “The letter seems to be in order. You may pass, but I’m afraid your men have to stay behind.”

There was uproar among the men, but Kear silenced them with a gesture of his hand. “We accept the condition, but could we at least bring two of ours to insure the security of our guests?”

The watchmen exchanged their looks, at one another as they nodded in response.

Kear gave a slight bow and returned to his men, but not before he silently cursed under his breath.

“It is strange that there are so many guards just for one man?” Twilight observed, slightly peeking from the window. She had gotten well on not being seen by the public and after months being cooped inside at the Councilor’s mansion, she came to understand the reaction of the Soulus populace. Some would fear her of what she is or even attack on sight, but Twilight observed that not all of them would feel negatively alarmed about her present. Example of course would be Councilor Deshu, the mercenary captain Holver and his gang and many more others.

Holver agreed with her observation as his mind was focused on Kear, selecting the two volunteers among the group. “There weren’t many guards when the last time I came here.”

“And when the last time was that?”

“Years ago, after his wife Magna passed away. I just don’t understand it. Joaris was never this paranoid, but clearly something has happened to him while I was away.” Kear had finally selected the volunteers as he approached to Holver. “I take it that the men are still sour about staying behind?”

Kear snorted and spat. “Bunch of cowards these watchmen are, it’s unlike we’re going to be a problem. But still, it is for the best. I wouldn’t risk bringing whatever the men we have onto a death trap.”

“And do you think it would be a trap?” Twilight added, wearily cautious.

“Oh, I have no doubt that it might be the case. Or maybe this Joaris fellow just doesn’t have the time to tidy up the place.”

“Who are the volunteers that you have selected?” Holver asked.

“Jole and Gavris.”

Holver nodded at his selection. “Then we shall go ahead with the plan.”

“Excuse me, but is this wise, Holver,” Kear glanced behind at the watchmen. “These kinds of folk don’t particularly like us very much. Maybe I should be the one to meet this Joaris fellow instead.”

Holver nodded at the offer, but he quickly declined. “I know much more about Joaris than any of you combine,” he explained. “And besides, he would be disappointed if I didn’t come meet face to face. I wouldn’t throw away the chance to meet an old friend of mine.”

“Fair enough, Holver. Fair enough. Guess I should stay behind to stick with this bunch of idiots.”

Holver laughed. “As always, Kear, you take care of their arses. What about you Twilight, Geos? Are you going to come along as well?”

“Well, I have nowhere else to go.” Twilight stated, giving the fact that she was forbidden, by the Councilor, to be seen by the public.

The rookie, however, hesitated, still groggy from his sleep. He felt exhausted, weakened, but managed to give a nodded response. “I still have a duty, sir. I shall carry them through.”

“Then it is settled,” Kear confirmed of their answer and departed to meet the watchmen.

As the gate opened, Jole and Gavris were the first to lead ahead while the carriage followed afterward. Kear and the rest of the Lucky Few stayed behind in wait, hoping for their safe return. The Soulus guards that were driving the carriage didn’t make any sound or response and continued through the long and silent bridge.

Out of range of the watchmen sight, Twilight peered from the window, raising her binoculars with magic. “So this is the noble’s mansion, huh? It is a strange sight of his family to live so far away from civilization.”

“A typical thing for a noble to do,” Holver blurted out. “Joaris parents predicted that an unease relation between royalty and scarlet was inevitable, so they decided to build safe away from civilization. I do not know if his parents were cautious or insane, but in the end they were right. Civil war broke out and they were safe from harm.”

“Did the report say about his parents?” Twilight pondered.

Holver smirked and shook his head. “It isn’t. Joaris told me that personally.”

“What happen to them?”

“Not sure. He wouldn’t say,” Holver sadly sighed. “He hadn’t seen them since he was a teenager and that was when I first met him. Never have I seen him so depress when he mentioned me to his parents  and didn’t say anymore after that. But life turned around for him, in a good way. We have been good friends ever since and a decade later he married Magna…”

“Guess there is some good in nobility after all then.”

Holver snickered at the last remark. “It is a funny thing about them considering that we have one right here in front of us.” His eyes turned cold and grim towards Geos. “You better prepare yourself, rookie. Stay sharp when meeting Joaris. He can be quite deceiving at times.”

Geos quickly got the message and nodded. He was frantically nervous of what Holver said and worried that he might know who he was. The Vaarkas, even though employed as bodyguards to royal dignitary, were a very wealthy family because of their services. It practically made them a noble in their right. This made the Vaarkas unpopular with the middle and lower classes since they were infamously known for strict and harsh punishments against those that would harm their superiors.

As they entered the mansion, the first thing that they glimpsed was the excessive field of blue flowers that stretched all over the front yard. The place inside was spacious; large enough that could fit almost a battalion. The flowers illuminated the area in a faint glow, lighting the path that leads all the way to the mansion. Twilight and Geos had never seen so many flowers before, but Holver shrugged it off, telling them that Jyfinile, or Remember Me, was Magna’s favourite flower and that Joaris would plant them a bunch every year.

Yet, what startled Holver the most was not the soldiers that were garrisoned, but by the armaments that they carried. He glanced on several towers, seeing them equipped with broad, heavy cannons and soldiers with their state singly-shot musket.

In order to win back against the Scarlet Order, allied Harten, and conscripted Red Horde, the Royal forces unveil their secret weapon at the beginning of the civil war. Although cannons proved otherwise effective against area-affected troops and slowed their movement, it proved unable to stop them until they reached to the Royal Capitol.

It was then that the Soulus Empire created the Partishan in their desperate time along with a smaller design similar to the cannon. The first musket, inaccurate range and sloppy to reload, yet it stands very well against the Scarlet. Along with the backing of the remaining Royal forces and the Exorcists, Partishan sharpshooters crippled the Hartens easily from safe distance which then successfully defended the Capitol and win the war in the process.

After the war had ended, laws were made to insure that the weapon would not fall in the hands of the public. By right, firearms were strictly in use only to the Partishan and no other.

How was Joaris able to acquire the stuff? Holver thought. He had grown increasingly worried at the firepower that Joaris had in store. Most of the soldiers that Holver observed were seasoned, well-trained and probably efficient enough in a fight. Was his old friend really going to do this? Has Joaris aligned himself with the enemy?

Holver stepped out from the carriage first to sight the black spire in the distance. Geos came second after him, stretching his arms up wide. “Sorry, Twilight, you know the rules,” Holver said, turning around to stop the violet mare. “Can’t have the folk around here be seeing you out in the blue.”

“But,” Twilight eyed at him with her large, google eyes. “I’m sure they would think of me as some kind of animal or a pet of yours. No one would ever suspect about it.” It usually worked when Twilight used her adorable eyes and most of the time it succeeded without fail, but no matter how much she tried, Holver wouldn’t be swayed by her failed attempt.

“Again, you know the rules. Stay here until our business is done. You should have stayed with Kear and the gang.”

“What, and miss the chance like this? Never.”

“Twilight?” Holver slightly raised her voice.

“Oh, alright. Alright. I’ll stay inside this stupid ride. Just be careful out there.”

Holver gave a warm smile and nodded. He closed the door and walked through the yard with Geos right beside of him. There was a look on Twilight’s face that Holver noticed when he closed the door. He knew exactly what that look mean and hoped that she wasn’t thinking of doing something foolish.

The two mercenaries, Jole and Gavris, followed suit behind while the Soulus guards remained at the ride, protecting the ‘delicate cargo’ that they used to call Twilight. Out of all the things that Holver hated the most, the Soulus guards were at the top of the list. He could not stand their eerie silence; their blind egos that wrapped them superior than the rest.

As they crossed between the gardens, Geos couldn’t help stop staring at the blue Jyfinile flowers. It had strangely left a lasting effect on him somehow as there was a great sense of calm in the air. His feet could almost collapse at any minute before they managed to reach to the front door.

Holver adjusted his uniform, trying to look decent. He then knocked the door three times and waited for the other side to respond. The three that were behind him drifted at the old building, looking around at the haunted mansion until the doors slowly came to open. At the entrance stood a stern, well-groomed butler, about the age of thirty, with a white vest and tidy black coat.

“Good evening to you, sirs,” the butler spoke in a monotone voice. “Are you the unexpected guests that the watchmen spoke of?”

Holver nodded, bowing. “Forgive the intrusion of this hour, but we have come here to see Joaris on the matters of the accusation based upon Councilor Deshu.”

“Accusation?” The butler arched an eyebrow, ponderously. “Whatever is the master accused of, goodsir?”

“A lot of what has been given to me, but the most was a conspiracy against the throne and the council.”

“My, such bold statements,” the butler gladly allowed the guests inside the mansion and closed the door. His hand reached out at the candlelight, lighting up of the piece. “Please excuse the darkness around here. It is rare for the master to be having guests. My name is Wheler, at your service. If there is anything you need for me then ask, but enough of my idle chatter. Please follow me; I will escort you to the guest room.”

“Are you not going to lead us to Joaris?” Holver said.

There was a sad look on the butler’s face. “The master hasn’t received any visitors for a long time and doesn’t want to be disturbed. What’s even worse is that he had lost a great deal of fortune during the Civil war as you can see the place that’s around you.”

“I never heard Joaris was bankrupt,” Holver added, slightly shocked by this sudden news. “How was it possible? The war was far from here. There was no way he would lose all of his fortune.”

“You’d be surprised what five years of civil infighting could do with these days. However, I do not have the privilege to explain the personal matters of the master. If you want to know what happen here, then my best bet you discuss with him yourself. Ah, here we are. Please, hold on for a second. Blast it all, which is the right key.”

After several unsuccessful keys, Wheler finally found the right one. The door was unlocked to find the guest room in a tattered mess. “Forgive me, sirs. Please make yourself comfortable… um, whatever you can.”

Chapter 6 - Shadow vs. Guard

//-----------------------------

// Story: Crossworld Between Harmony

// Chapter 6 - Shadow vs. Guard

// Author: Scarlet Reign

//-----------------------------

The gray captain and the rookie, Geos, went inside the mansion with butler Wheler holding out the door. Inside, the room was even more spectacular than the outside, describing of a dream come true for a luxurious suite, except for the hundred of books that was laying everywhere.

“Forgive for the sturdy messes gentlemen,” the butler added, closing the door behind them.

“What’s the deal of this?” Hover asked; and knowingly, slightly intimidated by the darkness. “And what happen with the light?”

“Again, I am deeply sorry about this,” Wheler fetched out the candle as he lit it up. “Master Haliv, out of barkly sense, dislike the light. It...distracts him...from his work.”

“What work?”

“For that, it is a secret,” the butler chuckled and went ahead, heading for the stairs. “If you please follow me, I’m sure my Master is upstairs, studying, as usual.”

======

Canterlot

Princess Celestia smiled at the farewell guests as she returned to her personal chamber. She rub her fiery avian, Philomena, as it cooed with delight. “I am sorry that I wasn’t here for you,” she said, sighing. “But it isn’t the same without her. You would that, after a year without my sister, it would be the same as before. But it isn’t.”

Philomena frowned, nudging at the princess.

Celestia giggled. “Oh stop it, that tickles you know,” she slightly smiled at her pet, but her smile quickly faded at the instant. She looked out from the balcony, feeling the cold embrace of the heavy rain.

Celestia closed her eyes, remembering the good times with her sister, Luna, and her faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. The memories were heavenly, glorious. She would like to go back in time just to spend another moment with them. How they cherished every moment of their life was worth every bit of it. And she would say hello to them and laugh with absolute glee.

But when Celestia opened her eyes she saw nothing, nothing but the dark clouds that was hovering above and the irritable rain. I hate the rain...it makes me all...sentimental.

There was a knock at the door as Phalanx gradually opened. “Mistress, your schedule for raising the moon is coming up shortly,” he said, only to find himself surprise to see the Princess outside, drizzled and soaking wet by the rain. He quickly barged inside to her chamber. “Mistress! Are you alright?” he asked, worriedly.

The princess gradually turned to face the pony-guard, finding her tears coming from her eyes. “Oh Phalanx,” she said, her voice was shaken, unable to hide her sorrow. She quickly lunged at the guard, hugging him tightly like never before. Her forelegs crumbled beneath her, as she weeped dreadfully of the loss. “Oh Phalanx, why is it always happening to me? Why? Why!”

Phalanx couldn’t bear the magnitude that the princess was feeling. He felt a deep, throbbing sadness coming from her. He slowly hugged her back. “I am sorry, for everything,” he grimly confessed, feeling himself responsible for the tragic event. His eyes began to water as he succumbed into tears. “It should have been me that took the shot. Then nothing would have happen to her.”

Then, Luna would still be alive.

======

The two ascended to the second floor, striding through the hallway and following the butler wherever the path had taken them.

Wheler became silent, stuttering not a single word after the explanation from Hover. The destruction of Fortress Ironcloud was unfortunate, and he sympathize to the fallen men defending the mighty structure. Firmly holding a candle light, he continued walking as the floor creaked ominously on the dark path ahead. He'd shown a cool, calming state, unhindered by the surrounding darkness. He turned back at them and smiled.

“Why are you smiling?” the captain asked.

“Nothing sir, no particular reason. Though, it must be hectic back at the capitol of the sudden loss.”

Hover grimaced, still disbelief that the fortress would go down so easily. “In bearing truth, even I didn’t know about it. The news were keeping secret to us as well."

The butler nodded. "It must be quite urgent if the news was being kept from you and the public. The master would be greatly displease that our protectors were left in the dark."

Hover smirked in a agreement. "You could say that again. What is the deal with the darkness?" he added, suspiciously curious from earlier. "You mention before that he was distracted by the light, why is that?"

"Well, it isn't like he was distracted or anything," the butler corrected. "It's just his condition with the light...unsettled him. The longer he stares at the light, the more it hurts."

"And what kind of condition is it? The more I think about it, your master seem to have a fond of the night."

"For that, there can be no lie. The master does enjoy the night. His favorite pastime is astronomy. But for his condition, I am clueless as you are. Even to me, his loyal and faithful butler, he wouldn't tell me about it. Although, if I have to guess, sir, I think it has to do with the accident that happened a year ago."

"Accident? What accident?" Hover asked. "Did something happen to your master?"

The butler grimly nodded, slightly depressed. "I fear the master couldn't recover after the accident. His entire family went onto their usual trip to the woods when bandits attacked. He'd lost his entire family."

"That...is quite unfortunate." Geos said. For once, Hover agreed with him.

"The master wasn't the same after that. I think he still blamed himself for their death," the butler sighed. "That would be my guess, sir, as to why they're so many books. He seemed to be focusing on a way to--"

"Bring them back to life," Hover finished his sentence. "Your talking about raising the dead? Using magic?"

Geos was slightly alarmed, recalling from Ironcloud of the undead horde. Butler Wheler winced. "...yes, that is right. But like I said, it was only a guess. We do not know what our master is doing in his study room."

"Anything else that we should know about your master?" Hover asked, slightly demanding.

The butler cleared his throat, mindful at the captain’s infamous temper that he has heard about. “The master was determine to find the solution, but when he returned from the accident he had the look of a deadman, covering in injuries and blackish stains all over his fine suit. He had told me once that he was saved by a beast. It sounded crazy if you ask me."

“If by chance,” Geos mindfully asked. “Did the beast have black wings?"

"As a matter of fact, he did said something about the beast having wings and a horn on its head. The master even mention that it could use magic, absurd. How in the blight's did you know that?"

“It seems Geos is interested into your story," Hover intervened, blocking Geos and their discussion. "Ah, the youthful mind of imagination. The young lad must have quite the imagination, don't you think?"

The butler glared suspiciously at the captain; and more importantly, at the rookie. He then shrugged, focusing on the direction ahead and silently laughed.

Hover gazed coldly at the rookie, aware that their investigation was almost being blown. "Mind your words carefully, rookie," he whispered. "Or you'll find yourself back in your pitted dungeon."

Geos stared at the captain as he proceeded ahead with the butler. His fist tightened, unbearably wanting punch him in the face. He looked down on the ground, controlling his hatred for the captain. He could feel something stirring into his chest, urging to place a blade onto the captain's blackened heart. But inevitably, he couldn't. He wasn't the type of person to do something so foul and wicked.

He depressingly sighed. For now, he had to accept the reality as he tried to catch up with the captain.

He had been awfully quiet throughout the trip. His mind was ravaged with consistent headache. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to this place, lurking beneath the mansion as the pain returned with twice the force, throbbing persistently without any end. He could strangely hear the nightmare beast, whispering in his ears and calling him into the darkness.

Unnaturally, he felt there was something wrong with the mansion. The surrounding place feels twisted, bending to the point of madness. The air was foul in his lungs, reminding him more of the dark equine and its ghastly companion.

The place was written with trouble and, what’s worse, he was about to find out.

======

Butler Wheler had led them deep into the mansion, striding straight on the path ahead. The hallways was pitch utter black as the burning candle was slowly fading from the light. Their shadows were reflected by the candle, showing ominous figures of themselves with fingers extending like claws and their heads slightly deformed, bended into a different shape.

"This as far as I can go," the butler announced, standing in front of a door. A fainting light appeared from behind, peering through the sided space of the door. "This is the master's personal study room. Be advise though, that he doesn't take likely to visitors when he is...lobbying through his books."

"Noted, and thanks for you advice. You can leave us now, Wheler"

The butler gradually bowed. "Very well, captain. Good luck to your investigation. I hope you can clear his goodly name." He calmly finished his sentence and strode back , but not until he glance at the rookie with slight amusement. The candle light grew dimmer as the butler trailed to the hallway and vanishes without a trace.

Geos blinked, wondering on what's the other side of the room. In the instant, the pain gushed through his mind, lingering on with persistence. The door jerked open as a ray of light flashed before his eyes, blinding him completely to the surrounding. It didn't took him very long to discover that he was in a different place.

No longer at the Haliv mansion, Geos was outside, standing alone at a dark and desolate forest. Middle of nowhere and without any knowledge to where he was, he quickly began to sight an animal, slithering its way towards to him.

It was a black snake.

The snake had a feign, dark and familiar energy that was surrounding over its body; it eyes glared with an ominous bluish glow. It hissed, dangerously, sounding enrage about something, or someone. “Curse them...curse them all!”

Geos wasn't surprise to see a talking snake. For him, meeting a talking pony was enough. As the snake was getting closer, he felt a cold chill surging through his spine. His eyes was glued at the snake as it passed right through him like a feign ghost.

The dark purple snake raised its head, gazing at the night and the constellation of the stars. She hissed, despondently. “Someday...I will have my revenge..."

As the animal disappeared into the woods, Geos couldn't help but to put his fingers on it. He was sure that he'd recognize the snake somewhere before and strangely enough, he felt...sorry for the snake. He understood the creature perfectly, seeing the snake to be in badly shape and injured from an accident or a fight maybe.

Her words were dangerous, threatening even. The snake had a deep grudge against someone for sure as Geos could hear another voice, coming from behind. It then quickly said.

“Are you going to open the door?”

"Huh?" Geos twisted his head to meet Hover, impatiently tapping his feet. He saw his hand by the door handle, realizing that he was back from reality. He felt embarrassed about it.

“Anytime now, would suffice." Hover added, his voice slightly strained.

Embarrassed by his action, Geos clicked the handle, gradually opening the door for him. "Right...sorry about that."

The gray captain shook his head as he quickly entered the room.

Geos paused, dozing off as to what had transpired. Did he witness a memory, a dream, an illusion? Who was that snake and where was that place? So many questions and yet, so little time. He didn't had the time to think about the answers as his feet parried into the study room.

======

As they entered the room, they quickly came to stumble upon a mountain of books, laying everywhere in sight. The books had sheer volumes of manuscripts imported from local to foreign land and there were some books relating to sorcery and magic. Butler Wheler was right all along, his master, Joaris Haliv, was attempting on magic

The study room was in a completer and utter mess. It wasn't surprise for them by what the butler had describe of a man being coop up in his room for so long. Dirty clothes were placed at the sofa and the smell of rotten fruits sting in their nostrils in the instant.

Minding the smell, Geos browsed on one of the books, scratching his head in perplexity. The words were foreign, he couldn't understand them if he tried. He kept turning the pages only to see drawings and diagrams of the human anatomy. He checked on another book that was all about clockwork and machines and didn't know what to think. The sketch of the drawing wasn't complete, half finished, but he could make out the unfamiliar design. It was a ship.

“At last, you’ve finally come.”

Out of nowhere, a voice appeared. Geos slightly jumped in startle as he dropped the book. Emerging between the pile of papers, a man rose from the scene. It was a middle aged man, smiling cheerfully with delight. The man was total wreck. Like the rest of the room, his appearance was a mess, disorganized and sloppy. His suit smelled as bad as the rotten fruits.

“I was wondering when you will show up," The middle age man babbled, slightly insane in his voice and checking at the clock. "You're behind schedule as it is. My name is Joaris Haliv. And I welcome you to my humble estate.”

"Forgive of the intrusion, but did you say that we're behind schedule?"

"Indeed you are. You're late to deliver the mail." Joaris spoke like a madman, constantly convincing himself that they were somebody else.

Hover sighed, changing the subject. "Master Joaris, please, we are not some messengers," he stated. "We have come here to believe that you were in some sort of trouble."

Haliv tilted his head, slightly surprised. “Oh? This is strange indeed, but as you can see here there’s nothing to be worried about. Everything is peaceful and quiet. There’s no trouble around this place, no trouble at all.”

“I...tend to disagree,” the gray captain presented his badge. “We are the Soulus guards. By the order councilor Deshu himself, we have come to investigate the sudden rumors. We believe that you are conspiring against the empire and the--"

Suddenly, Joaris bluntly laughed aloud,  interrupting the captain’s speech. He greatly smiled, laughing crazy as if he didn't laugh for a very long time. "Oh please, this is too much," he said, wiping away his joyful tears. "Conspiracy...now that's a good one. You must be entirely mistaken as to think that I would go up against the empire. You must be out of your mind."

