Author's Note

Hello my dear readers.

I advance warnings: this chapter has heavy spoilerage of Vagrant Story plot and story like the chapter before, and now you know.

This chapter has been a headache for me - but now I can finally share it, and see how my iteration of Ashley Riot is seen.

Please do report any mistakes or flaws I may have made, since this was the work of 'months' due to many reasons and I may have missed something.

Like established in an earlier blog, I have drawn from Ultimania: Vagrant Story's translation by a fan of the series plus the game dialogue itself with many adaptations and changes done to them in order to allow the narrative to be only from Ashley's perspective.

With that said, may you enjoy the fruit of my labor.

Remembrance: The City of Darkness (Unedited)

The ponies couldn’t help but feel oppressed, hearts wrenching within them as they wilted under the darkness of the Valendia Knights of Peace’s Headquarters at Valnain, where they witnessed how was Ashley given his orders by members of Parliament and the heads of the VKP.

All hushed up, in the middle of the night. This rose plenty of alarms in the back of their minds, even if this had happened at another place in a far-away time.

As for Ashley … the ponies couldn’t help but feel wonder as to how somepony could learn to suppress what made them equine, yet do whatever it took to fulfill what assignment was laid up for him and return to his base for more—which Twilight privately blamed on the brainwashing procedures that the VKP apparently favoured—as all they heard him ask was for details pertaining as to why they were getting involved instead of sending in the unit responsible for dealing with cults.

After his breakdown at that important place, and after having been ‘conditioned’ once more, he turned almost golem-like in the execution of his missions. Never batting an eyelid, heart and soul sealed shut when given a mission to fulfill—his very self nothing but an expectator the moment he received his orders.

Loyalty to Parliament was everything, any sense of right and wrong left for them to decide—mentality aspiring to become akin to a tool that cares not for what its owner used it for—only to perform his duty and return to headquarters.

“Girls … how dare they to take away his principles, what made him better than what he is now … turning him into—into this!” Fluttershy wailed, tears trickling down her cheeks while she waved her hoof at him as her fellow ponies just looked at the scene unfolding before their eyes, details of the discussion left vague as Ashley didn’t particularly pay any attention to the plotting done by his superiors.

“Fluttershy? This happened a long time ago, so there is little to be done about it … alright?” Rainbow Dash fluttered towards her aching friend, giving her a wing-hug to calm her down.

The discussion went on, with the ponies having little to no context on what was being said, besides them twitching nervously at the mention of one Duke controlling their country’s Parliament from the shadows while funding a cult—one which apparently had attempted to slay their King at some time past. And for said cult to take an entire manor hostage, one which was the property of said Duke. All of this done while they were making demands against the VKP to release their political prisoners and the stepping down of Cardinal Batistum—whoever that was.

Their attention rose at this point of the conversation, “The reason we’re getting involved is because Mullenkamp and thus its leader Sydney Losstarot’s coin comes from the Duke himself—a hero of the Valendian Civil War.” Grand Steward LeSait stated before adding, “Furthermore, we must find out why Cardinal Batistum mobilized his Crimson Blades to deal with this incident without our approval. Thus, your orders are to detain Sydney Losstarot for questioning here at the VKP for his involvement in the attempt against the King’s life during the last winter.”

‘Why did I know their names now?’ Luna asked herself, while something in the air changed around them—as if there was a feeling of change deep within Ashley’s mind, almost as if it were waiting for this moment to arrive.

However, Star Swirl’s ears twitched at the mention of those names, before a now-calmed Fluttershy asked him, “Mister Star Swirl? I hope not to offend or anything, but … didn’t you mention those two names before? Mullenkamp and Sydney?”

“Yes I did, fair pegasus.” Star Swirl replied before the memory continued.

At that moment, the leader of the VKP continued speaking, “Inquisitor Heldricht will explain.”

The hard-looking woman began issuing her orders to Ashley: “You will go to the Graylands immediately. A map of the manor grounds is in your carriage.” Her eyes took a gleam as she continued speaking to the silent Ashley: “I’ve sent one of my agents ahead; she will fill you in when you arrive.”

“They were in the same situation as you and the others, then?” Fluttershy inquired at the old unicorn while the scene unfolded and felt Ashley’s emotions shift.

While the two discussed, the image of Ashley questioned, “She … ?”

Displeasure could be felt at this imposition, the training they had witnessed coming to mind—along with the contradictory repurposing of the Riskbreakers into single-acting agents instead of two-member teams coming to their minds.

“Agent Merlose.” The Head Inquisitor replied, her tone indicating that the meeting was over.

Taking the unspoken order, Ashley left the premises and headed to his destination—familiarizing with the map provided and the dossier attached to it with machine-like efficiency.

After a moment’s silence, Star Swirl replied to her. “Indeed, Fluttershy. They were the previous wielders of the power that Ashley now wields,” the old wizard replied smoothly to the inquisitive pegasus, leaving her in a thoughtful mood.

The memories shifted further in time, as the ponies felt his essence surround itself in a cocoon to shield itself from Reality, embracing a willing tool-like mentality on the journey … until he arrived at the meeting place with ‘Agent Merlose’. She could be seen watching the imposing structure of the manor, only to hear Ashley’s deliberate attempt at brushing past some bushes, where she greeted him cooly: “Agent Riot, I presume?”

At his silent answer, she continued introducing herself: “I’m your partner Callo Merlose. But please, call me Cal.” Only to be ignored by Ashley as he went past her, ignoring the proffered hand. “How was your journey?” She continued lamely in an attempt to make conversation with the elite Riskbreaker.

“Wow, that’s cold.” Rainbow Dash commented with wide eyes at the disregard shown for human contact, while Rarity turned up her nose at the disrespect in disapproval, while Pinkie’s mane deflated the more she witnessed his demeanor.

“How many are there?” Ashley asked in a business-like fashion, staring at the manor where the hostage situation was ongoing.

Entering too into the mentality of an agent, Merlose replied to him: “... our scouts report a dozen men. Of course, we have yet to spot Sydney, and there may be more inside the manor.”

“Hostages?” Ashley asked again.

“Including the Duke’s family and servants, thirty-four,” Callo replied dutifully. “Thankfully, the Duke himself was away at the time.”

“Wait, that is too convenient for such a thing to happen.” Twilight Sparkle commented at that detail, to which Ashley’s memory agreed silently.

“The Duke was not taken captive?”, Ashley questioned the young Inquisitor, who simply replied with “Nay.”

“How fare the Blades?” Ashley asked again, turning back to see the quiet manor.

“We will have to wait and see. With the hostages inside, direct action is perilous. We will have to negotiate with Sydney while we collect information to aid our final—” only to be derailed as the manor took on fire.

A manor that looked made of stone with plenty of wood in the framework.

“What is this!?” Merlose questioned in shock.

Ashley, now immersing fully into the assignment, replied coldly. “It seems the siege has begun … the Cardinal’s Blades have made their move.”

“We have given no such order! They are acting in direct defiance of our authority!” Merlose yelled in outrage.

“... Perhaps their hand was forced?” Ashley replied to her, his detachment helping him keep his cool as his companion seethed—only to begin moving towards the burning manor.

Shaking off the indignation, Merlose asked him as she saw him moving away, “Wait, where are you going?”

Stopping on his tracks, Ashley replied to her. “The Blades have provided the perfect distraction.”

“It’s far too dangerous!” Merlose called back, “We must wait for reinforcements!”

“Reinforcements?” Ashley questioned her as he turned his head to a side to stare at her … only to turn towards the manor and continue walking while stating: “I am the reinforcements” before rushing towards the manor’s main gate, cutting off the log keeping the gates open to shut them down behind him as he continued his journey into the manor.

At that statement, the seven mares blinked … only for Applejack to make this comment: “Okay, that last phrase sounded pretty much like Rainbow here when wanting to look like a badflank.”

“Oh come on, Applejack!” Rainbow whined as the girls tittered at their exchange … tittering which died quickly as they saw how he infiltrated the manor while killing a few cultists on his way without blinking—moving within the shadows and evading more cultists until he heard two in a discussion at the other side of a majestic oaken doorway.

Naturally, for the soft-hearted mares the majesty of the whole manor—with its inlaid reliefs and sculptures made from stone, plush carpeting, and delicate paintings—went largely unnoticed as they felt the tension in the environment and inside Ashley’s mind, not to mention their efforts to keep their lunch inside.

Eavesdropping, Ashley heard cultists speaking out loud—sound muffled by the wood and walls—causing him to wait in the shadows behind the pillars close by as the cultists moved away. Moving again towards that same door, Ashley kept bidding his time as he moved again to hide from the second to last cultist as he left.

Once he was gone, Ashley discreetly made his way into the chamber—where the seven ponies and phantom watched a frail-looking human with metal limbs go to retrieve something from a table, exposing his back to them—

“Is—is that The Dark Sword!?” Twilight exclaimed in shock, only to be silenced as Ashley pointed a loaded crossbow at the frail man—demanding that Sydney tie himself with a rope that he threw at him. As this happened, Sydney behaved nonchalantly—moments before the cult leader made an attempt to rush at Ashley with his sword.

His move was in vain, as the ponies gasped how Ashley put a crossbow dart through Sydney’s frail chest, piercing his heart. Once down for good, Ashley got closer and ascertained that he was indeed dead—only to turn his back on the body when he heard the door opening up with another man carrying a boy, who shouted “Sydney!!!” in shock.

As Ashley rose to confront the other man, he was pushed to the ground, and reacting quickly he turned to see a corpse-that-was as it gasped to him: “I … I’m the one you want,” before ordering his minion in between gasps: “Hardin … go quickly … go … to Lea Monde.”

Nodding in acquiescence, the man the ponies now knew as Hardin left the premises with a child under his arm swiftly.

Ashley yelled at him, “You! Stop!” before quickly turning and dodging Sydney’s attempts at killing him, reacting quickly to Sydney’s unnatural speed.

“That—that’s how Sombra and its summon moved!” Luna exclaimed in realization, as the mares kept looking, unable to close or wink due to the tension present in the moment.

Star Swirl nodded his head in assent at her outburst. “It is true, Princess Luna—those who channel the Dark are capable of feats greater than magic! If it weren’t for the cost it demands from those it touches, it would’ve been a great boon to ponykind … .”

As the ponies kept feeling their attention split up, the sound of steel screeching against steel caused them to turn their attention back to the scene—

Whereas they saw Ashley make some distance from the cultist, Ashley unsheathed his sword—and demanded from his adversary, “What is going on? You were most certainly dead!” grumbling at the end, “Leave the back-from-the-grave stuff to the faerie tales … .”

“It was at this point that all that I deemed real was challenged, and what walls I built to rise to the challenge of surviving and keeping my cool began to crumble in front of that man.” Adult Ashley stated to the ponies present, who couldn’t help but stare at Sydney’s jerking motions, as if he were not in full control of his limbs. “That man … was much more than I thought he was back then.” His disembodied voice commented to the ponies as they cringed from Sydney pulling out the shaft from his chest, blood spurting from the injury as the shaft clanged on the solid ground.

Spewing some blood from his mouth, Sydney dryly said to Ashley: “You’ve … given me … quite … a scratch …” before glaring at Ashley, “Show … a little more respect … for faerie tales, Riskbreaker,” Only to suddenly yell out “D’tok!!!” followed by an immediate backjump—

—To give space for a massive creature to break through the glass dome at the top of the chamber and land with a shockwave. Reacting quickly to prevent getting crushed, Ashley jumped back as well both literally and metaphorically—seeing another thing that caused his certainty to crack at its foundations and his machine-like mentality to start grinding apart at the joints … .

