Shadow Mark

“Is that?” Cerebrum asked but was answered by Red Talons reaction

“SHADOW!” With all speed capable Red Talon flew towards the falling body of their leader

Colliding with the body he held on tight and said “Don’t give up!” seeing his wounds were grave. No response. DAMN! Have to get to Canterlot.

Flying nonstop although slower until Straight came alongside him and picked up the body as well and they flew in the direction of the city of royalty. They were able to keep up with each other. And Cerebrum was casting fire magic on the wounds to cauterize them and searching through his bags for a salve. When he finally found it he held Shadows mouth open and poured the liquid in. “That should keep him alive until we get to Canterlot until then I can do no more. Although it will be night again when we get there.”

In Shadows mind.

“We meet again young Shadow.”

“Am I in the void again? Ergh I feel the pain of my wounds…I feel myself fading.” Shadow said to the older him

“Yes you are. I never thought I would tell you so early that you are grave would be the void. You are so young. It has been four thousand years since our last inhabitant died. He accomplished many deeds but I will not tell you of them. Though I am happy to say your death will not happen today but be wary or it will be soon.”

Nodding Shadow felt everything going to black.

Reality.

He heard voices and more crying. He felt hoofs on him and a machine being hooked up he also felt the tears soaking his fur. He opened his eyes with difficulty and saw his friends.

He reached out a hoof and said to them crying himself. “Do not cry my friends, the battle was one today. If my life ends sooner than another is that is the way it must be. If I die here, just know…I was in peace.” He took his hoof from his friends shoulder and lay down trying to relax.

More crying and he heard Someone trot into the room. And say “He will live, but you need to leave he is resting. Then he heard somepony galloping in the hall and enter.

“SHADOW WHAT HAPPENED!?” the familiar voice of Luna said crying

Opening his eyes once more he said to her. “We won, but victory comes with a price. I chose to pay it myself instead of force it upon my friends.”

Then he heard Red Talon say “We aren’t leaving. And I doubt you can make us.”

The doctor groaned and brought in something. Probably cots. *sigh* my wounds hurt, but it is not as in pain as my mind.

“No alcohol for him this time.” The nurse or doctor said.

He then heard Luna ask them all “What happened to him?” Sniffleing

“He flew into a crowd of at least two hundred pissed off griffins. Swarming around him he managed to take on about twenty alone. And we brought their numbers to about ninety when the griffin on our side got herself killed. Shadow shortly afterwords broke free and they all followed him. We chased after but his speed was astonishing. Landing on top of a mountain we saw him and then take off into the griffins, then a burst of dark light. Loud to. Every one of them dropped dead. Shadow fell too and Red Talon caught him and we brought him back here. He was a true hero.” Straight said

Shadow then said to them “A true hero would find a way out of the conflict entirely. Somepony once said “The best battle is where it’s won without a single death.” I killed too many to be called a hero. The blood on my hoofs well never wipe away. I will always be a killer, a fighter, NOT a hero.” Shadow began to cry.

He felt someone kiss him on the lips. Then the crying stopped and then he said “Ok was that Cerebrum or Luna?”

They all chuckled and Luna said “It was me. Don’t ever leave me.”

“I won’t.” Shadow said

“Shadow, I know how you feel. About being called a hero I once was called, “The hero of Stalliongrad” I could not accept it for what I had done so I left that place never to return. There is so much I want to tell you guys…but it hurts too much. Those memories haunt my dreams.” Red Talon said beginning to cry.

“How long do I have to stay in here?” Shadow asked

“I will ask the doctor.” Said Luna

“Swift, let’s leave and I will teach you Latin.” Cerebrum said

“FINALLY!” Swift trotted out.

Then straight asked “Never do something so stupid again. We will all share each other’s pain. Do not keep it to yourself wishing to spare us. Now I must go train.”

Red then said “Shadow if I lost anyone of you I couldn’t bear it. I have lost too many. Too many. Stalliongrad was a cold and brutal war.” Red left then

Crafter the last one there said to him “Keep in mind laddie, none of us fear death. We fear others deaths. Such as yours. Don’t do it again.” With that he was alone.

Five minutes later Luna trotted back in and Shadow opened his eyes to see that she had a confused expression. There were six cots but nopony in the room. “Ok well the doctor said quite a while. You have gashes pretty much everywhere on your body as well as let us see. Instead of breaking every bone in your body. You now have raised the bar and SHATTERED every bone in your body. You’re going to stay for a while.”

“I thought I would die Luna, I thought I would die.” Shadow said

“But you didn’t you came back like you promised. I love you Shadow I truly do.”

