Chapter 2, Awake, your master call you

wake up...

He did not know where he was, what will be of him and what to do. But for the first time he was in peace. And didn't like it.

He could only notice that he was in a dark space, he could still feel his arms and legs but they did not respond to his commands. His orientation wasn't working, he couldn't figure out where he was up and down. For him it was like floating in a void. It made him feel useless, but he was at a peace that he couldn't achieve before. It has been a long time since he heard or felt the commandments of the Yami Legion.

Yet, this peace bother him.

He has no need to think for himself, so he didn't know what to do in his current situation. All he could do was wait and wait and wait for a long time. It makes no difference to him to sleep for weeks until his master calls him. For him this was a long and unnecessary dream and he just wanted to end it.

Luckily all things has its end, eventually.

its time to wake up...

Not knowing how long he waited or at what point his dream finally ended, he just knew that it was time to wake up. Because he couldn't confuse what was calling him at that moment. He received the call of the commandments of the Yami Legion. His new master was announced. And he was needed.

'My master is calling me.', his soul fed again by the shackles of the Yami Legion, he let out a silent roar towards the sky. Waking up from his slumber.

He fight back whatever was holding him. He thrash around now that his arms and legs feel the power of commandment. Over time he was able to see the light. Or better to describe it, he could see a crack in the void. So he continued to struggle to get out, which at some point he thought was ramming into an invisible wall to widen the crack. Only to insert his hands and force it open, widening the crack.

your master...need you...

'My master needs me.', he becomes more desperate as he keeps the call going. His will was always under the commandment, and now, they were screaming in his mind that they needed him. He began to think of more ways to open the crack, at some point he imagined using his head to hit the invisible wall.

He couldn't fail, if he did, it was nothing. His reason for existence was to serve and be useful to his master. Just like he did with his previous master and the previous one after that one and the previous one after that one too. He knew nothing more than to obey his master's rules and orders.

'I will not be useless! I will not fail! I will SHOW MY WORTHY TO MY MASTER!!!', and with that will, he break through from his cocoon.

With the final push, the dark void was replace by a bright light as the cracks expand it around him. And he could feel again the real world around him as he fall on his face on a green field.

Welcome back... U$%!#@

'...', the sight of a green grass came to him. He didn't know anything except how tired he was.

He couldn't think about anything or move for the next few minutes as he began to check his surroundings. The mental exhaustion he felt was too much, he used all his willpower to free himself from where he was trapped. But it wasn't long until the commandments acted again, telling him that it was time to move and that he couldn't waste any more of his master's time.

Little by little we began to command his body to respond. It wasn't after a couple more minutes that his blood began to move throughout his body. And the pain from his dream state began to spread throughout his arms and legs. But it was a pain that didn't bother him at all. Soon his fingers responded, then his legs and arms began to move. And, after about half an hour, he was able to use his arms to lift his chest and head off the ground.

When his eyes could see more than just a green grass where he fell, he saw a beautiful garden with fountains and flower bushes everywhere. But he didn't care how well cleaned and maintained the garden was, he only asked 'Where am I' and the most important 'Where is my master'. He might care if this garden belongs to his current master, but for now this place was irrelevant to his concerns.

After seeing enough of the scenery and verifying that there were no signs or threats in sight, his legs finally had the strength to stand up. It wasn't after a few minutes that he got used to his legs again, even a few times he fell on his face again when one or both of his legs cramped.

After another 47 minutes, the leg cramps disappeared and he regained his ability to walk. Over time he will be able to run and jump like before, but not after checking that everything was fine. After his body was functioning normally, he checked the status of his swords and armor.

He started to inspect his armor. His dark armor was intact and show no sign of damage on the plates and joints were his arms and legs are connected. He started to rotate his arms and legs to find any sign of friction that could bother him. No sound could be hear from his plates and didn't feel any resistance on the joints of his armor. Even his helmet did not show any issue as well.

