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Some came back from the grave, the others have a hoof inside

East Wind looked around the Court Room with a nostalgic smile. As she thought the Bearers and the Princesses were understandably surprised. Everypony but Twilight Sparkle, who already knew she was alive but she did not expect to see her again though. East then raised a hoof and both Irish and Spike raised.

“I know must of you are surprised to see me alive. I was surprised myself that I escaped alive. And believe me, the last thing I want to do is to cause more trouble that I already had, but we have an urgent matter between hooves. The Undead Knights are back and like the last time we have to work together if we want to stop them.”

The ponies were shocked to say the least. There were too many questions in the air. Not only about East Wind’s return but also about what Midnight told her about the Order of Silence. The most important question was, was East Wind aware of the dangers of Shadow Magic?

But then Princess Luna stood and advanced toward East Wind. She looked at her right to the eye and then, channeling her magic power on her hoof, she slapped East Wind. She complained from the pain but accepted it giving the circumstances.

“You… YOU! How is this possible? All this time you were alive, and hiding? WHO ELSE KNOWS ABOUT THIS?!”

“All the High Council.” explained Spike. “Right after the battle ended we found a clue, a mirror. It was a message, she escaped to the other side of the Mirror to never come back.”

“And that was my intention but giving the circumstances I had no choice. If I show up in public again, it could cause lots of problems. And none of us want that.”

The Princesses nodded. If she appeared one more time it could cause a huge impact on Equestrian society. If East Wind showed up again as an alicorn the ponies could demand that she was crowned Princess or something.

Princess Celestia nodded thoughtful.

“Thank you for trying to be discrete, East Wind. But your return only makes us question your true intentions even more. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but you haven’t had contact with your Knights in all these years, right?”

“No, I haven’t. I have a new group of Knights to take care of now. I know that they are on capable hooves, right Irish?”

The Great Master Irish Coffee bowed before her teacher.

“Thank you for your words, Great Master!”

“Enough!” protested Applejack. “How did ya’ now about the creatures return?”

Sunset Shimmer moved forward. “This is what we came to discuss. These creatures are a threat in our side too. Their return affect us all.”

East Wind sighed.

“It all started with a visitor who came to my ‘study sessions’. We all know that the monsters exist due to a failed pact with the Devil. Well, He have come to claim what his rightfully His. Not directly but he sent somepony to finish his dirty job. Somepony else have returned from the grave to take revenge on the monsters who sent her to hell on the first place.”

Twilight shivered.

“This is precisely what I was worried about. Moon Dancer warned me about it, He would claim what is rightfully his. Not to mention Night Terror said something about protecting his mother from…”

“Glimmer” completed Pinkie Pie.

They all paled when they finally put the pieces together.

Spike frowned as he nodded.

“She is back and apparently is armed with some kind of weapon capable to kill an undead for good. But we all know Starlight Glimmer, she won’t stop by killing the undead. We all know who else is in her list right? Also, according to the Great Master, Glimmer had become an undead herself. And we all know that undeads always want to kill more. Their only desire is murder, murder and more murder.”

“We must get rid of the Undead Knights ourselves, but first we must destroy the two undeads sent form hell.”

“Two undeads?” asked Celestia.

Spike nodded. “They killed Starlight Glimmer twice, remember? First their timeline, and the second time when they traveled through time.”

Silence.

Finally Princess Celestia had to break it.

“Okay what do you suggest?”

Irish sighed. “My Knights have the Order to keep their distance until further notice, except for the High Council. Most of us are going through the other side of the mirror. We are going to fight no matter what it costs us. Anything if it means end this nightmare.”

Sunset nodded.

“In our side the Magic of Silence works without a problem, along with all of the regular Equestrian magic.” explained Sunset. “Since the Magic of Silence showed us to channel our magic through our hands. I am not a part of the Order, but I’ve learned a lot thanks to the Order. And I am willing to fight for them.”

The Bearers exchanged an uncomfortable look. Finally, Twilight dared to ask.

