Keepers

Flare Sight's eyes opened as he drifted back into the world he no longer recognized. As his senses returned, so did the pain which he felt all over his body. The cold, tight shackles around his hooves left crease marks and even cut off the blood circulation at times if he pulled on them too hard.

The place he was in was dark, and dank. The ground was rough and bumpy, and made from shaded stone slabs. There was some moss on the walls, and he could hear water dripping nearby.

His body was covered in scratches, bruises and cuts. His head throbbed as his memory tried to recall what had happened before he passed out. He remembered getting the cuts from one of those fiendish demon ponies, who had a knife. He also remembered being beaten on, but that wasn't his real concern.

Finally he remembered why he had passed out. Based on the fact he felt no pain in his head other than head aches, he assumed he passed out from extreme pain. But what had happened that caused that?

Suddenly more pain returned to him, but this was so excruciating he yelled in shock. He felt extreme pain near his forehead. No... it can't be...? He thought. He blinked and moved his face muscles. His face felt hot and sticky. He licked his tongue up onto his mouth and tasted blood.

He stepped back towards the wall the shackles were holding him to by chain, so he could lift his front hooves. Slowly, and ever so cautiously, he moved his hoof towards his horn.

He never found it. It simply wasn't there. It wasn't just broken, it was completely gone. His senses were fully returned now and he noticed that his face had some blood running down it. Whatever happened it must have been recent... the blood is still flowing and wet. Flare Sight thought.

Then he remembered what had happened. It was him, the black alicorn himself who had done it. He remembered the pain as his horn was snapped in two while it was still attached to his head, and then the rest of it being sawed at, but then he passed out.

What a cruel soul indeed... how could one ever end up in such a way? Flare Sight said in his mind. "Years, and years of hate, desire for revenge, for power, and success." A voice said. Discortunal walked into the dark dungeon room from the blackness.

He smirked slightly as he walked over to the half dead unicorn. "I'm surprised you woke up so fast." The tyrant commented. "Tell me, do you hate me?" He asked the once captain of the royal guard. Flare Sight looked up at him, but Discortunal was shocked when he saw the ponies eyes were not angry. They were not afraid either. They were filled with sorrow and compassion.

"No." Flare Sight answered. Discortunal frowned. "Is this how you were trained? To not give the enemy a satisfying result? If so perhaps your nation had something right here." The alicorn questioned. "This has nothing to do with training." Flare Sight said his voice strained with pain.

"Well then..." Discortunal said. Suddenly the chains detached from the walls and Flare Sight was pulled to the ground as the chains spread his legs out from underneath him. He let out a grunt as he was chained there.

Discortunal walked up. "You know, I find your resilience amusing. The fact you refuse to give in and refuse to tell me what I want only gives me the chance to enjoy your pain for longer." He pointed out.

"So tell me, when the ones you love, being the royal family and the entire population of the castle are dead by my hoof, does that not make you loathe me?" Discortunal leaned in close glaring. "Stop lying, and be truthful. Maybe your death will be quicker."

"Why don't you tell me, why would I lie at this point, when I'm already half dead? What would be the purpose?" Flare countered. "Besides, you said it yourself. You enjoy watching me in pain. That means you would never keep your word." Flare also included.

"Fine, but if you care for your nation perhaps you will tell me..." Discortunal slowly broke off as he stepped in front of Flare. Suddenly he reared up and slammed his front hooves on Flare Sight's back hard. Flare gasped and coughed. "How do I break the king and queens protection spell?" Discortunal yelled angrily.

Flare coughed a little and spat out blood. "Hah... you fear the children? They haven't any more power than I... they can barely use magic if even..." He said still gasping. "They hold the one thing I need to determine my fate. I wish to do to them what I've done to you. Squeeze the information I want out of them." He said.

"Children, you would torture children?" Flare asked genuinely surprised. "Why not, they are ponies too after all." Discortunal reasoned. "Ah, and that is one of the very reasons I do not hate you." Flare responded.

Discortunal frowned again. Flare couldn't help show the hint of a smile when he turned Discortunal's words against himself. "We are all ponies, even you. Modelled after the same thing, just with different personalities." Flare Sight went on.

"Of course... what is a perfect world without forgiveness and understanding?" He finished. Discortunal paused. "Forgiveness... understanding?" He said. Suddenly the chains pulled on Flare's legs and stretched him.

