Chapter 1Psychamine
It was a dull grey morning in the Cloudsdale Ruins. The sun had not shone that morning, just like any other morning. But of course, it had always been like this. As long as Silver Gleam could remember anyways. He slowly strolled towards the little Rebel Camp nestled deep within the withering structure of the Ruins. His wings arched behind his back, weary of his past travel from his scouting trip back to his home. He walked to the campsite to find the tents closed, the faint sound of snoring echoing from several tents.
Must all be asleep. He thought, walking towards the biggest tent. He could hear faint scribbling coming from inside, and he faintly smiled, his brown eyes filled with amusement. Of course the Captain’s up at this hour. It almost seems too easy to guess it. Silver Gleam placed a hoof on the door, and lightly knocked. A low, gentle voice sounded through the door,
“Enter.” Silver Gleam nodded and quickly opened the door and shut it behind himself. The Captain turned to face Silver Gleam, his face serious, but Silver Gleam knew him. Behind that serious face was a fearful look, and a very chilling one. Silver Gleam’s wings arched up further, and then went to rest at his sides. The Captain nodded at Silver Gleam’s narrowed eyes, staring into Captain Hurricane’s blue ones.
“Silver Gleam, I need you to find out where this insanity pulse is coming from. One of our patrols through the Everfree Forest got close to an abandoned castle, where one of our unicorns, Bookworm I believe, went insane, and slaughtered the members of her team, except for Super Saying, he came back with a few scratches. The two are in the infirmary right now, Luna’s treating them. Just leave them be for now, but every unicorn that goes near that place seems to lose control of their bodies and thoughts. Go to that abandoned caslte and find out what in Equestria is going on there. If it leads to Discord or Celestia, we might have a chance of finding either of them, or if we’re lucky, both of them.”
Silver Gleam nodded, stretching his wings. “Yes sir, I’ll take care of it.”
“Head there immediately, I don’t want to risk more ponies getting hurt.” Captain said. Silver Gleam nodded again and walked out into the dull, cold morning. Silver Gleam trotted away, the wind blowing through his mane until his hooves reached the edge of Cloudsdale’s Ruins. He inhaled, breathing in the cold air that filled his lungs and chilled his throat. He then exhaled, letting warm air flow through his body, giving him strength. His wings arched upwards, and he bent down low. He counted down in his mind;
3...2...1..now!
Silver Gleam took off, rising into the air, higher and higher, the wind flowing through his mane, buffetting his face and coat. He stopped, scanning the area, his wings making a small flapping noise as he scanned the dark green trees for any signs of life. He closed his eyes, listening to the breeze, letting it whisper in his perked ears, his black coat getting dappled with the slowly falling rain. He opened his eyes and dove down into the southwest corner of the forest, the rain falling harder and harder, the rain pelting his coat, making it shine faintly as he whistled past the trees. After he felt so alive, so warm and fuzzy inside, he slowly started to land, softly hitting the ground, listening to the pitter patter of rain. He huffed and huffed, his wings limp at his sides. Ever since his accident, it had been a while since he had felt that alive. He started to walk slowly, his hooves making dents in the mud, puddles splashing when he walked through them. He broke into a trot, then into a run. Water splashed his pelt as he ran through the thicket, coming to rest at an old, broken down castle. He gazed at it, taking in every damp nook and cranny, every mossy patch, every gray block it was built with. That’s when he saw the flaming red mane retreat from a nearby large open crack that was big enough for a pony to fit through. Silver Gleam gasped, staring at the enterance, replaying the scene in his mind.
That hair...that was..! Silver Gleam scowled and dashed into the crack, squeezing his limp wings through, shaking his head clear of the spiderwebs he had gotten caught in. He looked ahead to see the flaming mane yet again, and this time, a black cape. He was certain of it now, that flaming mane, the black cape..it was his sister. The same sister that was separated from him since Discord’s reign began. He took off towards the flaming mane, listening to the clack of her hooves on the stony cold floor, never losing sight of the mane and the cape. As she entered a large door, he crashed in after her, and took in the sights of the room. There were skeletons in corners with knives sticking out of their eyes, skulls, and ribs. The carpet, once regal and beautiful, was now stained with red, and there were even a few organs here and there, and in the middle of it all, in a ripped up canopy bed, was a ginger mare unicorn with spikey magenta and white mane and tail, her cutie mark a dagger that criss-crossed with yet another dagger. A single, purple eye was content and happy as she sat there on the bed, twirling a knife. The thing however that stood out the most to Silver Gleam, was her gray eyepatch with Discord’s symbol on it. Silver Gleam growled, forcefully raising his tired wings, summoning his silver broadsword as his cutie mark shined faintly. The unicorn’s gaze went upwards, staring blankly at Silver Gleam. Her mouth upturned into a smile, in which she started to giggle.
