Cleaning Darkness

Cleaning Darkness
Chapter 18: Pushing The Limits

By: Major Frostwing

"Faster." I muttered as I swung only for my blade to clash against Shackle's. "Come on move faster and hit harder." I muttered as I swung again and again only for my blade to be deflected and parried. "COME ON!" I roared as I used all of my strength hitting Shackle's blade again as a shower of sparks launched him back.

I went to charge forward only to catch a bolt of magic across the visor of my helmet. I raised my arm as the light filled my vision and a sudden grinding against my chest caught my attention. "Is this all you have Jon?" I heard Shackle ask as I punched his blade away before taking another swing. "You seem to be slowing down." Shackle taunted as he jumped back dodging the swing with ease.

I took a few deep breaths glancing down at my right hand to see smoke beginning to pour out of it. "I'm limiting myself otherwise I would end this to quickly." I said once I caught my breath.

"Well if you aren't going to stop holding back then I won't hold back anymore." Shackle charged forward in the blink of an eye as I swung only for Umbra to halt and pain to rocket across my chest. I was thrown back from the swing before something caught my foot pulling me back. I opened my eyes to see a fist coming right for my face. The fist impacted my helmet slamming me into the ground. I bounce once before a second hit put me back into the ground once again. When the spot started to clear I saw Shackle holding his blade up about to slam it down through me. I quickly rolled out of the way pushing myself back to my feet. I blink the last of the spots away as Shackle pulled his blade out.

"Come now Jon stop holding back and fight me." Shackled threw his arms wide as I flipped my visor up wiping a bit of blood out of the corner of my mouth.

"Lucky shot." I said flipping my visor down as I mentally screamed in frustration. "If I turn the armor system off then I will get fucked up by a lucky shot... Just like last time." I shook my head revving Umbra once before charging once again with one terrifying thought running through my head. "Why do I feel slower and weaker?"

"Something is wrong Luna." I said as I watched Jon fight against Shackle.

"I see it sister but what could it be? Jon should be at full power now." Luna said before crushing a soldier with her mace.

"He isn't using his magic but if anything that shouldn't be affecting him this heavily. Something is definitely wrong." I said as I watched Jon charge right into battle. "He seems to be getting slower... What is wrong Jon?" I asked as I cut down another soldier.

"Jon..." I said as I looked to Nova, Twilight, and Cadance as they watched the fight from afar. "Princesses. Something is wrong with Jon." I said catching their attention. They looked at me before looking at Jon fight.

"We know." Nova said as she continued to watch with a critical eye.

"His right hand is smoking as if he is experiencing a magical burnout but he hasn't cast a single spell." Twilight said as I looked more closely to see that she was right.

"Then what is causing his magical burnout?" Cadance asked before Nova let out a surprised gasp.

"His armor. You know how that MK-IV armor ran on a mana battery? What if Jon never installed one?" Nova said as Twilight looked at Nova before looking at Jon.

"That fucking idiot built a suit of armor that feeds off of his own magic." Twilight muttered as she stepped forward only to be stopped by Cadance.

"You heard Celestia. We are to protect the elements at all costs and for no reason are we to move from this spot." Cadance said as Twilight let out an annoyed growl before stepping back.

"He doesn't have an infinite amount of magic if he isn't careful he is going to drain himself of magic." Twilight said as she continued to watch the fight.

"What happens if Jon runs out of magic?" I asked as Twilight looked back at me before looking at Jon.

"I don't know. Jon isn't an alicorn nor did he have innate magic when he got here. If he burns through all of his magic then he could die... and not come back." Twilight said as I went to run for Jon only to be stopped by all three of the princesses.

"LET ME GO I HAVE TO HELP HIM!" I yelled as the princesses continued to restrain me.

"You will only get in his way. Let Jon handle this Dash. He has a reason for doing this." Nova said as I continued to struggle.

"FUCK!" I roared in my head as I barely deflected a blow before retaliating only to catch a fist across the helmet. I took a swing of my own only for my arm to be caught. My world flipped as I was slammed into the ground with no regard. I saw the blade slam against my chest sparks flying off of my armor. I swung my own blade only for Shackle to back off once again. I got to my feet feeling the scratches in my armor becoming deep gouges. I glared at Shackle as he continued to smile at me spinning his own blade as he began to circle me.

"Come on Jon stop holding back... Or is this all you can do?" Shackle asked as I looked down at my right arm to see the smoke pouring out of the appendage. My eyes looked back up at Shackle only to see his blade coming right for my head. I tried my hardest to raise my blade to block it but I was moving to slow. The blade caught my helmet ripping it from my head as I was knocked back to the ground.

I struggled to get to my feet as I felt a kick to my ribs throwing my a great distance away. When I finally impacted the ground I felt the severe dent to my chest plate crushing my chest. "Why do I feel so slow? What is wrong with me?" I asked as I raised Umbra to aid me in getting up only to see my reflection. I was older. No wonder I was getting slower and weaker. My own age was catching up to me via the magical burn out. "I fucked up." I muttered as I slowly got to my feet staggering slightly I took a deep breath only to wince in pain. This isn't good I have to disengage the armor if I don't then my own armor is going to kill me. I moved my hand to touch the runes when I hesitated. "Why am I hesitating?" I asked myself as I saw my hand shaking. "Why am I scared?" I looked up to see Shackle smiling as he walked forward. I moved Umbra just as a strike was coming only to be knocked back once again. "Stop being a little bitch about this. Just turn off the relay and my magic will come back." Again I reached for the runes on my gauntlet only to hesitate again. "Stop being so afraid. STOP BEING SCARED!" I roared in my head As Shackle charged me once again. I took a swing only to be disarmed. I looked to see Umbra flying away from me. I turned my eyes to Shackle as He stood there his own blade poised to strike.

"What's wrong Jon? Scared of something?" Shackle asked as I took a step back as he took a step forward. "End this farce Jon you can't beat me." I took another step back as I raised my arms to defend myself. "Are you still going to fight? YOU CAN'T WIN!" Shackle swung only for me to charge right for him.

"SAYS YOU!" I yelled back as I tackled shackle to the ground only to be blasted off by a magical explosion. I impacted the ground struggling to get to my feet. My bones creaked and hurt under the strain the drain was putting me through. "Think Jon. If you are to scared to turn off the relay then what can we do?" I asked myself. "I need to get Umbra and I can be of some use." I looked to see where Umbra layed only to see Shackle picking up my blade. He looked it over before smiling as he tossed his own blade away before revving Umbra. "Ah shit." I muttered as Shackle came right for me a menacing purple glow shining off of Umbra. I raised my arms only to feel Umbra rake deep gouges through my arms.

I roared in pain as I took a step back to see Umbra cut right through my armor. "A perfect blade for me. Thank you for holding onto it Jon." Shackle said as he looked over Umbra with a smile. I growled in frustration tightening my fists until they cracked.

"Fuck you Shackle." I muttered raising my arms once again only to get kicked in the chest. I stumbled back before feeling pain explode across my back.

"Come now Jon I can make all of this pain stop. All you have to do is simply join me and the pain will stop." Shackle said before swinging at me again this time the blade took off my right arm at the shoulder. My armor sparked before disengaging to revert back to it's compact form. "JUST GIVE UP AND SURRENDER!" Shackle roared booting me in the face with his heel.

"I would rather die." I said as I held my face. Shackled roared in frustration taking aim a spell charged in his palm.

"FINE THEN DIE!" Shackled boomed as he launched his spell. I closed my eyes when something tackled me out of the way. I heard a woman scream in pain. When I opened my eyes I saw Dash laying on the ground unmoving. The world around me froze.