Ghost Of Equestria

Scootaloo had been very persistent with Spike staying to check out the village, so they checked the village out and they found what the Umbrums had been so afraid of; There were three Ursa Majors that were plunging the village into tiny pieces. Spike had even had to look for a sign just to be sure that they were in the right area.

They had fought the Ursa Majors with as much force as they could. Spike did not want to kill them because it could hurt the echo system that they had ... at least what was left of it. But in the end, they had to kill the three and the village was “saved” but the term was very loose because the village was nonexistent.

Spike and Scootaloo walked back to Griffinstone and spoke about their next plan of attack. Scootaloo had places to be and so did Spike. He knew what he had promised the Griffin days earlier and he would liberate the camp but he had to do one thing first and that was to help his friend Rumble with his troublesome past.

Rumble, to his knowledge, was in the fort near the Crystal Empire which Spike had liberated days or even weeks prior. He had his left claw on his katana that was in its sheat and his claws were getting restless the more he saw the Umbrums hurt more innocent creatures. He was close to just running up to them and killing them off.

“I’m on my way, Rumble,” Spike said softly into the night air that swished by him which made him shiver in delight from the coldness he felt. But before he decided to rest at a place for a few minutes, he heard some Umbrum screams. The screams did not sound like they were from fear or pain, not even anger. It wanted to intimidate another creature.

Spike crouched down and listened everywhere, making sure to not forget any spot so he did not miss anything. Luckily, the idiot Umbrum did it again which signaled it came from the far left. Spike began moving towards the area, his face concealed by the mask he wore but even then, his face was blank from emotion.

When Spike got closer, he started to hear whimpers and voices.

“I don’t have anything!” A masculine voice cried tears, believing he was going to die. The two Umbrums who were there were trying to intimidate the earth pony who was there. The other Umbrums were keeping a lookout, and those were the ones Spike killed first.

The climate was somewhat colder and had some bushes that were perfect for colder climates. There were in total of three lookouts that were not focused on the others. Spike decided to kill the one who was the furthest away as no creature would notice his fall. Spike aimed with his longbow and waited a moment before he fired his shot.

The world seemed to stop and he released the arrow that pierced the wind as it made its way to the Umbrum who turned just in time to see the arrow pierce his skull. Making him fall dead from the headshot. Spike looked over to the other two Umbrums who were close by, watching the terrain in front of them, looking for enemies.

Spike aimed at the second Umbrum who were doing slight jumping to warm himself up. Spike noticed he was wearing a helmet so he decided to Shoot in the neck, it would be a lethal injury. He did just that, and the results were satisfactory. When Spike released the arrow, the Umbrum was hit and he choked on the blood that was filling up his lungs as he tried to gasp for air.

The third Umbrum who was on the lookout watched the other Umbrums but did not react when he saw that they were not there. The Umbrum continued to look where he did before but felt something pierce his neck but before he could scream, he was dead. The blood smeared the hard dirt.

The other two Umbrums who had been intimidating the earth pony had still not noticed what was going on around them. They were behind a large tree, there was one Umbrum leader and one archer. Spike snuck up behind the leader, he intended to strike fear behind the archer; make him run away like a coward.

“Cá bhfuil an Impireacht Crystal?!!” The Umbrum leader shouted angrily at the earth pony who was crying. He sounded so tired. His voice was hazy, his body was trembling but his front hooves were tied. His coat looked to have been white, but Spike could not tell.

Spike snuck up behind the Umbrum leader and used his tanto to stab him in the shoulder. At first, Spike taught he had him, but the Umbrum pushed him back. The archer aimed his bow and arrow at Spike, intending to kill the enemy.

“Síos!” The archer shouted, making the Umbrum leader crouch down. Spike blocked two arrows with his sword but the third one hit him but it did not damage him as much as it should have. The Umbrum leader was wielding a spear, he rushed towards Spike with high speed and shot forward with the spear, but Spike blocked the attack with his katana and delivered heavy blows to the Umbrum leader who started to stumble back.

“Ní bhuaigh tú samurai choíche!” The Umbrum leader said to Spike as he tried to stab him with a sweep of the spear but Spike avoided it easily. Spike then rushed towards the Umbrum leader and stabbed him in the heart, the katana cutting through to the other side, facing the Umbrum archer.