After finding his armor was in good state, he started to look for his swords. When he turn around, he only receive a white pedestal with broken stones around it base, yet he ignore it. For he find them right away, thanks at his armor enchantment, he knew where to look and found both swords by his side.

His famous twin white ninja swords were on the green field next to the pedestal. He picks them up and checks if there are any cracks or imperfections on the blades. Since both were forged with the magic alloy as his armor, both swords would not break so easily and confirmed that they were in good condition to use. He considered to inspect them better, as if they still have the same sharp as before. However, wasting more time will ruin his chances to help his master. With that in mind, he only sheathed his left sword and keep the other out.

His priorities were updated into three tasks. First, locate your current teacher. Secondly, know the possible threats to him and his master. And finally, find out where he is now. With that reasoning he returns to the pedestal. He checked the pedestal again trying to understand what it was created for.

That was the moment he found a metal golden plate on the base, as it said: 'The Shadow Blade'.

He recognize that name, is how the ponies were calling him. Getting the idea of what happen, he started to check again the surroundings. And found out that there where multiples status around him, they were located in positions as an exposition or exhibition. It was not until his red eyes fall on a statue that he knew well what was it, so he stop checking the rest. Intrigue, he walk to the front of the pedestal where he could read the plate with the name of that being of stone.

'Discord, Master of Chaos,', he read in his mind as he looked up and saw the colorless statue of his master.

He was still an abomination of nature, but unlike that day he was not wearing his barbarian armor. He was now wearing an elegant tuxedo but the design was multi-striped. He already imagined him with the colors of the rainbow, as if he were a clown. And it helped that he was wearing a ballerina skirt, in pink as he imagine, with it. All he could say was that the now statue was enjoying himself as he posed as an opera singer with a big smile on his goat face and one arm on his chest with the other raised in the air.

He continued observing the statue. He knew that it was not a normal statue and he could feel that it was alive inside of it. A normal servant might think about how he ended up as a statue or what happened after he last saw him. But for him, a Yami Tool, he puts those thoughts aside. Knowing that Discord was inside the statue, he should try to break it and free him from his stone prison, but he did nothing. The answers were simple. He was able to detect, even without knowing why, that he was no longer his master.

'He was defeated and acknowledges that he lost.', he continue analyzing the statue, and the master signal he recognize, was no more on Discord.

He didn't need to know how since he could feel it, thanks to the commandments. But what was really strange for him, was he couldn't pin where the signal, that awake him, came from.

Unknown to everyone that did not know his origins, there were three commandments forged on his soul. Everyone who meets a Yami Tool knows what is the first commandment, as the second was only known to those that were and truly knows how it feel to be a master of a Yami Tool. The first commandments establish the Yami tool how to act, and the second help to determine the ownership over a Yami tool, as it said:

As a tool, any being can earn my ownership, but the Yami Tool will only recognize true proprietorship if the user recognize inferiority and is convinced that is not worthy, for the one who beat it, have been acknowledge that have won over my master.

'So he is no longer my master...', he kept thinking who could now be the one to surpass his previous owner. Only a few beings, or rather ponies, appeared in his mind that could surpass him. 'Celestia.'

After fixing on the most possible response, he turns around and checks more of his surroundings. Until now he only observes the garden but now he detects more things that his eyes did not notice before, including the castle behind him and the garden. So that means he was located in the garden of this castle, whoever it belongs to.

He observed at the castle for a long moment but when his sight reached the height of the tallest towers, an idea occurred to him. With his now restore muscles, he started to walk toward the exit of the garden.

He passed by more statues but paid no attention to them, he crossed the fountain but didn't mind stopping to rest, he only cared about getting information from his new master as soon as possible. He even considered cutting down the bushes and flowers placed on his path to the castle, but decided against it because he didn't want to cause trouble for him and his master.

Unfortunately, the universe can't be in your favor all the time. CLANG

He stopped once he heard something breaking nearby. He remains alert by preparing his sword and identifies the possible threat that could arise on his path with his new master. He prepares to fight to the end if necessary. Only to find an earth pony mare in a bush on the other side, wide eyes fixed on him.