A massive reptilian creature with wings the size of large tables, with spears having found a way into one of its eye sockets and several points of its body, serpentine neck waving at the sides as fire flickered within its blood-stained maws … .

“This creature was one from myth … a thing that shouldn’t exist in my world: a wyvern.” Adult Ashley noted neutrally as the ponies fell to their knees from the memory of the stench of blood and sulfur coming from the wyvern’s mouth as flames flickered within its maws, feeling themselves going green from the impression alone. In a dry tone, the voice of Adult Ashley continued describing to the nauseous mares, “And that … was the smell of its menu that night: fresh Crimson Blades from the Cardinal’s reserves, mixed with its own flame.”

As the scene unfolded after a beat, Adult Ashley noted: “That was something that was harder to believe than an immortal, yet was far from being an illusion.”

Forcing herself to open her eyes, Twilight watched how the one called Sydney made his way towards one of the stained glasses adorning the window frames of this chamber, and after apologizing for not remaining behind and toying with him … .

‘Did he just commit suicide!?’ Luna and Twilight asked themselves in shock as they realized the oddness of this scene, witnessing how Sydney jumped through the window to his own apparent demise—his exit framed by the wyvern roaring to the skies, getting ready to eat the Riskbreaker as it towered over his shape.

As the wyvern reared to strike—the ponies feeling the flames pouring out as if the doors of a kiln were open before them—Ashley quickly rushed at it and pierced hard muscle and scale with his sword, putting a stop to the massive heart moving that monstrosity in front of him.

Not having time to process the feel of striking down stronger-than-human flesh still running down his arm, he turned his sights towards the broken stained glass that had marked Sydney’s retreat from the manor.

At that point, the ponies began to feel something just out of reach watching the memories like they were doing—and shivered as they instinctively turned around to see if they could get a glimpse of the new watcher, only to see themselves and the darkness.

Watching from the open space, Ashley saw that there was no trace of Sydney painting the cobblestones at the ground, nor there were any cultists around anymore.

His mind was divided as he muttered to himself: “... Lea Monde?”

The ponies could feel it, though—the uncertainty, a divided thought that struggled between his Riskbreaker self that wanted to return to Headquarters and report what little had been gleaned … .

And his Ashley self, who wanted to pursue Sydney for cracking his view of the world—ignorant of the aura of darkness that surrounded him like a halo.

“Back then I didn’t know that Sydney had taken an interest towards me, and left a seed planted in my essence through the slaying of that wyvern … .” Adult Ashley commented to the ponies as if they were hearing a soldier report his experiences. “Unknowingly wrapped up in the reality-warping mantle that surrounded him, I pursued him in search of answers instead of following my training and reporting to headquarters—an unconscious interest back then to interrogate and question the man who had cracked my mentality and actually made me question myself … and all I believed to be real.”

The scenes shifted as Ashley evacuated the manor, and took Callo Merlose with him in his hunt towards the city named Lea Monde—hot in pursuit of the elusive prophet. “I didn’t like that at all, as it caused me to be unable to separate my soul from my consciousness, not letting me achieve the point of emotional silence that swords and blades have in order to forget myself if only for a while.”

“That isn’t a healthy way of thinking, mister Ashley.” Rarity replied with some sympathy despite her misgivings towards the strange individual. “It is because of one’s emotions that one knows that is alive. So is coping with loss and moving forward, as our loved ones wouldn’t have wanted us to suffer silently for our failings and loss.”

Adult Ashley replied coldly to Rarity’s comment, “Duty and purpose is all I had back then … it is all I have here and now … to this day, it is all which drives me forward—”

His voice changed to a growl of rage at the intruders, shocking the ponies as they heard him snarl at them, “Contentment at my situation—bad as it was—was all I had left, as happiness was something beyond my grasp in this material world … and your kind stole from me what little I had managed to grasp at straws, leaving me with nothing but dust to grasp.”

“Twilight? What did he mean by that?” Spike asked Twilight, whose ears drooped as Rarity briefly paused to let her speak.

“It all makes sense in the end, Spike—just bear with us for now, please?” Twilight asked him softly before giving him a nuzzle.

Feeling the awkwardness in the air, Shining Armor cleared his throat and asked in an attempt to clear the air, “So … what was Lea Monde, then?”

The former Element Bearers and Princess of the Moon looked at one another with ears splayed on their heads, before the normally bubbly party pony Pinkie Pie replied to him with her hair all straightened out, thus continuing the narrative … .

“It wasn’t a joyful place where I’d like to make a party—not after we learned why were things the way they were … .”

Lea Monde, an ancient city-state that resided in a holm protected by the waters surrounding its perimeter—a perimeter which had mighty walls that had resisted the passage of time and the wrath of nature … .

At its beginnings in its 2000-year history, it hosted the cult of Kiltia founded by Mullenkamp, priestess of the cult and founder of that fortress city. One who started contact with the powers of The Dark and earned the city its nickname: The City of Darkness, or in other parts of the continent: The City of Shade.

After the Civil War that ravaged Valendia, the religion of the Priesthood of Iocus gained strength within Valendia’s population and leadership—managing to convert the Kiltian people into their faith, who build in honor of Iocus the Great Cathedral to showcase their conversion to the new faith. This, of course, gave the Iocus a homestead for them to live—in a place full of ancient history and myth worthy of their attention and study of its numerous mysteries.

This, of course, was done over the remains of the Temple of Kiltia—as a sign of their change for the better. This happened 31 years ago … .

25 years ago, disaster struck the once-bustling city—slaying its five thousand inhabitants … .

Of course, at the time it was old news over Valendia, as a young Ashley heard the priests discussing this event as ‘the wrath of God unveiling against the wickedness of the inhabitants of this city’.

And he wondered: ‘If God is All-powerful, All-knowing, and All-present … wouldn’t it have made more sense to spare the just, and remove the wicked hiding in that place?’

But, as the ponies were presented with snippets of his memories and linked information as he saw the once-mighty city-state from a distance, the now adult Ashley Riot scoffed at his own naivete—knowing now that the priests kept the peace with words the same way the riskbreakers did with their swords—as he and his colleague examined the area that led to a tunnel into the isolated city … and finding several of the guards they had brought with them dead with sword wounds along with some of the Crimson Blades.

Despite this grisly finding, the ponies could feel his thoughts wandering in a methodical fashion as he evaluated his options: access at sea was now impossible, due to the dangerous whirlpools that would devour anyone on board of a ship and the sharp rocks that protruded from the base of the holm would shred anyone who took a swim in the channel.

Air access was among the dreams of the mentally deranged … of which the scholars were among their numbers, being prominent among the Valendian society for their quirks.

So, with no open connection between the ancient city and the Graylands, it left only one option for entry … .

The Wine Trail, a tunnel that went deep underground—deep enough to handle the strain of having the weight of the sea above it without collapsing after two millennia. Marking it as a wonder was the fact that it was an example of ancient engineering, a marvel waterproof by means still unknown to the Valendian architects and researchers to this day.

As he and Merlose went down to examine the dimly lit entrance, the ponies felt something stirring subtly within the memory itself—while they briefly examined the armored corpses of two Crimson Blades, only for the memories to blur a bit while Merlose explained how this individual named Sydney was capable of many things, from looking into one’s past down to even read hearts. All this was spoken out loud while Ashley employed force on the mechanism that controlled the gate’s lifting in order to open the path into the dead fortress-city.

As he entered the tunnel leading to Lea Monde’s Wine Cellar, he gave his last order to Merlose through the bars of the gate that came tumbling down: “If I do not return by morrow’s eve, inform HQ, will you?”

Once inside the tunnel, it felt for the ponies like eternity within the barely illuminated tunnel … until Ashley was ‘greeted’ as he entered the Cellar by a large rumbling of the ground, pieces of the ceiling falling down as dry rain as he waited for the rumblings to cease … and deadpanned: “... No live burials today, thanks.”

The ponies’ hair began to rise, as their instincts started to conflict with their knowledge that this was only a memory—the groans and moaning echoing through the darkness being too lively to be the result of soil and rock being ground to dust by the pressures causing said quakes. Torches placed by the cultists flickered in the dark, their numbers unable to banish the darkness from all its corners—as the darkness gave the impression of hiding predators within its cloaking, them waiting for their unwary prey to lower its guard to hunt and feed off them.

Ashley’s memories shuddered, as they felt they were not alone in the dark, even as he started to see visions of loved ones long dead … .

“Rather telling, the fact that a door that threw lightning at a knight didn’t harm Ashley once he tried to open the door as well.” Twilight said softly after Pinkie drank some tea from her cup—soothing her heart a bit.

“To tell the truth, it was as if the powers inside that accursed place were … welcoming him in.” Luna commented in a thoughtful fashion, hoof touching her chin. “Even if his mind began to suffer harm from being inside that catacomb, the power flowing through its very air started rejuvenating him—even as he suffered damage from lucky strikes by beasts and corpses moving with malice! It was a gradual process, this rejuvenating property of this city.”

All the ponies and dragon present ate or drank some of the procured fruits and pastries, deep in thought at that statement.

“Sydney didn’t help in the matter, as he ripped apart some of the seals imposed on his memories, and made him question himself before giving him a lure to force him to go deeper into this … city.” Twilight growled in barely concealed rage, making the ponies around her to look at her in surprise. “He took his companion Merlose as a hostage.”

By sheer force of will, Ashley focused his mind and took its frayed ends together as he kept seeing someone that had died in front of him a long time ago—a boy who used to call him ‘papa’ … .

As he moved within the catacombs that were once the city’s wine cellar, he was mystified at his lack of fear when surrounded by monsters, beasts and the undead corpses roaming the catacombs—things so out of what nature saw as normal that many would be left as mad wrecks, shadows of their former selves. The appearance of fellow human beings hunting him down no longer registered—except to silence them if they threatened his life and the execution of his mission.

‘Who is this that is keeping watch over me?’ The ponies felt, rather than heard as Ashley suddenly turned around to see … nothing. His heartbeat at a high, and breaths coming shorter, Ashley forced himself to calm down, years of training coming to his aid plus an unknowable instinct hammered on his self as everything turned back to their normal rates and continued his journey.

This cool composure—the ponies realized—was in fact his mental defense against the madness surrounding them, which up to this point had been flickering due to the voices and visions he kept seeing superimposed with his perception of reality—returned with force as he stared at the towering monstrosity that bore the head of a bull, a body worthy of a semi-deity … and a hammer capable of reducing its victims to a crushed mess if it struck true.

And yet, the challenge to his sense of reality cracked its foundations further as the hammer that sent him flying from the impact, shield and armor being of no concern to it … and yet didn’t do much more than cause bruises to his body—instead of slaying him as he thought.

Quickly rising from the ground as the hammer tried to make him one with the stone floor, Ashley turned towards his adversary with celerity. They fought to the bitter end—hammer striking soil, sword striking the hammer’s handle—both waiting for the chance to end its adversary… only for Ashley to come up triumphant, sword embedded in the beastly minotaur’s chest as he watched the creature turn to black dust and something else entered his body—albeit unseen. Rising his eyes, Ashley noticed a door on top of a ledge and approached towards it with the intention to climb.