The archer looked shocked, but then his face was contorted into one of anger. He became more efficient in his arrows shooting at Spike. The purple dragon ran towards the archer and cut through him, slicing the belly. The archer stood there in shock, trying to comprehend what happened.

Then he slowly dropped to his knees and then he dropped onto his back and he lay there before he started to close his eyes.

The earth pony looked up towards Spike and shouted; “Over here!” The purple dragon walked over to him and pulled out his tanto and began cutting the rope around the stallion’s front hooves.

“You’re going to be alright,” Spike soothed. When he cut the rope the stallion looked at Spike with awe, his eyes threatened to leak tears. He must have expected to die, lost all hope of being saved. The air around them seemed to be heating up.

“I thought I was gonna die,” The stallion whimpered. “They captured me by the crossroads to Manehattan. We walked for hours and they brought me here. I expected execution ...”

“Your safe now.” Spike soothingly said.

The purple dragon watched as the stallion ran away from the place as if the Umbrums would capture him again which Spike hoped would not happen for various reasons. The Umbrums are known for not leaving any creatures alive ... unless if they are useful ...

Spike sighed at what occurred and made his way to the fort, intending on telling Rumble about what happened. Not that the stallion he saved was any creature different from the others he have saved, but he still wanted to speak to some creature about the events too. Normally, he would maybe have gone to Pipsqueak but he was meeting Rumble and he wanted to bond with him a little.

*** *** ***

When he was closer to the fort, Spike saw that there were a lot of Umbrums who were heavily armed, the weapons they were carrying were enough to overthrow any place that was too focused on an invasion. The Umbrums were in groups of six, marching together and speaking a little with each other.

He had started to follow them when he noticed that they were walking by an icy dirt road that led to the fort he was heading to. He noticed that they were walking briskly, their weapons drawn and ready to cut through any creature who put up a fight.

It wasn’t good from the looks of things.

He was hiding behind treelines but was just close enough to keep an eye on them in case they tried anything. The roads were mostly empty as no creature dared cross their paths. Who would want to fight against the ones who have shown no mercy in any shape or form?

The Umbrums to Spike’s shock, walked a different route than the one that led to the fort; they were walking away from the fort. That could only mean that they had different plans.

The path they were walking on led to an old farm that had not been used in many centuries. Not that Spike was aware of ...

If that is the place the Umbrums were walking to, then they could use that farm as a place to ambush creatures who were seeking shelter, especially those who did not know that the farm was not in use! Spike grit his teeth.

He moved closer to the Umbrums, trying to hear them speaking to each other but they did not say anything and the ones that did were speaking in hushed tones.

Spike looked up ahead, trying to see where they were headed but there was nothing for a few kilometers. If anything, they were wasting their time unless if they knew something that he didn’t. Knowing King Sombra; he would try to find any shortcuts to different locations so his army could frighten every creature worse than before. The creatures would then submit themselves to King Sombra’s tyranny, become his slaves. Spike knew that it was one of the many methods that King Sombra used, but the one he was using the most without any creature realizing it was Divide and Conquer. It was a tactic that had been used since the beginning of them, used by Khothun Khan when he conquered Hoofshima, Neighpan when his ancestor Jin Sakai became the legendary Ghost. A legend that they still speak about in the present day Hoofshima.

He continued to follow them, watching as the Umbrums became increasingly silent on their journey. He wondered if they would rest someplace, but they never stopped, they continued to walk even when the sun was setting, the Umbrums kept walking.

He was impressed by their lack of rest, they must either have trained very hard, or the corruption was giving them the energy they needed for long journeys. It was still rather strange; the Umbrums hunted for their food, they ate meat no matter the creature they were inside their armour, but they clearly showed that they did not need to eat or drink. Of course, they could have drunk a potion that gave them this kind of stamina but there is only one creature he knows who could have made that kind of potion and that was Zecora. She would never willingly join the Umbrums, not that Spike suspected that she had made anything for the Umbrums.