Hover lowered his eyes, not likely taking himself for a fool. He really despised nobles with a passion. His action would bludgeoned the crazy man to the ground if not for his promise with Twilight Sparkle. "Maybe you are correct," he slightly admitted. "But if you don't mind as to let us see your work then?"

Joaris heavily blinked, clearly hitting a nerve. “That’s personal affair...you have no right as to--”

“As Soulus guards we every right to suspect any doubt and suspicion," The captain clarified, now smiling back with delight. "You will show us what you have been doing or risk being force to submit by Soulus laws."

Joaris remained silent, staring with disapproval. He slightly glanced at his studies. "...very well. If you must insist then I will show you my work." He quickly grabbed the little bell from the table and rang.

The door opened from behind to see Wheler in present. "You called, master?"

"Yes. Bring the captain to my work. Show him...the extent of my progress."

"As you wish, master," the butler bowed. "Captain, if you please follow me."

The gray captain nodded, willingly leaving the study room. Geos was about follow the captain, but he was quickly stop by Joaris, grabbing behind his shoulder. "My good man, please, stay for a moment. We simply must discuss something important."

Geos wanted to refuse his offer, but the gray captain turned with a commanding voice. "You stay here, rookie. Keep a close eye on our friend while I check his work."

"Understood, sir." Geos watched the captain left the room, leaving him alone with the head family of the mansion.

Joaris smiled. "Excellent, now that he's out of the way, you and I have some important matters to discuss. When I saw you enter the room, I can sense something...unique about you."

"You must be mistaken. I'm nothing of special, sir."

"For that, I tend to disagree," Joaris Haliv stared, his eyes were deep lavender. "You are more special than I thought.

======

The gray captain wondered if it was a good idea to leave the rookie behind; although, he didn’t have the time to waste as his feet trailed into a different path.

Following the butler to the unknown, the captain stopped in his track. "This is different from the rest. Where are we?"

The butler humbly chuckled. "Your doom, I'm afraid."

The gray captain raised to question and before he could ask another question, a sharp blow was felt from the back of his head. Feeling the tremendous force, the captain was knocked out, collapsing in front of the butler.

Wheler ominously smiled. His eyes glared with deep lavender as he could see another butler emerging from the shadows, wielding firmly of his baton.

“Finally, I thought he’d never shut up,” Wheler stated with relief. “Bring him to the working chambers and have him lock with the rest of the unfortunates. Their souls will be excellent for the master’s experiment.”

The butler nodded  “What should we do with the rest of them outside?”

“There are of no concern to the master. Eliminate them all and be done with it." As soon as Wheler was about to depart he then grimly added. "Oh, I forgot one other thing: bring that purple beast to us. I want her head on a silver platter."

Chapter 7 - The Dirty Deal

//-----------------------------

// Story: Crossworld Between Harmony

// Chapter 7 - The Dirty Deal

// Author: Scarlet Reign

//-----------------------------

“The master has given us permission to commence,” The butler informed the defender of the mansion, “Kill everyone in sight.”

The defender nodded, gesturing to the human footmen to begin preparations. “This will send the wrong message to the council, you know.”

“To the blight with them, the council is not of our concern, it is the one that delivers the message to them.”

“By thy command, we shall do so.” The defender agreed, sighting the cannons and making sure the archers were ready for the order.

The butler smiled, grimly amused. He quickly added, “If you spot the purple beast in the carriage, have its head cut off and presented to the master.”

“...As you wish...”

======

Twilight pouted, slightly annoyed. Irritated over the fact that she couldn’t join Hover into the investigation. Lying down on her seat, she tried to sleep to take her mind off it. So far, it wasn’t working.

While the purple mare sighed in boredom, the other guard, sitting at the opposite side of her, couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh come on now, Twilight. Surely you must realize now that it would stir a lot of trouble. Especially the ones that aren’t tolerant enough to understand your existence.”

Twilight was stubborn, rolling over the side and moping. She had to admit that he was right.

Guard Rever was handpicked by the gray captain when he discover his talent as a capable leader. Born from a rag-tag militia group, Rever defended his home against raiders and bandits alike. His tactics and bravery had save countless lives, honoring the role as the Soulus guard.

“I know it must hurt, staying here and doing nothing,” Rever commented. “But even then, the law must be implemented and as such--”

“I know the rules, alright!” Twilight shouted out. Her words almost reached the others outside and Rever was slightly stunned. She heavily sighed. “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to be like that.”

“And I didn’t mean to be so straightforward,” Rever apologized. “Is there anything else you want me to do?”

Twilight shook his head. “No, it’s alright Rever. I’m just... tired.”

“Indeed you are, miss Twilight,” he said, looking at her state. “When did you last sleep?”

Twilight shrugged, unsure how long she had even thought of sleeping. For grueling months, she have worked long and hard to stop Nightmare Moon and her evil schemes. Without end, she had done what any human could do, halting her progress and her allies. But she cannot sit here, doing nothing while the realm was under attack by an enemy that they do not know of.

Travelling throughout the human realm she not only saw fear and ignorance of mankind, but as well as hope and their stubborn resolve. Twilight remembered a lot of her new friends that fell beneath Nightmare Moon’s scheme, falling and dying in her forearms. She wanted to be part of something, to be part of the investigation as soon as possible.

Twilight could only wish that she had sided with captain Hover one more time just like the old days. They were like peanut butter and jam, sticking through the thick and thin. The two were an unstoppable force of brain and brawn, nobody could outmatch their harden resolve.

In her first time visiting the human realm, Twilight didn’t know where to begin. Lost in the majesty of a new world, she had to hide behind the shadows, constantly avoiding the prying eyes of the precarious crowd until it was safe to come out. If it weren’t for her faithful companions that she tagged along with then she wouldn’t have met captain Hover in the first place.

The companions that Twilight spoke of were the very same people that attacked Ponyville six months ago. After the fateful incident in Ponyville, the nine defeated humans were locked away in the palace dungeon of Canterlot.

Twilight remembered like it was just yesterday as her teacher, Princess Celestia, glared at the humans with fitting rage. Because of their actions, Celestia had to rule Equestria alone and without her sister, Luna.

Twilight was beside her every step of the way, fearful of her terrible wrath. She had thought her teacher would have send them to the moon, or worse; but instead, Princess Celestia choose a different answer.

She pardoned them all in one fell swoop.

Twilight startled in utter shock. How could Princess Celestia pardoned them all like that? It was then at that moment, that her teacher would do the unthinkable. She then welcomed them with open arms, as friends and advisors.

Twilight shook in disbelief. Never before that the invaders would instantly be Celestia’s personnel advisors. It was unheard of and was downright insane. The entire castle of Canterlot shook to its very core as the nine human sentinels were flabbergasted by the event.

Princess Celestia had her motivation, a reason, as to why she willingly let the humans go. Twilight knew certain well that her teacher was up to something; she could feel in her bones that the humans have some purpose. And that purpose, finally revealed itself.

As months went by, the sentinels gradually became her most trusted bodyguards, sharing their knowledge and expertise to the princess. Eventually, the sentinels had to return to their realm, but not bringing along a lavender mare into the trip. This was Princess Celestia’s plan all along for Twilight Sparkle.

At first, Twilight was speechless, a mindblower. She would have never imagine herself to be the first pony to travel into a new realm. She was shock, but it was worth every bit of it; and truthfully, her curiosity got the better of her.

“...the captain sure has been taking long,” Rever added, looking out from the window and gazing at the mansion. “Do you think they’re in sort of trouble?”

“Pfff, please, that’s unlikely of him...except of course the other time, and the other time before that,” Twilight suddenly began to worry for the captain. “Nah, it couldn’t be like that. There’s no way he’ll do it again, I hope.”

Rever wasn’t buying her reason; he knew there was something wrong with the captain and they have been in the mansion for far too long enough. If the captain was safe, then he would give out a signal.

As the two laid dormant, a terrible cry appeared from out of the blue.

The two jumped in startle as Rever quickly exited the carriage, only to find his fellow guardsman lying dead with an arrow plunge onto his neck.

A volley of arrows flew from every corner, landing a direct hit at the surprised Soulus guards. Unsafe in the open field, the guards quickly formed up their shields. The attack came from the inside. It was an ambush. They were deceived.

“What’s going on? What happening?” Twilight asked, hearing their crying wail and slightly sticking her head outside from the carriage.

“Get inside!” Rever barked, pushing the lavender mare back into the carriage as a lethal dart almost misses her by an inch to her head. He quickly cursed. “Blighted gutters, I knew we should stick to the original plan!  Stay low and be quiet, don’t come outside until I said so.” He brought his shield up, blocking at the oncoming darts, glaring at the archers with a terrible vengeance.

“Whatever happens, Twilight, don’t open this door to anyone,” he added. “Keep it lock and whatever happens...to us, well, you get the idea.”

Twilight swallowed, nodding shakingly at the last remark. She truly remembered her companions that she tagged along with from her first visit. They didn’t make it out alive. She could see his smile, slightly grinning as Rever closed the door shut. His voice could be heard from the distant, calling out in orders to the remainder of the guards.

“Get into place! To arms, to arms and prepare for a fight.” Twilight heard, carefully listening until gunshots were fired. The loud boom hurt her fragile ears.

“Over there, on the right! Shoot them!”

“Form shields, we’ve gotta to hurry before--gah!”

“Blasted blighters, what is that?! By Savior, move away!”

Their terrible scream frightened Twilight; she remembered all too well of the sound of battle. It was sudden, quick, and painless. She’d manage to get up on her track, but this time, this time it was different.

Twilight quickly came to hear the enemy’s cannons, pounding at the guards that nearly shook the carriage. With the battle raging on, she then covered her ears, tightly blocking them so she could not listen to the horrors outside. So far it proved ineffective.

“Twilight!”

When her name was called out, she instantly snapped, recognizing the voice belonging to Rever.

“Twilight!” Rever repeated as his voice began to strain. “We cannot hold them for much longer. You must get out of here, now!”

Rever, no! I won’t do that!” Twilight shouted, countering back. “There is no way I’m leaving you guys. I made a promise,  won’t abandon you!”

“Just get out here, Twilight! This entire mansion is coming for your hide!” Twilight could hear a painful grunt from his voice. “Tell the captain...that I did all that I can...”

From his dying breath, a large blast suddenly interrupted. The force exploded awfully close to the carriage, leaving nothing to remain but an ominous silence. Twilight couldn’t hear his voice outside, nor any of the guards in that matter. She shook her head, angrily refusing to believe that Rever and the rest were dead. Her hooves quivered; she was beyond to express her loss.

Twilight was about to open the door when she heard a clicking sound. It came from the outside.

There was a smile on her face, convincing herself that it might be Rever. But she knew any better than that when she heard an unfamiliar voice.

It wasn’t Rever, or the Soulus guards.

It was the footmen.

Twilight backed away from the entrance, hearing their voices getting louder by minute. Her horn began to charge in a radiant light. The footmen finally got the door open, only to meet a powerful beam that knocked them away, leaving them stunned by the attack.

A force barrier then emerged, wrapping around the carriage and preventing the footmen to get in. Twilight managed to gaze outside the open door and was petrified to see the fallen guards, lying motionless. She couldn’t see where Rever was except the foot soldiers, standing outside and waiting for the mare to come out.

Struggling to keep her barrier in check, a heavily armored man approach to the barrier, gazing magic that was constructed by the equine.

“You know you can’t stay there forever,” he stated, slightly annoyed at the barrier. “Be prepared that if you aren’t willing to get out, then I have no other choice,” the man gestured his hand at the cannoneers as they aimed their cannons at the carriage. “Please, come quietly beast. I promise you that your death will be quick and painless.”

“Murderer! Heartless!” Twilight snarled. “You killed my friends!”

“An unfortunate loss and for that, I am sorry. But I have my orders,” the armored man gestured at the cannons, readying to take fire. “I ask you one last time, mare. Will. You. Surrender?”

Twilight glared, angrily at the man. She shook her head in defiance at the man

The armored man sighed but slightly smiled. “I see you have spirit in you left, I respect that,” he gradually turned and walk away. “Goodbye, Twilight Sparkle.”

The cannoneers lighted the fuse, aiming deadly at the lavender mare. Twilight grimly looked up, hearing the sizzling embers of their cannons. There was no way that she could withstand the blast; not with all the cannons that was directing at her. The barrier would be destroyed and along with her in it if she doesn’t do something.

There was no way that she would escape the carriage, not while the footmen was waiting for her outside, stalking their likely prey. The chance for survival was grim and with time running out, she would have no other choice but to rely on her magic.

But was it worth the risk?

Enough strength left to teleport herself out of the situation, she hasn’t got the fondest idea of the area of the mansion. Would she meet her untimely demise or her safety? For now, she didn’t have time to decide when she grimly heard the cannons fire.

As the cannons roared with life, Twilight concentrated deeply on her magic. Her horn sparked with great ferocity, radiating in a bright purple light.

The daunting light hesitated some of the footmen as the iron shell made contact. The carriage exploded in incredible fire and smoke, leaving nothing of remain but ruinous rubble.

The carriage was destroyed, but where was Twilight?

======

Somewhere at the mansion...

A light emerged from out of a blue, opening a small portal and a powerful wind. Twilight instantly dropped to the ground as the portal quickly vanished without a trace. Exhausted and spent from her magic, she saw tears in her eyes as mourned the loss of her dearest friend.

The experience was familiar to Twilight, losing a fellow friend was painful and Rever was one of them that it was too much to bear. Studying, exploring and living for six months in the human realm could change a pony’s perspective and Twilight surely have face death many times before.

Wiping away her mournful tears, Twilight stood vigilant, still shaken, but headstrong. Their sacrifice would be in vain if she just stand here and crying out. She needed to survive this nightmare event, and live.

“Where in Equestria am I?” Twilight asked herself, roaming around on what appears to be a wasteland. Lucky enough, she was safe for a moment as she took a breather. To her realization, captain Hover might already be captured by the enemy. She needed to find a way to get inside to the mansion and rescue Geos and the captain before it was too late.

Twilight began striding across the dead place, still disbelief on what just happen. She’d never thought the footmen could attack the Soulus guards like that. The ambush they’ve pulled was brilliant, and dangerously accurate. With more foot soldiers coming for her head, she’d suspected to be the work of Nightmare Moon’s influence as the armored man from earlier mentioned her name. Fortunate to be alive and well, she trailed forward to the mansion, but found herself paused by the dreary place.

The garden from the front was gorgeous, spectacular in all of its beauty. But at the back of the mansion, it was different, like the life was sucked out from them. As Twilight strided through the desolate garden the dead plants were already wilted, lost of its vibrant luster.

She questioned about the place. Why was the front garden beautiful and perfect while the back lingered in ruin and chaos? She smelled a mystery going on here and she was curiously wanted to find out.

It didn’t took long for Twilight To realize that the loud disturbance brought certain attention of the mansion. Emerging from the doors, a dozen of servants attended at the back garden, wielding their deadly blades. Their purple eyes glowed in the night.

“Find that beast,” said the head servant, scanning at the dead garden. “The master wants her dead! You, search over there! Find me that beast, I want her head on a silver platter!”

The servants nodded and patrolled through the garden. Twilight anxiously swallowed, hiding behind the bushes and watching carefully at the oncoming patrols. She tried to sneak away, passing some of the patrols, but her carelessness got the better of her as one of the servant was dangerously close.

Bracing for the worst to come, they came abruptly interrupted when they heard a massive explosion.

Above the blacken spire, a thunderous sound burst through the window. Shards of glass shattered in pieces as it fell toward at the servants. This was her moment for Twilight to escape; she waited for the right moment for the shards to get closer at the servants.

Alright, now or never. Twilight sprinted out from heading and into the open area. The servant was startled as the mare emerged from the dead bushes and instantly running into the mansion. He alarmed to the others and tried to grab the little pony, but the falling sharp glasses prevented them to lay a finger on her as she made her way to the door.

Tightly sealing the entrance with her magic, Twilight hurried into a hiding spot. The door quickly barged open as the servants scattered throughout the mansion, hoping to find their little intruder.

“Blighted bits, where’s that bloody beast?” The servant snarled.

“The beast would be dealt with, but we need to head up to the spire as possible,” the head servant stated. “I’ll bet that she is trying to escape again.”

“Blast, why do we need to keep her anyway?” the other servant asked. “We should just get rid of her be done with it. There’s no--” The servant was cut off when he grimly noticed a blade into his stomach. He collapsed, dying in the instant.

The blade was dripped of the servant’s blood, as butler Wheler was cleaning his sword. “There’s no way that you would understand,” he said, ominously staring at the startled men. “Get every available men into the spire. We cannot let her escape, not this time.”

The head servant nodded, shaken at Wheler’s present as he ascended into the stairs. With the servants and Wheler heading to the spire, Twilight emerged from hiding underneath the bed, staring in disbelief on what just happen.

Who are they talking about? Twilight thought as she crawled out from hiding. Sighing with a moment of relief and acting cautiously for more humans, she came to fully grasped the place.

The mansion itself felt unnatural, shrouding with dread and despair. Twilight became unease, slightly nauseating by the smell of death. She’d never felt so much sadness in one single day as the entire place reeked with trouble. The room that she hide was haunting, ancient, like it hasn’t been used for over a decade. She quickly explored the room, seeing nothing but dust and luxurious furniture.

Scouring through the desolate place, Twilight came to notice a painting portrait, dangling at the fireplace. The picture was distorted, lost of its hue and vibrancy but she was able to manage to see the picture. Looking closely, she saw a woman at the picture, sitting on her chair and wearing a luxurious red dress; her eyes was deep as emeralds.

Twilight couldn’t help but to felt slightly jealous of her beauty. She reminded of somepony that she know back in Ponyville. The same well-mannered pony with a generous heart. Examining the portrait, there was tall, robust figure, standing beside of her. The man wore a red military outfit, showing dozen of medals that planted on his chest. She guessed it correctly that it was a Scarlet officer, but couldn’t describe his face for a piece of the canvas was ripped off.

This is getting weirder by the minute. I have to find Hover as soon as possible. Twilight left the room and raced through the corridor, minding her step for more human servants. She reached through the front room of the mansion and sighted hundred of books laying about.

Wow, this Haliv person sure knows how to collect books, just look at it all. Twilight restrained the urge to read the books as she trailed further into the mansion. The hallway was pitched black, unable to see her own hooves. She lighted the area with her horn, moving cautiously ahead; and though she was still weak from her teleportation spell, she still had enough strength left to deal anyone, or anything that stood in her way.

As she wandered aimlessly through the hall she began to hear voices, calling out to her. The voices whispered to her, crying out for help. She quickly began to lose it, shaking her head of the illusions. But it didn’t work. As she went deeper and deeper ahead, she quickly stumbled upon a row of empty human suit of armours, lining motionless from each side.

Slightly startled by the armours,Twilight pressed on, taking each moment step. The armours were frightening, intimidating even. The more she stared at their helmets, the louder the voices began to pester on her thoughts. As she was striding ahead, a halberdier suddenly dropped in front of her.

Twilight jumped by the sound and slightly backed away from the suit of armour. “Calm down, Twilight, calm down, it’s only the wind.” She gave out a feign laugh. “Yeah, it must be, nothing to worry about.” She crossed the halberdier and continued,  convincing herself that everything would be alright.

She thought that she would be safe and that there was no danger crawling from behind. That was when the suit of armour suddenly rose from the carpet.

Chapter 8 - The Automatons

//-----------------------------

// Story: Crossworld Between Harmony

// Chapter 8 - The Automatons

// Author: Scarlet Reign

//-----------------------------

Note: Alright, in this story, you will find Twilight searching aimlessly through the darkness, but ultimately, she will encounter something terrible, lurking from behind.

One year ago...

On a dark and stormy night like this, there was a man sitting silently in his room. Depressed by the tragic event, he succumbed to his tears, blaming himself for his foolish action against the love of his life.

If there were a moment, a chance, then he could start over from the beginning, hoping that he wouldn’t follow the same, foolish mistake. He wanted to correct his mistakes; to make amends for his action and (to make things right.)

But he was foolish to believe that he’d have a second chance; he should have listened to her from the start.

Managing to get permission from the highest order, the Haliv made an expedition through the dangerous mountains called Falcon Peak in search for hidden wealth. Their trip to the mountain didn’t go to waste and returned with tremendous wealth; their discovery made them richer beyond their wildest dream through centuries to come...but was it worth it?

Their trip came with a steep and heavy price. His wife, Joanna, was the only reason for his existence, his purpose in life. She kept pushing him, supporting him along the dark troubles ahead; if it weren’t for her then he would have died long ago.

Joanna, the love of his life and his pathetic existence, died in that cold and desolate mountain. Consumed by greed and dominating pride, Joaris left her to her tragic fate. The action had affected him, deeply and forcing himself into the breaking point of insanity.

As Joaris stood from his seat, his eyes stared intently at the single pistol, laying on the table. He could do it, ending his life, right here and now. He grimly grasped the pistol, aiming directly unto his head; his hand were shaken, almost pulling the trigger in ending his miserable existence.

But something stopped him.

From the corner of the room, a dark, thick purple mist swept inside. Joaris aimed not on his head, but at the threat that was before him. Unafraid of death, the purple mist quickly gathered itself, forming into a mare.

“Joaris Haliv,” the dark mare spoke. “I have a business proposition for you. You interested?”

======

The path was endless, continuing with no end in sight; Twilight Sparkle travelled into the unknown hall, weary of enemies that were afoot. She felt annoyed from the walk, silently demanding it to end.