Once close to the door, he moved towards it to see what laid behind—only to hear a slow, rhythmic clapping behind him. Slowly turning around, Ashley exclaimed “Sydney!” while glaring at the intruder, as the prophet standing on what was the arena that watched the battle between him and the minotaur giving a slow, metallic clap with his hands. The fact that said arena was devoid of life once he had dealt with the monster a moment ago featured heavily on his mind as he kept his glare on the newcomer.

As he processed how it was possible for Sydney to sneak up on him, the prophet questioned him as he glared at him in defiance: “So this is a Riskbreaker. Most men complacently accept ‘knowledge’ as ‘truth’. They are sheep, ruled by fear. But you! You are different. Always calm, detached. A smooth flow of thought into action. Indeed …”

Twilight, Luna, and Rarity noticed how Ashley—in front of a foe he was tasked with taking to VKP Headquarters for interrogation … gave him an dramatic pause of all things as he talked—and wondered without saying anything out loud: ‘The nerve of this stallion!’

“It is almost as if … as if you had no soul.” Ashley didn’t say or do anything as he glared back at the prophet. Sydney took a few steps away from Ashley—still on the ledge leading to the door—and asked him: “How do you do it? Body and soul are one ... yet yours are separate, like a child from the knight in his storybook.” At this point, he stopped as if wondering something … or realizing what was going on with him while keeping his back towards Ashley. “Where is your soul, Riskbreaker? Is this VKP training? Or did you see something that made you shut your soul away?”

As Sydney finished saying this phrase, he turned to face Ashley again—where the riskbreaker felt something shift within him as Sydney commanded in a voice that brooked no opposition, arm extending towards him: “Show me your soul.”

The moment Sydney’s words reached Ashley’s brain, they caused him to relive memories too painful, still bleeding to this day—

Like his memory of the last day he had known joy … as fallen knights slew his wife and son before his very own eyes … with him incapable of saving them.

Twilight screeched at this point, causing her companions to turn to face her. “A memory spell done by an simple voice command!? What kind of wizard is this Sydney to command such power!?”

Fluttershy countered softly at Twilight’s outburst, “I’m more sad for him, Twilight—he doesn’t know at this point that they are nothing but an illusion … and he loves them to this day. Shouldn’t that be enough proof that he’s not a monster like we assumed so far?”

Before any of the mares or silent ghost could say anything to her, they felt the painful memory end with Ashley on his knees … self-loathing and guilt eating at his heart and soul as he fought the tears from flowing out of his eyes due to both the physical and metaphysical pain inflicted on him.

It was at this moment that Sydney chose to show a more cruel use of this strange power of his—he stabbed at Ashley’s sense of guilt as he accused him: “You killed your beloved wife and child … .”

“... They were slain by fallen knights, jackals.” Ashley replied, teeth grinding from the shock of having his memory forcefully pulled to the front of his consciousness—as if he were there once again, impotent at the mercy of the killers.

The words twisted the metaphysical wound, making it bleed as Sydney replied coldly to him. “Wrong. You failed to protect your wife, your child. You failed in your duty as a knight, as a husband, as a father … .”

A moment went past before the knife plunged in deeper within his heart, as Sydney added in a cry of accusation as he pointed his metal finger and arm at him, “You killed them!”

The ponies were gasping at such cruelty as Ashley rose from his pain and rushed at him—only to see the prophet fly out into the air. This act of levitation coming from Sydney caused Twilight and Luna to gasp in shock—as levitation of that level was something that rarely any unicorn managed to grasp … .

And Sydney made it look like child’s play.

Sydney bellowed to Ashley, “Try to catch me, Ashley Riot! Look outside yourself to find your truth.”

As this scene unfolded before them, Twilight felt something familiar about it … this show of power and agility brought memories to mind—memories of a certain unicorn that sought to separate her from her friends by removing the Sonic Rainboom event of her youth from existence.

But it was nonsense! If she had access to that power … why didn’t she said anything before? Why keep silent about knowing of The Dark Sword’s existence, or any power that had it as its source?

Twilight’s mind brushed away that fleeting thought, knowing that Starlight Glimmer was a good pony now—and a friend that could trust her with anything … and turned her attention to the drama unfolding before her and her friends, where they heard Ashley demand from Sydney: “What's your game?”

The ponies gasped as the memory allowed them to feel a burst of power coming from Sydney as he bellowed “Hardin!”

The ponies watched how the leader of the cult’s second in command showed Callo Merlose in binds, and yet … .

“Merlose!!” Ashley called out to the bound woman—

The memory blinked for a second before the two and their words disappeared, leaving Ashley calling out into the emptiness where they stood—only for the memory to continue in front of them as if such interruption didn’t happen at all.

The captured riskbreaker called out to Ashley, crying out to him, “Pay no heed to me! Take them, Riot!!”

Twilight shivered at that last statement being said—as it reminded her of when her friends or family called out to her to do her best instead of worrying about them. This reminiscence got cut short as Sydney started behaving like Princess Celestia or Shining Armor in times where they needed to inspire his fellow guards against the Changelings or the rampaging Tirek … .

Raising his arms into the air, Sydney preached to Ashley in a compelling voice that belied his appearance: “The city of shade will forgive your sins, my son—” and bellowed with strength in his voice, “and call forth a power ... a power that lies within you even now!” Sydney rose up as he floated in midair at this point, saying with seriousness and a glare at the riskbreaker, “This is my game. I run, you give chase. I am the hart, and you the hunter. But this hart has laid a few snares of his own … .”

Sydney challenged Ashley before leaving into the darkness above the chamber: “I am waiting for you, Riskbreaker.”

Seeing his objective leave up into the air, Ashley’s addled mind couldn’t keep up as he yelled at the retreating prophet: “H-hold! Sydney!!” before changing goals, focusing on rescuing Merlose before realizing that Hardin had taken her with him as he was distracted.

“Damn!” was all that could escape from the frustrated riskbreaker before regaining his composure and starting to walk towards the doorway he was heading to—only to fall to the ground on his knees as the magic keeping part of his mind and memories restrained fell apart and power flowed into his self—lighting bolts of purple flowing over his skin in the process as a small shockwave manifested around him, the spells containing his true potential unmaking and reacting with the ambient Dark suffusing the catacombs as he grasped his head with both hands … .

Gritting his teeth, as well as the ponies present sharing a bit of his pain—which was saying a lot, fell to the ground with tears in their eyes as they felt something shift within the memory … .

And the instincts of the warrior coming to the front once more, without him realizing their meaning … .

“What—what is happening?” Ashley asked to himself while on his knees … before hearing the wind form words coming from within the darkness, calling to him.

I am waiting for you, Ashley Riot.

Struggling to stand once more on his feet, Ashley made his way again to the doorway where Hardin had taken Merlose with him—

And the ponies found a badly wounded, gray-faced knight on the ground that turned to stare at the riskbreaker.

Kneeling at his side, Ashley began examining him before the soldier croaked, life almost spent on his dying body, “Ur ... I ... I b-beg of ye ... Sss ... stop the ... p-pain ... .” before coughing out blood and crumpling on his last resting place … .

Only for several strands of purple light to enter the dead man and a wisp of smoke and gray fire to come out of the body into the air itself.

Ignoring what just happened—and focusing on his assignment to avoid encumbering his mind with unanswerable and possibly maddening questions—Ashley kept on walking to the next doorway … .

But stopped when he heard shuffling behind him—and turned to see the dead Crimson Blade rise from his resting place … and asked himself: “Is this some magick, or merely the power of Lea Monde ... ?”

At that point, the corpse rushed at him with its sword at hand.

Cadance chose to interrupt at this point in the conversation, asking the question that was also burning on Celestia’s tongue:

“Was that … was that necrothurgy what you just described?” she gasped, color draining from her face as the ponies present nodded.

“And from your … perception, it wasn’t him who did it? Rather, the place itself which behaved like a necrothurgic mage?” Celestia asked, ears betraying her cool tone.

They nodded again, only for Luna to reply sadly at her sister, “While Ashley couldn’t perceive the true nature of his surroundings, we did … it was much more complex and dangerous than that, sister.”

“It was what could be called the origin point of impossibilities meeting reality.”

The ponies stared at how Ashley brought down the corpse attacking him with a few well-placed strikes and proceeded down his path.

Once he crossed the doorway, he met several corpses in different stages of decay rising from the ground while groaning as they gripped deadly weaponry that their former owners kept at hand at the time of the disaster, which caused him to ask himself in the murky silence … .

“... Is this, too, part of your game, Sydney?”

“What was that ‘Sydney’ goal, by driving Ashley deeper into that place?” Shining Armor asked pointedly as everypony took a small break from the dark story.

“… Trust me, Shiny—the answer to that question comes later in what we’re narrating.” Twilight replied to her brother softly.

“All we do know was the fact that Ashley’s unease only grew as he stepped deeper into Lea Monde, all while hearing voices from nowhere and seeing from time to time the ghosts of his family,” Luna stated as she nursed her cup. “And what’s more—his cool composure was constantly under siege by two very strong and terrible adversaries for any soldier alone at the field: Doubt and Paranoia.”

“I do remember how he kept glancing at the shadows in the corners that the torches couldn’t touch, while we felt how his instincts all but screamed at him that he was kept under watch by something just out of grasp from the fringes of the darkness around him,” Rarity added to the conversation while taking another bite of an apple that she had grabbed from the table. “As if something in the darkness cloaked itself in ‘darkness’, and was waiting for something.”

“To me, it felt as if somehow another Ashley was keeping tabs on him, and that was what was making him nervous,” Rainbow added as she glared at the apple in between her hooves. “I don’t get it! We never saw such a thing happen!”

“Yah’ll forget what he got involved with after that?” Applejack asked in between bites of her apple.

Fluttershy sighed. “It was … it was scary … .” She then turned to Celestia, and added, “It was scarier than the memory you shared with us, about the golem at Sombra’s thrall.”

The ponies kept feeling shivers as they heard echoes of a memory long past, ‘Is ... is this me, or the real me is outside—and is waiting for me to vanish as an illusion?’

Ashley kept a steely grasp on his composure, banishing for the moment those doubts as he stole a glance at the border of his sight, and he could’ve sworn he saw a shade keeping out of sight at the borders of his perception.

That thought struck fear into Ashley like nothing else could, as the ponies kept on watching his progress through the catacombs. ‘If that "other" isn't illusionary … does that make me and my thoughts about myself … to be the illusion? Is all I believed about the world around me to be false?’

The ponies all but jumped as a sudden, high pitched squeal echoed in both the memory and their perception of it.

“That sounds like sharp steel being dragged … ,” Luna commented as her ears twitched from the ear-raping sound echoing—

Only for an shriek that sent shivers down their spines rumbled through the air of the massive chamber in which Ashley found himself—a steel blade being drawn across a stone floor. Soon the deep, hollow thud of metal armor joined it, creating a chilling cacophony that filled the air.

“Eeenope, that was the sound of metal being dragged by some … thing … .” Applejack couldn’t finish saying the word as the apparition came to their sight—

A monstrosity reminding them of Princess Celestia’s description of the golem thrall that assisted Sombra when summoned—only patterned as a ‘human’ instead of equine made its appearance, lurching out of its hiding spot while dragging a long one-handed sword without any visible body.

Pinkie’s hair completely deflated at the impact the mares felt of its extent of hatred for all living things, while Rainbow Dash quickly got in between her and Fluttershy who was grounded on the spot and placed a quivering wing on each back, calming them somehow.

As for Ashley … the ponies realized that all the maelstrom of emotions and questions that had been slugging him down evaporated, his cool composure returning as he examined the newest thing that was most certainly going to try and stop him with deathly force.