A few minutes passed and the two didn't move or try anything. He was thinking about how he hadn't detected her before. However, seeing that she was on the other side of the bush with some clay pots of flowers and a garden shovel around her, it was possible that she was working on the ground picking flowers.

The mare was wearing a gardener's hat to protect her face and green fur from the sun with a gardener's apron and a brown shirt underneath. The gardening pockets of the apron were full of weeds, it was possible to remove them and protect the growth of flowers. Her hands with gardening gloves were in front of her, but it was strange because it gave him the idea that she was holding something. The thought of a flower pot that she was holding and dropped when she was surprised by his presence may explain the CLANG sound.

After checking that she was not a threat, he lower his willingness to fight and relaxed a little. He was about to leave, but soon he notice that something was wrong. The mare keep focusing on him, or better say, she was lock on something. Trying to understand what she is looking at, he followed her line of sight and discovered that she was looking at his sword.

Finally knowing what she was afraid of, he return back just to notice that the mare focus changed, and now was staring directly on his red bright eyes. Only one thing she could do if a strange pony with a weapon appears.

"GUARDS!!! HELP!!! THERE IS STRANGE PONY IN THE CASTLE!!! HELP!!!", she asked for help. She shout with all her strength and started to run like her live depends away from him.

He could only watch as she abandoned her tools and looked for help. If he wanted, he could take her down, but again he wanted to avoid trouble and had nothing against her. So he stood still, letting her go, and let him guide him to the place where the most important ponies could be found. Including Celestia.

'Must act.', after observing the mare going back to the castle, now he knows where to go. Deciding to continue with his sword in hand, he began to run in the direction of the mare. After a few meters he heard her screams again.

"OVER THERE!!! A DARK METAL BEING WAS IN THE GARDEN!!!", after detecting she was with those 'guards', he reduce the speed and lower himself so could use the bushes to hide.

After finding a good spot, he stopped and crouched on the ground to blend in with the bush that was on the side of the path to the castle in the dark. He didn't wait that long for the squad that the mare encountered in her escape to appear. He watched as a squad of 5 guards ran past towards the statue section of the garden. From his hiding place, he could check the guards' armor and choice of weapons.

His armor was a simple centurion metal armor of white plates with gold stripes on the edges to protect the chest, shoulders, and back. Those with wings have holes in their backs. Everypony had a helmet with leather pants. If somepony asked him, it was too basic for his taste, he could already point out multiple weak points that he can attack. However, if he is not careful, things can get out of his control.

Continue observing the guards, he deduce that were not well trained in compare with the soldiers he face in the past. Everypony except the one in front knew that he was the squad leader. The posture and form of movement of the other four were novice, so he placed them from highest to lowest level of danger.

'1 stallion unicorn, 1 mare unicorn, 1 stallion earth, 1 stallion pegasus, 1 mare pegasus', he classified them from high to lower threat.

If he needs to fight, he will have to defeat the magic users, since he has no domain to defend them and counteract their magic. He can only defend himself with his swords and leave his armor the rest. For the rest of the guards, he just need to jump over the earth pony and put down the 2 pegasus to avoid any alert of his position. The worst could happen is if he being pin down by the earth pony strength allowing the pegasus members fly away. What he was worry was the idea of reinforcements.

Escaping still would be easy for him, but if a new squad appears, he will need to put them down all of them and prepare for a full assaults to the castle if they lock down the place. His main priority was to find his master, so he prepares to fight until he is reunited with his new owner. The only problem was that something appeared in his vision when one of them turned their back to him. And make it more difficult to decide.

Their choice of weapons were spears, with a sword of spare on their side, some had shield on their back but what attract his attention was the mark on those shields. The mark of a Sun.

'Celestia', now he has an idea who this castle belongs to, it was obvious who these guards serve. If she is his new master, then he couldn't harm them if they are her property or fellow servants like him, not on the same level.