Then he asked the question that had filled his mind. “Why do you love me though? There has to be a reason.”

Luna thought for a moment. “You are like my father, although more heroic. I just love the way you are.” She said sitting down in the bed with him.

“Your cute you know.” Shadow said brush her mane out of her eyes.

Hoping this was not going where it had two nights before “Why?” She asked

“The way your mane flows without wind, your beautiful fur, your voice. Need I go on?” Shadow said in pain but happily

“Does it hurt much?” Luna asked knowing that it hurt but not actually processing it.

Shadow answered anyway and without anger in his voice. “Yes…and no. I feel the pain; in fact somehow I feel every shattered bone fragment inside me. I feel it all each pain individually, yet I do not really FEEL it. I feel as if I am not even in my own body. As if no matter how much pain is going on in me. It’s just happening to someone else.”

“Are you sure?” Luna asked interested.

“Yes I don’t know how describe it but it just is. The pain is just…there. But nothing else. Could we not talk about this please?”

“Ok I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Always remember though if you are in need of someone I will already be there. For now the pain takes me, to sleep.”

“Good night.” Luna whispered

Then Shadow mumbled his response back “Only because it’s yours.”

Smiling they both slept. Shadow dreamed of a white city, with walls of water jutting up at least four kilometers. Yet the city itself was under the sea itself by another few kilometers. Everything was over scaled, and then his sight drifted to the most magnificent site of all. Three towers in the middle of a circular city.  One next two another. The first in the center of the two smaller was at least one hundred kilometers tall. The others where about seventy. But the most stunning fact was, he could see a symbol. One that he recognized. It looked like a combination of Lunas symbol (or at least the one im using.) with the sun around it. Then ornate deigns inside the sun, the sun itself seemed to be on fire. YET IT WAS A TAPISTEY! The moon FROZEN!

(To give you an idea of how big this is the empire states building is about 305 meters tall. And imagine the diameter of this city {one side to the other through center.} is about FOUR HUNDRED kilometers. Meaning it is pretty tall.)

Waking with a jolt and trying to comprehend what happened. “What’s wrong?” Luna asked lifting her head from the book she was reading. She must have been up for a while.

Recapping his dream to Luna he noticed her face becoming grimmer as he went on. Finishing he asked her “Do you know of this place? Is it real or did you just have the same dream and that’s why you’re so grim?”

Using her magic she closed the door and said. “Shadow look, I am not allowed to speak of this place. But I will tell you a few facts. First it is my true homeland, the land of the alicorns where we first came from. Second its name is Gemadon. (Gem-a-don) Later I will show you where it is located on a map. In case something happens to me at my sisters doing travel there. And last, I tell you something that goes against my vows, but you are destined to be the Guardian of the Sacred Temple. Never breathe a word of what I just told you. It will kill us both.”

“What is the Sacred Temple?”

“No I have said too much.”

“Then I will not ask.”

A hoof rapped on the door and then a voice. “Shadow, may I come in?” it was the doctor

“Yes.” Shadow said and the door opened, the doctor pulled up a chair and sat in front of Shadows bed.

“It’s time for magic therapy; there are two ways to do it. The quick painful way or the very long but mostly painless way. Oh and you can’t use the void it won’t allow any change meaning we couldn’t fix your bones.” The doctor said

“I will take the quick way out.” Shadow said without a second thought.

Sighing the doctor said “Luna if you don’t want to watch. Do not, the last thing I want is for you to be angered or saddened by his screams. I have never had a single patient in twenty years ever resist screaming with even a broken arm. The worst injury I cured this way was a shattered leg and wing. They almost passed out.”

Luna shook her head, she wanted to stay. That is good I was hoping you would.  Someone to hold strength in.

The doctor’s horn started glowing and so did Shadow. He felt his bones crunching back into place. Yet never a grunt escaped his muzzle. After a while the doctor reconnected the magical flow into his horn. Finally now I can finish this sooner.

Grabbing the remainder of fragments inside his body he crashed them tighter at once. Then, he screamed but only briefly. Then he sucked in a breath and finished with his wings.

The doctor stood back and said in awe “No pony has ever done their own surgery. And you did not scream. Well only briefly. How do you feel?”

“I feel like getting out of here.” Shadow said ripping off the bandages and helping himself up with his wings.

“No you must not leave you could break them again, or maybe they are still fractured.”

“Nope I checked.” Shadow said already trotting out. Luna followed briefly after.

“Shadow I must go attend some royal business. You are on leave due to injury for the next four weeks. So go relax. If you need me I will be in my room.” Luna said

Nodding Shadow walked off to the library. He was going to do some research.