As she strode even further into the unfamiliar abyss, her wish was finally answered.

At the end of the hall stumbled a door, where a faint, orange light seeped from inside; Twilight was glad that it was over, feeling a certain relief. This was her chance to figure out the mysterious of the mansion and this person, Joaris Haliv. As she was about to turn the handle with her magic, her relief came at an abrupt end when she suddenly heard a metallic sound.

Twilight looked behind herself at the dark halls, still hearing its metallic clank getting closer to her. Anxious and frozen with fear, she directed her horn to light up the path, but what she saw shocked her.

Emerging in plain sight, stood a robust metallic creature, wielding an antique halberd. It was the human suit of armour that Twilight had notice from earlier. The armour began to move, slowly advancing at the mare with its weapon firmly gripped; it glowed in the darkness, fading in a deep and purple light

Twilight trembled, shaking her head in disbelief at what was on front of her; she focused at the door, but, ominously, it was locked. Forcing the door to open in a fearful panic, the armour grimly raised its weapon

Twilight jerked her head, gazing widely at the armour’s weapon; her reaction was sudden as she ducked from one of its deadly swings. The mare dodged its lethal blows, barely holding out much longer. She tried to make a run back to the long, dark and dreadful hall and was close to succeeding it, where its cold metal gauntlet firmly grabbed her foreleg.

Grappled, Twilight was lifted off  the ground with ease, screaming out loudly in a terrible fright; her eyes were directed at its helmet, gazing at the ominous, purple glow. The mare was tossed hard back at the door, entering inside of the room of the sheer force of the human suit of armour.

As Twilight began to faze, brought in discontent, her eyes were still glued on the creature, moving closely and bent on killing the mare. And at the instant, the mare had finally had enough and sparked with a fitful rage.

“That does it! I can’t take it anymore!” Recovering from the dreadful toss, Twilight stood up on her hooves, suddenly brave and valiant in the face of death once more. Her horn brightened, illuminating in a glorious purple light.

“You wanna piece of me!” Twilight bluntly asked, readying to take the shot, but the only response from the armour was its unease silence. The weapon was raised, bringing its halberd in range. The armour quickly lunged for the mare.

“Fine! Then by all means! TAKE IT!” Unleashing with all of her might and magic, Twilight fired her powerful beam at the charging threat.

The shot was a clear hit, landing dead center unto its chest. The walking human suit of armour didn’t have a chance of resistance as the beam overwhelmed the metal creature, tearing it in half. Gears and parts spurted out from the inside, spraying and sending farther into the darkness; its terrifying aura diminished after contacting her beam, falling motionless and defeated.

Twilight panted, repeating in a few short breaths. Understanding what was going on, she stared at the dead metal creature; if it was alive or not. Exhausted and spent from her magic reserve, she crumbled down to her knees, trying to regain whatever was left of her strength. She gave a long look at the armour, where she blew with a sigh of relief.

The armour was a machine. Relieved that she wasn’t a cold-blooded murderer, she strangely felt something about this one: the knowledge to create an automaton would have taken years to discover; not to mention the solution for finding a suitable power source.

As she was unable to inspect the intensive details of the fallen automaton, another sound emerged from the darkness, but this time, it sounded like an army. Twilight grimly lifted her head, lighting up the hall with her horn to glimpse in horror of the massive numbers of automatons, marching towards to her with weapons drawn.

Frightened by sheer numbers, Twilight quickly focus at the broken door, trying to lift it with her magic. Still exhausted from the last attack, she could barely concentrate on lifting the door as the automatons drew ominously closer towards to her.

“Come on, please work.” Twilight became desperate, pleading for her magic to work. She focused deeply at the door, and was answered: a purple aura shrouded the entire object, raising up in mid-air; gradually, but it was good enough.

This put a smile on Twilight’s face as she redirected the door to the open entrance. The automatons marched steadily, but reassuringly near at the lavender mare. They knew what the mare was doing as one of the automatons emerged from the rest, carrying a deadly axe. With precise aim, the wielder threw its axe at the mare.

Twilight grew weary, where her magic finally placed the door at the entrance and locked it. Her relief came abruptly when she quickly jumped by the edge of axe, almost near inches to her snout. With no time to spare, the room inside was normal, a simple bedroom with no escape route. She was trapped.

The automatons reached through the door, banging loudly and forcing to enter. Twilight saw the windows, a probable chance to escape, but it would result a steep fall into the bottomless pit. Growing in panic, she searched the entire area of the room; so far, with no luck.

It would only worsen for Twilight even further, when the door slowly began to crumble; the automatons would enter in a matter of minute along with her premature death. “Gah, blast it all!” She stomped her hoof, creating a slight echo throughout the room. Then, she quickly realized, there was a light coming from the bookshelves.

One of the books fell to the ground, where a small, noticeable light pierced the corner of her eye. Twilight gazed at the shelves, where the light appeared.

There was another entrance; another chance for escape.

Without the magic that assisted her, Twilight hurriedly budged the bookshelf, manually pushing the heavy objects. From the corner of her eye, she could easily notice the secret door, slowly revealing itself, but her ears grimly caught the sound of another door, collapsing on the ground as the automatons entered with weapons drawn.

Twilight’s heart was racing, gasping for a moment to breathe; but she didn’t have the time to relax, not even for a moment, when those soulless machines were in bent to rip her into shreds. Pushing the shelves with all of her might, she took one heavy shove and with a painful gasp, the shelves finally fell sideward.

The automatons drew dangerously closer as one of them swung a two-handed claymore. Twilight dodged the deadly attack, sweating profusely in a mixture of fear and relent; she quickly countered with a forceful kick at the heading, causing the automaton to collapse against the others.

Twilight turned the knob and entered, eyeing back at the persistent monsters that was coming for her blood. That was the last time she saw them before she slammed the door shut. Then after that, there was only darkness.

======

An hour ago...

“Please, relax and enjoy yourself, Geos. There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Joaris Haliv swept the books away and sat on his chair. “We must have many things to discuss.”

“But, what is there to discuss?” Geos asked, acting wearily of the special treatment that he was receiving.

“There are many things to discuss, but let’s try something simple, shall we. What do you think of the place?”

Geos scanned at the surrounding, collecting his thoughts about the mansion. The place was unnatural for him and the more he thought about it, the more it hurt his head. “I do not mean to sound rude and all, but I find the place to be...unsettling.”

Joaris Haliv heartily laughed. “There can be no denying  that,” he easily sighed. “Guess the place needs a good cleaning; I think I should ask butler Wheler to do this task. But first things first, another question: what do you think of her?”

“Think of her? What do you mean?”

“I mean, my good man, do I need to repeat myself,” Joaris rose from his seat and snapped his fingers. In the instant, an ominous shadow quickly engulfed the entire room, consuming everything in it except for Joaris and Geos.

Geos was startled by the reaction that surrounded him; he headed to the exit, but was quickly blocked by the overwhelming darkness. His hand grabbed the scabbard, taking a defensive approach at Joaris. He gave a good long stare at the nobleman, gazing back at him with his ominous purple eyes; he’d know that kind of look, back from Ironcloud.

“Please, lay down your arms. You are safe.” Joaris words were slightly cold, gradually echoing in an ominous vibe. His appearance changed dramatically as the darkness transformed him into a different person. Tidied and well-groomed, he smiled ominously with his newly, fresh clothes.

“The darkness won’t hurt you or I,” he added. “For as long you have the mark, then nothing will come to harm you.”

“M-mark? What mark are you talking about?”

Joaris raised to question, slightly surprised about this. “You mean you didn’t know? Hmm, I guess it is possible that she’s been busy with her work,” he deeply sighed and pointed. “Look at your chest. There is no denying that she trusted you with it.”

Geos was confused and looked down to notice an ominous light, coming from the center of his chest. His eyes began to widen in shock to glimpse the wound, ominously glowing in a purple fade.

“I’m surprised that you didn’t know of this,” Joaris sighed, disappointedly as he snapped his fingers; several figures revealed to themselves from the dark, drawing their weapon. “It’s a shame really. I thought Nightmare Moon had offered me gift, but alas, I am mistaken.”

Joaris hand clutched his pistol and rose it against the rookie; the design of gun was strange, unlike anything that Geos had ever seen. They had an unfamiliar markings, wrapped around the barrel, almost alive even. “Well, I guess you are suitable candidate for my experiment,” he added, taking aim. “Goodbye, Geos.”

The end of the barrel hissed, as a lavender hue brightened from the markings. He then pulled the trigger.

(Please forgive of the sudden errors on the grammar, the editing version would be finish in no time.)

(Edit: Alright, it is fix.)

Chapter 9 - The Wraps of Nightmare

//-----------------------------

// Story: Crossworld Between Harmony

// Chapter 9 - The Wraps of Nightmare

// Author: Scarlet Reign

//-----------------------------

Twilight would soon discover something foul beneath the mansion and Geos suddenly had a new transformation.

Geos was utterly frozen, like he skipped through time and beyond. His eye bulged, widely shocked and confused by the awful sound of gunfire. His vision was blurred by the inviting darkness as his breath was suddenly stopped.

Unable to avoid the shot, Geos grimly collapsed, feeling a terrible blow that pierced into his chest. The rookie looked to his hand, gazing at his own blood. He was shot by the head of the family of the mansion, Joaris Haliv.

The nobleman lowered his pistol, slightly disappointed at the rookie’s resolve. “A bloody shame...I thought you put up a decent fight,” he sighed, sheathing his pistol. He then snapped his fingers to his creation, his fellow automatons.

“Dispose of this body,” he grimly commanded. “His blood is smearing across the carpet.”

The automaton hissed, but understood the command as it approached to the dying rookie. Joaris Haliv departed, leaving the rookie alone to deal with the monstrous creations. It felt like death to him, creeping inches away until the last sudden moment. He could glimpse the automaton, readying to make its killing blow and grabbing him with its cold metallic gauntlet. This was finally it, his time was drawing near, but then, he quickly heard something. A faint whisper, calling out to him.

Fight, Geos...must survive...

The rookie heard a strange, female voice; it wrought through his mind, constantly entranced by her voice. By some, unknown reason, it seemed to be the only chance of his survival. Who are you?

The voice kept on repeating itself, saying to him to fight,  to survive, to adapt; he couldn’t understand her fading voice, but he knew, deep down inside, that there was something stirring in his heart, waiting to be unleashed into the world.

The automaton carried out its command given by Joaris, raising its ancient warhammer at the young entrapped soul.

The voices on the rookie’s head began to get louder, demanding ferociously to released its dormant power. Geos mind was slowly rotting, giving away in a terrible acceptance. As his last shred of hope was finally drained, another thing filled in the void of his heart. Fear.

The automaton aimed deadly at the rookie’s head and before long came a mighty plunge. With a heavy blow like that, it could smashed a bone into pieces, or smashed his head completely; but, it didn’t happen.

In an unbelievable event, the rookie opened his eyes, glaring in a deep, purple fire. A dark aura festered itself around the rookie, forcing the automaton to release him from its grasp. The rookie gritted his teeth, filling with rage and the lust for battle. His hand grabbed its warhammer and smashed the automaton’s head without a second thought.

As one automaton fell, the others quickly presented their weapon, raising their shields and blades and spears in cautious defense. The rookie rose from his feet, feeling the absolute power of the darkness circulating in his bloodstream. It felt good, really good; he’d never imagined it would be so wonderful, to be different and to be free from doubt.

The rookie materialized from his hand, procuring a black blade. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t afraid of anything; his blade positioned at the nearest target. As he crept a smile with an evil glee, his body moved and faded through the darkness. He engaged the enemy.

======

Present...

Darkness. The cold, unfeeling, unrelenting darkness. Twilight could barely see ahead, let alone find her hooves. With only the faint orange light, seeping from behind, and the automatons’ persistently barging to get through, she had little choice but to head on into the darkness. And without her magic to assist.

Still exhausted from her previous attack,  Twilight trailed aimlessly into the darkness. Alone and afraid. Ominously enough, the voices in her head began to call out to her, whispering to her name in dire need of help. The more she remained in the dark, the louder it got; she needed to hurry and find an exit fast before she’ll drove into madness.

However the path was endless, blinded by the overwhelming pitch blackness and unable to find the exit, as the voices grew louder with every minute. Her head began to ache, feeling distracted ahead by the thousand sounds of their agonizing wailing. The voices made concentration impossible as she lost her balance, falling down into the ground. She coiled around her forelegs, closing her eyes and demanding for the voices to stop.

But the voices refused to go down, getting louder and more chaotic in their defiance. “Please, stop it!” Twilight pleaded, crying out for mercy. The voices continued on with their whisper, ravishing against the defenseless mare.

Until at the last moment, when she couldn’t bear any longer, she screamed. “GAH, STOP IT!” With affirmed command, the unfamiliar voices suddenly went silent; her horn brightened with a tremendous light, burning away the darkness. She could now see her hooves and the path ahead, gasping for a moment to breath as she firmly stood up from ground. “What in Equestria was that? It has never done that before?” She startled in amazement by the light of her horn. It wasn’t the usual colour of purple, but radiating in a slight, reddish hue.

A door quickly came to view, presenting itself in front of Twilight; though she was able to use her magic to open the door, it wasn’t strong enough to deal with the bigger target such as the automatons or the pursuant humans. At the other side, there was a spiral staircase, leading below underground of the mansion. Anxious, she wondered on what she would uncover on the queer depths below the mansion; there were many possible scenarios leading to this. And she was about to find out.

As Twilight descended underground into the mansion, a terrible grinding sound was heard from the distant. She could see the end of the bottom, where an orange light was seeping through the cracks of the entrance. Inside the room was a laboratory, bearing strange machines and sparkling with life. A line of suit of armours were placed on several metallic carts, where a dozen of foot soldiers were taking them away into the tunnel.

Twilight was curious about this and quickly followed. Hmm, strange, I wonder where they’re going? She thought. The tunnel were well-lit with fire lamps as she pressed on, minding the distance between her and the soldiers. Continuing for more than a minute, she came to stumble upon a gruesome scene.

At the end of the tunnel, Twilight saw a pile of corpses, littered about the thousands. She was haunted, treading back at the sight of such bloody toll, but then at the last second, a terrible scream awoke. Far ahead laid an enchantment circle, where a couple of strange hooded men gathered at the center, raising their hands at the two subjects: the human and the automaton, lying on each table.

Twilight hid behind from the cover, gazing at the hooded men’s ghastly work as an extendable mechanical claw latched upon the lifeless corpse, carrying the body away. The armour that laid on the table suddenly came back to life and proceeded forth with the rest of its brethren.

The mechanical claw brought out another automaton on the table, lying perfectly still. Twilight then eavesdropped at the hooded men, listening carefully about selecting and planting to another host. She quickly directed her sight at the metal door, as it opened to reveal another test subject, but in a terrible surprise...

Oh my goodness, Rever! He’s alive!

Rever was scarred terribly from battle as the two automatons dragged him by the table. Locked in chains through his hands and feet, the hooded men began to incant their magic. When Rever finally woke, his eyes was widened with shock. He tried to break free, shouting out in demand to release him. But his efforts were futile as the hooded men continued on with their spell.

“Is he the one, Wheler? The one that you mentioned?” From the corner, a well-suited man appeared, inspecting at the test subject.

“Without any doubt, master Joaris,” Butler Wheler gladly confirmed. “This Soulus guard, alone, manage to take out a dozen foot soldiers and lead only a few to warn the rest of his guards just outside.”

“Hmm, typical. Very typical of the captain to have a backup. I suspect at this very moment that they notify the military already. It wouldn’t be long before they arrive to end our ‘little’ operation.”

“It seems the news get much even worser, milord,” Wheler added. “It seems, that Geos has succumbed by the nightmare.”

Joaris slightly chuckled. “Heh, about time.”

“...you knew, milord?”

“Of course! I suspected that a puny shot would not end him so easily. He’s too young to die so quickly. What’s more, I sense something different about this one. Not like the rest before him. He has...potential.”

“What is your command, milord?” Wheler said, slightly panicked. "By now, this rookie, would eventually find this place, tearing you and everyone in it to pieces and the military is approaching this way as we speak.”

“Calm yourself, my faithful butler. Clearly it calls for a desperate action and we only have one outcome for this: we must evacuate the mansion. Have the men prepare for the departure along with the rest of the creation.”

Wheler gladly bowed. “At once, milord.”

As the butler was about to leave, Joaris then added. “And after you done that. Why won’t you show your talents with the rookie. I’ll bet he want something to spar with.”

Wheler didn’t comment about it and left without a word. Joaris then glared at the test subject before taking his leave. “Have his soul be split as well. I wanted him to join her army.”

The scientists gradually began their operation, measuring the flow of power of the machine. The coil above stirred, directing its lightning at the armour. Rever stared at the lightning, horrified at what the hooded men were about to do. He tried once more to break free, but it was useless as the coil aimed directly at him. Turning his head with a shred of hope left to resist, his eyes quickly met a certain lavender mare, hiding from behind cover.

Rever paused to this and made one final, warming smile; the last smile that Twilight would see before the coil unleashed its power unto his body.

(Note: Yeah, so forgive me of the shortness of it. My mind was constantly being wrapped with other things. I hope you guys like it and thank you for reading)

Chapter 10 - The Duel Between Young and Experience

//-----------------------------

// Story: Crossworld Between Harmony

// Chapter 10 - The Duel Between Young and Experience

// Author: Scarlet Reign

//-----------------------------

Rever’s Phase. Hours ago

A terrible ambush was unleashed upon the Soulus guards. Rever rose to defend against the cowardly assault. He turned back his head at the stagecoach, knowing for sure that this would be the last time he would see Twilight Sparkle.

“Mount up! Form shields!” With an affirmed voice from the officer, the remaining guards formed around the stagecoach, closing in on each other’s ranks and raising their shields up high against the oncoming arrows.

“Muskets ready! Take present. Fire!”

The musket exploded at the end of the barrel, sending a volley of shots against the archers. Most of them collapsed, either wounded or dead. The musketmen crouched onto their knees, reloading their guns while the shield bearers tried to protect them.

Rever raised his pistol and aimed at the archers. The sound of a firearm bursted with fuelling fire and smoke as the archer fell by the lethal shot. He turned once more to the stagecoach, feeling a slight relief that Twilight was still alright. But he grimly knew that their defenses would not hold out much longer. It would only be a matter of time.

Surviving the assault was never the idea or the thought to escape in that matter. They all knew that their time would finally come, but for as long as they drew their breath they would continue their defiance until the very end.

One by one the guards were taken out by the relentless archers, picking their target with ease. With only a few remaining, they made their final stand at the massive wave of soldiers.

Fortunately, a couple of the guards from outside already heard the commotion that was brewing and darted off to warn the military. Given orders by Gray captain Hover, the few were hidden just outside of the mansion, waiting in the shadows. When they heard the roar of battle coming to life, they immediately knew that something was terribly wrong.

“Twilight! Can you hear me!?” shouted Rever, hoping that the little mare could hear his voice. The battle greatly worsened as the cannons was set dead aim at the stagecoach.

One lashed onto Rever’s shoulder. He had the scent of fear of death in him. “Sir, it isn’t safe, we must get out of here while we have the chance.”

Rever already knew that and even if they did try to escape it would be futile with the gate tightly shut from behind. There was no way getting out as this would be their graves. The guard as well knew the chances of survival, but he was so bent to his life, clinging to even the thought of a desperate hope.

“Twilight! We cannot hold them for much longer. You must get out of here, now!” Rever crouched down on the ground as the cannons began to bombard the group. The iron barrage was terrible and Rever could barely hear Twilight voice with all the explosion. “Get out of here. Survive! There is nothing you can do to help us.”

The guards were engulfed in force and fire. They were being massacred from every direction as time quickly slowed down around them. The iron shell ruptured the earthly stone, breaking the metal pieces and got caught by the unfortunate guards. The arrows were countless, piercing the ranks of the group and cutting them down to only eight.

Rever stood from the infernal chaos, grimly staring at the cannons aiming directly at him. He then smiled slightly, suspecting that his time had come. “Tell the captain, tell Hover, that I did all that I can to save you...”

In that instant the iron shell exploded with tremendous flames, hitting dead center of the group. Rever was silenced as his body was tossed into the air. Fallen amongst his brethren his eyes were dazed by the intense shock wave that stirred him. The only sight was only the dim nightly sky as the background noise of the cannons continued on with relentless firepower. And when all things were about end for him, a helping hand managed to brought him back to his feet.

“Come on sir, don’t give up yet. We have to get out of here.”

Rever stared in astonishment. It was the guard from before, the same guy that tried to convince him to escape, dragging his battered body and pulling him away from the chaotic scene. His helmet was thrown aside, seeing now with his cerulean eyes as he blankly gazed at the stagecoach from a fair and temporarily safe distant.

There was a deep sense of dread that stained his heart. The duty of the Soulus guard was sacred and with that reason alone, he’d join the group without a moment of hesitation. He was also fond of a certain little mare, Twilight Sparkle, and her lovely stories (which I would not explain in this tale). Now it seemed like he was abandoning her to her certain fate.

“It’s over, guard...accept your fate,” Rever grimly replied. “You know as well as I do that we could not escape. You're...just prolonging the inevitable.” He didn’t wanted to be cynical(and that was for sure), but it was the truth. He smelled the burning flesh of his skin, singing even further throughout his body and the sight of the footmen approaching to the coach. “Leave me be, guard to my certain doom. Accept what reality is yet to come.”

The guard was appalled by the officer’s suicidal claim and shook his head in defiance of the command. In a grimly truth, he tried very hard not to believe that it was his time to fade from existence. If he had only wished to return back home. He’d never told his parents how he loved them very much. But now, it was too late for that.