‘What in the hell is this thing?’ Ashley pondered as he met the self-moving armor … only to reach the realization that this thing was a mythical creature from Valendia’s long history. ‘... Dullahan? Father Leoria would’ve been proud to see this thing before it killed him.’

The "living" armor slowly turned to face Ashley … which was in itself a wonder, due to it having neither a helm—nor a head to put it on; nor a face—yet managed to transmit that effect towards him.

“If I were a betting man, I would’ve guessed that it was, in fact, snarling at me despite not having a face.” Adult Ashley commented casually as the ponies’ coat rose from the intimidation coming from the memory of that entity.

Gathering power in the tip of the huge blade in its hand, Dullahan struck the floor, leaving behind a deep gash in the stone as a massive thaumic matrix circle manifested underneath the monster as if it'd been waiting for him to arrive to fully power itself for battle.

A deep red light shining from within the cursed metal as more power poured into it from the Dark that permeated every inch of Lea Monde—strengthening the marionette's strings to the armor itself—manipulating its impromptu puppet like a master.

The mares realized they could feel without words how Ashley was feeling at that moment and felt as one with him.

There was going to be a fight. That, he could immerse himself into. His self as a Riskbreaker and Agent of the Valendian Parliament could come to the fore, would become more real. It didn't matter if his opponent be man or monster, he could shove all unnecessary thoughts and worries to the back of his mind and bury himself in the fight. For at least a little while, he could be simply a weapon, nothing more. As the death-match with the entity across the hall ticked closer, an odd sense of peace descended on him.

What it did next, no one would have thought possible. Moving several times faster than any living creature of the same size, it closed to within two steps of Ashley. A bare fraction of a second later, its sword—easily longer than a man is tall—swung down like a lightning bolt.

Ashley did manage to block the strike and his shield did not crack, but the arm holding it felt on the verge of doing so. Numbness shot down his arm, every muscle fiber quivering with the stress of the blow.

Yet such a massive, sweeping attack left Dullahan wide open, an opportunity Ashley promptly pounced upon. While the greatsword still swung with the momentum of the slash, Ashley stepped into the space created, quickly closing the last two steps. Aiming for the joint in the armor's right arm, he struck. Steel met steel in a clash that sent sparks glittering into the dim light.

Surprisingly, Ashley's attack didn't stop there. Throwing all his strength into it, he hit the same place again. Dullahan staggered, unable to bring its sword back into position to counterattack. Five, six, seven times Ashley's sword connected with cursed steel, the metal visibly deteriorating each time, becoming much weaker.

Cushioned in the white haze of no thought brought on by the fight, a new worry suddenly bubbled into Ashley's peace. When did he learn how to chain attacks together like that, not allowing even the slightest chance of counterattack? He'd never done any such thing before setting foot in Lea Monde. But now it was like he'd practiced the technique for years upon years until the pattern had soaked all the way into his bones.

The armor has taken more damage than it could handle, the Dark abandoned Dullahan and the empty metal started to crumble. Another cold shiver of fear sliding down his spine, Ashley stepped back and asked himself; "What am I?"

Shaking his head off, Ashley shrugged the feeling of being watched once he was done with the armored puppet, and went through the doorway leading him out of the Wine Cellar into whatever awaited him.

At that point, both he and the ponies watching the memory unfold were briefly startled when the scene shifted to another place

“What happened at that moment?” Cadance asked towards Fluttershy.

However, before the shy mare could say anything else Twilight asked her gently “Fluttershy? Do you mind if I take this part?”

The pegasus nodded meekly before taking a sip of her tea while Twilight took on the narrative at this point.

After clearing her throat and going into what was known to her friends in private as ‘nerd-mode’, Twilight replied to her with some stops to clear her train of thought. “Well, Caddy … at that moment things took a turn to the weird—”

In that brief moment, the ponies saw the whole scenery change from that dark corridor following the battle with the headless, bodyless armor into one quite different…

As if floating around a room, they saw Callo Merlose, Sydney Losstarot and the second in command known as Hardin inside what looked like an abandoned place of prayer.

Sydney looked quite entertained with the use of a mason’s lead on the floor, scratching echoing in the chamber while Merlose just looked at him and Hardin … fidgeting every now and then due to the restraints she had on her arms, keeping them on her back.

Briefly looking back towards Merlose, Sydney simply stated to her “... Do not attempt escape, and no harm will come to you” as he kept his focus on his drawings on the stone floor—the hagane arm moving swiftly and with purpose as the sound of scratching kept echoing inside that room.

With a frown, Merlose inquired with some restrained venom and plenty of curiosity to him, “... What evil are you working here?”

No longer turning to answer, Sydney replied with an honest “Just a little drawing, my dear. What think you, Hardin?”

As Sydney kept on drawing on the floor, moving every now and then to continue his work … Hardin didn’t reply to him, as he was seeing something that had his nerves fraying further if that was even possible.

He was apparently scrying on Ashley’s actions up to that moment—including the defeat of a monster that could’ve made the Royal Army take pause. He muttered his shock as he kept on scrying his progress within the catacombs, “Gods ... Is he even human? He fights with the strength of a brigade ... .” He turned to face Sydney as he inquired with barely concealed shock, “Are Riskbreakers all this powerful?”

Rising from his work, Sydney replied to him without turning to face him “I think not. Our Ashley is a vessel, you see. He has merely partaken of the power around him. It is as I have foreseen.”

Shining Armor piped in at this point, and asked with disbelief etched through “… Vessel? They were planning to make him a vessel of that power?”

“As odd as it sounds, Shiny—but I digress!” Twilight chirped in before continuing.

Hardin turned in expectation to his friend, “... What next, then?”

Nonchalantly, Sydney answered “What next? Let him give chase a while.”

It was in this point that the ponies realized how much stress the one known as Hardin was suffering as he snapped at him imploringly, “This is madness, Sydney!! The Blades will hold this town soon, and we dare not face their undivided forces!! We've no time to play cat and mouse!”

Stock still in place Sydney answered in a calm mood to his subordinate, “Relax, my good Hardin. Remember, it is all part of my plan.”

Hardin all but screamed, cheeks flushed in both rage and fear at Sydney, “Were the Duke's betrayal, the Cardinal's meddling ... and a Riskbreaker strong as a bloody Titan all part of your precious plan, too, Sydney!?” To which the ponies felt a strong impression of power, intimidating and asphyxiating as Hardin’s demeanor changed into a much humble one as he lowered his sight a little. “... Sydney, forgive me.”

Turning away from staring at Hardin, Sydney did the closest thing he could to a shrug before answering politely, “Be calm, Hardin. It is of no account.” Of course, he then turned to their prisoner slash guest and inquired with a raised eyebrow at her, “You impress me, Inquisitor ... . More concerned about our doings than your own fate?”

Defiant despite the odds against her, Merlose answered in return as she glared at him, ”What villainy are you planning, Sydney?”

Giving her his back, Sydney replied nonchalantly while raising an arm in pure dramatic fashion, “Why, I'm preparing a feast for your friend.”

Sydney then placed his hand over the scrawl drawn on the ground and began chanting, “Gylda-meundes-haati-smohta ... Ferdes-raati-salba-gylmota ... Emperor of shade, descend from the dark ... Honor sin-soaked contracts of kinship; lead your beast unto me.”

To the mares’ surprise and awe—especially Twilight—the moment he had finished his enchantment that the floor’s drawing came to life in bright light blue as it animated on its own and something began to materialize while crackling with power within an orb of very light blue light.

Wordlessly, Sydney nodded to Hardin once—causing him to take Merlose by the arm and to follow the prophet out of the room … .

Where light continued to manifest at the cracks between the door and the stone frame keeping it in place—and a very familiar roar shook the premises as they evacuated towards the depths of the dead city.

Still shaken by the roar, the ponies saw a grayed-out boy which appeared to be only in Merlose's vision, saying with resolution “I must help Father ... .”

“Alright, this is turning weird, Twilight. So, in between phantoms speaking, calling forth monsters to ‘feed’ Ashley’s strength like a gardener would do to his roses with fertilizer, and him getting stuck in a point and place where should he fail he’d become another lost soul … am I the only one concerned with that picture?” Starlight questioned Twilight with a frown as she nursed her now cold tea.

“… Starlight? How could you tell?” Twilight asked neutrally as she sipped on her teacup.

“It isn’t exactly a puzzle if you pay attention,” Starlight replied cooly to her before Celestia interjected.

“… Does it have to do with what happened to that Crimson Blade that he met after fighting the minotaur? Or the corpses that remained from the long-past disaster which rose to fight him?”

Raising an eyebrow and attempting her best to hide her squee—she never got any luck with getting ponies’ attention like this before—Twilight cleared her throat and answered innocently, “You two are more correct than you know … but do you know the why?”

Celestia tittered as she simply answered back, “Why, the dark power flowing through that place, of course!”

Puffing her cheeks and pouting that she had done her job too well, Twilight cleared her throat at the giggling that followed Celestia’s outburst. “Well, the vision was over … .”

As Ashley stood still, the ponies’ point of view returned towards the corridor where he stood still at this moment. Ashley couldn’t help but ask in disbelief: “ … Merlose?”

Shrugging off the bizarre feeling of seeing something from a third viewpoint and understanding it, he moved through the corridor—climbing wreckage from the earthquake that had struck the city while fending off mutated wildlife inhabiting the long-darkened corridors, from aggressive bats to wolves that breathed fire … .

Until he reached the doorway—and found a massive dragon waiting for him as it roared in defiance the moment it sighted him.

“Dragon? What kind of dragon did he fight?” Shining Armor inquired to his sister. Waving a hoof he added, “We ponies always had trouble fending off dragons, and in our history, we always were the underdog due to their resistance to magic and most forms of offense due to their scales.”

“That is true, Prince Armor,” Luna interjected before replying, “this dragon looked like one of the adult ones we once fought off and shrugged off both blade and hammer … .”

“It didn’t have any luck with a spear that he had scavenged from the corpses he fought, though,” Fluttershy muttered sadly as she nursed the bottom of her teacup.

“Ashley moved quickly, though … didn’t let it gain any initiative and stood close to avoid getting roasted with its fire breath, stabbing it repeatedly in the head and using techniques taught to him by the VKP until the dragon died and dispersed into dust.”

“While we were inside we felt the hint of something off increasing in strength as his own power grew,” Rarity added matter-of-factly as she took a dainty bite from a flower of the snack bowl.

“I never thought that I’d miss the light of the sun so much—I could feel my mane losing its puff inside that place!” Pinkie exclaimed in an uncharacteristic outburst, “but things under the day sky didn’t help much for that … .” At this point she had all but darkened, ears splayed on her skull as she looked forlornly at her pastry—

Before eating it in one gulp, then returning to her previous state of misery.

“It was soon after that he found out about that which you figured out, Celestia—that there could only be one wielder of complete immortality, with everyone else touched by its power left as wandering spirits in constant torment … unable to move on.” Twilight added morosely. “It was there and then that he figured out that he didn’t want anything to do with such a thing, and hoped instead for a complete death for his self—yet he was inevitably doomed to either triumph or become one of the wandering spirits … all while having his own mind besieged by guilt, visions of his family and other worse things like beginning to question himself: Was he another corpse killing others to prevent their conquest of his own flesh? Only to force himself to remain sane, if you can possibly believe that.”

“I believe that we should skip right down to the choice he made, right before the end, Twilight.” Rarity suggested as she waved a hoof. “There is much to share, yet too little time to do that—just look at the time!”