“What? Did you think your little friend was really here? Man, Pegasi are more stupid that you thought!” She said, her giggle getting louder. She stopped twirling the knife and set it down beside her. She raised her right hoof to her left eye and tapped it, making a dull clink...clink....clink..that echoed through the room. Silver Gleam, tensed, ready for a fight. The unicorn kept tapping again and again, her giggle turning into a laugh, and from a laugh to an insane, loud laugh. Silver Gleam narrowed his eyes.
This girl’s insane! He thought, the sword gleaming in the dim room. The girl slowly stopped laughing, and looked at Silver Gleam with a murderous look in her eye as she smiled widely.
“Now..how about you join the others in the piles over there? We’re having a real party.”
“No thanks.” Silver Gleam muttered through the sword’s hilt. She giggled again.
“Wrong choice. Now I have to make you join the party..the hard way.” She rose her eyepatch to reveal a completely gouged out eye socket that was filled to the brim with small but lethal knives. Silver Gleam nearly choked in shock and he jumped back. The unicorn laughed and she picked a knife from her eye, shut the eyepatch, and her horn started to glow a dark gold. The two knives rose up beside her, as well as some knives from the other corpses lying around. Her smile widened, and Silver Gleam’s eyes widened as she uttered,
“Die.”
The knives flew at Silver Gleam, making him step backwards and lash out with his sword, skillfully blocking the incoming projectiles. Silver Gleam danced around with his broadsword, swinging it with no problem and not even breaking into a sweat at all. The unicorn giggled and said,
“Wow, you’re good for a pony! The first one that’s ever started to fight back! I can actually have some fun with you..” She laughed again and Silver Gleam growled. The unicorn continued to pelt him with knives, and they all halted, Silver Gleam included when he saw what she was doing. The knives completely surrounded him. He closed his eyes as the unicorn shouted and the knives dove in. Silver Gleam’s mark glowed brightly, and the sword swung around on its own, deflecting all of the knives. The unicorn stared at him, shrieking at the light. When Silver Gleam exhaled and opened his eyes, the mare was on the ground, holding her head and curled into a tight little ball. Silver Gleam stared at the mare, jumping when he heard the voice of someone all too familiar,
“GAH! You useless unicorn! I ask you to do one simple task and you lose to this...this THING?! You aren’t even worthy to work for me, but just incase you change your mind..here’s my card.” A card appeared beside the unicorn, who had stopped moving, and she rolled over to stare at it. Silver Gleam noticed the mark of Discord was gone.
“What the hell?” The mare exclaimed, kicking the card across the floor, where it rested at Silver Gleam’s hooves. She looked at him and looked at the floor, then all around the room, realizing what she had been doing.
“Ah..so I really did lose it. I’m sorry for any trouble I caused..I’m Psychamine.” The mare said, nodding at Silver Gleam, who gaped at her. Realizing he was still staring at her with his mouth hanging wide open, he composed himself and cleared his throat.
“Erm...Silver Gleam.”
“W-what did I do exactly?”
“I’ll explain later, for now..come with me. You’re coming to Cloudsdale Ruins.”
Chapter 2
Discord’s Reign
Psychamine had every idea at what she had been doing. She had saw all the death she had caused, all the things she had done for Discord for his own personal gain. It made her sick. She shook her magenta hair out of her face, the metal inside her eye clicking quietly. It was cold in her left eye, but it had always been, after all, it was the last thing she felt when she put the metal into her eye. It was always warm around the metal, but the wind blew through the cracks of the knives and it made her shiver from time to time. She kept looking away from Silver Gleam as he grudgingly carried her up to Cloudsdale. She asked why she couldn’t just take the Cliff, and he said he wanted her alive when Commander Hurricane IV saw her. She rolled her eyes as they landed, and she jumped off Silver Gleam’s back and looked at him.