With the footmen approaching dangerously close, the guard charged into the fray, leaving Rever alone to handle.

Over the distant, Rever could hear the agonizing scream of the guard’s premature death. The footmen were already eyeing on him with swords drawn. With last of his strength left, Rever stood from the dirt and made his defining moment. Using the side wall to keep his balance, he grinned slightly at his fate.

Rever breathed deeply and quickly armed into the offense.

======

Geos Phase. Hours ago

The room was utter pitch black as the last candle light was blown away. In the midst of darkness, the automatons were fazed, but slightly prepared on what was yet to come. That was when an ominous sound appeared before one of them.

The voices whispered with corruption and deceit as the young rookie, Geos, fully embraced the nightly call. His mind was not his own. His movements were ghostly, surreal and demonic. He raised his dark blade and smote at one of the automatons with ease.

The rookie was not himself for clearly his mind was not his own at the moment. Like a calling, the rookie obeyed, but to who? In the corner of the deepest core, his heart began to taint and flourished at an alarming rate. He was a loose cannon, based and designed for destruction and death that stood in his way. To him, he was just a toy to be played with; a puppet.

The automatons slightly backed away from the dark knight as they foolishly pressed on with the attack. Though they had durable armour and distinct equipment, they weren’t prepared to deal against the powers of magic for the rookie harnessed the ability (either given or forced to) by the Mare of the Moon. The rookie ravished with delight upon their destruction. He charged head-straight into the fight, without a care, without remorse. He sliced the automatons without trouble as each fell by his blade and his power.

As the last automaton succumbed to his blade, the rookie quickly regained his senses. The powers he’d received, vanished at the instant but still retained the purple hue of his eyes. “What happened here?” the rookie asked, but only found silence as his answer. He stared horrifically at the destruction around him. “Did...did I do all that?”

Geos looked at his own hand, shaking violently without control. He was starting to lose it; that was when he remembered of the fatal shot. The bullet should have killed him right there on that spot. But it didn’t happen. Instead, it did the opposite. He felt a deep sensation of cold festering deep into his core.

More automatons appeared from the entrance as Geos magically procured a dark blade from his hand. He became speechless, shocked even that it had actually happen. He could feel an ominous power lingering from him What’s...happening to me... he thought, desperately seeking for some answer, but he had little time as more of them began mounting by the numbers.

I cannot stay here much longer. I must escape! Unsure on his instinct, the rookie urged forth at the precarious group. Time quickly gone slower and Geos could see much clearer in every detail. The surrounding measure of the room and his attackers. The automatons reacted poorly and didn’t have enough time to attack. Geos felt like a fading shadow, surrounding his entire body and what appeared to be following him. His reflexes increased tremendously as he was able to dodge and avoid the constant assault of the automatons. After exiting the room, it became easier for him to lose them and he vanished without a trace.

Even in darkness, the rookie could clearly see well on the path ahead, managing himself straight out of trouble and into safety. While the rookie was enjoying his newfound gift, something happened.

“Ahhhh, what is this?!” A terrible pressure forced him to collapse as the rookie tried to control the gruelling pain on his head. “Gah, this voice...what? Who's there?”

The rookie had flashbacks of a certain monster that ployed in his thought. But this time it was different as the voice was heard from upstairs, leading straight to the black spire. The rookie recalled to took notice of the spire. It laid ominously behind the full moon. Inevitably, he had no other choice but to follow. And so he did.

Ascending into the stairs, the rookie encountered hundreds of small, crystalline gems, sticking unto the sided walls. They had a warm, purple glow that lighted the way for him. It was kind of no-brainer that the rookie would find something strange once he reached to the spire. He just couldn’t ignore the voice any longer for it was hurting his head.

Once the rookie managed to reach to the spire, he was presented upon a very large and empty room. There was nothing interesting in this place; that was when he looked above ceiling to see more of the purple gems. They glittered and retracted from the dawning moonlight. They looked like the stars from the night.

Amazed from the sight, a strange voice loomed deeper ahead. Wincing his eyes for a better look, Geos quickly saw something in the shadows. Steadying on his feet and moving bit by bit, at the center of the room, laid an unknown prisoner. There were chains, wrapped around its body, binding the figure from every movement. There was a marked rune that displayed onto its chest. A proof of reason for its imprisonment. But what surprised the rookie the most was not the room, but the prisoner itself for what he saw was...

“No this cannot be...an Attrean!”

Based upon the world of mysticism and magic(upon the calling of other things), laid a race that’s similar to a common griffin in Equestria. But what you don’t know, was that they had tremendous qualities unlike anything you have seen before. Golden coated feathers with sharp, reddened eyes, they had tremendous build-up that was twice the size of a griffin and had incredible life-spans that could live up to a hundred years. Cunning and intelligent, the Attreans harnessed both wisdom and magic, making them dangerous throughout the known world.

Geos still retained such studies back from the military academy, studying their strange and bizarre ways. For you see, humanity still greatly feared them from the ‘War of the Feathers’ (which I would gladly explain in due time) and their ruthless appetite for destruction.

The Attrean acted hastily, causing a tragic event that would lead them toward extinction. From a prolonging war or deep prejudice, the Attreans were finally purged from existent, ending their time and history. Or so the rookie would have thought.

“At last...you’ve finally come,” Geos heard the creature’s voice as he magically procured his dark blade once more. The Attrean stared and slightly  bemused. “You sure have the decency to raise your arms against me, do you know who I am?”

Geos replied to the creature with only silence and a deep hatred for their race. The rookie had always heard tales about them. Tales of how they slaughtered countless innocents and destroyed nations upon their wake. It was one of the many reasons why Geos enrolled into the Partishan: to meet an Attrean; and kill it.

“What’s wrong little human, don’t have the courage to strike me down,” the Attrean asked and quickly knew what the rookie was about to do. “will you bear the responsibility, knowing that in your hand, you will slay the last of the mighty race.”

“Shut your beak, you blighted monster!” Geos flared out, slightly closing in for the kill. “You aren’t so mighty now, monster. I have a duty to uphold and it is our course to eliminate your kind from this world. I shall carry them out.”

The Attrean laughed aloud, humorously and hardly felt threatened by the bravado that was coming out from the human; but it was starting to notice something else. “Strange, I could feel a grim stain that’s eating you, little human. A rather...unusual sensation and probably a familiar one. Yes, I know this one. It is the same people that imprisoned me into this infernal chain. Oh how I wish to return the favour with an equal measure of fitting.”

“Enough! I have had enough of this conversation, blighted beak,” said the rookie, preparing to plunge the beast at the neck. He was about to do it until a familiar, equine voice had finally returned. His darken blade faded, crumbling into a mist of shadow as the rookie crumbled down flat.

Don’t listen...obey. Obey! Geos recognized that voice from anywhere. It was the same nightly mare that’s been constantly ravaging through his mind.

The Attrean watched at the rookie’s predicament and couldn’t help but to feel curioused of his dire situation. Then the Attrean had a wonderful idea (though not wonderful, but alas, its a start). “Ah, so that’s the host that gave you these...gifts. A rather terrible burden if you ask me for the likes of you.”

“Shut up, you know nothing!” shouted Geos. “Shut your blasted beak before I--!” The rookie stopped abruptly in the middle of the sentence as the mare volumed even louder. To what he truly feared the most, he could feel the taint that spreaded over him; his mind and body were slowly rotting at an alarming rate. Soon, once the conversion was complete, the rookie, that he once knew, shall no longer exist from this world. He would be nothing more than a puppet, a likely pawn to her grand and dark army.

It would only be a matter of time before his terrible fate. But the Attrean provided him a solution.

“Listen to me little human and listen good. I know what you are going through and by the look of your condition it isn’t good. Soon you’ll be nothing more than an empty shell, a spawn for that accursed creature. Unless, of course, you can help me that is,” the Attrean crept a widely grin that made Geos stuttered to fear and imagine. “I have a proposition for you, my little human and it wouldn’t be difficult. If you want to prolong your existence, then release me from this prison and I shall provide your...salvation.”

Geos was stuttered speechless to make of its claim. What was worse? To either slowly rot to become a mindless hollow or to make a deal with an accursed avian. He would rather choose death than the either of two, but the rookie had reasons alone that redirect him to the third and suicidal option.

The rookie wanted to live, to survive the horrors that followed him, but the most outrageous and simplest reason of all; he wanted to be a hero.

Like a kid reading through fictional lore of knights and adventure, Geos wanted to be like one of them, to save the innocents and to protect the world from evil. He wanted to be brave and wanted to show the world on what he was capable of. It was a foolish and silly dream and that was true, but that dream alone made Geos strived forward on in a world of deceit and betrayal. If he had to make a deal with the greatest of enemy, then he shall do so in behalf of his silly dream. And so he did.

“Excellent! Excellent!” said the Attrean. “Destroy this seal. Release me and I shall reward you with your survival.” The rookie grimly obeyed the Attrean, eyeing at the seal rune that strapped on the avian’s chest. His mind wondered if it was the right decision but he paid little heed on that matter as he materialized his dark blade.

The seal rune resonated in a powerful spell, enchanting with its valiant, purple glow (probably done by Nightmare Moon herself). It was the reason that the Attrean was imprisoned in the first place and now the rookie was about to release it into the world. As the infection reaped into his body, he struggled keep his hand at steady. With his blade up high, he give out a roar. Then he sliced it in half.

Nooooooooooo

The chains that entrapped the creature were broken, releasing the Attrean with the fullest of its might. Its golden wings were stretched, spreading its feathers in a daunting, orange light. The purple gems from above, crumbled in the instant, unable to withstand the powers of the Attrean. The windows were shattered, sending the falling pieces down below (at the butlers and Twilight Sparkle)

“At last...I AM FREE!” the Attrean roared with excitement and the undeniable relief of the freedom that brought to it by the little human. “At long last. It is good to stretch my wings. You have done well and I thank you for that.”

Geos couldn’t say much more as he fell to the ground by the darkness. The Attrean warmly smiled. “Do not worry, little human. I remember my promise and a promise I shall give you.”

The rookie couldn’t see anything for the darkness had taken over his sight. Slowly dying from within, Geos quickly felt the warmth from the Attrean as he snuggled the avian’s softly feathers. The Attrean wrapped its golden wings around the rooke and with a unbelievable flash of light.

They vanished, without a trace.

======

Twilight Sparkle Phase. The present...

The cranking gears of oil and grime continued on, working the machines without any end. More empty shells of mechanical suits of armour stood and laid, waiting for the final step of completion. An ingredient was needed for the automatons to function. A required ingredient that was powerful and mystic and easy to collect: the essence of a human soul

And with that horror, Twilight stared in dismay to see her friend’s untimely demise that would be worst than death. Still hiding from the corner, still hiding from the horrors that presented her, the little mare remained silent as the large metallic claw clasped upon the lifeless body of Rever and taking him away.

Twilight Sparkle couldn’t help but to express such sadness as she tried to control her tears. Rever was one of the few good friends that mattered to her the most. Beside her friends from Equestria and the nine companions that guided her to the human realm (which I won’t explain them in due time), she was at loss for word and would be heart-broken explaining the news to the captain.

The captain! Hover! I almost forgot about him. Twilight thought. Oh I hope he’s still alive. I must find him quick before it is too late. When the last armour suit was submitted to the rest of the ‘newly ranks’, she quickly overheard a discussion between one of the gearers.

“That’s the hundreth so far,” said the gearer. “how much more does the boss needed?”

“As much as possible,” the other replied. “we must pace the double before the shipment. Hopefully the boss would bring us our deserved payment.”

“I hope so. He’s being silent so far and its starting to get on me.”

“Quit yer yapping. What’s the next subject?”

“The tempered one no doubt. And finally its time alright. He’s been giving us heck for some time with all that cursing.”

Yep, that’s gotta be Hover alright. Twilight, in a safe and respectable distance, followed the gearer into another room. Fortunately, after spending so much time in the human realm, Twilight had learn a few new perks along with her adventures with them (the nine companions). One example was that she was getting used to sneaking around the place and without relying on her magic. How she remembered back in the days as a foal when she played hide n’ seek with the other students in Canterlot. She was the worst hider in all of Equestria and that she had to cheat with her magic(and no complaints about it)

As she patiently followed him into the next chamber, there her eyes stared at the prison cell, housing dozen more inmates before being sent as sacrifice of their wicked machinery. There was an elderly man, baring too weak to stand, a couple of merchant and bystanders that had happen to cross in an unfortunate event and to her likely surprise, three Soulus guards that survived the terrible ambush from outside.

The gearer hailed at the two footmen who stood watch at the living test subjects. He then instructed at the next subject, giving them the description of a Soulus guard. The two footmen nodded and opened the cell. With their spears firmly gripped they shoved and pushed the civilian away, clearing some space.

Now’s my chance Twilight thought as she moved much closer to the gearer. She could fairly hear the bickering from one of the footmen at the Soulus guards. The gearers were fitted with strange apparel that was design to protect themselves from the elements of nature. Well equipped and resilient, their main distinct of the gearers was their breathing mask, surviving the toxins of their underground workshop.

With a flicker of her magic, the young mare hoisted the gearer up from the ground. Surprised by the levitation, the gearer was thrown like a common rag doll and slammed hard onto the wall, knocking him unconscious. What surprised Twilight greatly was that the colour of her magic light was turned from simple violet into a deep and scorching red.

The two footmen who were alarmed by the sudden noise, turned their heads for the moment (which would be an appalling mistake for them). The Soulus guards, waiting for a chance, seek their opportunity. Highly trained in the field of battle, it wasn’t hard for them to subdue the footmen and when they quickly looked outside from their cell, they came sighing with relief.

“Twilight! Bear the hailing wind that you're still breathing,” they said. “We have thought the worse that you were gone like the rest of them.”

“No time to rest yet,” said Twilight. “Where is the captain? Where is Hover?” When the gearer mentioned of the tempered one, it was referring to one of the Soulus guards.

“We do not know, miss. The captain was beside us when those strange fellows with masks took him somewhere unknown. I think they went deeper below that a way. Twilight, tell us, what has happen to Rever. Has he...?”

Twilight was silent, unable to give a straight answer as she shook her head. The guards then succumbed into despair, slightly lost to one of their own. They soon resented the moment of sadness, now focusing to survive the horrible event.

“What are your orders, Twilight,” said one guard picking the weapon from the unconscious footman. “Without an escape passage, we are trap from this accursed place. I fear more will come by this disturbance.

“Do not fear yourself for there is a way,” Twilight then pointed her hoof at the linear tracks from above, recalling of the metallic claw. “Follow the tracks. I saw one of those metal suits being dragged off somewhere. And if I know better, I’ll bet there’s an exit.”

“It would be heavily protected that I’m sure,” said the other grabbing the hammer. “But there’s nothing like a challenge that we couldn’t face. Plus on the good sense, we have a debt to pay with those traitorous brigands.”

“Good. Lead the civilians out of here as quickly as you can. Get them out of here.”

“What about you? We cannot just leave you here alone.”

“I appreciate the concern, but I’ll be fine. I am Princess Celestia’s most trusted student for nothing you know. Now, please, go!”

The guards looked at each other with great worry for Twilight Sparkle, but in the end they followed the commands being given and guided the civilians to safety. With them doing their job, it was her time to do her part.

Twilight Sparkle trotted with greatly pace, heading deeper below underground. With time not on her side, she must find the captain Hover as quickly as possible. She only hoped that the captain would be alright.

Note: Not much detail focus on Twilight so please forgive me for my transgression. Anyway, thank you for reading.

Chapter 11, Part 1 - The Shard

//-----------------------------

// Story: Crossworld Between Harmony

// Chapter 11 - The Shard - Part 1

// Author: Scarlet Reign

//-----------------------------

There was a gush of light that burst through out of thin air, as the rookie emerged from the magic portal. The Nightmare’s work was going well on him and soon he’d be a full-pledged minion to the dark alicorn. The black faint was lethal, slowly infecting his very mind and body. Too weak and shuttered to stand, a helping hand (or talon) offered him on its feathery back.

“It is too soon to nap now, little human. There are some more important matters to attend and much more.” The rookie stood upon a desolate cavern, where he was marvelled by the numerous crystals and magnificent gemstones of varied sort of colour from the fiery rose of rubies to the gentle greens of emeralds. The caverns were large in definite, seeing afar nothing but an ocean of crystals. Amazed by all such luster, the intense burning returned with incredible pain and the rookie couldn’t hold much longer.

“Where...where are you taking me?” The rookie asked, barely breathing and starting to fade.

“Just relax, little human. We’re almost there,” the Attrean slightly smiled, feeling suddenly more relax than usual “Sure’s been a long time since I entered these chambers. Oh, how I missed this place. Now hold on tight, little human. This is going to be a horrendous ride.”

Being cooped up upon the black spire had caused the loss of the Attrean's flying prowess..Stretching its wings with orange feathers long and true, the rookie grasped tightly upon the Attrean as it soared into the air.

======

Time was growing short. Time was fading, quickened and in a hurry. Twilight Sparkle, the little mare from the town of Ponyville in another realm called Equestria, raced against time into the deep and shadowy unknown. Her mind was racing in dire panic and with great worry for captain Hover of the Soulus guards. If he was never to be found or to come upon the worst possible scenarios then Twilight would never forgive herself.

As the path went deeper underground into the coiling darkness, the little mare brightened with her magic, lighting in a reddish hue. She still pondered of the happenings of her magic or how the colour of her magic glow was the colour of red, but she shrugged for the moment and advanced on bravely where no mare had ever done before.

Far away from the sound of gears and contracted machinery, Twilight’s bones shivered in terrible fear as she was saddened over the death of officer Rever, being taken away by the gearers and the evil hooded men. A lot of her new friends from the human realm were withering away and only few remained so close to never be seen again. Focus, Twilight. You have a job to do. Don’t blow it. As much as she tried to ignore her emotions, ignoring the past and all the things that she had done to get this far into stopping Nightmare Moon, Twilight Sparkle couldn’t control the despair that was building inside for she knew very well that this might be over for her as well.

Having to bear and witnessed such brutal event to Rever, Twilight shivered greatly in fear if Nightmare Moon had succeeded her insane campaign. The innocent lives would be forced upon a new ruler and would brought the brink of destruction upon Equestria. She shuddered the thought and shook her head into the game. “Goddess, focus you. Don’t get distracted by the...light...”

At the end of the pathway, a luminous light emerged from the distant. As Twilight trotted much closer to the exit, she was immediately blinded by the powerful rays only to found herself amazed with such extent of the caverns. Adjusting from the blinding light, Twilight stood on a massive crystal chamber, scaling as far as her eyes could glimpsed.

“...wow” breathed Twilight, jaw wide open in astonishment. Her worries and fears above the ground faded in the instant (for the moment). She travelled far and wide in the human realm, but never would she would experience such a beautiful scenery. “Like a sea of jewelry. By goddess, what wouldn’t I do to see Rarity’s face right now.”

High on the hill, Twilight slid down to the lower ground, carefully avoiding getting herself hurt from the pointed crystals. She roamed in a minute, gazing curiously at the surrounding. Countless crystals and gemstones illuminated mysteriously in the dark, glowing in their special kind of magic that retained from within. The longer she went, the more she looked rather stunned at the large crystals getting bigger than the last.

Created in tremendous size and height, Twilight could feel their long-dormant power and feverishly wanted to embrace the smooth surface. Her hooves moved on their own, closing in as if she was drawn by their colorful trance.

“I wouldn’t touch them if I were you, little mare.”

The deep, mysterious voice loomed from the shadow as Twilight lit her horn in fiery scarlet glow. Alarmed and on the defense, she turned her head at the source, only to found slightly distracted by its golden feathers. “By the goddess, its a griffin!”

“Griffin? Little mare, you thought of something else. I’m no griffin, I’m an attrean.” A very large avian creature appeared in front of Twilight Sparkle, appearing slightly bigger than even Princess Celestia herself. Twilight’s eyes were not fooled for she was convinced it was a griffin, but the differences between the two were its red eyes and its golden coat. (Which in truth, they’re both the same, just size and feature.)

“Attrean? Strange, I’ve never heard of you guys before; and not even the great libraries back at the capitol.”

“Tck, as suspected many of these humans are burying their secrets,” the sighed the attrean, but pulled itself back up with a grin. “But nevertheless, I guess the world is better off if they do not know about us. It would be beneficial for me anyway in the long run and I can enjoy the peaceful solitude without the rest of interrupting me.”

“Wait, what? Hold on a second. Who are you?”

“I should be the one saying the same, but I guess I don’t need to  because I know who your are,” the attrean lowered its head and leaned closely at the mare. “Ah, yes, yes. I can see it now. You’re Twilight Sparkle, am I correct?”

Twilight was utterly stunned when the attrean knew her actual name. This had caused quite a stir for the lavender mare as she ended with suspicion and turned to the defensive.

“How did you know my name?” Twilight asked, wondering greatly at the attrean’s ability. Maybe they were different from the griffins after all. “Don’t you come any closer, you hear or I swear I’ll--”

“Oh don’t be angry about it, little mare. I meant you no harm whatsoever. As much as I would give an answer, I don’t have the time satiate your curiosity. I have a schedule to keep,” the attrean quickly glanced at the person on its back. “And this one...his time is almost over.”

Twilight raised in suspicion, now more than ever, but as she looked at the side she was greatly surprised of it all. There on the back of the attrean laid a slumbering soul, stained with the blight that’d been eating him. Twilight already guessed who it was and immediately rushed to him.

“Geos! Oh no, the conversion, it has begun. I thought my spell would prevent the infection from escalating any further, but his condition...it is too rapid.”

This made the attrean laugh which caused the lavender mare to glare scornfully. “Please, don’t flatter your ability,” the attrean mocked. “You seriously have done nothing to slow its process down. You did nothing to help him at all.”