“Could King Sombra have made them a potion?” He mused quietly as he saw the Umbrums take a right on a crossroad. It did make sense that the evil King would have vast knowledge in potions given that he studied very dark magic. He must have studied potions as well, dark potions, and very dangerous ones. Anything that would give him the upper hoof.

Just then, Spike looked ahead of the Umbrums and he saw some creature crouch down by some tall grass. They did not look to be Umbrum or bandits from what he could see at least. The creature was on the other side which meant that he would have to cross to the other side without being seen by the Umbrums.

Crouching down, he crossed to the other side, not being seen by any Umbrums because they never looked back; they looked straight on, carrying out whatever mission they had received from their King.

Spike moved to the tall grass, trying to find the creature that was there moments ago but he could not see a whole lot and was about to continue to follow the Umbrums when he stood up straight, and looked ahead to see ... Rumble following the Umbrums. He looked back and saw Spike and waved him over.

Spike, curious, followed him. He was expecting Rumble to be at the fort but he was following the Umbrums who were going to The Gods knows where. When Spike was in earshot, Rumble began speaking; “Hey Spike, I know what I said about meeting up at the fort but I witnessed these Umbrums walk to the very place I was heading to but they changed course. I only saw you when I dropped down into the tall grass. I knew you had seen me so I was not worried about having to call out to you.”

The explanation made very little sense but Spike could roll with it. “Why are we going after these Umbrums? I thought we were doing something more ... personal as you described it in the letter you had sent me.”

Rumble did not respond for a very long time, just following the Umbrums, not even glancing at Spike. The purple dragon was worried that he had asked something insensitive so he was about to say sorry and to forget what he said when Rumble gave a surprising response.

“Funnily enough, these Umbrums are the ones that we are after. They came from a war camp that was near the fort. The Umbrums are heading towards a farm that has not been used in a long time.”

’I was right.’ Spike thought.

“Makes sense,” He began. “The farm is very remote and has not been used in centuries, not that I am aware of but we cannot make any assumptions on this. There have been some farms that were said to have been abandoned only for there to be creatures who live and work on the farm.”

Rumble hummed in agreement.

*** *** ***

For the next few hours, Spike and Rumble followed the Umbrums who were marching to the farm that came into clear view and the Umbrums were talking amongst themselves, oblivious to the two samurai who were trailing them not far behind.

The roads became clearer and better, more visible and the grass became more rotten for the lack of sunshine and water. It looked like a total wasteland, it was as if Equestria was slowly rotting away, and it was, to an extent because King Sombra was not taking care of their home.

The only thing the evil King was doing was to pump out more Umbrums that would fight for him, give them armour, weapons, shields, and some homes. After that, the Umbrums feel indebted to their King so they do whatever he says. But somewhere in that explanation, there should be that King Sombra’s mind controls them because that is exactly what he is doing.

When the Umbrums were to the first house of the farm, the leader ordered two Umbrums to take the house while the rest looks at the other places. They scattered and found over fifty creatures who were dragged out of their homes. They were screaming, they were trying to fight back but they were killed.

Spike and Rumble had seen enough so they killed two Umbrums by shooting arrows into their heads; catching the attention of the other Umbrums who were threatening the creatures of the farm with their weapons. Spike climbed on top of a house and aimed at the Umbrum leader. He had taken out his longbow and aimed an explosive arrow at the head of the Umbrum.

The Umbrums were shouting at each other to kill The Ghost and his accomplice. The Umbrums rushed towards Rumble who had a neutral expression on his face. He had his bow and arrows and killed the Umbrums with headshots but he also aimed at the necks and throats of them to hear the gurgle on their blood. He was Spike jumped from a roof and killing an Umbrum with his katana completely inside the Umbrum before he pulled the sword out and looked for another Umbrum to fight.

Spike blocked an attack from an archer who had climbed on top of a barn and aimed at Spike with an arrow that had poison in it. An old technique. Spike blocked another arrow with his katana and pulled out his half-bow and shot the archer right in the head.

Five Umbrums were running to Spike with their weapons ready, but their eyes revealed the fear they had.

Meanwhile, Rumble was killing his fair share of Umbrums one by one, picking them off without breaking a sweat. The Umbrums only seem to become more agitated with this and became more ferocious in their attacks. Just when Rumble was about to fire off another arrow at a nearby archer, he was sliced on the side of his right hoof.

