Soul's Poison: Into the Dark World

Several weeks have past. Celestia had been receiving the letters both from Twilight and captain Solar Lance. Nothing really happened in the town recently. Some griffin and a showmare. Both were trying to bully the locals, but were stopped by Twilight and her company.

Also she received the news that here at Canterlot a guard was killed. It's was some days before today.

Blazing Spear had been waiting for Light Flicker at his own house. Today will be the day when the bastard will pay for everything, he had done, He thought.

He planned everything. He has been watching him the last two weeks and know every piece of his day-to-day life.

Before he goes to sleep, there is always an hour, which he spends for some light snacks.

"Here, he is," he mumbled, when he heard the door opening. The phial with poison was in his hand. No, it wasn't like Blazing was afraid to slice the throat of the bastard. He have a solution even after scenario where Celestia's investigators got the clues, that leads to him. No, he just wanted to see the last minutes of Light Flicker's life and to spend his time to see the pain, the agony in those eyes.

Like the days before, today he got the table served before taking shower. So, he had a plenty of time to put the poison in the wine, Flicker had prepared.

Light Flicker have been ranting all along. Spear was becoming nervous every second, but it was unnecessary. He take a sip and then another one and another, so he guzzled all the liquid in the glass in the moment, but his thirst was not satisfied.

He already questioned it, when the sudden pain hits his throat and lungs. He falls to the floor and then he heard the voice. "You have fifteen minutes left, mister Light Flicker," disguised stallion said. Blazing Spear put the full cover and only his eyes were left uncovered. Light Flicker saw only hatred in his amber eyes.

"Who are you?.. Scumbag," he coughed out the words.

"You know that you are not the one to curse around," Spear said. "My name... is not important, but the name of a certain little filly does. Blood Tree says hello."

After some time he stood outside the house. "Tomorrow, Light Flicker's pals will find his body and tell everyone about it. Investigation will start, but I don't care for it. I left no traces there, and if I do then nothing could be done about it," he muttered under his breath, than he looked into the night lights of the city. "Well, Light Flicker, the town have a lot of ponies like you. I believe the city wouldn't mind the little clean up."

With that he disappeared in the darkness of the night. The story of the 'bounty hunter' begins.

The killed guard doesn't bother Celestia a lot. A corporal with nasty reputation. Actually, she was really glad that someone have dealt with him, even in such illegal form.

The lights of the morning sun was dancing on the white glistering coat. The bliss made her to close her eyes. "Um, sister. Doest thou allowed someone to create a manufacture near Ponyville?"

The words of her sister get her from the height of her bliss. She looked up in the skies and saw the black fogs in the distance. At first, Celestia becomes quite indignant with the fact of it, but when she finds out the nature of the fog she'd become even more pissed off.

How this lizard dared to have even one glance at my precious lands? She was mentally swearing and cursing. Torch had become really reckless in the matter of his subject's resettlement.

"With how thee looks, we come to conclusion that the matter on hands was left unattended," Luna said, being quite truthful in what she said. "So, what can we do about it? I suggest that we send Twilight and her friends there."

The answer didn't come immediately, but after some time Celestia's glance turned to more malicious one. "Yes, we will... We will."

***

The population of Ponyville was terrified. The black smokes high in the skies were concealing the sun. The local government tried to soothe all the population, but fails to do so.

Applejack and Rainbow arrived to the Twilight's library in the full combat gear. Weapons were sheathed, but in any moment, ponies would be able to bring the weapons out.

On the entrance they were stopped by the new pair of guards, Soul Flames and Calm Fight. It could become a scandal, but Twilight stopped the whole thing before it could start.

"So, what the whole fuss is about? What with those smokes in the skies?" Rainbow shouted.

"Well, at first, where is your guards, miss Dash? Miss Applejack?" Solar Lance answered.

"They'll come soon," she said, then a door opened.

"Actually, we're right here," Air Stream barked. Jet Burst, Mighty Kick and Water Splash entered the library after him.

Rainbow already opened her mouth, but Twilight interrupted her, "no. Let's wait for the others."

After some time everyone was in library except Pinkie. Everyone suggested to start without her, even if Twilight didn't like it. "So, the problem we have here is really important. As you can see the skies covered in the black fogs..."

"Twi! Had you seen those on the train station?" The voice of the bubbly mare come with the banging on the door. The door shined with purple glow and opened, so pink mare entered the library. Two guards, a mare and a stallion, entered the library after Pinkie.

"Who?" She asked.

"I dunno. Just some really tough looking guys," she replied.

"Miss, Twilight. I know those ponies," a mare, Heaven Joy, said. Everypony's attention have been drawn to her. "Those are the elite corps. The second battalion of the Canterlot's elite corps. Five hundred units, if I remember correctly."

"A battalion? Elite corps? What the hay, those guys forget in this province?" Solar Lance said.

"Yeah, I wish to know the same," Twilight said. "Well, why not just go there and ask those guys, instead of pointless wondering? On the way there, I'll tell you about the task."

Everyone agreed and they left Spike in the library. After fifteen minutes, they arrived to their goal. Tough looking stallions and mares were faced on the way to the station. A lot of them were in the magic powered exoskeletons. Everyone had enchanted weapons and looks on their faces, that shows a lots of determination.