He began to debate whether he would show himself to them and ask for help in meeting Celestia. But he already has experience that it was a bad move. If these guards were rookies, they might attack him due to his appearance and unknown origins. They could mistake him for an assassin, after all that gardener already ran away from him. He took no action and preferred to watch as the squad stopped at the entrance to the statue section. They weren't far from him, so he could hear their conversation, so he stood still when the supposed leader stopped and turned to his squad.

"Okay, it looks like the place is clear so far, but don't trust that we're safe. If that dark being isn't here, it could be anywhere! So stay alert.", said the white unicorn stallion.

The respond he got from his squad was a worry "Yes, Sir!".

He saw their doubts and tried to help them calm their fears. "Just remember your training and you'll be fine, after all, we're in the castle where all your fellow guards are. So you are not alone.", this trigger the dark servant.

He was more alert now and knew he had to be more careful from then on. He wasn't worried about wiping out an entire army. But if this army belongs to his master, he cannot lay a hand on them and that means he can only protect himself unless his master allows him to fight them. While he updates his new priorities, one of them, the unicorn mare, gives her opinion.

"But captain, what kind of pony could infiltrate in such dark armor? The garden maid couldn't tell what it was. She only said something when a golem with a sword on its arm appeared out of nowhere.", said the aquamarine mare unicorn.

The red light pegasus stallion was next to her, "Spark is right, no pony have the right mind to do something like that. We are in the royal castle. What if is an assassin going for the princess? We are only rookies. What could we do against something like that?"

The earth dark brown stallion who was checking around was next, "Not to mention if it's 'pony'. I'm not afraid of fighting another pony, but if it's something else we don't know about, how could we stop it?", he said while the last azure pegasus mare only nodded with fear on her face.

The captain confirmed his squad's fears, calming himself and softening his attitude to ensure they were safe under his command. "I understand your fears. But like I said before. The castle has royal guards who are the best of the best in the Equestrian army. You have me too. If something happens, I will protect you all with my shield spells.", he said with his chest inflate.

The one named Spark, the aquamarine mare, had a change on her face when she heard of his spells. "Oh, are you going to use your shield spells? I heard that you not only use them to defend yourself, but also attack with them, right?"

"Yes. And even if my magic is not enough, I was trained by the Captain of the Royal Guard, Iron Wing. So I'm confident that I can take on that golem head-to-head. I just need your help to find him and alert the rest of the guards so I can evacuate all the civilians from the castle.", the suppose captain answer back.

The dark servant guessed right, the captain was the biggest threat at that moment. But after taking a look at him, the 'captain' still wasn't good enough to take him out, not even as a sparring partner for him. Now he has information about this, this Captain of the Royal Guard. The only flaw was that he still didn't get anything to help him find his master. He wanted to continue creating a plan or explore this castle, but he stayed hidden to get more information from this squad. And he got more when the team relaxed enough to start joking.

The earth stallion saw an opportunity. "Yes, I wonder why our captain is teaching you. Is it because Princess Candenza asked him? So you can be her personal guard?", who make their captain turn red.

The red light stallion pegasus join with a joking voice. "Come on Boulder, our leader is doing his best. He just wants to get the job of the new Captain of the Royal Guard, and being able to get close to the princess is just one of his benefits!", soon both starting to laugh since their leader was red as a tomato since he know that couldn't denied it.

The mares simply remain silent, they have already gotten used to these two pranksters. Spark turns to see her partner who had a sad face. "Come on, Lift, we know from day one that it was already a reserve for the princess. You will meet a good stallion who will take care of you so don't make that face.", said to her fellow sister.

"I know I know. It's just that I think I had a change with Shining Armor, he was very kind to me during our training. I thought, I finally found my other half. And it doesn't help that we're paired with Boulder and Rapid, they're just idiots.", said the pegasus mare called Lift.

"HEY!!!", after the two jokers try to put a good image to the mares, and fail miserably, Shining Armor had enough.

"OKAY! Since Princess Celestia will have her morning courts in the throne room, we must ensure that this golem does not disturb her. So let's let the team focus!", said Shining.