“How dare you speak like that?!” Twilight slightly raised her voice and stomped her hoof, acting brave and throughout. She had no idea what she’s up against or to speak such manner at a dangerous foe. “I have done many things in this world, helping the humans along the way and fighting against Nightmare Moon’s evil ploy. What’s make your method so better than mine.”

“Because, little mare, your methods were only temporary and very sloppy on your work. But for mine, it would provide him his salvation.” The attrean was impressed by such action that she displayed. For such a small mare, who knew that she had a large, courageous heart. But bravery alone, the attrean had limits of its mercy and its patient. In gruelling thought, the attrean would have disposed her in the instant, grabbing her tiny head with its massive talons and crushed her bones like a grape.

With its red, fiery eyes, the attrean managed to calm itself, having been freed from its imprisonment at the black spire. “I ask you to speak with caution, little mare,” said the attrean, hinting a trace of temper in its voice. “I suggest minding restraint and focus more on the important matters. We are here for your friend after all.”

Twilight wanted some answers and had almost forgotten about Geos predicament. She quickly examined at the damage that the darkness has done to him. It wasn’t good for him and could sense his life grimly fading away.

“Now that we have an agreement,” the attrean continued. “We have no moment to lose. His life is closing to an end as we speak. He’ll be turned into those mindless puppets if we do nothing, the avian then stretched its wing and lowered before Twilight. “This would be easy for me to do this alone, but if you’d like to join me and save this poor soul of his...the choice is yours.”

It wouldn’t be too hard for Twilight to hop onto the attrean, but her mind slightly wondered if she should search for Hover. The insult about her magic infuriated the lavender mare and she wanted nothing more than to shake her head and say the word no. Yet, as she looked one more time at the rookie’s condition, she couldn’t ignore the fact that he needed her help.

She should have said no, but painfully went along with it and joined the attrean.

======

Gray captain Hover was tossed into another dungeon cell, fastened and secured while the gearers carried on to their appointed work. He tried to break out of his cell, but failed to do so miserably as his hand and feet started to ache.

Everywhere the captain could see dozen of gearers, holding crates with the mark of the Haliv seal of the robin and brought towards into the outside world. Like a mine, it had the stench of rusted iron and the burning sensation of steam from one of those new contraption machines from the west.

The gray captain gazed at the crystal surroundings, slightly astonished like Twilight’s reaction when she first entered. When he was taken by the gearers, they put a sack on his head and the only thing that he heard was the cranking machines and the whistling sound of steam.

One crystal caught eye of the captain, glowing ominously in blue. Instantaneously, he was drawn by it and wanted to touch the magnificent crystal. For strange reasons enough, he swore that he heard whispers;  voices coming from it. He was almost able to reach to it until something snapped him back to reality; a stern, formal butler.

“Master Hover, I sure hope that they were treating you well.” Hover glared coldly at the butler, Wheler, standing at the other side of the cell. The butler appeared much differently than the captain’s last encounter. Instead of the butler’s fine suit it was replaced with a new full battle armour with strange devices attached to his shoulders.

Wheler took noticed and smugly grinned. “Do you like it? A new invention by the master. A prototype to say, but it would be worthwhile when I find that ratly beast.”

The gray captain gritted his teeth. “Why are you doing this?”

It wasn’t a hard answer for Wheler to answer and simply stated with two familiar words that the captain was dreaded to hear. “Nightmare Moon.”

======

Twilight was still unsure of the attrean’s plan. Soaring through the caverns, the attrean explained its idea to the little mare with an uneasy look on its face. In order to save the rookie from certain doom they would require a great deal of magic and far more potent to challenge Nightmare Moon’s sorcery.

The lavender mare was speechless and dumbfounded. Upon her goodly reputation, she was the bearer of the Element of Magic; the most powerful artifact known to pony and a student to one of the greatest of teachers of Equestria. Her mind was sharp and her talent was second to none to anyone...well, almost anyone.

The attrean could easily do this by itself, but it required time and time wasn’t a luxury for them. It needed a special stone, a black object that had the power to heal any injuries and illness, whatever they may be.

The stone lurked deep into the caverns, farther into the bellowing shadows where the gearers were mining. This greatly annoyed the attrean for their clumsy footsteps could be heard a mile away. “More of these mask-breathers,” said the attrean, disgusted of them. “How dare they soil their steps upon a sacred site.”

“Who are these folk? Where did they came from?”

“Engineers, crafters and miners of metal steel and gears of machine. They dwelt far and long into the west, building either trinket clocks or ships on the shrouded sea. These souls have come a long way to come into these land; a rather desperate and dangerous kind of folk. Be wary of them, little mare, for they are unpredictable in their nature.”

“Its odd of them wearing those suits.”

“A suit no doubt that leave them immune by the hazards of the mine and the workings of the machine. I think I see the landing. Hold on, little mare.”

The gearers from below were unaware of the large avian for their minds wandered somewhere else, filling only with rich rewards and treasure. Awaiting their payment of gold and silver, the only payment for them would be their untimely demise and betrayal from Joaris Haliv; the architect of this secret operation. His words were poisoned, filling them with empty promises. He would leave his own kinsmen to their very doom and would get away, unscathed, into serving the mare of the moon’s war effort.

Once they landed safely miles away from prying eyes, Twilight leaped out from the attrean’s wing and onto ground. “Here, little mare, a small gift,” the attrean gradually plucked out its feathers and fastened one on her mane. “This feather shall guide you to the stone and back to me as well. When the stone is near, it shall glow in orange and the same when trying to find me.”

“Alright, gotcha. What about you? What are you going to do with Geos?”

“I shall provide my expertise upon this soul and slow down the process. But be warned, little mare. The stone shall test you and it would greatly challenge your inner heart. Do not take it so lightly and be ready.”

“Understood, and thank you.” Twilight gazed at the attrean soaring back into the air and faded into the distance. Now alone to fend for herself, she proceeded forth with the instruction being given. Though she still remained suspicious of the avian she had little choice left, for Geos' time was running out.

Twilight ventured deeper into the cavern where the crystals couldn’t provide a sustainable light for her. It felt the crystals were somehow drained and faded from an unnatural force. Exploring through the pathway for an ominous minute the feather began to glow on a bright orange. She was on a right track.

Guided by the magic feather, Twilight wandered to find a dead-end. She was appalled by this. “Oh come on, is this thing playing tricks on me?” Meaning the feather and Twilight examined the black crystal wall. She couldn’t move or force it to open and was getting annoyed by it.

Twilight sighed and leaned back at the wall. “It is useless. I’ll never find this stone. Oh, why did I ever listen to that creature,” but what Twilight did not know was that when the feather touched the wall a light flickered, veining gradually through the crystal and creating a passage. “Maybe there’s still time to retrace my hoofsteps. Yes, I cannot be disheartened about it. I still have the--time!”

The crystal wall quickly opened, creating a passage sizeable enough for a mare. Twilight definitely fell backward and entered into the unknown, screaming loud in frantic fright as the wall reformed to its original state.

======

The attrean soared above the caverns, looking down below at the crystal sea. It felt like home in the instant for the creature and remembered well of their glorious past. But now...now it was just a memory; a terrible, constant reminder of their greatest blunder and shame.

But, the attrean would be the one making the last laugh.

Its wings were grazed, gliding down at a large crystal entrance. Nobody, not even the gearers or the master of the mansion, would never find the place, the attrean’s final sanctuary. All sides were covered in pure crystalline walls and extended miles below deep. There were no doors, no exits or an escape except from above. It was the perfect hideout.

As the avian descended towards the bottom, an altar was displayed at the center, adorned magnificently and glittering in diamonds. The presence of it had a mystical trance with an uneasy, ancient enchantment.

The attrean sadly sighed and laid gently the body of Geos onto the altar. The reaction was already as suspected for the avian and could hear the ominous echoes of the unknown. It reacted when Geos touched the diamond surface. “Soon, my friend, you shall recieve your salvation,” Its red eyes glared at the dark veins coming from the rookie as the attrean stripped off his armour, revealing the mark of Nightmare. “But this one, this shall place you into the deepest of pain.”

Within the crystal wall hid hundreds, thousands of gemstones, glittering and flickering like the stars above the night. The site was sacred amongst the attreans for it held something special to them. It was a place of healing, to restore those that were near to the grimful death and illness be folly.

However, there was another purpose which had caused the attreans to be doomed to their existence in the first place. And this time, the attrean would used this technique for one final time.

In a time of strife, the attrean learned and forged a mighty tool that would help them against their enemies. A knowledge that was forbidden and cruel: the art of soul-binding. The reason why the attrean asked for Twilight to retrieve the black stone was that it hold the final ingredient to sealing the corruption that stained upon the rookie.

The attrean sadly sighed once more, regretting that it had to lied to the little mare. The avian sensed the potential within the lavender mare, holding promise and an excellent, curious mind, but she had the heart of innocence and was not yet qualified for the task ahead. To the ominous truth, the attrean once met Twilight’s nemesis, Nightmare Moon, and had the first hand experience of her magic. How she spilled into others was absolute and unpreventable. Geos had not caught the disease from Nightmare Moon...

Geos caught a part of Nightmare Moon herself.

To catch the disease wasn’t very much a pandemic to fear about. If the humans were close to her magic the chances would be great and severe. However, the disease wasn’t all that lethal and would leave eventually like a common cold. However, in this case, the attrean had never seen such condition before on the human. It sensed the traces of Nightmare Moon, wrangling on the poor unfortunate soul and refusing to partake on leaving him alone.

But, that was all going to change.

The last attrean, the lone survivor of a once mighty race, had to endure the trials as they had alway have done before and shall escaped from all such misery and hardship. The attrean could thrived and proclaimed dominance anew upon a new realm, a new world that was fresh for the picking. A joyful challenge against the monarch of all.

But for now, the attrean needed to stop the little human from falling to darkness. With its talon sharpened, the attrean ominously aimed at the human’s chest where the mark of nightmare lingered. “Forgive me, little human and a curse upon you, Nightmare beast!”

And with that coming of a plunge arrived a terrible scream; a scream which no one would hear.

Chapter 11, Part 2 - The Living Taboo

//-----------------------------

// Story: Crossworld Between Harmony

// Chapter 11, Part 2 - The Living Taboo

// Author: Scarlet Reign

//-----------------------------

There had always been a difference between the infected and the those possessed by magic.

Those that were stained were seized; turned into an empty shell, no longer the person they were but filled with raw energy and the craving for more.  Those that were taken, bound by another will, were forced to serve their masters eternally until their existence was no more but a constant fade.

They varied on one another, each with possible and dreadful outcome. However, for Geos, the situation was dire. Never before had the attrean seen a condition so vast that shrouded over the human. With all of its expertise and its grandeur of knowledge, the avian should have easily cure this without any difficulty or effort.

Truly, the attrean was wrong, and the cause puzzled the avian greatly.

Geos, the young, unfortunate rookie who endured far worse than death, had suffered the highest of degree that bestowed upon him. The curse of the beast from the realm of magic had forever scarred the rookie. There was a rare option that the attrean had resorted to and sworn it would never do this again.

However, the rookie, being the savior of its freedom, deserved his salvation.

======

Darkness returned for the lavender mare as Twilight Sparkle was plunged deeper below the crystal cavern. Sliding down towards an unknown destination, she screamed with terrible fright. The only mare that would enjoy such a dangerous ride would be a certain pink mare that would be ravished with delight.

Faster and faster the path went. Twilight closed her eyes just in the nick of time before she met the end of her ride. Spewed out from the hole, she crashed hard upon rugged ground. Her back and her limbs ached as she tried to take in her surroundings.

“Well, that could have gotten worse,” said the lavender mare, rubbing her posterior. She then lit her horn, only to find herself yet again on a gloomy path. Cold and utterly darker than before, young Twilight Sparkle ventured on into the deep, hoping that the stone artifact would be there. if the attrean was telling the truth. But the longer she stayed in the dark, the more she started to lose herself.

Once more, darkness welcomed the little mare, honoring her as a special guest in its home. The shadows behind her magic light danced gleefully, flickering with horrific life of their own. All the elements were brought to a defining moment when the lavender mare took notice of the crystal walls stained with utter blackness, like all life itself had been drained completely. They weren’t the same multi-coloured crystals from above ground; nothing more than dark, dim, lightless crystals.

“...death.”

Up above, Twilight couldn’t barely see the ceiling. The dead crystal walls heightened tremendously above the unknown and became shrouded in eternal darkness. Not even her magic light could tell if the ceiling was near, far or if one even existed at all.

Silent whispers returned to the lavender mare, spewing unintelligible language and the moaning of pain and agony. She ignored them strongly, refusing to listen to the hallucinations that haunted her every hoofstep. She dared not want the light to fade, knowing very well that being covered in darkness would be the end of her. It was far better to hear the voices than to be lost in the dark.

Walking straight along the path, Twilight heeded the earlier warnings from the attrean about the mysterious artifact; that it would test her very limit. She was ready, no, more than that, she was ready to face the dangers that lurk in the deep for she had faced far worse than her previous voyage and having to endure the challenges ahead.

During her voyage she couldn’t even comprehend how much she had to get used to the funny, smelly streets of the capitol or that one time when outrageous folk was so ill-bent on stealing her horn. The thoughts expanded of her many complaints of human society, Twilight was close to the breaking point of insanity, but digressed of the distractions and focused onto her goal.

She pressed through the uneasy darkness and emerged upon a large open space. No light behind the crystals; just utter black. There was an ominous chill that she had sensed as Twilight was presented at a massive river, extending up to miles long ahead. The waters didn’t wave or make any movement. It was still and motionless.

“Come on, Twilight, you can do this. You can do this.” There was no other way to get across the river; the path ended here. The attrean feather slightly glowed, responding passively that the stone was nearby. She lowered her eyes to spotted something over the distant.

There, at the center of the great river laid a small island, bundled together by boulders and rocks. A light faded from the island, glimmering in the darkness. Twilight couldn’t tell if it was the artifact, but she was soon going to find out. The lavender mare stared at her own reflection in the water. With a touch of her hoof, the water rippled, echoing and passing on into the next. There was something uneasy in the waters that troubled the lavender mare, as if there was a stain that never be released.

Twilight would not dare swim in those waters, fearing for her very life. Her teleportation spell didn’t have the range to reach the distant, instead, she had another idea, but it was risky and she would have to gamble her life for it. Her magic was stronger than usual, strong enough, in fact, that she could levitate herself into the air and get to the small island.

As she was set and ready to try out her new magic, questions filled the lavender mare’s head, wondering if it was worth saving the rookie. She didn’t have any other choice, although, for she had sworn to stop Nightmare Moon at every field and corner. Yet, there was also another reason that she continued her attempt. A reason that she made a promise to someone from long ago.

A red glow surrounded her entire body and, as she began floating on air, Twilight focused on the island ahead. Slowly, but surely, the lavender mare continued with careful advance, afraid of looking down at the river. Focusing deeply, she remained steadfast and strong. But for how long?

“Almost there, almost there.” So far it was going smoothly, the mare could see the island much clearer now and was about to reach solid ground. However, as she was on the clear, the water suddenly rippled. Taking notice of the dilemma, Twilight looked down at the river and for a minute she thought she’d seen something moving.

“Wait, wait a minute, did I see something? No, that cannot be,” Twilight thought, shaking in disbelief and hoping it wasn’t true. Panic finally snared the lavender mare, losing her iron focus and causing her to fall into the river.

A tremendous splash awoke the monster from the deep. Twilight mustered her magic and sailed back into the air. Soaking wet, the feather that was attached to her mane was lost and sank into the bottom. Its orange glow lighted below the waters where she grimly saw a shadow, swimming and surrounding the mare.

Twilight thought that her eyes were playing tricks once more, but this time it was real and the shadowy creature gushed out from the waters with an ominous blue glare. A massive serpent had risen from the depths, blocking her and the appointed destination. Its jaws was adamant, revealing its terrible fangs as it plunged for the mare.

Gone paled with fear, the lavender mare dodged its teeth, almost becoming a snack. She twisted back with every pace, but the sea monster followed. Her focus on the levitation spell was swiftly fading; she could not get her head straight with the monster on her tail. She almost reached back to the entrance, but the monster submerged into the water and appeared right in front of the mare. Frightened, she managed to avoid its ravenous jaws and once more fell into the cold, blackened river.

Underwater, the lavender mare hurried to get to the surface. However, her eyes then met at last the sea monster’s glare. From the distance the sea monster glared back at the little mare, staring with its quadruple eyes. It sped greatly towards the lavender mare with its massive jaws wide open. Its scaled body was shrouded in the shadows as its blue stare was the only thing that Twilight could see.

Twilight was in a dangerous predicament and she would be swallowed whole by the raging monster. “No, I can’t die here. There’s no way I can die here,” thought Twilight, unaware that in a mix of fear and anger, her horn began to glow brightly in red. “No, I refuse to accept this. You hear me? Never!”

The sea monster was already near and swallowed the lavender mare whole. The serpent ravished with delight; satiated of its hunger. But an unexpected event occurred; the monster felt a tingling sensation below its stomach. It cried in a terrible, demonic wailing; jerking wildly without control. A red light pierced out from its mouth and with an excruciating howl came the release.

Water gushed out from the river and bursted in a tremendous blast.  A large explosion detonated beneath the waters as a fading scream lingered in the air. Twilight landed roughly on the small island, fazed, but alright. Gasping for air and coughing terribly, she shifted her head to the large, fallen serpent, stunned and in disbelief.

“Did...did I do that?” Twilight was simply amazed that she could defeat such a foe and even more so when she saw the aftermath. The serpentine monster then decomposed until it consisted of nothing but dust and shadow. Its scaled body gradually faded and vanished completely into the darkness.

As the serpent diminished into the oblivion. There was a cold-chill wrangling through Twilight’s spine and she shuddered the thought of its maker. The way the monster was made and summoned had to took a great deal of magic and skill. She wondered, greatly so, of the ingredients and the methods of creating such a creature, but she had little time to study when her eyes were caught on an entrancing sight.

The orange feather was lost into the deep, but the lavender mare spotted something more and the attrean was right. At the center of the small island laid a black stone hovering above the air. Its definitive aura fueled with ominous evil. Glowing in deep, dark blue, Twilight cautiously advanced to the artifact, her mind being careful of the powers that held from within.

“So, this is the stone,” thought Twilight. “Hmm, I expected it to be a lot...bigger.” Without the feather, Twilight could not return to the attrean and save Geos in time. She would forever be trapped from below and would never see the warmth of the sun. As she stepped inches closer a chilling sensation of cold radiated from the stone. Its warmth was no longer there and the only thing that Twilight felt was but emptiness.

Her forelegs suddenly began to weaken; her eyes were getting sleepy and drowsy by the light. She couldn’t focus on the task ahead as she faintly collapsed to the ground. She couldn’t move; unable to feel her muscles. She was deeply entranced, under the spell of the mysterious artifact. Then, without any notice, a whisper was heard.

“Welcome...welcome...” the voice said with a soothing calmness, but in its tone hid a cold and vicious entity. Twilight  was startled by this and couldn’t react to her defense. The magic that she always relied on was gone. Drained and quenched for thirst, Twilight stared at the source of the whisper, the source of what was happening to her.

Beginning to panic, she resisted, but her efforts were futile as her body began to fade. Her lavender coat, her pale-light grayish mulberry, was turning grey. Her eyes lost their sight and she fell; eternally asleep by the black stone.

======

Captain Hover, leader of the Soulus guards, now rested on his prison cell and was being watched by the gearers. He sighted several of them planting strange devices at the support beams. Beside their reputation of creating such wonderful devices, they also had the tendency to leave destruction in their wake.

The gearers were ordered, and demanded, to destroy the crystal caverns and render all proof of evidence of Haliv’s conspiracy involvement. They firmly planted the charges to create a cave-in, but what they did not know was that their fate would be grimly sealed. Unaware of the deceit, the butler, Wheler, had begun plans of his own. Ordered by the master of the mansion, the butler would seal the only entrance, leaving the gearers behind and trapped under a pile of rubble.

It was a deserving payment for the heathens masks and their foolish, pompous pride, but Hover needed to escape from his cell if he wanted to see Twilight and his men. He gradually cursed at the butler, and of himself. Naive and distracted, he was blind and could not see the treachery that laid before him. He was an utter fool, but that went behind him for the moment.

Isolated, the gearers that were watching him suddenly darted off somewhere into the cavern. This was his chance. As the captain struggled with the lock he was abruptly paused by a familiar sight. It was the crystal, the one he notice from earlier. Shrouded and glowing a deep azure, the captain was immediately drawn by its beauty.

His hand was stretched out and wanted to touch it, but as he was close enough to grasp its surface, he quickly regained his senses and gladly jerked away from the gem.

“This thing...what is this?” thought the captain; starting to lose himself. Beyond speechless, he had never before seen such a rare type of rock. The only time that he recalled was in the merchant stores when he was a little kid, but this one was far bigger. His head began to lose, slowly hearing ominous whispers. He demanded to embrace the crystal so, and his resistant struggled with temptation were waning. This was no ordinary crystal, as the captain finally realized the truth.

His hand slowly reached to the crystal, trying to fight his desire and retain his will. The captain faded into the breaking point and was struggling for control, but could not help himself because of the beauty that laid before him.

There were studies from the academy of powerful materials that would bend any soul to blind madness. The desires in the men’s hearts would be wrapped with lust for power and wealth that they would lose themselves to the grimmest of fate. How hard he tried to restrain of himself had ceased all of the chances and would succumb to the unknown.