“Thanks for the ride.” She said, looking away from him with a bored expression. Silver Gleam nodded and they walked away into the camp. Psychamine was glancing around like she expected someone to jump out and kill her. Silver Gleam rolled his eyes, clearly, this pony wasn’t even sane anymore. But then again, not very many of them were...after all, Discord was the one calling the shots now.
As they reached the entrance of the camp surrounded by several big, rusty plates of metal and a few buildings that have been modified into watchtowers, they were stopped by two guards.
“Identification.” The Guard on the right said in a firm voice.
“Silver Gleam, Captain of Squad Three and nephew of The Commander.” replied Silver Gleam, “This was an intel mission and she is to describe what she experienced to the commander himself. Then she is to become a rebel warrior.”
“WHAT?!?” Psychamine exclaimed. “I never-”
“I’ve seen you fight first hand.” Silver Gleam interrupted, “We need any skilled fighter we can get, and you are the most skilled pony I’ve ever encountered”
“Fine. Let’s go in, I’m getting a little cold up here.” Psychamine replied.
As they walked through the camp everypony looked upon Psychamine with confusion. She was the oddest pony they’ve ever seen before, she had no scars, no bruises, no wounds, and no cuts on her body, yet she wore an eyepatch, though it was mostly covered up by her magenta hair. They also noticed something about her expression, she was kind of smiling. Since Discord took over they have they seen anypony even remotely happy.
“Come on, let’s hurry up. They’re staring at us.” whispered Psychamine.
They entered the commaneder’s (commaneder is an unintentional pun) tent and took a place around the map of Equestria. The commander greeted them and sat down in an office chair that he recovered from a nearby building.
“So, Silver Gleam. Who is this you have brought me here?” asked Commander Hurricane.
“Sir, this is Psychamine. She has witnessed Discord’s power first hand, she knows what was going on at that castle, and she is a great fighter. I believe she can help us. Sir.” Silver Gleam replied.
“Hi...” Psychamine said nervously, in fear that Hurricane would find out what she did at the castle.
“OK, so what do you know about the thing that has been killing my soldiers?” asked Hurricane.
“Well,” she began, “It was about six months ago. There was something calling me there, I couldn’t resist I had to go in. In the main hall there was a strange pony sitting there staring at me. How would you like to be a very wealthy pony? she asked. Me being not able to resist money, I agreed. Then everything went fuzzy. I took the pony’s place, and then other ponies from your group came to talk to me. But I killed them all...and I knew everything I was doing too, and I just kept killing and killing. Next thing I know, I was lying on the ground with Silver Gleam staring at me.” Psychamine looked down at the ground with a small frown on her face. “I guess that’d be me who’d been killing your ponies.”
“I see. And Silver Gleam defeated you, I presume?” Commander Hurricane said. Psychamine just kept her head down, and Silver Gleam looked at her and then at the Commander, and spoke up,
“She had no intention of hurting us. Like she said, it wasn’t her fault.” Silver Gleam said, staring right back into his Uncle’s strong, unwavering eyes. After a brief stare as Psychamine glanced at the two nervously, he nodded.
“Since you feel so strongly on your opinion, you shall be training her. Is that clear?” The Commander said. Silver Gleam nodded curtly and led Psychamine out of the tent and out into the now bustling camp. Some fillies and colts ran about, playing and laughing while other ponies tried to fix things and prepare for combat. A few Pegasi flew above, circling the ruins for anything suspicious. Psychamine looked at the display, her magenta hair slowly flowing in the breeze as she looked on at the content, safe ponies that filled the camp. She smiled softly, staring at the scene that had unfolded before her. Silver Gleam ushered her over to his tent, where he sat her down on a chair before gathering up the things for cocoa. With a grunt, he tripped, and all the items started to fall to the floor. Psychamine gasped and her horn glowed a light golden. The cups slowly and surely floating in the air, followed by mix, flavoring, and water before setting them down on the counter and starting the water. She giggled.
“I can help you, you know. We don’t all have thumbs.”
“Nopony has thumbs.”
Psychamine just laughed and made the cocoa, setting down the steaming cups on the table before sitting down across from Silver Gleam.
“Hey Silver Gleam, why did you save me instead of leaving me there to die?”
Silver Gleam hesitated...