The Celestial Sisters turned to see the clock—and right on cue, an alarmed knocking on the door echoed through the chamber.

“Your Highnesses? Are you alright!? It is eight’o’clock in the night, yet the sun still stands high!”

“Oh no.” Celestia and Luna said at the same time before wordlessly looking at the group of ponies present and leaving at the same time towards the door.

“Well, I must say I didn’t see this coming!” Rarity chirped in … and wondered out loud, “How come we have been eating and drinking all this time?”

Soon after, the sun went down and the moon rose to its proper place—shortly followed by the two royal sisters speaking to their secretary Raven Inkwell.

“I am sorry for having gotten distracted from my duty. Please do not feel concerned with interrupting a private meeting like this in future, in case such an event were to happen again.” Celestia asked gracefully to the gray unicorn mare holding her clipboard and having dark circles under her eyes.

“Will make sure of letting you know, your highness.” She answered tiredly before politely leaving her and Luna—closing the door behind her with a soft ‘click’.

Silently they made their way towards the still-seated ponies and took their places at the table.

“So … where were we?” Celestia asked politely as she looked at Luna and the Element Bearers.

“Well, in between him finding out that the ‘cardinal’ wanted Sydney’s secrets and immortality, getting hunted down by his knights; undead; dragons; lizard-things; fish-things; ghosts; phantoms; revenants; golems; elementals; and many assorted beings before reaching Sydney in the cathedral were he was …” Pinkie’s outburst died out as she reached the end, sniffling a little.

Fluttershy took the narrative at this point with a pensive look. “The leader of the knights that went after Sydney had stolen the key to the power—power that was going to suck that knight dry if left unchecked—a key which was tattoed to Sydney’s back. So, the prophet laid on the floor, a pool of blood around him when Ashley found him as the entire city shook—a new Master of the Dark beginning to be made.”

“That is the moment we mentioned—the moment that showed us he sincerely wasn’t a monster,” Twilight added grimly as she continued the tale.

The ponies bore witness to the developments happening in front of them, ears splayed as they knew who Rosencrantz really was as his body turned to dust by a golem brought to life by Sydney.

As they came to terms with what they saw, they felt how Ashley mulled over the recent revelations that had been presented to him by the now-deceased Rosencrantz, who had previously stated that he had past bonds with him as a second-in-command to Ashley’s and spoke of things he no longer recalled.

Then again, he shifted his focus back to what had just transpired as he made his way to the Cathedral once he had dealt with the Dark-animated golem.

‘Sydney never had any plans to kill him? What was he trying to find out of him? What did he gain by sending him into the monster-and-undead infested depths of Lea Monde?’

“I did realize that dying meant that I wasn't up to Sydney's requirements, whatever they were.” Adult Ashley’s manifestation spoke out to the silent ponies from the borders of their perception, as the equines watched his movements through the mostly-intact edifice. “However … survival meant a growth in power on my side—as with each beast slain by my hand, my mastery and physical memory over my weaponry and training grew along with the Dark’s roots sinking deeper into my soul as a result. This of course meant to leave behind by inches my human limitations, and my humanity as well.”

It was Rainbow Dash who interrupted his monologue as the memory kept on moving, asking in bewilderment, “Hold on a second! You’re saying that you were trained during this!?”

“Sydney’s purpose for his limit-pushing training for me was simple.” Adult Ashley continued, only to be cut off by Young Ashley.

“His reason for this was to obtain an Heir to the Dark. He was too weak to keep hold for long of the Wellspring, and needed a successor … .”

The ponies gaped at that, with Luna, Twilight, and Applejack asking simultaneously the same question: “Why did he choose you?”

“To put it in simple terms, the Dark was the last thing I ever wanted to lay hands on, to the point where I didn’t trust it and was sparing in the use of what I had at hand.” Adult Ashley answered.

Young Ashley continued, “This appeared to be reason enough, according to Sydney once I asked him after the debacle. This alone was his reason to give unto us the power equal to that of a god.” He sighed, lowering his head. “And with it, the only possible escape to an eternity of torment and madness—as my soul was long-since stained black with the Dark's touch. As Sydney's successor, I would inherit Complete Immortality.”

The ponies—especially Luna—realized then how everything Rozencrantz, Guildenstern, the Cardinal, and the VKP were searching so desperately for … and Sydney was handing it all to him on a silver platter.

“ ’Tis a risky gamble, to trust something that lasts forever to someone who may change the way mortals are wont to do,” Luna muttered in disbelief.

“Under normal circumstances, I’d agree—however, back then I didn't want it. Any of it.”

Fluttershy looked at the apparitions with pity. “There weren’t immortals in your world? No one to turn to?”

“Nay. Immortals were the product of myth, or so I thought before meeting Sydney. All I knew was this: Was it really possible for a born human to live and function in a human world once he'd become something entirely different?” Adult Ashley replied neutrally, only to add with a wistful look on his face, “With all I had lost, the only things allowing me happiness and enjoyment as a man; a father; a family man … I was—am still—trapped within an ever-burning, gnawing desire for something I could never have again. This is my personal hell: to never be able to fully regain that which I lost, no matter my efforts in the matter to this day.“ This statement alone caused the ponies to look at him with what seemed like newly garnered pity at this point, prior misconceptions now gone and an indescribable fear beginning to grow within them.

“I’m … I’m sorry they took everything from you, even the chance to remake your life … .” Rarity told him softly, interrupting his thoughts in the regard.

“Since this power was equal to that of a deity … couldn’t you have used it to, you know … heal yourself?” Rainbow asked him exasperated, thinking that she had found a flaw in his reasoning.

“I knew that The Dark was no miracle cure for my ailments, as it couldn't sate that desire by bringing back my family from the dead or allow me to relive the simple, quiet happiness I'd known.” Both Young and Adult Ashley’s phantoms spat at the same time to the floor as they had spoken in a chorus. “This power, no matter how mighty it was … it couldn't tell me if I'd ever really had a family and a happy life in the first place, as by then I had realized that my memories were in all certainty tampered with.”

The seven mares and pony phantom felt his despair surge once more. “It certainly couldn't change my past as a licensed murderer in the VKP.” Adult Ashley whispered.

“Nay, the Dark was akin to a saltwater drought—one that would parch a throat further for every sip taken from its skin.” Young Ashley echoed the feeling.

‘Where's Merlose?! I must save her!’ His mind echoed as he rushed through the ruined Cathedrals’ labyrinthine remains, seeking a way upwards.

‘God, if you even exist … let me save Merlose at least.’ The ponies felt this thought, full of both yearning and shame of his own skill. ‘If I can do nothing else, let me manage to bring her safely out of this fairy tale turned waking nightmare.’ The memories of this moment turned both grim and resolute. ‘I failed once before to protect my family … and even if those memories were no more than warped lies, that still doesn’t change the fact of my guilt in the matter.’

The mares realized at that point that there was a sensation echoing with that of the owner of the memories.

Guilt, with something else mixed in.

It was Luna who whispered sadly, “We—I know that feeling too well.” Self-loathing for having failed in her duties, to having failed her beloved subjects … to having failed her sister with whom she had lived since she remembered from her youth.

The mind focused despite the maelstrom of power gathering above him as he moved. ‘This time … I will not fail in this duty.’

Young Ashley chose at this point to answer Rainbow’s questioning by asking back: “Tell me, loud mouth … can your speed and might recover that which is lost? Can it reveal truths buried deep within oneself, not to mention others?”

To that rebuke, Rainbow simply lowered her head at him, ears splayed as she said nothing—looking down in both shame and thoughtfulness not characteristic of her personality.

“I thought not.” Young Ashley replied with scorn, squinting at them.

“Well, that is certainly a change from when he started at the gates of Lea Monde.” Shining Armor commented, deep in thought at what he had heard so far.

“What do you mean, Shiny?” Twilight, Cadance, and Celestia inquired while everypony else waited.

Eyes full of pity, the prince said softly to the waiting audience, “I’ve seen from time to time as Captain and Prince how—when a daily assignment goes wrong and ends up in tragedy—most ponies in the guard or even civilians involved blame themselves.” He looked up to look at them in the eye. “Even if it wasn’t really their fault that said assignment or mission or circumstance went to Tartarus leaving them behind.”

In a whisper, he added softly “I know that feeling too well, Twily. And while I can’t see as well what you mean by him ‘not being responsible, nor a monster’ … I can relate to his desire to see things change for once in his favor, no matter the expense at his own person.”

“It’s called survivor’s guilt, dear,” Cadance answered with some sadness as she nuzzled her saddened husband.

“I agree, my niece,” Celestia replied, drawing the attention towards herself. “To go to such extents to hide his pain once the procedures done to his mind were partially undone. It certainly shows that he indeed had a conscience.” She eyed the grandfather clock at the corner of the room and sighed despondently. “I believe that we’ll stay until the end of this part of his life, then continue tomorrow. Does that sound okay?”

Luna, Twilight and the others looked at one another … and nodded reluctantly. “We’ll finish this, then continue with the meaning of those matrices that appeared through Equestria, Celestia.”

Rarity interjected, “It certainly must be heard, your Highness. That’s all we’ll say for now.”

Nodding in acquiescence, Twilight took the point and continued narrating their experience … .

With each elemental responsible for the fall of Lea Monde which had taken the Great Cathedral as home slain, the strength within Ashley increased as he continued with determination to explore in a hurry the ruins—the sound of leather sole against stone pavement echoing through the haunted former place of worship … .

And all that Rarity could ask in disbelief was “Why!? Why a crab of all things!?” as the others gaped at how he dealt with it ruthlessly, force feeding it his sword until it dispersed into black dust.

Continuing his journey without giving himself any rest, Ashley Riot moved on towards his destination—briefly stopping as he felt Merlose’s voice echo directly into his mind, causing him to focus on to where it was coming from.

“… The upper floor!” He muttered to himself before quickening his motion towards finding a way up the next floor.

As he made his way, he stopped and couldn’t believe his own luck. Laying on the floor was a corpse still within its armor—armor which on closer examination was in good shape. Of course, due to circumstances and hurry, the Riskbreaker set in to remove it from its former owner—

And after examining the set to check for cracks and other weak spots, he removed his own weakened armor and began changing into it—silently focused in his task. As he finished, he kept his own gauntlets while keeping the new ones in his gear backpack … only to move around somewhat to get used to the new set over his damaged leather and cotton paddings—punctured, ripped and with plenty of bloodstains.

The bloodstains were his own—each attack that managed to pierce the protection of the armor or an impact which managed to cause a bone of his own to break the skin. The skin underneath was almost without blemish—each wound swiftly mended with a quick healing cantrip, though the incurred loss of blood forced him to chug on a healing tonic he had pilfered from the Crimson Blades he had fought on the way here.

Funny how the Blades had potions to restore their health, with none the wiser as to their existence.

Changing his focus, he focused on overseeing his own weaponry—his trusty Fandango scimitar and hagane-reinforced shield; a morning star hanging from his belt; pike and crossbow hanging from his back—to confirm that they were in good shape despite their prolonged use.

Nodding to himself in approval of his examination, he made his way towards the stairs which would inevitably lead him to the top of the cathedral—

Where the leadership of the Iocus made their home once … and an ideal, narrow place to defend from intruders if there was such a need.

The visitors, on the other hand … .

They were feeling more nervous by the second—the feeling of something hiding in the shadows was getting oppressive at this stage, and it only continued to grow in weight as they saw the human climbing up the stairs to the top floor.

—Only to hear a groan of pain coming from behind the door.

