My every sense was dazed and numbed, my vision warping and swinging while my ears perceived only hollow shadows of even the most sophisticated speech. Sickness overtook me to my deepest corner, my aether once in balance swirled and swam through me without sense or guidance. Liquids, warm and thick, collected themselves in my bowels and slowly surged up. Suddenly my body stopped its boat-like swinging, and I could barely perceive my room and broken-in door, while the bottom of my sight revealed to me the coat of a pony, a mare I had known for long, that I wished had not ventured into my lair.

"You're awake, thank goodness you're awake." Gentle Touch mumbled under sorrowful sobbing, wetting my back in salting tears. They burned, just like the intense sadness and bitter relief which radiated off her and bathed me in her emotions. She tightened her grip, I didn't know how long she had attempted to rouse me from my slumber, the sun was still high, but who could guess how much time had truly passed. I felt my bones shift and buckle under her strength, something that should not be possible, yet I could tell that my health was still terribly low, but there was more to it.

"Stop touching me." I force out while droplets of the warm liquid that had gathered and clogged up my innards escaped my lips. It was not as ill meant as it sounded, but patience and nerves were already as thin as they were, and this didn't take into the calculation how she cost me the knowledge of the Games return. It was almost scary how little it touched me, this moment, that was.

"Never, never again. I will never let go of you again, I've lost too many already." Gentle Touch whined, and yet as she pulled me deeper into her embrace, the pain kept growing ever higher to the point I could sense my ribs crack under her strength. "Don't let go, I'm sorry." She whined stronger as I tried to separate us, but it did little.

"Why don't you just leave me too!" I roared as my patience broke, before punching both my hooves in Gentle Touch's chest, her body flew backward. The look that painted her face was heartbreaking in a sense, such complex fear, surprise, and betrayal that my action sickened me to my very insides, even when it was done for self-preservation. My mother's back crashed into my mirror, the shards exploded into a diamond storm, some embedding themselves into her hide, others partook in a memorial of my life, a cracked patchwork of misery.

I stood there for a moment, frozen and shocked, for the first time in all my life, I had punched someone who was nice to me. Not a thug, a thief, a burglar, but my mother. At this moment, I heard a cold, calculated voice speak, and I dreaded its words almost as much as my actions did.

Corruption Debuff revealed: [Unkinds' Punishment]
The title "Corrupted Lord" has been awarded.

I had always known that a soft lifestyle would make pain all the much worse, even in my old life it was never something I had given much thought, since I had spent most of my life striving against homelessness. Now, I could see that if you didn't feel any pain, that when it finally caught you, that the suffering would be immense.

My teeth pushed against one another as an ever louder growing, suppressed scream built itself up from the bottom of my being. Orange lightning arced over my form, continuous electrocution that, while not charring my flesh, brought unspeakable agony with it. My body was locked in place, any motion was dreaded with the expectation of more pain and the lightly illuminated room bore no salvation from this madness.

It then stopped, and my body grew limp and fell and all thoughts were like a severed, beaded string: Most basic thoughts cut into pieces by lengthy frames of time in which no thought could be mustered under the remnants, the after taste of the sensation that had overcome me. It was pain in its purest form, not bound to flesh, mind, or soul, but an input of purified suffering.

As I laid there, and it took me a few precious moments to realize it, Gentle Touch laid next to me, hugging my frail, weakened form. I couldn’t guess why she didn't run, how she could so carelessly, lacking any sense of self-preservation, choose to lay beside me.

"Everything is going to be ok, I promise. I will not leave you, no matter what happens." Gentle whispered so sweetly, it dried my heart's woe, and yet, I could not forget that this promise was shallow, delusional. Who could promise any such thing, when even the smallest disruption in the grand scheme could tear everything you had apart. And yet, this worry never grew to occupy my thoughts.

I opened my mouth to say something, the cold air breaching into my hot mouth and cooling my lungs, it felt... I was uncertain how to feel, but it released another sensation in me. "Bucket, quick, Bucke-mpfh!" I was ashamed to have ruined this moment, but I didn't dare to stain the carpet with my liquids. I had too much sympathy for the maids.

My toilet's door swung open and a quickly emptied bucket was before me. A torrent of thick, muddy liquid escaped me, draining me of every ounce of my strength. It was unlike vomiting from overeating, or food poisoning, it was much worse. I slid off from the bucket, a few strings still attached to my mouth and nose, before I beheld what I released. A red, thick liquid like that of blood, and yet it bore a black shimmer to it. It was a dark sensation, the congealed essence of the nightmare kin castrated of their ability to create another, mindless monster, and yet cursed the world with its mere presence. I knew only one thing, while it could never hurt another creature, or throw another life into misery, for me, who could sense this dreadful blood-slime, it was sickening.

"This is enough, I’ve had enough." Gentle Touch spoke with her voice breaking off into anger as she stood up and walked away. I could hear a quiet mumbling, there would've been no way a normal pony could've heard it, but I did. "May be you didn't swing the sword, but I won't let anyone else die because of your dumb decisions."