"Yes, Sir!", and soon they move to the next part of the garden to continue looking for the golem. Who was no more on the dark bush.

Having enough information and wasting more time than he could afford, he sheathed his sword and began moving the moment the so-called Shining provided him with Celestia's location. Now he was inside thanks to an open window and began searching from hallway to hallway. He did not enter through any door unless it was to verify that this was the route to the so-called throne room.

With his training, he was able to elude the maids and guards patrolling the hallways, either by hiding in the blind spot by placing himself in the shadows or by standing still on the ceiling to avoid encountering them as they passed through the hallway. On his way to the throne room, he notice a few details.

One was that the uniforms of the maids and guards had a different design than he remembered. And two, the layout of the castle was not what his memories of the last time he infiltrated reminded him of. Many reasons occurred to him, as if this were another castle, or worse yet, from another time. He knew that Celestia was still alive thanks to her long lifespan as an alicorn, so it was within acceptable possibilities for him.

He stopped worrying about those details. He just needs to meet with his master as soon as possible. However, something did catch his attention. During his search, when he turns into another hallway, he sees something that would be out of place in an equestrian castle, a little young dragon.

He stops and decides to hide behind a large vase based on one side of the hallway. There he could see that the dragon was approaching him. He realized it was a baby dragon because of how fat and small it was. Dragons have different physics than other beings on Terra. For starters, they could instantly grow with their dragon magic if they wanted a treasure out of reach. If they are too weak and small to take it, they can grow to the size of a castle to obtain the treasure for their draconic desires.

This dragon interested him for some reason, so he observed it to detect if it is a threat. The little dragon was short, only reaching up to his waist but not close to his chest. He had purple scales and green fins, he had a green shirt with a purple flame design and brown shorts.

The young dragon looked like he still had his baby fat on his body, but he learned that since they have a long lifespan, baby dragons can take time to grow from their baby phase. So he didn't give the dragon more than 10 to 15 years of age.

The guy was carrying tons of books and scrolls that seemed heavy for a guy as small as him. The more the dragon come closer, he could hear his thoughts since the little dragon was speaking his mind out loud.

"...do that and this. It's almost the Summer Sun Celebration and she's already sending me to look for more books so she can continue putting her head into "studies." She really is a bookworm like the other mares said, I just wish they would try to understand her.", while the little dragon was in his thoughts, a quill that was inside a scroll found its way to fall from the book tower.

It fall down directly to the little guy nose.

"If this continues I will be her only friend, sometimes I wish a guy could... just... ah.. ah..AHHH! ACHOOOO!!!!", unable to suppress the tingling sensation, he jumped up while sneezing and hit the base of the vase. "Ah, COME ON!", seeing that he also drop all the books and scrolls, he started to curse his luck.

As he began to move and pick them up, he felt a shadow over him. Frightened by the knowledge that the vase he saw earlier was about to fall on him, he could not move other than preparing himself for the pain and possible lecture he was going to receive. But since nothing came or was heard, he began to open his eyes and saw below that the shadow was still there.

Following his curiosity, he turned to see that the vase was still there, only a dark gauntlet was holding it. "Phew", he let out a sigh of relief. But then his eyes widened until he realized that that dark hand came from a metallic being with red eyes, looking at him.

For a moment the two stared at each other, the little dragon wanted to run but his fear quickly died when he realized it. The dark being stops the vase so he can save it from him.

"Whoa, eh. Thanks dude, if you didn't save me I will be in big troubles. Hehehe.", the dragon tried to joke to ease the tension, but it only escalated further. After a few minutes, both of them weren't moving a muscle or trying anything else, they were watching what the other would do. It wasn't until the dragon broke the silence.

"..ehhh. That look heavy. Are you going to put that back or...", the dragon let out that he was continue holding the vase.

The dark servant quickly notices this and places the vase back on the base, only to return to the dragon where the staring contest continues. Each one in his own thoughts.

The dark servant was wondering why he was helping him and what to do with him. He debated whether he could ask Celestia's location, but he didn't know if he was local or if he had access to this castle. Perhaps the little dragon is, as others see him, an intruder and perhaps it is necessary to take him down.