Silently, they watched as Ashley opened the trap door leading above—only to find a bizarre scene.

Laying on a pool of his own blood, there was Sydney Losstarot—barely able to move from where he lay.

The one who immediately noticed what the ground and the ceiling had as adornment was Rarity, who exclaimed at the sight: “It is the Dark Sword of the Warden, everypony!”

Twilight noticed that the surroundings were filled with lit candles in a perfectly circular pattern, and asked herself in confusion: “Candles? What use they could be at this point?” She then took a double take at the scene and gasped at the hurt human in front of them—raising a hoof to her mouth from the impression.

They were awash with a sense of trepidation as Ashley got down to one knee and asked the downed prophet while helping him sit up, “What's this?”

Luna’s senses were shrieking to her at this point—the power continuously accumulating both in the chamber and on the floor above was telling her something that Ashley didn’t catch back then.

A being of immense power was being formed as they spoke.

Looking up to Ashley while gasping for air, Sydney answered with pain in his words, “You're late, Riskbreaker ... .”

Deliberately ignoring the swath of missing skin on Sydney’s back, Ashley’s interest and nervousness showed up with his question towards the fallen prophet. “Where's Merlose?” His grip tightened somewhat on Sydney’s shoulder as he asked with more urgency to him. “What happened to Callo Merlose?”

Sydney looked down to the floor, pained breaths as he replied to him—no longer there was that sense of satisfaction or awareness, there was only fear. “Worry not ... I sent her to a safe place. She will escape ... unharmed.”

The ponies could feel now Ashley calming down before he asked patiently once again: “What has happened here?”

Coughing up blood from the puncture he suffered at the leader of the Crimson Blades’ rapier, Sydney gasped as if begging, “... Look, and know.”

Ashley focused briefly, and his attention was drawn to a side, wherein the middle of the Holy Rood there was a phantom that he recognized from earlier.

And it was this time that Fluttershy gasped at the familiar sight of the ghost boy in Ashley’s sight.

The ghost spoke out: I wanted to help Father. This city was his only hope... .

Turning to see Ashley, Sydney muttered in wonder, “You can see ... .”

I wanted to help Father. As he helped me when I was born.

At this sight and words, the ponies’ minds were running overtime to catch on to the meaning behind those words, with the limited exposure that Ashley had on during his mission.

With a hiss from the touch on his skinned back, Sydney supported himself on Ashley’s leg as Ashley used his left arm to support him as well. With sadness in his voice, he despondently spoke as his eyes shed tears, voice cracking at moments.

“He wanted the city destroyed, even if it meant his own death.”

“His own death? Whose death he refers to?” Twilight asked herself, only to receive an answer from Adult and Young Ashley’s phantoms, their voices uncharacteristically tender.

“He meant his bond with his father, Duke Bardorba.”

Before she could ask further questions, she got her attention drawn to the memory being played in front of them.

Tears of frustration, of failure, tinged his voice at this moment. “Then he implored me ... do not let them use it ... the power.”

Putting his hand on Ashley’s knee, Sydney Losstarot turned to face his chosen successor—putting his hope on him, the one he had chosen to inherit the terrible power of The Dark. Face grim, tears rolling down his face as he panted in distress, he begged to Ashley while making an effort to look at him in the eyes. “Stop him ... . Stop Guildenstern. Those who crave the Dark cannot control the Dark. You must stop him, kill him—” He shivered as he gathered strength to finish his phrase, “before the Dark sucks his living soul dry.”

At this moment the ponies felt how Ashley’s composure returned with force, as he asked neutrally to Sydney: “Where is he?”

With a lot of effort, grunting from his prone position as he moved his arm upwards, he simply pointed above. Strength taxed to his limits, Sydney’s arm slumped down from the effort—only to be placed on the floor by Ashley.

Voice quivering, Sydney gasped to him as he kept his sight on him, “Ashley, I ... I'm ...”

Still on his knee, Ashley answered to the injured man before rising to meet the one upstairs while turning his eyes to the stairs leading to the top of the chamber—where the workers would have once risen to clean the dome topping the temple. “I know.”

It was at that moment that Ashley saw her—Guildensterns’ companion—within the blink of an eye as she dropped past the Atrium's window. Trailing behind her was black dust drifting from her body, sharing the fate of every Crimson Blade led by their Captain into the black heart of Lea Monde.

“The chamber of secret sacrifices was what laid above us then.” Adult Ashley answered the unspoken question, leading to many others for the ponies present.

‘Sacrifices? Why would they need sacrifices?’

“Remember the sacrifice of the phantom soul to ignite the succession ceremony I mentioned earlier?” Star Swirl spoke out, serious in his demeanor as he glanced at the mares.

They stopped for a moment to think, then nodded at different times.

“As to the feeling that we’re all most certainly feeling. Grogar projected such a drowning presence when he overwhelmed us.” Star Swirl—up to now uncharacteristically quiet—said softly. “It is raw dark magic, focused in ways I never could understand.”

It was at that moment, directly beneath the Dark maelstrom at the heart of Lea Monde—the Great Cathedral, when everypony heard it.

The voice of a mare calling out—reverberating into their very souls with emotions dipped in agony.

It was a wail.

Please save him!

It was Guildenstern’s lover—her body dissolving and her soul slipping away towards the maelstrom gathering outside as she joined the dead.

Please save him from himself, riskbreaker!

Everypony could feel it. The raw emotions felt and images—fear of the bleak, blood-drenched future her lover was chaining himself into—all in his desire, his thirst for the power of a Dark God, the ultimate dictator of mankind.

Save him from himself, I beg of thee!

The sense of resolution deepened as she cried to Ashley.

“She called to me. Her enemy. Her lover's enemy. Their only possible savior from what amounts to be power ruling over man, if Sydney’s words were correct about the nature of The Dark.” Adult Ashley calmly stated as next to him and Young Ashley an agglomeration of ‘darkness’ began taking form, sending shivers of both cold and fear into the ponies’ backs.

“I intended to do so.” Adult Ashley and Young Ashley echoed one another. “We accepted the duty of stopping Guildenstern from Sydney, and now from his lover. That was the least we could do—save him from himself and his delusion that he could control that which he wasn’t intended to handle.”

Ashley stepped out into night air saturated with the rain and the Dark, all of Lea Monde stretching out below him as the sky was darkened as night began—black clouds cracking with thunder as they swirled around the dead city, the Cathedral as its epicenter.

He walked into it with a calm spirit, just as the Cathedral was the calm inside the storm in development—the unnatural winds rampaging through the structures making space for his arrival as he moved with purpose.

It had been a conceited and entirely inconsiderate thing for Sydney to do against him—to shove into his arms the inheritance of the Dark. This otherworldly power was something with which he didn’t want anything to do with. His anger towards Sydney and the way the other man had provoked him, manipulated him—playing on his fidelity to the fulfillment of a mission and his deeply buried desire to save his family and Merlose—in order to shape him had all but faded away at this point.

Shape him? More like grind him in the way a weaponsmith grinds the edge off his work to give it its sharpness before heat-treatment. Any hard feelings towards him had all but evaporated as he now understood him and his intent—all of it, callous disregard aside, was part of a meticulously tailored plan hoping to save the ones he loved, first and foremost.

He could sympathize with Sydney’s hidden hopes and desires concerning his plans. He could understand perfectly, no matter how much it hurt him to have been played like that.

But that plan failed in front of another one willing to take what he didn’t understand for his own gain. Thus, Sydney placed that burden—the burden of his own failure to even save his loved ones and prevent the rise of a monster into power—right on to Ashley's shoulders.

Sydney entrusted the Riskbreaker as his chosen successor to right what went wrong.

“Here, we knew with all of our being that Guildenstern’s plans were going to become the undoing of mankind itself. Do you know why?” Adult and Young Ashley echoed one another as they waited for the equines to make their answer.

As they looked at one another, it was Pinkie in a moment of uncharacteristic quietness that answered, “I—I honestly don’t know. Why was he?”

“This is our own belief,” Adult Ashley answered in response. “Where ‘law’ forms solid pillars that regulate and stabilize mankind, it is "emotion" what creates the crossbeams that link the pillars together into the latticework called ‘society’.”

Young Ashley chorused as Adult Ashley finished his phrase, “It is 'emotion'—one’s love and kindness for one's parents; affection, love, honesty and loyalty for one's children and love and friendship for our brethren; loyalty, hope, kindness, honesty and passion for one's spouse—who’s the best friend as well as a loved one; loyalty and faith, trust and kindness and hope for one's friends,” Young Ashley grimly smiled, unsettling the ponies watching and hearing this as the memory had all but frozen, “there is even a strange sense of loyalty and rivalry, a queer sense of friendship ruling one’s respect for one’s 'best enemy'—one’s eternal rival. All of this is what holds the human world together in the way that glue does to what it bonds together.”

“That is what we believe in.” Both Ashleys chorused to the gobsmacked equines who were still trying to get a hold of what they had just heard.

‘He—his beliefs … they weren’t that different than ours, even under the brainwashing he underwent.’ Twilight reflected with surprise visible to anyone bothering to watch her expression, the realization dawning on her like sunrise shining through dawn. ‘Oh no … what have we done? What have I done?” At this point she hoped against hope that he’d forgive them for their actions—actions done under duress and fear out of him and what he could do.

Unaware of what was going on through Twilight’s head, the ghostly manifestations chorused at the same time: “Within a world without those soft ‘emotions’ buffering ‘law’, it would be outright impossible to value human life. Solemn laws and strict punishments alone lead only to cowering fear and stacks of corpses rotting in mass graves from those unfortunate enough to be caught—and plenty who were innocent but were blamed instead for coverage.”

The ponies began hearing it then—voices through the blowing wind, echoes of memories long gone in the passage of time. All immortalized in the shadowy mindscape of the one they had infiltrated to gain knowledge.

He wants to be as a God

I beg of thee, save him!

He sacrificed us for his own gain

The cardinal’s been betrayed by his most trusted one

They murdered us

Avenge us

Turned to kindling to fuel the fire lodged deep within

They didn’t care

Iocus betrayed us

Help us

Give us reprieve

Give us your flesh

Kill ‘em all

Spread the Dark to the corners of the world

Plenty of corpses to share

Set us free

Relieve us from our pain

The chorus of the two Ashleys continued. “We could see it now—from the whispers of the souls led to this Charybdis of the spirit. We could see it coming—Guildenstern intending to forge such a world through the power of the Dark—taking advantage of circumstance and the preparations done to take away Bardorba’s inheritance for their own profit, disregarding the cost in lives and suffering. Guildenstern intended to bind together the admittedly softened pillars of ‘law’ into one hard column; all while he placed himself at the very top—above Law, Emotion and Society and what defines Man in relation to one another.”

Crouching on the rain-drenched Cathedral roof, the man who would be a god completely ignored Ashley's entrance as the memory jumpstarted then paused at the sight.

Pointing towards the man giving his back to the Riskbreaker, both Ashleys continued speaking with determination and no small amount of fierceness. “We could not allow such a monster to thrive—thus we were to strike it at its birth. That’s the meaning of what Sydney and Guildenstern's lover begged of us. To save him from his delusion—his madness about thinking himself the ideal God to rule Mankind!”

They both roared at this point. “I am a Riskbreaker, and I made it my mission to eliminate Guildenstern. Not for Parliament or Valendia, I faced this power-mad creature of the Dark that the Crimson Blade Commander had become! I made it my purpose to spare the people from all over the world from its threat, just so that they could continue to live peacefully in the way they were supposed to live—as people!”