"Wait for mommy, I will be back in just a short while. Then, we'll go home, actually home."

I laid there, weakened like my second first day on this world, but not powerless. I had severed my ties to the hallucination of a home, integrity, duty, or social life, and yet, here I was waiting. I could've just gone away, left. Nothing was stopping me, I could concentrate on my mission, on saving Amber, and yet, I couldn't.

I couldn't leave, but why? I wasn't scared, I killed nightmares, no normal pony was a match. Beast and monster, they were just mere shadows in strength comparison too. So why, why did I cling so much? Why didn’t I want to leave this old mare? All the problems.

'Why can't I leave my mother.' I thought to myself, and yet there it was all blank. There was something in me, under the cold, calculated exterior: It was warm, and caring, melting away this mechanized murder machine command. I wanted nothing more than to have my old life back, just the careless days. Mother, Father, Sister, and the Brother who I was. I couldn't tell in all of this maddening adventure, whether it was my spear-headed mindset, congealed misery clogging my heart or just hard denial, but I had someone who cared about me willingly, unconditionally.

Maybe I was an old fart already, stuck between uncle and grandpa, but to her, I was her child. She didn't have anything to compare, she didn't know. Gentle had just this world she dearly clung to with all her heart. And I didn't have the heart to just shatter it twice, after all, she knew misery. I saw it when she first took me in. Despite everything, all I've been through, I had never, not once, wished my pain, or anything remotely similar, to befall anyone else. Never.

My nose scrunched up and my ears flickered when I felt a 'stimulating' sensation, radiating from my shattered mirror. Droplets of blood slowly trickled down the glass, some of mine, but most was of Gentle Touch. The liquid seeped into the crack and spread through the crannies like molten aluminum across golden plates. Suddenly, a spark ignited from its center, flickering flimsily, almost like a candle was lit on the other side. The flames spread like a pulse, dancing across its reflective surface, and it was like the material was tainted with a creeping, darkening paint. The golden ornaments that held up the panel creaked and bent to take on a silhouette that appeared akin to dreadful, cursed thorn bushes before the metal faded and became silver.

Adjutant? I asked, while my head still laid atop the carpet. My energies were drained, and even in the light of such an extraordinary discovery, my heart weighted my body down like lead and stone.

I have no data on this particular item, though it appears to be a mirror infused with highly concentrated amounts of Aether for this world's standards, in addition to negative emotions. The Adjutant commented, though ultimately just cited what I already knew.

I swiped my hoof lazily through the air and absorbed the entire mirror into my inventory. It was surprisingly heavy, barely lighter than the hobgoblin club.

"Miss Touch, I'm asking once more, please stop now before somepony less reasonable stops you." Someone asked, presumably following my mother. Oh boy.

I slowly stood up, my heavy limbs were tired, how ironic given how many hours I've slept this week already. My joints and spine cracked with an undesirable tune, and yet the sensation was a guilty pleasure. I trotted through the door, or what remained of it, and welcomed my mother. Her look was filled with both satisfaction, but also concern. Why were a few discolored, purple spots on the coat making me worry about what happened to her. Where was the bucket?

"Come Star, we're going home." Gentle said, with much displeasure from the guard who followed her. Said follower was a guard mare, seemingly of higher rank than the average joe, given the extra plating and neat engravings. Blank gold just can't compare.

"With all due respect, I do not think that is reasonable, especially after your... entrance in the throne room during a financial meeting nonetheless. Leaving now will only lead to greater consequences." The Guards mare spoke. She looked just like every other guard, minus the armor, due to those damn enchantments.

'What's her name?' I asked with an aching skull while being levitated onto my mother's back.

Lilli Frost.

"Lilli Frost, we are leaving. You will go back and tell Princess Celestia that. That is my order." I responded, and it took my every ounce of strength not to buckle and rest on Gentle's soft fur.

Lilli Frost looked with a static look, but I could feel the surprise and also dislike to have received a direct order from me, but someone of her rank knew the consequence of disobeying an order. And it didn't matter if the crown was not on my head yet, and my look surely made it clear that I was dead serious about it. I think I haven’t looked this Grim since The Game had told me my homeworld was doomed.

Lilli Frost took a deep breath. "Of course, sire." She answered coldly, but orderly, before walking away. She knew that she'd get an earful for that, but still better than the alternative.

Gentle Touch turned her back to the mare and walked at a quick pace. She was in a hurry, probably wishing not to meet another guard, but I didn't know why. I also didn't need to know. My head laid softly on her warm fur, and the smell of peach was comforting.

The city was beautiful at all hours, but when the sun was setting on the horizon, and the gold and marble took a copper hue, it made my heart race for the soft, fall atmosphere. The walk was silent as the streets passed. I saw some fancy mansions and shops pass by, but we did not stop on our silent walk.