“East Wind, how much your Order have extended in your side?”

“More than here if that’s what you’re asking. Thanks to the internet we’ve managed to expand our Order through the world. I’ve uploaded hundreds of tutorials of Shadow Magic on the internet. Not to mention that digital copies make the document distribution easier.”

Twilight gulped.

“Any of my friends is in the Order?”

“Fluttershy and your other self are part of the High Council.” smiled East Wind. “Sunset Shimmer joined to me at first but given the dangerous nature of our actions she quitted. No hard feelings.”

“But I am helping until the monsters are defeated.”

It was too much to handle. Soon Celestia and Luna immobilized East Wind as Twilight prepared a mind reading spell. She had to make sure the Great Master was not aware of the accelerating aging caused by the Shadow Magic.

“I’m sorry East Wind but I have to make sure of your intentions!”

An aura of shadows pushed Twilight to the other side of the room. It didn’t hurt her too bad but still hurt. She looked at East Wind but she was as surprised as she was. Then she turned to Irish who was looking at Spike in awe. Finally she turned to Spike who still had an aura of shadows around his claw.

“Don’t you dare to touch the Great Master, Twilight!”

Twilight shook her head in disbelief. Spike have dared to attack her?”

“Spike, what do you think you’re doing?”

“That’s what I’m asking you Twilight. We are supposed to be together to fight the undeads. What is the idea of attacking East Wind?”

East calmed him down with a warm smile.

“Spike, it’s okay. I can take care of myself, okay? Besides, attacking your mother is not cool. Didn’t you join to protect her?”

Spike looked down, regretful.

“I am sorry Twilight, I’m sorry East.”

East Wind then turned to Twilight. “But seriously, wouldn’t be easier if you ask me what you want to know instead of forcibly reading my mind? As long as it doesn’t compromise my Knights, I would tell you anything you want to know.”

Twilight nodded.

“I’m sorry East Wind, but I don’t know if we can trust you after we learned about the Order. Spike, please you must understand. The Order endangers their members. I know you and Irish are innocent, but what about East Wind?”

Spike shook his head. “What do you mean? I know that stealing knowledge was a big problem and those who did it were exposing themselves but that’s all in the past.”

Twilight tried to explain herself before Spike got into real trouble.

“Spike you don’t understand. Thanks to the Undeads, we found out a horrible secret about the Knights of the Silence and we want to make sure if East Wind was clear. That she didn’t know what she did to you and the other Knights!”

Irish Coffee intervened, angry. “Hey! Why would you believe the creatures who tried to kill us? Those things are nothing but killing machines!”

Celestia nodded.

“Let us explain. Irish Coffee, how old are you?”

The girl shrugged. “What does my age have to do with anything?”

“A lot!” said East Wind. “We agree we did not act properly but we have to make sure. Can you please tell us?”

Irish rolled her eyes, annoyed.

“I am thirty-two. So what?”

The girls exchanged a confused look, she looked that she was at least thirty-nine or forty.

“Do you mind if I use a medical diagnosis spell on you, Irish? I have to make sure of how well you are.”

Irish raised an eyebrow but ended up shrugging and walked to the Princess as she casted the diagnosis spell. Celestia scanned every cell on Irish with a concerned look.

“Well, biologically you are thirty-seven.”

“Big deal! I have to take better care of myself. Between the Order, the Academy and my bar I’ve been too busy and stressed. That’s just life.”

Celestia did not answer, she was just concerned. Then she turned to Spike.

“Spike, you are twenty-six right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Do you mind I use the same spell on you?”

Spike was confused, but then he looked at his friends and family and let Celestia scan him. She shook her head mumbling.

“Just what I feared!”

“What do you mean?”

“Dragons usually live longer than ponies, this is why we haven’t noticed any significant change on you. But you are definitely aging faster than you should. The proof are your wings, they sprouted sooner and grew larger than they should at your age.”

The three Knights exchanged a look in confusion.

“So, what do you mean?”