It was thus, that while shouldering the hope of humanity, that Ashley brought to bear a power that transcended mortality

This came not as a thought, nor a whisper. It was something that echoed deep into the equines’ hearts—something which they couldn’t comprehend in full as to the why.

As the memory continued progressing, the ponies got a clear look at what was on Guildenstern’s back—and they heaved at the horrid sight.

The stolen Blood Sin was on Guildenstern's bare back as he seemed to enjoy the rain falling from the spiraling clouds above as the sun fully set.

It was Rarity who whispered in disbelief, “The skin isn’t sliding because of the rain ... .”

They could only stare at the black-inked swath of skin had melded completely onto his back, now as much a part of him as it had been of Sydney.

Amidst the oppressive, evil-tinged, power-drenched air, Ashley yelled; "Guildenstern!!"

The man in front of them lazily spun around, locking cloudy-white eyes that looked upon Ashley with wicked glee and madness.

"Come, Riskbreaker … ." The man invited with satisfaction as the summoned Dark through the ritual of succession focused in a flash upon the Crimson Blade. "Your death will be my rebirth as the new God of this world!" He bellowed before the quiet patter of the rain returned to the ambient.

By instinct, Ashley protected his sight from the eye-burning glare with an upraised arm—feeling the power gathering on his foe, feeling goosebumps on his skin at the deep-seated instincts telling him that in front of him there was no mere man, but something else entirely … .

When his night-vision finally cleared from the flash—despite the shielding that his arm provided against the raw source of momentary light, Ashley immediately noticed how the being in front of him was not the same Guildenstern who he had seen a moment ago.

For one, while there were similarities in between before and after—the Guildenstern in front of him now was at some fundamental level, wrong.

Purple bolts of pure energy slithered across skin dyed midnight black.

It was not a simple case of his skin changing color. Muscle, blood, bone, organs—every last cell in Guildenstern's body was drenched in the Dark, its color staining his skin from the inside out.

The transformation into the avatar of something truly wicked hadn’t come to his body alone—as with power focusing on his hand, it literally ripped away at the Holy Rood tipping the top of the dome … .

And had shaped it into a sword—one with Dark embedded within the metal that conformed it, giving it a golden dark tinge as the large blade shone from within—the shape of the Holy Rood distorted into something else.

Taking the initiative, Guildenstern tested Ashley’s defenses, and while Ashley survived the prodding he got a deep gash on his gut that cut through his armor like it was not there. Reacting quickly, Ashley sealed the wound with a quick healing cantrip while keeping Guildenstern on his sights.

"Well parried, Riskbreaker. You truly are the greatest bloodhound—” Guildenstern’s tone shifted into something cruel at this point, “blood-drenched, hellhound—that the VKP has ever turned out from its depths. But you cannot destroy me. Lea Monde is mine. I am a GOD!"

Not intimidated by the foe in front of him, Ashley retorted with half-lidded eyes as his grip on his sword and shield toughened up. "… Oh. I'll kill you, Guildenstern. You belong in this world no longer."

A power equal to that of the usurper was born from the Dark within him—straight from his will and choice—to do what needed to be done and to fulfill that purpose for which he was made

And lo! In the skies above Lea Monde, two different 'Darks' intertwined as they fought one another for supremacy—two different natures, one who would be crowned

To the equines’ horror, they bore witness to a fight between ‘monsters’ like no one had seen both in the real world and within Ashley’s memories. Both sides retaliated without quarter—taking advantage of minute flaws in posture, overextending their swings, footstance—until at last one came out triumphant, blade caked with a black sludge which drew the ponies’ attention.

This slime exuded a wicked power, one they had felt before almost ten days ago.

Both Twilight and Fluttershy realized then, unaware of each others’ thoughts, ‘Wasn’t that slime over him back then?’

Ashley’s vision of his downed opponent shifted as Guildensterns’ corpse detonated in a ball of light and lightning, sending Ashley’s mind elsewhere … .

Where they find themselves watching another Ashley watching them.

This didn’t last long before the vision shifted once more—where they saw that there were two Ashley Riots facing one another.

It didn’t take long for the equines to realize something.

For one, whereas one Ashley wore armor … the other one was in regular clothes—the same clothes he had in his last memory of contentment with his family.

They heard the echoes reverberating through their very cores as they managed to make up words for what was being said.

Forget that which pains you ... . The civilian Ashley suggested to him as they saw how the white field changed along with their perception of where was who … or more likely, what.

Ba-dump … .

You cannot reclaim what is lost to time.

The civilian Ashley vanished from where he stood—from behind Ashley.

Let it go. There is only regret here.

Ba-dump … .

What difference does it make? Whether you lost a wife and child or killed an innocent family, you cannot bring back the dead.

Ba-dump … .

The ponies gasped as Ashley was shocked from the apparition—a vision of Guildenstern having manifested to confront Ashley, phantasmagoric from a distance.

Your hands are tainted with blood. Truth or no, your sins are eternal.

Ba-dump … .

The equines saw what had appeared in front of Ashley, and felt tears rush to their eyes as they knew now what was going on … .

And they wouldn’t wish it for anyone to suffer through.

Ashley lowered his head and stared in sadness at the vision of Tia’s corpse bleeding to the ground.

Release the past, look the the future. Join us, Ashley! Come home ... .

Ba-dump … .

“This was Guildensterns’ last chance to enthrall us to his service—to be as an avenging angel to his god complex.” Adult Ashley snarked as his vision-self spoke out loud after having retreated for a moment into his self to reflect upon what he had heard.

He moved towards his phantom self as he spoke out, “There is no growth without birth.” Standing in front of his mirror-self, he continued—looking at his other self into the eye. “Without a foothold in the past, we cannot walk towards the future.”

Ba-dump … .

He snarled to the shade, “Get thee gone, Darkness!!”

It was at this moment, that the memory shifted from the white plains down towards a colorful memory.

A memory that the equine guests already knew was fake … .

Beneath a tree, there were his wife and child looking at him in expectation—his armor gone, only the clothes of a civilian when in their company.

The memory shook, and cracked as it played out … .

“It seems … that the cleansing process you kickstarted is already affecting our memories from back then.” Young Ashley commented with some sadness in his inflexion, before turning to the equines with a grim expression. “You managed to do something that not even a man-made monster could … you took away something far more precious than gold.”

Behind him, they could hear the child running towards his father while calling to him with joy “Papa!!” before Ashley embraced him and put him back on the ground.

“I’m sorry … I didn’t know back then … .” Twilight apologized as she looked at the phantom with sadness, pity and plenty of shame and remorse at this point. “I should have given you a chance to explain, not letting my fear get the better out of me—”

With an uncharacteristic tenderness, Ashley told to the boy in front of him, ”Forgive me, Marco. You must have been lonely ... .”

Rarity’s breath hitched as Marco’s reply, ”Nuh-uh, I'm brave! Just like Papa!” reminded her plenty of Sweetie Belle’s words whenever she saw her parents come back for her in between journeys.

Applejack said nothing, but there were tears escaping from her eyes at the scene—and at feeling how honest it was. No deceit, no show. It was something that she recognized as akin to someone’s most cherished memory.

And they had broken it without knowing.

The memory began to crumble as Reality and Truth superimposed upon millennia of sealed memories, gathering dust for so long coming to the surface and removing what this memory represented with harshness.

Forgiveness … and a Home to come back to.

Voice distorting as the memory came undone, Ashley’s voice managed to speak out as if in disbelief at the sight. “ ... Tia.”

The handsome woman greeted him, voice and appearance cracking as everything continued to disperse around them—dust beginning to be blown away from her and Marco’s bodies. “Welcome home, Ashley. You've done all you could for us. 'Twas a short time, but I knew happiness with you. You gave me a lifetime's worth of love.”

Phantom Ashley, Young Ashley and Adult Ashley began to tear up at the exchange for different reasons, while Twilight and her friends could do nothing but watch the result of what they had brought to bear—with a few eyes now wet from the emotions being transmitted despite the Truth causing it to lose that precious spark that made it Ashley’s most prized possession.

”Don't cry, Papa. See, I'm not crying. See?” Marco pointed at his father, whose breath was hitching at his point—unshed tears beginning to choke him from regret and longing.

“But ... This ... .” He managed to squeak before Tia lifted a finger to stop Ashley’s words from leaving his mouth—and heart.

“Do not be misled by others' words. Believe your heart.” Tia whispered to him even now, parts of her body missing along with the boys’. Embracing him with tenderness, she stepped back and took Marco’s hand with her remaining one. “I love you, Ashley.”

The two of them smiled at him before turning to dust and getting blown by a cold wind.

An unknown voice echoed at this point, drawing the attention of everyone present but Ashley’s memory of himself.

... Come home, Agent Riot. Your story is not yet finished ... .

The Power is now without the ruler—the usurper is gone, only instinct remains … .

The equines managed to see a shadow version of Ashley—or more likely, what Ashley would’ve become had he been as ambitious as both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, skin black, red dots where the irises were, jets of black spurting from his form before vanishing along with the memory.

Once Ashley’s vision returned—the equines were met with a bizarre sight. They were standing on top of a mystical, otherworldly magical matrix bearing his symbol—The Dark Sword—spinning around as something arose from the depths of the darkness surrounding a broken structure that didn’t resemble anymore the Cathedral they had seen from afar.

From the depths, something started to rise—something that might have been human at one point but rose as an abomination to the sight of the equines. From having several wings, arms, and something resembling a human torso corrupted to the point of sowing doubt as to its origin. The way it roared as it took the sight of Ashley only served to cement that fact.

The Dark’s intent given form, its malice, and madness exuding from the eldritch construct as it held parts together without connective tissue of any kind, nor its appearance gave the thought of flesh and blood. In a sense, it was more akin to insect and bird lined up with monstrosity than man.

And thus Ashley embarked on his final struggle—one against the intent behind the power, wielding its puppet against him in order to be free once more.

The battle was brutal, the ‘Dark Angel’ attempting to keep out of reach to cast its spells—only to be interrupted every now and then by Ashleys’ Break Arts or his Defensive Arts to protect himself from its onslaught.

Sword cracked then blew as time went on, the shield fared little better from the powers at hand.

Swiftly changing each weapon as it broke down on him, Ashley kept his pressure—healing himself every now and then to relieve pressure from his body due to the stress that each use inflicted, linked to overuse of Break Arts.

It was on his last dregs of strength that his lance finally shattered, and was left with nothing but his fists. They couldn’t believe it—a mortal enhanced by the same power as his foe was going to keep on fighting until the bitter end, bare-fisted.

“Unfortunately, the threat didn’t end there and then—even as he became the warden of the power given to him.” Twilight finished before yawning—a yawn that spread really quickly to the rapt audience to the story being told. “He was forced to deal with something else that was intending to break free—a Goddess of War, locked in the foundations of Lea Monde to fuel its Wellspring with her suffering … and the source of the upheaval that the city was undergoing, causing the spells containing her to collapse from the outside.”

“Let me make an educated guess, my dear Twilight,” Celestia interjected kindly to the tired mare, who simply nodded as she waited for her to speak. “He took Sydney to safety, then marched into the depths of the city to deal with it … the question would be: How did he know that?”

“The souls and spirits showed him what lied beneath—and what would happen should she break free,” Fluttershy spoke softly, sniffling a little. “Rather than rest and wait for her to come out in the open … he went after her—at the point where he actually met her, it too long too late for that deity to be even saved from her fate.”