I couldn't help but smile, even if the deep, pulsating veins of corruption had seeped deep into my flesh, its coloration almost reminded me of a cracked amethyst geode. It was worrying, even if I knew the symptoms and their reactions. I let them bother me, but I remained unbothered, how could I? I barely possessed the strength not to fall into yet another deep slumber.

We walked through the middle layer too, and I was starting to worry about where exactly my mother was dragging me. The homely atmosphere of the second layer was, well, homely. But the third layer was somewhat of a stain for the city. When said stain came into sight, we had reached our goal on the edge of both levels. It was a small house and bore charm that reminded me of a small motel, usually kept in business by old people or nice families who didn't want their house to fall silent after the kids moved out.

Gentle Touch pulled out a key from her hair and opened the door, before entering.

"Hello Scribble Note, thank you for letting us stay here." Gentle said warmly while smiling dearly towards an old mare, who sat on a couch next to an even older stallion, so wrinkled that he made a raisin look plumb. He didn't seem to have noticed us.

"Oh don't make such a big fuss about something so little." Scribble waved her hoof at her. "You just go to your room and rest. Breakfast is at eight, and your friend wants to come at eleven. I think her name is Summer." Scribble said, before taking a big breath of air. "Good night deary."

"What!" The stallion asked loudly.

Gentle Touch's shoulder sank lightly in reassurance, and took a deep breath, taking in the smell of warm baked goods, spices, and a homely scent. "Good night." She whispered, before walking up the stairs slowly and carefully.

"Good night, young lady. Sleep tight stud." The old stallion shouted.

We entered the spare room, and it looked... like home. It brought an ache to my heart to see how similar this space looked to my room at my aunt's house. It was simplistic, a sturdy wooden frame held up a mattress, with fluffy pillows and a crocheted blanket. Next to it was a nightstand and a lamp atop. An old Drawer sat on the opposite side, to which's left was a table with a vase. The walls bore wallpaper of some flowers, and a chandelier hung on the ceiling with cheap, but reliable illumination crystals in it.

"It isn't much, but it's enough." Gentle whispered, before lifting me with her magic and putting me on the bed.

"I like it."

"Then I do too." Gentle Touch smiled warmly but flinched slightly when she tried to lift her leg. I could feel her pain, it was radiating, and she bit through it in a way only a parent could, even when their child harmed them. Especially in the heat of the moment.

"Mommy, can you please close your eyes for a moment? I have a small surprise for you." I said sweetly while folding my legs under my barrel. I'd regret it, I knew I would, and in more than just one way, but that didn’t stop me.

Gentle looked confused for a moment but agreed shortly after. I pulled out my Bell, the damage had luckily healed, as now I didn't have the strength left to fix it. I held it to my heart, summoning forth a few sweet memories from my time here, and almost all were with her. The light that radiated from the Bell was much stronger than usual, not in strength or intensity, but power. The soothing melody of sight melted my cold heart, but I quickly hid it away, for the deed was done and this one use had already sapped much of my strength.

"The pain, it's gone? Star, what did you..? No, no no no, no more of that!" Gentle Touch said with surprise and sternness, and I understood why. After all, in my weakened state, any intense use of power was painful to my body, and the blood that trickled from my mouth did not stray from this statement.

Gentle Touch climbed onto the bed, rested on her side, and pulled me into a deep hug, my face pressing against her fluffy. chest. "I-, thank you, but please, don't strain yourself this much, not now." She whispered in my ear, yet her racing heart didn't let me calm down, not when her chest pounding against my back.

"Okay, mommy." I sounded saddened, but I wasn't, only guilt weighed on me for making Gentle Touch worry, but that was to be expected. Blood is something a mother never wants to see on her child, no matter the circumstances, especially when it was shed for them.

The warmth and silence were almost mesmerizing, like the night I got my name. My eyes turned to the moon, and the visage seemed empathetic on this night, it felt soothing staring into the deep eyes of the space rock. I once heard that falling asleep while looking at the full moon would clear your woes, but that was just a silly saying.

The window was suddenly blackened, and a great, feathered creature phased through the glass alongside a heavy case.

"Mr Hauhuthos Hilihuth?" I asked with shock, jumping from my spot, despite the sore skin that moaned from the strain it had undergone not long ago.

"No time for formalities!" The owl shouted, before rushing towards me. Gentle Touch rapidly stood up, seemingly not in an aggressive, but still defensive manner. My mother was quickly picked up by the owl magic and put on the other side of the room.

"Is everything okay?" I asked with worry while the owl looked at me with concern, at least I thought it was a concern while holding a pulsating crystal at my horn. He pulled out one of his feathers, which quickly turned to a white hue, before pulling it across my chest.

"You can't just burst in like this." Gentle Touch shouted with anger, slapping the floor with much irritation.