On the train station, there was even more of those elite guards, but one stallion stood out of all of them. He had been throwing orders around and every guard was coming to him if any troubles were there.

"So, you are the main here, right? The hay you are doing in here?" Twilight asked. He only shuddered and turned around. Helm with carved runes completely hid his head, but the bump on his head show that the stallion is a unicorn. Instead of an answer, the stallion took off his helmet...

"So, sister. I had heard that you somehow managed to get Celestia's mercy," the white unicorn stallion said.

"What are you doing here, Shining?" She gawped him.

"Me? I'm just performing an order from Celestia herself and those guys with me," he replied. "And, which goals you're following here, Twilight?"

"The dragon problem. We're about to solve it," she answered.

"Wow, we were about to solve it too. The question is who will be first," he said.

Spike come running from the direction of the library. "Twi... a letter..." He shouted, being physically exhausted by the running such a distance. He give her a letter with the royal seal on it. Her face paled a bit after she read it.

"What's in there?" Rainbow asked.

"Celestia..." She growled. "Guys, we need to hurry... If we are not going to be the first to solve the problem, then Celestia will simply execute us."

"What? For what reason?" Rainbow said.

"She said that this is our duty. We need to stand for Equestria with all of ourselves and be ready to die for it, so if we wouldn't do as she pleases, then she can consider us as a traitors" Twilight replied.

"You know, Twilight," Shining said. "I believe, my guys could have some spare time in this village. You will have several hours before we go there and kill that big guy."

"Have you heard that? We'd better go and solve the problem. I don't want to be a hanging corpse on the main plaza of the Canterlot!" Rainbow uttered. Without any preparations, they ran to the mountain where a dragon now resides.

"Hey, where did you run?!" Solar Lance screamed them in the backs, but no response followed.

"It's useless, Captain. They are gone." Shining said, wrapping his arm around his neck. "You'd better show us a place where me and my guys could have a little rest."

***

"Everyone of you know what we need accomplish!" Shining shouted. The ranks of the elite guards stood before him. "You all were given under my command because Celestia herself is confident in me. She knows that I'll not let you to perish. You must listen to me if you want to get..."

"Hey, is that a dragon?" One of the guards from the first rank asked, pointing to the mountain before them. When Shining turned around, he saw the red dragon flying away from the mountain.

"Huh? That's... Definitely a dragon..." He muttered. "Well, no matter. Get back into the rank, soldier. Now, everyone of you, follow me. We're going to see what's happened in there."

If it's you, sister, then I really underestimated you... Seriously underestimated you. Shining thought.

After an hour of marching they met Twilight's group. They were really battered but happy and alive nevertheless. "I'm waiting for the report, Twilight Sparkle," Shining said.

"A report? I'm not one of your subordinates," She scolded her brother, but after some time she reported nevertheless. "We... We had Tartarus of a fight back there. If it's wasn't for Fluttershy's accuracy, then we will never get out of the fight alive."

He inspected everyone before him, and if Twilight, Rarity and Pinkie looked unharmed, then everyone else have been suffering several injuries. Fluttershy had half of her face gone and replaced with a big scorch mark. Applejack had some plates on her armor gone, leaving the mail frame uncovered. Rainbow had been bruised really heavy.

"What's up with the injuries?" He asked.

"Fluttershy got under dragon's fire breath. Actually, he aimed at Rarity but Fluttershy got her to the side. She made it out of the fire too... Partially. Uh, AJ got crushed by the dragon's fist. Big bruises and destroyed armor plates but nothing serious. Rainbow... Lost her watch and dragon got her thrown headfirst into the ceiling above with his wing," she told.

"And then, I fell on the gold pile... Who knows, that piles of golden coins could be so solid," she shuddered.

"Hmm, fine," he said, and then he turned around. "I believe that our weapons are out of the business."

The sigh and grumbles were the answer. Everyone didn't like it, but they couldn't anything about it. Everyone turned around and go back to Ponyville.

"A pony can make everything if it's needed to flee the death, huh?" Shining asked when they were going to the town. To survive, after recieving a punch from the dragon... That Applejack is really tough. Need to get her a reward.

"Maybe," she replied.

"Celestia really dislikes you," he said. "What do you think of your future?"

"If there will be tasks like this then our future's going to be really short," she said. "What up in the Celestia's service?"

"Nothing new, except for the Luna's guards. I've talked with their leader, general Night Storm. She is nice and all but I believe she is too fanatical."

"And, what's about Cadence?" she went on with questions.

"She... She's waiting for you," he said. "When you'll arrive to Canterlot?"

"Sorry... Celestia told me that no one is able to go to Canterlot or any other towns, until we show her that we are trustworthy enough, so not soon... But we're invited on the Grand Galloping Gala this year," she answered.

"Oh, fine. I'll tell her about it," he said. They continued their path.

"And, Shining," Twilight said, when they were close to Ponyville. "Thank you for fabricating data, when I was at Canterlot."

"It was nothing, Twily, but still wish to say to you that the whole thing was really hard," he said.