I let a ragged breath out as my lungs burn in pain.

Despite the pain I keep moving, but no matter how many I block or dodge there is always another streak of twisted black magic flies towards me. When did it all go so wrong? I try to distract myself from the pain in my aching limbs and burning horn.

It was small at the start, a few weapons going missing form the armory's, a few guards that didn't show up on time. But as the days pasted it got worse, more small things changes, so many signs that we missed. We even assigned a pony to investigate, not that it helped to prevent what happened next.

To little too late I suppose.

We all learned how wrong things have gone when a guard tried to attack me, they failed and where captured. But they never said a word, not a one, they just started at a wall blankly in their cell, waiting I suppose.

I nearly trip on a look chunk of stone from a shattered wall.

I could just give up? We may lose but there is still hope. But... Her cries. I don't even remember how long I've been fighting, and how long he's been protecting me. His shield blunts most attacks but with each blow we lose ground, with each step we draw closer to my precious little one.

I try to retaliate but that foul thing simply shifts from one shadow to another as the torches adorning the walls are smothered one by one. "Running are we? How pitiful!" That damned voice breaks through the darkness.

I resist the urge to shout back and instead focus my waning magic to cast a blinding light before retreating with my love.

This cursed monster come from some shadow calling itself a king, warping the minds of our guards, twisting them and turned them against us all. The only thing that saved us was my loves quick action and watchful eyes, but it was far too late.

I slam the heavy door closed behind us only to feel something shift. My tired body and mind didn't react fast enough as shadows twist to lock the door. A moment later I notice how empty the room is, it's a trap.

I don't have to say anything as my love moves at my side.

His shimmering shield cracks from a blow aimed at my neck, a selfless act that was repaid with sharp pain. The dark blade slashes him on the side and my mind rears in utter RAGE. No one hurst my love, NO ONE!

A blinding flash blinds me as my legs give out and I catch my love.

Everything hurts, but even as a fait glimmer of hope wells in me, it is dashed. The shadow just reforms again seemingly unfazed. "HAHAHA! You entertain your king well, maybe I'll keep you around?"

This things twisted voice mocks me. "NO!" I scream back as he glances over to my little one under her thin shield on the floor. I hate hearing her cry so much.

I use EVER last bit of myself to will my magic. The flash is so blinding that I feel my fur singe and eyes throb even when closed. I can't stand anymore, my legs feel like dead weight and nothing else.

I feel my love try to stand. Why? WHY? ... It's the only thing I can wonder as the shadow starts to take a more permanent from.

As my mind blurs, trying to find any glimmer of hope, anything at all. The sound of glass breaking, stone cracking, the scratch of metal on stone.

I do not turn my head for fear of losing sight of the monster to what must be another attack from the twisted guards. But as the shadow reforms, and as my love stands again, both just... Stop... Then turn to my little one.

"Little one. Why do you cry so?" It's as if something... More, spoke. The voice sounding soft and something, something unnamable underneath it. I manage to turn my head through the pain only to feel more dread fill my mind and body.

Metal, fire, darkness. I thought the monster we have fought twisted shadows, this was worse, I see that now.

What ever this is, it stands as tall as me. Encased in armor that looks both rotted and eternal. The black metal twisting and bending in ways that could never be forged. But above it all is the fire and darkness.

Wings of twisted flame and metal, embers flickering off it's from. Coming from nowhere, disappearing to nowhere. It's chest piece having a pit of darkness blacker then anything craved into it, a ring of moving flame around it to cage it. All this fire, and this darkness, it mixes.

It twists and turns in on itself in impossible ways, shadow and flame as one. A blade of coiled metal pierces the stone with far too much ease. The helmet with twin eyes that burn like smoldering embers turn to the monster. "That dark thing. Is it thou's soul?"

Author's Note

I got bord.