"Yes, this confirmed my worries."Hauhuthos Hilihuth flinched, as his crystal crumbled to dust, and his feather seemingly rotted into a toothpick of stone. "And to you, I actually can. In times of dire situations I can enforce martial law on everything, and everyone should it aid me in damage control and diffusion of dangers." He sneered for a moment with ruffled feathers, before the corners of his eyes noticed some of my corrupted veins.

"Show me your hooves." He said with grave assistance. I obliged, not due to intimidation, but knowledge, that he could easily see them one way or another.

"What is this about, can't you let us have a bit of peace? Neither of us are in a good mood." Gentle said while slowly trotting towards the owl, now accepting that she seemingly had neither legal nor leg of power to stand on.

"Some explanation seems to be in order." Hauhuthos Hilihuth commented though I was unsure who he targeted specifically. "A few minutes ago my most delicate magic measuring devices overloaded and transmuted by a rare and very... aggressive kind of energy. It first appeared with an energy spike of untold power, and then continued to travel as a pulse throughout canterlot and likely beyond. I've tracked down the source of this phenomenon and ended up here with source: Star." He took a deep breath, calming down. "This energy that Star has seemingly produced is barely understood, so much so that every script even mentioning it was written by me. Coincidentally, I am also the only recorded creature to have experienced it first hand and survived." He muttered, as his scowl cast a shadow over his face.

"And in my case, it was a small, concentrated spot, so small, in fact, that it barely affected anything in a one meter radius, other than me. Here? It could be felt several kilometers away, despite it being gathered within a single individual." He was breathing heavily, with his feathers ruffled. "So please excuse my worry for the capital being mutated!?"

"But, Star is just a foal. There is no way that he'd be able to do something... like that, right?" A meager attempt at reassurance from Gentle Touch.

I jerked suddenly when Hauhuthos Hilihuth grabbed my left forehoof firmly, but not tightly. "Since when have you had these, and do you know how they appeared?" He asked directly with a worried, but stern tone.

"I think a few days? Since Sunset left Canterlot, after Celestia screamed at her. I was so... so incredibly angry that it and... I guess my magic body just went down a spiral." I was only half-lying, but there was nothing I could claim to be more true than it because these hidden powers only showed up because of them.

I could feel how absurd it must've been for Hauhuthos Hilihuth, someone as well-versed and spoken in magic to be subjected with emotions regarding possibly disastrous events. He made his distaste for children vocal in the past, and only enjoys my presence because I act exactly not like a foal. "I assume this isn't the first time." Hauhuthos Hilihuth said slowly, putting his other wing onto my hoof and hiding the marks.

"You don't have to answer right now, if you don't want to." Gentle Touch said, walking towards the bed and rubbing my back slowly. She was uncomfortable, and having her pet me served to calm her nerves more than mine, but as a nurse, she knew that sometimes being a professional is better than love and care.

"I remember everything, every second that I’ve been alive. When I was born, I kind of knew that I was dying, but, well, I really wanted to live. Heh. Next thing I know, I start to grow up quick and strong. When I get hurt, and don't want to get hurt more, my skin gets thicker and my bones harder. When I want to learn, it becomes really easy." I became quiet after that, and I was unsure why for a moment. "My magic just does things. Most good, but also bad." I felt embarrassed, and yet at the same time was aware I acted adequate for my age and position, in a sense, I behaved like the foal this body should've held.

"That does seem to fit into the criteria of what I worried about, I just didn't think that it degraded from your otherwise powerful magic. Although, calling it magic might seem redundant at this point." There was merit in his old and husky voice, so much so that it remained a sterile fact, instead of derailing into sarcasm.

"Your emotions are mirrored by your body, am I right?" Gentle said slowly, to which Hauhuthos Hilihuth only gave half of a nod. "I do not judge you, there is a lot of pressure on you."

"The millions of bits in damage actually do judge him." Hauhuthos Hilihuth spoke quietly into his feathery chest. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"It's not just the pressure, mom. It's... complicated." I muttered under my breath, weighing how much I really should talk, but the desire to talk about certain topics on my chest was relieving.

"Whatever it may be, I'm sure to understand it." Gentle said kindly, before gently - heh - pushing Hauhuthos' wings away from my hooves and taking his space.

"That's the problem, you don't." I didn't snap, but I made my point clear. "I don't see the world like you, feel it like you. I can see magic, hear sounds no pony can even sense, feel everything in my body and tell it to do things others cannot dream. But most importantly, I can feel the world. Every love, every joy, happiness and laughter, I can feel them, it's not just empathy, but I can actually live through them, so much more than my own."

"But, I can also experience the negative side of things. Anger, pain, hate, they all are like poison to the world, but I can't help but absorb them, whether I want to or not. It hurts, it's disgusting and venomous, and even if it cleans up the stains on a pony's heart, I don't suffer from this... this purifying process..." I stayed silent for a moment. It wasn’t a big burden to absorb and refine the negative energies of my surroundings, but at all times it was stagnating. "It gets a bit too much, especially when ponies don't understand what happens, what I do, and all those expectations make it worse. I guess I just snapped, and, well, just let it overflow."