While the dragon's thoughts were only 'strange guard' and 'dark metal golem', his fears vaporized when he started thinking about how cool he looked. Gathering courage, he decides to break the ice.

"You don't talk, do you?", when he didn't receive any response, he decided to continue. "Well I just want to thank you for your help. Like I said, you really save from a difficult situation. I really don't want a new sermon from the head maid or Twilight.", he said the last part looking to the other side, where he began to notice around him finding that all the books were lying on the floor.

"I am not being paid enough, well she is not paying me.", he said with a sigh. "This is truly child labor if you ask me, hehehe. I am right.", he try to joke to the dark being but got nothing from him.

"Tough pony, huh.", he decide to start picking the book since he did not want to upset a certain sister of his. "But I have to say, your armor look amazing. What are you, an special guard, the ace of Equestria? OH, are you any chance a hero!", but dark being keep quiet as he was picking all his stuff.

"Whatever you are, red doesn't suit you. It seems like you're a dark knight or an assassin, so ponies might mistake you for a demon... you're not a demon, are you?", the dragon expected to receive a word from him, yet he was happy when he received a nod. At least he knew he was listening to him. Knowing that he could understand and listened to what he said was enough for him.

"Hehehe.", he turn around and keep picking the books and scrolls. "Well I glad for the save. Oh, I forget to ask your name. What is your? By the way, my name is- SPIKE!!!", yet he couldn't finish because another voice stopped him in his tracks.

The voice scared him, he dropped the books again because of the fright he got. When he was about to curse again, the owner of the voice came straight to his side. He recognizes the mare as the castle's gardener, Leaf Garden.

"Leaf? What is-", again he couldn't finish.

"Spike! We need to return to our rooms, its no safe here!", Leaf was literally on top of him. She almost picks him up and carries him like a mother running with her child. But Spike was able to calm her down.

"Whoa Whoa Whoa Whoa! What's wrong, Leaf? You look like you've seen a demon?", he said, and regret for said it. For a moment her word clicked in his mind and he thought that Leaf was afraid of her dark friend. And he was right.

"OF COURSE I SAW ONE! It was literally a dark demon with a sword where his hand was! I was able to find some guards patrolling the garden so I escaped from him alive! Come on, we have to get away from here, now!" Leaf was almost out of breath, because being an old mare of 56 years old it seemed that she had lost more years and was close to retirement.

Spike wanted to believe his old friend, wondering if she was talking about his new dark friend. Yes, he looked threatening, but he didn't panic because of the fact that he had saved him. And Spike didn't think he had a sword or a blade. Besides, he already asked if it was a demon and got a no for an answer. Thinking that might convince Leaf, Spike spoke as he introduced his new friend.

"Well, you can calm down now. I already ask him if he was a demon and he say he is not. So I think he is a good guy.", Spike responds and hopes his two friends get along. But the mare simply stared back while saying that black was white.

"What are you saying Spike? It doesn't matter! We do not have time. We need to go somewhere safe until the guards can capture that black demon! He could be anywhere now!", she tells Spike as she checks her surroundings. As if a predator was about to jump from the shadows.

Confused, Spike didn't understand her fears so he tries to clear up the misunderstanding. "Well, why don't you ask him? He can assure you that he's not a threat," but Leaf got even more confused and dropped a bombshell on him.

"Who are you talking about, Spike?"

Already getting tired, he responds and turns around. "About my new friend right...here?", only to see that there was no one next to him. He looked around, even behind the vase, but there was no sign of his friend. "I swear he was here-"

"HE IS HERE!!!", without letting Spike respond, Leaf grabbed him like he was a drag doll and started running back the way she came from. "WE NEED TO RUN NOW!!!" Spike could barely let out his worries.

"WAIT! THe booksss.....", from there they disappear into the hallway, leaving the books and scrolls on the floor. The hallway was once again silent and free of life.

THUNK Except for the shadow that drop from the ceiling.

