The Faint Glimpse of Light

Strider landed and trotted toward the chunk of Earth that had been replaced by a wounded enemy scout. Strider blinked and waved away the smoke while looking toward the hole and possibly dead scout Pegasi. As he approached the crater he only saw the struggling of a blue coated mare with a mane and tail covered in multiple colors. “Ouch...my damn wing...thank Celestia I’m still alive though.” She attempted to stand and fly but was too hurt, Strider quietly and cautiously approached the mare then- ~WHACK~ Darkness...and what felt like a cold hands wrap around his front and back hoofs and then nothing.

Chatter, the only thing that was heard, mostly mares and maybe one or two stallions but that didn’t matter, what mattered is what was happening and where you were. But he had to focus on the task at hand, getting the hell out of there. But he just had to wake up. Strider gasped and jolted himself awake before trying to rub his head from what felt like getting bucked. “W-what…?” Shackled and bound he tried to get a sense of where he was a dungeon from the looks of it and the only source of light were small lanterns within the walls. The sound of talking and galloping could be heard coming from a group of ponies moving toward him, so he decided to close his eyes and listen quietly. “Are you sure that he’s capable of dark magic?” Said one pony, with a calming tone with her voice. “Yes, I’m completely sure!” Said another, with a bit rougher but sweet tone. “For all we know he could be listening to our every word of thinking of a way to escape! We have to get rid of him as soon as we’re finished!” This was a rough deep voice, most likely coming from a stallion. And “Get rid of” might have been an easier way of saying “kill” without being so dark. “Not yet Shining Armour, we have to be sure that Rainbow Dash and Applejack have to be telling the truth.” Names, finally something he could report as soon as he escaped but now wasn’t the time. I reckon that we do what your brother says Twi, we have no idea what he can do, and I bucked him so hard that his head nearly popped off so there’s no use in trying.” And with the end of that conversation your cell door opened and they all stood in front of him, observing him and his cutie mark which was hard for them to describe so it wasn’t much use. “Hey, Shackles.” Shining said just before throwing a rock at your head which hurt enough to wake you. Strider opened his eyes and glared at the white coated unicorn. “Don’t get any funny ideas, nothing you try will work not until this barrier wares off.” Strider never noticed the blue shield blocking you from freedom or from ruining this stallion’s day. A purple colored Alicorn stepped forward and looked upon you and finally spoke; “You’re probably wondering where you are. But don’t worry about that, I just wanna ask you some questions. If you’re okay with that.” Before he could speak Shining popped in front of her and shouted. “What are you saying Twily? He’s the enemy we shouldn’t treat him as a house guest!” He slammed his hoof on the ground and clenched his teeth. “Big brother please go wait in the castle, by order of the princess.” Armour groaned and left the group. “Now that there are no more disrupt-...” “Hold on one second!” The same mare that had crashed previously approached you, wings bandaged and everything. “What in Celestia were you going to do to me?!” She attempted to fly up to your level but to no avail. “Rainbow! Please!” She glared right at the blue coated pegasus and she slowly backed away without an exception. “Rainbow Dash…” Strider finally spoke. “You we’re the one who got shot…” She glared at him and left. “Dashie, wait for us!” Then four other ponies galloped after her and it was just Strider and the Princess of Friendship. “You’re different from the others…” Strider gazed upon her as bewildered as he was. “What do you know about me?” Strider questioned then the magical barrier disappeared. “Huh?” The shackles that bound Strider came loose from magic and he fell to the dirt floor. “You’re nothing like your Master.” Twilight approached Strider carefully as Strider struggled to stand but was ready to defend himself. But nothing, just the distant small talk of guards and the group of ponies who recently just left them. “Why did you do this?” Strider rubbed his forehooves and stretched to gain balance of himself. “I am interested in the way you grew up in the hands of that dreadful stallion.” Y-you mean King Sombra?” Twilight nodded but before she could say anything else Shining Armour appeared from nowhere and blasted Strider with a surge of energy. “Gah!” Strider hit his back against the wall and recovered enough to escape in his shadow form. And he flew through the castle desperately for a way out attempting to return to the place he called “home”.

“No please!” The princess shouted to a dozen of royal guards including Shining Armour. “There’s no escape scum!” “Give up while you can” Was all you could hear until. “ENOUGH!!!” A blinding light flared throughout the corridor and it kept Strider from holding that form making him fall to the floor, but that wasn’t the end of it. Another Alicorn, much taller than Twilight approached Strider and teleported them both to her quarters. But Strider quickly backed away from the Princess and a red surge of energy illuminated his horn. “Please, don’t.” For an unexpected reason the voice soothed Strider enough to lower his defense, not all the way obviously. “Young stallion...I wish to speak with you without anymore distractions.” Strider tensed up and kept his teeth clenched. “I understand that you are confused but please, I hope that we can resolve this compromise without any bloodshed.” Celestia acknowledged the wound upon Striders face and motioned to him slightly, but Strider backed away hesitantly. This was out of fear and Celestia felt it. As well as Princess Luna who also appeared from nowhere, then Cadence and finally Twilight. But this wasn’t helping Strider at all, for all he knew they were leading him into a trap. But this wasn’t the case. They wanted help from Strider but were unsure if he were to comply for she felt a small light inside Strider, and so did the other Princesses. Using her magic Celestia opened a nearby window to reveal a heavy blizzard. “This blizzard has been raging for many years ever since the Crystal War started, we have reason to believe that your Master is responsible for this and so in order to stop it we need to put an end to his reign. But to end it we need Sombra gone...forever.” The thought of this put a whole new thought to Strider’s head, he did not know what to think but whatever it was, he was right in the middle of it.