I chuckled but sounded appropriate for my age, all that was missing was some cheap alcohol and a disgusting motel lounge in the concrete jungle. I lifted my hooves and held them up to be seen, and despite the shock, I felt warm in my heart. It had been such a long time since I've spoken my heart out, even before becoming a host, even before becoming a courier.

Corruption Debuff removed: [Unkinds' Punishment]. Congratulations.

I looked in disbelief as some of the purple veins grew back into nothingness, Gentle Touch shared my expression, but Hauhuthos Hilihuth was stunned in a sense.

"I should've known for three hundred years already that this kind of problem cannot be solved by science." He mumbled loudly, before sighing. "Gentle Touch, would you please bring in some water? I think Star needs something to drink after his speech." The owl sounded tired, but more so in a calm manner.

"Okay, but don't leave the room." Gentle Said reluctantly, possibly expecting him to just grab me and yeet himself through the window again. But then again, he could've done that with her presence or not either way.

The door closed slowly, before clicking once quietly.

Hauhuthos let out a breath, before sitting on the bed, the frame creaked under his weight, but less so than I expected given his sheer size. "You might think that I am very opposed to any emotional drama of sorts and that I am studying your body and the phenomena that is your magic like an overly enthusiastic foal who got to dissect his first frog, but I do sympathize with you.
There is exactly one pony that knows this, although Celestia may have said this to Cadenza, so I'm not certain. I was not always a giant owl, but a pegasus nearly seven hundred years ago."

"Wut."

"Surprising, isn't it? I will not bother you with the tragedy that was my life, but you should know that I was born crippled, unable to fly. I spent my entire life trying to regain flight, and believe me, if there was a tome mentioning anything from regeneration to rejuvenation, I had read, seen or stolen it. Sadly even after fifty years of searching I had nothing to show for it, but enemies and paranoid ponies fearing that I am partaking in dark activities, possibly necromancy given my obsession with this genre of magic books."

"But I had gained something much bigger, and that was my disdain of this unfair world, knowledge in magic formulas and thaumatology, and lastly, a shadow of pure negativity. Through my journey I created a cloud that spread misery and pestilence wherever I walked, it was everything that kept me going, even when my body was failing me: Be it sickness, hunger, thirst or tiredness. I prevailed, but my mind and body began to become a monstrosity, I was morphing into something similar to the creatures Celestia refers to as 'nightmares'."

"About six hundred and forty-five years ago the news of the pegasus of plague had reached Celestia, and pictures, accurate ones of me, would have anyone believe that I was a lich. When it came to the confrontation, I was surrounded, but I felt no fear, despite the readiness of the young monarch to kill me to end the terror, which I now know would've just worsened everything. In this moment of absolute hate, I loathed this entire world, and it set off the energies that followed me."

"What happened?" I asked with interest, leaning closer to him.

"It was... indescribable." He breathed, and yet his tone was breathless. A husky voice, or the shade of one. "This energy consumed me, absorbed my flesh and soul alike, dragging me into the heart of the nightmare, and yet, as I felt my doom approach, and saw all guards who Celestia took with her melt into black gruel, I clung to the dream I had throughout my journey. And the energies took this dream and made it true, they warped reality but differently than I had thought." He rolled his wings, but I understood what happened just after that.

"And then you and Celestia just became friends?" I asked with confusion, but the owl did not satiate my hunger for knowledge but instead fuelled me with fear when he began to chuckle.

"Oh no, absolutely not! I spent twenty years fleeing from the whimpy, white whale!" He exclaimed loudly with a proud laugh. "After that, I spent roughly four-hundred years traveling the world for knowledge and wisdom. I was a shadow in my line of work. A wise shaman here, a scholarly wizard on the outskirts of kingdoms, even both advisor and royal alchemist in Saddle Arabia. Of course sooner or later I was found again by the albino cow, but at the time I was much more powerful than her and set things straight. Since then, we share a bond of respect with somewhat equal goals and plans."

"Do any of those contain me?"

"Yes." He answered without any shame or worry.

"And...?" I asked slowly, with anticipation.

"Sorry, but were I to tell you then, your adoptive, by law, mother would kill me before raising the sun again." His tone was so dead serious, I might've just looked into the eyes of the grim reaper.

"But you just said that you beat her."

"Yes, but it also gave her the wake-up call to pull her fat plot from the throne and realize that those sardines in golden cans can't achieve anything, no matter honor or sword. If another beast, or worse, demon, like Tirek appears once more, and there are no supernatural means available, her kingdom is going to crumble to dust. Since then, she has been awfully eager to master the sun, learning to draw strength and energy from it, to the point she could burn down castles and call down asteroids without bringing herself close to death."

'...Tirek?...Asteroid!?'

"Still, she's not too eager to lose valuable assets, especially when I can cause enough damage to set her precious kingdom back by five-hundred years."