After making sure he wasn't seen, he let his guard down for a moment. The dark servant was worried that the dragon, Spike, would reveal his location, but it seemed like the gardener wasn't yelling about it. He could hear the mare yelling "OUT OF MY WAY" from afar. However, it was true that his presence was already announced. And that meant he had less time to meet his master before things got worse. So as soon as he calmed down, he went back to his search.

He went from hallway to hallway and never rested in his search. Luckily, his search came to an end when he saw some maids walking from the corner. I knew this because one of the three maids had a better and cleaner uniform than the other two. He knew that he had just found the castle's head maid. He stops a good distance away to listen to her.

"Listen up! The Summer Sun Celebration is approaching, so we must prepare as well. I need you two to go to the throne room and check how long the decorations on each column should be. Also check if the pillows on the throne chairs of Princess Celestia and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza are in good condition. They will be sitting for a long time, so they should be as comfortable as possible, understand?", said the older maid mare to her two maids.

"Yes! Madam!", the younger maids responded and began to prepare the car that was next to them.

The head maid turns and disappears into the next room, perhaps to perform another task to check. But his attention was on the two maids, who headed to the throne room to do their work. As soon as they were a good distance away, the dark servant began to follow them. Soon, they came to a large hallway where many ponies were lining up to enter. He has stopped to observe the situation.

He concentrates to hear most of what they were talking about. Lots of useless things like 'how to raise taxes', 'get approval for my project' and more, but he was able to catch the lines 'How long can we talk to Princess Celestia'. His suspicions that this was the throne room were verified when the maidservants he was following entered the room behind the two large doors.

'There it is', he was about to meet his master, but the place was full of ponies so he had two options. Or he waits until the place is clear to introduce himself to his master. Or option two, he simply walks in without complications to meet his master and announce his property. Only one option was acceptable.

"...yes you are right we could.... Eh?", a noble who was located at the end of the line talking to one of his fellow nobles suddenly froze instantly. This fact was noticed by his partner and he tried to ask what was happening, until the sound of metal boots was heard at the end of the hallway. Not only did he turn around, but everyone in the line stopped talking and paid attention to the dark-robed warrior walking towards the line.

Some of the nobles began to fear for their lives since the dark warrior seemed to them to be a black demon, like the gardener. Only a few began to admire his set of armor, these were related to the military and they were interested in knowing the dark warrior or where he forged his equipment. Some were even considering hiring him as a bodyguard. But their thoughts change drastically when he ignores them and moves ahead of the line. One of the nobles forgot his fear and tried to stop him.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?! You're obviously not a guard, so you can't come forward just because you're wearing that horrible armor.", this stops the dark warrior. He turns to see the nobleman but since he did not engage with his target, he quickly ignores him and continues advancing.

This anger the noble so he try to grab him and call the real guards. "Hey I said-", try. He couldn't finish what he was about to said to him.

As soon as he grabs his arm, the dark servant returns his sight, with a murderous instinct to freeze him to death. This freezes the noble and all colors drain from his face, as if his golden fur was turned colorless with bleach.

Unable to hold on to his grip, the dark warrior simply removed his arm from the noble's grasp and continued walking. Shortly after, the rest of the nobles witness what would happen to them if they tried thanks to the status of the only one blocking his way. They step aside and give him free passage to the doors of the throne room.

Once he reaches them, he stops to breathe out his anger and worries. He finally arrived at his destination, so he tries to put his mind at peace. Very soon he will be next to his new master. And he will stop thinking for himself and complete the purpose that was made. With final preparation, he placed his hands on the twin doors of the throne room and pushed them as hard as possible to announce his arrival.

When the door opens, he can confirm that he has arrived at the throne room of the castle.

The room was 20 feet high and almost as big as the garden it came from. It could accommodate 100 ponies, with room for larger beings like adult dragons in their giant forms. The columns were evenly placed and had windows with different designs between them, some showing a hero or important event. It was decorated with a red carpet that ran from the open doors to three throne chairs, where a large round glass window had a clear view of a city behind.