"How can one forgive us when we have performed such awful actions? How can one understand us without experiencing what we did?" Discortunal asked enraged. There were two voices speaking at the same time. One deep and angry, the other a little more curious instead of angry.

"One does not need to experience to understand. One needs only the wisdom of truth and reality to realize another’s pain, and to know the ones past." Flare sight answered insight-fully. Discortunal snorted. "My past? What could you possibly know about my past?" Discortunal asked.

"Ah, you meant 'our' past." Flare replied. "That past is shared by two, is it not? You spoke like there were two of you." He said. "There is only one pony here with you, and that is I! The great Discortunal!" The ruler said proudly.

"And, the great ruler Leniact." Flare added.

The expression on Discortunal's face turned from one of pride, to one of shock, bewilderment and confusion in an instant. "What?" He said.

"Anyway... you wanted the secret to the protection spell." Flare moved on. "I think you may find the blue flower within the princesses bedrooms important." He said. Discortunal completely forgot about how Flare knew his alternate name and focused on the new information.

"The flower?" He asked mystified. "The king and queen were not the ones who placed the protection spell. It was I." He said. Discortunal's eyes raised at this. "What? You? That's not possible!" He said in shock.

"Do you know why you caught me so easily? I was weak from creating the spell. I used the flower as a countdown. When the flower has wilted completely then the spell will wear off." Flare explained. The chains moved and Flare pulled himself to his hooves.

After a moment he started chuckling. Discortunal looked a little confused. Then Flare began laughing as if he had heard the greatest joke of the century. "Wha-... What's so funny?" Discortunal asked.

Flare stopped laughing. "Ha, I'm laughing, at how completely clueless you are." He said smiling defiantly. "What?" Discortunal responded to the insult.

"The royal family is not your only threat, not by a long shot." Flare began. "Explain to me and maybe I will be merciful to you." Discortunal responded. Flare burst into laughter again. Discortunal was clearly a little unnerved by his laughing prisoner.

"You wouldn't be merciful to me if your life depended on it!" Flare pointed out what he already knew. "Besides, do you honestly think I care what happens to myself by now?" He continued. "It's out of my hands, but there are others far more powerful than I."

"Who are these ponies? What can they do that I cannot?" Discortunal asked angrily. Flare stared Discortunal in the eye, smirking. Suddenly Discortunal lunged at Flare and slammed him up against the wall. A chain came out and wrapped around Flares neck and squeezed tightly.

Flare gagged as the chains shifted and threatened to choke him. "TELL ME!" Discortunal yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice echoed and menacing. "You know full well who they are." Flare pointed out. Discortunal looked at him shocked. "Those ponies are children, they can't be compared to me in the slightest!" Discortunal said.

"Sure they can, age does not a wise pony make." Flare said. "That's rich! With age comes experience, and with experience comes knowledge and wisdom!" Discortunal answered.

"Ah, but the other question is whether that knowledge and wisdom is the correct kind. One can learn and be aware of much, but if they aren't aware of the right things then they won't ultimately be as wise." Flare reasoned.

"Have you ever spent time learning how to use the powers blessed upon you, or did you instantly take off using them without going out of the way to learn?" Flare questioned. Discortunal looked at him curiously. The chains around Flare's neck relaxed slightly.

"The ponies coming for you are named the Keepers." Flare said moving on. "Impossible, I killed the keepers myself years ago!" Discortunal responded. "Ah but they cursed you didn't they?" Flare said.

Discortunal staggered back at this. "Wha-... How did you...?" He stuttered. "They expelled their remaining life force into a curse to haunt and torment you. Right before they died they made sure you too would die before you ruined everything for the new 'perfect' world here known as Equestria." Flare explained.

"That... that's impossible! How do you know all of this? This world is five thousand years old and you were born only thirty four years ago! You could not possibly know so much about both my world and yours!" Discortunal began rambling. "And what do you mean by perfect world?" He then continued to ask.

"The one who created this world meant for your world to be his greatest creation, bu then you decided to take matters into your own hooves. It was your fault the world fell apart. So the creator tried again with this world with success." Flare explained.

"Your intellect is... astounding... unnaturally so. Where did you learn all this?" Discortunal was in awe. Flare smirked. "Then again, I can't blame you for coming here. To rule a ruined world desolated by your own hoof must be terrible. After all, I have been there before... I would know." Flare finally began to let out his secret.

