--WARNING: BLOOD AND GORE IN THIS CHAPTER--

Taylor and Twilight continued walking through the town, talking and rambling on about random things, they would soon part ways as Taylor decided to go off and adventure the land around the town,he soon came upon what he assumed was the entrance to the Everfree forest. He would grab his weapon from his coat and wanders in. His ears and eyes open for any movement. His grip on his weapon ever so tight and his finger on the switch, ready for anything to come out. as he ventured through. He went on for about thirty minutes, remembering the path he was taking so that he could find his way back.

"Damn...this place is just like the forests back home..expect for the random magical living plants and such. And I have yet to see any Timberwolves. Which is a good sign I believe."

Taylor continued to venture about until he heard what sounded like screams of terror. He quickly turned his head to the sound and heard what sounded like Fluttershy and three little fillies scream

"SOMEPONY HELP!!!!"

Taylor ran as faster as he could towards the commotion, weapon in hand and forcing his way through the bushes and trees, he would come to where the screaming was coming from, and what he saw put a look of shock on his face. Two manticores, surrounding the mare and the fillies. Taylor took no time to hesitate, he removed his cloak and let it fall to the ground behind him as he ran to their safety, rolling in front of them and charging up a lightning ball in both hands, releasing them into both of the manticore's faces, making them flip back a couple yards and go into a daze, He looks back to Fluttershy, his eyes filled with seriousness.

Fluttershy, get them out of here. I will stall them until you can get away safely!"

He said as he would stand up and ready his baton, the metal extending as he pressed the switch. Lightning sparking around its extension. The manticores would slowly get to their feet after a few minutes. Taylor was ready now. lightning arcing and sparking all across his body, his eyes glaring at the two beasts and took his fighting stance

"Alright you ugly bastards. You aren't getting a free meal today..."

The two beasts growled and roared as they charged after Taylor, he would cast an arc of lightning with his free hand as he rolled out of the way, striking one of them while he strike the other in the head forcefully with his baton, his combat training from when he was back home finally starting to kick in, he made note of the stingers most, and was very careful to make sure to avoid them. the fight went on as he did his best to knock out the creatures as best as he could, leaving them with burns and bruises all over their bodies. It looked like he was winning, until he leaned away a little too late and one of the bests clawed him across the chest, leaving deep gashed into his body, he lets out a pain filled scream as the other would take its turn clawing him in the same spot, but in a different direction, he would place a hand over the wound and stare at the beasts with deep hatred now. He switches his weapon back to safe mode and slides it in his coat. his eyes becoming more fierce looking now.

"Alright you sons of bitches. You leave me no choice..."

The lightning around his body begins to spark much harshly now, and much more often, his coat flowing behind him from the build up of power, the beasts leaped in the air. Taylor let out a mighty battle cry as he would suddenly throws constant streaming arcs of lightning into the beasts and stopped them in middle air, they let out a roar of pain as Taylor began to fry them from the inside out. Unfortunately, as they flew passed him, one of their stingers landed right in his right shoulder and injected its poison into his body, his eyes go wide as the liquid began to start burning through out his who body

"GAAAAAHRAAAH!!"

He yelled out in pain

--Outside Of The Forest, In Ponyville--

Fluttershy and the three fillies ran out of the forest, they ran to safety while Fluttershy flew off to get help from her friends, gathering them up as quickly as she could, finally she gathered up Dash, Applejack and Twilight, in a paniced tone, she was explaining the situation

"We need to go into the Everfree Forest,Taylor is in there. I was looking for the girls when they wandered in, and we got cornered by two manticores...h-he is still in there fighting them off! We need to help him!"

And with that,they wasted no time in heading in, Fluttershy leading the way

--Back In The Forest--

Taylor was now covered in gashes now, blood all over his body and dripping down, the poison had slowed him down remarkably, he was lucky he was getting in dodges and attacks with his condition, what little vision he had was blurring in and out of focus, and his movements were getting sloppy. He had finally lost all his strength to fight, the poison taking its affect fully. He fell back and began to slowly try to slide back away from the approaching beasts, his breathing was becoming quick and shallow

"Is this it for me? Is this how I am gonna die?"

"That's entirely up to you boy. Will you let these lesser beasts have their way with you and devour you? Or will you use what I have given you to destroy them? It is time you learned, that killing is a necessary evil when your own life is at state. Let it go boy...your life is no longer one of clean hands. Kill them, or they kill you."

Taylor heard that all too familiar voice again, he closes his eyes tightly and one last thought comes to mind, the manticores leaping into the air to catch their prey

"Lulu....I am sorry..."

The sound of flesh being pierced and bone being broken echoes throughout the forest, Fluttershy and the others arrived just in time to see what had just happened. Standing there in a black smokey form with a blue fiery aura coming from the eyes, was Taylor and in front of him, two large black crystal with blood trailing down them like a waterfall with the two manticores impaled fully on the top from the head all the way through the body with their limps impaled as well on the spike of the crystal. Taylor would finally noticed the girls looking at him in shock and fear. They knew this power all too well and froze as he gaze met theirs. he would take on his normal form once more as would finally realized what he had just done

Taylor's eyes widen as he saw the bloody display of what he had done to protect himself. he began to breathe heavily and quickly Grabbing his head and began to thrash about violently, letting out screams of insanity. he had not taken one life, but two. He felt to his knees and continued screaming like that for a couple of minutes. Fluttershy and the others could see the look of torment on his face, and quickly ran over to restrain him and try to calm him down. They pulled him away from the scene as he began sobbing now. Never in his most horrible nightmare, would he think that killing would affect him this much. But on the inside, his mind was battling it out, the logical side trying to convince the emotional side that it was necessary for self preservation, while the darkness in him smiled victoriously at his first kill

"Fluttershy was holding onto Taylor by his left arm

"Taylor, you need to calm down, its over, its all over now Please!!"