All the souls in the throne room froze at the unannounced entrance, some were surprised while others were annoyed by such disrespect towards the current audience with the princess. Everypony became scared when the dark servant began to enter the room. He check again for possible threats, and as soon he spot an white alicorn mare seating on the other end, he stop check the surroundings.

She was wearing a white dress with a sun mark on her right chest with golden straps on her waist. She had a golden bracelet on her arms and a tiara on her head where the same astral hair she had in the past did not change at all. He watches her and soon feels a calling, so he begins to walk, ignoring all the looks he receives except one.

In the opposite direction from where he entered, was none other than the Princess of the Day, the Alicorn Princess, Celestia Aurora Sun. And she looked at him with fear and disbelief.

The reactions he received were diverse. The mares, mostly the maids in the room, including the two he follows, freeze on the spot due to the fear of not knowing what he is. The civilians began to move away as the dark warrior passed by them, not wanting to stay close to him. The guards didn't know what to do as they never saw a dark guard in their ranks but they were alert for him. Some of the guards in the room believe he was a special guard, but the idea of a murderer crosses their mind. Their lack of action was that they didn't believe that someone foolish enough to come to kill the princess would storm the door when all the ponies were present. They turn to their princess.

Who can't seem to believe what he was seeing. "How?...", was what Princess Celestia said without thinking when she saw the dark servant again. "How did you escape?... How did you... come back?"

She had the look of a pony looking at an old memory of the past, like the past she fears in the last thousand years. Of letting go of a painful past, but now she saw that the demon was coming back for her. A demon to remind him and collect his debt for failing his sister and his lover. A demon that took away all his happiness. And come back for more.

'How come he's back? the Elements should have stopped him!... Unless their magic is weaker than before. Is it because I am no longer worthy?', Celestia only stare as the dark servant continue walking to her.

'But why he is here? Could it be-', Celestia didn't finish her thoughts because of what she saw in front of her. The dark servant drew his twin swords. And when she saw the light in those swords, the memory of her sister came to her mind, with an old rage welling up from her fear.

"GUARDS!!!", she shouted to alert her guards to take action. Now prompted by their princess's orders, all the guards begin to form a circle surrounding the dark being. Sensing the danger, all the civilians and maids began to leave the room. However, some stay near the door to see what happens.

Seeing her guards taking action she continue shouting in her royal voice. "I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ESCAPE FROM YOUR PRISON! BUT I WARNING YOU! IF YOU TAKE ANOTHER STEP YOU WILL KNOW-... eh?", her threat stop when the dark servant didn't take another step, but it was not as he stop due her words.

Right in the middle of the room, halfway towards her, the dark servant stops. When he suddenly receives an order to stop and freeze in place like a statue.

Everypony kept an eye on the dark being as he continued frozen in place, some even considering him to be afraid of the princess's threat. Celestia continues to wonder if he is really the same servant she faces with with his master along side. If so, where is his master?

Then she started to fear that Discord might appear out of nowhere but nothing happened after that. Not even her signature laugh was evident in the room, and that worries her. She just stared at the dark servant frozen in place, but if she could pay closer attention, she could tell that his eyes were wide open as his red eyes were brighter than normal.

Nopony knew the reason for his actions, only he knew. When he realized, in the same voice he had been hearing since he woke up.

Your master...is waiting...you still have...a purpose to complete...

The dark warrior was afraid, but not of her. He simply stops when he realizes that Celestia, The Princess of the Day, was not his master.

Author's Note

Hello, if you have arrived here, it means that you are interested in where I am going. Well, I can try to leave a few hints, so I will try my best to leave enough so you can theorize. I want to ensure the mystery but it will be something dark, and no, I will leave the strong stuff at the end.

Also, I'm looking for how to describe sounds, so if anyone knows, please tell me to improve the story.

Another thing, the tag sex and self harm are to warn that there will be parts in this story where the character will be injured and sex scenes, but not so much and only to build the story. This is just a warning but hope you like the story so far.