“GHYAA!” Rumble howled in pain. He fell to the ground and witnessed the Umbrum who had done it. He tried to snarl but he couldn’t. He saw the creature and knew her by name. The creature was known as Midnight Love, she was a unicorn mare that have done a lot of damage to Ponyville. Midnight Love without the pathetic armour she wears is a dark purplish bluish coated mare with green eyes and dark blue mane and tail with black streaks.

“You are still as pathetic as the day I killed your family, Rumble.” Midnight Love said, her Equestrian was broken from the language she had been speaking for the whole year. She was now only speaking the language her king was commanding her to.

“It’s ... funny that ... you ... of ... all ... creatures ... say that!” Rumble wheezed. The injury he suffered was worse than he expected but that would not stop him from taunting the Umbrum who took his whole family away from him. But Midnight Love did not seem angry one bit.

”Oh?” She allowed. “and to pray to tell, how is it funny that I say it?” Her tone held amusement but a very small fragment of curiosity. Something that Rumble did not miss. It made him slightly interested, the other Umbrums do not hold the same interest.

“Well,” Rumble got up from the ground, ignoring the clashing of swords and the other Umbrums who were screaming in terror. He looked straight at the Umbrum leader who murdered his family. The air became thick to swallow, his body had never felt so heavy before. “You call me pathetic, but I am not the one who hides from the world with my sword in hand, ready to follow a King who murders mares and children. You just follow him blindly, can’t you feel the corruption?”

Midnight Love just looked at Rumble, she looked neither angry nor happy with what he said. Rumble believed that she would not dignify him with a response, but she did ...

“Interesting,” She answered, her voice sounding sinister. “I like the way you think, you call our glorious King for a murderer but what are you? A hero? I did not realize that heroes were murderers as well. Does the mane six fall into that category or your brother even?”

It was a low blow, but it had its desired effects. Rumble trembled from her words, his eyes were watering, looking ready to cry but he stopped himself. He would not cry in front of the enemy. Not the one who took his family away. But she did have a point to an extent; heroes do not kill, which is why only very few heroes do it.

A necessary evil that will help in the long run.

“My brother to the knowledge of all years of knowing him have not killed any creature, because he did not need to. Only a select few have the stomachs to be able to do that kind of evil. It’s depressing that it’s needed.” He boldly stated with his eyes narrowing at the Umbrum.

Midnight Love raised a brow at the bold statement but her helmet concealed that expression like most of her face. It certainly was a bold statement he had made, not many creatures were willing to say something like that.

His pain, seemingly gone, aimed his bow and arrow at Midnight Love ready to kill her. The two stared each other down, neither willing to back down. Rumble looked unimpressed and had his neutral look on his face, not revealing anything while Midnight Love was the same.

Slowly, Midnight Love reached for her sword and pulled it out of her sheath, and stretched her left hoof as far as she could, showing that she intended on fighting him to the death. But before it could even start, Midnight Love was shot on her back hooves, making her fall to the ground but not without trying to stand up a few times.

Rumble looked ahead and saw Spike stand with his arms crossed watching the scene in front of him with his emerald green eyes that looked like green fire when angry. He turned his attention back to the Umbrum who was letting out anguished screams. He pulled out his tanto and without a word, slit her throat.

The blood poured out from her, soaking the ground with iron from a living creature. Once, once a living creature. The rest of the Umbrums who had been there dropped to the ground but got up just as fast and ran away as fast as they possibly could.

The sun shined through the dark clouds and made the two warriors feel at peace.

*** *** ***

The two friends looked at each other before turning their backs to the liberated farm. The family that lived there looked very identical to each other ... they had cut contact with the rest of society so they did not know about the invasion until the Umbrums came and took over the place.

They had lost family members to the Umbrums who were either unhappy with them or simply did not like them for various reasons. They had thanked Spike and Rumble many times before the two said it was time to go.

So there they stood, waiting to say goodbye, trying to savor the moment. But all things must come to an end.

“Whenever you need me, Spike, I will be there. I will follow you till the end of time.” Rumble stated before he turned to the left and walked away. Spike watched him go before he too, turned to the right and left the farm.