"What?" The ruler questioned. "I did not realize until recently. The four keepers are part of a prophecy, the royal family is connected to the prophecy, and me and the master magician are also a part of the same prophecy." Flare began telling Discortunal.

"Do you remember your wife, Leniact?" Discortunal's anger rose again. "Do not call me by that name!" He said. "You want to know where my knowledge comes from? Well why don't I explain?" Flare teased him.

"Shortly after you entered this world, my head was filled with a ponies knowledge. I'm not sure why or how it happened, but it did. Do you know who's knowledge that was?" He asked.

"That knowledge, was your wife's. I know everything about you, your world and your past." He revealed to the ruler. For a split second Discortunal's eyes flashed blue, but then they went red again. He shook his head. "I... no, that's impossible." He said.

"I didn't think so either, it's quite peculiar. But like I said, I understand you and why you're like this. There is one thing I wish, I wish that Leniact would wake up." Flare said. Discortunal yelled in pain and fell down.

"Leniact is still alive. Your wife knew that. She saw before you killed her the hesitation. You paused a moment like you didn't want to kill her. Leniact still lives." Flare went on. "Shut up! No!" Discortunal yelled as he struggled on the ground trying to gain control over his mind.

"Do you know what my part is in the prophecy? I was meant to help Leniact wake up, and assist the keepers." Flare said. "Leniact shall never wake up! I will not let him control us! We are in control and we wil not let him through!" Discortunal said.

"You are speaking like there are two of you again. Leniact is awake, and he's fighting you. I can see it." Flare said smiling. "Leniact... I... will... not... relinquish control!" Discortunal said standing up. His eyes were still red.

"I do not care how much do you know, I want any information you hold that may be important!" Discortunal tried to get information from Flare.

"I will tell you this, I know one thing for certain, this castle will be my grave..." He began and trailed off. He closed his eyes and smiled to himself even as Discortunal approached. "And yours!" He said.

Suddenly a light shone around Flare Sight. "I shall fulfill my part in the prophecy!" He cried as his eyes were filled with red. The pain in his forehead was indescribable, but by this point pain was of no matter to him. He felt the blood flowing from where his horn used to be.

His eyes filled with tears, but they were not tears of pain. "I cannot explain how proud I am, to hold such a part in this legend." He managed. Discortunal was caught completely off guard as magic filled the room. "Impossible! You have no horn, you should not be able to use his magic!" Discortunal said.

"Ask yourself Leniact, do you agree with Discortunal's chaotic reign? Stop hiding in the dark and awake!" Flare cried. Discortunal once again collapsed from either pain, or struggle.

"All my strength goes into this now..." Flare said. "Keepers... please... save our world..." Flare managed as all his energy was released into a burst of magic. With that the entire prison exploded in a cloud of purple smoke and fire.

Discortunal crawled from the rubble coughing. A voice spoke from his mouth, but it was not his own. "Remind me to thank Flare Sight for the encouraging words..." It said. "Shut up! Who are you, why are you speaking through me?" Discortunal said.

"You know full well who I am Discortunal." The voice said again. "I am Leniact, we are two ponies in the same body. I must give you credit though. I cannot move. All I can do is speak." Leniact said. "You can't control me... I am a god!" Discortunal panted.

"If you are a god, where is your left wing?" Leniact said coolly. Discortunal's blood red eyes widened. He finally noticed the pain where his one wing should have been. "Ironic, you take away Flare Sight's pride and joy, his horn. Flare Sight takes away your pride and joy, your wing." Leniact said a trace of humor in his voice.

Discortunal clenched his teeth. "If I was not waking up you would have escaped, but I fixed that. Might I add, Flare's horn was not completely gone. The horn is simply a bone rising from the skull. The horn is a part of the skull. Part of the horn was still there beneath the muscle and skin. To remove his magic would be to remove his skull. I wish you luck with that." Leniact explained for him.

"Drat... how could I not have thought of that..." Discortunal commented. "Because you were to caught up in your emotions. They clouded your reasoning and your pride stopped you from considering the possibilities." Leniact wisely pointed out.

"I hope the keepers kill us soon, for both mine and Equestria's sake." Leniact said. Discortunal wanted to make the alternate personality in him shut up, but he knew he could not. Leniact had awakened and was fighting for control back.