“Hold on … .” Spike and Starlight said in chorus, which caused Celestia and Cadance to giggle despite the findings their friends and family had gotten out of their adventure. They spoke again in unison, disbelief dripping from every word they said to Fluttershy, “You mean that this ‘Dark’ actually corrupted a deity? Are you serious!?”

“I am serious here. So is Fluttershy, guys.” Twilight rubbed her face tiredly with her hoof.

“This adventure of yours does lead to many questions, my dear Twilight,” Celestia replied soothingly. “However, I’d like to know … what are the matrices for? And for what reason did he take it so personal when he wasted the Equestrian Army seven hundred years ago?”

“The matrices are seals fed in power by the Tree of Harmony and his own, and serve to seal abominations that are capable of more terrifying things than Discord, your Highness,” Rarity chipped in before realizing in despair as she clasped her cheeks with her hooves, “Oh, no! I just realized! I’ll have eyebags in for sunrise for staying up this late!”

“Well … the reason … ah don’t know how to properly say it, Princess … .” Applejack hesitated in his tone before a yawn and a drooping head nearly caused her to fall asleep then and there.

The other ponies weren’t faring any better.

“Let us do this, everypony.” Celestia proposed to the tired audience around her, “Let us rest properly, then we can continue tomorrow if Harmony allows. Does that sound alright for everypony?”

After looking at one another, they nodded in acquiescence and started to bid goodnight to each other before heading out of the chamber—

Where a few guards of the Night Guard were already in waiting for them to leave.

“Guards? Please lead my guests to their rooms, and I’ll head to my quarters with my sister.”

Nodding in acknowledgment, the guards led the tired ponies away—leaving Princess Celestia and Luna to their own thoughts as they too made their way to their chambers.

When reaching the bifurcated path that would lead to each other’s tower, Celestia noticed Luna’s hesitation—and kindly offered to her, “Lulu? Would you mind resting in my chambers? I would … like the company, as too many things have happened these days.”

It didn’t come as a surprise Luna’s expression of relief as she nuzzled her sister and the two went in the same direction, not another word shared as they began their slumber.

Elsewhere, Twilight Sparkle was making herself ready to rest just like her friends and family were—Spike already on the spot of the bed where he would sleep with her—but saw a sheaf of parchments next to an inkpot and quill … and after biting her lip a little in hesitation, her resolve steeled and started writing a letter with a particular address in mind.

‘I haven’t written to Flashie in a long time! I must correct that mistake!’ Twilight giggled tiredly as she sat down on the stool and got her horn ready to do its job.

The quill scritch-scratched through the silence of the night … .

Elsewhere, within one of the mansions belonging to the noble class—in one of Canterlot’s most exclusive sectors—a small group of equines made their plans.

“We start Operation: Total Nightfall within the hour. Have the darksmiths ready the charges to create the Spring and prepare the sacrifice!” The commanding, self-assured voice crackled through the ether, crystal device buzzing and glowing in a purplish tone before shutting down along with its glow.

The device crackled and buzzed again, only to regain a purple-greenish tint as the owner of the device spoke out with determination.

“In an hour, the alicorns and the Element Bearers must die. Prepare the distractions, Reliquarians!”

“Yes, Lord Patrician!” The chorus echoed through the ether before the device died out.

Turning to face the ponies in front of him, Lord Martinet Patrician’s face showed up through the light coming inside the window from the stars and moon up in the sky.

He looked upon another white unicorn with golden mane and tail—the cutie mark of a compass rose on his flanks—with stoicism.

“Blueblood. You have been the leader of the main arm of the Black Templars stationed here since last year, and your training has proven your real worth,” He intoned with half-lidded eyes at his son, who nodded determinedly without breaking eye contact as tears began to fall from the younger unicorns’ eyes—eyes which twitched, and showed anything but sorrow while contradicting the grim resolution on his face.

‘Humm. Just as I feared, the enthrallment is due to expire. This plan will take care of this loose thread for certain.’

Patrician’s expression turned to stone. “In case the plan fails or the alarm is sounded too quickly, you and your team will focus on the new one and whoever is with her at the time.” Power echoed from the elder unicorn towards the younger unicorn and his subordinates. “Do not fail me.”

Lord Patrician looked upon the team often unicorns clad in robes and five pegasi wearing light armor—both specially treated to change color when the Spring was in place to allow them ease of identification towards their allies as they performed their duties.

“There is one alicorn kept in the depths of the Medical Ward of the palace. Put him down with prejudice—he shouldn’t cause you much trouble, all evidence indicates that he’ll never wake.”

They quickly saluted—Blueblood joining them in a trot—before turning and leaving through the back door of the mansion leading towards the gardens of the compound … .

And straight towards the perimeter of Canterlot Castle.

Once alone, he turned back to his room—walking quietly through the deathly silent house—and where he saw his wife laying on the bed. Just as he had expected, she couldn’t help but take a glass of milk with freshly made almond flour before going to bed—the partially empty bottle next to a glass which looked used testified to it.

The smell of almonds drifted from it, slightly stronger than what it used to smell—but the plan had been successful.

Coming to a close, he approached her and placed a mirror at her snout.

It didn’t cloud.

“You performed magnificently, my dear,” Patrician stated with cold eyes at the prone mare. “You provided a foal—one with great potential, harnessed to perfection and now on its way to perform its purpose … its reason to exist.”

He turned and gave his back to the body, “Thankfully I managed to obtain much better offspring elsewhere, you filthy-blooded mare.” As he walked away, he finished with scorn in his voice, “I got an alicorn as a descendant, something to which you could never aspire to give birth … as expected from a unicorn with earth pony and pegasus in her bloodline.”

As he made his way down to the lobby, Lord Patrician thought to himself, ‘Perfect. All is going according to plan. Once the ties are cut when they execute Blueblood, no one will be able to track these events to my Master.’

Without changing his expression, he took the way out to the servants’ exit—where a cart already laden with what he would require as he made his escape from the doomed city.

Putting the yoke on with as much dignity as he could muster for such a lowly action, he silently made his way towards the castle town’s entrance.

It would be there that he would give the final signal to the mercenaries posted with the Reliquarians within the city's borders to cause as much damage as they could before retreating.

The fall of the royals and their supporters was ideal. To turn the mountain city into a new Wellspring of power was the goal.

No matter how many corpses it garnered to do so. Then again … .

The Master’s power was drawn towards such places.

The communications device turned red, filling the chamber with its bloody tone.

“Welp, it is time ladies.” A grizzled unicorn mare intoned—the red light highlighting the scars and small pieces missing from her body—while the rest of the mercenaries got up and started to get ready, putting on heavy armor along with crossbows and jars full of explosive gelatin. “When the lights come out, we go and do our thing! From looking to putting to fire the mansions and houses, with their owners preferably inside!”

They kept watch of the time like their life depended on it.

This scene repeated all through the city’s lower levels, where the nobles never passed through without armed escort or by hoof—the ponies that had lodged them not knowing what was going to happen soon enough.

The clock kept on ticking until hour zero … .

The darksmiths took their positions around the summoning circle they had been painstakingly been empowering and carving through the crystal mines deep underneath Canterlot’s mountain, Mount Canterhorn through the last month.

A clockwork device began to ring within the darkness, which was answered with hoofsteps approaching the device and shutting it down.

“It is time.” The leader intoned as he approached as a magical matrix began to take form below him, shortly followed by the dozen mages inside the cavern.

They all started chanting simultaneously, while the matrix that occupied most of the floor began to glow along with the ones beneath each and every one of them. “Mirthaulas icthon damul … ivernel chatturga parkentarul … from the depths we call upon thee, Master of the Dark … accept the sacrifice being bestowed at your feet … just so that your might may suffuse us all … so that we may become one with thee in your arrival to our world … .”

“I trust that the plans will be performed to perfection during this night and sunrise?” Grand Master Onyx Horn inquired towards the cloaked ponies sitting in the dining room of his own mansion—the caves they usually used no longer practical due to the pressing schedule upon their own goals.

“As we speak, there is a team making its way to Ponyville to retrieve the off-shoots—the main force is making its way through the catacombs towards the palace, and our inside sympathizer will lead them towards where the sacrificial subjects are lodging.” One of the mares reported dutifully, earning a curt nod from their Grandmaster.

“Good. Let us hope that all goes according to plan and they catch them by surprise.” Another cloaked mare commented, earning some huffs of displeasure from her brethren.

“In any case, they are wearing both thaumic neutralizers and sleep mist, there is nothing to worry about—”

And the night turned into day without a sun.

“You know the plan, Elites!” An lightly armored roussepony barked at her teammates—a team comprised of four changelings, two unicorns, a pegasus, a zebra, and eight diamond dogs. “In two days-time we’ll be retrieving someone of great importance to our nation! We will succeed! When the guard makes its shift from Night Guard to Day Guard inside the Medical Ward, we move in from underneath—”

The basement close to the battlements of the palace shook as cries of shock trickled through the thick stone above them.

“What the bu—!?”

Twilight Sparkle was shaken from her concentration writing in the scroll by a massive surge of power overflowing through the air itself that shook even the mountain to its roots.

This power that felt all too familiar from her still-fresh experience within Ashley’s memories.

Her eyes widened further when light began to glow from above the city as cries, shouts, and screams started to filter through the open window in her room.

And the door exploded—a cloud of oak, iron and stone shards—with an unusual sight in front of her as she had instinctively raised a shield to parry any incoming particles to defend herself.

Blinking twice as she took in the intruders, she couldn’t help but backpedal in Spike’s direction while facing them.

She screamed from the shock as she looked at the unexpected visitor and his retinue of five. “Blueblood!? What the buck are you doing!?”

He had spent all this time unconscious—having felt like being through one nightmare after another. He couldn’t even move, couldn’t hear, feel, nor sense. He was literally a prisoner inside his own body, and couldn’t move—didn’t have the strength to move.

The only thought that crossed his mind after violently reacting to something that had invaded his inner sanctum was this.

‘How … why am I so weak … .’

Among many terrible things, he had dreamed that his new family had been taken from him … and had invaders rummaging through his mind, violating what sanctity remained of his self in glee—even stealing what memories he had that soothed his consciousness.

He dreamed as to how he lost something he clung to—something precious, yet couldn’t put a word to it anymore.

A pulse from outside—power which immediately latched onto his waning own and became his like water falling down into the sands of the desert started to bring him out of his barely awake state—

Right into full consciousness—the cloud protecting him dispelling as he opened his eyes and saw something that caused his brain to halt.

He was inside a hospital, judging by the colors of the walls, the equipment and the cot he was laid upon. The hole on the wall, scorch marks and signs of erosion didn’t fit into the image, but that didn’t deterred him from furiously thinking as he took in his surroundings.

This led him to ask into himself … .

Sydney? Callo? Lich? Anyone?

…

We’re sorry

We’re the only ones who remain

The ones who came with you were cleansed

Please forgive them – forgive us

They didn’t know

Ashley’s eyes shot open as he took that last answer while looking at his hands.

Or more precisely, where his hands were supposed to be.

In despair, he dug into his self to see what had changed and what remained from the smoking wreckage which was now his essence … .

Tears slowly shed from his closed eyes as he realized what had happened to him. Breath hitching as he fully took in what he had lost.

And something stirred deep within.

Eyes still closed, teeth grinding in a snarl as he breathed in—

And roared to the heavens, lightning crackling over his skin as he screamed in rage—frost forming around the room he was in, jets of purple and green flames flowed from his closed eyes and horn as he did so.