Applejack and Dash both had him pinned down on his chest, careful to avoid his injuries, since he when into his smoke form, the poison was no longer in his body, but he was still bleeding

"Taylor, stop strugglin' you are gonna only open yer wounds more!" Applejack exclaimed

"Yeah you idiot, stop thrashing about already!"

Followed Dash

Just then, Twilight would cast a knockout spell on his body, careful to avoid the mask. His body would slowly come to a stand still, before he spoke out a few more words before he passed out

"I...I killed....I am a monster now...I didn't want this!"

Vision fades to nothingness

--Ponyville Hospital, Taylor's Room

Taylor's eyes suddenly shot open, his sits up quickly, cold sweat dripping down his body and the memories flashing back to him quickly. he grits his teeth and places a hand over his eyes, fresh tears coming down his face

"I did what I never wanted to do....I stole life from another creature. And i did it so brutally. But I had to do it...I would have died if i hadn't. So why do i feel some much emotional pain?!"

He exclaimed as he would bury his face into both of his hands now, that familiar voice returning to him

"because Taylor, even in our world. Survive depends on your resolve to make sure you aren't the one that is dead. Death happens here everyday, believe it or not. And what you did, was a sign of that resolve. You have proven to me and the ones that sent you here. That you can kill should the need for survival come. I can honestly say, I am proud to have given you my power. And i hope you lookto it, should the need for survival calls upon it."

Taylor would suddenly hear the door open, and just who he didn't want to see, was one of the two ponies he felt like he let down the most. Fluttershy. Taylor quickly avoided eye contact with her, lowering his head and looking to his hands. She walked over to hsi bedside, looking at all the bandages that covered his body and the look of utter sadness on his face.

"Taylor..i-"

"Why are you here Fluttershy? Why are you even close to someone like me? I know you hate seeing animals hurt, even beasts like that, And i took two of their lives even though it was in self defense. I was trying to find a better solution...I really was nut, I...I couldn't find one!!!"

He buried his face into his hands again, he would suddenly feel a warm pair of arms wrap around his body, dqueezing him firmly and feeling a hoof run through his hair, he opens his eyes and looks up to her, The was Fluttershy, trying to comfort him, even though what he did, she still wanted to be near him

"Ssssh Taylor...I may not like death and pain. But you killed for the sake of protecting yourself. And I understand that you didn't and couldn't find an easier solution. I can't be upset at you for that. And neither are the others. But that's not what scared us. You....have the same power as a dark unicorn king who enslaved the Crystal Empire many many years ago. And we didn't expect it was all."

Taylor wrapped his arms around her in a hug and buried his face into her soft and warm chest

"I...I am sorry Fluttershy...I am sorry to all of you."

He said as he would continue to hold onto her, she kept on comforting him, knowing the emotional pain was greater than the physical pain now. he would felt another part of arms wrap around him gently, then another, then another.

"it's alright sugarcube. We aren't upset in the very least with you. We would be upset if we had lost ya. You haven't even gottin' ta try muh apple pie yet!"

"That's right, and you still owe me and AJ here a hoof wrestle!" Dash chimed in

"And don't forget, you still need to tell me how you got those scars! I need more research on you!"

Twilight followed soon after

The sound of hooves running down the hall meant either trouble, or possibly Rarity and Pinkie finally got wind of what happened. Yeps that's exactly who came in the door. Rarity seeing the state Taylor was in, tears forming in her eyes as she leaps onto him and and hugs him tightly, he lets out a grunt of pain, but smiles weakly down at her

"Oh Taylor darling....you are covered in injuries! Those horrible beasts did this to you?!"

"Yeah...they got me good Rarity...though, I got them better. As much as I didn't want to."

"That doesn't matter Taylor..you could have died. And that would have happened, I could never live with myself! But most of all, than you for saving my little sister Sweetie Bell. You really are like the dark wizard in the book...so very brave and noble...!"

"AH also wanted to thank ya for savin' my little sister as well, Apple Bloom. You are a real stallion for jumpin' into the line of danger like that."

"And thanks for saving little Scootaloo back there big guy,I knew you were a good pony from the start!"

Pinkie Pie finally came in, And seeing Taylor in his injured state, her poofy mane suddenly falls flat and would walk up to Taylor, tears in ehr eyes as she loos to him\

"Nooo, not you to Pinkie...come on. I am fine now. I am in the hospital..surrounded by all my ponyville friends, get over here and join in the hug you."

He said as he would pull her into the hug pile, trying his best to smile to keep Pinkie pie from being sad, luckily her mane shot right back up and wrapped her arms around him as well. Now the only one he had to worry about was...Luna.

Oh god....how will she take it? Does she already know?

Suddenly, as if right on cue a dark blue flash of light appeared in the room, revealing none other than Luna herself

Author's Note

Aaaand done!

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And may the darkness grant you peace.