With his own bare hands, captain Hover succumbed to the crystal and touched the tip. The crystal lit, brightened in an incredible light as strange energy flowed down upon the captain. The sight darkened him, rendered him empty of all such ability and function. His body froze by the daunting power as his eyes glimpsed between horror and wonder.

The energy dissipated unto the captain and the crystal shattered into numerous pieces. A single drop, small as a pebble, hovered below the side of the captain, glittering in sapphire.

Two passing gearers were on their way for their escape when one stopped to take notice of a shiny gem laying in the prisoner’s cell. Filled with greed in his heart, the gearer foolishly opened the lock.

“What are you doing?” said the other. “We need to get out of this place and fast.”

“Hold your boots on, I’m just getting this piece right here.”

“I still don’t get why you have to get this one. This place has got everything.”

“Almost everything.” The gearer reached closer to the blue gem. He wanted this one more than the rest. As he picked the little gem he smiled with selfish glee. “See, I told you this was a cinch. This prisoner has no strength left to resist--!”

At an abrupt sentence a stream of water poured upon the gearer, dropping the gem and hurling him far in a respectable distance. The other gearer was simply surprised and was about to holler a warning to the others, but he too was put out of commission with a torrent blasted upon his face. With the two down for the count, the gray captain emerged from his cell, retrieving his blue gem.

“Well, now this is starting to get interesting around here.”

======

In the middle of an island in a river of blacken mystery, Twilight was being attentive at the black stone that laid. The voice was soothing in her ear as she approached to it more cautiously. The stone called out to her in advance, praying that its voices were heard.

“Alright, enough with this game,” said Twilight, having enough of the charades. “What is it that you want?”

The black stone said in grumbled words, unable to comprehend to what it was saying. Its fainted light gave the only hope for Twilight from the horrors that shrouded in the dark. The stone simply brightened a little to ease her fear.

Twilight was suspicious, through and through. She wanted to know why the attrean wanted the stone in the first place. The question that came to mind right now was: can this help Geos? As she pressed forward a little bit closer a trembling quake rocked the little mare and she fell off balance.

Out from the depths of the river sprung another shadowy, serpentine monster. Twilight’s morale steadily faltered when she spotted more of them springing out from the water. Four more serpents appeared out from the blacken waters, staring at the intruder with their ominous glow. They were about to get ready for the plunge upon the little intruder.

The massive weight of their bodies and rabid teeth would destroy Twilight completely. Their terrible fangs were drawn wide open as Twilight’s heart started beating faster and faster. Frozen and paled with fear, the stone called out to her, whispering by her name.

It had asked her to use its power, to save her from a doomed fate. Twilight stared at the object, tempted on accepting such a chance, but she hesitated, unsure of its unknown power. Would the stone be her savior or her untimely grave. The stone was calling to her and she was afraid to respond. Desperation and fear took over the little mare as the monsters descend with tremendous speed.

Twilight Sparkle, the violet mare, forced towards to the artifact and when she touched its potential a blinding light appeared that burned through the shadows. Then everything went into pitch.

Chapter 11, Part 3 - Tempt to Memorize

//-----------------------------

// Story: Crossworld Between Harmony

// Chapter 11, Part 3 - Tempt to Memorize

// Author: Scarlet Reign

//-----------------------------

Butler Wheler put the preparations into place without any loose ends. With the coming time when all the crystals and gems were gathered at once he would seal off the entrance, collapsing the tunnel and trapping all those that worked in the mines to their very doom. His plan, the master’s plan, was flawlessly without measure.

Yet, there was trouble brewing from the mines that he did not suspect.

Hollered sounds of distant cries were convincing enough that something was wrong. Wheler and his fellow butlers went to investigate the disturbance, but what he’d glimpse would be inconceivable. A gush of water spewed out of nowhere, washing and driving the miners and foot soldiers away. He and his butlers were safe when the water quickly turned to ice and rose from the outbreak stood a lone figure from the distant; it was Captain Hover.

======

Outward in a blinding flash of light, Twilight Sparkle was spit out from one of her usual near-death experience and landed on a different place that she did not know or the surrounding measure. With the black stone she’d used to escape, she now faced another dilemma in which she pondered.

How would she return the artifact to the attrean?

With the golden feather lost beneath the bottomless pit of water, the violet mare wandered endlessly in the cavernous maze, unable to find her way back to escape or to return to her usual route. However, she still had the option to ignite the stone’s hidden potential once more if she so wishes be granted.

The idea of using the stone for the means of an easy escape shivered the very thought of it for she felt a grim disturbance of despair upon her first time with it. The red magical glow from her horn was adamant, unfazed and remained intact, but she could notice a slight hint of faint that was wearing down on her, almost as if her life-force was being spent.

Unaware of the stone’s dark abilities, Twilight was relieved nevertheless from escaping the massive serpents that was plunging for her. Why didn’t the attrean mention them guarding the stone? By her swift deduction, they were no ordinary creation as they were made up of shadow and smoke.

Lifting the black stone with her magic, she strided on to find the exit. Fortune smiled upon her sheer resilience, but a greater feat was far from over yet as the true test was now presented to the violet mare. Along the unsuccessful attempt for a clear passageway, a whisper, familiar upon her first encounter, started to seep onto Twilight Sparkle. The stone began to make its move.

The gray and faded feature of her appearance was rejuvenated, returning to her original colour, but she could feel the unknowable taint that was eating her alive. Ever since she touched and used the black stone, the violet mare began to feel very strange over a period of time, feeling as if the walls were closing in on her. As minutes drove on, the stone called out to her with sheer determination, gradually persuading her to embrace the power that she had now acquired.

However, as always, the patient and resilient Twilight Sparkle ignored the offer a countless time, shaking the thought of such precarious idea, but she struggled to focus ahead by the temptations of the stone’s generous proposal. It was persistent, it was relentless without question. Its dark voice told her of its worth to be a thousand times beyond mere gold and treasure. With vicious cunning, a directive line was said to her that made Twilight flinched and lose her balance. Her lost companions.

The stone could see and glimpse the deepest, darkest secrets that any soul had stored from within their hearts. It was easy to read as it toyed her mind: her dreams, her ambitions and the excessive guilt and fault, it had seen it all and added an incredible motion that Twilight would had a hard time to believe.

A forbidden taboo and knowledge to bring back the dead to life without any consequence.

Twilight stared blankly at the stone and was unconvinced on the offer that was presented on a silver platter. She’d studied extensively day and night of any known resurrection spell, none of which proved a great result. She fought terribly of the idea, using logic and acting valiant like any known professional would do, but when a gift, a chance, to repay a debt to the fallen heroes that she had caused would mean anything to the entire world.

The memories of the past and her emotion greatly took over her. How could the stone have the audacity to ascend the dead without any risk? A question, in sadly which, that Twilight didn’t paid any heed to that.

Her companions, the Guardians of Twilight Sparkle, the souls responsible for her trip to the human realm were gone from this world, fallen, by her foolish acts of choice. All of them had bravely given their life so that she could continue on battling Nightmare Moon and her darken scheme. The mistake of the companions’ death had cost gravely to this very day and  tormented her wherever she went.

She ached with intense pain as her heart couldn’t bear the guilt that was building upon her. She wanted nothing more than to undo the mistake that she caused so long ago. She desired for change and was hell-bent with desire to help her friends that passed on from this world. No amount of wealth or even a formal apology to the widows and victim’s relatives could make up for the magnitude of anguish that she’d caused them.

It was all her fault.

The stone glittered in brightness, reassuringly enough that it had gotten hold over her at last. Intended from the start, Twilight was now close to embracing the power, an acceptance that would be a fate worse than death.

Within inches near to the succumbment of temptation, Twilight was then froze in her tracks, feeling something heavy around her neck. When she looked down to see what it was, she paused in startlement that she had almost forgot about.

It was a necklace, a simple and easy-to-buy trinket, but this what stopped her from any further attempt as she remembered something so long ago. An object that turned to memory would soon become a promise.

======

Long ago, back when Twilight was still with her friends, an evil plan was revealed to them as they ventured over the mountain and to the farther reaches of rivers that no soul would dare or had never explored before. They were on a mission to stop Nightmare Moon, but a terrible battle was waiting for them that ended in tragedy.

The Blighted Plains, a molten and barren wasteland where the air was hazardous with thickened smoke and tremendous fall of volcanic ash without any end. They were almost victorious in their battle, but Twilight became reckless, cocksure at best,  risking her friend’s and many others in grave, mortal danger. They succeeded in stopping Nightmare Moon, but it came with a steep and heavy price.

All nine of her friends had face their certain demise, leaving Twilight Sparkle as the sole survivor of that fateful day. She would then later be saved by Captain Hover with dozens of the Soulus guards at his dispense in the aftermath. Though escorted safely, she couldn’t bear to forget for the guilt was too much to bear. She would forever bear that burden for the rest of her life.

However, before they departed to the forsaken place, before the nine were gone from her life, a gift was presented to her. Given by the leader of the nine, he and the rest bestowed upon her a simple necklace and in the center was a tiny stone of distinct hue of red.

“Promise me, Twilight,” the leader warmly said, placing the necklace gently around her neck. “Whatever happens, promise me that you’ll remember us as we were: a couple of merry fools who were so bent to follow an ambitious mare. Never look back, Twilight. Keep moving forward and succeed stopping the nightmare...

Twilight didn’t realize the importance of that promise till then when the leader was the last to die upon her forearms. She watched her friend fall right in front of her eyes as she was broken into tears. A great burden had been placed over her shoulder and the guilt that she carried, but when another had fallen, another rose up to claim their place.

The black stone struggled to keep Twilight Sparkle at bay, but the violet mare proved too much.

Twilight met new friends after that, even fewer in the following month. She strived forward on to the unknown future and never looked back of the past. She had a promise that needed to be kept, a promise that must be honored in memory of her fallen friends.

And this was the reason why she couldn’t let go and the reason why she had to decline the offer.

It was an answer that the stone didn’t like and hated her for it. It befell into silence as the cavern wall expanded and dimmed in utter darkness. The violet mare became startled on what was happening and with unease and overwhelming fear, she saw cracks from the darkness, crumbling like broken glass. Shadows began to faint, dissipating in smoke as young Twilight Sparkle began to realize what was really going. It was all an illusion.

The dome that trapped the violet mare shattered entirely of its structure, as the black stone had lost all of its attempt. It was almost assured in its bind, almost completely taking over the violet mare. It sensed a potential spark within her that was different amongst the rest. With its unnatural raw power and the violet mare’s extensive knowledge, they would be a force to be reckoned unlike any the world  had ever saw. But it had failed, along with the chance for a suitable host.

The stone’s constructed illusion dispersed, releasing Twilight from its entrapped spell. The only sight she now saw was the gallant clustering colours of crystals, glittering in stars. In front of the fading shadow laid a particular, familiar avian that was waiting for her.

“Remarkable,” the attrean said, applauding by her performance. “Very well done, little mare, you have surpass beyond my expectation. Resourceful, resilient, filled with a determine heart. I knew I sensed something the minute I laid my eyes on you.”

“You!” Twilight exclaimed, scornfully. “What are you doing here? Where am I?”

“Relax your tension, little mare, you are safe. Allow me to sate your curiosity.” The attrean explained that the black stone was a crystalforge, a refined made created from long ago and within the shell held a tiny gemstone with tremendous power. “But we were reckless. We didn’t know what we're up against when the black stone had a life of its own. Many have tried to claim the artifact, to control it.”

“And what happened after that.”

“...it didn’t end well. Most of their life force was taken completely by the stone.”

Twilight gulped, wondering what would happen if she accepted the offer.

“Once for sure that we have no hold over it, the black stone was locked away. Right in this very spot and underneath the mansion. None of my kind had able to succeed on controlling the stone, that is, until you came along.”

Twilight grunted in annoyance. She had almost risked her life just to amuse the attrean and she was getting tired of the charade. “Alright, I have done on what you asked. The question I wonder now is, would this save Geos?”

“Oh, most definitely,” replied the attrean. “I had no doubt that this piece would secure the blight that’s been tormenting him. After all, we created them in the first place.”

Twilight was baffled by the last sentence. “What do you mean by them?”

The attrean’s smile slightly dropped as it raised its arms at the crystalline view. “All of it, my little mare. We created them. The crystals are of our doing.”

======

Up from the air and on the attrean’s back, Twilight was holding on to her dear life, slightly fearful of falling down hundreds of feet below. The black stone was well-secured, covered tightly in sordid rags. The attrean refrained from touching the artifact, unable to bear to hold it even in the slightest for it would mean the death for the avian.

“I still don’t understand all of this. Care to explain how you created these crystals in the first place?” Twilight called, slightly shouting from the heavy wind that was blowing directly on her face.

“It is very simple, little mare, very simple,” the attrean lowered slightly at the sea of crystal. “Each piece had a single gem and each colour had a certain affinity to the elements of nature: red, blue, green and white. Either light or dark colour, they’re tied to the affinity that presented them...

Water. The elegance of scorching ice and merciful stream.

Fire. Destructive yet graceful; masters of their fiery fury.

Earth. The patient, the secluded and the hardened stone.

And Air. Thunderous might and the ascent of lightning.

...we created and constructed them to bring balance upon this world. But so in our every goal lies a hidden hint of greed and the lust for control.”

“What happened?”

“There was disagreement between our kind which resulted in fighting amongst us.”

“That is terrible.”

“Oh please, don’t take this to heart, little mare. Our troubles were long since answered and done,” the attrean ascend higher above into the incredible height. The avian sadly smiled.  “We had made our mistake and it had cost us dearly. I am the last of my kind, little mare. Feeling alone without anyone to care and cherish is more cruel than death. Hold on tight, we’re nearly there to our destination,” And with the attrean gliding to the final descent, added. “I’ll bet your friend is dying to see the result of our progress.”

======

Twilight was amazed by the sheer form of crystals that created the place, guessing it must have taken years to  build to what it was today. The spiral caverns they descended were gorgeous and she couldn’t take her eyes off from the gemstones that were within the crystal structure. Lying on the very bottom, she saw Geos in the distance, lying still on the diamond altar.

“So tell me,” she asked, her curiosity got the better of her. “If you made these crystal shards, then you must have an affinity to this element.”

“Indeed I do.” corrected the attrean and that was all of it.

“...well, are you going to tell me about it?” Twilight pondered.

“No and never. What difference does it make?” the attrean replied with a submissive tone. “Our kind were many things, maybe even more, but we had our chances and we threw it all away of such potential. But if you really must know, then you only need to observe.”

“That really isn’t helpful at all, you know..” She retorted.

“Hehe, you are very wanting, little mare. Even a little selfish if you could say to point. Let’s end of this discussion shall we, there’s nothing to gain or to know the grand importance of me. Nothing more than a foolish bird who lost its wing.”

They made a safe landing on the crystalline ground with the stone safely caried by Twilight. The body of Geos remained as it were, but a pool of purple streams began to pour out of him. His time was almost over.

“Are you sure that the stone would help with the problem.” Twilight asked, still unsure of the attrean’s plan.

“You must believe that it would work. Put an amount of faith in me, little mare, and you would see that there is more to you than meets the eye. It harnesses far more capable than your accursed enemy of yours.” The attrean began to set into motion as the diamond-made altar sparkled by human contact. The rookie’s fainted body was almost consumed into darkness, falling into the possession of a part of Nightmare Moon’s control.

“Twilight, would you please magically place the stone above Geos.” The attrean kindly asked, getting ready for the implantation. Its golden, distinct feathers suddenly turned to a grim coloured hazelnut; a familiar style to a griffin. Its redden eyes now glared at the unconscious human, lifting both of its talon and creating a tremendous power of light in its grasp.

Twilight was slightly stunned by the power that was manifesting over the attrean. She uncovered the dirty rags to only find herself surprise of the sudden transformation. The stone shattered into considerable pieces, but it left something along the making: a tiny gem, shrouded in an eternal marvel of black. She felt unease that a single piece could solve the problem, unknown to her that a part of Nightmare Moon laid dormant within the rookie.

She placed the gem as instructed above the rookie, using her magic to keep it afloat and within inches of him. It was then the gem sparked with intensity that dispelled Twilight’s magic. Worrisomely in dread, she began to take notice of the gemstones, countless of them in their colorful glee within the crystal wall, had faded and darkened of all such luster and life. To her realization, the gemstones’ power were manifesting all at once upon the black gem and the attrean’s echoing voice was chilled with vibe that she watched and listened silently of its unintelligible incantation. Staring straight at the black gem and floating all on its own, she thought she’d heard its darken whisper, only to be lost by the avian’s deeply voice.

The gems were confluencing upon a single piece and spreading out of control in violent clashes. But the attrean didn’t stuttered or even flinched for it continued on with the spell. The black gem sputtered brightly and erupted in tremendous darkness. Twilight was overwhelmed soon after when a purple fade began to appear out from the rookie’s chest and to her surprise she stared directly at Nightmare Moon. “W-what? This cannot be?”

A part of nightmare battled against the foreign invader, constantly resisting the black gem’s progress. Yet it proved mightily better, spreading its true darkness over nightmare and with tremendous force, the gem quelled any known resistance and dug deep within the rookie.

The dark energy seeped and planted within Geos, binding and trapping the nightmare that stained him. The gem lowered gradually onto his chest, sinking from within as his flesh began to mend the wounds and covering. The mark of nightmare, the veritable symbol of Nightmare Moon, was no longer visible as it faded from existence.

“It is done,” said the attrean as its brown feathers returned to its golden hue. The gems from the wall returned to their originality, bringing back their colour of life. The crystal altar collapsed and scattered in bits with the attrean holding the young rookie. “The succession is complete. The trouble is now over.”

“Oh no, it isn’t!” The attrean glanced aside to see Twilight acting on the defensive. It could see its horn glowing in fiery red. “You’d lied to me. That was Nightmare Moon that I definitely saw. What is going on around here, why is Nightmare Moon inside of him?”

“...that I do not know...”

“What?

The attrean sighed, feeling the moment of time to sit right now. “That accursed beast had split a part of her inside of the young human, that is true, but I do not know the reason of her intention. Right now, the black gem has suppressed from further corruption. You do not need to worry. He is safe.”

“Still, it doesn’t give explanation why she would do such a thing. To put a part of her soul to another. That’s inconceivable.”

“Indeed, but the best advice that I could give is better to leave things a mystery, temporarily. I have others things that I must ask of you, Twilight Sparkle.”

The violet mare slightly backed away, intimidated by its advance.

“Before you leave this place to the outside world,” the attrean then placed the rookie on the ground and clasped gently onto her hooves. “Promise me that no one, not to a single soul except you, must never know of my existence. From dawn and dusk and the crosslands from afar, never tell anyone that I ever existed.”

“But...why? I do not understand why I have to--”

“Promise me, Twilight, swear to me that you would keep your word in bound,” the attrean declared, slightly filled with distraught and sadness. “The world must never know that one still remains. It would only bring disorder and chaos to many. For this, I had come to beg for your solemn oath.”

Twilight looked deeply into its eyes that it was serious. She didn’t want to decide of course, unsure why she had to keep the attrean’s existence a secret. But in the end, she smiled at the avian and gradually nodded. “I promise,” she pledged. “None shall know that you exist. You have my word for it.”

For a long time, the attrean had never heard such good news in its life. “I thank you, Twilight.” said the avian in great relief. The air felt easier around the attrean, snapping its talon that engulfed Twilight and Geos in an incredible light.

Twilight jumped by the sudden surrounding. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Your grandeur exit; for you and your friend.” The attrean looked above to glimpse the spiral caverns heights were coming apart. Chunks of crystals and gems were falling like rain as a large piece smashed the diamond altar. The avian hadn't moved an inch, feeling the tremendous freedom that burdened the avian. “My duty is complete. I have done my task,” he turned back at Twilight with compassionate gaze. “Thank you, Twilight. Thank you...”

“No, wait, don’t do this stop--” Twilight tried to raise out to the avian, a defiant response, but the light that surrounded them rose tremendously and they vanished from the scene. The crystal cavern continued on its self-destruction, collapsing everything of any known evidence.

“At last...I am truly free,” the attrean looked upward, smiling greatly. “Geos, I do not know what would happen next, but I know that your task would be far greater than ever before. You have gained a priceless treasure. A memory of our forgotten race. As I promise I would deliver your salvation, but in so doing of the consequence of my action, it would risk you and even the accursed beast, Nightmare Moon herself, to an ultimate demise. Such a burden that you now bear within you. I pass on this blessing and a curse to you as the sole guardian of the gem. May you live further and death be swift to your ascension. If this is the price to pay for my defiance and the result for peace to this realm...then I have no regrets whatsoever.”

With a relaxing release, the attrean gradually closed its tired eyes, embracing the peace that it deserved so very long as the falling debris consumed everything of its path.

Chapter 11, Part 4 - Three of a Duty

//-----------------------------

// Story: Crossworld Between Harmony

// Chapter 11, Part 4 - The Triple of Duty

// Author: Scarlet Reign

//-----------------------------

The explosive devices was triggered for detonation. Attached by the weak support structure beams it would incinerate and destroy the mine, collapsing and burying everything upon the massive weight of stone and dirt. However, the fuses that was already set didn’t trigger for it was quench in water.

The crystal mine itself shook the very core of the earth and a tremendous wave of water gushed through the passageways and the gear-miners alike. Washed away by the torrent of stream, they were dragged into the open area, as enemy footsoldiers soon massed in number to quell the sudden disturbance. But unfortunately, they too succumbed by captain Hover’s unrelenting assault.

Beneath and between the crystal mines, the gray captain had obtained a valuable object, a marvelous sapphire gemstone that could bestow a man with tremendous magic. Though forbidden of use of such dangerous acquirement, he nevertheless unleashed the potential of its newly gifted powers. This would forever branded him to certain death by the blade.