My mouth opened like a nutcracker, before closing with a click, and just as much force. "Am I going to be sacrificed as an asset in her plan?"

Hauhuthos Hilihuth hesitated for just a fraction of a second, contemplating whatever he should say and the reaction it carried alongside. "It would be highly unexpected were you specifically, as you are now, to lose your life."

'...What is that supposed to mean..?' I thought weakly, and I could feel my eyes water slightly.

"Let's just say that unless it was the last option, as otherwise it would be the literal last thing to do, she would not use you specifically, up. At least from a resource management standpoint." Hauhuthos Hilihuth put much emphasis on 'you specifically' making me wonder, who else he was, or could've been talking about. "I wish you a night of rest, in hopes that your powers may serve you, and the world well." He spoke softly, before pulling out a feather and vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Translation due to lacking points in intelligence: Entity 'Hauhuthos Hilihuth' believes that entity 'Princess Celestia' would not reduce your health points to zero, unless an event of drastic scale were to occur, that could not be dealt with in any other way.

I grit my teeth, but restrained myself, as my regeneration was handicapped, and strength was being sapped with every passing moment. It was like my power was akin to that of my original body, the one not empowered by the Game and aether.

"Sorry for the wait, it turns out that apparently there was not a single faucet working upstairs after six o'clock, but there was a water hose in the cellar, and Scribble said it was clean so... where did mister Hilihuth go?" Gentle Touch walked in with three glasses in her magic grip.

This night was unusual for me, maybe it was the mental exhaustion of working through days and nights, slaughtering the unclean kin, but my dreams were impressively clear, clean, and yet I couldn't grasp what happened in them. Fractions, pieces, but never enough to fit a picture, not one of them could even be placed next to another. Yet, I remember a soft, yet cold embrace amongst a starry ocean, and it was surprisingly tranquil.

I couldn't remember it perfectly, but when I awoke, I was feeling refreshed in a sense, as if a great burden was lifted off my shoulders, maybe the thick castle walls held negativity as old wood did with termites and dust.

I fluttered my eyes, and as I stared with neither discomfort or worry, with an empty mind, it took me a moment to realize that I had awoken in a room that wasn't mine. I lifted my head, groggily my vision returned to me, albeit hazy at first. I saw my hooves, and the markings were still there but hidden under the fur, their strength had dwindled and was only left for me to see.

A breath of air that soared through my hair stirred me, Gentle Touch pulled me closer to her, breathing into my neck with a look of content on her face. Admittedly it was somewhat humiliating for me to sleep in the same bed as my mother at eight years old, and I didn't know how old I was in horse years.

The door emitted a soft knocking, but when I stared at the clock, it would still be another thirty minutes before breakfast would be served.

"hmm..." Gentle Touch mumbled but pried her eyes open nonetheless. "Huh, the door? C-coming, I'm coming, Scribble!" She shouted and stood up slowly, gently as her name implied, and walked towards the door with uneven steps. She wasn't a morning person.

Corruption Debuff removed: [Nightmare Affinity].

As I was saying, acquiring too many points of corruption may lead to a greater quantity of stacks being applied. Now with that out of the way, I see you've earned some points in my absence, I will distribute them. The Game spoke casually, almost as much like he started a conversation he had held at least a thousand times.

Although my face did not reveal it, okay, maybe a bit, I was overjoyed, so much so that I could feel my hairs stand up, my heart beat faster and become mellow. 'You do that buddy, your work's always appreciated.' I thought gently, softly, and soothingly.

...Affirmative...

From the won battle(s) you've earned the following stats: 12 points in Endurance, 10 points in Strength and Dexterity, 7 points in Intelligence, 6 points in Wisdom.

Spiritualist level 10 -->13

Warrior Level 22 --> 24

Mana Construct Level 27 -->28

Physical Damage Resistance Level 28 -->30

Ice Bold Level 23 --> 26

Power Strike Level 23 --> 27

Infusion Level 23 --> 26

Levitation Level 23 --> 24

Observe Level 23 --> 25

For reaching level 30 on the skill [Physical Damage Resistance] you've awarded the skill [Copper Flesh]

[Copper Flesh] - Passive
Your flesh will become hard as copper, should a certain pressure threshold be overstepped or a strike is registered, thus adding an additional 10 points to your defense.

I sighed in deepest content as I felt my power return to me, and in due time, my body would once more be a vessel capable of holding and transferring my might against the unholy brood. And yet, as truly exhilarating the sensation was to feel the pure aether flow through me once more, the ascension from mortal to more, and the return of the Game's return giving me back a sense of stability, I felt another presence approach, one that did not please me.

"I thought you would've gotten the hint." Gentle Touch said in a slow, drained, almost soulless way as she stared up to Celestia, who stood in the doorway with a regal, yet somewhat more approachable fashion. However, she appeared rather... with an interesting choice of appearance.