“Shadow Magic is practically raw magic power, the most basic magic that exists. This is why the Knights of Silence are able to learn any kind of magic after they master the power of Shadows. But it puts too much stress on your body, and as a result you end up aging twice as fast.”

Irish shivered. “No, it can’t be true! Right? The undeads are just making things up! Think about it, we escaped from them and now the Order is finally accepted by Equestria. We’re not outlaws anymore but have the approval and protection of the Crown. They are obviously lying! Right?”

She tried to seem firm, but her voice trembled showing her fear.

Twilight then started telling them about the encounter with Midnight and the fate of Night Terror. About the Undeads’ little trip to the Griffon Empire and what they had learn from the old general.

“If you think about it, is only logical. An average unicorn can only master fifteen types of spells, most of them related with their especial talent. But Shadow Magic is Magic in its purest state, before decomposing into the Primary Elements. Magic is weaker after its decomposed, but it must be weaker if you want to use it without overstressing your body and suffer the consequences.”

Celestia joined.

“This is the secret that the Order of Silence have guarded since its origins at the Griffon Empire. They started to use Shadow Magic because that would allow their members to learn all the secrets of all the other Orders. But the result was that their bodies could barely resist it.”

“But Shadow is an element! Is not pure magic!”

“Is not but almost. Shadow equals emptiness, the beginning of everything.” said the Great Master with concern.

Sunset looked at her mane, only to notice the few silver hairs that started to show up not so long ago. She thought it was only natural, but then she realized that they started to appear after she joined the Order. And Twilight and Fluttershy looked older oto.

“No, this must be a coincidence!”

Twilight sighed. “This is what the undeads told us. At the beginning you don’t notice but the changes are subtle. But there’s no doubt you are changing. The longer you use the Magic of Silence the quicker you age.”

East shook her head.

“NO! This cannot be! The Great Master would never do something to harm his students! Just like me he was devoted to education; he would never do something like this! And he was very old when I met him, right?”

“The griffon immigrant Derrik Iron Feathers was only forty two years old when he died. I’m sorry.” said Princess Luna.

“But I am feeling fine! That’s a good sign, right?” asked East Wind.

“East Wind you turned into an alicorn! Your lifespan is longer than the average pony or human.” explained Celestia.

East Wind paled.

“I have to go to the other side. I must warn Emerald and the others! DAMN IT I HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY SIDE OF THE MIRROR!!”

She was about to escape to the shadows when she stopped. “Irish, Spike, I left the rest on your hooves and claws. Sunset, are you coming?”

She nodded and joined the Great Master. “East, can we go running? I don’t want to use shadow magic anymore.”

“Sure!”

Irish bowed. “Take care, Great Master. Sunset Shimmer. I hope we see you soon.”

“We will see each other soon. Hopefully, we’ll stop the creatures once and for all,”

They ran back to their home to warn their loved ones as Irish and Spike faced the Princesses and the Bearers.

Twilight touched her son’s shoulder. “Spike I hope you understand that I cannot let you use your Shadow Magic anymore. Is dangerous.”

Spike lowered his head.

“Being useless it’s a sin. I am no longer a sinner; I won’t give this up now that I can protect you!”

Twilight hugged him.

“Spike please! Don’t repeat the horrible worlds of Night Terror. Protect you is my job, not the other way around! You are useful, you are and always been a great support for all of us!”

Spike took a look around, seeing his friends, his mother and the Princesses. They all thought the same.

“Alright, I won’t use Shadow Magic anymore.”

“Neither do I” said Irish. “I don’t wanna die this young, I love my cause and I would happily fight for the freedom of knowledge. But my shorten my life is not worthy.”

Everypony sighed in relief.

“But not until we defeat those creatures.” said the two Knights in unison.

And looking at their eyes everypony realized that they would not change their minds.

Author's Note

And this is it, the reintroduction of the original Great Master and the big reveal of what Shadow Magic really is. Anyway, next chapter would show what’s going on at the other side of the Mirror.

Hope you liked it and as always.

Read ya’ later!!