Hover felt the incredible energy that was seeping through his entire body. His hand grasping the gem was cool and relieving. It was no wonder why the empire had restricted the use of these forbidden gems. Altering and adjusting to it uses, the captain had realized earlier that he’d became a Harten, a similar term to a magician, but a more complex.

Upon the captain’s knowledge, each colored gem represent a certain element and the powers it displayed. No man could do magic in the world unless a condition must meet in demand and the tools to unleash from within. The gems were that the rightful tools and the condition to release such power. With his hand, holding the very magic within his grasp, a bluish light glowed and sprout untold devastation amongst his enemies.

Commanding and controlling the element of water, he unleashed a wave of endless tide and swept away the oncoming enemies. Amidst the growing chaos the captain went close into combat, procuring an icy blade from his entire arm. He assaulted with ruthless efficiency, taking down one another of the disarray that he had caused. At will, he switches his melee to range and fired frozen spikes at those that would threaten him.

With the years of experience in battle plus the acquired magic at his edge, the captain proved more efficiently in combat than ever. Enemy reinforcement arrived with archers at the ready and a familiar target that the captain had long to search. Amongst the group of butlers, Wheler stood vigilant and stared at the captain with disgusting look.

“As suspected that you would easily get out from your cell, sir,” Wheler stated and then shook his head in disbelief. “But I never thought you would use the gem to fulfill your personal use. Sacrilege; and downright madness.” He gestured his fellow butlers as they drawn their blades against the captain. “Surrender now, sir and dropped down the gem. You have no chance against all of us with the current state of yours.”

“Do not lecture me, you blighted traitor!” Hover barked aloud. “You killed my men and threatened this state. I am here to atone for your crimes and for the lost of my fellow men.” His hand tightened as it glowed ever more brightly. “For conspiring against the empire and allying with a dangerous monster, you are hereby sentence to death without pity. This atrocity should not go unheard of.”

Wheler could see the eyes of the captain as he wasn’t the man to parley so easily. He gave a heavy sigh, disappointed and found that the time for talk was over. He pulled the strange devices that was attach from both of his shoulder, pulling an extendable double iron stick. The butlers form aside positioned for the advance as they pounced at the gray captain with sheer battle determination.

======

Amidst the empty mine, a blinding light burst through continued space and Twilight Sparkle spawned from the exit first with the rookie, Geos, following behind. As they crashed through the ground and smothered in dirt, Twilight was left nothing but tremendous distraught as she tried to get back up on her hooves.

She could hardly believe that it had really happen. The attrean, the last of its kind (and similar to a griffin), had perished under a pile of stone and crystal; never to be seen by human eyes ever again. To go down such a way was dreadful. The collapse of the avian’s safe haven had reduced to massive pile of rubble, indescribable to recognize of the spectacular structure.

Left nothing but a memory for the departed bird, Twilight now focused on the task at hoof as her ears picked ominous footsteps coming farther ahead. It sounded like there was rustling commotion about in which Twilight headed to the source. She glanced at the rookie, lying unconsciously still on the dirt as she carried him onto her shoulders.

Lifting as twice as her own weight, she struggled a bit on putting the rookie’s arm around her neck as she gradually moved to the destination. To what the rookie had represent, the mark on his chest was no longer there, but a another matter that needed attention. The soul of Nightmare Moon;  a part of her was within the human, trapped under the bind of the black gem artifact.

How could Nightmare Moon do such a thing and for greater reason, why? Twilight was baffled to this and couldn’t shake off the idea that the rookie was nothing more than an easy test subject, a carrier of the two most powerfulest entities from both of worlds. The question she wondered now if Geos wasn’t the first case that has happen to him. What if Nightmare Moon transmuted a part of her soul to unsuspecting victims in the past. This knowledge deeply worried the lavender mare.

“Heh, you sure are a lucky human, Geos,” Twilight commented admirably though the rookie was still in his preserving slumber and unable to hear it all. “You have suffered far worse than anyone that I could remember and yet you still sleeping peacefully like a little foal.” She chuckled. “Humans, they sure are a mysterious thing.”

Abling to brought to pace, Twilight was close in bound for the entrance, but she could immediately hear the commotion growing louder and terrible screams in the mix. She proceeded slowly, cautiously advancing with Geos being laid at the back for safety. She went through into the blinding light and was met at a frozen landscape. It was a cavern, but filled with ice.

The lavender mare shivered of the below temperature, minding as well being careful of the slippery ground. She was grimly unease to spot several bodies of gearers and footmen alike that fell either by the frozen spikes or completely covered in ice. On the defensive, she listened and heard a battle being waged. At the far distant, that battle was still raging as so.

Upon her very eyes, she saw a blue burst of water coming out from the lone figure’s arm, fighting against a number of enemies. Focusing her eyes to adjust, she then glimpse in startlement that the caster was a familiar sight. It was captain Hover.

======

The butlers advanced with threatening blades, pointing directly at captain Hover. They moved and dodged the oncoming icicles that was heading straight for them. They were no ordinary kind of folk that the captain had dealt before.

Back in the day when Wheler was just a ‘hired employee’, several mercenaries joined along at his side in pursuit of wealth. Most of their wishes were fulfilled when he introduced them to Joaris Haliv, the master of the mansion. What better position than to be a butler at a same time be the master’s personal bodyguard.

Each individual consisted different skills and traits, but all were trained by none other than Wheler. With discipline and strict training, the butlers proved formidable foes that could almost compare to the extincted Scarlet. They engaged with swords and unique style of weapons at the captain with tremendous force, slightly suppressing him from able to plan his very next move.

Hover shifted back to his icy blade and made contact at one of the butlers, but when he engaged at one, another sprung from behind. His eyes were distracted at the moment, trying to focus the targets one at a time. He formed a shield, made of ice, from his other arm and blocked at the heavy blow. He sped to kept up the pace and still getting used to the gifted powers, a butler managed to pierce through with his halberd, causing the captain to collapse by the mustering distraction. Tripped to the ground, Hover gazed at the oncoming attacker and unleashed a frozen blast just in time.

The butler was forcibly pushed, already frozen upon impact. However, there were plenty more that the captain had to deal with as he pressed upward back on his feet. Challenging against three butlers at the same time, the captain was starting to lose some ground and was gradually falling back with his ice-made shield shattered from extensive stress.

Unable to cope with the pressure the captain was down once more, slightly overwhelmed as one was at near for the dreaded kill. His powers were easily spent from overusing and his arms was exhausted from the unrelenting assault. He had nowhere to move in time. He was defenseless.

As the butler was about to smite upon his blade a great flash of light beamed towards to him and his fellow camaraderie. There was an open breather for Hover as he got back to his feet, slightly startled at to what just happened. He turned to glance at the direction of the shot to be completely surprised to see.

“Twilight?! You bloodymare for sore eyes. Where in Savior did you come from?”

“No time for the explanation, captain,” she stated, covering his back while the butlers began to swarm and surrounded the two. “Care to give reason as to how you manage to make magic from your hands.”

“Heh, long story as well. But when we get out back alive, I’ll tell you all about it.”

“Deal.” Twilight chuckled a bit as she quickly fired an energy beam at the oncoming butler. The blast forced the attacker away  in respective distant as the others invaded altogether

There was violent clash between the two and the butlers as Wheler snorted at the scene. “Finally, that beast had finally come. It just make my life more easier.”

======

Geos grunted in aching annoyance, waking up finally to the world. His head felt dazed and ringing in his ears. He felt like the world came crashing down upon him, smearing on his fragile state.

“Where am I?” He asked, still feeling dazed and weak. As he tried to get up on his feet, his chest began to burn from within. Grunted in pain, he gave a long look to saw that the nightmare mark was no longer there. “What the--how is this possible?”

Unable to figure how the mark had disappeared from the chest, he was abruptly interrupted by the sound of battle in background distant. The rookie became curious of this and followed to the source of the sound where he was then stumbled upon a couple of surviving gearers from beforehand.

There were three of them, wielding their mining tools as they saw the rookie. Without any warning, Geos was bluntly attacked. One gearer overwhelmed the weak rookie while the other two quickly grabbed of his arms, rendering him immobile. He then raised his pickaxe for the kill and just as he was about to succeed, a powerful energy emerged from Geos.

In a matter of seconds, the gearer that held the pickaxe was consumed in darkness and the other two, horribly frightened of his comrade, quickly ran from the horror. Left alone once more, Geos was left but paused, surprised as to what had just happened. His left hand had a burning sensation and he looked at the black smoke that coming out from his skin.

“What...is happening to me?” he asked himself, but couldn't manage to control on what came next. Like the thundering bolt, the rookie crumbled down to the ground, screeching out in terrible pain. The blackened smoke began to pour out from his body and unable to control of himself.

A surge then wrapped and surrounded over the rookie until a form fastened into a different shape. Consumed from within, the cause for this happening was the black gem. It singled out to its own agenda and possessed the rookie without an effort.

Geos, now being helpless, was lost in the darkness as the only thing left for him was the empty shell for the gem to take control. It had founded a host.

======

The battle raged on as Twilight now joined with Hover to fend off against the numbering butlers. She aimed her horn and fired another powerful beam. The shot was dodged by the agile warrior that was coming of his sword and directly at the lavender’s head.

But old Hover came into her rescue in time, raising an icy wall between the mare and the butler. The blade was then stuck at the wall and the butler was unable to pull it out in time before he was opened for another magical beam. The two butlers behind challenged the captain intense duelling. Their swords clanged against his as they were pushed aside by the torrent of water that the caster unleashed.

Captain Hover used the power of the gem, more frequently than ever as he was getting the hang of it with his acquired ability. Twilight took a slight glance at the captain and was amazed on how well he was able to adjust so easily upon his first try. But knowing heartily, the lavender mare knew that he was enjoying it.

The two combined forces of Hover, the gray captain of the Soulus guard, and Twilight, the harbinger of the Elements of Magic, had proved that the butlers didn’t had the chance of succession. Though they tried and almost succeeded, none were close enough to reach to them with their swords or other means of long-range weaponry.

That was then Wheler stepped for the solution.

The rest of remaining butlers stood aside as the greatest of them all rose against the bothersome two. With his extendable double iron sticks there was no time for the two to react as Wheler darted off with incredible agility. Upon his first attack, the gray captain was bluntly hit and pushed aside for Wheler’s appointed direction: the beastly mare.

Twilight beamed her horn, summoning a powerful ray against the coming butler, but shockingly enough, the shot was reflected and she was opened for an attack. Without any time to dodge, the lavender mare was grasped by the throat of the butler’s hold. Wheler grinned with pity of the creature as he threw the mare like a ragged doll. It would only then that she was saved by Hover’s recoverable catch.

“My magic...it was reflected?” said the lavender mare shockingly. “How could this be?”

Wheler heartily laughed “You know better, beast, that my weapons were refined by the rarest of earths. A type of ore that was used from long ago to challenge those of the higher power and those with accursed magic.”

“Lerisium,” Hover guessed.

“That is correct.” Wheler wasted no time for discussion as he sprinted once more against the two. The gray captain conjured icicle spikes, but all them were dodged by the quick and agile warrior. Resentful, he resorted into melee and contacted with his icy sword.

The two warriors battled them out in a speedily duel while Twilight recovered from the toss and joined in to the fight. The other butlers was on the verge and blocked the mare’s path, focusing with all of their effort to subdue the beast. Splitting the duo from apart, Wheler had the time alone with the captain, blocking the heavy, feral swings without any difficulty.

Wheler was trained for this; trained to battle against the Harten and to all those that wielded of magic. He had a cold, logical expression from his face and a slight hint of disappointment for the captain. His moves were quick and accurate that Hover was unable to keep up and was simply receiving several reprisal attacks from the butler.

Wheler gave a lowly kick at the leg, collapsing the captain to the ground. His iron stick then thrust onto the captain’s hand where the gem was holding and forcibly dropped it from the sheer pain. He then clamped his boot unto the captain’s chest, with his other iron stick pointing directly to the head.

“It is over,” Wheler stated victoriously. “You and your petty attempts had fallen.” He slightly gazed at the other butlers, where they were successful enough to overwhelm the lavender mare and rendered all of her chances to counter. “Haha, you are foolish that you could defeat us. Look at you, the captain of the Soulus guard, now laid defeated by mere butlers. It is unheard off really, but you won’t get to see another chance when I--?.”

Interruptingly, Wheler was abruptly stopped and turned his head at the corner one of the caves. He saw yellow gleaming eyes hidden from the shadow as the figure appeared into the light. It was the rookie, Geos.

The butlers quickly surrounded the rookie, seeing him as another threat, but for Wheler, he saw this as an opportunity.

“Geos! Thank goodness you are alright,” Twilight said struggling to break free from the butlers but to no avail. “What are you doing here? Get out while you still have the chance.”

The rookie remained silent and confused at the lavender mare’s speech.

“What are standing around for?!” Hover shouted impatiently. “Go get help you blighted fool!”

The rookie didn’t like what the captain was saying to him. He glared furiously of his yellow eyes. Twilight then soon took to notice that there was something wrong with Geos and she grimly knew the reason.

Wheler heartily blurted into laughter. “You have no right to tell him what to do,” he beamed to the gray captain with enthusiasm. “Not anymore.” He grabbed one of the butlers sword and handed the weapon to him. “Finish him, Geos. Eliminate the captain and the lavender beast and we can regroup to my master. Once he saw the result of your completion, you shall be amongst the rank as her third and final knight."

Geos stared at Wheler then at the sword. He willingly accepted and clutched tightly at the sword. His yellow, feral eyes then beamed at the downed captain. With both his hand at the hilt, he raised the sword up high in aim for the captain’s heart.

“Geos, don’t do this!” cried out Twilight, but the rookie paid any attention to her as he was ready for the deadly plunge. The lavender mare was grimly aware of the situation and didn’t knew what to do but to be helpless to stop him.

As the rookie prepared himself, he slightly grinned at the captain and to all of such things in life. “I see,” he began, starting to laugh aloud with madness. Everyone became unsteady as the rookie couldn’t bear to control his frightful glee. “For so long I’ve been following orders and never have I thought I would be following an order. Ah memories"

The rookie still bluntly laughed which Wheler had grown mightily impatient. "What are you doing, Geos?! Finish him!" he ordered commandingly.

The maniacal laugh quickly faded and the rookie turned his glare at the butler, with the sword, that was given to him, pointing direct and true. "No. Never once more shall I heed to you or anyone else ever again for the rest of my existence."

"Foolish blither, what are you muttering about? I gave you an order!"

"Then I'm telling you to go to the abyss." It had taken only a single punch that Wheler was plunged off from ground and came crashing down to his fellow comrades. The butlers then plunged their effort at the role with swords and steel and all would come breaking loose.

Able to move freely, Hover was manageable enough to retrieve the blue gem and cast out a quickened escape. Admitting terribly, the conditions weren't suitable to them and that the battle had already been lost. Though he argued that this retreat was a cowardly move, the priority was the mare’s absolute safety, as well as with Geos.

Grabbing Twilight from the clutches of the butlers, they moved in haste through the controlling waters and ascended toward to upper ground. Wheler, with the support of his comrades, risen up to his feet while pressing down the soaring chest. “Well, that was something new,” he commented as the butlers were sent forth in pursuit against the three.

======

The waving waters had faded as the gray captain had lost all of his strength to continue. Drained from extensive use from the blue gem, Hover was laid at the dirt, exhausted too go any further at of this point.

They were safe for the moment, afar from the pursuable butlers that wanted the three to be dead and gone. Their destination had lead them to a horrible place of grinding gears and steam and bolts of science. This was the machination room and this is where Twilight had first glimpse the horrible experiment that conducted over the innocent victims.

“Can you stand up?” Twilight asked to the captain, trying to force him up onto his feet. “Come on, we need to get out of here as best as we can.”

“It is no use, Twilight. I am done,” said Hover submissively. “I don’t have the strength to continue . I cannot move.”

“No, no, don’t say such a thing,” Twilight scolded glaringly. “You can make it. I know you will. Geos, help us. We need to get out of here.”

“But why would I want to do that, little mare,” Geos chuckled in delight, sighting at the wonders of complex machinery. “What a remarkable machine. Have these little creatures have the capability of such knowledge. Remarkable. Truly remarkable. To think that they were some back-bone primates with the mind of a common beast and dogs. But clearly, I was mistaken. Oh, what a marvelous machine...”

“What in goddess are you talking about? What is wrong with you, Geos?”

“Haha, you are the one to talk, little mare,” Geos lowered his head in level of Twilight and stared directly at her eyes. “But I am not the man that you are talking to.” His smile was shown with disarray and contentment for he was not of himself of this late. In grimly truth, the rookie...was not rookie at all.

Twilight had glimpse that the person in front of him was different and then to her shocking realization, “You're...the artifact?! The black gem!”

The dark object grinned. “When did you first notice? That you had to guess of my sudden change of my personality or that of my yellow eyes. Foolish little mare, you have no idea what is playing here.” He gazed at the exhausted captain and snickered. “Though, your friend needs of bit of attention right now.”

Twilight turned her head at the captain, who now suffered a relapse from the effects of the gemstone as he jerked and wailing in pain. She examined at the condition and was oblivious to know what to do to help him. “What is this? What’s happening to him?”

“All those that sworn to the Heart of Stone must pay a tollable fee,” Geos explained ominously. “A required price of the holder, a some sort of payment as you will for its services. I believe that time had come too early for him."

“Name any price,” Twilight added desperately. "Name any price that could save him! I would give him anything right now to ensure his safety."

The black gem chortled and mocked at her valiant and noble attempt, but his laughter had died down quickly as he slightly glanced at her necklace. "There is nothing to be done, little mare. He alone, must pay the debt to the Heart of Stone and nothing more you could do to stop on what's happening next."

Twilight was worried for her friend and she was hesitated to ask. "What kind of price does he need to pay?"

The black gem lowered to her ears and whispered that brought Twilight in disarray. Traumatized in disbelief, she gave a scornful look at the captain. She was indeed useless to help him at all for the price to the stone was the very life itself.

“Do not worry about me, Twilight,” the gray captain finally said, acting confidently of his bravado though his condition worsened after each moment. He knew that one way or another his decision would come back to haunt him. “You have done more enough for me and my guards and for that I am grateful. The gem...it’s calling me, demanding a tribute for its services. I cannot ignore it, Twilight. I must do as it commanded."

“Hover...I,” Twilight said nothing for a moment, swelling into tears and professing herself for the blame. "I never wanted for you to end like this. I never wanted anyone to end like this. So many of them...so willing to die, all because of me. I am so sorry...for everything..."

Time had finally come for the gray captain. As the pain subsided a mystic flow of energy began to seeped out from within his body. The sapphire gem, held from his hand, glowed ever brightly. "Guess...this is how it ends," Hover ominously chuckled at the situation. "Funny, here I thought I would die on the battlefield, but I guess this works fine as well." His body gradually faded and all of his strength were sweeping away from the world and feeding the gem's ravenous hunger.

The sight of his departure has made Twilight became despondent and darkened with unbearable sadness. She withered, and sometimes loathed herself, to the inevitable breaking point and bellowed into tears. But she was lifted up on her hooves by a friendly tap on the cheek.

"Stop crying will you," Hover implied firmly and smiled with a cheeky grin. "I hated it when somebody cries over me. Get out of here, Tweets and never look back. Remember what he said, keep moving...forward." With his final message, the old captain succumbed into an unbearable slumber as his body glowed in a ray of light. Then after that his existence had disappeared from the world.

Heavily heartbroken, Twilight Sparkle saw the energy, the captain's soul, being dragged and sent into the sapphire gem, where it was sated of its hunger and swiftly reformed to its blue crystalline state. The lavender mare stared at the transformed object and saw the end of captain Hover, right before her very eyes yet once more.

"Stupid gem, how dare you!" Twilight glared at the crystal, furious without control and sought to destroy it. However, her path was quickly blocked by none other than Geos.

"Move out of the way," she demanded coldly.

But he did not move an inch. "Be radical, little mare," the black gem implied. "This isn't the time for seeking revenge. It is a time for an escape and--."

"Shut up! I won't hear any about it. Once I am done with this thing, I shall personally deal with you later, in fact, I will deal with you right now." Twilight directed and pointed threateningly her horn.

The black gem irritatingly sighed. "Come on, little mare. Surely you'd be reason to reconsider this attempt."

"Not now, not never!" she argued and then asked a simple question. "What have you done with the real Geos?"

"Heh, you sure are gullible little mare, aren't you?" the black gem proclaimed in slight amusement. "You clearly do not understand how our method works. Your friend, this Geos of him, remains unharmed at of this moment. He is just...resting at the moment and if you shoot me right now, he would die as well by your burst of magic."

Twilight stared directly at the person, unwavering to rid of the entity that dwell within the rookie. She wanted to do it, but she couldn't risk the chance of killing the real Geos. Relenting her magic, she crumbled down to her knees, exhausted due to the heavy stress. She was shattered and broken, unbearable to see anymore of her friends being killed right before her eyes.

"Oh little mare, this isn't your fault," the black gem surprisingly added to comfort the despaired mare. "His choice was his alone and nothing more you could do to stop him. To think, that this day and age that humans were able to bring out the best of them. I wonder what would happen next when I fully grasp the reality of the outside world. This isn't your fault nor of your decision."

“No, it really was,” Twilight confessed. “After months I have spend in this realm to only brought despair and torment to others and many of them were willing to sacrifice themselves for my very well-being. Why, why do they go as so foolishly enough to do such a thing for me?”

“That’s simply being human,” he simply answered. “Easily corrupted they are and cunning, they do hold an admirable quality. They would challenge and thrive and succeed against a common threat whatever the cost. Never taken to heart of their sacrifice, taken heavily of their decision for doing this. Now, let’s get out of here. I finally had enough of this forsaken place.”