Celestia lacked all her regalia and was covered with purple stains, a huge one covered the right side of her face, chest, and the majority of her face. "I would've come earlier, but I was deluded with the belief that a bath could clean your message."

'Shees, how did Gentle Touch manage that?' I wondered with a small smirk, it wasn't sadism in particular, but still, it tickled out some enjoyment.

Searching for memories... The bucket.

'...The Bucket..? ... The Bucket!' My eyes widened with great force, and I sucked in a thin stream of air through my pursed lips with such intensity, I could taste my face. My respect for my mother and her inner balls of adamantite had grown a thousand folds. Her action was like throwing a chalice of wine at fucking Zeus!

My small reaction maybe was quiet, but not silent, and thus called for the attention of Celestia. She stared at me for a moment with utmost terror, before rushing through Gentle Touch by seemingly turning intangible for a moment.

"Your cutie mark..." Celestia whispered, staring at my flank with worry, and her present ignited my anger once more. It would seem that hatred was fuel for corruption because my marks lit up with the rise of my furry. She reached forward with her hoof.

"Do not touch me." I said harshly, staring into her eyes.

"I just want to help you-" Celestia started, and reached forward nonetheless.

-150 hp

I had hit Princess Celestia in the chest, with an attack empowered by [Power Strike], but my feeble flesh was incapable of conducting the true volume of force once it touched her.

Where my hoof once was, now in place was a bloody stump. A broken, chipped bone spewed out blood while the little flesh that remained was shredded, the lower half was spread across Celestia, me, and the floor. Gentle Touch had a look of green in her face, while the horror in her face was even greater than that of the alicorn.

"I don't need any more of your help." I hissed through my teeth before I strained my hoof and used [Quick Recovery] for the first time. The air around my hoof swirled like a maelstrom from the heat, as my flesh regenerated at terrifying speeds: the bone grew in seconds and my flesh climbed alongside it, but not in a way I expected. Green flesh formed and on top of it grew a hard, black shell akin to obsidian. "You will listen to me once."

"You are not my mother, you may think of yourself as such, but you don't act like it at all. You're my princess, my guardian, my caretaker, but that is all. You do not see me as your son, I'm just an asset to you and some plan you have, and yes, it is just that obvious, otherwise you would've never wasted your time to begin with!" I spat with anger, so much so that in the end I was no longer absorbing the negative energies around me, but spewing them out, cursing this world furthermore. "You want to help, fine, then go away. You've hurt me enough already, and you know what, I was fine living with the delusion to have two loving parents, but you went too far after you pushed Sunset away."

Gentle Touch did not move, mayhaps she was scared to interfere, or she could've just known that now was not the time to interfere into this conversation.

"I've tried my best, is this what you want to hear?" Celestia said in a strained, but not hostile manner. "I have tried to give you the childhood I had dreamed of, but I never never intended to hurt you. I've never been a mother before, and mayhaps the millenia I have spent have warped my view between singular persons, and princesses, but how would I have seen this outcome in advance?"

"By listening." I cursed through my bared teeth, leaning forward and letting her see all my frustration and irritation in my gleaming eyes. "I will not repeat what I have said, ask Mr. Hauhuthos or my mommy if she still talks to you, but you won't hear it from me, not now at least. But I want you to tell you this. Your intentions do not reflect your actions." It was shameless to steal a quote from a war record, a particularly graphic one that was so thin, it was likely never meant to reach me, given how buried it was in the pile I received.

"You are a good princess, but not a good friend or mother. You only push ponies away, when you try to show them your love. Two alicorns once ruled equestria, but the older sister banished her sibling to the moon? Sunset Shimmer, your faithful student who left equestria, after realizing just how shallow her mentors' admiration for her achievements truly were?" Celestia's eyes widened, but it was not hard to figure it out, after Discord had told me about luna, finding a book mentioning her in some way took time but wasn't impossible. Yet Sunsets departure hadn't reached her eyes yet, it seemed.

"Her special, adoptive son, who nearly died in his own room from the sheer hate and anguish he felt towards her majesty?" I didn't know if it would've been fatal for me, had I chosen to stay longer, but it likely would've never been found out, as had it gone on longer, I'd have just fleed.

Celestia's mouth hung open slightly, and eye contact became harder for her, as the magenta eyes couldn't keep contact with my blue ones. The smoldering anger in me burned slowly, but still enough for my corruptive scars to gleam shimmeringly.

"Look me in the eyes, and tell me. Do you actually love me, or am I just some asset? Tell me now, or leave me alone." I said with a deadly, cold hush, draining me of life and passion just as much as the joy or happiness of the pristine princess. "Please." I whispered, this question choked me deadly, as, despite my age, I still needed answers, and the thought of having a stable childhood was a thing I've wished for many years.

...

"I see..."

...