Twilight didn’t knew what to say, but to accept it. Her heart was fueled with fury and she wanted to scream of the agony that was building inside. But she had to accept it, knowing in grimful truth, that there would be more deaths to come in the future. She had to acknowledge the reality of it all, for her sake.

======

The two hurried to escape the ominous place as the butlers were right on their tail. The lavender mare gave chase at the unknown path, following the lined mark above the ceiling. She recalled from earlier that there had to be some kind of a transportation, a way to carry the goods to one place to another.

When they arrived her hunch was correct that the possessed Geos was simply astounded. “A portal...marvellous.”

The construction of a portal gateway was complex and hardly the public knew of this knowledge. The ability to cross another land in a blink of an eye. Twilight was slightly marvelled because of it, but her curious was interrupted from the heavy footsteps coming from the distant.

“Goddess, they are coming,” Twilight said worryingly.

“Do you know how to work with this thing?” He asked.

“Maybe, but it would take some time. Oh, we don’t have enough time to spare.”

“Keep working on with the contraption, little mare.” His hand began to itch. “I shall stall them to buy you some time.” He walked ahead afar that he couldn’t hear from Twilight, rattling about in defiance.

Geos, no longer the same but instead being possessed by the blacken gem, sought long of the challenging roads ahead.  Imprisoned from underground for so very long, he’d completely forgotten the scent of blood from a dying prey or the screams of frightened beings, craving for a decent chance of mercy. How he missed it all and how he’d almost forgotten the joyous of life.

He’d never realize that within this human body was a shard of an entity, a sliced part of an unknowable, equine creature. Never he had seen this creature before in his lifetime, but the power coming from it was truly magnificent.

A dark energy wrapped around him, shrouding with unimaginable power and twice as more potent than the failed attempt against the lavender mare. His yellowish eyes now glimpsed at the coming forces as Geos made preparation for the relenting tide of his prey.

“This is going to be fun!” he commented excitingly, ravishing with immeasurable pleasure as the butlers arrived and charged for the coming slaughter. He steadied back against the two butler’s preemptive strike, but were overcome by the heavy force of his bare hands. Grabbing both of them in a single move, he jostled their heads at the chilly floor, grinding their bones with common ease like a grape.

Blood gushed out from their heads as his hand was covered in a warmth of their liquid. He had never felt more alive and the familiar taste of brighten scarlet. The rest of the butlers were halted, watching in dismay of his brutal action. Geos derided the lust for battle once more as two swords were now held in his tainted hands. He wanted more of it, wanted the carnage, the blood, the gore of their dying screams. He craved for more of the action and demanded the attention of his dooming prey.

The butlers had shown their resilient resolve and their faltering courage. They weren’t oblivious of the fact that his condition has been influenced by Nightmare Moon, but there was something of an unnatural presence that lurked from within that they quivered in dreadful fear. A familiar sense that was different...and forgotten.

Before they could comprehend the unknowable entity that shrouded him, the ravaged rookie didn’t leave them a chance to conceive for his eyes was filled with madness for blood. He dodged the pathetic swings from the butlers and thrust the blade of his prey that would sought to kill him and the lavender mare. He hailed in a maniacal laugh, rejoicing at the mirth of the carnage. His movement was demonic, in-humanly possible as he dodged with ease and closure upon the unsuspected butlers.

When Wheler managed to catch up with the rest of his comrades, he was stunned to see the massive damage that one soul could deliver and became unsteadily furious. “What are you doing?” he shouted to the rookie. “Stop of this nonsense, Geos and obey as Nightmare command.”

“How many times do I have to tell you,” Geos eyes with swords in direction at him. “You are mistaken for someone else!” He was precocious, driven insane from the sweet taste of redden blood of Wheler. His swords made contact of the butler’s lerisium sticks where the ravaged soul was ill-bent to end of him.

After all the blood that black stone had absorb and bathe, he promptly forgotten of the lavender mare and the derivable escape from the master’s mansion. The only thing left of his fragmented purpose was for the slaughter for more. He was driven uncontrollable of his senses as Wheler realized the magnitude of this serious threat.

Wheler noticed differently that a mysterious entity, beside than Nightmare Moon, had possessed the rookie and her both. He felt a familiarity, long but forgotten in the ancient old that even he would find this unbelievable. His dual iron sticks blocked the wildly moves of the frenzied maniac, but was having problem after each blow began to pace. The moves of the maniac almost became a blur to him and his reprisal attack was continually blocked after his attempt.

The two was at a standstill, ever equal in the duel as the remaining butlers launched an attack from behind. Wheler was backed away by the heavy push of the madman’s sword and a dark energy began to enfold over him.

In the instant, he gazed at the enchanting power of the rookie and saw two shadowy claws from the fade grabbed tightly of the butlers.

This power that the rookie retrieved was not one of Nightmare Moon’s ability. It was far from different, but extraordinary beyond to describe. With a firmly squeeze, the black stone, that have hold over the rookie, crushed the petty annoyances without remorse and drained all of their life force to of his uses. He gave an ominous chortle, fueling his lust for more and with his nebulous claws, hovering in thin incorporeal air, they advance upon Wheler with no given quarter rest.

Wheler’s weapon had stopped the fainted claws of death, but was already overwhelmed by the rookie’s might  as he was shoved in a appalling distant. The shadowy claws reached in its range, tightening its fist and pounding at the speedy, but pressured butler.

Hit after hit, blow after blow, he dodged the lethal blows and was almost close to a terrible falter by the caster’s might. With its terrible plunge, he shielded behind the heavy machine, but it proved that his cover didn’t provide much of security for the claws smashed between the bolt and gears and grasped firmly upon the rapid nuisance that the rookie had craved.

Geos eyed at the final moments of Wheler’s demise. There were others that tried to defend him, but all had either fled from the caster’s blasphemous magic or fallen in their falsely attempt to protect their leader. He had him by inches of his grasp, desiring the taste of his essence. He gradually squeezed his claws and just as he was about to succeed a sudden click ringed in his mind.

The black stone that possessed of Geos began to struggle to control of his movement. The faintly giant claws withered and vanished in split second, dropping the butler not of his will. “So...you still manage to resist,” he mused, talking to himself. His hand quivered uncontrollably as violet veins of cracks began appearing all over his face. “Ease....you are...not bound for...control...”

Wheler didn’t knew what was happening or why, but he couldn’t care any less. He pulled away from his certain death as more butlers arrived as reinforcement. They quickly saw the devastation of their fallen comrade, but were swiftly directed by the horrid look upon their leader.

“Set up the charges...” that was Wheler said and the only thing he said.

The butlers looked at him with unease. “Sir, but the portal. Without it we--”

“Do it as I command, you hear me. Seal off the entrance!”

The butlers didn’t questioned their leader any further, seeing his rather incommodious state. Two of them were diverge upon the explosive devices that was grimly near to the distracted rookie. As they lighted the fuse everyone departed, fled, from their safely range as the explosion ripped through all that stood and near.

The eruption burst much of the debris, destroying everything in its path along the way. Fire and metal covered much of the emptied space as Geos stared bluntly of his destruction and was shrouded in flames. The passage of the gate-portal had collapsed, burying in dirt. Wheler just stood there in front of the closed entrance, striving to comprehend the unfamiliar transformation of the rookie.

“Sir, what had happened?” One of the butlers asked.

The response would be with horror, shock or furious. But Wheler just smiled, just smiled. Because of the circumstances he amusingly walked away from the wreckage, acquiring a valuable information that had left the other butlers perplexed.

======

Twilight rushed in haste by the noise of explosion as she met countless fallen butlers and a ton of rubble, inaccessible to cross at the other side. To her dismay by the death and destruction, she didn’t took notice of the presence that was rising from behind.

She quickly peered her eye at the side and jerked back to then only encounter the rookie. “Don’t scare me like that!” she shouted, but her reaction turned to startle by the amount of blood that was coming from him.

“Hah, do not be so foolish to think like that,” he chucked. “I have no intention of killing you at any point. Not after what happened to this place.”

Twilight was unease on the last remark that came from him, scratching that, the dark entity that shrouded the rookie. The black gem had taken over Geos, that she could clearly sure of it, but the ominous question part was what does it want.

The possessed Geos was humbled in his laughter as was his power, relaxed and tired from all such workout. “Let us depart, little mare. I am rather tired today and all as such things, I wanted to get some sleep.”

As much as Twilight wanted some answer from the black gem, she must admit that they need to escape from this place as possible and report the graving news to the Soulus council. They returned to the portal, where it was fully functional in a swirling light. It wasn’t difficult for the lavender mare to make the portal working, noting that she studied and read books about human machinery.

Using magic as the source, the portal functioned temporarily and opened a way to the unknown destination. She hesitated although on what was on the other side, but Geos didn’t hesitate of such worry or strife and proceeded through the portal. Twilight gave a rightly scorn and followed next and both had vanished as the portal ceased of all of power.

=====

Both emerged from the exit, with Twilight at bay prepared at what was on the other side. Fortunately, their enemies were nowhere in sight, long gone from their resoluted duty. The only thing she saw on the other hand was three Soulus guards that was waiting for their arrival.

The guards were the prisoners that Twilight had liberated them in the time spent at the mansion. Along with the captured civilians that she freed, the guards had managed to secure the area and one sighed with tremendous amount of relief to see the lavender mare once more.

“Blood and piss, you almost given me a heart attack,” the first guard commented as the other two noticed of the disturbance. The three were quite suspicious from Geos, covering full in bloody stain before he walked at the side to avoid bringing terror amongst the civilians.

“Twilight, what in Savior’s might is going on?” the second guard asked, suspicious of the rookie. “Why is Geos is covered in blood? What’s going on with the mansion and what has happened with the captain?”

Twilight lowered down her head and remained silent for a moment, being afraid to tell the gravely news.  “One at the time, gentlemen,” she replied and changed the delicate subject. “but first things first, give me the report.”

“The place is secure misses Sparkle,” said the third guard obediently. “By the look of the place we have suspected to be some kind of abandon warehouse and when we head outside to see on where we are...you better come with me and see for yourself.”

Twilight was quite overall worried and followed. She could see the civilian’s murmuring each other of the walking, talking beast and the events that transpired them. As she was at the iron gate, the guard slided the door open and a wave of light blinded the lavender mare.

Adjusting by the light, she stepped out from the warehouse. Her eyes was widened in shock for she knew of this place and knew it very well. She stood to gaze the massive castle peaks and homely building structures at the far distant. They were at an abandon cannon’s factory.

They were at the capitol.

Chapter 0 - The Prologue (Revised)

CHAPTER 0

There was a fortress with thickened walls and impassable mountains that surrounded the mighty structure of Ironcloud. Garrisoned over a thousand elites, the fortress was formed into an ideal shield that no armies would breach its sturdy defenses.

It would only take the mad, the desperate, and the willing to risk such a craze attempt, and those who tried will find themselves paused by the heavy roars of its mighty cannons and a whistle volley of blackish rounds.

And yet, unaware by the circulative world and to all such extent, someone, or something, managed to risk that dangerous attempt...

And succeeded.

====

In the solitude of night, Ironcloud loomed majestically by the silver light of the moon as the men relaxed by the cooling breeze of scented trees and the warmth of a cozy fire. The fortress was very well-protected, rendering to any known threat that might breach through the walls and any hope for the enemy to siege this legendary fortress had either given up such idea, or died in the attempt.

Since it was a futile and pointless effort for the enemy to succeed, the soldiers were becoming too relaxed in their wake. Dormancy still left these proud and hardened elites into belaying husks of lazy fools who cared much little for duty and discipline. Even the officers, that were in charged to keep order, were contemplated by the men action and loosened themselves to an easy life of merry songs and the boozes of drinks.

For over than a decade, Ironcloud was impervious, invincible and impenetrable beyond to claim. Any thoughts of the next oncoming invasion was soon but forgotten. Their purpose, their reason, to defend such an important structure, was belittled into more than a vacation for them.

While no one was watching the outer perimeter, on the eve of night, a mysterious figure suddenly appeared from the shadow. Without the intrusion or alert from the guards inside, the stranger walked freely in front of the large gate. He snickered how easy it was to stood close to the gate.

Wearing a dark hooded robe, the figure stared up at the walls, hearing the ungrateful fools from the other side. All would soon learn that their mistake would be their last. All would learn that this was the day that their little vacation was about to be over.

The figure stretched out his hand, materializing a spear out of thin air. The entirety of its weapon was dreaded black. He grasped his created weapon and pointed at the unbreakable gate.

"Let's see if the rumours are true."

====

While the rest acted freely inside in their quarters only one guard remained outside in the bitter cold. With only a rugged and dirty coat to provide some warmth, the guard managed to sleep in this terrible weather and dreamed of a wonderful feast that fit for a king. As the guard was about to eat his imaginary pie, a loud sound was heard at the gate that quickly woke him up. Startled, the guard stared at the gate and thought it was nothing, but the sound kept getting louder and louder that others seemed to caught the disturbance.

The guard and the others that heard the sound advanced to the gate, wondering what was making such a racket. As they were close to investigate, the strange sound suddenly ceased and silence loomed once more in the fortress. For a brief minute, they steadily drew their weapons as the guard peeked outside where he saw a blinding light.

This was the start. The beginning of the end for the defenders of stone. The rest of the guards soon heard the sound once more, but this time they saw the gate being crumbled into collapse and followed with an explosive force that went inward against the surprising men.

The gate was shattered like glass and flying shrapnel stabbed multiple times at the guards, killing or severely injuring them in the instant. The tremendous burst had sent a shockwave of the entire fortress. It was a sudden wake up call for the lazy men as they poured out from every corner. Throngs of musketeers were positioned for the target while a barrier of shielded sentinels rushed to the shattered gate.

Spears and swords and muskets were presented at the intruder, readying to battle them out. Yet they could feel this unease sense of dread and danger just outside as they saw the state of the once impregnable gate.

Who was so bold enough to attack one of the secured fortresses in the empire; brigands, neighbouring countries? The men, to some, were slightly astonished that somebody was willing to invade Ironcloud and to others, eager for some action.

The men remained steady in their defence, unsure to what enemy they would face. The cried out officers hollered to the men and everyone became deeply silent by the leader's presence.

The sentinels opened a line where the leader walked magnificently in his traditional pale armour. In front of the sentinels, the leader raised his cerulean sword and readied himself for the inevitable outcome. "Musketeers" he called out to them. "Have you sighted the enemy?"

"None yet, goodsir. No sightings yet from all this blighted smoke."

The leader nodded of the report. He was ever suspicious of the enemy's plan, but he was vigilant to the cause that his men would survive this conflict. Those that invaded Ironcloud would find themselves face to face with the empire's finest, and those that survived shall have the scars to prove their blight.

For a brief minute, they waited. So far nothing had happened yet until an ominous smoke rolled through the gate. The sentinels stuttered by this rather sudden event, but the officers managed to straighten the mens courage.

The smoke soon then after engulfed the entire fortress, thickening with its purple hue. In a foreboding silence, they heard an awful, ungodly laughter from the background. The sound was feminine and unnatural and the source came from the broken gate.

"Show yourself, coward," the leader shouted, pointing its blade at the unknown attacker. "Are you here to mock us with this laughter of yours. Present yourself, blighter, and be judge by the Patriots of the empire."

He waited for the response. Nothing.

After the laughter had faded the men grew mightily worried and showed signs of panic. They were vexed by the purple fog that surrounded them, ignoring the danger in front. While the men grew slightly disarray and the officers hollered for order, the leader (Patriot) had his eyes planted at the broken gate and waited for the enemy to reveal itself.

In truth, the Patriot was disturbed by the purple fog and sensed a disturbance that cried out to him in terror. He felt everything was twisted from reality, wanting to scream in all its fury.

He glanced back at the chaos in his ranks and struggled to keep his composure. He felt his mind was slowly reduced to the breaking point until at last he saw something at the gate.

It was a shadow.

Order soon returned to the men as everyone focused at the approaching shadow. The musketeers aimed at the target with fingers on the trigger. They only need the Patriot's word to unleash their blackish rounds.

With every force at the ready, the Patriot listened carefully of its step, but they sounded strange and odd. They weren't the sound of human footstep. They sounded like...

"A hoofbeat?"

With the purple fog slowly faded away, the shadow revealed itself at the broken gate. A moment of silence filled in the air as the men burst out in laughter.

The enemy that made the whole fortress quaked and men in unease was just an animal, a black equine.

Relieved with content, the men were overconfident of their ability to handle a small and puny threat. Some even volunteered to end the creature for an easy victory, but one was able to saw the true horrors that stood before him and slightly stepped back from this evil creature.

For the first time in his life, the Patriot was terribly afraid. Hesitant and shaken beyond of measure, he silently turned around and retreated to his quarter while the men were oblivious of their leader's fear.

The dark equine saw the retreated Patriot and grinned with amusement. It then spreaded its blacken wings for all to glimpsed at and her long horn glowed in a dark purple light. The men turned rather surprised by this outburst and advanced to the attack.

And, with that moment, the equine released its blight.

Scene 1 - The Rookie, the Pony, the Shadows

Previously on Crossworld Between Harmony:

As the stories foretold in the human realm, a rookie by the name of Geos Vaarka, followed his group in investigating the sudden and imminent silence of Fortress Ironclaud. When they entered the place, all they found was countless bones and the reek of death.

The two veterans, Magnus and Maurice, refused to retreat by their secret mission as their path lead deeper into the horrors that awaited them. They soon encountered the risen dead and the death of Magnus and half of the group. With Maurice in charged they barricaded themselves in the Savior shrine in hopes to find an exit.

Yet despite the group's panic, Geos was aware of the sudden change that was happening to the fallen defenders. The dead were not rising, but being controlled by a blackish slime that consumed the entirety of its skeletal bodies. Although Geos was the only person to notice the change, he'd soon encountered something else in the fortress. An illusion of a blacken horse with long wings and horn, whispering his name in a chilling vibe.

As the group remained at the front room of the shrine, Maurice and Geos went into the library in search for the emergency exit. At Maurice distraction, Geos wandered alone to find himself growing worsened by the constant headaches. He would soon find that his illusion of a blacken horse was very real and much alive.

In the steps that followed, the entire group, along with Maurice, had fallen to the enemy and leaving Geos all alone to fend for himself. Darkness came for him as his mind wrought with pain and grief. He struggled of the nightmares that came for him until at last he met a particular stranger, playing a musical instrument.

Geos didn't much care any more about his moral and shot the stranger in cold blood. Distraught of what he had done, his grief turned into weakness and was stabbed from behind by the already-dead stranger. Dragged and forced to watch an army of transformed monsters, the stranger let him live upon the wishes of his master and dropped Geos into the bottom below from the balcony.

With an entire group destroyed, the last survivor was hurled into additional torture as he was about to give his report to the council. Whatever the outcome, he would soon meet another creature from another world. A creature that bore the embodiment of magic.

Scene 1 - The Rookie, The Pony, The Shadows

Scene 2 - Where Magic Meets Machine

Previously on Crossworld Between Harmony:

Unknown by the growing threat that ensued from within the empire, Geos, a rookie, emerged as the sole survivor of his fateful group from the ruin fortress of Ironcloud.

Safely reaching to the Soulus Capitol he told the truth to his officials. But not everything was straight through and through when they lock him up for lying

Imprison like a common criminal, the rookie gradually been having dreams, nightmares, after the fateful event. It tortured him, mentally, falling almost to the breaking point of his sanity. But he didn't. While he tried to fight off his constant delusions, an unlikely guests arrived.

The Soulus guards brought the rookie to the office room to meet one of the council member, Deshu Moss.

There Geos will soon meet Twilight Sparkle, a talking lavender mare from a magical realm called Equestria. It was this pony that saved him from a terrible fate worse than death.

As Geos recovered, he could now see the vision clearly, seeing strange people that bore the robin emblem. Deshu was familiar of the emblem as he ordered Twilight and Geos to meet Hover, the gray captain of the Soulus guards.

Now tagging along with a talking mare and a anti-noble captain, they ventured off into the mansion, investigating the Haliv family of conspiracy against the Empire. Their hunch was dead-on.

Scene 2 - Where Magic Meets Machine

((Again, forgive me if they are any grammars. So what do you think of the story? I want your opinions about it and some suggestions. On the next chapter it would be Twilight Sparkle whose in the leading role, following Geos after that. Well, thank you for reading this. I hope I'll post the next chapter soon, cheers!))

Scene 3 - The Nightmare Knight

Previously on Crossworld Between Harmony:

With the events being unfold, a terrible betrayal sets upon the Soulus guards from within. Joaris Haliv, the head of the family, have secretly aligned himself with Nightmare Moon's cause, massing terrible machines and automatons in her ranks.

Twilight Sparkle barely escaped the terrible ambush, finding herself at the backyard of the mansion. As ventured inside of the building, she'll first encounter one of Haliv's creation.

Exhausted from using her magic, she managed to find a secret entrance, but a rather, sudden change, force her to deal on what was to come when she stared one last time at Rever's demise.

Meanwhile, Geos, having been shot and dying from the eventful wake, has suddenly got answered by a rather distinctive voice.

In seconds, a powerful force wrapped around the rookie, molding him into a different warrior with newly abilities from the darkness.

Whether he's still the same person or not remains a mystery as he fought his way against the automatons and anyone that stand in his way.

But whatever happen to Captain Hover of the Soulus Guard? What's the deal with the blacken spire and who was imprisoned in there? This the final scene that was unfold of Crossworld Between Harmony.

Scene 3 - The Nightmare Knight

(Note: So yeah, I am almost finishing this story. It has been an honor of writing this and to you, my good fellow readers, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Cheers)