"...You are my son, even if I have so far only expressed this poorly. I have plans for you, for your future, but you are not an asset of a plan. I have not had anything remotely close to family in an millenia, and friends so far were either fleeting or false. I have given up on the idea of raising a foal many hundreds of years ago, and when Cadence was born, I barely felt anything anymore. Decades later I had regained some compassion, and had hoped that now I was ready, but it seemed I had mistaken once again." Celestia said this all while looking me in the eyes, I couldn't feel a lie, even if her mentioning of me not being an asset was scraping on a half-lie. "But, nothing of this excuses anything."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, collecting myself, but calling the Game for advice. I lifted my normal hoof and pointed it to the door, but in a moment of hesitation, weakness, or just delusion, I reached out to her chest and held my hoof. I sighed and absorbed the impotent remnants of the nightmares I had set aflame on that accursed night, allowing the princess of the day to appear stellar once more.

"You have one chance, don't make me believe another fantasy." I warned, before pulling my hoof away from her chest, and resting my head onto the bed once more, as I felt the fatigue settle in once more, lulling me into a deep slumber.

I still laid on the soft bed, despite having woken up an hour ago. The smooth sunlight shone through the old, but dustless blinds of the window. My back was aching from having done nothing but laying, yet I knew better than to just run off, especially when I had this... mutation on me now.

It is not so much a mutation, as your body mistaking which genetic code it should follow, after it has been put into disarray. The Game noted from the side, though his voice was only half-hearted, as he was busy working on my body, the presence of his voice was still liberating.

'Yeah, Celestia ain't gonna let me leave this house until she finds an illusion charm or something.' I thought while looking at my new limb. It was an interesting sensation, much less sensitive than flesh, and yet not numb. While on the topic of changes, I was thinking of ways to get rid of the corruptive effects, but it seemed like they would go away with time, but the question begged, if I wanted that.

I rolled slightly to the side to reveal my 'new cutie mark: Three agonized souls. One hateful, one pained, and one sadistic. This mark was something you expected to see on a villain, demon, or monster, not the crown prince. 'Observe.'

[Corrupted Lord]
You have been afflicted with the corrosive degradation that is the infection of the nightmares, yet you still stand to slaughter the stagnating hordes.
*All corruption effects are two-sided, with the positive one always supporting your specialization in the moment of receiving
*Every corruption effect increases damage and resistance against nightmares by 15%

The premise of this title was incredibly valuable, as a thirty percent increase in power and defense was very lucrative, and my current curses were more than manageable, but I feared to take on more, given how I was already invested in getting rid of the penalties.

Do you wish to read the card that was dropped off? The Game asked with enthusiasm, even when it was just a trick to get my mind off this topic.

I agreed, if just reluctantly so, and levitated the piece of paper towards me. It was a get-well card from my friends, all signed with various, scribbled signatures. All of them wished me to get well. I closed my eyes and held the card closer, feeling the emotions of its writers radiating. There was the bruised concern of Gerb, expected from his stoic, but loyal character. Sugar Drop's words were the most encouraging, yet dreadfully filled with worry, and that was not just out of fear to lose her best source of food. And Cairn Song...

That fucker was as happy as a freaking quokka!!!

I believe that our cleansing of the mirror realm affected the mood of the entity Cairn Song. It was likely that he was plagued by one of the necrotic nightmares. The Game offered, though it was possible he hadn't looked up the moment where I met the knight. Was it possible that just like how Sugar was tortured by the spider, so was Cairn tortured by the knight's presence?

I would need to be careful how much aether I let out with my bursts of joy, I would never drag anyone down with me. Never.

While we are on the topic of drowning in excessive, negative emotions- Wow, aren't you just a master of transitions? -may I know why you have given entity Celestia a second chance?

'Practical or personal reason?' I asked while rolling onto my stomach and standing up. I stretched my back, it cracked and popped, but was pleasing nonetheless.

Practical would be a good start.

'Do you really think she'd leave us alone after investing so much into us? After learning of my abilities and weaving me into her schemes? No, her shadows would follow me to the arse end of the world, and probably beyond.' I sighed and hopped off the bed, before slowly walking towards the door. A gentle, sweet scent called me.

'I also don't like hurting people, or sticking it to anyone really, not much of a vendetta man, you see. To put it shortly, I am no pacifist, but I do not take any pleasure in hurting something with feelings. I don't have this opinion because I'm some goody two shoes who tells you to eat your veggies or brush your teeth twice a day. I just don't want anyone else to be miserable, and that has nothing to do with morals, I just dislike hurting, and she was hurting, somewhere in all the gold and glamour.'

Don't you mean 'thrice a day'?

'Did I look like I could afford that much toothpaste on earth?!'

I shook my head, before chuckling lightly to myself and walking down to get some breakfast. I was smelling waffles and pancakes, and they wouldn't wait for me. But, while I knew that this meal would be awkward with five ponies, I had hopes that the future would be a tad more bright for me.

Author's Note

A huge thanks to ZeroOneInFinn, editing the chapters has never been this much fun before.